Consider Two Contrasting Characters In The Play Essay Example for Free

Consider Two Contrasting Characters In The Play Essay Consider two contrasting characters in the play. How does the playwright convey their personalities and their attitudes to the situation in which they find themselves? The playwright of The Long, the Short and the Tall is Willis Hall and he wrote it in 1959. The play is set in the Malaysian jungle in 1942 during the Second World War. It is about a British scout patrol, which is caught in the unexpected Japanese advance down the Malaysian peninsula. It deals with men from all over Britain, from different backgrounds and cultures, and their relationships with each other. The main issue though, is whether the men are able to kill another human being. It shows their reactions in tense and almost unreal situations. World War Two lasted from 1939 to 1945. It was fought in two places; in Europe against Germany and in the Pacific against Japan. Britain and the USA started fighting against Japan because Japan bombed Pearl Harbour in December 1941, which had docked a whole fleet of American war ships. The British and the Americans didnt expect the Japanese to attack, so they were not able to defend themselves. From here Japan continued to expand into other countries. They quickly conquered South-East Asia. The next thing the Japanese did was to invade Singapore in Malaysia. Again the British were completely unprepared for the attack. All Singapores defences were facing into the sea, never expecting or believing that anybody would come down the peninsula, through the jungle, but this is exactly what the Japanese did. Because no one in Singapore believed that they would be attacked from the land side, all the defences were on the ocean side, to protect against a marine attack. The Japanese were so successful because they had had better training in jungle warfare. They wore light clothing, had light ammunition and made use of bicycles for transport. This meant that they could travel great distances in a relatively short time. There wasnt much hope for the British soldiers, who had little or no training in jungle warfare, they had heavy clothing and ammunition and no suitable transport. Morale in the British army was very low. Most of the soldiers were conscripts who were very cynical about the ability of the generals of the army to direct the army in the right away and also because of the lack of proper training and equipment. This can be seen in the play in the way the characters talk of the radio not working. Damn duff equipment is how Johnstone describes the radio. To the British conscripts the Japanese army seemed invincible, with their incredibly patriotic soldiers who were prepared to die rather than surrender. The Japanese believed in the motto Death before dishonour. They seemed a completely fearless army because of this, which didnt do the morale of the British soldiers much good. The two contrasting characters I have chosen to look at are Bamforth and Johnstone. I have chosen Bamforth because his character changes a great deal throughout the play and his point of view moves to a different angle and I have chosen Johnstone because his character is one of the few ones, which doesnt change much throughout the play. Private C. Bamforth is a conscript into the British army and has been posted over to the Far East to help fight the Japanese. He is from London and is in the lowest possible rank in the army. His position is completely different from Johnstones. His full title is Corporal E. Johnstone. He is two above Bamforth in ranks and is part of the regular army and is not conscripted. This means that is attitude to the army is different. His attitude is much less cynical and he respects authority more, in terms of Mitchem. He is cynical in one part of the play where he becomes exasperated when the radio wont work. Damn duff equipment. The whole damn issues duff. But overall he is much less cynical of the British armys capabilities. On the other side Bamforth is very cynical of the British army in the way he speaks of it. He apparently quotes one of the Generals, Bammo, my old son, the British armys in a desperate situation. The yellow perils about to descend on us Here he is joking about the state of the British army, but he obviously believes it, otherwise he wouldnt be saying it and it wouldnt be funny. Also he makes clear that he isnt prepared to be a hero, I wasnt meant to be a hero he states it clearly and decisively, which shows that he has no doubts about it. Bamforth enjoys making fun of others especially people who cant defend themselves very well like Whitaker and people who are of a certain area such as Wales or Scotland. He tends to generalise about people of a certain area and call them derogatory names. You Scotch haggis!, you Cardiff creep, Youre an ignorant Welsh Taff! He is a really unpleasant character in the beginning and obviously resents authrority; Nit is what he says under his breath at Johnstone. Johnstone is also unpleasant in the way he threatens Bamforth, but as the person watching the play, with