Thursday, October 31, 2019
What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth Coursework
What do you consider to be the importance of witches in Macbeth - Coursework Example One of the witches tells MacBeth that he is the ââ¬Å"thane of Glamisâ⬠(I, i, 45-46). The second witch tells MacBeth that he is the ââ¬Å"thane of Cawdor!â⬠(I, i, 49-50). The third witch tells MacBeth that ââ¬Å"that shalt be King hereafter!â⬠(I, i, 51-52). Epstein (422) states that, after the final pronouncement by the final witch, MacBethââ¬â¢s hair stands on end and his heart starts pounding. This shows that this is something that MacBeth has thought about himself ââ¬â that he could be King, if only Duncan were out of the way. Epstein (422) further notes that the word ââ¬Å"wyrd,â⬠which was what the witches were called, as they were referred to as ââ¬Å"weird sisters,â⬠(I, i, 31), is actually misinterpreted. The modern plays interpret the word ââ¬Å"wyrdâ⬠as being the same as ââ¬Å"weirdâ⬠in modern day language. After all, the three women were very weird. When we first meet them, one of them is killing swine, and the other on e speaks in rhymes ââ¬â such as ââ¬Å"in a sieve Iââ¬â¢ll thither sail, and like a rat without a tailâ⬠¦Ã¢â¬ (I,i,8-9), and ââ¬Å"Here I have a pilotââ¬â¢s thumb, wrackd as homeword he did come. A drum! A drum! MacBeth did come!â⬠(I, i, 29-31). Perhaps in Shakespeareââ¬â¢s day it wasnââ¬â¢t weird to speak in rhymes in the plays, so the audience for Shakespeare might not have thought that this was out of place, but the rhyming definitely made that particular sister seem weird. Therefore, the fact that the sisters are referred to as weird might be a modern-day interpretation of them and their overall characters. But Epstein (422) states that the word that was actually used as ââ¬Å"wyrd,â⬠which means fate. This would bring a variety of translations for the witches, assuming that the word is ââ¬Å"wyrdâ⬠and the meaning is ââ¬Å"fate.â⬠This would be a pun, but a very meaningful one. This would be an answer to one of the questions that is central to the play, and that is whether or not our fate is determined by our own hands or by some kind of outside force. The outside force would be the witchââ¬â¢s influence over MacBeth and Lady MacBeth, both of whom are responsible for the bloodbath that is to follow. The implication is that the witches are responsible for MacBeth and Lady MacBethââ¬â¢s overwhelming ambition that created the situation where there was a string of murders that MacBeth, an inherently good man, commits. If it were not for the outside influence on the proceedings at hand, there is not a way that a man like MacBeth could have done what he did. After all, the word ââ¬Å"fateâ⬠implies a lack of control ââ¬â that whatever happens in this world is predestined, and that we are powerless to stop it. Therefore, one of the functions of the witches is both in their persona and in the double entendre on the word ââ¬Å"weird,â⬠in that their persona is what ostensibly controls the situat ion, and the word ââ¬Å"weird,â⬠possibly means fate in this context. There is another interpretation of the word ââ¬Å"wyrd,â⬠according to Epstein, and this interpretation leads one to the opposite conclusion as the interpretation above. This is that the word might suggest ââ¬Å"wayward.â⬠This would imply that the witches were not even real, but, rather, were figments of MacBethââ¬â¢s imagination. This interpretation would suggest that fate was not in control, at all, but, rather, MacBethââ¬â¢s deep seated ambition is what is in control. This would imply that what happens to him is a result of his own free will, not the result of the witches influencing the proceedings a
Monday, October 28, 2019
Understanding and Evaluating the Arts Essay Example for Free
Understanding and Evaluating the Arts Essay Art is subjective. It varies in recognition and identification, and translates differently from one individual to the next. Art can constitute the traditional slap of paint on canvass, or a drawing and sketch; to some people, it can also relate to something as arbitrary as the instance of a sunrise or sunset, and the ocean.. At most, the English journalist and art critic Jeanette Winterson considers art as a sublime element of humanity when she writes, ââ¬Å"What art does is to coax us away from the mechanical and towards the miraculous. â⬠(Winterson). In a general, and less incensed take on the subject matter, art is defined as the result of creative human activity composed of the ideology, opinons and particular