Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story Essay Example for Free

Theme and Narrative Elements in the Short Story Essay The short story of Little Red Riding Hood is a simple to understand child’s tale and clearly portrays the deceitfulness of appearance. The story is clearly organized with characters and symbols of innocence by a child and the sly dangers represented by a wolf. Throughout the story we see the characters build more of a persona of innocence and evil. It is stated by Cassady, M. (1991), â€Å"Symbolism plays a large part in Identity and Difference.† This is seen a lot and very clearly with the oblivious thoughts of Red Riding Hood and the singular objective of the wolf constantly reminded throughout the story. The characters add to the theme and the theme is portrayed though these characters. The theme of Little Red Riding Hood is made clearer and understanding in many ways. In the original short story there are clear references to what the clear idea is behind the theme. These are pointed out and recognized by asking simple questions even supported through the text. Clungston, R. (2010), â€Å"How does the writer use setting to narrow the underlying idea? How do characters make particular aspects of the underlying idea clear? How does conflict reveal the strength or worth of the underlying idea?† These are questions more clearly defined in this story than could be found in many others. The most clear and obvious would be the characters. The antagonist being represented as a mischievous and blood thirsty wolf gave a clear view on the danger posed against the young and innocent Little Red Riding Hood. The little fun loving child was also a character who added to the theme, making it clear there was an innocent victim. Along with the presence of the characters there is a clear instance of conflict making the theme clearer. In the short story there was a most noted and memorable moment when the wolf and Little Red Riding Hood reunited without Red Riding Hood knowing she was in the presence of the wolf. The famous lines in the story written by l’Oye (1697), â€Å"Grandmother, what big arms you have! All the better to hug you with, my dear. Grandmother, what big legs you have! All the better to run with, my child. Grandmother, what big ears you have! All the better to hear with, my child. Grandmother, what big eyes you have! All the better to see with, my child. Grandmother, what big teeth you have got! All the better to eat you up with.† Said and repeated, this became one of the most notorious childhood short stories to ever exist. This conflict showed the adolescence of the child and the trust she put into the wolf’s words. As these go on it becomes more obvious the appearance of Little Red Riding Hood’s grandmother become less resembling to how Little Red Riding Hood know her to appear. This is where â€Å"looks can be deceiving† seems to be most appropriately referenced. In the story of Little Red Riding Hood the child character had no knowledge of not talking to the stranger wolf, which led to her and her grandmother’s peril. . The story has the intertwining relations between the characters and their symbolism in the story. As the little child frolics and plays with butterflies and picks up nuts to enjoy the wolf tears through the woods to be sure not to lose out on his opportunity to feast. This is the image brought to the reader of the characters and heightened by the influences of the child being a child and the wolf being a wolf. Cassady, M. (1991) also states, â€Å"the characters are symbols as well as individuals† this explain our predicted image of the characters and the importance of why these two characters have to be who they are to make a clear statement in the story. Without the presence of these characters or the manifestation of the theme, neither would exist without the other to create the effect this story created. This is symbolism and character created strongest in the story of Little Red Riding Hood.

Charitty Royal :: essays research papers

Charity Royall displays both self indulgence and self control. Judge Royall represented law and structure in her life. He was the one sure thing that she had. He was her only monetary means of survival and without him she would not be were she is or would not have a place to stay, food to eat, or clothes to wear. Then on the other hand there was Lucius Harney, who represented everything else in her life. Excitement, adventure, fun, and finally the ability to fulfill and longtime dream of being with a sophisticated person some one that was not from North Dormer the town that she despised so much.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Judge Royall was the only father figure she ever had. He made a promise to her jail bound father to give Charity a better life. He drove all night to find Charity up in the mountain; she knows that and because of that she feels some what compelled to stay with him so that he is not lonely. â€Å"Charity ‘felt softness in her heart’ in knowing that he drove all night to fetch her from the mountain (266)†. She knows that she runs his household and that he cannot be with out her because all in all she is the only person that he has.   Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   In spite of everything†¦Lawyer Royall ruled in North Dormer; and Charity ruled in Lawyer Royall’s house. She had never put it to herself in those terms; but she had known her power, knew what it was made of and hated it. (p. 146) The same though goes for her. He is the only one that she has. When he was going to send her to boarding school he decides not to send her. After he decides not to send her away at all, Charity, who is always â€Å"sick of North Dormer† (22) is disappointed but finally understand his decision: â€Å"He and she, face to face in that sad house, had sounded the depths of isolation; and though she felt no particular affection for him, and not the slightest gratitude, she pitted him because she was conscious that he was superior to the people about him and that she was the only being between him and solitude. (P.5) This tells the reader that although he â€Å"rescued† her from the mountain that is not why she feels compelled to stay with him. She knows that because she is there physically (she really is not there emotionally) he does not fell alone in the world.

