Entitlement was a longstanding tradition in the Tudor dynasty, which began after the War of the Roses. Its effects on society are evident in the social interplay in As You Like It. For example, primogeniture as a social norm serves as a catalyst in the initial stages of the play. In Act I, Scene I, Orlando is arguing with Oliver about his right to a share of the family inheritance. In saying “Wilt thou lay hands on me, villain?” (Act 1, Scene 1, Line 52), Orlando not only shows his disdain towards those who are unjustly privileged, but also manifests the attitude of those who were not benefitting from primogeniture in 16^th century England. In terms of the play, Orlando’s declaration is one of many successive maxims that represent the invective spirit of the underprivileged. (Shakespeare, 2000)

In Act I, Scene III, of Troilus and Cressida, Ulysses makes a soliloquy about Troy and its history. He says:

“Commotion in the winds! Frights, changes, horrors,
Divert and crack, rend and deracinate,
The unity and married calm of states
Quite from their fixture! O, when degree is shak’d
Which is the ladder of all high designs,
The enterprise is sick! How could communities,
Degrees in schools, and brotherhoods in cities,
Peaceful commerce from dividable shores,
The primogenity and due of birth,
Prerogative of age, crowns, sceptres, laurels,
But by degree, stand in authentic place?”

Ulysses seems to assume that primogeniture is an essential element of the contemporary society. By calling this system of entitlement “the ladder of all high designs,” Shakespeare is making a commentary on not only the social norms of Troy, but also those of England. Shakespeare’s Additionally, Orlando’s confrontation of Oliver in Act I, Scene I, is comparable to the final question of Ulysses: “How could a society built solely on rules of decree remain solid from a sociopolitical standpoint?” (Shakespeare, 1958)

In As You Like It, Duke Frederick usurps the throne from his older brother, Duke Senior. This is somewhat of a role reversal in terms of primogeniture and could intuitively be interpreted as a vindication for the rights of the underprivileged and those who are at a loss by virtue of birthright. On the other hand, by birthright Oliver was granted the wealth of his deceased father, Sir Rowland de Boys, and Orlando was left with nothing. The contrasting scenarios that result from primogeniture in As You Like It are one of the many sets of contradictions that have given Shakespeare’s works the endurance to attract droves of literary scholars for centuries.

In Act I, Scene I, of Henry VI Part II, the Duke of York proclaims that:

“For that’s the golden mark I seek to hit.
Nor shall proud Lancaster usurp my right.
Nor hold the sceptre in his childish fist,
Nor wear the diadem upon his head,
Whose churchlike humors fit not for a crown.”

York’s hostility towards Lancaster is parallel to that of Oliver towards Orlando. Using the phrase “childish fist,” York communicates a strong sense of privilege based on age. Shakespeare’s portrayal of primogeniture in Henry VI Part II, specifically in York’s speech, is similar to his portrayal of primogeniture in As You Like It in that there are many contradicting elements that collide and initiate the plot. The idea of privilege based on age serves as a central theme in As You Like It and a catalyst in many of Shakespeare’s other works. (Shakespeare, 1923)

In an essay about crimes and accountability as Shakespearean themes and issues, Theodor Meron argues that times have changed and problems must be addressed in a different way today than they would have been in Elizabethan England. While, in 16^th century England, conventional wisdom might have been drawn from Shakespeare’s portrayal of royalty in Macbeth, such caricatures have run past their prime and must be reassessed. This would, by a similar argument, indicate that entitlement is not longer valid as a social norm, or if it is then it must be reevaluated. (Meron, 1998)

Entitlement functions as a catalyst by using an exiting conflict as a spark for plot development and character interplay. Without the norm of primogeniture, there may have never been a conflict between Oliver and Orlando, and thus Oliver may never have hated Orlando or converted after Orlando saved his life. Entitlement is both a part of the exposition and a part of the plot. It drives the characters to have the views they have and to act the way they do.

While many Shakespearean scholars may see the idea of entitlement from a sociopolitical point-of-view, it is notable that some of the characters in As You Like It may see themselves as entitled to love, rather than power. For instance, based on a contextual interpretation of his actions, one might also conclude that Orlando feels that he not only wants love, but deserves love. It is also notable that Orlando feels that he deserves Rosalind, a woman who is fairer and possibly taller than her counterpart, Celia. This sense of entitlement drives Orlando to post the poems on the trees in order to win what is rightfully his, love.

Jaques, in contrast, may feel a different sort of entitlement. While Orlando feels that he has a right to find joy in life, Jaques may feel that he has a right to find melancholy in life. In Act IV, Scene I, Jaques says that “I am so [melancholy]; I do love it better than laughing.” While this may be seen as a characterization of the ascetic Jaques, it must also be considered that he may see his morbid state as an expression of his god-given rights. The contrasting responses to and interpretations of the idea of entitlement drive the plot of As You Like It by creating a battleground between those who are priveleged and those who are not. (Shakespeare, 2000)

Touchstone may feel a sense of entitlement to love which is similar to that of Orlando. However, while Orlando feels entitled to the cream of the crop, in terms of women, Touchstone admits that he would be happy to have Audrey, a woman that he calls unpoetic (Act III, Scene 3, Lines 15-16) and foul (Act III, Scene 3, Line 37). This may be reflective of the role that he takes in the court; as the jester he may not feel that he is entitled to such treasures as Rosalind and Celia. (Shakespeare, 2000)

There is a subtle transition between concrete characters and abstract themes in the As You Like It. While the characters are clever in their dialogues and interchanges, it must be considered that every statement represents a part of the idea that they represent. Every phrase that leaves Touchstone’s lips must be taken to heart in contemplating the meaning of entitlement from both a literary and a sociopolitical standpoint. Every melancholy cry that Jaques proclaims must be analyzed for meaning and relevance to deeper themes that are portrayed through other characters in other areas of the text. Entitlement is a dominant theme in As You Like It and it serves as an important bridge between the characters and the meaning of the play.