persuasions of the artist or individual creating it. Under this definition, art is categorized into different forms such as painting, sculpture, architecture, photography, printmaking, cnceptual art, installation art, and performance art, among others (Barnes). But though art may vary in recognition and definition, the following works exist as a general example of what art constitutes, based from the aforementioned definitions of the subject. Painting While almost every painting by any renowned artist can easily qualify as art, the Russian born French painter, Marc Chagall perhaps best encapsulates, and immediately brings into attention arts capacity, as has been previously referred to by Winterson, to transfrom the mechanical into the miraculous. His paintings, which mostly consist of dream-like elements, of lovers and angels afloat, among other things, affirms arts capacity to gravitate people towards the miraculous. This is made even more evident in I and the Village (1911) in which Chagall paints a a picture of his childhood home where churches, houses, farm animals, and people from his community intertwine, in varying shapes, shades and colors. He takes the mundane and the routine instance of life in his village, or any village for that matter, and translates it into a vivid, pulsating portrait of one as he sees it in his head, evoking a sublime sentiment on the part of people viewing it. Sculpture Ssculptures have always held a prominent part in the art world. One of the most prominent of which is Michelangelos Pieta (1499) in which the Italian artist is able to translate into marble a portrait of Mary holding the mortal body of Jesus Christ in her arms. Every intricate detail such as the creases on the virgins robes and the way by which Christs limp body falls on her lap, the expression on both Mary and Christs face, and most importantly the likeness of the marble sculptures to real bodies, and the humanity which is evoked through the said piece of seemingly cold and inanimate object speaks volumes. And communicates a sentiment and ideology to people who perceive of it, which is what most great art is about. Architecture Antoni Gaudi immediately comes to mind when the subject of architecture and art is concerned. Gaudis inspired architectural designs, again affirms us of arts capacity to rescue or release us from the mechanical drag of the routine. And buildings, in their mundane and uniform dullness is probably the last thing to come to mind, when one mentions art. But Gaudi is able to do so, to transform buildings into something which could be deemed as an artform, through his architectural genius, and the less than common, aesthetic appeal which he endows every building with. Examples of these are Sagrada Familia (1926), Casa Mila (1912) and the wonderful, fantasy-castle type sublime restoration of a building that is the Casa Batllo (1907). Photography Taking effective photographs which convey meaning and evoke particular sentiments is more than just about ponting and shooting. Edward Weston transcends the mere act of documentation that is photography to an art form. His portraits of female bodies in the nude (1923-1945) in their seeming black and white mutedness, instead of being automatically dismissed as pornography, is treated as exactly the opposite. Weston is able to convey in the said series of photographs, the fragility and sacredness of the human body. Each picture overwhelms with emotion and a seeming fullness of idea in every shot. It transcends mere documentation and gravitates towards the miraculousness which only art is able to afford. Printmaking Rembrandt Van Rijns Three Crosses (1653) exemplifies the art form that is printmaking. Althugh Rembrandt is better known for his paintings than his printmaking, Three Crosses is given the same regard. The etching relates another religious episode, in which Jesus is pinned at the cross, two murderers crucified like himself joins him in welcoming death. A group of people stand huddled at their feet, and the rest of the picture exists in a play of light and shadows. The print evokes and conveys the drama of Christs crucifixion and communicates the artists vision and interpretation on the subject. Conceptual Art Art which isnt confined to aesthetic values, but in presenting and evoking an alternative ideology and consciousness, Marcel Duchamps Fountain (1917) illustrates and exemplifies exactly this. The said artform is a standard old-fashioned urinal which the author salvaged form obscurity, signed his name on, and