Explore how Jane Austen presents the themes of love and marriage in volume 1 of Pride and Prejudice Essay Example for Free

Explore how Jane Austen presents the themes of love and marriage in volume 1 of Pride and Prejudice Essay It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife. The novel begins with a satirical quote, representing many peoples opinions on love and marriage at the time of writing. To many, marriage was a way of bettering themselves socially and economically, but seldom for happiness and love. Throughout the novel there are numerous and frequent references to this way of thinking, and Austen makes characters who think of love and marriage in this way appear ridiculous. One character made to look absurd is Mrs. Bennet. Most find her intolerable, and even her own daughters and husband are embarrassed by her regularly. In chapter one she says, A single man of large fortune What a fine thing for our girls! Nothing of Mr. Bingleys character is mentioned, but the fact that he is wealthy seems reason enough for Mrs. Bennet to approve of him. As will be future explored, Mrs. Bennet is derided throughout the novel, clearly showing that Austen herself does not approve of her way of thinking, as it is centred around the material rather than being centred around love or moral reasons. Despite being under constant pressure from her mother, due to the details of the entailment on the Bennets estate, Jane Bennet desires to marry for love, and eventually does so. The ever-important matter of money, however, does lie at the back of her mind. In chapter four, Elizabeth says, I give you leave to like him. You have liked many a stupider person. This suggests that Jane has courted men before, but they have either been lacking in character or in money, so she has not pursued their affections. In chapter four following the first ball a conversation between Jane and Elizabeth Bennet takes place. Rather than mentioning Bingleys fortune, Jane states that she admirers him due to his being sensible, good humoured, lively and states that she has never seen such happy manners. Throughout the book Jane is described positively, which influences the reader to think highly of her and views on marrying for love as just. Elizabeth, too, is presented as sensible and likeable. Though she mentions that the moment she fell in love with Mr. Darcy was after first seeing his beautiful grounds at Pemberley, she also mentions that she fell in love with him gradually, ensuring that his wealth was not the only factor taken in to account as she accepted his second proposal of marriage. Her primary interest seems to be in marrying for love, as she turned down a proposal from Mr. Collins which would have ensured her money, a home and a good reputation. With all of this taken into account, Eliza refuses due to Mr. Collins personality and the fact that she does not love him. In chapter nineteen Mr. Collins another ridiculed character makes his first proposal to Elizabeth. He makes it clear that he only makes the proposal due to Catherine DeBurghs advice. He also thinks it may benefit his happiness, though mentions nothing of hers. Much of the proposal is an insult to Miss Bennet as he retells Lady Catherines exact words (let her be an active, useful person, not brought up too high). Mr. Collins obviously does not love Elizabeth, nor is he pretending so. He seems to think that, due to the fact that he has good connections, Elizabeth would jump at the chance of marrying him. She refuses politely, yet Mr. Collins cannot see why she would refuse his offer. He is a prime example of someone who doesnt think love is a necessity for a successful marriage. He sees his proposal as an honourable gesture; as a way to compensate the Bennet family for the fact that he shall inherit the house upon Mr. Bennets death, but somewhat selfishly to better his own status and comfort. Soon after this, as Mr. Collins retreats with a slightly bruised ego, we learn that Miss Charlotte Lucas, a close friend of the Bennets, has accepted another proposal from Collins, presumably one of the same type. After Elizabeth confronts her on the news of their engagement Charlotte justifies her thoughts with the following: I am not romantic I ask only a comfortable home connections, and situation in life, I am convinced my chance of happiness with him is fair, as most people can boast on entering the marriage state. This, as well as her earlier comment relating to Jane fixing Mr. Bingley (almost as though discussing an animal, or assuming Bingley is broken due to his being unmarried). Perhaps Charlotte only seeks the above, or perhaps she is worried about what her peers would say about her being unmarried at such an age. In this period in time, women were talked about if unmarried in their late twenties. Someone with an opposite view to Charlotte is Caroline Bingley. Where the Bennet sisters and Charlotte Lucas aim to marry high and ensure their financial security, Caroline seems to scorn them for wishing to do so. She disapproves of Jane and her brothers relationship, which can be gathered from her trying to