In modern politics, the Democratic Party has endorsed certain entitlements that the Republican Party has condemned and vowed to abolish. These benefits would include benefits such as social security and health care. This raises the argument of whether or not success should be influenced by birthrights and privileges. This is a perfect example of how the basic contradictions portrayed in Shakespeare’s works have come into play centuries after his death. Entitlement has been a widely debated issue ever since birth-given privileges have influenced success.

Entitlement, from both a sociopolitical and a interpersonal perspective, is a key theme in Shakespeare’s As You Like It. It is important to realize the role that entitlement plays not only as a literary element, but also as an indicator of contemporary political views in contemporary Elizabethan society. For example, the variety in forms of expression and interpretation in terms of entitlement in As You Like It is indicative of a wide range of sociopolitical beliefs during the period. Through subliminal themes in the text and demonstrative dialogues between the characters, entitlement plays a vital role in the development and confirmation of As You Like It as a work of epic proportions.

Theme: Essential ideas to the book, or a unifying idea

Motif: A motif is a structure or literary device used to keep the plot moving, or inform readers of something

Symbol: A symbol is a real-life, concrete version of an abstract idea

Themes: Unchecked ambition: Macbeth starts out as a good fellow, but once the witches prophesy he will be king and his wife starts telling him Macbeth becomes deluded, and once he is king he has no legal system to stop him committing more crimes ; Absolute power corrupts absolutely: Macbeth commits a heinous crime to become king, but once he is in that position he commits many more terrible acts that add to his conscience, he runs Macduff out of the country and kills his family so that Macduff cannot speak or act against him, he kills his once close friend Banquo and tries to kill Banquo’s son so that Macbeth’s line will rule and not Banquo’s.

Motifs: Hallucinations: Macbeth’s hallucinations show the readers that he is not cut out to be a murderer and that he is slowly losing his sanity, they also reveal things that could not be revealed otherwise; Violence, Macbeth is one of the most violent plays (books for that matter, too) that I have read, Macbeth kills everyone, women and children and friends and family.

Symbols: The environment: when Macbeth does something bad storms brew, and when Hecate and the witches are around the weather acts up too, Duncan’s star horses ate each other and attacked their handlers.; Guilt and Blood: the blood symbolizes their guilt, with Lady Macbeth constantly washing her hands and Macbeth seeing bloody things.

Connecting Theme, Motif, and Symbol

Theme: Absolute Power

Motif: Violence

Symbol: Guilt/Blood

Relation between the three:

These all relate to each other because they all cause each other. When Macbeth becomes king he kills more and more thus: absolute power à violence, but the more Lady Macbeth and Macbeth kill the guiltier they get and the more insane and blood-ridden their lives become, leading to Absolute Power à Violence à Blood (Insanity and Guilt).

Motif exemplifying the theme and symbol:

As stated earlier in the relation section they are all interconnected. Violence leads to absolute power at the beginning and starts the whole cycle it is also this violence that creates Lady Macbeth syndrome. So, basically it all stems from this violence.

Meng Chiang-nu’s arduous expedition to the Great Wall demonstrates the physical dexterity required to achieve her objective by utilization of the Task archetype. Meng Chiang-nu travels through “cold” and “forlornly dismal” conditions in hope of delivering the paraphernalia to her husband (“Seeking Her Husband at the Great Wall” 1). For the safety of her husband, she braves the grueling trip to reach the Great Wall. Her taking of the peregrination indicates that she will endure hardships to get to her spouse. The old woman warns Meng Chiang-nu of the “mountains and rivers” in the journey ahead, but she continues, “no matter what the difficulty” (“Seeking Her Husband at the Great Wall” 2). Even though obstacles stand in the way, Meng Chiang-nu’s will is strong, and she continues her trek, demonstrating that she is not afraid of setbacks. Because she resolves to undertake the Task, consisting of multiple trials and obstacles, Meng Chiang-nu demonstrates her physical ability to succeed.

The Scapegoat archetype supports Meng Chiang-nu’s mental talent when she uses her husband’s funeral to expiate the Emperor’s sin of not honoring the deceased with a burial. When Meng Chiang-nu discovers at the end of her trek that her husband died, she changes an objective to revenge the “cruel emperor that caused nothing but misery to his subjects” (“Seeking Her Husband at the Great Wall” 3). Meng Chiang-nu realizes that her husband died without burial, a sin in Chinese culture, which prompts her to seek revenge. She fools the Emperor into giving her dead husband a proper funeral. After her husband was “properly buried” with all the Emperor’s “generals and courtiers” attending, she accomplishes her new secondary goal (“Seeking Her Husband at the Great Wall” 3). Her husband’s funeral follows the Scapegoat archetype because the ceremony unveils to what extent the Emperor will go to receive a concubine. Meng Chiang-nu’s ability to maneuver her wits to ruse the Emperor displays her mental sharpness, as she is a village woman that completely takes advantage of the high Emperor. Meng Chiang-nu’s quick thought of revenge and the usage of her husband’s funeral as a Scapegoat prove she possesses the psychological power to succeed.

