Review of Xinzhong Yaos Book Introduction to Confucianism...

In Introduction to Confucianism, Xinzhong Yao strives to convey a balanced understanding of the Chinese / East Asian tradition of Confucius as it has evolved over the last 2500 years from ancient times to contemporary relevance, from the classics into practice and all within a single book. Yao aims to distinguish his presentation of the subject matter from previous introductions that have taken a more historical approach. He writes for a western audience and for students who are assumed new to Confucianism while also appearing to address his peers and anticipated critics. He draws from his experience of teaching Confucianism in a university setting and includes excerpts of academic articles that he has previously published. His†¦show more content†¦There is no consensus among Confucians regarding the meaning and function of Heaven, and explaining the concepts of religion, immortality and evil for example, require Yao to act as a bridge between the east and west. Overall , he does a good job at explaining these definitions. From the outside, Yao exposes these ideas as resistant to the western constraints of categorization. When viewed from the inside within the Confucian Way, the contradictions that the western eye may observe do not present a problem. Yaos detailed explanation of Harmony as the most important virtue added to my understanding but also presented me with some challenges. Confucianism has no clear distinction between Heaven and humanity and the relationship between Heaven and humans is perceived through The Way of Harmony. Harmony is indeed a central theme within Confucianism and on all levels of relationships and society (individual, familial, governmental, and spiritual). Some of the traditional ideas concerning the roles of women and children and the obligations of people in the name of harmony were particularly unsettling for me. Yao navigates through this messy territory by trying to stick to his double investigation. At times, he seems to lean towards a defense or rationalization of the ways Confucianism has been misused. Still, he does acknowledge the role of Confucianism in contributing to these applications, but only

The Life and Writings of Robert Louis Stevenson - 2668 Words

Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson is one of the greatest authors to hail from Britain. His writings have been enjoyed by countless since he masterfully wrote them down. Stevenson uses characterization, imagery, and conflict to keep his readers captivated by his works in Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Kidnapped. Robert Louis Stevenson was born on November 13, 1850 in Scotland. Being the only son of a famous civil engineer, Stevenson was expected to continue the family tradition, but this was against his wishes for his life. At an early age, he exhibited a yearning to write, and although he could not read until he was seven or eight, he composed stories and dedicated them to his parents and†¦show more content†¦Stevenson produces some of literature’s most memorable characters in this novel. Although it is one of his most famous, it is not as psychological deep as his other novels, as it is meant for a younger group of readers. However, this does not take away from the story if one just takes it for what it is. Jim Hawkins, the protagonist of the story, is a character so full of courage and determination that he is undoubtedly the inspiration behind many young lads’ adventurous escapades. His character, although lifted off the pages of a book, is the character that many people aspire to be. Stevenson does not give much information about Jim through dialogue or commentary, but through Jim’s actions do we learn of the content of his character. Jim is the moral backbone of the story, and must right the wrong that Silver creates. The only downside to Jim’s character is that he judges people by their appearances when first meeting him, and he usually judges wrong. He incorrectly judges Long John Silver as an ally at first even though he ends up being the story’s main antagonist. Also, he incorrectly judges Ben Gunn as being a monster, although he turns out to be one of his greatest allies. Jim’s character is resilient and is not likely to break as best exemplified in his quote â€Å"You can kill the body, Mr. Hands, but not the spirit† (Stevenson 116). Since Stevenson was sickly as a child and not able to do much physical activity, I think that he lives vicariouslyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of The Book Where Dr. Jekyll 1163 Words   |  5 Pages(Aronson 2) Being from Edinburgh, Stevenson was surrounded with the well-known tales of the past and a history of duality in his hometown. Deacon Brodie and Dr. Knox were both from Edinburgh and both lived â€Å"double-lives†, this undoubtedly had a major impact upon Stevenson’s imagination and later his writings. (Stefan 5) â€Å"While growing up Stevenson had a friend and the son of Sir James Simpson, the developer of medical anesthesia, the two friends would â€Å"experiment† with chloroform, for the enjoymentRead More Robert Stevenson Essay1629 Words   |  7 Pages Robert Louis Stevenson began writing during the Victorian era. His style was unlike anyone elseamp;#8217;s and his stories are still popular today. Robert Louis Stevenson was an author of many classic novels and his literary success became popular when he wrote the mystery called The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Robert Louis Stevenson wrote The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde in 1886 