no knowledge of how Bamforths character will change, I found that I sympathised with Johnstone and felt glad that he was giving Bamforth what he deserved. Their initial reaction was also very similar, as it was Johnstone who grabbed the prisoner and ordered one of the other men to kill him with their bayonet and Bamforth was the only other soldier who felt able to kill him. He regarded the Japanese soldier as only as important as an animal. Its only the same as carving up a pig. The prisoner was very low in his opinion Johnstone has very little contact with the prisoner; he only has direct contact with the prisoner when he has the argument with Bamforth over whether the prisoner should be allowed any cigarettes. He obviously has strong opinions on what should happen to the prisoner; he thinks it is a bad decision of Mitchems to take the prisoner back as it is too risky. He tries to argue with Mitchem that they should kill the prisoner right then, before it all got out of hand. Get rid of him. Right now Strangely enough, it is Bamforth who befriends the prisoner and talks to him and joke with him. He even begins to regard the prisoner as almost human. Hes almost human this one is!. His opinion of the prisoner has risen from that of animal to almost human. This is because the prisoner showed him his photos of his family. He indicates that he also has a baby, this is probably why Bamforth begins to regard him with more respect. Next Bamforth offers the prisoner a cigarette, but Johnstone knocks the prisoners from his mouth. At once Bamforth demands an explanation from Johnstone. Here he is clearly defending the prisoners rights, but also I think that he argues with Johnstone just because he did something that infringed his rights. Later on when the argument about the prisoners cigarette case begins, the playwright cleverly makes Bamforth leave so that the argument can progress without anyone coming to the prisoners defence. When Bamforth returns the argument reaches a climax; he immediately comes to the prisoners defence. He defends him verbally and helps the prisoner. He tells the others that he gave the prisoner the cigarettes. This may not have been true and I dont think that Johnstone really believed him. He is the one who asks to look at the case before it is returned to the prisoner and he starts another argument about the case. This time Bamforth does not claim to have given it to him, but turns the story back on Johnstone by making Whitaker tell the others how he has a locker full of Japanese souvenirs. He defends the prisoner all the way. This is sign that he has become really attached to the prisoner. By the end when they have to decide whether to kill the prisoner or not, Bamforth has become very attached to the prisoner. He physically stands in-between the prisoner and Johnstone, as can be seen from the stage directions. This is a clear piece of proof that he is now prepared physically protect the prisoner not just argue for him. Its him and me. This shows that he is saying that if they want to kill the prisoner, they will have to kill him too. Also he now expresses freely that he regard the prisoner highly. Hes a man, showing that the prisoner has earned a lot of Bamforths respect. Johnstone on the other hand is the one who is trying to kill the prisoner. Johnstone still thinks they should kill the prisoner and his opinion of him has not risen either, Its a bloody nip From this we can see that he regards him as really low because he says it instead of he and uses the derogatory term of bloody nip. He orders Bamforth out of the way, but he will not move and appeals to each of the men in turn to help him. But each one turns him down, he appeals to Macleish last of all, probably hoping that at least he was going to help him because his brother could be a POW too. But even he does not help Bamforth. He is obviously desperate because he turns to sheer pettiness when each of the men turn him down. I hope they carve your brother up. Get that? I hope they carve your bloody brother up! In the end the decision is made for them as Whitaker shoots the prisoner as he rises, during the fight between Bamforth and Johnstone. The play offers no obvious answers to who was right or what they should have done. It was quite ironic how it is Johnstone left alive at the end who surrenders because it is was he who was prepared to kill their POW, having said this he did not have much choice in the matter. Personally I really dont know what they should have done because it was such a hard decision, but if I had to make a decision I would probably have tried to take the prisoner back to camp rather than hanging around arguing about it. If they had done that they might have had a chance of getting back alive, but as it was they had no hope. With the benefit of hindsight, I can see that Johnstone was right, when he said that they should kill the prisoner in the beginning, when none of them were attached to the prisoner and there would have been no problem. However I dont think I would be able to kill someone in that situation even if I was ordered to.

