The Right To Be - A Lesson Before Dying,

The Right To Be Free The Right to Be Free In the novel A Lesson Before Dying, although Grant is an educated black man in the era of a racist society he has struggles greater than most men of his decent. I feel sorry for him because of his limitations, even though I view him as a coward. He cannot break free of his background and family. The three main female characters in the novel, Tante Lou, Miss Emma, and Vivian, restrict and limit Grant's choices. Grant realizes that freedom means leaving his small town and creating a new life, yet each woman holds a chain that keeps him from his destiny and the right to be free. First, Tante Lou, his aunt holds Grant from his dreams by refusing to let him go his own way. Tante Lou wants Grant to stay at home with her and take care of her. But, in the time the novel takes place, it wasn't common for young men stay with their elders and help out, especially when Grant has a college degree and can accomplish so much. Tante Lou took advantage of this in any means necessary, using the fact that Grant is family and in essence owes it to her to stay and help out. We can see this on page 14 when Tante Lou forces Grant to talk to Mr. Henri about seeing Jefferson. You are going up there with us Grant, or you will not sleep in this house tonight. Tante Lou denies Knodt 2 Grant choices that men his age have. Next, Miss Emma, who doesn't have a family relation to Grant, also restricts his choices in life. Miss Emma plays an important role in the novel by being Jefferson's godmother, and in a painstaking situation. She asks Grant in a way that gives him no real choices to teach Jefferson to be a man. Leaning on her ability to persuade, and using her power as an extensive friend to Tante Lou she can basically tell Grant what to do and gets away with it. She knew Grant did not want to go and teach Jefferson, but still went ahead with it. Driving along the St. Charles River I could feel Emma not looking at me, not looking at anything..just thinking. Like my Aunt she knew how much I hated all of this.(p.68) Miss Emma therefore forces Grant to do matters that she wants, not what Grant thinks he is capable of doing. Thirdly, Vivian, the love of his life, is also limiting Grant's ability to make decisions based strictly on his own intent. She understands Grant's need to leave and see new things, but has restrictions in her life that will not allow her to help Grant begin a new existence. Vivian is in the middle of a drawn out divorce and needs to see it through so she can maintain custody of her children. We see an example of this on page 93. Let's go somewhere and spend the night. Baton Rouge, New Orleans- anywhere, Grant asks. I can't, My Babies. This sentence alone describes the turmoil she is going through with her own threatening aspects and how it effects Grant's choices. I think the book is an intriguing novel and surfaced important issues dealt with in society. Religion, racism, and many other articles of today are just a few. But, Grant is a complex character and can be depicted thoroughly. His education holds him to a new Knodt3 standard not expected of people back then, but withholds him from reaching his dreams. He cannot find what he is looking for in this small town that A Lesson Before Dying takes place in. I feel sorry for him until Jefferson teaches him other factors involved to being a real and distinct kind of man. He evolves dramatically. But, his need to be free is still restrained by Tante Lou, Miss Emma, and Vivian in different, yet important ways.