at the young age of thirty-six. He was born on November 13, 1850 in Edinburgh, Scotland. HisRead More`` Requiem `` By Robert Louis Stevenson Essay1534 Words   |  7 Pagescontrast to life What do you think of when one brings up Robert Louis Stevenson? Perhaps his great works, Treasure Island or Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Maybe his successful and adventurous life, full of travel and fame (Editors). What one may not think of is the areas of his life that were wrought with disease, struggle and homesickness. Stevenson’s life was full of adventure, but much of it was as a result of him attempting to escape his tubercular existence (Bosch). The themes presented in Robert LouisRead More Robert Louis Stevensons Impact on British Literature 869 Words   |  4 PagesRobert Louis Stevenson ranks in the upper echelons of writers in British literature. He is one of the most popular writers of the nineteenth century. Stevenson had a great range of skill in producing works in the form of poetry, plays, short stories, essays and novels. A variety of aspects of his very own life and personal experiences were implemented into his literary works. The romance novel is that of which he is best became known for. His works are still studied and observed in today’sRead MoreIdeas Of Good And Evil Follow From The Earliest Of Days.847 Words   |  4 Pagesearliest of days. Robert Louis Stevenson’s parents lived devout in their Christianity, but Stevenson did not follow their ideas. G.B. Stern suggests that â€Å"Although he had rejected the Calvinist doctrines his parents taught him, the focus of the interplay of good and evil continued to influence his imagination† (Stern). Stevenson forced his parents away, but their ideas stayed in his thoughts and even affected The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. His past affected his writing even though he rejectedRead MoreDr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay800 Words   |  4 Pages Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Essay In Robert Louis Stevenson’s, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, Dr. Jekyll’s struggle between two personalities is the cause of tragedy and violence. Dr. Jekyll takes his friends loyalty and unknowingly abuses it. In this novella, Stevenson shows attributes of loyalty, how friendship contributes to loyalty, and how his own life affected his writing on loyalty. Stevenson expresses loyalty in many ways. For example, he establishes the friendship between Mr. Utterson, Dr. JekyllRead MoreThe Duality of Man in Literary Works and Critical Essays1580 Words   |  7 PagesEssays The lifelong struggle for control and recognition of the human mind has been a popular and evolving science since the late-nineteenth-century. Many notable authors, scientists, and laymen have been fascinated with the study since then. Robert Louis Stevenson is one of the more notable authors to write about dual personalities with his short story, â€Å"Markheim,† and the novella, †The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.† The latter of these two stories has inspired the study of multiple personalitiesRead MoreHow Robert Louis Stevenson Builds and Maintains a Sense of Mystery and Suspense in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde1109 Words   |  5 PagesHow Robert Louis Stevenson Builds and Maintains a Sense of Mystery and Suspense in Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde Robert Louis Stevenson wrote Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde in 1886 after waking from a dream in which he recalled a fine bogy tale. The book was published in the same year and its likes had never been seen before. It gave a chilling insight into the murky depths of both experimental science and the duality of the human mind. These two fields of study were both in their infancyRead MoreThe Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll Mr. Hyde1200 Words   |  5 PagesBiography: Robert Louis Stevenson Robert Louis Stevenson was born on November 13th, 1850 to (father) Thomas Stevenson and (mother) Margaret Isabella Balfour. Stevenson grew up in Edinburgh. At the age of 17, he enrolled at Edinburgh University where he planned on studying engineering. He instead took courses to study law, and passed all of them in 1875, but he later abandoned this because he wanted to be a writer. His first published work was an essay entitled â€Å"Roads.† Stevenson met his wifeRead MoreRobert Louis Stevenson Influences1344 Words   |  6 PagesExternal Influences on Stevenson’s Writings â€Å"The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde† by Robert Louis Stevenson was a familiar title to me and prior to reading it I believed I was well versed about the story. I knew that Dr. Jekyll was an intelligent man who experimented with the idea of creating a more powerful version of him that would release his deepest inhibitions. In addition, I believed that the people of the town were not fully aware of Mr. Hyde, only that there was a monster

Feminist Undertones in Pride and Prejudice Free Essays

