Thematic Statements: Gentlemen, Your Verdict; Journey Home; The Fall of a City; A Few Notes for Orpheus - Essay Example

?Unit 2: Part one – Thematic ments Gentlemen, Your Verdict The laws and ethical s of conduct usually apply universally with respect to deciding on courses of action that would benefit the greatest good for the greatest number of people. The short story entitled Gentlemen, Your Verdict, written by Michael Bruce proffered pertinent issues that question the decision made by a commanding officer facing the dilemma of risking the lives of all men, as against a few. The story evolved from the tragedy that befell the crew of a submarine that exploded apparently due to colliding with a magnetic mine while traveling on a trial cruise off Stein Point. The setting was in a courtroom where the survivors narrated the events that led to the demise of fifteen men who unknowingly drank a poison-laden whisky. The conflict that faced Lieutenant-Commander Oram, the submarine’s commanding officer was deciding on the best course of action given that there were 21 men on board with potential rescue team to arrive within one week’s time and with only two-days’ air supply for everybody to survive. The commanding officer arranged for five married men with families to endure prior to the rescue team’s arrival, enough to consume and subsist with the remaining air supply. The author thereby challenged the readers to determine whether the commanding officer’s action justifies sacrificing the lives of many in order to allow a few to live and survive. Journey Home People who have left their childhood homes manifest diverse sentiments and reactions on returning, depending on the memories that transpired. In Journey Home by W.T. Duncan, the narrator was initially set at a backdrop of a train trip back to his hometown; reminiscing on the last conversation had had with his sister. The short story unfolded into the intricate experiences of the journey having to contend with two conversing passengers, hopefully trying to engage his participation. One passenger was predominantly noisy and overbearing. The discussions perused controversial topic of the existence of warlocks and witches as residents of the narrator’s native land. The theme of the story therefore was trying to prove the authenticity of warlocks and witches through ordinary conversations that, in this narration, happened along the journey home. The blatant passenger’s persistently annoying colloquy proved utterly disastrous as the narrator’s patience was put to the test. The only effective solution to the narrator’s conundrum was to cast his magic spell and turned the passenger into a fat green toad. Readers are actually effectively lured into different emotional appeals from surprise, alarm, fear, dazzle and amazement. Readers are thereby forewarned to exercise due diligence and discretion in arriving at hasty conclusions and imposing annoying tactics to verify the authenticity of tales and folklores; as one could never know what it would take to prove them. The Fall of a City Children have manifested an array of coping mechanisms in response to different emotions and scenarios. For a twelve-year old boy, Teddy, the main character in the short story written by Alden Nowlan entitled ‘The Fall of a City’, his creation of an illusionary world exemplifies creativity and vivid imagination, a natural trait of children his age. Living with his uncle and auntie, readers could surmise that Teddy was left under their legal guardianship and custody for undisclosed reasons. The loneliness and emptiness felt by Teddy was coped through creating an imaginary world of royalty and far-away kingdom under sagas besieged by wars. Through the visionary city, Teddy was able to feel different emotions of excitement, facing challenges, hoping for victory and triumph amidst his loneliness and distress. The dilemma was expounded by the author in terms of the uncle and auntie’s observation regarding Teddy’s distant stance and the manifestation of an out-of-this world experience, where his mind wanders far. To ensure that the boy was not into serious mischief that could endanger his life or the security of the home, his uncle discovered the endeavor taking Teddy’s precious time. The reaction of his uncle that exposed his apocryphal illusion brought Teddy back to reality. In total dismay and embarrassment for being touted as playing with paper dolls, Teddy decided to destroy the city he tediously built, the legendary kingdom used as a recluse for his solitary and empty life. The story has proven that children’s vivid imagination are mechanisms to cope with adversities and put excitement in a world where adults see life as plain and simple as reality leads them to be. A Few Notes for Orpheus The short story written by Don Baily entitled ‘A Few Notes for Orpheus’ is a heartwarming narrative that delved into resolving crucial issues between a father and a son. The narrator, Orpheus, received a distressed call from his mother requesting him to visit them in their cottage that weekend. The reason for the urgent request was to spend some precious time with his father, diagnosed for cancer. Faced with grueling emotions ranging from seeing death as transforming people to statues to being indifferent to bonding and social relationships, Orpheus agreed to accede to his mother’s appeal. Taking his daughter, Bernice could symbolize a wake-up call for both Orpheus and his father, who were faced with the danger of Bernice being drowned from falling off the boat while fishing. The theme of the story was actually how people could live under pretenses – not divulging emotions nor communicating true feelings – leading relationships to drift apart. Due to the precarious incident that nearly took the little girl’s life, the man who Orpheus perceived as distant with a polite smile finally acknowledged that the reason for his reserved stance was to manifest an air of privacy, more precious to him than anything else. In so doing, his only son, left him alone on his quest for a private and secluded life that contributed to their loneliness. From this experience, the few notes for Orpheus were his old man’s admission that his privacy made him a selfish man that made him loose the very opportunity to share a life with his son. His father wanted him to change for the better. Unit 2: Part Two – Literary Exploration Essay Most of the time, people realize important lessons in life only when faced with difficult and challenging situations. People fail to appreciate a love one while they are together and only realize mistakes when that special someone is gone: has drifted away, has followed a separate path, or has suddenly died. It usually takes a formidable event for people to come to their senses and admit that change should be applied. The lesson learned from the short story written by Don Baily entitled “A Few Notes for Orpheus” when the main character, the narrator, Orpheus realized that by leading a private and solitary life, he actually misses opportunities to share relevant experiences and memories with people he loves. Like me, I sometimes have tendencies to prioritize complying with a multitude of endeavors and activities that I fail to take time off to spend with my family and loved ones. Only when one is faced with the reality of separation or death are we reminded to look closely into our lives to reflect on the quality spent on building relationships, rather than avoiding responsibilities that go with them. In an excerpt from “A Few Notes for Orpheus”, the only time that he found the time to visit his parents was when his mother called to inform him that his father was diagnosed with cancer and wanted him to visit them in their cottage that weekend. His memories of his father were therefore distant and cold, wanting of expressing emotions. Orpheus remembered a ballgame at Maple Leaf Stadium when he had to go to the bathroom but his father’s priority was not to miss the game instead of being concerned with the welfare of his son. In the end, as a seven year old boy, he was lost (and possible afraid) but ended up feeling embarrassed for not having found his way back to his father. His father actually manifested prioritizing his privacy above everything else. The negative feelings and emotions surfaced predominantly that built a wall in their relationship instead of a link or a bridge. Like the narrator, Orpheus, one now realized that it usually takes a problematic situation to rouse oneself to appreciate the significance of relationships. I tend to regard my parents as generally doing well engulfed in their own lives and busy with their own activities. As I have focused on achieving personal and professional goals, the priority is to design strategies that aim to attain these defined objectives. In the process, too much time, resources and efforts are spent for one’s personal interests at the expense of other people who are just waiting for me to lend a helping hand, an eager ear, a crying shoulder, or an undivided unselfish attention. In conclusion, the diversity of contemporary pursuits becomes more intricate and complex that I am trapped in a web of unending responsibilities and tasks. Relationships are regarded as secondary with the premise that the people I love most will understand. Parents, most especially, are the dearest persons one must spend ample time with just to let them know that one continues to care and love them. The family that we eventually become a part of – spouse and children – expect a symbiotic relationship spanning time and distance. The world evolves to achieve one’s interests and goals, giving selfish justification to respecting one’s privacy as paramount. Just like the experience of Orpheus, I hope I found not face the situation where I might be losing a loved one to realize that sharing my life with them should be my priority above everything else. Read More