The Legend of Sleepy Hollow - Summary and Analysis

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow Summary and Analysis Major Themes Veracity in Storytelling Veracity in storytelling is a defining theme of â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.† The story is distantly removed from the reader—Crayon has found the story in Diedrich Knickerbocker’s papers, who is dead, and who at the end of the story writes that he heard it from an old gentleman, who claimed to not have even believed half of it himself, ultimately getting much of the story from primary or even other secondary sources. Thus, even where the story is told with confidence, the narrator has given us reasons to doubt evrything. We become critical readers, unlike Crane, who believes the ghost stories he reads. The narrator also admits to complete ignorance†¦show more content†¦It is still apparent here, however. Sleepy Hollow is an old town inhabited mostly by descendants of its original settlers. This would seemingly make it prone to family prejudices, a younger parallel to the European aged communities, yet there is no evidence of this kind of hierarchy. Instead, people are valued for their merits, such as their book learning or their ability in teaching, activities requiring strength, or singing. Katrina Van Tassel is desired by almost every eligible young man in Sleepy Hollow, being the rich farmer’s daughter. In Europe, her lack of title would have limited those who would be interested in her to others of similar status, but in America (or at least this sleepy town) her abundance of resources, combined with her good looks, youth, and charm, are enough to make her very desirable. This is more of a unique money issue than a general class issue. Even as the most desired bachelorette in the neighborhood, moreover, she ends up choosing between a well-liked but irresponsible and rowdy young man, with no fortune that we know of, and a very poor and homeless school teacher with an obsession with ghost stories. In their community, Ichabod is recommended by his comparatively good education; Brom, by his physical skills and likable personality. Their titles, families, and even money are not explicitly brought into consideration. This contrasts greatly with, for example, â€Å"The Pride of the Village,† another story in Irvings collection, inShow MoreRelatedSupernatural Essay1273 Words   |  6 Pagesdefinitions, etc.) â€Å"The Black Cat† by Edgar Allan Poe: as the narrator slips into insanity, his grasp on rheality falters, and images, dreams, and unnatural emotions lead to murder and animal cruelty. â€Å"The Raven† by Edgar Allan Poe: â€Å"The Legend of Sleepy Hollow† by Washington Irving: Gothic Literature Definition- â€Å"a genre of fiction characterized by mystery and supernatural horror, often set in a dark castle or other medieval setting†- â€Å"Gothic novel.† Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, 29 Nov. 2017Read MoreANALIZ TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS28843 Words   |  116 Pagesï » ¿TEXT INTERPRETATION AND ANALYSIS The purpose of Text Interpretation and Analysis is a literary and linguistic commentary in which the reader explains what the text reveals under close examination. Any literary work is unique. It is created by the author in accordance with his vision and is permeated with his idea of the world. The reader’s interpretation is also highly individual and depends to a great extent on his knowledge and personal experience. That’s why one cannot lay down a fixed â€Å"model†

