Wide Sargasso Sea and Antoinette free essay sample

In Wide Sargasso Sea, author Jean Rhys uses intertextuality to tell the story of Antoinette Mason. Intertexuality is when an author bases their book/novel off of another text. In this case, Wide Sargasso Sea is shaped from Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre and it elaborates on the character of Bertha, who is Antoinette Mason in Rhys’ novel. By reading Wide Sargasso Sea we are enlightened on things in Jane Eyre that Bronte does not tell us about or elaborate on. Also, by reading Jane Eyre we understand things about Wide Sargasso Sea that Rhys doesn’t include in her novel. Both authors have created compelling novels that aren’t built from each other and provides a deeper understanding of one another. Rhys is quoted saying â€Å"Whether I have any right to do it is a question I’ll face later† (217). When examining the texts, it is apparent that she is not stealing or attempting to take credit for Jane Eyre. We will write a custom essay sample on Wide Sargasso Sea and Antoinette or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Yet she is only telling it from Rochester’s crazy wife, Antoinette/ Bertha’s perspective. I feel that she has every right to do this because she is molding a story of her own based on a minor character whose story is never told. Whether the two stories could exist without the other is another question. Jane Eyre is an interesting story that creates suspense and mystery, but provides closure at the end. We are left to wonder about Rochester’s past up until the story is almost over. We come to find out the he was married to Antoinette, a lunatic whom he locked up in a room with only Grace Poole to watch over her. It is assumed that how Rochester’s marriage came to be was something Bronte wanted the reader to wonder about, and even make up circumstances on their own. Jane Eyre is an excellent novel that has no problem standing on its own. Wide Sargasso Sea is a story about the life of one of Bronte’s characters in Jane Eyre who plays a brief role but is crucial to the story. Antoinette lived a very underprivileged life growing up. Her family situation and her social situation shaped her into the character we know her as today. From the story of her life we get a better understanding of her role as a character in Jane Eyre and perhaps most of the mystery we have is cleared up. Wide Sargasso Sea is a very creative literary piece that provides depth to a character whose story would have gone untold. After reading Wide Sargasso Sea we have a better understanding of Jane Eyre and some of the events that took place within the novel. We find more out about Rochester’s dark past; Bronte just didn’t go far enough back to enlighten us on his marriage. After reading Rhys’s Wide Sargasso Sea we now know how Rochester and Antoinette’s relationship came to be. Their marriage was arranged so that Rochester would have financial stability because he was the second son and was likely to not inherit anything from his father. Rochester felt he was duped into marrying Antoinette by his father and everyone else. In one scene Rochester says, â€Å"As I walked I remembered my father’s face and his thin lips, my brother’s round conceited eyes. They knew. And Richard the fool, he knew too†¦They all knew. †(Rhys 62). He thinks everyone knew Antoinette was crazy but didn’t tell him. Rochester seems to be ashamed with himself over locking Antoinette in the attic, but he feels like it was the right thing for him to do. He would have had a miserable life and also would have put everyone in danger at Thornfield, with crazy Antoinette around. Antoinette was a lunatic and if Rochester had to put up with her psychotic antics, he likely would have gone crazy himself. The feelings that Rochester has for Jane are almost new to him. He did not marry Antoinette because he was in love with her. After reading Wide Sargasso Sea we see why Rochester was so glad to find someone like Jane. He didn’t really have anyone to talk to or a companion for the longest time. Before Jane came to Thornfield, Rochester would go away for many months at a time just to escape the terror of what he had locked up at home. When Jane was there, Rochester did not have any reason to go away because he was content with the situation at home and his feelings for Jane. One night Rochester and Jane are by the fire and Rochester says, â€Å"I knew†¦you would do me good in some way, at some time: I saw it in your eyes when I first beheld you†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (Bronte 129). This quote shows that Rochester has real feelings for Jane. Without the knowledge from Wide Sargasso Sea we would not understand why Rochester was so happy when Jane was there, or what had caused his unrest in the past. In Jane Eyre we see the character of Grace Poole as being very strange and eerie. She operates mostly on her own, staying quiet and often looking very mysterious. Jane believes that Grace is the one that lights Rochester’s bed on fire. Little does Jane know that Grace is hiding the person that attempts to take Rochester’s life. Grace is paid double her salary to be the caretaker of Antoinette. She was paid that so she would not let the other servants or anyone in town in on the secret. In Jane Eyre we don’t know what Grace Poole does until the very end, so she ends up being depicted as a villain throughout the novel. After reading Wide Sargasso Sea we have a better understanding of the events and characters in Jane Eyre. In Caroline Rody’s criticism of Wide Sargasso Sea she explains, â€Å"Strikingly, Rochester remains completely nameless throughout. Called only â€Å"the man,† â€Å"he,† â€Å"husband,†Ã¢â‚¬ ¦this speaker is given no body—no physical description whatsoever† (Rody 219). Without any previous knowledge of Jane Eyre we wouldn’t know that Antoinette’s husband’s name is Rochester. We see that Rochester isn’t as bad of a man as we suspected him to be throughout Jane Eyre, he just had some serious misfortune. These two novels are excellent in their own regard. I feel as though they both should be read in order to get the fullest understanding of each. Both works fill in gaps that would have been left unknown if they had to stand on their own. Jane Eyre and Wide Sargasso Sea are prime examples of how intertextuality can be fulfilling and provide a greater understanding of two pieces of literature.