string(41) " are allowed to achieve self expression\." FEMINIST UNDERTONES IN ‘PRIDE AND PREJUDICE’ Introduction Jane Austen authored the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’ in 1813, a period in the social history of England that saw most women as best equipped for the private and domestic realm. An ideal woman was the picture of chastity, innocence and compliancy. Even women authors in this period were expected to adhere to genres that were considered to be solely their domain- the refined arts, household management, love, courtship, family life and fidelity in the face of temptation. We will write a custom essay sample on Feminist Undertones in Pride and Prejudice or any similar topic only for you Order Now Although ‘Pride and Prejudice’ was primarily a romance between two free-thinking individuals, Elizabeth Bennet and Fitzwilliam Darcy, it has grave feminist undercurrents that are displayed to the reader in many incidents and conversations that ensue between the characters. The nineteenth century was one of progressive transience, especially for women who forged a new identity for themselves. Literature was a vital mouthpiece for their miseries. Jane Austen takes a strong jibe at the existing patriarchy under the more dulcet tones of feminine affairs like love, courtships, gossip and bitchery. Austen’s protagonist Elizabeth Bennet is the second of five sisters in the Bennet family. Out of all her sisters, Elizabeth is the only one who exhibits a bent of mind that was rational and somewhat gumptious. Her principal concerns in life were not winning the affections of wealthy men in order to find herself a suitable match. Austen penned ‘Pride and Prejudice’ much prior to the time referred to as the age of New Woman Fiction and yet her writing is a powerful satire on the position of women in society and how this position limited their viewpoint to petty affairs. A good instance of this is the character of Mrs. Bennet or even Lady Catherine De Bourgh. Jane Austen explores various facets of the middle class society of nineteenth century England, successfully giving a panoptic view of the prevalent social mores and mindsets, especially those pertaining to the status of women. The different characters in her novel render a variegated purview of feminist notions. The Character of Mrs. Bennet and Austen’s Satirical Critique From the opening lines of the story Mrs. Bennet is put forth as a dominating, albeit directing, force in the Bennet household. Her very first dialogue with Mr. Bennet, wherein she tries to convince him to meet Mr. Bingley, a man of a fortune as handsome as his appearance, to try and fix a match for one of their daughters, is evident of her mindset. Her scope of interests in life is limited only to the stable marital settlement of her five daughters. Her husband is not of much interest to the reader because of his almost insipid outlook of affairs. Mrs. Bennet inspite of her condescending and parochial behavior is a multi dimensional character, interesting readers very much. Her outragous schemes to send Jane on horseback to Netherfield so as to make her contract a cold to extend her stay at the Bingleys’ home, manage to shock those who believe in subtlety. Some critics have also referred to Mrs. Bennet as vulgar, a term too extreme for our times. However back then it probably had the connotation of something that was socially hideous. Mrs Bennet is also a prototype of how the women, repressed by society, had stopped striving for social and intellectual advancement. Mrs Bennet’s mental horizons are extremely narrow and she is not ashamed of this fact. Rather she is voluble, to an annoying extent. Mrs Bennet is unable to meet the parameters of decent conduct and behaviour as illustrated in many instances throughout the story. Mr. Bingley’s sisters are extremely repelled by her brash outspokenness, so much so that they use it as a means to break off Mr. Bingley’s association with Jane. Mrs. Bennet also displays an almost obnoxious double standard towards Charlotte Lucas, a very close friend of Elizabeth, by demeaning her appearance in front of her daughters and also Mr. Bingley. However Mrs. Bennet also exhibits some positively feminine inclinations in the course of the novel. One such instance can be her complete disdain for the fact that despite having five daughters, their estate should be inherited by Mr Collins, a complete stranger. Austen makes remarkable use of wit and sarcasm to impersonate Mrs. Bennet. Her novels use comic fiction as a chief means of exploring the individualisation of women’s lives and the revolution in the relation of the sexes at the beginning of the 19th century. Heroine Centric Novels Almost all of Jane Austen’s works feature a female protagonist and most of the other characters are women with a miscellenia of personalities. Austen’s heroines are free spirited young women who have a wide horizon of interests, be it Emma Woodhouse (Emma), Catherine Morland (Northanger Abbey), Marianne (Sense and Sensibility) or Elizabeth Bennet (Pride and Prejudice). In all of these novels the heroine is shown to have her own subjectivity and opinions of life, rather than play a restricted role in the background of the plot. Austen’s stories portray women and the problems faced by them in their daily life through a union of comic and moral indignation. Robert M Polhemus writes, Austen was disposed through comic license to ridicule the inadequacies and constraints of her society. † Through a lens of satire, Austen gave a candid view of the existing social, financial and sexual hierarchies in the middle class landed gentry of eighteenth century England. Women are a prime focus in all her stories and their methods of dealing with situations relating to love, marriage, family, inheritance and courtships. V irginia Woolf once said, â€Å"Austen’s characters are so rounded and substantial that people treat them as if they are ‘living people’. † The heroines in the novels had enough agency to exercise their will. They overcame obstacles very modernisitically. In the novel ‘Pride and Prejudice’, the social world of Elizabeth, is scrupulously