Black America and the American Nightmare :: Argumentative Persuasive Argument Essays

Black America and the American Nightmare "The Myth of Sisyphus" parallels the lack of an "American Dream" in black America. In " The Myth Of Sisyphus, " Albert Camus describes the tragedy of Sisyphus, forever punished by the gods to push a rock up a mountain, watch the rock roll down the mountain, and then push it up the mountain again. In the words of Camus, "there is no more dreadful punishment than futile and hopeless labor." The "American Dream" is still alive for white Americans. They still dream of large houses, big paychecks, and hard work leading to a comfortable retirement. However, like an animal battling to fight extinction, the "American Dream" is on its last breath in black America . . . " Uh, you know that stuff we told you about apple pie and equal opportunity, spacious skies and rags to riches and making more money than your parents did? Well, uh, we forgot to tell you something. That was only supposed to apply to white people." Does the "American Dream" really exist in the black community or do blacks labor under the false impression that our lives will be better in the future? Am I wasting my time paying for a degree from college in a country where I have to put my skin color on every form I sign my name to? Sisyphus intrigues Camus because he questions Sisyphus' thoughts about his fate. " At that subtle moment when man glances backward over his life, Sisyphus returning toward his rock, in the sight pivoting he contemplates that series of unrelated actions which becomes his fate, created by him, combined under his memory's eye and soon sealed by his death." As Sisyphus returns to his rock, does he question his fate? Unlike blacks in America, Sisyphus created his own fate. Sisyphus is aware that he will labor in futility until the end of time. He is not under any false impressions that the gods will call his punishment off because of good behavior. He knows his fate and has accepted it. Do blacks also labor in futility, hoping that someone will go back and change history? Sisyphus accepts the rock as his future. This absurd form of acceptance is the only thing that keeps Sisyphus from going crazy. He is superior to his fate because he survives despite it. Do blacks in America also accept their fate?

Movie Analysis: The Twilight Essay

Outline I.Introduction A.Thesis Statement The movie Twilight Eclipse was the third part of the Twilight Saga. This movie was just a romance movie with a twist. The director and producer tried to bring the old and the new together by encompassing what we think we know about vampires and adding a new dimension to it. With the latest cinematography and the new technology they made every scene believable and kept the audience wanting more. It showed us a new vampire and werewolves. II.Body paragraph # 1- Topic Sentence #1 Throughout the movie the audience was kept enthralled by sequence of event and the ever changing relationships between the wolves’, vampires, and Bella. A.Supporting Evidence Each scene in the movie was full of action and suspense like the one with the confrontation between Edward and Jacob. How the director made it point to do a close up on Edward when he confronted Jacob about the kiss. The amount of restraint that showed on his face. B.Explanation For both actors to be convincing regarding their other side and believable about their human side took dedication and the right camera angle to pull it off. C.So What? This was accomplished with perfect shot and the correct angles and lighting.. III.Body paragraph # 2- Topic Sentence #2 Every movie we ever seen with vampire depicted them as heartless with only one goal and that is to feed. Yet this movie showed us a total different aspect. Was it believable or not. The directors point of view was evident in every shot. A.Supporting Evidence The scene with Bella (Kristen Stewart) and Rosalie (Nikki Reed) on the balcony and Rosalie tells Bella she is making a wrong choice. In this scene we are able to see the director giving vampires a new look. He is giving them feelings something we have not seen in other movies. B.Explanation The scene takes place on the balcony of Edwards home and the lighting is soft and there is very little sound other than the words that are being spoken. We can read the pain in Rosalie eyes as she speaks but what she has missed by being a vampire and how Bella is just giving this up as if it is nothing. C.So What? It is ironic if you think about the other movies we have seen and we look at this one because the Cullen is like no other Vampires we have ever heard of. All the discussion between them make us feel their pain the regret that they have but it also shows the love they have for each other and how protective they are for there family. IV.Body paragraph # 3- Topic Sentence #3 As the story progress