The Use of Symbolism in T.S. Eliots, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufro

The Use of Symbolism in T.S. Eliot's, The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock A well-written poem is built out of levels. Each level alludes to the next until the ultimate discovery of the poet's message. "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," by T. S. Eliot, provides a perfect example of a well-crafted poem comprised of sequential levels, also known as a framed story. At the level just below the very surface, the poem obscurely tells the story of a failed lobster prophet, resurrected from the dead to warn other lobsters of the cruel fate that awaits them in the event of their capture. In the course of the story, the lobster prophet falls prey to the harvest of a lobster catcher and is then sent to a restaurant as food. While in the tank with the other lobsters, he reflects on and laments his life. This interpretation serves as a vehicle for presenting the true message of the poem, which exists on the next level, to the audience. The story of the lobster represents Eliot's own fear of people overlooking the messages he attempts to convey in his poetry. Even th ough he has learned this lesson from previous poems, he feels an attempt to save his future poems is futile in the same way as one lobster saving another is futile. One indicator that the lobster interpretation exists at the level below the surface of the poem is the yellow fog that fills the "... sawdust restaurants with oyster-shells" (Eliot L. 7). The persona describes "The yellow fog that rubs its back upon the window panes / ... Lingered upon the pools that stand in drains" (Eliot LL. 15&18). The yellow fog from the passage is the steam from a restaurant's lobster pot that boils and cooks the lobsters. The yellow fog receives its color from the dim yellow lighting of... ...e, inside the obscurity of the poem at its most superficial level, like the abuseds' half of the ox. Eliot is afraid that the audience will mistake the obscurity of the poem as the best part, and overlook the hidden good on the inside, just as the abusers' did with their half of the ox. By wrapping one thing inside of another in this way, Eliot builds an excellent compilation of levels into one, well-written poem. Works Cited Eliot, T. S.. "The Love Song of Alfred J. Prufrock." Making Literature Matter: An Anthology for Readers and Writers. 2nd Ed. Schlib & Clifford. Boston: Bedford, 2003. 851-855. Hesiod. Theogony. Trans. Apostolos N. Athanassakis. Baltimore: John Hopkins University, 1983. Hesiod. Works and Days. Trans. Apostolos N. Athanassakis. Baltimore: John Hopkins University, 1983. Holy Bible. King James Version. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1984.

Nuclear Weapons: Good or Bad?

Reaction Paper: Nuclear Weapons – Danger or Necessity? The use of nuclear weapons has been under much debate from the moment the world witnessed their destructive power. As seen in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the aftermath left by these weapons is utter chaos, having a profound effect on both victims and witnesses lives. However, author Kenneth N. Waltz advocates the necessity of nuclear weapons as a balance of power between countries. Another author, Robert S. McNamara stands in favor of eliminating nuclear weapons for good, bringing reassurance of peace for a fearful world. As debates over nuclear weapon use rage on, the threat is still present and must be handled carefully to avoid a man made apocalypse. McNamara and his stance on eliminating nuclear weapons is sensible, primarily due to the common man and woman agreeing with his logic. Nuclear weapons in today’s world have no purpose but to scare opposing countries from complete warfare, a purpose that hopefully stays that way. While they were an everyday occurrence during the cold war years, concerns with the growth of existing nuclear stockpiles are no longer front page news. In an era where the security agenda is topped by fighting terrorism, we are more worried that terrorist organizations or rogue regimes might acquire nuclear weapons and inflict unspeakable damage to the targeted countries. McNamara argues that â€Å"The countries of the world should try to eliminate their nuclear arsenal because of the utter devastation these weapons can inflict on humanity† (p 147). McNamara also states that â€Å"By intensifying its efforts in sustaining, modernizing, and improving its nuclear stockpile while refusing to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the United States sends a message that it is not serious about nuclear non-proliferation† (p 147). In order for complete nuclear disarmament, all cards must be playing the same game. Kenneth Waltz is one of few advocators in favor of nuclear weapons, but he does have a solid argument. Leading scholars of international relations and policymakers share in the belief that the sheer destructiveness of nuclear weapons prevents them from being used by friends and foes alike. The deterrent effect of nuclear weapons is rooted in their possession rather than in their use. Waltz argues that â€Å"Nuclear weapons make states cautious and less likely to engage in reckless behavior† (p 156). He also states that â€Å"While the enormous destructiveness of nuclear weapons makes them excellent weapons for defensive purposes-the weapons have no offensive rationale† (p 155). Though Waltz does not advocate widespread nuclear armament, he does submit that nuclear weapons are great contributors to stability in the international system. After reading and analyzing the arguments of both authors, I take my stance with McNamara and his view toward eliminating nuclear weapons. Recently in an article on NY Times, the US and Russia agreed on a nuclear disarmament treaty that shows progress in eliminating nuclear weapons by dismantling the two biggest stockpiles of nuclear weapons in the modern world. This, I believe, is just the beginning of the end for nuclear weapons around the world which would keep humanity much safer and hopefully create long lasting peace.