A Rose For Emily By William Faulkner - 918 Words

William Faulkner wrote â€Å"A Rose for Emily† to showcase the changes in society. Faulkner’s story is about Emily Grierson, a southern woman, who is watched upon by the towns’ people of Jefferson from her earlier days until her death. Emily is a stubborn woman because she refuses to listen to the warnings about Homer, a northern man, she claims she does not have to pay her taxes, and leaves her father’s dead body in the house for three days. Emily also becomes secluded over the years only having two people in her life Tobe, her servant and Homer, her lover. The town’s people began to become suspicious when an awful smell was coming from Emily’s house. When Emily died, the people of the town went into her house, and they found the decayed body of Homer. William Faulkner comments that, â€Å"You cannot swim for new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore.† This is a direct reflection on how Emily lives her life becaus e she does not want let go of her past, just like the south not wanting to let go of their tradtion. A decline of the south is the theme of the story and it is shown by the use of characters, conflicts, and symbols. Judge Stevens, Mr.Grieson, and Homer are characters used in the story to show the decline in the south. Judge Stevens comments, â€Å"will you accuse a lady of smelling bad?.† Judge Stevens was shocked from the lack of respect by even thinking about telling a woman to her face she smells bad.This demonstrates that the newer generation of theShow MoreRelatedA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1729 Words   |  7 PagesJune 24, 2015 â€Å"A Rose for Emily† In every neighborhood there is always that one house that is a mystery to everyone. A house that everyone wants to know about, but nobody can seem to be able to dig up any answers. It’s the type of place that you would take any opportunity or excuse to get to explore. The littler that is known, the more the curiosity increases about this mysterious place or person. In the short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, this mysterious person is Emily Grierson, andRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner923 Words   |  4 PagesA Rose for Emily; A Tale of The Old South William Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi in 1897 but lived most of his life in Oxford, a small town nearby. After dropping out of high school then briefly joining the Canadian Air Force, he returned home and completed three terms at the University of Mississippi (Fulton 27). During his early twenties Faulkner spent time in New Orleans and Europe before returning to Oxford and publishing his first book of poems. In 1929 he married Estelle FranklinRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1552 Words   |  7 PagesRyan Dunn Mrs. Williams English 11 March 11, 2016 In the short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner, the reader is given a glimpse of the internal conflict of the main character, living in the past, and the involvement of an over involved society causing the reader to look into the consciousness of an individual haunted by a past and lack of a future. The story is set in a post-Civil War town in the South. He is able to give the reader a glimpse of the practices and attitudes that had unitedRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner949 Words   |  4 PagesIn William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† it is clear how Emily’s gender affects how the individuals in the town perceive her. Emily’s gender particularly affects how men understand her. Throughout the whole piece Emily is seen as a helpless individual who is lonely and has suffered losses throughout her life. When the reader reaches the end of the story the actions that Emily has taken is unexpected because of the way she i s perceived by the narrator. In the beginning of the story, when the wholeRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1507 Words   |  7 Pages1897, William Cuthbert Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi. He stands as one of the most preeminent American writers of the twentieth century. His literary reputation included poetry, novels, short stories, and screenplays. Faulkner won two Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction and the Nobel Prize in Literature. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a short fascinating story written by William Faulkner and it was his first short story published in a national magazine. The story involved an old woman named Emily GriersonRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1577 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A Sarah Markins Dr. Bibby ENG 107 February 11, 2015 â€Å"A Rose for Emily† by William Faulkner â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, written by William Faulkner in 1931, follows a series of peculiar events in Miss Emily Griersons life. Written in third person limited, Faulkner utilizes flashbacks to tell of the period between the death of Emily’s father and her own passing. Split into five short sections, the story starts out with the townspeople of Jefferson remembering Emily’s legacy and how each new generation ofRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1270 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Faulkner’s short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† thoroughly examines the life of a strange woman name Emily Grierson who lives in the town of Jefferson. If we examine â€Å"A Rose for Emily† in terms of formalist criticism, we see that the story dramatizes through setting, plot, characterization, and symbolism on how Miss Emily’s life is controlled by a possessive love she had for her father and lover. William Faulkner uses Emily’s life as the pro tagonist to examine from a formalist aspect. In orderRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1277 Words   |  6 PagesMiss Emily Grierson, the main character in the strange short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† written by William Faulkner. It would be best to examine her in a mental capacity as well as the circumstances that may affect her. Throughout the story, Miss Emily’s unpredictable and eccentric behavior becomes unusual, and the reader, like the townspeople in the story, is left to speculate how Miss Emily has spent years living and sleeping with the body of Homer Barron. An important quote from the story was thatRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner883 Words   |  4 PagesIn the timeless classic, â€Å"A rose for Emily† by William Faulkner we are introduced to Emily Grierson, a matured sheltered southern woman; born to a proud, aristocratic family presumably during the American Civil War. Through out the short story William Faulkner uses many literary devices such as symbolism, metaphors and allegory to play with â€Å"time† and how time reflects upon his main character Emily Grierson. Emily being one who denies the ability to see time for what it is linear and unchangeableRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1780 Words   |  8 PagesIn 1930, William Faulkner wrote a five-part story entitled â€Å"A Rose for Emily† that follows the life of a young woman named Miss Emily Grierson. Faulkner sets his story in the Old South, soon after the ending of America’s Civil War, and represents the decaying values o f the Confederacy (Kirszner Mandell, 2013a, p. 244). One of these values which the text portrays quite often in â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, is the patriarchal custom of society viewing men as having more importance than their female counterparts