Good Writing Essay

You know it when you see it. It is not that hard to tell whether a piece of writing is good or bad, you just have to read it. And it is pretty important to be able to discern the difference, if you ask me. But things get more challenging if you have to explain why it is good. You might be called upon to write a report at school or you may fancy communicating your ideas online via a blog. And, of course, a well written CV with no spelling or grammatical mistakes is essential if you want a new job. Writing skills are an important part of communication and they have to be developed, since it is used in many areas of our daily life. Good writing allows you to communicate your message with clarity and ease to a far larger audience than through face-to-face or telephone conversations. â€Å"If you want to write well†¦ read, read, and then read some more. Read good writing. Read bad writing. Learn to know the difference. Note for simplicity of style: noun, verb, object; noun, verb, object. It worked for Hemingway, who often said that his ultimate goal was to create the perfect sentence. Read some Hemingway, and not just his novels, but some of his early newspaper writing. There’s never been better news and feature writing, ever. When you read the works of these and other fine writers, notice the simplicity of their language and how they vary their sentence structure and length. Some sentences number two or three words; others run an entire paragraph. There are countless tips on writing well, but I leave you with this one: read first, then write. † –Bill Reed Therefore, you need to take into account the next steps to produce good writing (in no particular order): 1. Clarity and focus: in good writing, everything makes sense and readers don’t get lost or have to reread passages to figure out what’s going on. Focused writing sticks with the plot or core idea without running off on too many tangents. 2. Organization: a well-organized piece of writing is not only clear, it’s presented in a way that is logical and aesthetically pleasing. You can tell non-linear stories or place your thesis at the end of an essay and get away with it as long as your scenes or ideas are well ordered. 3. Ideas and themes: is the topic of your paper relevant? Does your story come complete with themes? Can the reader visualize your poem? For a piece of writing to be considered well crafted, it has to contain clearly identifiable ideas and themes. 4. Voice: this is what sets you apart from all other writers. It’s your unique way of stringing words together, formulating ideas, and relating scenes or images to the reader. 5. Language (word choice): we writers can never underestimate or fail to appreciate our most valuable tools — words. Good writing includes smart word choices and well-crafted sentences. 6. Grammar and style: many writers would wish this one away, but for a piece of writing to be considered good (let alone great), it has to follow the rules of grammar (and break those rules only when there’s a good reason). Style is also important in ensuring that a piece of writing is clear and consistent. Make sure you keep a grammar book and style guide handy. 7. Credibility or believability: nothing says bad writing like getting the facts wrong or misrepresenting oneself. In fiction, the story must be believable (even if it’s impossible), and in nonfiction, accurate research can make or break a writer. 8. Thought-provoking or emotionally inspiring: perhaps the most important quality of good writing is how the reader responds to it. Does she come away with a fresh perspective and new ideas? Does he close the cover with tears in his eyes or a sense of victory? How readers react to your work will fully determine your success as a writer. 9. Sentence Fluency that is smooth and expressive: Fluent sentences are easy to understand and fun to read with expression. 10. Use transitional expressions to help readers understand where your message is going. Common transitional expressions include therefore, consequently, however, then, first, next, and although. To have a good writing not only is necessary to not make mistakes, but to follow some steps to enrich the work. And to achieve that, you need to have qualities in terms of patience and organization. In other words, a good writing is a complicated process that takes time. But if you follow the guidelines that are set out it will be easy and successful. For that reason, is very important to practice writing. ——————————————– [ 1 ]. Peha, Steve. Looking for Quality in Student Writing. Teaching That Makes Sense. 2003 . [ 2 ]. Writing Skills. SkillsYouNeed. 2012 . [ 3 ]. Reed, Bill. Developing Good Writing Skills. Academic Tips. 2008 . [ 4 ]. Donovan, Melissa. Eight Characteristics of Good Writing. Writing Forward. 2012 .