keep the fact that Jane was in London at the same time as her brother a secret. She seems convinced that her friends marrying anyone of a lower rank would be shameful, and that anyone wishing to marry her brother of Mr. Darcy must be after their money. While chasing the hope of gaining a desirable social status and money, Caroline Bingley may well forget about love and, even if it ever came along, may well suppress it in hopes of something better. The issue of indipendence may also be one that Miss Bingley considers. She lives with her brother and has to up and leave when he does so. The security and indipendence a marriage would bring is surely something she would have looked forward to. Her friend, Mr. Darcy, is well aware of womens attitudes at the time. He even goes as far as to warn his best friend against Jane Bennet, as he fears that she doesnt love Bingley as is only showing an interest in him for his wealth. This cynical attitude may have grown due to his pride and perhaps the effect of spending too much time with Charles Bingleys sisters. This seems evermore the case when listening to the piano at Netherfield; he thinks to himself that it may become dangerous to pay too much attention to Lizzy. He makes it clear that he regards her of a lower class in his refused proposal (He spoke well, but there were feelings besides those of the heart to be detailed His sense of her inferiority of its being a degradation of the family obstacles.) and is obviously concerned about other peoples opinions. Despite the fact that the story ends happily and both Elizabeth and Jane marry for love, the underlying theme of the novel is, predictably, pride and prejudice. Lydia, though eager to marry Wickham for love, runs the risk of being ostracised due to her living with him outside of wedlock. This, in turn, would ruin the reputation of her sisters. Despite being in love, would Darcy and Bingley want to get married to the siblings of a disgraced woman? If Darcy had not have been able to persuade Wickham to marry Lydia, would he in turn have abandoned Elizabeth? Though Austen strongly hints that she approves of marrying for love rather than money (through satirising some characters and not others), it is clear that reputation and etiquette were still as important, if not more important than love in ones marriage.

Hinduism and Buddhisn Essay -- Religion, Karma, Krishna

Two major religious paths found in the Indian subcontinent are Hinduism and Buddhism (LR, 37). Hinduism is seen as a polytheistic and a monotheistic tradition that evolved from other Indian religious traditions. Hinduism is also known as Sanatana Dharma whose goal is to achieve moksha and live life according to the Dharma (LR, 43). Buddhism is a nontheistic religion that is based on the teachings of Shakyamuni Buddha, known as the Dharma, which offers a path to enlightenment by practicing compassion and achieving liberation from suffering (LR, 72). Hinduism today is known as Sanatana Dharma, which means eternal religion, law, cosmic order, and duty. This tradition began in the Vedic Age around the Indus Valley in India where it is said that the Vedas were created orally, but the orgins of the Vedas remains unclear. The Vedas were first written down around 1500 BCE and consist of collections of hymns containing of four parts: the Samhitas, the Brahmanas, the Aranyakas and the Upanishads (LR, 39-41). The Samhitas consist of hymns worshiping Vedic gods, the Brahmanas explain the meaning of rituals and sacrifices and provide instructions for performing these acts, the Aranyakas contain philosophical texts that are known as forest treatises, and finally the Upanishads, which is comprised of sophisticated philosophy that explains personal transformation that results from ritual participation. The Rig Veda is the oldest scripture of the Vedas which praises the four devas: Indra (the god of thunder and rain), Agni (the god of fire), S oma (a sacred drink) and Ushas (the goddess of dawn). The Upanishads were written by rishis, who were thought to be human forms of Brahman (the Supreme god), that express the principles of Sanatana Dharma.... ... five precepts (notes). Mahayana, the path of compassion and wisdom, is the second major school of Buddhism who regards the Buddha as a universal principle with three bodies. The first body has no form and encompasses the wisdom of the Buddha, the second is the body of bliss and emphasizes the Dharma, and the third is the body of transformation, in which the Buddha takes on many forms to help human beings achieve liberation from suffering (LR, 83). The Mahayanasutras are the scriptures followed that honor the Pali Canon, emphasizing the importance of religious experience (LR, 82). One form of Mahayana are bodhisattvas, future buddhas who are devoted to liberating others from suffering without having to leave society to do so. One important aspect of a bodhisattva is compassion for others, an important Buddha teaching that emphasizes on the idea on no-Self (notes).

How do The Odyssey and The Crucible use the hero in order to explore the concerns of their times?

