“The aim of life is self-development. To realize one’s own nature perfectly – that is what each of us is here for” (Wilde 20). This statement sets an ironic tone for Oscar Wilde’s novel, The Picture of Dorian Gray. In the beginning of the novel, Dorian Gray’s mind is a blank slate. However, as the … Read more
“Mine first… Mine last… Mine even in the grave. ” As opinionated by Louisa May Alcott is a comment perfectly fitting for a novel like Wuthering Heights. Riddled with passionate and obsessive love along with deeply motivated thirst of revenge and a disturbing lack of identity shown by Catherine, Wuthering Heights has earned the title … Read more
Unavoidable Darkness Darkness prevails in all humans. It is an inevitable trait that people choose to let shine or keep hidden. The dark is usually a private matter, however, when in frightening or dire situations, the darkness overtakes others. The dark is not only shown through real life humans, but also in imaginary literary characters … Read more
Catherine has spent a lot of her time reading Gothic novels and wondering what it would be like to be a Gothic heroine. She even gets experience of the Gothic during the storm her first night at Northanger Abbey, when she wonders what is in the chest and the cabinet in her room. It is … Read more
Insanity, arguably one of the most complex topics to talk about and is very difficult to prove or disprove in the court of law. Over the years though, this problem began to spring up in court as mentally unstable people were being thrown in prison so the insanity defense was created. This insanity defense is … Read more
In The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray leads a selfish and vain life. After his wish for eternal beauty is granted, Dorian’s vanity is fed by the admiration of his peers. In direct correlation of his increased ego, Dorian’s actions and treatment of others is self-serving. His vanity and selfish lifestyle begin to take … Read more
Poe’s dark and macabre stories give the readers a sense of tension, and uneasiness, but they provide insight into his cruel life. Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Black Cat” discusses Poe’s tormenting feelings, and delves within his affliction that is alcoholism, and how that disease creates a monster inside of him. Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart” … Read more
Dashing heroes and horrific monsters fill the worlds of Gothic writers. These stories and characters inspired generations of writers to come, illuminating the literary world with a haunting light yet to be seen. The morbid curiosity of humanity can only last so long, however; especially when such Gothic fiction comes too close to reality. Gothic … Read more
God in Exodus is kind of presented as a mixed bag in the sense that he is not a super-human with an exaggerated personality and superpowers; but he also isn’t all-present, all knowing, and universal yet. He has a bit of a humanistic side to him: “After a long time the king of Egypt died. … Read more
The Victorian era is considered by many to be a period of intense sexual repression, as expressed in Sexualities in Victorian Britain: ‘the Victorians were notorious as the great enemies of sexuality; indeed, in Freud’s representative account, sexuality sometimes seems to be whatever it was that the middle-class Victorian mind attempted to hide, evade, repress, … Read more
Monsters can direct anyone on a fantasy adventure, daring and breathtaking. Try to escape into a world, book, or dream with a monster. The options are all there, if one is dauntless to take this one time experience. Although, humans fear to further investigate what traits constitute a monster. But when labeling someone as a … Read more
Name three characters that may appear in the mini-short story you will write for this lesson. List four traits or characteristics for each of them. Wet Shoes – A baby born to a young couple. She is unable to speak except to the reflection that she sees in The River. Loyal to the one who … Read more
Theme Of Madness In Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde The theme of ‘madness’ is demonstrated in the both The strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde’ by R. L. Stevenson and The Tell-tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe. Both authors utilise the gothic genre to show the impact of madness to their central character. … Read more
One sunny morning in Cleveland, Ohio, a homeless man receives a gift of new shoes from an honorable stranger. Yet at the same time, a young man robs a bank, and an innocent woman is shot at random. Humanity has positive aspects, such as people doing righteous acts towards other human beings, but also sadly … Read more