described, but within these limitations, the heroine as well as the hero, Mr. Darcy are allowed to achieve self expression. You read "Feminist Undertones in Pride and Prejudice" in category "Papers" Love and marriage for them signify the control of egoism and misperception and the regenerative merging of the self with the ongoing community. With their earnest tone, clear narrative line, contemporary settings, drama and pathos, Jane Austen’s writings become a persuasive communicator of significant beliefs and values. Elizabeth Bennet is a vivacious young woman who, inspite of living in a society that curtailed the thoughts and actions of the fairer sex, lived freely and almost on her own terms. Her opinions of people and situations are rational and her sense of judgement is almost always sound. She possesses not only intelligence but is also sharp and has a great presence of mind. She reads books, plays the piano and loves walking in the outdoors, an act deeply condemned by Mrs Bennet as well as the Bingley sisters as not ladylike. However these attributes endear her even more to Mr. Darcy. Rachel Trickett, in her essay ‘Manners and Society’, writes â€Å"Jane Austen singles out the snobbery and limitation to censure it. She is the enemy of any kind of distinction that fails to take into account personal merit, worth and intelligence. † Elizabeth has clarity of thought and farsightedness that helps her to see things in the right perspective. Early in the novel she is depicted as being arrogant of her wit and her accuracy in judging the social behaviour and intentions. She believes not in a marriage of economic convenience, but in a marriage that is a result of love. Her acuity and sharpness is much admired by her friends, acquaintances and men who look to court her. However Elizabeth’s quickness also sometimes leads her to misunderstand the actions of others, like in the case of Mr. Wickham’s opnions of Mr. Darcy which are dispelled after she receives Darcy’s self explainatory letter, following his first proposal of marriage to her. Through Elizabeth, Austen tries to promote the image of a sovereign identity of a woman who is as subjective as her male counterparts. Narrative style used to convey feminist theme The novel in some instances does objectify men, though in obvious humour. This is hinted in the opening lines of the story, â€Å"It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife. However little known the feelings or views of such a man may be on his first entering a neighbourhood, this truth is so well fixed in the minds of the surrouding families, that he is considered the rightful property of some one or other of their daughters. † The author gives an exhaustive overview of each character’s mindset, adhering to no stereotypes. The man and the woman are treated equally, the description of their human psyche not influenced by any sexual convention. Their characteristic virtues and shortfalls are viewed through an objective lens. Mr. Darcy’s disposition isn’t perfect, nor is Elizabeth’s. If Mrs. Bennet is shown to be an annoying, domineering figure then Mr. Bennet’s sarcasm and witty remarks are equated with almost indifference. Jane’s kindness is sometimes over-the-top and in many instances harms her own situation rather than helping her. Charlotte Lucas’ marriage of convenience to Mr. Collins doesn’t turn out to be exactly as comfortable as she had imagined. From the above examples, one may say that Austen’s narrative style is lucidly analytical of personal psyches, interpersonal relationships and social mores. The heroine is a woman of substance, not bowing to set patterns of society. The strings of relationships are drawn and managed by her while the men, though attractive in their characterization are usually arranged in the backdrop. Jane Austen cannot be called a feminist openly, because she never ventured into this foray directly. Rather, her works contain her feminist recollections running collateral to the story, which can be easily enough interpreted. Austen’s writings cannot be termed as a feminist rhetoric because they positively lean towards a humourous critical overview of the prevalent attitude towards women in the middle classes of England and the usual perception one had of them. Austen’s representation of the characters and incidents in familiar context to the readers made their acquaintance with her feminist impartations more intimate. One could connect and emapathise with the characters due to their individuality and familiar spirit. Elizabeth Bennet could easily be imagined as one’s own sister, friend or neighbour. Thorugh the novel, Austen doesn’t disgrace any character for cutting through conventions. For instance, frivoulous Lydia is finally honourably united to Wickham. By the mores of her own society, Lydia must, and it turns out to be no great embarrassment or humiliation to either party. Their fate is that they deserve each other and are completely unabashed by their mutual unworthiness (a very different conclusion from the conventional fate of the ruined girl in the late- eighteenth-century novel and a comic reversal of the expected and entirely typical of Jane Austen’s realism. Jane Austen’s own childhood and upbringing indicates that despite rigid codes of manners in the conduct of everyday life, the education and sphere of action of a young woman of the time was considerably less restricted. Her writings denounce the objectification of women for social dissection and analysis. Arnold Kettle, in his 1951 essay on ‘Emma’, saw Jane Austen’s highly critical concern over the fate of women in her