Final Essay

 

Tyler Justice

Mrs. Wilson

British Literature B

Bell: 5

Final Research Essay

28 May 2013

 

I have read and understand the sections in the Student Handbook regarding Mason High School's Honesty/Cheating Policy. By affixing this statement to the title page of my paper, I am certifying that I have not cheated or plagiarized in the process of completing this assignment. If it is found that cheating and/or plagiarism did take place in the writing of this paper, I understand the possible consequences of the act, which could include a "0" on the paper, as well as an "F" as a final grade in the course.

 

The most important themes in literature are sometimes developed in scenes in which a death or deaths take place. Choose a novel or play and write a well-organized essay in which you show how a specific death scene helps to illuminate the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.

 

 

 

 

 

Tyler Justice

Mrs. Wilson

British Literature B

23 May 2013

Death, a Vast Emptiness, which Epitomizes the Human Experience

“In each of us, two natures are at war – the good and the evil. All our lives the fight goes on between them, and one of them must conquer. But in our own hands lies the power to choose – what we want most to be we are” (Robert Louis Stevenson).  Society today finds death, at every corner, and people tend to act a certain way, when the subject of mortality is involved. People often view death as something to be feared but, sometimes one must embrace the idea of death, to have a greater sense of purpose in their everyday lives. Through the uses of death, characterizations, the theme of good vs. evil, the use of foreshadowing, and symbolism, Ian McEwan’s Amsterdam, William Blake’s “A Poison Tree”, Robert Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover”, and John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress”, the authors expose the darker side of life, one filled with evil, and the deadly price of that path. An individual, who has accepted the idea of death, may be not necessarily evil or good it is their actions following this brush with death, which defines them.

Through the use of characterization in all of the pieces, the authors show how each individual deals with the after effects of death.  In Amsterdam, George’s initial reaction to Molly’s death, is one of the doting husband however, in near the end of the novel his true motives are revealed. George for the duration of the novel seems to just be a grieving widower of Molly but, the twist is he had an ulterior motive throughout the novel. “Finally, after two hours of meandering and backtracking, George Lane had a good idea.” “Look, there was nothing wrong in purchasing those photographs. Actually, I can tell you this, I heard he got a jolly good deal. No, Halliday’s mistake was in not pulling the front page the moment he saw Rose Garmony’s press conference” (McEwan 138).  This quote used supports the claim that George used, Molly death, as a cover, to get back at her ex-lovers and those who had hurt her, in her various romances. While in Amsterdam, McEwan shows how the loved ones of the departed are affected, in “Pilgrim’s Progress”, Bunyan shows how those causing the death are suspicious due, to the traveler’s being different.  “The townspeople at Vanity Fair are immediately suspicious of Christian and Faithful, and they arrest the two pilgrims and bring them to trial. Three witnesses, Envy, Superstition, and Pick-thank, a favor-seeker, testify against Faithful. His fate is turned over to a jury of townspeople” (Bunyan 422). While Bunyan reinforces the idea that, the witnesses are going to convict the travelers due to their supposed “sins”, he shows they have no remorse. Similarly to this, in “A Poison Tree”, Blake shows how the narrator shows little remorse, for letting his rage grow. The metaphor of the tree is used to describe how the narrator, cultivated his rage, similarly one would a plant. “I was angry with my friend: / I told my wrath, my wrath did end. / I was angry with my foe: / I told it not, my wrath did grow” (Blake ll. 1-4). Bunyan has the narrator not be remorseful and he lets his rage grow, until it consumes him. In “Porphyria’s Lover”, Browning uses his characterizations to show how the lover, also has a lack of remorse. “Porphyria’s love: She guessed not how / Her darling one wish would be heard. / And thus we sit together now, / And all night long we have not stirred, / And yet God has not said a word!” (Browning ll. 56-60). Browning similarly to the other authors shows how death can affect those involved; this often has serious consequences for, both parties involved.

