Reality Essays

This paper was motivated by, on the one hand, an interest in the work of William S. Burroughs, a rogue literary figure par excellence, and, on the other hand, the wish to investigate the ways in which literature can subvert society’s mainstream values and norms. The research I conducted has therefore sought to cover those […]

In the movie “O Brother, Where Art Thou? ”, issues that pertain to racial supremacy such as the existence of the Klu Klux Klan are fleetingly exposed whereas the larger theme that revolve around racial issues lay hidden in the context of the adventures of the three main characters throughout the story. The recurring attempts […]

Magic is the best illusion that a person can have. Not everyone believes in magic, there are only few people who would take their time in knowing and realizing such illusion. Among the people all over the world, perhaps, there are only a number from the large population of human beings who believes n magic. […]

The realist theory, founded by Hans Morgenthau, Arnold Wolfers, Kenneth Thomson, E. H. Carr and Georg Schwarzenberger, is based on the will to consider man and social relations, and most particularly political relations, a state of affairs rather than ideal. Not wanting to diminish the importance and necessity of the building of a pacifist and […]

In his writing, Wilfred Owen concentrates on depicting the war experience from a soldier’s perspective. By presenting a personal account, Owen effectively communicates an authentic and vivid portrayal of what war is truly like. Despite the unfamiliarity of war to some readers, Owen brings its reality to life by emphasizing the real and raw human […]

Robert Altman’s Subliminal Reality is written by Robert T. Self, an English professor at Northern Illinois. Self gives the most extensive evaluation of Altman’s work and its value to the industry and the American culture. In Subliminal Reality, Self talks about Altman’s unconventional approach to cinema and its effect on the subconscious mind of the […]

Justin Daering examines the Moviegoing Audience during the 1950s. Between 1948 and 1969, the film industry experienced significant changes due to economic struggles and uncertainty, which were the most drastic alterations since its inception. Film historians, Robert Ray and Tino Balio, offer differing opinions on the cause of the economic downfall of Hollywood and its […]

The fascinating American Civil War has continued to captivate scholars for almost 140 years. The conflict, where brother fought against brother, one group fighting to maintain the Union while the other stood up for their rights, holds a direct relation to today’s population. The ultimate popularity of ceaseless Civil War studies is largely influenced by […]

A consistent theme manifested by many of the trench poets was one of detachment which separated those at war from those at home. Although both soldiers and civilians were united in feeling at the start of the war, this patriotism soon faltered as the soldiers realised the truth of war. However, a gulf was created […]

This is a line taken from a draft war poem by Wilfred Owen written before he realised the true horror and reality of war; entitled ‘The ballad of Peace and War’. This poem contrasted strangely with his later work, when he wrote of how the fake glamour of war leads to unbelievable suffering. As a […]

The extract from ‘Strange Meeting’ reveals the British public’s scant awareness of the true horrors of World War I. In comparison to Vera’s letter to Roland in ‘Letters from a Lost Generation’, it appears that while the British public was more aware of the reality of war, there was still little understanding of the emotional […]

Etienne Bonnot De Condillac writes in An Essay on the Origin of Human Knowledge that “in order to develop the real cause of the progress of the imagination, contemplation and memory, we must inquire what assistance these operations derive from the use of signs” (51). Condillac speculates that the senses, used to recognize signs, lead […]

In the Pale View of the Hills, there are lots of characters that have to deal with the discrepancies between their expectations of the past and the reality. I will discuss how Ogata-San, Etsuko, Sachiko, Keiko, and Mrs Fujiwara deal with their discrepancies. These characters either evade or learn to accept them in different ways. […]

In the play ‘The Glass Menagerie’, the characters Tom, Laura, and Amanda are all trying to escape reality and live in a world of their own. They are struggling with their own illusions and Jim O’Connor, the man whom Amanda hopes will marry Laura, appears briefly in the play as a reminder of the reality […]

Although Cecily’s understanding of memory may be somewhat simplistic, she does make a valid argument about its tendency to alter past events and imbue them with our personal perspectives and emotions. The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is essentially a play that delves into memories and is narrated in retrospect by character Tom Wingfield. Despite […]

Tennessee Williams, one of America’s greatest expressionist playwrights, utilizes various dramatic devices and imagery in the initial scenes of ‘The Glass Menagerie,’ using writing as an escape from reality. Tennessee Williams’ expressionist style adds emotional depth to his plays by presenting reality from a unique perspective without completely rejecting realism. This approach creates a more […]

Appearance is a noticeable aspect of something or somebody, appearance can create different impressions depending on who is observing. Almost the opposite is reality, actual being or existence, as opposed to an imaginary, idealized, or false nature (taken from dictionary). We should not judge, take opinions of people or anything only on their appearances. For […]

After a heated argument the previous night, she sat in silence for the first ten miles of their drive, pale-faced and consumed with guilt. Meanwhile, he focused on the winding road ahead, fully aware of her inner turmoil. The woman had spent weeks planning and looking forward to their weekend getaway. Referring to her planned […]

The Matrix is an excellent and very successful film. It is not a normal action-thriller film, but has introduced its own genre to us. The genre includes sci-fi, action, futuristic enhancements and another level of computer generation. The Matrix is structured by a series of questions. The questions raise philosophical and moral points, just like […]

I will be looking closely at matrix a 1999 science fiction film that illustrates the future, and refers to the present world that we live in as the ‘matrix’, based on an imitation of reality created by machines and artificial intelligent. The brief story outline of the film is that Morepheus is a human freed […]

Siegfried Kracauer’s writings on film, and his outline of the decline of a common cultural foundation based on religious beliefs, are rooted in his attempt to soothe a culture that he describes as disoriented and fractured. Kracauer, along with Benjamin and Adorno, are essentially humanists, and their critiques and analyses of the workings of mass […]

Sartre’s paradox on freedom is an integral part of his philosophy and has been investigated by various critics of note. However, such discussion is not simply confined to the field of philosophy having also been of influence in that of psychology. Thus in writing this essay, not discounting the philosophical merit of the work, I […]