OCD displayed in the movie as good as it gets essays

OCD displayed in the movie as good as it gets essays This was a very interesting movie, which showed a man's struggle with the disorder of OCD. In the beginning of the movie Jack Nicholsons symptoms were shown in a manner that mirrored OCD symptoms exactly. There were many symptoms toward the disorder that were shown throughout the video such as his routines of washing his hands and the locking of his doors. Even the way he went about his daily routines, such as walking over sidewalk cracks and bringing his own eating utensils to the restaurant. He was a very unique character. If one did not know that he had OCD they would see him as a very strange type of person with very extraordinary habits. For example, the people in the restaurant never liked him because of his treatment of others, the way he mannered himself and his disregard for others. What they didnt see was his hidden character, which was a very caring person; he just didnt like sharing his inner beauty with others because of the disorder. When his daily routines were forced into change he started to become a different person. The changes in his life starting occurring when his neighbor Simon was mugged, and he was forced to accept the responsibility of taking care of his dog. He surprisingly became attached to the dog, and eventually overpasses his negative feelings toward Simon and became friends with him. His waitress at the restaurant, Carol, also played a very important role in his life. When she was forced to stay home and take care of her kid, it upset his daily routine. He even went to her house due to his OCD. With this though it brought about changes that would have a great impact on his life. At the expense of his publisher he hired a personal doctor to take care of her son so Carol could resume work. At first Carol did not understand this and become extremely frustrated. All of the main characters become intertwined when Melvin (Jack Nicholson) grudgingly a ...

Why having an anti-role model is actually a good thing

Why having an anti-role model is actually a good thing We’re all aware of the value of having a role model in our lives- someone we can look up to and aspire to be like, a person who embodies the success and happiness, personal characteristics, behaviors, and mannerisms we hope to someday see within ourselves and have others notice within us. Having this sort of idealized model for us to measure ourselves up against can be beneficial in many ways. They can keep us motivated and on track as we work toward the individual goals we set out for ourselves. They can help us resist negative temptations and influences that could threaten to derail us. They can anchor our ambitions and concretely determine what we need to do in order to achieve the level of success, ambition, and happiness we envision for ourselves. The benefits of having a positive role model in our lives sounds like a no-brainer- but have you ever thought about the power of having an anti-role model and what it can do for you? It may sound strange or counterintuitive at f irst, but keep reading- there is a clear case to be made for why having an anti-role model in your life can be a good thing.What is an anti-role model?Let’s start off with a quick definition of an anti-role model. They represent the exact opposite of a positive role model- it’s someone who embodies the opposite behaviors, traits, and trajectory that you want to have in yourself and your life. An anti-role model often comprises everything that you want to work against and avoid as you plan your life and make progress toward your personal goals.Use negativity to motivate you to be your best selfDespite the negative connotations that immediately spring to mind when thinking about anti-role models, the truth is they can be powerful forces for good in our lives. Knowing what we don’t want to be can be just as powerful as watching someone who always does the right thing in any given situation. The eagerness to avoid becoming an unwanted version of ourselves can be a r eal impetus for positive change, and when forging our life paths it’s just as helpful to know what things we’d like to avoid as it is knowing where we’d like to end up.Set up your ideal career path early onFor many of us, this process of figuring out who we want to become stems from a series of trial and error events, and often-painful life lessons. However, having an anti-role model early on can go a long way to helping you avoid having to make some pretty big mistakes. An anti-role model can also equip you with a set of ethical and moral guidelines and boundaries to adhere to as you journey through life and try to be your best self.Knowing who you don’t want to be can help you figure how who you do want to be. The bottom line is this: if you imagine life as a journey along a path that you set for yourself, knowing the direction you don’t want to move in can be just as helpful as being aware of the right direction for you and can keep you from mak ing a wrong move and getting lost.So, have we convinced you of the potential benefit of having an anti-role model in your life? If so, and you know someone who may fit the bill in this capacity, then consider using your association with them as a positive force for motivation, direction, and change in your life. Good luck!