Lorraine Hansberry s A Raisin - 1147 Words

In A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Broward College, Central Campus Theater in building 6, on Sunday, the 1st of November. The play was performed by Broward College students. The type of stage was Proscenium stage with extended apron. I thought it was a little bit small, but it did not show as a problem. The pre-show was dark and a feel of suspense. I felt excited to see how everything would play out. The play takes place down south of Chicago in the 1950’s. The production was much a success for the most part. It was definitely worthwhile, I encouraged a few people to go and in the near future will encourage more people to go and experience stories, movies and others as such come to life. When the play started with the scene of Ruth cooking, there were a lot of realism techniques in the play. The stove used to cook was on, she had real ingredients, real drinks and refreshments, telephone, real sounds, real furniture’s. Lighting determined the time of day it was. Warm colors to represent the day and cool colors that represented night time. Non realism lighting were used also. A great example was when Lena Younger was sad and she sat on the chair by the table where the phone and a picture of her husband was set; a blue and white lighting was set on her, showing and representing the mood of gloomy, unhappy and sadness. What is being attempted in the play is simply the Youngers as an African American family trying to make it day by day. The dreams are real, but theShow MoreRelatedLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin1120 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A raisin in the sun† was written by Lorraine Hansberry. The play was not expected to do so well because it had one white cast member, an inexperienced director, and an untried playwright. Set in the south side of Chicago in the 1950s, the play begins in the morning in the Youngers apartment. Their apartment has two bedrooms, one for mama and Beneatha, and one for Ruth and Walter, while Walter’s son Travis sleeps on the couch in the living room. Ruth gets up first and talks and Walter and TravisRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin1474 Words   |  6 PagesLorraine Hansberry created the play A Raisin in the Sun. A Raisin in the Sun recounts an anecdote about The Youngers who is a poor African American family living on the Southside of Chicago. A ch ance to escape from neediness comes as a $10,000 extra security watch that the female authority of the family (Lena/Mama) gets upon her significant other s passing. Lena s kids, Walter and Beneatha, each have plans with the cash. The most established child, Walter (a man of 35 with a spouse and a youthfulRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin1758 Words   |  8 Pagesare located right within the â€Å"Black Metropolis†. Lorraine Hansberry’s play A Raisin in the Sun takes place in Southside Chicago in the 1950s. It revolves around the Younger family who bought a house in a white neighborhood with the money of Big Walter’s insurance check. But they are facing problems from the neighborhood as the â€Å"welcoming committee† offers to buy the house of off them just so they will not move into the neighborhood. In the play A Raisin in the Sun one of the many issues the YoungerRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin1278 Words   |  6 Pages A Raisin In The Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a realistic fictional drama in which the play s title and the characters represent the play s theme. The play focused on black American struggles to reach the American Dream of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness during the 1950’s and the 1960’s. The idea of everyone having the chance to achieve a better life should exist for all. Hansberry created her title using a line from Langston Hughes’ poem â€Å"A Dream Deferred† the original poem wasRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin869 Words   |  4 Pagesand I pass them cool quiet looking restaurants where them white boys are sitting back and talking bout things†¦sitting there turning deals worth millions of dollars†¦sometimes I see guys don’t look much older than me’’- (1.2.226). A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry was published in 1959, develops the plot of an African American family facing a war against racism in the slums of Chicago. They are a family of 5 squeezed in a two-bedroom apartment, they are restricted socially and financially withRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin1995 Words   |  8 Pages In A Raisin in the Sun, Lorraine Hansberry utilizes the insurance check to symbolize the American Dream as the check provides the members of Younger family with the opportunity to achieve their aspirations. The concept of the check reveals Walter’s and Mama’s perceptions of themselves and of their lifestyle, and their responses to the check reveals their contrasting approaches for escaping their impoverished world; therefore, Walter’s and Mama’s characteristics and reaction to the arrival of theRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Of The Sun1527 Words   |  7 Pagesâ€Å"A Raisin in the Sun† is about the Younger Family who live in a small apartment in Chicago. The family is torn apart as every member has different dreams and goals, yet Mama and her daughter-in-law Ruth desperately attempt to hold the family all together. In both the movie and the play, the family’s dreams remain the same. Mama wants her family to get along and she wants t o purchase a house. Her son, Walter, wants the life insurance money from his father to invest in a liquor store to achieve hisRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin Essay1445 Words   |  6 Pages A Raisin in the Sun is a dramatic play written by Lorraine Hansberry in 1957 and debut on Broadway in 1959. Lorraine Hansberry used the title A Raisin in the Sun from Harlem A Dream Deferred a poem by Langston Hughes, Which ponders the question of what happens to a dream if it’s never achieved. The play helps shed light on the lives and struggles of a black family during the Civil Rights movement. The play was set in the Southside of Chicago during the Civil Rights movement, sometime between 1945Read MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin982 Words   |  4 Pagesauthor is talking about, it is better to ask them directly in person, but the unfortunate part is that they might be dead. In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, the author, Lorraine Hansberry, choose to name her play from a famous poem by Langston Hughes. It is difficult to really know why she choose Hughes’ poem but there are reasons to infer. Lorraine Hansberry choose to name her play after Langston Hughes’ poem because of what the poem meant and that poem closely related to the characters within theRead MoreLorraine Hansberry s A Raisin975 Words   |  4 Pagesin televisions, magazines and newspaper ads. As poor blacks invest their life’s work in trying and subsequently failing to achieve this imaginary dream, they end up devouring any sense propriety remaining in their life; the play A Raisin in The S un by Lorraine Hansberry exemplifies this tragedy. In the play Lena Younger and her family was rewarded ten thousand dollars of life insurance money, which is a lot of money for a family of their socioeconomic class. With that kind of money the Youngers dreamt