Read About Journals In Eng125 Introduction To Literature

Readabout Journals In Eng125 Introduction To Literaturefor More Infor

Read about Journals in ENG125: Introduction to Literature for more information about the purpose and expectations for journals. This week, you continue writing your journal entries. This journal entry is designed to help you document ideas about conflicts in literature, which will contribute to the information required for the Week Three Draft and the Week Five Literary Analysis. Recognizing conflict is essential to understanding the various commentaries literature can provide. In Journal One, you identified conflict as it might appear in our everyday world and from other sources.

Now, consider the following definition of conflict and how it relates to literature from the textbook or the story/poetry links provided under the requirements for the Literary Analysis: Conflict is opposing actions, ideas, and decisions that hold a plot together; the struggle that shapes the plot in a story. Chapters 1-7 of our text contain a number of stories and poems, each of which rely on at least one conflict. Choose two of this week’s assigned literary works and write about the conflicts presented in each of them. In 250 to 500 words, state the specific conflicts you see in each work. Describe the characters, forces, and/or entities that are at odds.

Explain why you think the conflicts are significant and what meanings or understandings they provide to the texts. Paraphrase, quote, and/or summarize content from the works to support your observations. Don’t forget to add in-text citations for the works you draw from. Explain how each conflict has meaning beyond the work in which it appears. Why is it important to be able to recognize conflict in a literary text and extend that understanding of conflict to the world at large?

From the stories you are reading, reflect on how elements of symbolism, metaphor, allusion, and/or allegory apply and add depth to an idea raised in the literature. For instance, in George Orwell’s novel Animal Farm, the pigs and farmers can be seen as symbolic of workers versus managers to make points about class struggles, calling into question the idea of equality in society. In another example, in “The Story of an Hour,” the main character expresses personal conflict in her process of coming to terms with her husband’s supposed death. But this moment symbolizes more than just her personal grief. What does it suggest about societal expectations regarding women and how they should respond to grief?

How might those expectations of grief still apply to women’s roles today? How does the symbolism reflect a conflict between Mrs. Mallard and her own desires? Are these “women’s desires” in conflict with current social norms? As you are writing this journal entry, review the expectations for the Week Five Literary Analysis, which you are working toward throughout the course.

Paper For Above instruction

The exploration of conflict in literature provides a vital lens through which to understand not only the narratives themselves but also the societal implications and human experiences they mirror. This essay examines two literary works from chapters 1-7, analyzing the conflicts they present, their significance, and their broader meanings, alongside the application of literary devices such as symbolism and allegory that deepen the thematic content.

The first work under consideration is Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Cask of Amontillado.” This story revolves around a conflict rooted in revenge, pride, and deception. Fortunato's pride and confidence lead him into the catacombs, trusting Montresor, whose desire for retribution is concealed beneath social politeness. The conflict arises between Montresor’s intent to punish and Fortunato’s obliviousness to impending danger, embodying the struggle between betrayal and innocence (Poe, 1846). This conflict is significant because it explores themes of vengeance and the darker aspects of human nature, prompting readers to consider how pride can lead to destructive behaviors. Furthermore, the story’s setting and tone symbolize the suffocating consequences of unchecked revenge, illustrating that conflicts driven by personal motives can have tragic, irreversible outcomes.

The second work examined is Kate Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour,” which centers on internal conflict within Mrs. Mallard. Upon hearing of her husband’s death, Mrs. Mallard experiences conflicting emotions—initial grief quickly shifts to relief and a sense of freedom. This internal conflict signifies societal expectations about women’s roles, where devotion to marriage often suppresses personal desires (Chopin, 1894). The symbolism in this story—Mrs. Mallard’s open window and the spring setting—represents new beginnings and unfulfilled individual aspirations. Her internal struggle reflects a broader societal conflict regarding women’s autonomy and the suppression of personal identity within traditional marriage roles. The tragic irony of her death upon discovering her husband is alive underscores the tragic consequences of societal constraints on women’s independence.

These conflicts extend beyond the individual stories, illustrating universal themes relevant to contemporary society. The revenge conflict in “The Cask of Amontillado” prompts reflection on how personal vendettas can lead to self-destruction, relevant in understanding conflicts that escalate in social and political spheres. Similarly, Mrs. Mallard’s internal struggle highlights ongoing debates about gender equality and women’s autonomy, echoing modern discussions about societal norms versus individual freedom.

Elements like symbolism, metaphor, and allegory enrich these narratives’ themes. In “The Story of an Hour,” the open window symbolizes freedom and the restrictions imposed on women, illustrating the conflict between societal expectations and personal desires. In Poe’s story, the dark, claustrophobic setting acts as an allegory for the destructive nature of revenge. These devices deepen our understanding of the conflicts, demonstrating how literature employs symbolism to comment on societal issues and human psychology.

Understanding conflict in literature is crucial because it reveals underlying societal values, human motivations, and psychological struggles. Recognizing these conflicts allows readers to extend insights gained from stories to real-world conflicts in personal, social, and political contexts. Literature’s portrayal of conflict encourages critical thinking about societal norms and the human condition, fostering empathy and awareness.

In conclusion, analyzing conflicts in “The Cask of Amontillado” and “The Story of an Hour” unveils the profound ways in which literature reflects and critiques societal issues. The conflicts—external and internal—are intertwined with symbolism and allegory that extend their relevance beyond their narratives. Recognizing and understanding these conflicts enhances our insight into human nature and societal structures, emphasizing literature’s power to comment on timeless human dilemmas.

References

Poe, E. A. (1846). The Cask of Amontillado.

Chopin, K. (1894). The Story of an Hour. Century Magazine.

Bloom, H. (2007). Edgar Allan Poe’s Selected Poems. Infobase Publishing.

Gilbert, S. M., & Gubar, S. (1979). The Madwoman in the Attic: The Woman Writer and the Nineteenth-Century Literary Imagination. Yale University Press.

Gura, P. F. (2009). Understanding American Literature. Blackwell Publishing.

Lohafer, S., & Jost, J. T. (2000). The Gender of Modernism. Johns Hopkins University Press.

Showalter, E. (1985). The Female Malady: Women, Madness, and English Culture, 1830-1865. Virago.

Woolf, V. (1929). A Room of One’s Own. Harvest Books.

Williams, R. (1997). Re-Reading Victorian Women. Macmillan.

Zimmerman, M. (2000). Understanding Literary Symbols. Wiley-Blackwell.