Category: Homework

Essay: Isolatation

May 8, 2015 / / 0 Comments

The Metamorphosis is a short story, written by Franz Kafka, about a man who has just woken up and realised that he has turned into a beetle overnight. This story explores themes such as family relationships, the treatment of the working class, and isolation. The following essay will discuss how Kafka presents the theme of isolation throughout Part 2 of the Metamorphosis. This theme is shown through the physical form of the main character, Gregor, through Gregor’s relationship with his sister, and through his relationship with his father.

Kafka uses Gregor’s new-found physical form to imply how he is isolated from his family. Kafka suggests that his family don’t want to see him in his current form when he says ‘ In the first 2 weeks, his parents could not bring themselves to see him’. This would imply that his parents are disgusted at his appearance and that he is confined to his room. The author also reminds us about his new body as he uses the technique of objectification such as ‘ he scuttled out’ and ‘scurrying out’. This would show that Gregor’s actions are being classified as those of a beetle’s rather than a human.

Kafka also uses what Gregor is now eating as another form of isolation. Some of the food Gregor eats include ‘old half-rotten vegetables and bones from the evening meal’. This shows that he is no longer eating what humans eat but is swaying towards the type of food that his animal form eats. Furthermore, he is showing his animalistic side rather than his human side. This would also be a problem not just for Gregor but also his family as they will eventually be no longer dealing with him as there son or brother but as a pet which will be difficult particularly for his mother as when she saw him for the first time.

Kafka additionally uses the moment that Gregor’s father reveals to the family that from the collapsed business he had a secret stash of money to isolate Gregor even more than he already is as Gregor will now feel used and betrayed by because he has just been made to work hard to the people that his parents owe the money to and made him stress out over having to work for the next 5 yrs when this money could lower or remove the debt completely. This also illustrates that between the family there is a lack of communication.

Over the course of the essay, I have explored how Franz Kafka uses isolation within part 2 of The Metamorphosis. He does this by focusing on the physical isolation with him being a beetle. He also discusses about the eating habits and how he is now eating leftovers. Finally, he also uses betrayal with the dad’s secret stash of money and to illustrate how the family has a lack of communication. With his sister going to and fro from his room to the family, she is essentially the messenger of the family and makes Gregor feel isolated as if he is a prisoner in his own home. This is how Kafka presents isolation in part 2 of The Metamorphosis.

Comparative Essay: How is the mind presented in English Literature?

December 10, 2014 / / 1 Comment

I believe that English Literature has presented mental health as a weakness in your armoury and once you have depression, madness and other mental disorders that there is no way back. English Literature also believe there is no recovery phase and it will be with you forever.

In the poem Medusa, Carol Ann Duffy presents Medusa as jealous by using metaphors and similes to describe that she is in doubt and feeling unloved. “With a shield for a heart and a sword for a tongue” suggests that she is feeling physically and emotionally unwanted. Instead of coming to her the person might betray her and go and look elsewhere. She is just like a human but Duffy presents Medusa as if she is a monster, when actually she is just a human being feeling emotionally vulnerable.

In the poem Mental Cases, Wilfred Owen uses similar metaphors and similes to describe the mental state of the soldiers throughout. Wilfred Owen has picked out the fact that due to the war they are emotionally quite weak. Instead of making them feel good about themselves he objectifies the soldiers. He has dehumanised every single one of the weak soldiers. He does this by calling the soldiers “they”, “them” and “their” etc. This quote suggests to me that Wilfred Owen believes that the soldiers are no longer human. Furthermore, the quote ‘Therefore still their eyeballs shrink tormented’ is a metaphor. This suggests to me that they are afraid of seeing the world because they think that everything else is the same as the bad memories that they’ve experienced at war. This poet has therefore exploited the difficulty that the soldiers are experiencing.

Carol Ann Duffy introduces Medusa as someone who is human and has feelings unlike what English Literature has portrayed her as. She shows her thoughts and feelings throughout the poem but I think the quotation which stands out head and shoulders above all the others is “It’s you I love, perfect man”. This suggests to me that Carol Ann Duffy has gone really deep down inside the soul of Medusa and found what is clearly evident that she is no longer a monster but has a human side within her.

However, the flip side to this is that due to her love for this man and the lack of self-confidence that she shows “but I know you’ll go” which characterises the unsureness of her mental state perfectly. This suggests to me that psychologically she thinks that he will go and look for the attention elsewhere where she would have given him when she was younger. This will affect our understanding of the mind in English Literature by suggesting that her love could be a weakness as well as a strength.

Wilfred Owen in “Mental Cases” has taken the deep, vivid and horrible images that the soldiers have witnessed using metaphors to show that the soldiers are being dragged further and further into a black hole and there is no way of correcting it. I think the weakness of the soldiers is summed up when it says “These are men whose minds the dead have ravished”. This quote theorises that the mind of those who have fought throughout the war is weakening and I believe this poem is a wakeup call to the future soldiers who come to the ward to not be dragged down the same route. This affects our understanding of the mind in English Literature by suggesting that the soldiers are dying mentally as well as physically.

Moreover, Wilfred uses biblical language to affect our views of the mental effects of war on the soldiers. “Purgatorial Shadows” suggests to me that the soldiers are not in the correct state of mind to go back home or continue battling. Furthermore, they are not being helped by the extremely poor recovery conditions and has put them slightly in a disadvantage. Therefore, they are weak and losing their battle for survival mentally as well as physically. This affects our understanding of the mind in English Literature by suggesting that they are not fit to go on as they are mentally destroyed.

Throughout my essay, I have explored how “Medusa” by Carol Ann Duffy and “Mental Cases” by Wilfred Owen shows the Mental Health issues that are around in today’s society. Carol Ann Duffy uses Medusa’s jealousy as a sign of depression. Furthermore, Wilfred Owen uses the terrible mental state of the soldiers past to show the deep trouble they’re in as a result of the extremely poor conditions there was during World War I. English Literature has presented the mind as a weakness in your armoury and will continue to do so even in today’s society. I believe that we still might not have enough information to describe in depth what mental health actually is.

Which Love?

December 2, 2014 / / 1 Comment

Sonnet 2: 

The love that is presented in Sonnet 2 is young love. Young love is portrayed by suggesting that ‘When forty winters shall besiege thy brow’. This would suggest to me that we’ve got all the time in the world to enjoy each others company and be free. He uses this metaphor to show that no matter how many years will go by you beauty will remain the same.

Sonnet 18:

Also in Sonnet 18 the love shown is relatively young. It is shown by suggesting ‘Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day. Thou art more lovely and more temperate’. This suggests to me that there is no need to compare you to a wonderful day because you are more beautiful than a wonderful day. He uses similes to show that it is impossible to compare you because you are much better.

Sonnet 73:

However, in Sonnet 73 the the type of relationship is old but not very old love. ‘When yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang’. This quote suggests to me that when autumn comes you become old but there is always spring and summer to come and you will be looking nice and beautiful. He uses this metaphor to show that you are getting old in the autumn and winter but when it comes spring and summer you will be beautiful again.