entered in an exhibition. Despite not being well received, the controversy exacted by the piece provoked people to into considering other forms of art, which is what art is also about, it encourages us to broaden our horizons, and depart from what we are typically aware of and confined to. Installation Art Liza Lous Kitchen, in its ode to the routine and the mundane space which most every women work with, or work in at least once everyday transforms peoples view regarding it. Rendered into a marvelous number of million glass beads of different shapes and colors, the result is anything less than ââ¬Å"miraculous,â⬠which was what Jeanetter Winterson was ultimately referring to in the quotation in the initial part of this paper, Liza Lous work on Kitchen takes a piece of the mundane and the mechanical, and transforms it to something that can only be regarded as miraculous, or in less flamboyant words: art. Performance Art Jackson Pollocks incensed abstract-action painting can be categorized as performance art, the manner by which he lays out a canvass on the floor and proceeds to splatter copious and beautiful amount of paint over it, more than the end visual product, is an art form in itself. His incensed take on painting and the physical outpouring of artistic energy which coarses through every part of his body, makes the medium by which he creates his art, another art form altogether. References Barnes, Bernardine. ââ¬Å"Art. â⬠Microsoft Encarta Online Encyclopedia 2007. Retrieved 15 February 2008 from http://encarta. msn. com/encyclopedia_761556523/Art. html Weston, Edward. ââ¬Å"Nudes. â⬠Retrieved 15 February 2008 from http://www. edward-weston. com/edward_weston. htm Winterson, Jeannete. ââ¬Å"Visual Arts: Liza Lou. â⬠Retrieved 15 February 2008 from http://www. jeanettewinterson. com/pages/content/index. asp? PageID=383 ââ¬Å"Gaudi Battlo House. â⬠Retrieved 15 February 2008 from http://www. gaudiallgaudi. com/AA006. htm ââ¬Å"Marc Chagall: I and The Village. â⬠The Museum of Modern Art. Retrieved 15 February 2008 from http://www. moma. org/collection/browse_results. php? object_id=78984 ââ¬Å"Pieta by Michelangelo. â⬠RomaViva. Retrieved 15 February 2008 from http://www. romaviva. com/Vaticano/pieta-michelangelo_eng. htm ââ¬Å"The Three Crosses. â⬠Rijk Museum. Retrieved 15 February 2008 from HYPERLINK http://www. rijksmuseum. nl/aria/aria_assets/RP-P-1962-39? lang=en HYPERLINK http://www. rijksmuseum. nl/aria/aria_assets/RP-P-1962-
Saturday, October 26, 2019
Death for John Walker Lindh :: essays research papers fc
Death for John Walker Lindh Death Penalty should be the only choice, no alternatives. John Walker Lindh knows the difference between right and wrong. He also knows the difference between an American Citizen and a traitor. This article describes John Walker as a person with a cold heart. It portrays Walker, as showing no remorse for the people who lost loved oneââ¬â¢s due to the tragedy of September 11th, however thousands of others have. The article states he chose to fight alongside the Taliban regime and therefore he should be delt the penalties of being a traitor. ââ¬Å"We may never know why he turned his back on our country and our values, but we cannot ignore that he did,â⬠Attorney General D. Ashcroft said. Why even talk about ignoring what he did. Thousands of people are dead and more are hurt due to the actions of the al Qaeda network. Such loses and pain can not be ignored. He turned his back on the United States and people from all over the world. Terrorism is unacceptable not just to Americanââ¬â¢s but to all nations who endure the rite of freedom and security. Therefore John Walker should be tried in a court as if he were Osama bin laden him self. John Walker may have not been directly connected to the September 11th, but he did indeed learn from one of his instructors that Osama bin laden had sent people to the United States to carry out several suicide operations. I do not understand how a human being born and raised as an American can later grow up to fight against innocent people and watch as all American lives get turned upside down. He found out from an instructor that Osama bin Laden had plans in-store for the States yet did nothing to even contact his own family nor let anyone know. Maybe this could have been prevented. Or just maybe the next time I go back to my hometown, New York City, as I am driving towards my grandmotherââ¬â¢s house instead of seeing just a lonely, empty blue sky; I would be able to see the World Trade Center as it once was months ago.
