In Kikongo, the language of the people of Kilanga, the word bängala has three meanings: most precious, most insufferable, or poisonwood. In the Congolese context, opposites are necessarily bound forever in definition; nothing can exist without its antithesis. The righteous and the heathen, the foreign and the familiar, devastation and redemption -- each half is a component of the whole, relevant only by comparison. The Price family, arriving in the Congo in 1959 to fulfill Reverend Nathan Price's evangelical mission, comes to understand that what they hold most dear can also be what they despise the most; the thing closest to their hearts can also be poison.
Through the voices of four sisters and their mother, the story of the Price family's tragic destruction is juxtaposed with the political disintegration of the Congo itself from a colonized territory to an autonomous democracy to a nation run by a CIA- installed dictator. As Nathan's attempts to save both himself and the Congolese "heathens" become all-consuming, the Price women struggle to find their own brand of freedom. Through the hardships suffered at the hands of Africa's powerful natural forces, politicians both in the village and around the world, and even those they hold closest to their hearts, each woman eventually finds her own way to liberation. Much like the Kikongo word bängala, "liberation" for the Price women has multiple -- and contradictory -- meanings. Whether through an outright rejection of the Congolese culture or a redefinition of "home," each ultimately regains the autonomy denied her in her forced relocation to Africa.
Kingsolver depicts the Congolese culture with a measure of respect not often seen in fictional novels written by foreign authors, and sets an important example for today's global community -- a world in which fluid borders and technological advances make intercultural exchanges inevitable. With The Poisonwood Bible, Kingsolver has created an intelligent and powerful story about the tensions between love and hate, destruction and redemption, nation and nation, man and woman, and nature and beast -- and the women who learn to understand and embrace these tensions.
Monday, May 6, 2013
1999 Essay Question 3
Life of Pi
The important thing isn't that we can live on love alone, but that life isn’t worth living without it. In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the author shows that Richard Parker is part of Pi, and is necessary for his survival. This is shown at the end of the novel when Pi reaches Mexico with Richard Parker’s help of survival. However, there are two different versions to Pi’s story, and there is no physical proof of Richard’s existence other than his word. Life isn't worth living without hope, Richard Parker is necessary for Pi’s survival because he gives him a reason to survive, provides companionship, keeps him from feeling hopelessness.
Firstly, Richard Parker is essential for Pi’s survival. He is essential for Pi’s survival because Richard Parker has the strength and viciousness necessary to survive. In the end of the book it is revealed that Richard Parker is Pi. Richard Parker is just a figment of Pi’s imagination a creation of Pi’s mind to help him cope with seeing his mother killed and the rest of the bad experiences he had after the ship sunk. Pi created Richard in order to conjure up those traits that he needs in order to survive; Richard is strong, fierce, and terrifying, whereas Pi is complete opposite. He creates a strong fierce animal with a personality that is capable of doing things he can't, but has to in order to survive. Richard Parker is just Pi’s dark side. He keeps Pi sane, despite of his terrible deeds. In other words, he imagines that the tiger is talking to him, showing that he and Richard share one mind. It is not possible for an animal to talk, thus it is Pi’s collective imagination that manifests this conversation. However, the two share many of the same needs and wants, so therefore their minds are able to collaborate subconsciously.
The important thing isn't that we can live on love alone, but that life isn’t worth living without it. In the novel Life of Pi by Yann Martel, the author shows that Richard Parker is part of Pi, and is necessary for his survival. This is shown at the end of the novel when Pi reaches Mexico with Richard Parker’s help of survival. However, there are two different versions to Pi’s story, and there is no physical proof of Richard’s existence other than his word. Life isn't worth living without hope, Richard Parker is necessary for Pi’s survival because he gives him a reason to survive, provides companionship, keeps him from feeling hopelessness.
Firstly, Richard Parker is essential for Pi’s survival. He is essential for Pi’s survival because Richard Parker has the strength and viciousness necessary to survive. In the end of the book it is revealed that Richard Parker is Pi. Richard Parker is just a figment of Pi’s imagination a creation of Pi’s mind to help him cope with seeing his mother killed and the rest of the bad experiences he had after the ship sunk. Pi created Richard in order to conjure up those traits that he needs in order to survive; Richard is strong, fierce, and terrifying, whereas Pi is complete opposite. He creates a strong fierce animal with a personality that is capable of doing things he can't, but has to in order to survive. Richard Parker is just Pi’s dark side. He keeps Pi sane, despite of his terrible deeds. In other words, he imagines that the tiger is talking to him, showing that he and Richard share one mind. It is not possible for an animal to talk, thus it is Pi’s collective imagination that manifests this conversation. However, the two share many of the same needs and wants, so therefore their minds are able to collaborate subconsciously.
Question 2 From 1999
In the passage written by Cormac McCarthy in the novel The Crossing, the author expresses the experience of a character as he experienced the loss of a wolf. Cormac described the actions as the young man cared for wolf's corpse as it suffered a bloody, and unfortunate death. McCarthy used elements such as metaphors and personification in order to give the descriptions of the experience more life and more impact to the reader. He also used pathos in order to allow the reader to feel a little for the main character in his loss. McCarthy also used a lot of imagery in order to make the reader most easily picture this dramatic experience
In the passage, the author states, "-he could see her running in the mountains, running in the starlight where the grass was wet and the sun's coming as yet had not undone...". This quote proves that the wolf will be missed, as the character reminisces on her life as she knew it. It also shows the negative impact it had on him as he reminisces in mourning, and not in celebration of her continuing life. These flasbacks prove that the loss has had a strong impact on the character as he gets lost in his memories of the wolf, and what her life could have been like had she survived.
In conclusion, the author conveys the impact on the character through the use of flashback and characterization. These elements clearly expressed the negative impact the passing had in this character as he experienced the wolf as a corpse and not a lively creature.
In the passage, the author states, "-he could see her running in the mountains, running in the starlight where the grass was wet and the sun's coming as yet had not undone...". This quote proves that the wolf will be missed, as the character reminisces on her life as she knew it. It also shows the negative impact it had on him as he reminisces in mourning, and not in celebration of her continuing life. These flasbacks prove that the loss has had a strong impact on the character as he gets lost in his memories of the wolf, and what her life could have been like had she survived.
Poetry Essay 2
The Broken Heart, by John Donne, portrays someone’s broken heart from an unequal reply of love. Donne uses varied imagery throughout the poem to reveal the speaker’s attitude toward the nature of love.
Various imagery is used throughout the poem which symbolize the condition of the speakers heart. Images of digestion, such as “devour” (line 4) and “swallows chaws” (line 14), show, how love, takes control over the heart. An image of a fire, such as in line 8, shows the agony of the speaker as his heart was broken day by day. Donne reveals the speaker’s feelings of his heart’s death in line 15, “chain’d shot.” Other images such as “broken glass” (line 29) and “rags” (line 31) reveal the weakness and unwholeness of the speaker’s heart.
Through these images there is an attitude that is revealed about the speaker towards the nature of love. Images of pain, death, and darkness reveal an attitude of sorrow and hopelessness. The sorrowful attitude comes from the pair of a broken heart. However, the hopeless attitude is from knowing if this one person does not return the love the speaker has sent, the speaker will never be able to love another person.
The images represented in this poem are symbols of the condition and feelings of the speaker’s heart. From these images, one can determine the attitude of the speaker toward the nature of love
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