Julia Deitermann's Books

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject Film Science, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: Film History & Aesthetics, language: English, abstract: In the first twenty years of film history, Hollywood had already conquered large parts of the world through the creation of artistic silent films. While American filmmakers, such as D. W. Griffith, focused on montage, continuity, and coherence as a means of narrating a story, thus making the narration more comprehensible and the characters more reliable, German filmmakers predominantly emphasized the mise-en-scène of the film when they created a new genre - the Expressionist film. In general, Expressionism is a term used for the distorted representation of reality which attempts to reveal an inner vision of the soul that is shaped by fear and wonder at the same time. The rise of German Expressionism after World War I can be traced back to a number of reasons. First of all, society was shattered by years of war and the rapid changes that had taken place in the last decade. The political system of the monarchy was abolished to pave the way for a parliamentary democracy. However, the Weimar Republic was politically instable, a revolution was put down and economy was not flourishing. The cultural movement of Expressionism represented all the changes in society, among them industrialization, the boom of radio and film, and Einstein’s and Freud’s revolutionary approaches to the world; all of which provoked the need of a new representation of reality. Moreover, people not only longed for entertainment and distraction in this insecure new world, but also did they inherit a new sense of “intellectual liberation” after censorship was ended and women were allowed to vote. Furthermore, the German film industry lacked film imports from other countries and decided to become involved in international film business itself, thus creating the large film company Ufa (Universum Film AG) that still exists today. Ufa produced films of various genres, but the most popular and influential in the world was to become the Expressionist film. Expressionism insofar forms a sharp contrast to Impressionism and Naturalism, as it does not attempt to depict momentary impressions of the world, nor does it aim at presenting the physical world as it is. On the contrary, it portrays an interpreted psychological and spiritual reality, thus revealing the underlying essence and meaning of things. As a result, reality can be seen as a creation of the mind, which calls for the viewer’s interpretation. [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

363854625X

ISBN 13

9783638546256

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: The American Renaissance, language: English, abstract: America’s history would lack a significant part without the dark chapter of slavery. The horrors and cruelties of the exploitation of blacks are written down in so-called slave narratives, being told or written by former slaves themselves. In the 19thcentury, both quantity and popularity of this literary form rose, for in the face of the abolitionist struggle against slavery the narratives were published as political documents, designed to increase the opposition. Slave narratives offer a striking insight into the reality of being a slave; they appeal to the readers’ hearts in order to increase their sympathy for slaves and emphasize the inhumanity of the institution and its followers. Having a didactic tone, the narratives speak for equality between whites and African Americans, which are not to be treated as the inferior race, and criticize the religious hypocrisy of the whites. Black people, on the contrary, are regarded as the true worshippers. Moreover, a certain pattern can be traced in most of these narratives as they commonly depict the slave’s growing up, the separation from family and beloved friends, years of cruel treatment, the longing for freedom and the final escape. The characteristics mentioned above are by and large true for the two slave narratives that ought to be analyzed in the following. Both inThe History of Mary Prince and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass,the narrators are born into slavery, separated from their families and treated cruelly as slaves. The stories also include religious, sentimental, violent and didactic characteristics. They attempt to overcome society’s prejudices about black people and to support the struggle against slavery. Most important, Prince’sHistoryis written from a female point of view, thus emphasizing domesticity, emotions and faith, whereas Douglass’ Narrative bears the influence of male ideals such as courage, manliness and education. In the following, both similarities and differences between the two slave narratives ought to be analyzed against the background of the genre and its conventions. The first crucial difference betweenThe History of Mary Prince and Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass becomes obvious when observing title and subtitle of Douglass’ Narrative which is fully named Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass - An American Slave - Written by Himself. [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546233