The concept of what constitutes a hero varies according to the values, culture, context and setting of the society in question. Homer in his epic poem The Odyssey and Arthur Miller in The Crucible through the portrayal of the hero's in their texts; Odysseus and John Proctor, reflect the values of the time in which the text was set but more importantly provide a social commentary on the context of the texts. Both looking to the past to provide answers and draw parallels with the present. The Odyssey was written approximately in 700 BC and was set in twelfth century BC, in what was known as the Bronze Age. The Greeks believed that this earlier period was a more glorious and sublime age, when Gods still frequented the Earth and heroic, godlike mortals with superhuman attributes populated Greece. The Odyssey is episodic in nature and in many ways consisted of nation building myths which were unifying and drew on what was common in Greek culture by detailing the exploits of the classical archetypal Greek hero, Odysseus. Essentially it is an epic tale in which the wicked are destroyed, right prevails, and the family is reunited. On the other hand, The Crucible was written in the early 1950's in America and is set in 1692 in Salem, a small town in colonial Massachusetts. It follows the witch-hunts of 1692 which began when several young girls were stricken with an illness characterized by symptoms of hallucinations and seizures, which were ascribed to witchcraft. This led to the eventual execution of thirty individuals for the crime of witchcraft. They were tried and convicted in an atmosphere of moral absolutism through which Miller alludes to the events which took place in the 1950's before the House of Un-American Activities Committee in Washington. The Crucible can be viewed as allegorical text not for anti-communism, or as a faithful account of the Salem trials, but as a powerful timeless description of how intolerance and hysteria can intersect and tear a community apart. Furthermore, in contrast with Odysseus, John Proctor is a tragic hero, who would rather die then confess and lived with a marred name. This idea of nobility is inseparable from the tragedy genre. Tragedy in many ways enlightens, in that it points the heroic finger at the enemy of a man's freedom. The quest for freedom is the quality in the tragedy which exalts. Both texts are framed by religious imagery. In The Odyssey Odysseus does not question the power of the Gods and in many ways Homers text can be viewed as a moral lesson, through the omnipresent nature of the god's as they guide the wandering hero home. This reflects the Greek notion that the gods exercise absolute power over the mortal world. In the poem mortals are constantly making sacrifices to the gods to earn their favour. Conversely, offending the gods creates immense problems as is illustrated through Poseidon's grudge against Odysseus for blinding his son Polyphemos. Moreover, it is only through Athena's guidance throughout the text that Odysseus can survive his dangerous adventures. This distinguishes an important point as it reiterates not only the all-powerful nature of the gods but also introduces the idea that if Odysseus the hero cannot survive without guidance from the gods then the rest of the members of society must accept their fate as lying in the hands of the gods. What must also be noted however are the characteristics of the gods, which were a mixture of magical, immortal powers and basic human instincts, the gods were not perfect. Through this portrayal of the gods in the text Homer presents a more glorious time in Greek culture in a time when Greece was only a shadow of its former greatness. This however varies in The Crucible which is set in a theocratic society, in which church and state are one and the religion practised was very austere form of Protestantism known as Puritanism. In this form of society there is no room for deviation from social norms, since any individual whose private life does not conform to the established moral laws presents a threat not only to society but also to the rule of God: â€Å"You must understand, sir, that a person is either with this court or he must be counted against it, there be no road between†. John Proctor challenges this religious identity of time and shows how man has used god to manipulate and control individuals and it is ultimately his choice not to confess to witchcraft, which is a true religious and personal stance. In this way The Crucible can be viewed a symbolic of the paranoia of the communism which pervaded America in the 1950s. Several parallels existed between the witch hunts of 1692 and the House Un-American Activities Committee's rooting out of suspected communists. As with the alleged witches of Salem, suspected Communists were encouraged to confess their crimes and to â€Å"name names,† identifying others sympathetic to their radical cause. Miller through the actions of the hero Proctor foregrounds the McCarthyist excesses, which wronged many innocents, making a strong political statement. Furthermore, both Odysseus and Proctor are flawed and fallible and both of them fall into the seductive charms of the ‘seductresses' as is portrayed in the texts. Women are presented as either ‘sainted virgins'; Elizabeth and Penelope or ‘seductresses'; Abigail and Calypso this dichotomy represents the patriarchal structures of the context of the texts. Moreover the texts also highlight the dangers of giving women power and of female sexual potency. Odysseus' infidelity when he is trapped by Calypso serves to reflect gender roles and the double standard in Greek society. Homer does not invite the responder to view Odysseus' infidelity with any disdain or disapproval: â€Å"withdrawing into the cavern's deep