Thursday, October 24, 2019
Civil War Medicine :: essays research papers
In the early years of the Civil War it became clear that disease would be the greatest killer. Twice as many Civil War soldiers died of disease then that were killed in combat. This was due to unsanitary and filthy conditions, untrained Medical personnel and poor medical examination of new soldierââ¬â¢s. One fact from the Civil War was 315,000 soldiers died from illnesses that included: 44,558 from diarrhea/dysentery, 10,063 from malaria, 34,833 from typhoid, 958 from typhus and 436 from yellow fever. The sanitary conditions that a cured during the civil war was shocking. Unsanitary hospitals and camps kept the wounded soldiers in large groups, which were ideal places for infection, fevers and disease to spread. Soldiers were not immune to childhood diseases like the measles and small pox. Medical science had not yet discovered the importance of antiseptics in preventing infection. Water was contaminated and soldiers sometimes ate unripened or spoiled food. There werenââ¬â¢t always clean rags available to clean wounds. Because of frequent shortages of water, surgeons often went days without washing their hands or instruments. So now germs were passing from patient to patient. The Civil War was fought at the end of the middle Ages; therefore the Medical Corps was unqualified in all fields of medical care. Little was known about what caused disease, how to stop it from spreading, or how to cure it. Surgical techniques ranged from the tough to easy. Underqualified, understaffed, and undersupplied medical corps, who was often referred to as quacks and butchers by the press, took cared of the men in the Civil War. During this period a physician received minimal training. Nearly all the older doctors served as apprentices in lieu of formal education. Even those who attended one of the few medical schools were poorly trained. The average medical student trained for two years, received no experience, and was given virtually no laboratory instruction. Still, another reason for disease being the greatest killer in the Civil War was the bad medical examinations of recruits. The recruiting process allowed underage, overage men and those in noticeably poor health to join the army on both sides. Two hundred thousand recruits originally accepted for services were told to be unfit and discharged, either because they had become ill or because a routine examination revealed their bad condition.
Wednesday, October 23, 2019
Cost-Benefit and Cost-Effective Evaluation Methods Useful for Evaluating Effective Training Essay
For over a hundred years the concept of both cost-benefit evaluation and cost-effective evaluation methods has been used for numerous fields and industries to see the positive and negative sides of undertaking a project. These methods has been used to analyze public health; transportation; and etc. Each and every company would rather see more of profits than losses. Employers see that their employees and the trainings are investments to their business. Hence, employers need to have assurances that the trainings that they give out to their employees would be both beneficial to the employers in terms of profit and as well as return of investment (ROI). In order to gain much profit, the employers need to have their employees be up to par with industry standards with avant-garde skills through effective training. Employers do take note that in order to have highly qualified employees they need to give effective and quality training. Using the above mentioned evaluation methods would let the employers know: how much it would cost them to train their employees; the duration of the training ââ¬â would determine the effectiveness and implementation of the skills. Then again these methodologies are not full-proof as there are numerous factors to be taken note of, to guarantee one hundred percent success rate of these trainings such as: the capabilities of their employees, the willingness of their employees to learn these trainings; and finally applying them during operation. The use of these evaluation methods can be a rough guide to corporations and institutions, to name a few, to see the quality and assess projected costs of trainings and steps to be taken. With such projections yielded by these methods one may be on track with their project management and asset management.