Meng Chiang-nu’s transformation into a fish connects with the Transformation archetype because she is rewarded for her physical and mental prowess. Meng Chiang-nu transforms “into a fish” when she finished her goal, which signifies that the transformation was a result of her previous actions (“Seeking Her Husband at the Great Wall” 3). Her ruse preceded the alteration, confirming that it was her display of mental power that enabled the change. She turns into a “beautiful, silvery fish” when she jumps into the river after her husband received burial (“Seeking Her Husband at the Great Wall” 3). The use of “Beautiful” and “silvery” demonstrates that the transformation is a positive reward. Her ruse allowed the change, but the ruse was a direct result of the physical burden she had been through. Meng Chiang-nu’s transformation spawns from the skills she presented in the mind and body.

Through all her efforts, setbacks, and determination, Meng Chiang-nu succeeds by expressing both mental and physical skills. The utilization of the Task, Scapegoat, and Transformation archetypes prove that many situations often require a fit body and a sound mind. Almost all dilemmas in the average day require some sort of blending of mental and physical skills that get the job done. Without one or the other, a situation can be hardly done right. With some thinking and a bit of hard work, almost anything can be accomplished.

The two most important chapters of how to read lit like a college professor, that also relate to the novel Brave New World in any way, are chapters one and fourteen. Chapter one is about every novel containing a quest to be walked upon by a main character of the novel. Chapter fourteen talks about a Christ figure being in all novels, who, in any ways, resemble Jesus Christ from the Bible. The Christ figure of this novel being John the Savage, who does everything he can to prove to the people-like creatures that what he is saying is the truth. Albeit, that's what the whole novel was mainly about: truth, and conformism.

Our protagonist, Pip, comes form an extremely low class family which consists of himself, his sister and her husband Mr Joe Gargery. When he was young, Pip's parents died to their poverty and so he is forced to live with his sister. While he lives with his sister we see how he is constantly abused by her and physically hit by her "She concluded by throwing me." His sister's attitude is juxtaposed to her husbands as he often praises and sticks up for Pip. He also has an education unlike most people in his social class but the standard of the teaching is extremely poor we see this when Pip tries to write a letter to Joe to practice his English abilities "MI DEeR JO I oPe U R KR WItE" to this Joe only replied "My little Scholar" this again shows how Joe praises and gives pip the attention he needs. As we find out in the story Pip will soon have to become an apprentice to Joe as he would become of a legal age and people form his social class cannot afford further education. As Joes apprentice he would become a blacksmith which shows how children had to labour, the negative comments about this show that Dickens disliked the fact that young children had to work.

The character that mainly juxtaposes pip in terms of class is Miss Havisham. Miss Havisham represents the life of the upper class as she owns a big house and can afford luxurious things. When Pip first visited "Satis house" his ideas of what the upper class were like were shaken as we see him to believe them as people who live in big, majestic houses yet at "Satis house" he sees how the house is decaying "which was of old brick, and was old dismal" this shows that even though it was big like Pip had imagined it was not at all majestic like he thought. Once he entered the house his ideas were shaken even more as the interior of the house was extremely unfriendly and dark "the first thing I noticed was, that the passages were all dark," this shows that this is making a more lasting impression on Pip rather then what his original ideas were. As the passages were dark he started to fear Miss Havisham as he expected her to be more dark and evil, we can see this fear when he says "I answered, more in shyness than politeness, "After you, miss.'

Pip had prepared for this visit by having Mrs Joe wash him and giving him clean clothes. This shows how the lower class respected the upper class and wanted to show that they could be just like them even though they couldn't. When Pip finally sees Miss Havisham for the first time his impression was the she was "strangest lady I have ever seen, or shall ever see." This again shows how Pips stereotypical views of the rich had been completely reversed. When Miss Havisham commands Pip to "play" we can see how she has the idea of superiority because she is of a higher social status. The fact that she tells him to "play" also suggest that the lower class were there only for amusement. The message that Dickens is trying to tell the reader is that the Stereotypical views of the upper class are not always true and that in fact they are more morally robbed. We can see how Mrs Havisham has been held in the past; a prime example of this is that all the clocks in the house have stopped at the exact same time. Miss Havisham also tells Pip "I know nothing of the days of the days of the week" which implies that she isn't fully in touch with reality.

Estella is another character which shows the opposite side of the class system even though she is similar to Pip in the way that they are both orphans. Estella's first conversation with Mr Pumblechook is different from what we would expect from a book written around these times, as around that time children were taught to respect their elders yet she intentionally demeaned him. One prime example of Estella's demeaning of Mr Pumblechook is when he asks if Miss Havisham wanted to see him to which she replied "Ah but you see she doesn"t' this shows her cheekiness as she deliberately said that without second thought. The fact that Mr Pumblechook couldn't respond to this comment shows how her status had overpowered the fact that there was a significant age difference. This piece of dialogue could also suggest that she was a stereotypical high class person who treated people lower then her like dirt.

Estella constantly insults and commands Pip "common labouring boy," "don"t loiter' these quotes suggest again that she treated those who were socially beneath her like they were nothing more then animals. It also show how the social hierarchy worked in Victorian England as anyone of a high status seemed to have the imaginary power that they could command the lower class people to do anything. The way Pip responds to these insults "They had never troubled me before but they troubled me now, as vulgar appendages" this shows how even the lower class find themselves beneath those of a higher status as she starts insulting his clothes and Pips response, rather then defending himself was rather that he started to feel ashamed of himself. This shows the lack of self confidence the lower class people had but also showed that the upper class people needed to insult someone for them to feel powerful. We see soon enough that Estella was moulded into the cruel person she is by Miss Havisham who wanted her to "break his heart" this shows the cruelty the poor had to endure as Miss Havisham wanted revenge on the world yet she chose a lower class person to be her guinea pig. Dickens uses a variety of metaphors to show Pips desire for Estella, one such is "Estella"s light came down the dark passage like a star' this line shows how everything she touches in Pips eyes become wonderful but also the imagery of the light could symbolise Pip as a moth drawn to a flame.