While the authors use the technique of characterization, to show how those involved with the death react, they also make use of the technique of foreshadowing.  In Amsterdam, McEwan makes use of foreshadowing, to show how Clive and Vernon’s friendship has decayed throughout, the novel and the unforeseen consequences it holds. McEwan uses this quote, to show how Clive knew that poison being the details of the rape he witnessed, Vernon could blackmail him. This also foreshadows the final events of the novel, when Clive and Vernon end up poisoning each other. “He knew from long experience that a letter sent in fury merely put a weapon into the hands of your enemy. Poison, in a preserved form, to be used against you long in the future” (McEwan 149). McEwan uses this quote in the novel to discuss the actual poison Clive and Vernon use on each other at the end of the novel as well as, the metaphorical poison each person has on each. Vernon knows Clive’s “poison” the details of the rape he witnessed, and Clive knows Vernon’s “poison” about him and how he obtained the photographs of Garmony. Both Vernon and Clive chose to act on the resentment they felt towards each other, at the end of the novel. While in “Pilgrim’s Progress” Bunyan uses the technique of foreshadowing to show how, the fates of Faithful and Christian were already determined. The people at Vanity Fair already decided to be suspicious of the strangers because they talked different and refused to buy their wares. “Now was word presently brought to the great one of the Fair, who quickly came down and deputed some of his most trusty friends to take these men into examination about whom the Fair was almost overturned….” (Bunyan 422). Bunyan does this to further elaborate on the fact, that the people of Vanity, with their vice and corruption, almost immediately distrust the strangers. Similarly to Bunyan in “A Poison Tree” Blake makes reference to the fact like the people of Vanity, the narrator of the poem does not trust strangers. The narrator of “A Poison Tree” makes use of his anger, to show his disdain for the stranger, who tries to steal from him. “And it grew both day and night, / Till it bore an apple bright; / And my foe beheld it shine, / And he knew that it was mine…” (Blake ll. 9-12). While in “A Poison Tree” the narrator contemplates of how to handle the stranger, similarly in Browning uses this technique to show the lover contemplating what to do about Porphyria. “For love of her, and all in vain: / So, she was come through wind and rain. / Be sure I looked up at her eyes / Happy and proud; at last I knew / Porphyria worshipped me: / Surprise Made my heart swell, and still it grew / While I debated what to do” (Browning ll.29-35). Browning uses the technique of foreshadowing, to show how the lover knows while Porphyria is his, but, she cannot be due to class distinction. The lover seems in this instance to truly love Porphyria and is his own, sick way shows it by killing her. While Browning’s narrator of the lover, and the narrator in “A Poison Tree” both contemplate fate, all of the pieces use foreshadowing as a way to show how events could turn badly in the future.

While the authors implore the technique of foreshadowing, they also use symbolism to wrap up their ideas that death is only the beginning of experiences. All of the pieces explore what life would be like after death and the symbolism behind it as a freeing experience. McEwan uses symbolism to show how, even after Clive and Vernon end up killing each other, death gave them what they really wanted. Even though, Clive and Vernon started out as friends they grew to hate each other over, the course of the novel, in the end death was the only release of the tension they felt for each other.  “They looked surprisingly at peace. Vernon had his lips parted slightly, as though he were halfway saying something interesting, while Clive had the happy air of a man drowning in applause” (McEwan 191). McEwan uses death to show how Clive and Vernon got what they wanted. Clive looked as though, he got massive applause he craved and Vernon looked as though, he was deep in some kind of thought. It is somewhat ironic that both Vernon and Clive spent their lives pursuing their ideals, and in death they found solace, in they got what they craved most in life. While similar to McEwan, Bunyan uses symbolism to show how Faithful, for not giving up on his ideals got to heaven, once again for faithful death acted as a release. Faithful now no longer subject, to the harsh realities he faced, like those at Vanity, does not have to fear persecution anymore. “Now, I saw that there stood behind the multitude a chariot and a couple of horses, waiting for Faithful, who (so soon as his adversaries had dispatched him) was taken up into it, and straightway was carried up through the clouds, with sound of trumpet, the nearest way to the Celestial Gate” (Holt 423). Bunyan comments on those, who pursue their ideals no matter what get rewarded. Bunyan does this by showing how Faithful, through his beliefs and not seeming to show resentment towards, those who killed him. Faithful is rewarded with admittance to the Celestial City, which is an allusion to Heaven. This contradicted by Blake’s view that those who steal what they want deserve death. Blake uses this idea to show how the only release for the narrator’s anger is for something drastic to happen to the intruder, who intends to steal from him. “And it grew both day and night, / Till it bore an apple bright; / And my foe beheld it shine, / And he knew that it was mine, / And into my garden stole” (Blake ll. 9-13). Blake uses symbolism in the apple, to both symbolically represent Adam, Eve and Original Sin, as well as his own ideals on punishment. Blake also uses symbolism in the metaphor of the tree, to once again reinforce his theme of the poem. Blake’s theme being ultimately that anger once started can only grow until; it is extinguished, usually by some act of violence. Similarly to Blake’s viewpoint on anger, Browning uses symbolism to further justify the lovers claim, that he did nothing wrong. The lover in some sick way seems to try to show how, his actions towards his beloved were justified. Browning’s lover attempts to say he did the right thing, because Porphyria can now be with her beloved forever, just not alive. Although the abuse of Porphyria’s corpse and seemingly psychotic state of her lover hint, she did not see the apparent signs of some mental illness he very clearly had. “Porphyria’s love: She guessed not how / Her darling one wish would be heard. / And thus we sit together now, / And all night long we have not stirred, / And yet God has not said a word!” (Browning ll. 56-60). The lover in Browning’s poem further attempts to justify his logic, by trying to confuse his sense of God, with a sense of justice. The lover also seems to exhibit no remorse or sense of wrongdoing in having killed Porphyria. The lover makes another constant attempt to justify killing Porphyria by, showing how he thinks he spared her from social embarrassment, if their relationship became public. Browning and the other authors uses symbolism to show how in death who, are affected can find the things that they apparently lack in life. However, the ways they act when faced with death define them as a person.