Gabriel Oak Essays

Gabriel Oak Essays Gabriel Oak Paper Gabriel Oak Paper Gabriel Oaks character has developed a lot in Far from the Madding Crowd. He started off as clumsy and foolish and he ended up as heroic. A hero is a man admired for achievements and noble qualities; In this case this word does not refer to someone with superhuman powers! The first description of Gabriel Oak: on working days, he was a man of sound judgement, easy motions, proper dress and general good character. Hardys description implies that there is nothing special about Farmer Oak; that he is just an average man. Hardy also states, that on a Sunday, a non-working day; Oak is a kind of pepper and salt mixture. This means that he is normal; he is a man with balanced morals. Another thing that Hardy uses to bring across Oaks personality is the way he dresses. This gives people more idea about Oaks character and personality. His clothes were very practical but they made him look clumsy and foolish. Hardy also states that Gabriel was a source of some amusement; his watch was very difficult to get out, apart from being amusing, this also demonstrates that Oak doesnt need to use modern conventions to tell the time. He can use the position of the sun and stars to tell the time. This is an example of how close he is to nature. : This is also hinted in his name: Gabriel oak, the word oak is used to describe him as natural and sturdy like the oak tree. In the 1st chapter, Bathsheba is in a carriage laden with goods, she is stopped at a toll gate and she refuses to pay the toll. When Farmer Oak sees this he steps in and pays the man at the gate the money needed to let Bathsheba pass. This shows that Oak is a generous and bold man. Generosity is one of Oaks many noble qualities. In chapter 5, Hardy demonstrates one of Gabriels first changes in character: one of Farmer Oaks dogs rounded up and chased all of his flock over the cliff. This lost him a lot of money as the sheep were not insured and ruined his livelihood. His first thought was of pity, he felt pity for the sheep, after this Gabriel muttered: Thank God I am not married: what would she have done in the poverty now coming upon me! This proves Oak to be a very humble and kind man, he did not think of himself or the debts he now had. This demonstrates another noble quality that Farmer Oak has: selflessness. It also shows Oaks true feelings about Bathsheba. In chapter 6, Hardy also demonstrates Oaks heroism: there was a fire at the farm in weatherbury, a rick of straw had caught fire in a barn. There was a crowd of spectators all panicking, none of them new what to do. Gabriel immediately and calmly took charge of the panicking crowd. He called for a ladder and began putting out the fire himself with no concern of his own personal safety. This was a very heroic act by Gabriel. He was described as bold by one of the bystanders. In chapter 21, there is another disaster at Bathshebas farm, one of her flocks of sheep managed to get into a clover field and they are all going to die. Bathsheba sends for Farmer Oak; he is the one who knows how to cure them, as Oak has just been sacked from the farm, he is reluctant to come back and help. Although, Gabriel swallows his pride and goes to the farm and began to cure the sheep very calmly and precisely: Gabriel began to use it with a dexterity that would have graced a hospital surgeon. This is a very heroic act, he swallows his own pride and helps someone else, he didnt even think about receiving a reward, he did it out of his own kindness and his own concern for the animals. In chapter 36, Gabriel realises that there is lots of Bathshebas produce exposed to rain. He goes back inside to fetch help but everybody has passed out because they were drunk. Gabriel, rather than leaving it and hoping it would not rain, begins work atop the rick with no concern for his own safety. This is a very helpful and heroic thing to do. In chapter 37, Gabriel Oak is working on top of one of the ricks of straw in a powerful lightning storm. Bathsheba comes up to help Oak; they then begin to engage in an intimate conversation in which Bathsheba turns to Gabriel for guidance. Once again, Farmer Oak puts his own feelings aside and guides Bathsheba. Thomas Hardy made Gabriel Oak the hero in this novel, at the end of the novel, Gabriels noble qualities finally paid off and he managed to marry Bathsheba Everdene; he was always the one standing by her side, supporting and helping her in whatever she did. Hardy implied this by his name- he was a rooted form of support. This shows Farmer Oak as a true hero, putting his feelings aside to help others.

Childhood and Adult Story Writing Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Childhood and Adult Story Writing - Essay Example During childhood one tends to write the thoughts which one has in that particular age. The thoughts during childhood are of without experience and of innocence. The thoughts do not wander around the realms of this world as seen by the experienced individuals. The plot that is used during child hood writing is of imaginary aspirations as supposed by the children. The adventures sought out by children are put into words by them which tend to be adventurous. Furthermore the world viewed by the children is different than that viewed by the adults. Similarly the plot followed by the adults has a major difference with that of the children. The plot is well organized and well sought which comes after the experience the adults have gotten after living in this world. The realms of the life are put into words by the adults. Plot development can be said to be perfect by the adults as they have proper sense of where they are heading the story to. Similarly another major difference in the writing s is that the vocabulary used by children is different than that of the adults. The vocabulary sense of children is smaller as compared to that of adults. The correct usage of words during the plot flows it towards the right direction, whereas the wrong usage of vocabulary would change the whole plot to a different direction.