After his visit to "Satis house" Pip started to become aware of the class system and how he was near the bottom of it. This knowledge made Pip start to resent and even hate his current life as he constantly says such things like "I wish you hadn"t taught me to call knaves at cards Jacks' and "I wish my boots weren"t so thick nor my hands so coarse.' These pieces of dialogue show Pips regret to the life that he had no choice of having. We see how Pip uses Joe as a scapegoat for the reason Estella doesn't like him as he starts to change his behaviour towards Joe and starts thinking of him as more of an obstacle between himself and the riches of the upper class. Before "Satis house" Pip had an extremely good relationship with Joe as he thought of him as a father and a friend. Pip stated that "“Joe and I being fellow sufferers" this shows how Pip talks about Joe more as a friend rather then a father yet because of Mrs Joe he also expects him to act as a father figure. After the events of "Satis house" we see how Pip's attitude has changed towards Joe "I am afraid I was ashamed of the dear good fellow. I know I was ashamed of him" shows how not only has Joe stopped becoming a friend but now he has become more of a hindrance towards Pip. We begin to notice how Joe and Mrs Joe are Pip's roots yet Miss Havisham and Estella are Pip's desires. This is even more complex when Estella provokes him to leave his roots and go for his desires by insulting him and giving him a reason to leave his roots behind.

The character of Biddy also gives insight to the theme of class as she represents Pip's origins. After "Satis house" Pip compares Biddy to Estella and realises how "Biddy was never insulting." Pip then soon began to tell Biddy about his desires, hopes and dreams this made him initially think that he was torn between the two worlds of class yet soon he realised that Biddy wasn't a person that he desired but rather a person that he confided with. Dickens uses these two girls to juxtapose the differences in the real class about how Biddy was poor but rich with morality and Estella was rich and poor of morality.

The novel is narrated by Pip in 2 different stages of his life. One was the young Pip that went to visit "Satis house" and another was a more older and mature version of Pip. These two Pips are shown as opposites and therefore give us a insight to Pips development as a character. Young Pip tells us how he desires Estella and was ashamed of Joe whilst the older Pip still desired Estella yet regretted his shame of Joe "home had never been a very pleasant place for me, because of my sister"s temper. But Joe had sanctified it'. This shows how his knowledge into life increase through time and how Pips self development has allowed him to realise the mistakes he had made in the past. Dickens tries to make the reader relate to Pip more so that they can understand the messages he is trying to give one such is how Miss Havisham calls Pip "boy" which shows how he was demeaned by the higher class which had happened to most people at the time. Another such example is the opening of chapter 1 where Pip runs into Magwich and shows his gullibility. He also tries showing his innocence so that Dickens can juxtapose it later with the more developed Pip.

Dickens' ideas on the relationships between classes as shown the strongest through Pip's visit to "Satis house." When Pip first goes to the house we see how the upper class treat him like he is there for entertainment. Dickens creates this view to show the rich as people who wanted to control and demean the other classes. Dickens' own life served as an influence on his ideas about the characters and this made the book seem more realistic. He also tries to use this book to get out a series of messages to the public which include desire as he feels that those who try hard enough will gain what they desire and also Education as Dickens never got a proper education and therefore wanted it to be easier for lower class people to gain an education. He also tries to promote the importance of family values through Pip's regret to his shame of Joe.

Overall the theme of class is mainly developed during Pip's visit to "Satis house" as it shows how Pip was never aware of social class until Estella started to make comments about Pip. After this visit we start to see Pips journey to better himself in hope that one day he will become higher class.

Watership Down is a story about over coming adversity. All the bunnies had admirable traits. Take Big Wig for instance. In order to get does for the warren, Hazel decided that Big Wig must pretend to be friends with the enemy. He had to join the efrafran owsla. This was highly dangerous and required someone brave and courageous to do the job. Although Big Wig was always tough and courageous, it was only when he was but to the test that his true colors showed. Just as stars only show when it is dark, it took a test of character to “see” Big Wig's traits. Again with Blackberry. Probably the most cunning of the group, he realized how to get across the river by using a board to float on. Was Blackberry any more intelligent at that moment then in the rest of his life? No. But is took adversity to realize his cunning. Both of these examples are shown through characterization; doing whatever it takes to get the job done. Therefore, when confronted with conflict, the bunnies rise to the occasion and show their abilities, even though they were always there.

This is also the case with Romeo and Juliet. When Juliet decided to marry Romeo, she had to find a way to give him her answer. She sent the nurse, who without asking questions, immediately set of to find Romeo even inn her old age. This shows that the nurse was loyal and wanted to help Juliet. This also occurs when the priest gives Juliet the potion. Juliet was always brave and wiling to do what she thought was right. However, during the test of adversity she rose to the occasion, where her courage was appreciated. These both show the thesis by the connection to the theme love will concur all.