recesses, long in each others arms they lost themselves in love† (#250-51). It is somehow acceptable for Odysseus to sleep with another woman, while Penelope is represented as morally dubious for allowing the suitors to remain in the house. It is only Calypso who challenges these gender roles: â€Å"You unrivalled lords of jealously/ scandalized when goddess sleep with mortals†¦ † (#131-32). While Homer portrays these sexist views, he also through Calypso's dialogue brings to attention the double standards of the society and more importantly introduces a new idea which may have been viewed as subversive in Greek culture at the time. On the other hand in The Crucible, John Proctor as the play's tragic hero is honest, upright and blunt spoken, Proctor is a good man however his fatal flaw is his lust for Abigail Williams which leads to their affair. Proctor is very self-critical and this in a way reflects how his moral code is a product of the society in which he exists: â€Å"But I will cut my hand off before I'll ever reach for you again†. Once the trials begin, Proctor realizes that he can stop Abigail's rampage through Salem but only if he confesses to this adultery. This highlights how the hero must face a series of trials and tribulations in order to be redeemed, in Proctor's case these are more physiological battles whereas Odysseus faces more physical challenges. This illustrates the way in which the different contexts result in the formation of varying hero's reflecting the values of that particular society. Finally, Arthur Miller once said: â€Å"Nobody wants to be a hero†¦ but in every man there is something he cannot give up and still remain himself†¦ If he gives that up, he becomes a different man, not himself†¦ It is Proctor's self-critical nature which distinguishes him because he does not set out to be a hero. Normally he would not be considered a saintly individual, and he has not great eagerness to be a martyr due to his underlying guilt at his infidelity, which in turn he projects on Elizabeth: â€Å"I do not judge you. The magistrate sits in your heart that judges you. † Nevertheless when put to the final test, the meaning here of ‘crucible', he will go to his death rather than irrevocably compromise his integrity. Through his representation of Proctor as the tragic hero Miller creates a new post-modern ideology of the hero in which the hero is not extraordinary physically or mentally but rather what is heroic is the individual who stands by his personal principals, he does not set out to be the hero but rather the situation merely reveals the hero within. This notion explores the concerns of 1950 America in which the hero's were not the McCarthyist's as it might seem on outward examination but rather those who only through their personal actions transpired to be essentially heroic. In conclusion, The Odyssey and The Crucible through the representation of the hero in text foreground the concerns of their times. The texts have revealed to me that what constitutes the hero varying according to context and setting and can help us gain further insight into the concerns of the society in question. Essentially the characteristics, which form the hero, are fluid subject to the values and culture of the times.

Sociology Essay - 2203 Words

The social growth of the young in different classes A Youth in Poverty nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;To most, it’s very easy to imagine how it would feel to grow up without much of anything in life. Hell...I can tell you first hand what it feels like to not have a decent pair of shoes or pants without holes in them, or old â€Å"hand-me-down† toys while most of the kids you know have â€Å"state-of-the-art† toys. To many children in this kind of situation, it seems like a very bleak world to live in. No child should ever have to experience this kind of life. However, due to ignorant parents and an even more jacked-up government, there are many children that will always be in this predicament. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Now, it would be hard†¦show more content†¦Parents are always telling their kids to, â€Å"Appreciate hard work.† But this lesson is more profound in the poor. A parent that has lived in poverty all their life will tell their child to, â€Å"Always work hard, and never settle for less. Don’t let your kids go through what I made you go through.† With this lesson at heart, a child will likely work hard at everything they do in life. This can expand to getting good grades in school, working hard at their chores, and doing good work whenever they get a job. This is a priceless lesson that children in poverty can keep close in mind. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Now, there are many, many, many bad things about living in poverty. I can easily write a 20-page paper on the bad things the most poor kids have to go through. But I’m only going to list the one thing that I feel is going to rip most people apart at the seams. This risk goes for all classes, but is most common in poor people. This potential threat is nothing more than jealousy. A person that says they never felt jealousy is lying thought their teeth. Even God-Almighty gets jealous when he feels that someone thinks they are better than He is. Otherwise, he would not have flooded the Earth in Noah’s time or tortured the Egyptians in Moses’ time. My point is that all people get jealous at times, and all get jealous for different reasons. But in poor people, the jealousy is most likely to sprout from a single thought: â€Å"Why can’t I have what they have?!