ISBN 13

9783638546232

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject Film Science, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: Cult Films - Weirdly Dramatic, language: English, abstract: The decade of the 1950s predominantly recalls ideas of conventionalism, conformity and gender boundaries. The home played an important role as an oasis of peace, retreat and security, thus the era is shaped by the widespread ideal of the suburban family. However, the notion of conformity and the idyll of the so-called ‘nuclear family’ served as points of attack for filmmakers as society’s indifferent and passive life was seen as the basis for their loss of individuality and free will. As a result, movies put emphasis on the fragility of society and the reversal of moral ideals, and filmmakers called for a more active participation in social and political life. Above all, people who lived in the idyll of peaceful suburb communities were afraid of an infiltration of their own individuality and of the dissolving of their integrity, a process which could in their opinion be provoked both physically, for example by the nuclear bomb, and mentally, that is by the spread of Communism. Consequently, the period following World War II was predominantly shaped by the influence of the Cold War which presented a seemingly peaceful situation but created great paranoia among people, such as the fear of the attack of hidden evil. The filmmakers’ way of dealing with the new situation was the introduction of science fiction horror movies which responded to the existing fear of an offensive by an external enemy. The enemy generally embodied the Communist threat and found its common representation in alien invasions. In the following, I will analyze the significance of cult films as a social phenomenon in the 1950s and thereby draw on films likeInvasion of the Body Snatchers, Invaders from Mars, The Incredible Shrinking Man,andGlen or Glenda?.In doing so, I will examine Cold War paranoia and the fear of the loss of integrity which dominated both people and film industry in the fifties. Due to the rising boom of the science fiction and horror genre, the 1950s can be referred to as the “decade of the monster movie”. The establishment of drive-in theaters increased people’s paranoia as outdoor cinemas reinforced the threat of an invasion by lacking the domestic security found indoors. Moreover, they responded to the demands of a new teenage culture of rebellion that praised their independence and lived out their adventures. One of the classic monster movies that was a huge success in drive-in theaters was Don Siegel‘sInvasion of the Body Snatchers,produced in 1956. [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546241

ISBN 13

9783638546249

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject American Studies - Comparative Literature, grade: 1,3, University of Augsburg (Lehrstuhl für Amerikanistik), course: Proseminar: Novels of the American Modernism, language: English, abstract: Although Nathanael West’s novel The Day of the Locust did not receive much attention when published in 1939, it is today considered one of the best and most revealing novels about Hollywood. Its reviews are outstanding and it has therefore become one of the landmarks in American writing. The Day of the Locust demonstrates the fragility of the American Dream and presents it from various perspectives. It points out the cruel world of film industry using devices of irony and satire. Therefore it resembles a “nightmare vision of humanity destroyed by its obsession with film”. West took the title of the novel from the Bible. In Revelation, people turn into locusts in order to follow their aim of destroying the whole world. They do not kill immediately, though, but only sting and hurt in order to let their victims die slowly. These locusts can be compared to the film industry in Hollywood which also exploits and slowly kills its people. Besides, in the Bible Jeremiah prophesies a necessary ending of the world which ought to lead mankind to a new life and a rebirth. In the novel, this image is taken up again. This aspect will be thoroughly discussed later, though. The concept of apocalypse can be found throughout the novel and beside violence and decadence, the devaluation of love is a prominent theme, too. West illustrates the moral decay of characters on the fringe of the entertainment industry, that are Homer Simpson, Faye Greener and Tod Hackett. Each character has come to California seeking fame or health in the shining city Los Angeles, and each suffers from his or her own history of desperation and shattered dreams. Producers had already thought about turning West’s novel into a film in the early 1950’s. As they feared that most of the satirical view would get lost, however, the film was not shot until 1974, when the famous director John Schlesinger committed himself to the adaptation. [...] This survey focuses on the translation from novel to film, compares and contrasts differences, and reveals the different perspectives of the characters. Furthermore, it will both examine the use of film techniques in Schlesinger’s adaptation and the meaning of symbolism in the film. Last but not least, a few commonly invoked critical viewpoints of the film will be discussed.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546411