The plot is written very well, and the conflicts that happen are strange yet intriguing. The plot is interesting because people want to see what robots do under certain circumstances. While it is predictable on how the characters cope with a conflict, it is intriguing to find out what was the cause of the conflict. There are many types of conflicts, such as person vs. person, person vs. world, and person vs. machine. For example, Michael Donovan and Gregory Powell. They are friends, yet they argue a lot, and are hostile to each other, so its person vs. person. An example of person vs. world is when Stephen Byerley, who is running for mayor, has to convince the world that he is not a robot, yet nobody believes him. All the conflicts build up to the conclusion - when robots control many aspects of our lives. The subject is not outdated, in fact, it is thinking ahead. Robots could very well become a huge part of lives soon. There is already a large dependency on machines in the world, for example it is impossible to imagine a world without computers, so the book is accurately foretelling the future, seeing that it was written 50 years ago.

The cast of characters in I, Robot is remarkable, with lots of protagonists, all of them having their own qualities. Protagonists are people like Susan Calvin, Powell and Donovan. All the characters deal with the conflicts they have flawlessly, figuring out dilemmas with sheer mind power. Susan Calvin had to figure out many problems US Robots were having, using her knowledge of robot minds to overcome them. Gregory Powell and Michael Donovan also had to deal with malfunctioning robots, and fixing the problems the robots had with focus on the “Laws of Robotics”. A majority of people today couldn't deal with the situations the characters in I, Robot had to face. Many people can relate to these characters, because they have the same emotions and impulses as us. There are also a variety of robots with different personalities that Asimov created, such as Robbie, a caring robot, and Cutie, a robot who thinks humans are inferior. Isaac Asimov did a brilliant job creating the characters and making them extremely realistic.

The theme in I, Robot was clear and expertly integrated, and with the major theme being not to rely on objects too much. An example of this in the book is how 2 people's lives are in danger just because a robot didn't collect some Selenium. We can relate to this because most people couldn't get work done or have any progress without computers and machines calculating and doing the hard work for humans. A minor theme is that you shouldn't rely on technology too much. An example in the book is how an entire factory stopped production one robot went missing. We relate to this because if our electronics broke down, such as a TV or phone, we would function less smoothly.

I wasn't impressed with the way Asimov wrote this book, mainly because of the lack of images. Many readers would not be able to visualize the characters and settings well, for example I thought that all the types robots would look the same, even though they probably look very different from each other. Readers have to use their imagination to fill in the blanks, because there are no vivid descriptions. And because the book is consisted of short stories, some of the stories seem out of place.

Summary

This book talks about how the world is when robots are invented. In the beginning, there is a little girl with a robot she loves. Her parents take the robot away form her, and she misses him. Later the robot saves her life, so her parents let her lave the robots again. The next part of the book talks about the scientists and robots at U.S. Robots. The robots are constantly malfunctioning, and the scientists have to figure out the robot's problems. The next part of the book talks about an election and how people think a candidate is a robot, and how he proves he isn't. The book ends with a scientist talking with the “world coordinator”, and how they figure out that robots are basically controlling how the human race is going to turn out.

As Tom ventures to Jackson's Island and McDougal's Cave, he retreats further and further away from society, becoming somewhat of a recluse even. However, with each journey away from classical society he is able to venture further into his own mind in order to reach a mental maturity not possible through common practices amongst the community. Early in his adventures Tom uses Huck as an idol, as someone he can look up to and aspire to be, but as the story progresses Tom no longer needs to look up to Huck for guidance, in fact the reader could expect Huck to start idolizing Tom and perhaps even begin to shadow him through his mental journey into maturity. “Tom's personal growth is evident in his insistence, in the face of Huck's desire to flee all social constraints, that Huck stay with the Widow Douglas and become civilized” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online).

Counterbalancing the theme of social and moral maturation is the self evident theme of hypocrisy in society. This effect is achieved every time the author criticizes the values and standards of the adults in Tom's town, while at the same time expecting Tom to develop these beliefs and practices on his own in order to be a mature and valued member of society, a goal almost impossible to achieve with the projected morals to be enforced. Twain shows this hypocritical society in more than few aspects, including the school, law, gossip, hearsay, and opinion of the civilization. Another thing the author chooses to acknowledge as essentially flawed are the characters that he creates, pointing out specific personality faults and immaturities in some of the people in Tom's life.

Twain chooses to focus on the seemingly consistent law of inconsistentness in society's moral, ethical, and political outlook. Twain also separates the two, showing that not just people may be held to this law, but that organizations ands administrations can as well, include legislation. This law of inconsistencies is further enforced in the way Twain depicts families throughout the novel. “The town where Tom Sawyer was born and brought up is some such idle shabby Mississippi River town as Mr. Clemens has so well described in his piloting reminiscences, but Tom belongs to the better sort of people in it, and has been bred to fear God and dread the Sunday-school according to the strictest rite of the faiths that have characterized all the respectability of the West” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” The Atlantic Online, online). He shows two sides to each household, containing a parental restriction and authoritative stance, as well as the polar opposite, one filled with love and pleasure. “Though she attempts to restrain and punish Tom, Aunt Polly always goes soft because of her love for her nephew” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). Following the progression of the story is the habits of the townspeople, who start going in the same direction as Aunt Polly, and begin to substitute punishment with indulgence. This switch becomes apparent when Tom returns unscathed from his adventures. When the villagers should be outraged and appalled, they instead show compassion and forgiveness towards Tom because they are so thankful he is not harmed, a parental persona absorbed by the people. This same sentiment is later mocked by the author when it is illustrated that the town so willingly forgives the outlaw Injun Joe once he is dead, being consumed by the emotions usually only evoked by their own "little rascal."

