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The Blue Cross and The Enchanted April
Introduction
"The Enchanted April" and "The Blue Cross" are different in terms of character type, style, and theme, although there are some shared elements that might be explored. "The Enchanted April" by Elizabeth von Arnim is a novel set in the 1920s that follows four English women who decide to rent a castle in Italy for a month. These women are all from different backgrounds and have different reasons for wanting this holiday. The novel explores themes of friendship, personal growth, and the power of environment to affect mood and perspective. It is written in a lyrical, evocative style that emphasizes the sensory details of the Italian setting and the internal journeys of the characters. In contrast, "The Blue Cross" is a short story by G.K. Chesterton, featuring his character Father Brown. It is a detective story in which Father Brown matches wits with a master criminal. The story involves a lot of clever wordplay, paradoxes, and philosophical musings, as is typical for Chesterton. The central theme is the nature of good and evil, and the way that superficial appearances can be misleading. This paper will compare and contrast the two works in terms of themes and ideas, character types, and characteristics.
Themes and Ideas
In "The Enchanted April", von Arnim explores themes of alienation, liberation, self-discovery, and transformation. The novel reflects on the healing effects of beauty, as the four women each with her own personal issues find solace and rejuvenation in the Italian castle and its surroundings. The author explores the human condition, portraying how individuals can be inspired to break free from the confines of their mundane, unhappy lives.
On the other hand, "The Blue Cross" by G.K. Chesterton examines themes of moral philosophy, the deceptive nature of appearances, and the power of simplicity. Chestertons main character is Father Brown, a simple and seemingly (but not really) naive clergyman, who turns out to have a very good understanding of...…the plot. He also keeps an element of suspense and surprise throughout the narrative. Moreover, the urban setting of London of the story gives it an almost metropolitan characteristicespecially as the criminal is an international one. This contrasts with the rural idyllic setting of "The Enchanted April", which favors Latin romance. The backdrop for Chesterton's musings on morality and human nature is urban and modern and deliberately so for he wants to show that the simple country priest is not out of his element just because of setting: he understands human nature perfectly and has a good deal of good nature within himself to outsmart the worst criminal.
In conclusion, while both "The Enchanted April" and "The Blue Cross" present compelling narratives with deep explorations of human nature, they do so through distinct themes, characters, and stylistic choices. One offers a deep and fascinating study of women seeking personal healing and self-discovery, while the other provides a thought-provoking detective story steeped in religion, paradox and philosophical insights.
Works Cited
Chesterton,…
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