†Show MoreRelatedSocial, Sociology, And Sociology857 Words   |  4 Pagesindividuals who need that extra support. Social work as a subject area includes elements of psychology, law and sociology. Social policy is the study of various areas of policy, within political or governmental setting, and is concerned with everything from the welfare state, to social services. Social policy is an academic study of theory, rather than current policies and draws from psychology, sociology, philosophy, and economics. What A Levels do I need? 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Secondly, he wanted to bring history and sociology together with causal relationships, in doing so he would also analyze the individual’s social action. He mentions that action is only social when it is oriented to theRead MoreSociology1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe concept of sociology had been recognized by independent philosophers since the dawn of organized civilization. Philosophers such as Confucius and Xenophanes in their works had hinted at the clash of cultures and social hierarchy. Later, in the 14th century, Arab scholars such as Al Jahiz and Ibn Khalduns compliled books on the history of society itself. These works are known to be forerunners of sociology. In fact, books written by Ibn K haldun on social cohesion and conflict were translatedRead MoreSociology1447 Words   |  6 Pagescome to be called the labour process approach. †¢ Context for Braverman: ⠝‘ Braverman associated with Monthly Review journal – founded in 1949 by Paul Sweezy and Leo Huberman. An influential journal but little impact on American sociology. Best known product of this school is Baran and Sweezy’s Monopoly Capital (1966). Indeed, Braverman’s analysis of work is predicated theoretically upon Baran and Sweezy’s analysis of ‘Monopoly Capital’ [ie oligopolistic, ‘organized’ capitalism. Read MoreSociology1681 Words   |  7 Pagesfunctionalism) of social class .Following this, it will look at the changes of social class. Finally, it will discuss weather the class of Britain will be dead. Theories of social class There are three basic theories which can explain social class in the sociology history. Marxism was established by Karl Marx(1813-1883).Marx explained that a social class is a group of people who have common relationship to the means of production. 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Not only did Comte come up with this idea but there were several things that influenced the study of Sociology and how we view it today. These influences are called the origins of sociology and they include; new idea or discipline, Industrial RevolutionRead MoreSociology : Social Science And Sociology1386 Words   |  6 Pagesto the history of sociology, it was the nineteenth century that sociology emerged, with the word ‘ sociology ’ appeared in the Cours de ph ilosophie Positive Book 4[ Auguste Comte,1838 Cours de philosophie Positive] by Comte in 1838. The social forces, however, were complicated actually, which included both social, economical, cultural and even a little bit of political or religious elements. This essay explains these factors in the following part. 2.1 Social Science and Sociology The philosophes

Does Ghost Exist in Real Life (Argumentative Essays)

Does ghost exist in real life? It has been a popular question been ask for few decades. Some people encounter the supernatural phenomena, some not. So there are people who believe and people who disbelieves. Therefore, here are some introduction of what ghost really is, where we can find their existence, how can we feel their presence and does science proof the existence of ghost. In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost (sometimes known as a spectre (British English) or specter (American English), phantom, apparition or spook) is the soul or spirit of a dead person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to†¦show more content†¦People, especially those with a scientific or rational background, tend to dismiss any explanation that ghosts exist with disbelief and amusement. There are some scientific proof that ghost exist in the form of energy. The law o f thermodynamics, if examined from a different angle, could prove that ghosts exist. Even if it cannot be taken as proof, it could give rise to a number of questions. If these questions are taken seriously and attempts made to find answers to them, we might very well come up with proof that ghosts exist. The law of thermodynamics is the most significant law among the gravitational laws. A careful study of it reveals the fact that science has already proved that ghosts do exist. According to this law Energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only change form. Let us now analyze this law carefully. Energy never dies, according to this important law; instead, energy shifts from one form to the other. Accordingly, the energy that we are is not destroyed by death; it just changes form. Skeptics would say that our bodies would be decomposed by the action of the microorganisms, and this is how human energy would change form. But, what about the intelligence that gives us an ident ity? Just consider the amazing nature of our minds and bodies. Would all this just end up as being fodder for the microbes? Does this sound like a fair exchange? The more one questions,Show MoreRelatedDoes Ghost Exist in Real Life? (Argumentative Essays)1257 Words   |  6 PagesDoes ghost exist in real life? It has been a popular question been ask for few decades. Some people encounter the supernatural phenomena, some not. So there are people who believe and people who disbelieves. Therefore, here are some introduction of what ghost really is, where we can find their existence, how can we feel their presence and does science proof the existence of ghost. 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Essay Westward Expansion - 639 Words