The activities partaken in by the towns small children as play, resemble training in the ways of subversion of authority and rule, and how to skillfully escape from the mainstream ways of the majority population of the novel's small town. “Skipping school, sneaking out at night, playing tricks on the teacher, and running away for days at a time are all ways of breaking the rules and defying authority” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). However, this clever writer does not let his readers take this symbol at face value, and subjects them to another version or meaning to these games than one might first perceive. “Tom is highly concerned with conforming to the codes of behavior that he has learned from reading, and he outlines the various criteria that define a pirate, a Robin Hood, or a circus clown. The boys' obsession with superstition is likewise an addiction to convention, which also mirrors the adult society's focus on religion. Thus, the novel shows that adult existence is more similar to childhood existence than it might seem” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). Even while constantly poking holes into the way commonplace society functions as one gigantic hypocrite, Mr. Twain choose to also back authority's right and the moral correctness of facing problems rather than running from them and their consequences. This is achieved every time the book demonstrates the system of crime and punishment, and displays how subversion can lead to larger problems or crimes in the future, while at the same time it shows the negative effects than can come from too strongly following authority. “He is mischievous, but not vicious; he is ready for almost any depredation that involves the danger and honor of adventure, but profanity he knows may provoke a thunderbolt upon the heart of the blasphemer, and he almost never swears; he resorts to any stratagem to keep out of school, but he is not a downright liar, except upon terms of after shame and remorse that make his falsehood bitter to him” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” The Atlantic Online, online). A certain level of free thinking is required to adequately function as a proper human being.

One lesser theme, but one still worthy of notation, is freedom through social exclusion. The town in the novel, St. Petersburg, is a tight knit social community, in which foreigners do not fit in well or obtain the same status as the other townspeople. Easily the most well known outsider is Huck Finn, who is banished to the outskirts of town and must provide his own means of food and shelter as his father does not privy him to such comforts and is rather preoccupied by alcohol consumption and the resulting drunkenness. Other foreign peoples to the town include yet another drunk; Muff Potter, and the criminalistic and horrifying Injun Joe. However, like every other theme in this novel, there exists a parallel to it. “Despite the community's clear separation of outsiders from insiders, however, it seems to have a strong impulse toward inclusiveness. The community tolerates the drunkenness of a harmless rascal like Muff Potter, and Huck is more or less protected even though he exists on the fringes of society. Tom too is an orphan who has been taken in by Aunt Polly out of love and filial responsibility” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online). The only person who isn't included even slightly into the town's inter-workings of love and hospitality is Injun Joe. However after the death of Joe, his remembrance is warped in such a way as to allow him to become part of the town, and be fully embraced by its loving arms, and not rejected like the scum he was always been viewed to be. One may start to worry about the living conditions of this child living out on his own, but these concerns are lessened, or more so distracted from, while the author disillusions the reader with whimsical tales of the boy's liberty allowed by his exclusion from society. The other children are not even allowed to play with him, as it would be looked down on by the entirety of the community, and a beating may even be in order should anyone ever find out about the goings on between Huck and Tom. Essentially all alone in the wilderness, Huck never attains any sort of formal education or rations to sustain and nourish his young male frame. As far as housing goes, Huck is also homeless. Perhaps in today's society this would not be acceptable, and the young man would be brought into a state-run foster center or at least taken care of by the generosity of the neighboring civilization, one would hope. It is assumed that Huck resorts to crime to attain all necessities or commodities that he consumes, as he is frequently mentioned as smoking a pipe, and as he is not described to have an unsightly visible skeletal structure, he must be getting food somewhere.

It is only after the treasure is had that Huck should be provided for. Once he comes into a great deal of money, the Widow Douglas offers to take him in and treat him as if he were her own son. The genius of this connection is to assimilate the relationship between economic value, and social value. It is only after Huck has money that he is able to be treated as a member of St. Petersburg. This change however is certainly not welcomed by Huck. It is obvious to the reader that this character would never willingly remove him self from the lifestyle to which he has become accustom. Although the offer by the widow is a generous one indeed, Twain illustrates that when removed from the conventions of society for so long, one cannot hope to return. Huck has been claimed by the wilds in which he lived, and to go back to a civilized lifestyle would not be possible for him, but as he is just a minor he does not have any option, he must accept this apparent choice as an inevitability. In this event the author again shows the hypocrisy of society, how it is only acceptable because the character is a boy, were it Injun Joe who found the treasure, the Widow Douglas would not offer to take him in. This double standard is apparent throughout the novel, and is expressed on a seemingly rhythmic basis, as it occurs more often than any other theme. This just goes to show another valid point made by the author, that being included in society comes at its own price too, and could be considered a luxury for which a tax must be paid, but the tax in question here is not one of a monetary value, but rather something more spiritual and sacrificial, ones own freedom. In order to be accepted into St. Petersburg, Huck is forced to give up his feral self, and take on a persona unbecoming of him, a persona of the average child, bound by the shackles of law and order which have been implemented, not by a court, but by the moral and ethical views of the society to which he is being incorporated into.