People often view death as something to be feared but, sometimes one must embrace the idea of death, to have a greater sense of purpose in their everyday lives. Through the uses of death, characterizations, the theme of good vs. evil, the use of foreshadowing, and symbolism, Ian McEwan’s Amsterdam, William Blake’s “A Poison Tree”, Robert Browning’s “Porphyria’s Lover”, and John Bunyan’s “Pilgrim’s Progress”, the author’s expose the darker side of life, one filled with evil, and the deadly price of that path. Does death, necessarily mean that the one who caused it is evil? This is not necessarily the case; death can come in many forms and manifestations but, a person’s actions afterwards, are what define them as an individual. Death is an ideal that is shrouded in myths; of good and evil but, both sides must be embraced. The double-sided coin must be embraced for it is; part of the human experience. People can see death in many different lights in life; one person can view it as a tragedy. This can be compared to other people in society who view death, as a sign of the relief from the pressures of life. The experience of death, is a natural occurrence and something that makes us human, it is natural to fear death, and at the same time embrace it. “In each of us, two natures are at war – the good and the evil. All our lives the fight goes on between them, and one of them must conquer. But in our own hands lies the power to choose – what we want most to be we are” (Robert Louis Stevenson). 

Work Cited

Blake, William. "A Poison Tree". Dumfries, North Carolina: Holt McDougal Inc., 2007. 718-732. Print. <http://my.hrw.com/tabnav/controller.jsp?isbn=0030789613>.

Browning, Robert. "Porphyria's Lover". Dumfries, North Carolina: Holt McDougal Inc., 2007. 907, 991-992. Print. <http://my.hrw.com/tabnav/controller.jsp?isbn=0030789613>.

Bunyan, John. The Pilgrim's Progress. Dumfries, North Carolina: 2007. 418-424. Print. <http://my.hrw.com/tabnav/controller.jsp?isbn=0030789613>.

Landis, Matthew. "Madness and Mysticism in the Poetry of William Blake." www.litkicks.com. litkicks.com, 21 Jul 2003. Web. May 9, 2013. <http://www.litkicks.com/Blake>.

McEwan, Ian. Amsterdam. 1st ed. New York: Anchor Books, A Division of Random House, Inc., 1998. 138-191. Print.

"pathetic fallacy." Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 2013. Web. 23 May. 2013. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/446415/pathetic-fallacy>.

"Porphyria." www.nlm.nih.gov. MedlinePlus, 20 May 2013. Web. 18 May 2013. <http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/porphyria.html>.

Stevenson, Robert Louis. "Quotes about Good and Evil." www.goodreads.com. goodreads.com, n.d. Web. 22 May 2013. < http://www.goodreads.com/quotes/tag/good-and-evil>.