Westward Expansion During the 1800’s, American citizens packed up and headed West to the new unknown land of the United States of America. Western expansion was a great part of the growth of the United States because it gave Americans new land to settle, expanded its economy, and made the United States a world power. The desire to expand was described by newspaper editor John O’Sullivan who wrote, it is America’s â€Å"Manifest Destiny to overspread and to possess the whole of the continent†. First of all, westward expansion benefited the United States by increasing the area of settled property. This property included many different types of land. Farmers were able to buy fertile farmland cheaply in states like Iowa, Nebraska, and†¦show more content†¦Tens of thousands of people moved, creating future cities like San Francisco and Denver. The completion of the transcontinental railroad connected the Atlantic and Pacific coasts allowing for the shipping of goods across the country. Western farm products like wheat, corn, beef, and poultry were shipped east to feed the growing number of workers in factories in cities like Philadelphia, Boston, and New York. The increase in land, natural resources, and industry gave the United States a larger role in the world. Finally, westward expansion secured the United States by pushing foreign powers off of the continent. By controlling both coasts, the country was protected by the oceans, therefore separating it from the other continents. Through the Monroe Doctrine, the United States eliminated European colonization in the Western hemisphere and became its most powerful nation. Through development of industry, the United States was able to grow as a manufacturing and trading power. As industry grew immigrants poured into the â€Å"land of opportunity† seeking what became known around the world as the â€Å"American dream†. In conclusion, westward expansion was responsible for the increasing variety of geography, population, and industry which shaped the changing United States during the 19th century. These changes led to the opportunity for Americans to own land. The new settlements led to a growing network of communication, transportation, and trade. TheShow MoreRelatedThe Expansion Of The Westward Expansion904 Words   |  4 PagesThere are many actions that led to the westward expansion. Most of the actions resulted in conflicts which led to harsh consequences. Despite Texas being an independent nation, conflict still arose over the rightful owner of the land. Some of the main causes for westward expansion was land, war, power and the most important was freedom. During the 1840’s west of the Unites States had an abundance of scarcely inhabited land. 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Darkness and Light free essay sample

1 September 2009 Darkness, â€Å"Sonny’s Blues†, and Light â€Å"Sonny’s Blues† by James Baldwin is about two brothers, Sonny and the unnamed narrator. The story chronicles a part of their lives. It begins with Sonny’s drug arrest. The tale then travels back to Sonny’s teenage years and ends up with Sonny living with his brother after his arrest. The story uses imagery throughout the tale. One of the most used is that of the contrast of light and darkness. This becomes the theme of the story. Even though Sonny has struggled with a drug problem and arrest readers may wonder who is in more darkness. In the opening paragraph of the story the narrator is reading the newspaper while riding the subway on his way to teach school. While reading he learns that his brother has been arrested for drugs. He comments about reading the story in the paper and also seeing it in the lights of the subway car, the other people in the subway car, and his own face that he refers to being trapped in the darkness. The narrator is able to see his face in the window of the car due to traveling through the dark tunnels and the lights inside the car cause the window to become a see-through mirror. This makes his reflection appear to be outside the car following along in the darkness. This is actually a foreshadowing image as later in the story it becomes apparent that the narrator is in as much if not more darkness than Sonny. (43) The second reference is only of darkness. The narrator speaks of the kids he is teaching as having two different types of darkness. One darkness is their lives and it is closing in on them. The other darkness was the movies. He states that the movies blind them to the darkness of their lives or at least the fact of its closing. This image given by the narrator begins to reveal the pessimistic attitude of the narrator towards life. (44) The next reference again only refers to the dark. The narrator is talking to a friend of Sonny’s. The friend is explaining how he never gave Sonny any drugs, but he did feel guilty because he explained to Sonny in school how it felt to get high. As this is told to the narrator he refers to menace filling everything around him including the dark. The narrator speaks about the menace being the reality of the people around him. He still could not see his own darkness that was around him. (45) Sonny writes a letter to his brother in which he compares his situation as being in a hole and trying to climb out. He states how he had just seen the sun and needed to get outside. This is where the story shows that Sonny recognized the dark that enveloped him and wanted to find a way to escape from it. (46) Light is again referred to without darkness. When the narrator is reunited with Sonny he sees his baby brother inside this person before him â€Å"like an animal waiting to be coaxed into the light. † (47) The narrator shows his brother as being surrounded by darkness. The narrator recognizes that his brother wants to get out of the darkness. On the way to the narrator’s home Sonny wants to take a trip through the areas where they had grown up. The narrator talks about how things there have changed but have stayed the same. He talks about how the boys come out of their homes and into the street to try to get into the light just like he did when he was young. The fact that the children’s homes were filled with darkness could be a hint of abuse in the house but more likely in the time and area that many of the houses would not have power. Either way the narrator is still continuing to see the world through eyes filled with despair. 