The final recognizable major theme of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is superstition in an uncertain world. Superstition can be defined as, “an irrational belief or practice resulting from ignorance or fear of the unknown. The validity of superstitions is based on belief in the power of magic and witchcraft and in such invisible forces as spirits and demons” (“Superstition,” The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition). This theme if first introduced when Tom and Huck venture into the graveyard to try some kind of voodoo or mysticism to cure some warts. The superstition of the main characters in this novel could be a reflection of the old times and under-educated characters, or a demonstration in the differences of childhood and adulthood. The superstition of the boys runs a close parallel to religion in society. When certain events are encountered they must choose which superstition they are going to follow and make their decisions from. It is in this manner that Twains pokes fun at mainstream religious beliefs, and exposes the hypocrisy in the world's belief system. However, in order to achieve all of these effects, Twain must evoke the help of an unrealistic universe in which he can place all his characters and events, so that they may interact without question from the reader. “The humorousness of the boys' obsession with witches, ghosts, and graveyards papers over, to some extent, the real horror of the things to which the boys are exposed: grave digging, murder, starvation, and attempted mutilation. The relative ease with which they assimilate these ghastly events into their childish world is perhaps one of the least realistic aspects of the novel. (If the novel were written today, we might expect to read about the psychic damage these extreme childhood experiences have done to these boys.) The boys negotiate all this horror because they exist in a world suspended somewhere between reality and make-believe. Their fear of death is real and pervasive, for example, but we also have the sense that they do not really understand death and all of its ramifications” (“The Adventures of Tom Sawyer,” Spark Notes, online).

"Anyone who has common sense will remember that the bewilderments of the eye are of two kinds, and arise from two causes, either from coming out of the light or from going into the light, which is true of the mind's eye, quite as much as the bodily eye..."

          - (Plato, the Republic)

Too true are the words of the Greek philosopher, and too deadly are they for one who's pride blocks the “common sense” that enables him to accept this truth. No other example illustrates this paradoxical notion of blindness in sight and sight in blindness better that the Sophoclean play of “Oedipus the King”. The tragic story of the Theban king, who is unable to escape the curse of the Gods, reveals a blind man can possibly see more clearly than the man with the presumed vision of the eye. Although Oedipus was visually healthy, his blatant disregard for the will of the Gods and his inability to see what was around him proved him blind, and it was only when he lost his physical vision that he gained sight of his fate, and the masked world around him.

The fate assigned to Oedipus from his birth was arguably an inevitable one, and could've only been made reality if some tragic flaw in Oedipus was to cancel his vision, setting the stage to the bloody finale. Hubris was this flaw in Oedipus that lead him to believe that he could outsmart the Gods, and escape killing his father and marrying his mother. In the unwritten prologue to the play, Oedipus runs away from where he thought he was born, and he confesses this to Jocasta later on: “I was running to a place where I would never see that shameful prophecy come true.” (Sophocles, 56). He was unable to see that if the Gods he believed in really existed, then he was nothing more that a pawn in their game of chess. It was his pride that had led him to believe that he was great enough to escape the prophecy. This is a huge part in his blindness in sight, because he still had his eyes when he was plotting to overcome his fate, and he was blind to the fact that he was a mere man.

The second part of Oedipus' blindness in sight had overcome him when he was on the throne and when the investigation of king Laius' murder had began. Himself being the killer, Oedipus never once thought to himself that it could be him until all the truth was revealed. Only a blind fool could not make the connection between the events that led him to the throne of Thebes, and the murder of Laius. And a blind fool he was, as he cursed the murderer of Laius; “... I call down a curse on him, whether that unknown figure be one man or one among many. May he drag out an evil death-in-life misery...” (Sophocles, 15), placing curses upon himself that were the worst a man could utter. This manner of thinking, including his quick, un-thought-out decision making, and his unending confidence in himself are all aspects of his blindness that is so overwhelming, that stabbing his eyes into darkness was most probably the only way he could begin to see what was really around him.

And after engulfing himself into the darkness that accompanies blindness, he began to see the world he lived in. Of course, he had began to understand what had happened before he blinded himself, and some might argue that he could've kept his vision and lost his hubris and mental blindness, but that is not the case. There was no way that the already emotional Oedipus could keep the sense that had tricked him the most; the vision that had caused him so much pain. When one or more of a man's senses are dulled, the others are driven to extremes. The case of Oedipus was no different, because after losing vision, his mental understanding of things changed, and the hubris that was always tying the hands of his mind was driven out. When Oedipus said “It was Apollo friends, Apollo who brought to fulfillment all my sufferings.” (Sophocles, 96), he had just come out of the palace and was experiencing physical blindness for the first time. At first, he describes blindness as “...dark cloud all around me, enclosing me in unspeakable darkness...” (Sophocles, 95), but his new-found understanding of the will and greatness of the Gods proved he had gained the vision that the lack of destroyed him in the first place. He was also able to relate what had happened in his life to the prophecy, and saw his wife Jocasta as his mother, and the man that he killed so many years ago as his father. This brought him clear mindedness, and it was his sight in blindness.

The short-lived life of Oedipus the King (short-lived because the life he lives after blinding himself is not really life) can be paired with the phrase “blindness in sight, and sight in blindness”. The meaning of this term is that even though a man is visually healthy, he may be mentally blind, and even though another or that same man is blind, he may have more vision than the rest. Tiresias, the blind prophet, was a fine example of living life in clarity, a clarity that came to Oedipus too late to save his life. Vision was always his problem, from his birth, to his destruction, and it was hubris that impaired it.

In the past, men and women have been treated very differently with regards to rights and status. Women were seen as subservient. Women also had to protect their virginity to maintain their eligibility for marriage.

