Sign Up Now
Get instant access to over 1 million+ study documents
OR
Already registered? click here to login
By creating your account, you agree to our terms of service, privacy policy and student honor code.
Individual Knowledge and Power
19th century poet Emily Dickinson is famous for her writing about the sometimes odd quality of being human, or rather the unnatural social norms that humanity has constructed. Dickinson claims that "[m]uch Sense -- the starkest Madness -- / 'Tis the Majority," meaning that most people guide their lives through typical principles of an objective common sense. Despite the best efforts of the philosophers and statesmen who have fostered Western principles of common sense throughout the centuries, people are not mathematical certainties; and while general rules are essential to the well-being of the population, individual lives cannot be dictated by a standardized social formula. True human growth and progress is a journey often taken alone, in which a person has to develop his or her own ideas of right and wrong. This short essay examines three different ways individual knowledge and power is originated, fostered, and remains constant; Emily Dickinson's "Much Madness is Divinest Sense" shows the importance of self-awareness, Sherman Alexie's "Superman and Me" exemplifies self-responsibility, and Raymond Carver's "Cathedral" illuminates the need for self-correction. Dickinson's poem "Much Madness is divinest Sense" points out that "[t]o a discerning Eye," "[m]adness" is true common sense, in contrast to "Much Sense" which is "the starkest [m]adness." This poem plays with different ideas of sanity and madness, which had a great deal of significance in socially rigid 19th century, East Coast America; those statements about individual power through personal knowledge are still extremely relevant in contemporary society. Dickinson's poetry is timeless in that her explorations of self-awareness as a certain kind of social freedom are invaluable at many crux' throughout a person's life; and she thus remains a deceptively "demur" truth-teller to this day ("Much Madness").
Once self-awareness is contrived, action is essential to making real change in the world, even just in one's life. Alexie's "Superman and Me" tells the story of himself growing up as a Native American, and how that identity shaped his entire life; Alexie, however, was determined to not let his cultural and economic status dictate his successes and capabilities. Thus, Alexie writes: "I read anything…
Four men stand out as the penultimate figures of Post-Impressionism, namely, Georges Suerat (1859-1891), Paul Cezanne (1839-1906), Paul Gauguin (1843-1903) and Vincent Van Gogh (1853-1890), all of whom at first accepted the Impressionist methods and then moved away from it toward a new type of painting. In the case of Cezanne, the basis of his art had much to do with studying nature in a new way, for his aim
Education in America The seventeenth century has been called, as an age of faith, and for the colonists a preoccupation with religion, as probably right. The religious rebel of the sixteenth century was severe and shaking as its impact was felt both on the continent as well as in America. However, intelligent Americans of the seventeenth century thought and realized that education could, and may be should, be a handmaiden
Ralph Waldo Emerson's Influence on the Poetry of W. Whitman and E. Dickinson During 19th century American literature, orthodox teachings and values are evident in most literary works, which is an evidence of the strong influence religion has over the American society. It is noted that during this period, a new form of religion is emerging as one of the dominant religious organizations in the West, particularly the Protestant religion. Ralph
Alice in Wonderland as Victorian Literature -- Being a child in Victorian England was difficult. They had to behave like the adults did, follow all rules, they had to be seen but not heard. Children, however, are naturally curious; unable to sit for long periods of time, and as part of normal cognitive development, consistently asking questions about the world. In fact, childhood is the period when a child acquires
MUSIC & POLITICS: THE ARGENTINE TANGO Music Flamenco or Tango, Spain or Argentina Music & Politics: The Argentine Tango The tango is a form of dancing that originates in Buenos Aires, Argentina. It is a popular dance form that has spread internationally since its inception in the early nineteenth century. As with all cultural forms, there is a distinctive history and style that accompanies this form of expression. The very creation and performance of
In his novels he focused on characters, motivations, and reactions to the forces around his characters. He realistically examined Spanish politics, economy, religion, and family through the eyes of the middle class, addressing the cruelty of human beings against each another in his novels Miau and Misericordia. Galdos was called the conscience of Spain for his realistic observations of society with all its ills. (Columbia 2005) His plays were