Why are Relationships Difficult - English composition Essay

Why are Relationships Difficult - English composition - Essay Example It was argued that men and women are different biologically (or naturally), and it is inherent in them, so to speak, to be different from one another, therefore, it is all but natural for their relationships with each other to have so many problems and/or difficulties. However, with the women liberation movement came the idea that it was not biology but social conditioning that caused men and women to behave and think so differently in any given scenario Now the question arises: which of these theories is valid? Are men and women really different from one another because society demands them to be so, or is it because the differences in them are a manifestation of their in-built differences? Many studies have been conducted in this regard by the scientific community, with the result that, indeed, men and women are geared differently naturally (both mentally and physically, of course) as well as through social conditioning. There is much that has already been said about the role of society in setting certain molds for the sexes, and then expecting men and women to fall in line. Such molds are often quite sexist and detrimental to understanding and mutual respect amongst the sexes. Although the media has perpetuated sexist attitudes, with the woman being only a comforter of man, whether as a wife or mistress, it would be unfair to lay the blame on them, as it is society itself that is reflected through the media. It would be wrong for the society to blame the media for projecting ideas that the society itself holds. However, the social conditioning only fosters the human brain which is geared to be masculine or feminine from the birth of a child. There are quite a number of differences between the brains of the two sexes which causes them to develop differently at first and then later on to behave differently. These differences, scientists argue, were the result of evolution and the different roles these two sexes had to perform.

A Review of Pete Zimmer Quartet Prime of Life CD Release Essay

A Review of Pete Zimmer Quartet Prime of Life CD Release - Essay Example The instruments especially the saxophone could be heard clearly all through mainly emphasized the melody. The guitar clearly brought out the rhythm of the musical. The melody, harmony, and rhythm combined to bring a soothing and exiting feeling. The performance was one of the preeminent jazz performances I have attended. This paper focuses on the different aspects incorporated in the performance to bring harmony, mellow and maintain the right rhythm. The stage was gorgeous since it was dimly lit using candles mainly placed at the back at the background were burgundy curtains that gave the stage an amorous feel. However, the stage looked quite small and the band members were positioned close together, which limited their movements. At the back was the band member playing the drum while the rest of the band took positions to form what looked like a rectangular. Two of the band members remained standing while the rest remained seated. Just like most jazz musicals, the music was harmonio usly spacious with a similar chord structure played repeatedly. At the start, the saxophonist played the rhythms to outline the formation of the song (Riggs, 2008). At the far back was Zimmer playing the drum while the rest of the band took positions to form what looked like a rectangular alignment. ... All through the performance, Zimmer played the drum with swings using sticks and brushes, which propelled the rest or the band forward. Bernstein moved from side to side as he plucked the guitar to keep the rhythm of the musical. The music was delicate and swinging with a graceful rhythmic undertow such that though the music lasted long the energy is desirable all through. The song played included â€Å"Carefree,† â€Å"Getting Dizzy,† â€Å"Search,† and Jeremy Pelt.† The â€Å"Prime of Life† was one of the songs played and the title of the CD that Pete Zimmer Quartet was launching. All the songs had an either fast or moderately fast tempo. The song of the day â€Å"The Prime of Life† was played in each of the three sessions. The rhythm or the music had a moderately fast and bouncy tempo with the drumming swinging from elusive to strident style. The rhythm could generally be described as syncopated and quite complex. Just like most jazz musica ls, the rhythm was swingy and irregular. The swings sounded exaggerated creating a forward momentum emphasized by the drum. However, towards the end, the jazz musical was slightly slow and relaxed. The different instruments could be heard playing the same melody but at different rhythms. I can only describe the overall rhythm as somehow tensed with some sense of looseness. The harmony of the jazz musical played could be described as quite racing with short off beats at the end of all phrases. The beats were quite emphasized all through with off beat’s being stronger. The harmony was in one way or another unpredictable, which is a common feature in most jazz music. The sound of the bass helped maintain the harmony. The jazz musical was similar to most jazz performances in aspects pertaining to the rhythm, tempo, as