society as a â€Å"positive vibration†. Austen showed a clear and commitment to the rational principle on which women of the Enlightenment based their case. Many parallels have been drawn between Elizabeth Bennet and Jane Austen herself, illustrating the positively feminine and rational side of the author. In a Victorian social structure that had incorporated an idealized version of femininity, repressing the woman figure into the margins, Austen’s fresh approach to regarding women in a progressive light, through literature has been widely acknowledged and appreciated. She is very often referred to as the most loved feminists of all time. In Pride and Prejudice Elizabeth Bennet breathes life into a new perception of a New Woman. BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Grey, J. David ed. The Jane Austen Handbook ( London, 1986) 2. Southam, B. C. ed Jane Austen- The Critical Heritage (London and New York, 1968) 3. Watt, Ian â€Å"Introduction to Jane Austen- A Collection of critical essays† (Englewood Cliffs. N. J. , 1963) 4. Luria, Gina The Feminist Controversy in England (New York, 1972) 5. Kirkham, Margaret Jane Austen, Feminism and Fiction (London, 1982) 6. Harman, Clare Jane’s Fame, How Jane Austen Conquered the World (Edinburgh, 2009) How to cite Feminist Undertones in Pride and Prejudice, Papers

Did Finny Do It on Purpose free essay sample

A Separate Peace is thought to be a memoir of the author himself, set during the heart of World War Two, and the aftermath of those years. The protagonist, Gene Forrester, a seemingly happy boy, hides fear and paranoia within. His best friend and the antagonist of the story, Finny, is his greatest competition. Throughout their years at school together, they become inseparable. But, as their friendship grows deeper, Gene’s paranoia grows with it. Finny is the schools top athlete and is loved and known by everyone. As the story progresses, Gene becomes something of his side-kick. Although this may be happening, Gene only thinks Finny is trying to get closer to him in order to ruin his athletic and academic career at the school. During the summer of their first year together, they form the Super Suicide Society of the Summer Session. Initiation into this club involved jumping from a tree limb into a small river. We will write a custom essay sample on Did Finny Do It on Purpose? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page The two boys are the first to do this of everyone at the school. During the summer session, the boys decide to make the jump together. Upon climbing onto the limb Finny tells Gene to jump first. As Finny is about to jump, he loses his balance, but Gene catches him and practically saves his life. During the next summer session, they decide to jump together again. This time, Finny walks out to the end first. He too begins to lose his balance, but this time because Gene purposefully â€Å"jounced the limb. † One can see he did this purposefully due to three key reasons. Firstly, their competition between each other and Genes obvious envy towards Finny. Secondly, the way eyewitnesses and Gene himself describe the situation. And lastly, Genes confession to Finny the year after. Finny’s athleticism is really the only thing that differentiates the two. This difference between them makes Finny the better and more â€Å"gifted† student at Devon. The thought that somehow taking away this talent of Finny’s would also take away the difference between them, making Gene the more gifted student at Devon, must have cross Gene’s mind multiple times. Because of their good friendship, one would like to think that he hadn’t planned to make the thought a reality, and he acted, subconsciously, upon an opportunity only because it presented itself. From a young age people are taught to compete. The point of competition is to perform better than others. Ones adversaries try their hardest to be the best and one tries and performs better. In attempting to perform better, one will take any advantage they are presented with; ie cheating. This philosophy is the primary reason for Gene’s envy of Finny. He is jealous of Finny throughout the whole book. This fact would lead one to believe he has motive to injure Finny. Right before he â€Å"jounced the limb† Gene remarks two things. â€Å"None of this mattered now; I listlessly would have agreed to anything. † He then goes on to describe his actions. Holding firmly to the trunk, I took a step towards him, and then my knees bent and I jounced the limb. † The former quote shows his ability and disparity to show everyone that Finny is merely human, nothing more, just like everyone else. Listlessly, he says, he would have agreed to do anything. Without any thought or premeditation, he would have done anything to disprove Finny. The latter quote simply shows the aggressive action he took to prove himself and prove the former quote. The next year, Gene blurts out a confession to Finny about wanting to push him. He really had to. Ironically, Finny always really knew the truth, but it was always swept under the carpet, so to speak, and replaced with cryptic suggestions about what might have happened. Genes guilt was obviously too much. More than that Gene felt an open confession, without any excuses, was needed for some kind of cleansing. In conclusion, we can see that all evidence points to Gene purposefully jouncing the limb. The competition between the two boys, the way eyewitnesses described the situation, and Gene’s obvious confession of guilt to Finny all reveal the truth behind his actions. There is absolutely no way to prove that Gene was not to blame.