ISBN 13

9783638546416

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: A (1), San Diego State University, course: Major American Writers, language: English, abstract: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby was written in a time of social decadence, in which values no longer played an important role among the warshattered population. The “Roaring Twenties” were shaped by the post-war generation and especially by the newly rich and wannabe famous, whose life circled around parties, money and affairs. On the surface, Fitzgerald’s story seems to be about success, money and love - thus about the mentioned newly rich. Although the superficial life of the rich and powerful is a major theme in The Great Gatsby,it mostly explores underlying complexities and depths and therefore reveals the other side of the American Dream to the reader. Corruption, despair and desperate desire come along with idealism, faith and illusions. The protagonist, Jay Gatsby, personifies the American Dream as he is a man with a dubious background who managed to accomplish a luxurious style of living and to achieve everything he wanted to have by his own efforts - except of his great love, that is Daisy.The Great Gatsbyis built upon the desperate desires of the protagonist and reveals a glance behind the glittering facade. Fitzgerald manages to draw the reader’s attention to significant details and symbols in the text in order to make one think about the so-called ‘truths’ in the story. Therefore, symbolism plays a major role in The Great Gatsby. Symbolism is the most powerful device of allowing the reader to gain insight into a character’s personality and of revealing hidden ideas, values and profundity. The most significant symbolism applied in the text is color symbolism. In this paper, I will concentrate on analyzing Fitzgerald’s use of colors as symbols and thus try to expose the meaning of color symbolism on the basis of the most meaningful examples. The most prominent colors that can be found throughout the novel are green, white, gray, blue and yellow so I will analyze their symbolic meaning in the following.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546276

ISBN 13

9783638546270

The American Western of the 1950s - An Analysis of Cowboy Culture against the Background of the Era

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The American Western of the 1950s - An Analysis of Cowboy Culture against the Background of the Era

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Culture and Applied Geography, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: Modern American Literature and Culture, language: English, abstract: Broncho Billy, Billy the Kid, Buffalo Bill - there hardly seems to be anyone in the world who has never heard about the heroes of American Western culture. Nowadays, cowboys are considered to be the embodiment of freedom and independence. Whereas cowboys have existed for hundreds of years, however, their image has changed over the centuries. In the 18thand 19thcentury, ‘cow boys’ were considered bad guys as they were bandits who remorselessly ambushed colonial farmers. It was not until the period after the Civil War that the word cowboy attained a positive connotation, being associated with rough men on horses who herded cattle. In the course of time, the cowboy figure was glorified and became a symbol of the American spirit. A plague in the Buffalo Bill Historical Center in Wyoming summarizes the glorification as it reads: “The cowboy is a mythic character in America. We admire him for his independence, his honesty, his modesty and courage. He represents the best in all Americans as he stares down evil and says, ‘When you call me that, smile’.” When the motion picture was invented at the end of the 19th century, some of the first silent movies were documentations about cowboys, embodying the frontier spirit of the American culture, which has always been connected to the westward expansion of civilisation and the conquest of new unknown territories. Thus both the frontier and “the Western oppose[s] Wilderness to Civilization” as Will Wright puts it in his book Six Guns and Society. Edwin Porter’s The Great Train Robberycame to be the first Western narrating a story and fascinated the audience. In the following years, Western movies were most popular among the audience and were consequently produced in large numbers. Still today, they rank among the most beloved movie genres. Although the movie genre Western did not always stay at the peak of success, however, the boom was revived on a large scale in the 1950s. In this paper, I will try to reveal the fascination implicated in Western movies and analyse the figure of the cowboy against the background of the 1950s. In doing so, I will include the investigation of gender roles and the effects Westerns had on society. Casually, I will also draw on the popular TV Western series Gunsmoke which ought to serve as a demonstrative example. As far as the movie genre Western is concerned, the era of the 1950s was shaped by radical changes. [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546292

ISBN 13

9783638546294

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

By: Julia Deitermann

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546411

ISBN 13

9783638546416

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

By: Julia Deitermann

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546276

ISBN 13

9783638546270

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

By: Julia Deitermann

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546233

ISBN 13

9783638546232

Representations of Femininity in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" and John Rollin Ridge's "Joaquín Murieta"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Representations of Femininity in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" and John Rollin Ridge's "Joaquín Murieta"