Men often used their authority and status to take advantage of women, sexually, which would mean that the women would lose their virginity, which they had preserved, and there was nothing they could do about it. If the upper class woman became pregnant after being raped, her and her “bastard” child would be cast out of society and the woman would never marry a wealthy gentleman, as the upper class men would only marry a virgin. The three poems demonstrate the change of language and attitude as time has gone by, like the way Andrew Marvell expressed in “To His Coy Mistress” to his intended audience that she should sleep with him while she has the chance putting a lot of pressure on her. On the other hand John Cooper Clarke gives his audience a warmer feeling, a feeling that there is no pressure, a feeling that the person he wrote it for has a choice whether to be with him or not.

The religious myth of Adam's first wife “Lilith” is a perfect example of the way that women had to accept inferiority to men. Lilith had to remain below Adam during sexual intercourse just like women had to remain below men when it came to issues such as politics and employment. Men believed a woman's place was in the home. Men even used women to seal business deals by making them marry whoever they were dealing with. If a woman was to deny her inferior position under men she would be demonised meaning that she would be accused of being a witch.

Lilith is said to have been Adam's first wife before Eve meaning she was the first woman ever created by God. Lilith exists in all religions as a demon that rebelled against women being treated as inferior beings by men. After Adam's and Lilith's dispute Lilith left the Garden of Eden and never returned despite Adam's and the three angels efforts, who of which he called upon to bring her back to the garden. Lilith believed that women should have equal rights to men, which is completely the opposite way women were meant to act in Victorian Britain. Women in Victorian Britain were expected to “remain pure” and “clean” apart from during menstruation when they were considered to be unclean. Women were also not encouraged to do anything to even remotely advertise herself to other men.

“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) is about a seventeenth century gentleman who is trying to “woo” an unmarried woman into having a sexual relationship with him. Andrew Marvell uses false flattery and even threats to persuade his intended viewer to spend the rest of her days with him. The second poem I read was called “The Beggar Woman” by William King (1663-1712) and is about a gentleman out hunting with some companions who spots a beggar woman in the woods. The man “rode astray” from his companions, approached the woman and persuaded her to “retire” with him into the woods to have sex. This poem has an interesting twist as the woman manipulates the man into taking the child, which she had on her back, thus avoiding having sex with him. The third and final poem was “I WANNA BE YOURS” by John Cooper Clark, which is about everyday objects being used to describe what he would do for his intended lover, such as “let me be the electric heater, you get cold without”, Which means he wants to keep her warm.

The theme of seduction is portrayed very differently between the 3 poems. In “To His Coy Mistress” the poem is more threatening than seductive, which was not necessarily a bad thing at the time, because women didn't really have much choice, as they didn't have the same rights as women do today. In “The Beggar Woman”, the man tries to persuade an unusually clean beggar woman with a baby tied to her back, to follow him into the woods to have sex. Again women didn't have much choice as men were still regarded as superior to women. “I Wanna Be Yours” could be seen as the most seductive of the three poems, as there are no threats and the woman is given a choice in the matter.

In all three poems the men want something from the women. In “To His Coy Mistress” the man wants the woman to have sex with him. Which is fairly obvious as the majority of his poem could be considered to be about physical intimacy. “And tear our pleasures with rough strife” meaning to break the woman's virginity, which is quite old language which wouldn't be used today. And “Let us roll all our strength, and all our sweetness, up into one ball" demonstrates that the man wants to have sex with the woman. In “The Beggar Woman” the man merely wants to have sex.

“He often asked her to expose”, meaning to undress demonstrating how eager he is and if he'd been doing it “often” then she must have said no each time. Which I find to be very immoral because he kept trying to persuade her to despite it not being her wish. In “I Wanna Be Yours” John Cooper Clarke only wishes for the woman to go out with him with only a slight reference to physical intimacy. “if you like your coffee hot, let me be your coffee pot” could represent the physical passion he has for her. Like in the first poem John Cooper Clarke actually gives the reader a choice whether they want to go out with him or not which is moral because he says “let me” meaning it's her decision, he's not forcing her.

The structure of “To His Coy Mistress” is set out in three verses with a discourse marker at the beginning of each one meaning that each verse had a phase of love. “Nor would I love at lower rate”, “Thy beauty shall no more be found” and “Let us roll all our strength, and all our sweetness, up into one ball” portrays how the poems twist from positive to negative to positive and conveys the image of how the man wants the woman and threatens her to be with him. The structure of “To His Coy Mistress” does help deliver the poet's message because it tells his intended viewer how he feels about her. First he describes what it would be like if she denied him and last but not least in the third verse he describes what it would be like if she agreed to be with him.

“To His Coy Mistress” ends with a more positive view saying that even though they can't stay together forever, they shall enjoy the time they will have together. “The Beggar Woman” ends with the woman leaving the man with the baby tied to his back and saying that she trusts the baby to him with all her heart, which is more of a sad ending yet funny with some “in your face” humour. Also it has some form of irony, as the man wanted to have sex with the woman possibly leaving her pregnant yet he was left with a baby. “I Wanna Be Yours” ends saying that he doesn't want anyone else just the woman he wrote the poem for. Out of all the three poems I found “I Wanna Be Yours” to be the most successful because it is more modern and has an erratic rhyme scheme with no punctuation to show his dedication to the woman the poem was for.

I found “I Wanna Be Yours” to be the most seductive of the three poems because it does not have any negative points and it treats women equally to men. I think that only the woman in “I Wanna Be Yours” is reminiscent of Lilith because John Cooper Clarke is giving her a choice with equal rights just like Lilith wanted. For the time “To His Coy Mistress” could be considered successful as women didn't have equal rights to men but now I would consider “I Wanna Be Yours” to be the most successful because it is more sweet, more positive and gives the woman a choice.