48) The narrator recalls his childhood on Sundays when everyone would be gathered together and spending the day together. As it became night the darkness grew against the windowpanes. The faces of the adults would grow dark. A silence would come over. The darkness coming and the darkness in the faces of the adults would scare the children. The darkness coming could scare the childre n due to the dangers that lurked in the nighttime. The darkness in the faces of the adults was the fear of death. This darkness would scare the children for they would fear that death would soon take the adults away. The narrator wanted his parents to always be there and at the time of the story he had lost both parents. (49-50) The lights are turned on in the room. When the light turns on the child is filled with darkness as he is closer to being in the darkness outside. Every time the light comes on the day is ending and the week. With each end of the week the child is closer to the death of his parents and the child is closer to his own death. (50) The next reference comes when the narrator is told by his mother about his uncle being run over by a car full of white men at night. His father had been there and witnessed the event. His father had stated that there had been nothing as dark as the road after the lights of the car had left. When the father of the brothers lost his own brother it affected his outlook on life. It left him with a life of full of despair. (51) The day of his daughter’s funeral he sat in the living room in the dark. He thought of Sonny and wrote him a letter. The narrator was grieving the death of his daughter. The narrator did not see the despair of his situation. The narrator in this time of grief was reminded of his brother who he believed was in total darkness. 56) Sonny and the narrator are talking. Sonny is explaining what he has been. Sonny is relating that his fear and what he is trying to get away from is drugs. He mentions that when he came back to Harlem it was still the same. At the end it is mentioned that the sun is gone and darkness would soon fall. Sonny says that the sun would come back. He repeated it and tells the narrator he wanted him to know that. This is related to when people triumph over their fears and the thing they defeated may return to take back over. This does not mean they cannot triumph over it again. (60) Sonny wants to take his brother somewhere. They go down a dark street to a nightclub. Inside the lights are dim. This is symbolic as Sonny is the one taking his brother through the darkness. On their arrival the narrator begins to see light. The narrator is sat a table by himself in the corner, in the dark. He could see Sonny and the band by the lights of the bandstand. He gets the feeling that they do not want to step into the light too quickly in fear they may burst into flames. Many times rushing away from problems can cause people to return to the problem as quickly as they left it. A slow approach can make the separation more permanent. Sonny is working his way towards what brings him out of his despair. He helps himself come out through his music. While the narrator can now see the light he still remains alone in the darkness. (61) After listening to Sonny play the narrator realizes that even though suffering and the triumph over suffering is not new but people are always looking for new ways to tell it. Sonny was risking everything to find new ways to tell it. There is no â€Å"other tale to tell, it’s the only light we’ve got in all this darkness. (63) The narrator begins to see that he himself has been living in darkness. Being blinded to the darkness he had not realized. He lived in the darkness of his father’s and his mother’s death. He lived in the agony of his daughter’s death and the pain shared with his wife. The narrator begins to see his darkness but at the same time there is hope. In the last paragraph there is s till imagery of the narrator sitting in the dark and Sonny is in the light. While Sonny had recognized his position and therefore was able to get a head start and he had brought his brother on his journey. This is when the narrator begins to realize that Sonny has found a way out and it is he that is still in the darkness. The narrator now was able to see the light and therefore begin his quest to move into it. In the beginning of the story the narrator feels that even though there is darkness around he feels that he is living in the light. He believes that Sonny and most other people are the ones entrapped in darkness. The darkness at different times represents different things but each also represents despair. As the story progresses readers can see that the narrator is surrounded by darkness. His outlook is negative. He does not recognize the darkness around him so he makes no attempts to get out of it. Sonny is in darkness but is doing everything he can to try to get out of the darkness and into the light. The light that appears shows that there is always hope. No matter how bad things are there is always hope of them changing. If there is no hope then there is no need to continue. The whole purpose for trying anything is that there is some hope of success.