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 1,0, San Diego State University, course: The American Renaissance, language: English, abstract: In the 19th century, when both Moby-Dick and Joaquín Murieta were written, a separation of gender roles was common. Whereas men were responsible for work and money, women usually accounted for the domestic sphere and did not have much of a voice. At first glance, both Moby-Dick and Joaquín Murieta seem to support this view as women play a rather passive if not invisible role in the novels. However, an examination of the role of femininity shows that it is indeed a major part of both stories. In Joaquín Murieta, Ridge regards the love of a woman as support and refuge for men. Women show such a strong affection towards their men that they would never leave them alone and vice versa, men appreciate the loyal love of their woman which they can also count on in miserable times. Ridge also uses femininity to describe both Murieta’s appearance and his gentle character, for he is loved by women and treats them with respect. Melville, on the other hand, does not allow women an active role in the story. He puts emphasis on the ideal relationship between men on a whaling ship where they depend on each other and are in some way wedded. Women, on the contrary, are left behind by the sailors and represent the domestic sphere which mostly exists in the sailors’ memories and forms a sharp contrast to the adventures at sea. Whereas Ridge generally allows women a more active role in his story and at times presents them as almost equivalent companions of men, Melville ascribes a domestic role to the dependent widows and substitutes women for men, whales, and nature - all of them turning into symbols of femininity. In his novel Moby-Dick, Melville creates a generally male world. A striking fact is the frequent use of the words “he”, appearing almost 2000 times, and “man” or “men”, being used over 800 times. Words connected to “woman” or “wife”, however, only appear about 35 times in the book. On the whole, Melville does not allow women an active role, but commonly refers to them as “sailors’ wives or widows” (p. 43) being left behind by their men when they go on a long journey across the sea that might be their last. Melville repeatedly underlines women’s abandonment and dependence; for example, when he asserts that the Pequod is held by Captain Bildad and Captain Peleg but also “by a crowd of old annuitants; widows, fatherless children, and chancery wards; each owning about the value of a timber head, or a foot of plank, or a nail or two in the ship” (p. 73). [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546225

ISBN 13

9783638546225

Flannery O'Connors Kurzgeschichten - "A good man is hard to find" und "The life you save may be your own"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Flannery O'Connors Kurzgeschichten - "A good man is hard to find" und "The life you save may be your own"

By: Julia Deitermann

Studienarbeit aus dem Jahr 2003 im Fachbereich Amerikanistik - Literatur, Note: 1,0, Universität Augsburg, Veranstaltung: Proseminar: Die Erzählkunst des Amerikanischen Südens, Sprache: Deutsch, Abstract: Flannery O’Connor zählt zu den wohl bekanntesten Südstaatenautoren des vergangenen Jahrhunderts. In fast allen ihrer Geschichten greift sie typische Klischees des amerikanischen Südens auf und verarbeitet diese in sozialkritischer Weise. Flannery O’Connor beruft sich auf ihre Stellung als christliche Autorin, indem sie die Vermittlung von Botschaften durch religiöse Andeutungen zum Ziel ihrer Kurzgeschichten macht. Die Groteske ihres Erzählstils erweist sich bei näherer Betrachtung nur als oberflächliche Hülle, der eine tiefer gehende Bedeutung zugrunde liegt. Auch der absichtlich flache und einfache Stil, der sich zum großen Teil als ironisch erweist, bringt dem Leser die Botschaft noch leichter nahe. Den Geschichten O’Connors fehlt die versöhnende Auflösung am Ende, stattdessen schließen sie mit erschreckenden Bildern wie Horror, Tod oder anderen Schockerlebnissen. Doch genau dadurch soll O’Connor zufolge die Erlösung ihrer Charaktere herbeigeführt werden, die im Moment ihres Todes ein Gefühl der Würde erleben dürfen, ohne das ihr weiteres Leben ohnehin nicht lebenswert und völlig sinnlos gewesen wäre. Trotz der zahlreichen Horrorvisionen enthüllt O’Connor unweigerlich eine Komik, die dem Leser das Lachen jedoch zum Teil im Hals stecken bleiben lässt. O’Connor erzählt von einer aus den Fugen geratenen Welt, in welcher der leere Glaube an die konventionelle Ordnung eine große Rolle spielt. Doch gerade die Notwendigkeit der Zerstörung dieser Ordnung und der Hinwendung zu einem „level of mystery“, einem tiefgehenden, alles andere als oberflächlichen System, das von göttlicher Macht herrührt, ist die zentrale Botschaft ihrer Short Stories. Der Glaube der Charaktere wird mit Hilfe von Schockerlebnissen durch Außenseiter und ihre Einstellung auf die Probe gestellt und führt schließlich zu einer tieferen Erkenntnis. Besonders inA good man is hard to find und The life you save may be your own offenbart sich die Ungerechtigkeit der Welt, die Grausamkeit der Menschheit und die Borniertheit und Intoleranz konservativer Südstaatler. O’Connor kritisiert zudem die gleichgültige Einstellung der Menschen, die nur auf ihren eigenen Nutzen ausgerichtet sind und ihre meist materialistischen Absichten ohne Rücksicht auf Verluste durchzusetzen versuchen. Diese Arbeit setzt sich zum Ziel, eine Interpretation der oben genannten Kurzgeschichten Flannery O’Connors bei gleichzeitigem Vergleich der beiden Werke zu liefern. [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546454