we were able to see the direction in which the director wanted us to go. Even though this was a love story it showed the innovation of the writers and director. Each scene had the exact demographic of the time period in which it was encompassing. Whether we were in the present or the past the scene was believable. A.Supporting Evidence When they went to the past and Rosalie was telling how she became a vampire you could almost smell the air just from the scene that unfolded. You could smell the liquor on her fiancà © breath you could feel the excitement come off the men around her and you could taste the fear she felt. B.Explanation As her fiancà © grabbed her and breathe on her and spoke unspeakable words the terror was coming off the screen. But even more than that the music and the lighting gave away the fear she was experiencing. C.So What? V.Body paragraph #4- Topic Sentence #4 A.The actors in this movie were not well known prior to the Twilight Saga however now they will be known as stars. This movie has elevated there status in the movie industry. Jacob (Taylor Lautner) has become a star player in the movie industry due to this movie. B.Explanation He later starred in Abduction. C.So What? VI.Conclusion As the movie came to a conclusion we all had a new respect for Vampires and Werewolves. The old look was of a blood thirsty individual that would not stop for nothing. The werewolves also was portrayed in earlier movies as unable to stop once they turned yet in this movie they feel, they love and they are a unit that have progressed into a family. This was the beginning of woman power. This time gave woman the power to know that they did not have to rely on a man to survive. Yes it nice to have one by your side but it is better to achieve on your own. Those men who felt threaten by the women should have felt strength by it because with a strong woman beside them they could accomplish so much more. References Bhabha, Homi, 1995, The Location of Culture’ New York: Routledge. Print Clugston, R. W. (2010). Journey into literature. San Diego, California: Bridgepoint Education, Inc. Retrieved from https://content.ashford.edu/books Head, Dominic, ‘Cambridge Studies in African and Carribean Literature-Nadine Gordimer’ Cabbridge: Cambridge University Press.1994.Print Smith, Rowland, 1990,Critical Essays on Nadine Gordimer Boston: G. K. Hall& Co.Print Walker, A., (1973). In Love & Trouble: Stories of Black Women. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 81-87.

Self Deception A To Mankind - 1816 Words

Self-Deception: A Malignancy to Mankind Human nature is prone to folly; men misjudge, and are deceived by others, but also they deceive themselves. From the beginning of history it has been so, and even in the origin stories of man this key element takes a central role. In the Christian creation story Adam disobeys his god, but his motives for doing so are not elaborated upon. It is Eve who is explicitly shown being deceived. This deception is somewhat instigated by satan, but truly it is a deception of self that is the tipping point. Eve has been told that they must not eat the fruit, but despite the evidence of the wrongness of it and the consequences which will occur, she still partakes of this first sin because she allows herself to believe that it is not wrong or that there will not be repercussions. She convinces herself to believe falsely despite the reality of the situation, and antithetical evidence. I believe that Nathaniel Hawthorne would agree; throughout history men plac e a veil over their own eyes, they see what they want to see, and that this causes them to both destroy themselves, and what they love most. I believe that this theme of self-deception is prominent in Hawthorne’s short stories, particularly â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter†, and just as Giovanni ignored the signs and warnings surrounding Beatrice thereby allowing himself to be warped by the cruel and cunning Rappaccini, just as Adam and Eve deceived themselves in the Garden of Eden, all men areShow MoreRelatedDeception Can Be Used By Anyone, Human Or God964 Words   |  4 PagesIntro + thesis: Deception can be used by anyone, human or god. It is not the fact that it is being used that is an issue, since it can be used for good and evil, but rather it’s the desired goal that the deceiver hopes to accomplish through the use of deception that distinguishes well from evil. The role of deception in the lives of humans and gods serves as a mechanism to distinguish individuals who to uphold a strong moral conscious. Values of loyalty, security of their loved ones, (insert oneRead MoreThe Gothic Villain Essay942 Words   |  4 Pagesbandits. Some start out as heroes but turn into villains. The Gothic villain has several identifying characteristics. They are shifty, cunning and can mold their behavior to match the need