Tuesday, October 22, 2019
Capitation Is for Specialists, Not for Primary Care Physicians Essays
Capitation Is for Specialists, Not for Primary Care Physicians Essays Capitation Is for Specialists, Not for Primary Care Physicians Paper Capitation Is for Specialists, Not for Primary Care Physicians Paper Capitation is the changing of risk and the medical management responsibility to physicians in exchange for a flat, per-member payment, usually in monthly allotments. It means the cutting of physicians compensation and using it as a medium for providing reimbursement incentives to decrease the number of inpatient bed days and unnecessary specialist procedures. Problem of the Article The problem is on what model or practice of capitation must be used and applied in order to resolve the proper allocation of budget among health authorities. This article is written to help develop an understanding by presenting the viable ideas on choosing the right model. It presents the advantages and the disadvantages of the models of capitation. The specialist at the Unified Physicians is capitated while specialists from other Independent Practice Association are not. United Physicians gets $36 per member per month to give a full range of professional and diagnostic services to commercial patients while the IPA funds are retained in risk pools or reinsurance, which serves as their only source of income. The risk pool funds are excess amounts that remain in the hospital pool, which is shared with the HMO or the hospital. Techniques Used to Address the Problem: Proââ¬â¢s and Conââ¬â¢s There are two models for capitation. The first model is shared capitation, which is about setting a limited budget for the amount allocated for specialty care. Specialists bill into this pool, and is being paid back for adjustments based on the utilization trend. There continues to be the same number of physicians and everybody is participating thus it is easy. It projects a moderate climate of competition among the specialists over the fairness of the distribution of the funds. However, the disadvantage is on the utilization and budgeting part. In this model, everybody bills into this fund and an uncontrolled utilization results. It is not unusual for the fund to fall short at the end of the first or second quarter because shared capitation does not help the risk pools and0 it neither controls inpatient nor outpatient utilization. In addition, it does not solve the clinical variation across the broad range of physicians in the medical group or IPA. Group capitation as chosen by the Unified Physicians has the greatest political risk because there is a selection of physicians to participate and a disenfranchisement of some physician. In other words, if the physicians have been participating in the IPA for a number of years, they may be paralyzed and loses out of patients that they have previously seen for some time. In addition, some shareholders may be offended, and it is the most politically risky undertaking. Nevertheless, group capitation was chosen mainly because it puts utilization back in the hands of the providers. In this model, there is a rejection of prior authorization as physicians join to develop guidelines and best practices. They can create guidelines in each specialty and across specialties. Assessment The trends of medical care have changed a lot since 1997 to the present day. It has become very flexible and assures competency among practitioners. It is created to meet the demand of the health care services regardless of the model whether it is a capitation or a fee-for-service. References Kullman, Shelley. (1997). Capitation Is for Specialists, Not for Primary Care Physician. Pacific Communities Management Services Organization Harbor City, Calif.
Monday, October 21, 2019
The Wasp Factory and Saved Essays
The Wasp Factory and Saved Essays The Wasp Factory and Saved Essay The Wasp Factory and Saved Essay Essay Topic: Literature Saved was written by Edward Bond in the late 1960s. The Wasp Factory was written by Iain Banks in 1984. Although the two texts were written over twenty years apart, isolation is still an integral part of both texts. Through phonetic representation we can see that Saved is set in South London, and The Wasp Factory is set in a remote part of Scotland; the two are culturally polar through location. Although the two texts have their differences, all of the main characters are isolated from society and its normalities. This isolation has a profound effect on the characters. It can be seen that in both Saved and The Wasp Factory that the protagonists do not exist in societys eyes. In The Wasp Factory Frank, the main character, hides from Diggs, who is the representation of society in the book, in case of Diggs did any asking around and discovered I didnt exist officially. (page 72) Franks non-existance makes his life hopeless, because he can never have aspirations outside of the island. In Saved, all of the characters are non-existant in societys eyes; they are isolated by society. Society only associates with the characters when crimes are committed, as seen in both texts, and then we see societal punishment. That inspector wants you. (page 75) In both