ISBN 13

9783638546454

Ray Bradbury's Vision of Colonization in "The Martian Chronicles"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Ray Bradbury's Vision of Colonization in "The Martian Chronicles"

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: Science Fiction - Alternate Worlds, Near Futures, language: English, abstract: Centuries ago, the colonization of the New World represented one of the major aims of European nations and has been praised or criticized ever since. In The Martian Chronicles, Ray Bradbury repeats the past by depicting the conquest and colonization of another planet rather than another continent. Settling on Mars is the only escape left for the population on Earth, which has become a decaying planet facing major environmental, social and political problems. As people have destroyed their former basis for living, they try to find a new one on the foreign planet Mars. History repeats itself during the colonization of Mars, as native populations are decimated and strangeness is familiarized by cultivating the foreign land in order to suit the colonizers’ desires. In his novel, Bradbury questions and criticizes the concept of colonization, thereby drawing on Mars as a symbol of America after its discovery by Columbus, and its inescapable ‘cultivation’ through the Pilgrims. However cruel the history of colonization might be, it is also regarded inevitable for the rest of the world as increasing populations long for more territories and resources. The criticism in the novel primarily centers on how this expansion takes place, namely in a destructive and exploitative way. Bradbury reveals the tensions between inhabitants of Earth and those of Mars, thus questioning the Earthmen’s reckless behavior towards native Martians which serve as a symbol for Native Americans. Moreover, the author criticizes mankind’s irresponsible exploitation of the resources they have been given on Earth, and their ability to destroy nature without even realizing or considering the terrible outcome. The issues to be discussed in the following are those of imperialism, environmental destruction and racism, all being rooted in the mythology of the American westward expansion and the Frontier spirit. By large, Bradbury’s novel also reflects the anxieties of the early 1950s, namely the fear of a nuclear war and the emergence of the Civil Rights movement. A significant basis for the interpretation of The Martian Chroniclesis the approach to the story as an allegory for man’s immoral blindness in the light of the ‘manifest destiny’ and the frontier spirit. [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546314

ISBN 13

9783638546317

The Significance of Maternal Relationships in Sylvia Plath's Novel "The Bell Jar"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Significance of Maternal Relationships in Sylvia Plath's Novel "The Bell Jar"

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: Modern American Literature and Culture, language: English, abstract: “It’s quite amazing how I’ve gone around for most of my life as in the rarefied atmosphere under a bell jar.” (Plath, Sylvia: The Bell Jar. New York. Harper Collins Publishers 1996, p. 250) Although uttered by Sylvia Plath, this statement fully applies for the protagonist Esther Greenwood in Plath’s novel The Bell Jar. It exemplifies her feeling of being imprisoned in a world and society she can neither accept nor reject and further reveals the identification of author and protagonist. Both Plath and Esther suffer from living under this sort of glass bell jar which makes it hard for them to breathe and to break free from the regulations of contemporary society. The author Sylvia Plath herself has experienced most of the events in the novel, including psychological disease, depression and suicide attempts. Moreover, most of the characters in The Bell Jar are based on people Plath knew and loved, although she often draws caricatures or uses the device of irony when describing them. Plath’s intention was “to show how isolated a person feels when he is suffering a breakdown” (p.262) but we never completely come to know why this breakdown occurs, which almost leads to her destruction and drives her into madness and the asylum. What we do know, however, is that Esther doubts the traditional way of a woman’s life in the 1950s which means marrying a respectful man, having children and being an obedient housewife. She can hardly decide which way of life to choose and experiences a strong inner conflict between her wish of leading the life of a poet and that of a loving wife and mother. This conflict leads to a fracture in Esther’s inner self, to diminished self-assurance and false made-up selves. Esther’s mother, although seemingly playing a passive role in the novel, has a significant influence on her daughter’s way of thinking, on her doubt of social values and to a certain extent even on her psychological disease which derives from her inner disorder. In the following, I will try to analyze the importance and influence of Esther’s relationship to her mother Mrs. Greenwood in the course of the story. In doing so, I will also examine the meaning of maternal bonds in reference to a couple of further female relationships in the novel. Moreover, I will dwell on Esther’s doubt and partial rejection of social and traditional values of her time, most of which are embodied by her mother. [...]

