Character analysis of Miss Dove and Leiningen

¶ … prim geography teacher. She is a disciplinarian who adopts strict rules for her classroom. Her teaching style is a common-sense method with her former students and citizens of Liberty Hill regarding her as the embodiment of wisdom and gentility. Like Miss Dove, Leiningen believes in hard work, refusing to leave his estate despite a swarm of soldier ants nearing his property. Early in the story it is shown he is wise as well. "First he had vanquished primal forces by cunning and organization, then he had enlisted the resources of modern science to increase miraculously the yield of his plantation." However, there are some differences. For example, Miss Dove is strict, reprimanding David Burnham for swearing. "Nothing is achieved by swearing," Miss Dove's sentence read. "Twenty Times."

Leiningen is not like that with the people he works with on his estate. He encourages them to stay with him to fight the ants. The Indians trusted Leiningen and followed his orders out of respect for him, not because he disciplined them. They both show kindness and wisdom. For example, Bill, one of Miss Dove's best pupils, was poor and unkempt. Miss Dove helped him by giving him odd jobs, even purchasing a suit for Bill for his graduation.

That kind of selflessness is seen in Leiningen when he floods his plantation to save his men. Even though he lost a year's worth of crops, he stopped part of the ant threat with that act.

Another key difference between both characters is Leiningen is spontaneous and Miss Dove adheres to routine. Even after she had the surgery, she went into detail about what ever class needs to review. Leiningen when the ants attack him, decides to use the petrol against them and save himself from the vicious attack.

Both Leiningen and Miss Dove have people around the care for them and admire their abilities. However, they do so from different standpoints. Leiningen is an aggressive person whereas Miss Dove is passive and formal.

In terms of the five clues, this can be gleamed from Holmes' explanation to Watson. "...he explained in the early hours of the morning we sat over a glass of whisky and soda in Baker Street." The first clue was keeping the simpleminded pawnbroker away for several hours each day. The second clue was the strong motive taken from Spaulding's willingness to labor for half pay. The third clue was his 'disappearing act' into the cellar. The fourth clue was the state of Clay's trousers: "worn, wrinkled, and stained." The first and most significant clue was their demonstration of not caring about getting Wilson out of the way by closing the League offices.

Part 2

The main difference in character between Michael and Earnest is familiarity. Earnest is coming of age and then grows to become an old man with the reader experiencing this. Michael is at first seen as a stranger Simon addresses. His motives are not all that clear as seen when he stares beyond the shoulder of the nobleman, smiling for a second time during his stay there. "A man came to order boots that should wear for a year without losing shape or cracking." This enigmatic personality is what differentiates the two. The similarities are seen in the character's development. Both experience events in the story through a time span of years and therefore learn through time. Both also are sensitive to other people as seen with Michael realizing the nobleman needed leather slippers for his death and Ernest recognizing the slight flaws in the four men. Another similarity is Michael is an angel and knows God's word, so does Ernest who acquires the position of the local lay preacher.

In terms of experiences, Michael came in as an assistant to Simon, learning the way of God through the various times he smiled, earning back his wings. This is like Ernest through his experiences with others and gaining knowledge from those events. Another similarity is Ernest delivering his sermon and Michael explaining to Simon why he became his assistant. These actions mirror the lessons and word of God.

The differences in experience begin with Ernest finally achieving the resemblance of the Great Stone Face and then walking away, back to his home. "Here he is, now! Cried those who stood near Ernest. There! There! Look at Old Stony Phiz and then at the Old Man of the Mountain." It was as if he did not accept it whereas Michael did accept his wings and became an angel again. Ernest's experience took a lifetime to learn whereas Michael's took a few years.

The similarity in experiences for Much Afraid and Tailor are routed in despair. They both endure hard circumstances like Much's cousin's unwanted attention and the Tailor's rude employer Mrs. Lowe. Both see the pain from these experiences and suffer along. The differences begin with the Tailor's patience and calm demeanor. Even amidst all the difficulty experienced with Mrs. Lowe and his son dying, he remains calm. The same cannot be said of Much who has the desire to dance, shrieking in gear when she sees the black Hawthorne-looking seed. The other difference is Much tries to make her life better by trying to reach the High Places whereas the Tailor remains dutiful. The last difference is Much Afraid despairing in the end realizing she may never reach the High Places and the Tailor simply accepting his position in life, finishing Mrs. Lowe's dress and adding the pleat. "Mrs. Lowe looked down upon her bosom. There the frill lay, beautifully pleated.

The character differences for Much Afraid and Tailor begin with their gender. Tailor was "a tall man, taller than the servant, middle-aged." Much was a young girl. The tailor expressed a kind of 'closed tranquility' that was in stark contrast to Much's beset feelings from her cousin's advances. The similarities in character are in terms of appearance. Much Afraid is ugly, with deformed hands and a crooked mouth. The tailor wears a long faded robe and his tall appearance is jarring. Another similarity is they both endure uncomfortable situations like Much's cousin wanting to marry her and Tailor dealing with an over-demanding white woman that changes her requests frequently. The third similarity is Much had no real hope to her situation, like Tailor's, "All vestige of hope had now disappeared from his face." They were in predicaments that bred despair.

Part IV

He breaks the 8th commandment for stealing the ribbon that himself thought was "quite old" and blamed it on Marion, a "good girl, sensible and absolutely trustworthy." This also breaks Commandment IX that essentially means no lying to harm someone else. His lie stating Marion stole put her in trouble and helped him evade punishment. Lastly, he breaks the tenth commandment or X by coveting another's spouse and possessions by wanting Claude's coat and lusting over Mme de Waren, "...fine black coat which had caught my fancy."

In terms of 1 Samuel 15:22-23, Samuel would criticize Rousseau's thoughts because Rousseau did and said as he pleased. He was too cowardly to take punishment for stealing the ribbon. He coveted a dead man's belongings and showed no remorse up until he wrote down his confessions. If Samuel asks people to obey the will of God because that is better than any sacrifice, it seems Rousseau does the opposite.

Captain Ahab and Julius Caesar are very different people, yet have some similarities. One key character difference is Caesar had some success in his career. At the beginning of the play, he comes back triumphant having defeated the sons of Pompey. There is a level of skill there that Captain Ahab seems to not have as he was bit by a white whale and left angry and moody with a whalebone to serve as his prosthesis. The similarities in character begin with both being leaders. Julius leads Rome and Captain Ahab leads the search for the while whale. Another similarity is their pursuits led to their demise. Julius was betrayed and assassinated. Captain Ahab fell overboard and drowned. Their overzealous passion is a key character similarity.

In terms of similarity in action, this can go back to their pursuit for things that led them to ruin, which can also be a difference in action. This is because Caesar refused three times to be crowned, yet his passion to rule was what ignited the hatred that led to his assassination. "But that he sees the Romans are but sheep; He were no lion, were not Romans hinds." Captain Ahab chose to lead his crew time and again to chase after the white whale. Another key difference is the motivation behind their actions. Caesar defeated Pompey's sons but not out of revenge. Yet by Ahab attaching a doubloon on the mast, he was showing his actions now fell towards revenge. "So, swinging his seated form to the roll of the ship, and with his astrological-looking instrument placed to his eye, he remained in that posture." The last difference in action is their deaths. Ahab died because he entangled himself with his own harpoon, drowning. Caesar's actions led to an assassination where even Brutus stabs him.