of the circumstance. Villains will utilize intimidation, deception, and even flattery to attain their objective. So, who is the villain-hero? This villain may start out at the beginning of the story as a hero, or he may possess heroic characteristics, such as charisma, or he may have a sympathetic past, somethingRead MoreCompare and Contrast Science Fiction Short Story Unit1525 Words   |  7 Pagescharacters and scenarios, they both seem to stay true to the make believe factor. Themes like vengeance, justice, love, pride, and honor seem to appear in these short stories. For me, justification seems to also be present, one justifies on the good for mankind and the other justifies vengeance. The short story Valhalla written by Gregory Benford, opens a passage to what if. In this science fiction story we have a man that looks just like Adolf Hitler. He materialized right when Hitler sensedRead MoreResearch And Christianity : A Biblical Perspective1478 Words   |  6 Pagesbehavioral research can support one another. Specifically, the integration of research and Christianity has led me to believe that every method, type, and step to research leads one closer to the truth, truth that effectuates positive changes to mankind while encouraging a willingness, respect, and discipline to please the Lord in every pursuit. Thus, this case study will reflect on the knowledge that I have gained throughout this course as well as how this knowledge can be supported through a ChristianRead MoreWar Was A Cruel And Dark Life For A Soldier1076 Words   |  5 Pagesnot earn their trust to its fullest extent, or maybe it is because they put their trust into the wrong peop le. Either way it is a matter that should be avoided if given the chance especially if that person that we so eagerly trusted is a master of deception. The chance to have judgment over others is not something any one man should want for it is that same circumstance that leaves us unwise in our pursuit to show the uttermost form of mercy. To show someone mercy should be shown without doubt butRead MoreThe Scarlet Letter, By William Hawthorne879 Words   |  4 Pagesand the book is Nathaniel’s attempt at this. There is also a subtle undertone that the conflict between Hester, Dimmesdale, Chillingworth and pearl is very much similar to the biblical conflict between god, Satan and mankind. The way god and Satan deal with one another shapes mankind as it was with pearl in the novel. There are a great many themes in the scarlet letter, one being the necessity of suffering and that molds us. Hester Prynne suffered more or so internallyRead MoreJohn Milton s Paradise Lost1528 Words   |  7 Pagestheir free will or fall from his grace by disobeying him. However, one can question the validity of God’s â€Å"free will† because God is all knowing throughout the epic. This is shown by God’s foreknowledge of Satan escaping from hell, Adam and Eve deception of eating the fruit, and his acknowledgment of what will happen in the future, due to the result of Adam and Eve’s actions. However, God’s lack of response shows his trust in the free will of his creations as the means to set forth actions. God detailsRead MoreZaphod Beeblebrox: A Modern-day Trickster1141 Words   |  5 Pagesteaches valuable life lessons and aids mankind in bettering themselves. In this Zaphod Beeblebrox is a modern-day trickster indeed. Zaphod Beeblebrox is the resident troublemaker in the science fiction series Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy created by Douglas Adams. Zaphod is introduced as a clever, imaginative, irresponsible, and untrustworthy extrovert who is so charismatic that people are able to overlook his faults. His character is a master of deception\trickery, he is a situation invertor, andRead MoreKant s Theory Of Moral Theory1466 Words   |  6 Pagesimagine a world where anyone acts as he does, and determine if there are any inherent contradictions. Kant argues that from this envisioned world, one can determine that lying could never hold as a universal law of nature ... but must necessarily be self-contradictory (Groundwork 422). In a world where everyone lies, it follows that nobody will trust this man s vague promises and he will be disregarded. Moreover, the act of lying would be without purpose in this imaginary world, since lying is makingRead MoreHamlet, By William Shakespeare1382 Words    |  6 Pagesperiod. Though confronted by the disparities of the world in figurative decay, the character’s experience treachery and corruption in search for definite answers of filial duty, individualism and mortality. Shakespeare explores his protagonist’s tragic self-awareness through the portrayal of human experiences that leads to a series of tensions between the individual and family. This demonstration leads to the understanding of moral uncertainty and metaphysical anguish that relates to our struggles as