Understanding Celibacy, Abstinence, and Chastity

The word â€Å"celibacy† is typically used to refer to a voluntary decision to remain unmarried or to abstain from engaging in any sexual activity, usually for religious reasons. While the term celibacy is typically used in reference only to persons who choose to remain unmarried as a condition of sacred religious vows or convictions, it can also apply to the voluntary abstinence from all sexual activity for any reason. While they are often used interchangeably, celibacy, abstinence, and chastity are not exactly the same. Key Terms Celibacy is a voluntary choice to remain unmarried or engage in any form of sexual activity, usually in order to fulfill a religious vow. A person who practices celibacy is said to be â€Å"celibate.† Abstinence is also called â€Å"continence† and is the often-temporary strict avoidance of all forms of sexual activity for any reason.Chastity, from the Latin word castitas, meaning â€Å"purity,† embraces abstinence as a praiseworthy virtue according to the prevailing social standards of morality. Celibacy is generally  recognized as a voluntary choice to remain unmarried or engage in any form of sexual activity, usually in order to fulfill a religious vow. In this sense, one can accurately be said to be practicing sexual abstinence as a condition of his or her vow of celibacy. Abstinence — also called continence — refers to the often temporary strict avoidance of all forms of sexual activity for any reason. Chastity is a voluntary lifestyle that involves far more than abstaining from sexual activity. Coming from the Latin word castitas, meaning â€Å"purity,† chastity embraces abstinence from sexual activity as a praiseworthy and virtuous quality according to the standards of morality held by a person’s particular culture, civilization, or religion. In modern times, chastity has become associated with sexual abstinence, particularly before or outside of marriage or other type of exclusively committed relationship. Celibacy and Sexual Orientation The concept of celibacy as a decision to remain unmarried applies to both traditional and same-sex marriage. Similarly, the lifestyle restrictions implied by the terms abstinence and chastity refer to both heterosexual and gay sexual activity. In the context of celibacy related to religion, some gay people choose to be celibate in keeping with their religion’s teachings or doctrine on gay relationships. In an amendment adopted in 2014, the American Association of Christian Counselors banned the promotion of the largely discredited process of conversion therapy for gay persons, encouraging the practice of celibacy instead. Celibacy in Religion In the context of religion, celibacy is practiced in different ways. Most familiar of these is the mandatory celibacy of male and female members of the active clergy and monastic devotees. While most female religious celibates today are Catholic nuns living in residential cloisters, there have been notable solitary celibate female figures, such the anchoress — a female hermit — Dame Julian of Norwich, born in 1342. In addition, religious celibacy is sometimes practiced by laypersons or clergy members in a faith not requiring it out of devotion or to allow them to perform certain religious services. Brief History of Religiously-Motivated Celibacy Derived from the Latin word caelibatus, meaning â€Å"state of being unmarried,† the concept of celibacy has been acknowledged by most major religions throughout history. However, not all religions have acknowledged it favorably. Ancient Judaism strongly rejected celibacy. Similarly, early Roman polytheistic religions, practiced between about 295 B.C.E. and 608 C.E., held it to be an aberrant behavior and imposed severe fines against it. The emergence of Protestantism around 1517 CE saw a rise in the acceptance of celibacy, although the Eastern Orthodox Catholic Church never adopted it. The attitudes of the Islamic religions regarding celibacy have also been mixed. While the Prophet Muhammad denounced celibacy and recommended marriage as a commendable deed, some Islamic sects embrace it today. In Buddhism, most ordained monks and nuns choose to live in celibacy believing it to be one of the prerequisites to reaching enlightenment. While most people associate religious celibacy with Catholicism, the Catholic Church actually imposed no requirement of celibacy on its clergy for the first 1,000 years of its history. Marriage remained a matter of choice for Catholic bishops, priests, and deacons until the Second Lateran Council of 1139 mandated celibacy for all members of the clergy. As a result of the Council’s decree, married priests were required to give up either their marriage or their priesthood. Faced with this choice, many priests left the church. While celibacy remains a requirement for Catholic clergy today, an estimated 20% of Catholic priests worldwide are believed to be legally married. Most married priests are found in the Catholic Churches of Eastern nations like the Ukraine, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic. While these churches recognize the authority of the Pope and the Vatican, their rituals and traditions more closely follow those of the Eastern Orthodox Church, which had never embraced celibacy. Reasons for Religious Celibacy How do religions justify mandatory celibacy? No matter what they are called in a given religion, the â€Å"priest† is exclusively trusted to perform the sacred function of communicating the needs of the people to God or other heavenly power. The efficacy of the priesthood is based on the congregation’s trust that the priest is properly qualified and possesses the ritual purity necessary to speak to God on their behalf. Religions that require it of their clergy consider celibacy to be a prerequisite for such ritual purity. In this context, religious celibacy is likely to have been derived from ancient taboos that viewed sexual power as vying with religious power, and the sex act itself as having a polluting effect on priestly purity.   Reasons for Non-Religious Celibacy For many people who do so, choosing a celibate lifestyle has little or nothing to do with an organized religion. Some may feel that eliminating the demands of sexual relationships allows them to better focus on other important aspects of their lives, like career advancement or education. Others may have found their past sexual relationships to have been particularly unfulfilling, damaging, or even painful. Still others choose to abstain from sex out of their unique personal beliefs of what is â€Å"proper behavior.† For example, some people may choose to adhere to the morality-based tradition of abstaining from sex outside of marriage. Beyond personal beliefs, other celibates consider abstinence from sex to be the only absolute method of avoiding sexually-transmitted diseases or unplanned pregnancies. Outside of religious vows and obligations, celibacy or abstinence is a matter of personal choice. While some may consider a celibate lifestyle extreme, others may consider it liberating or empowering. Sources and Further Reference OBrien, Jodi. â€Å".†Encyclopedia of Gender and Society, Volume 1 SAGE. pp. 118–119, 2009. Olson, Carl. â€Å"Celibacy and Religious Traditions.† Oxford University Press, 2007. Buehler, Stephanie. â€Å".†What Every Mental Health Professional Needs to Know About Sex Springer Publishing Company, 2013. Ott, Mary A. and Santelli, John S. â€Å"Abstinence and abstinence-only education.† Current Opinion in Obstetrics and Gynecology, 2007, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5913747/.â€Å"What Is the Law of Chastity? ChurchofJesusChrist.org. https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/manual/chastity/what-is-the-law-of-chastity?langeng.Taylor, Jeremy. â€Å"Of Chastity.† Holy Living. Chapter II, Section III,  http://www.anglicanlibrary.org/taylor/holyliving/09chap2sect3.htm.