Great Gatsby Questions free essay sample

Chapter Seven Questions for The Great Gatsby 1. Why does Gatsby stop giving parties? 2. When does Tom first realize that Daisy loves Gatsby? 3. Why is Myrtle Wilson upset when she sees Tom and Jordan? 4. Why does Gatsby view Daisy’s child with surprise? 5. Why does Gatsby object to letting Tom drive his car? 6. What ironic situation is occurring on the drive to town? 7. Why is Nick pleased with Gatsby’s honesty about Ox ford? 9. What has increased Tom’s hatred of Gatsby? 10. Why does Tom’s defense of family life amuse Nick? 11. What is the significance of Nick’s thirtieth birthday? Why does Tom insist that Daisy and Gatsby drive home together? 13. Why does Nick change his feelings toward Jordan? 15. What is Nick’s attitude toward Gatsby? 14. Why are Tom and Daisy reconciled? 15. Describe Daisy and Gatsbys new relationship. 16. Compare George Wilson and Tom. What did each man learn about his wife and how did they each react? 17. We will write a custom essay sample on Great Gatsby Questions or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page If Daisy says shes never loved Tom, is there someone whom she thinks she loves? 18. Describe the fight between Gatsby and Tom. What do these men think of each other? How are they similar and how are they different? 19. What do you think Tom and Daisy were saying to each other in the kitchen? Do you think that Tom knew Daisy was driving the death car? Why, why not? Chapter Eight Questions for The Great Gatsby 1. How does Fitzgerald achieve a melancholic mood in the beginning of this chapter? 2. How are seasons used in constructing this novel? 3. Who is Dan Cody and what is his significance in Gatsbys life? 4. How does Nicks statement Youre worth the whole bunch put together show a change in Nick? .. from the beginning of the novel? 5. How does T. J. Eckleberg affect Mr. Wilson?

The Source Of The Many Differences Between Mesopotamia And Egypt Can B

The source of the many differences between Mesopotamia and Egypt can be found in the geographic locations of these civilizations. Egypt, protected by natural barriers on all sides, remained uninfluenced for many years. Not many other civilizations came in contact with the Egyptian people. Thus, they developed much differently politically and socially compared to Mesopotamia. Mesopotamia was constantly invaded by foreigners who would incorporate their culture into their newly conquered society and form a new one by force. It is no surprise then that the two civilizations would end up with completely different ideas about the world. Egypt's social structure consisted of the pharaoh, priests, farmers, merchants, and craftsmen. The pharaoh was the "God-King". Not only did he govern Egypt, but he was an immortal (or a god). Pharaohs were believed to be gods who had chosen to live on earth for a time. These immortal men were highly respected by Egyptian people because of their godly powers. "The pharaoh's will was law, and his wisdom all-knowing" (Adler,1996,26). Because the gods spoke through the pharaoh, his regulations and laws were to be carried out without question. Otherwise the gods would "cease to smile upon Egypt". Priests were important to Egyptians but were not terribly powerful (like they were in Mesopotamia). They merely enforced religious beliefs and helped the king when he was unpopular. The Free tenant farmers, who worked on estates owned by a landowner or government official, constituted the majority of the population. These farmers worked on this granted land in order to provide service to the crown (the pharaoh). Their life, like the Egyptians of higher and lower classes, was extremely stable and predictable. They usually resided in crowded villages that stretched across the Nile River. In these villages, the merchants and craftsmen could also be found, but Egypt had no real cities. The capital cities in Egypt served as royal palaces for the wealthy or for social entertainment. The majority of the population had nothing to do with these cities, except to act as a labor force. Unlike many other civilizations, the cities of Egypt were not used as major trade or control centers among villages. Trade and commerce were of little importance to Egyptians. On the other hand, Mesopotamia was a huge collection of many cultures. Numerous amounts of foreigners invaded and forced their beliefs and ideas upon the Mesopotamians. All of this cultural influence produced many rapid changes and caused extreme instability. Rulers were not gods, were not as well respected, and had to fight for their control. Mesopotamians did not experience the security that Egyptians had. The economy way under constant stress because of the taxes needed to support an army. Armies were of extreme importance in order to prevent further invasions and to squelch frequent rebellions that occurred. The isolated Egyptians never had to raise an army or set any heavy taxes. Mesopotamians though, because of the number of invaders, had many cities and trade centers. The variety of people within the cities produced many cultural achievements and advances. They had well developed road systems to improve communication and enforce government control in surrounding villages. They, under the Phoenicians, developed a water-based trade system that reached as far as Great Britain. By sea, they traded information, dyes, and metals such as copper and iron. Because of their exposure to many different ideas, Mesopotamians were very influential in the ancient world and are still today. As for the Egyptians, their ideas vanished with the disappearance of their civilizations. Their natural barriers separated them from the harsh realities around them. They were stable and were not subjected to invasions by foreigners for many centuries. This provided a false sense of security. They took very little measures to prevent a disastrous invasion from occurring. Egypt was not prepared militarily; they had little trained soldiers and very few advanced weapons. Egyptians trusted that the gods were responsible for their long reign without any outside threats. They believed that "the Gods smiled on Egypt", and they also took this to mean that they were superior to any other cultures. The only "real" people were Egyptian people and anyone else was considered inferior. This egotistical view resulted in a limited trade of knowledge because foreigners had little to offer the superior Egyptians. Thus, they did not advance scientifically, mathematically, or militarily like the Mesopotamians had. This feeling of superiority eventually resulted in their defeat when invaders finally did come. The experiences of the Mesopotamians and Egyptians were very different because of their location. Egyptians