Saved and The Wasp Factory it can be seen that even though the protagonists are isolated from society, friendships are still formed between characters. In The Wasp Factory Frank, even though isolated through to his disability, still forges a friendship with Jamie, a dwarf. Frank is unable to form relationships with people who are seen as normal, be that able bodied, or mentally sound; so perhaps the only reason Frank is friends with Jamie is because he is disabled, just like Frank. Jamie is my only real friend (page 51) In Saved, even though Len and Fred have a group of friends, they are isolated because they cannot rely on their friends when things go wrong. We see this before Fred goes to prison, when he asks Pam to write to him whilst he is imprisoned, as he cannot rely on his friends. Yerll ave to send us letters. (page 74) In both texts the characters are isolated through lack of hope. In The Wasp Factory, Frank is afraid to leave the island because when Eric, his brother did, he went insane. the destruction of most of who he was. (page 136) In Saved, the characters are isolated because of their lack of hope to become something, they have no aspirations. Len well start lookin for a place tmorra. Pam No places round ere. (page 23) In both texts isolation and hopelessness are shown through family members, and their lack of interaction. In The Wasp Factory Franks father, Angus, hardly ever interacts with Frank. My father grew as uncommunicative as Eric (page 143) Therefore, Frank is isolated because he cannot talk to his father, he is forced to be independent and solve his own problems. In Saved, Harry does not interact with his wife, nor daughter. He isolates himself from his family. As Pam has been brought up with this, she believes this to be normal. If she sees these marital interactions to be normal, then she has no hope of forming normal sexual relationships. Supposed you turned out like that? (page 24) In The Wasp Factory Frank thinks that he is protected by the island on which he lives. On the island he can do as he pleases, as there is no-one responsible to stop him, as nobody knows he exists. This is the opposite of Saved, because when the group of men kill the baby, Fred gets caught. He does not take responsibility for the murder though, Why couldnt I bin tryin a elp the kid? I got no cause t arm it. (page 74) This statement from Fred is true, the baby hadnt harmed the group, but they killed it nonetheless. This epitomises the mentality of the characters in Saved; killing a totally innocent child, simply because the child was vulnerable. In Saved the lack of education is the predominant cause of isolation. All of the characters are poorly educated, and as a result have poorly paid jobs, few ambitions and no hope. However, in The Wasp factory Frank is relatively well educated, thanks to his fathers teaching. Even though Frank has an education, he has no hope, because of other limitations in his life that keep him isolated. My father is an educated man, and he passed a lot of what he knew on to me. (page 14) In Saved, Bond enforces isolation by not giving the baby an identity; throughout the play the audience never sees the baby, merely hears its cries. Why dont yer shut that kid up. (page 37) The characters in the play ignore the baby too, they do not name it, and do not respond to its cries. This technique from the author has two profound effects on the audience; if the baby has no identity, then the audience cannot relate to it. Secondly, the lack of response to a crying child makes a deeper impact on the audience, it is more shocking; this is because our societal normalities make us want to try and protect the crying baby, and the characters in the play are doing the complete opposite. Len I listen out for the kid. They ain bothered (page 42) In The Wasp Factory, Banks enforces isolation through the fact that Frank, the protagonist, has no identity. He is known to a few people; these few people that are aware he exists, he is either related to, or are disabled, or they are people that have been lied to, and believe Franks cover story. In both texts, the victims are utterly innocent. We can interpret this as the authors using the victims to represent hope in the texts. Therefore, when the protagonists kill the children, they are killing symbols of hope; this shows how hopeless their situations are. When Frank kills his little brother, Paul, we see Frank killing a symbol of innocence. Banks has described Paul so he is the epitome of innocence. Banks describes Paul as having, a podgy hand. This physical description shows how young, and undefined, the child is. When Paul says, B is for bell, we see a total emphasis on Pauls innocence. The way Banks builds up an image of innocence, and pity, for Paul, makes the murder that Frank commits all the more tragic. I found an opportunity to get rid of Paul. (page 67) Arguably, both texts have a deeper, political, meaning. In Saved we can argue that Bond is writing to protests against the Vietnam conflict, and the injustices that were taking place. We see this as the baby representing the innocent victims; no one cares for the baby, as no one cares for the victims of the conflict. Len witnesses