The Speckled Band - Arthur Conan Doyle :: English Literature

The Speckled Band - Arthur Conan Doyle â€Å"What appeal would the story ‘the speckled band have had for a Victorian audience† The story â€Å"The Speckled Band† was written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, and published in â€Å"The Strand Magazine† in 1892. The story contains the very famous and popular character Sherlock Holmes. In this essay I will discuss the popularity of the Holmes stories for a Victorian audience. To do this I will look at the use of realistic locations, the originality of the Holmes character and the use of a first person narrator (Dr. Watson). â€Å"The Speckled Band† is a story that portrays life in the Victorian audience. In this story a woman pleas for help from Holmes about the death of her sister Julia. The story goes on to look for the audience to convict the woman’s stepfather. Holmes finds out the stepfather is planning to kill her and finds out that the stepfather was the cause of her sister’s death. The only motive Holmes had foe the stepfather for killing his stepdaughter was for the inheritance. He also commits the murders by cleverly training a snake to climb down a rope bell and on to the bed and poisoning the victim. The Victorian readers thought that Holmes was a real person in those days. This realism is created because Holmes lived at a real address in the stories, at Baker St. 221B and the stories are written as real cases. Holmes is a very charismatic and mysterious. In one of the stories he is called â€Å"the most perfect reasoning and observing machine† in ‘A scandal in Bohemia.’ He is shown as the Victorian ‘new man’, who uses his brains and scientific deductions to solve things. We are told how he makes â€Å"deductions as swift as intuitions.† He is also chivalrous and often helps women in distress, and he never accepts payment for his heroics, whilst he helps people within the Victorian community. He seems to be a loner and is seen as an individual and he doesn’t seem to like other people. Helen Stoner is the daughter of a tyrant of a stepfather where she is woman in anguish and agony. She is worried about becoming a victim as her sister was before her. Being a woman in distress is a key element in Victorian stories as well as the Holmes stories. She is seen as vulnerable and scared like a ‘hunted animal.’ Helen appears to be melodramatic, for example she wears a â€Å"black veil† when she visits Holmes, years after her sister’s death, and shows the audience that she is deeply distressed.

Dennys Ethics Essay

Denny’s is one of the franchises owned by the Flagstar Corporation. The troubling finances of Flagstar caused their leadership to be so concerned on the numbers of their corporation that they forgot about the management of their employees and their actions. Even though corporate management can’t control all the actions of their employees they can help shape their actions through training and education in the workplace. Therefore the leadership of Flagstar failed and was unethical, as they did not properly address the problems with racism that some of their employees had working for Denny’s. They also didn’t complete these tasks in a timely matter or even do enough to prevent them. These problems of racism, specifically with the employees’ relations with the customers continued to keep piling up for Denny’s management. This created even more than just financial problems for Denny’s, but also a new public image that they were not fair to all races and were in the restaurant industry where customer service plays a huge part in making money. Denny’s had a problem with the way in which its employees dealt with serving its customers. They dealt with a federal lawsuit in California where they agreed to stop the alleged discriminatory treatment of black customers. (pg. 309) On the same day on the settlement another similar situation happened across the country in Maryland. However, these customers were secret service agents where fifteen white agents were served their food in a timely manner and five black agents waited almost an hour before asking where their food was. The agents filed a lawsuit against Denny’s, where it made national headlines and caused uproar throughout the country. (pg. 309) Denny’s now faced a huge problem as their public image was greatly declining and had a senior management that was completely unprepared to deal with the huge issue that the company faced. There is great competition in the fast food industry. Denny’s tried to separate themselves from others by putting emphasis on sit-down service and creating a welcoming atmosphere for its customers. (pg. 310) For a company to be accused of having employees that discriminate on customers based off of race does not help a company establish this type of atmosphere. Out of the whole Flagstar staff, thirty-six percent are minorities where twenty percent are black, which is twice the proportion of the U.S. population. (pg. 310) However, there are no senior black managers or minority officers at Flagstar and there is only one minority-owned franchise. Flagstar doesn’t have a problem employing minorities, but they do have a problem promoting them. This shows the failed leadership of Flagstar. There were some diversity experts that defended Flagstar such as Marilyn Loven, who said, â€Å"Discrimination results from employees acting individually without the approval of management.† (pg. 310) This might be true as leaders that have the right intention can be â€Å"undercut† by low-level front line employees however it is the leaders that must spend a lot of time educating employees about discrimination. She also said that, â€Å"No Company can eliminate racism.† In the case of Denny’s they had not one or two cases of discrimination but more than five in pretty short time period. Denny’s would settle a case one-day and then the next day a new case of discrimination would come up. Denny’s and the Department of Justice worked out settlements where Denny’s would reinforce polices of equal treatment to customers however it showed that those policies weren’t fully pushed by leadership. (Exhibit 1) This lack of leadership showed that the leadership was â€Å"unethical† in their handling of their employees and discrimination. The head of Flagstar, Jerome Richardson took some of the responsibility for the problems that Denny’s faced. He said that dealing with finances â€Å"blinded† him to other aspects of running the corporation that he was in charge of. (pg. 311) However, a corporation needs to cover all aspects of the company besides its finances. Its â€Å"unethical† for a company to allow continued discrimination and not push programs to educate employees on discrimination. The company was so focused on making money that they public image went in the drain as the company did nothing to make sure their employees were educated and making a good name for the company. In the case of Denny’s the lack of minority leadership showed corporate discrimination, which reflected on employees discriminating against the customers. This discrimination could happen anywhere but continued to happen at different locations all over the country for Denny’s and reflects on the company itself. It also raises the question of the ethical practices of by the company and how the company responds to cases of discrimination in this case. The continued cases of discrimination by employees showed that the Denny’s leadership was â€Å"unethical† as they did not cover all aspects of their corporation.