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546306

ISBN 13

9783638546300

The Symbolic Use of the Color Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

The Symbolic Use of the Color Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

By: Julia Deitermann

Seminar paper from the year 2004 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: A, San Diego State University, course: Major American Writers, language: English, abstract: F. Scott Fitzgerald’s masterpiece The Great Gatsby was written in a time of social decadence, in which values no longer played an important role among the newly rich and wannabe famous, whose life was about parties, money and affairs. On the surface, Fitzgerald’s story also seems to deal with success, wealth and love. Although the superficial life of the rich and powerful is a major theme inThe Great Gatsby,however, it mostly explores underlying complexities and personalities and in this way reveals the negative side of the American Dream to the reader. Corruption, despair and desperate desire come along with idealism, faith and illusions. The protagonist, Jay Gatsby, personifies the American Dream as he is a man with a dubious background who managed to accomplish a luxurious style of living and to achieve everything he wanted to have by his own efforts - except of his great love, that is Daisy.The Great Gatsby is built upon the desperate desires of the protagonist and reveals a glance behind the glittering facade of the rich. Fitzgerald manages to draw the reader’s attention to significant details and symbols in the text in order to make one think about socalled ‘truths’ and about the sham reality of a society that tries to keep up appearances. Consequently, symbols are an essential device of adding profundity to the text and of allowing the reader to gain insight into a character’s personality. The most significant symbolism applied in The Great Gatsby is color symbolism, green, white, gray, blue and yellow being the most prominent colors throughout the novel. In this paper, I will concentrate on analyzing Fitzgerald’s symbolic use of the color green based on the most significant examples and thus try to expose the meaning of its appliance in regard to society and the protagonists in the novel.

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546284

ISBN 13

9783638546287

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

By: Julia Deitermann

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

3638546241

ISBN 13

9783638546249

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

By: Julia Deitermann

Write a review Read reviews Take a Quiz Solve Book Puzzle

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

By: Julia Deitermann

Average ratings

N/A

Write a review

Solve jigsaw puzzle

Age

Page Count

Publisher

GRIN Verlag

Published Date

ISBN 10

363854625X

ISBN 13

9783638546256

Book's by Julia Deitermann

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

The American Western of the 1950s - An Analysis of Cowboy Culture against the Background of the Era

The American Western of the 1950s - An Analysis of Cowboy Culture against the Background of the Era

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

Nathanael West and John Schlesinger: "The Day of the Locust" - A Survey of the Translation from Novel to Film

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

Color Symbolism in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

A Comparison of the Slave Narratives "The History of Mary Prince" and "Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass"

Representations of Femininity in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" and John Rollin Ridge's "Joaquín Murieta"

Representations of Femininity in Herman Melville's "Moby-Dick" and John Rollin Ridge's "Joaquín Murieta"

Flannery O'Connors Kurzgeschichten - "A good man is hard to find" und "The life you save may be your own"

Flannery O'Connors Kurzgeschichten - "A good man is hard to find" und "The life you save may be your own"

Ray Bradbury's Vision of Colonization in "The Martian Chronicles"

Ray Bradbury's Vision of Colonization in "The Martian Chronicles"

The Significance of Maternal Relationships in Sylvia Plath's Novel "The Bell Jar"

The Significance of Maternal Relationships in Sylvia Plath's Novel "The Bell Jar"

The Symbolic Use of the Color Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

The Symbolic Use of the Color Green in F. Scott Fitzgerald's "The Great Gatsby"

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

Cult Films as a Social Phenomenon in the 1950s

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

An Analysis of German Expressionism in Relation to the Emerging Hollywood Style

Username

Password

Username

Password

Password again

Birthday

Email