the brutal murder of the baby, but doesnt intervene; as the audience wouldve seen the Vietnam War taking place, and didnt intervene. Arguably it can be seen that in The Wasp Factory Banks is making a political statement. Margaret Thatcher was in power when Banks wrote The Wasp Factory Thatcher famously said, that there is no such thing as society. Frank is the epitome of how people could turn out without societys presence; if someone is isolated from society as Frank was then it can be seen that in both texts, the writers have portrayed society to be an inactive institution. Society is shown as not interacting with the protagonist, unless it is forced to because society is endangered by the characters; this is society ignoring a responsibility it should have. In Saved, society only interacts with the characters when they kill an innocent baby, we then see societys wrath. Though the protagonists do not see society as a threat, Pam remarks that Fred has only been in trouble once or twice before. Yer never bin in trouble before. Juss one or two woundins (page 74) This comment shows that the characters in Saved live in a society that doesnt see the law, a symbol of societal punishment, as something to be concerned with. This is because the characters are outside of society, and they know it. This comment, made by Pam, reflects the type of environment in which she lives; one that doesnt see criminal convictions, nor violence, as a major incident, the totally opposite view that is taken in society. In The Wasp Factory society only interacts with Eric because Eric poses a threat. If Eric was like Frank, and did not pose a known danger to society, then society wouldnt react to his mental distress. This contrasts with Saved. In Saved Pam suffers severe post natal depression after the birth of the baby. Pams depression does not threaten society, so she is not helped. She also receives no support from her mother. Her situation is hopeless. This dump gives me the ump (page 45) In The Wasp Factory Frank narrates to the audience, it makes what we read unreliable, but we do see how Frank interprets things. Frank uses humour when talking of death. ..he drowned, his little legs waggling pathetically as he gulped and squirmed (page 29) This use of humour enforces Franks isolation, because we can see that he has never been in a society that treats death with seriousness. This first person perspective of the deaths has an affect on the audience, because it essentially filters all of the morbidity from the deaths, and leaves Franks humorous view. Whereas in Saved, when the characters talk jokingly of death, the audience simply sees this as wrong, because it emphasises the lack of feeling and emotion of the characters. Colin What a giggle, though Mike Accidents is legal. (page 28) In both texts the wife injures her husband in some way. The fighting, and subsequent injury, can be said to be due to the fact that the couple do not communicate with each other; possibly because they are isolated within their marriage. In Saved, Harry is injured by Mary when the two fight. In The Wasp Factory, Angus is injured by his wife, when she runs him over and breaks his leg. she ran him over and broke his leg quite badly (page 107) This lack of a strong female figure whilst growing up affects the protagonists quite profoundly. In The Wasp Factory, it leaves Frank with a deeply misogynistic view on all women, and in Saved, it leaves Pam with an abnormal view of how a normal family should interact with each other. In both texts the authors have written characters that can be seen to symbolise hope in their respective texts. In The Wasp Factory it can be argued that Frank actually metamorphasises into a symbol of hope. This is towards the end of the text, when Frank has a revelation, and discovers he is actually a woman, and that predestination, a part of his male life, is actually false. Now the door closes, and my journey begins. (page 184) This poignant quote from Frank relates to his past belief in predestination, when he believed that his Wasp Factory showed him things that would happen. The quote shows that Frank now knows that his journey in life is about to begin. It can be also be argued, that Len is the symbol of hope in Saved. Towards the end of the play, Len has integrated with the rest of the family, and is living with them. The coexistence is not one that is filled with happiness, but this is a major step for Lens character, as he has found acceptance. The themes of isolation and hopelessness have been highlighted in this essay, and the link between isolation as a cause of hopelessness has been developed. There is so much hopelessness amongst the characters in both of the texts, but, hope can be seen symbolically in both of the texts, in the form of Len and Frank. We can interpret these symbols of hope in a book teeming with hopelessness, as the authors trying to convey a message to the audience. Arguably, this message from the authors could be the fact that they are trying to say that things are changeable; as long as people try to change their situation and as long as society takes responsibility for the vulnerable.
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