Theme of Hypocrisy in Conrad’s, Heart of Darkness, and Coppola’s, Apocalypse Now :: Literary Comparison, Analytical Essays

Both Conrad’s, â€Å"Heart of Darkness†, and Coppola’s, â€Å"Apocalypse Now†, profoundly illustrate the journey of man into their inner self and man’s encounters with their insanity, fears and demise. The novella and film are comprised of numerous pivotal themes that facilitate the understanding of the deeper meaning of both works. Fundamentally, theme is an extensive message or idea expressed by an author and is a crucial element of literature since it sheds light on universal concepts. The most striking parallels that can be formulated when comparing themes in both the novella and the film are associated with human nature. Specifically, Conrad and Coppola incorporate theme of hypocrisy in order to portray man’s incredible potential for evil. Firstly, the theme of hypocrisy is integrated in both works for the purpose of portraying man’s staggering and absurd potential for evil. In the novel, Heart of Darkness, the Europeans state that their objectives in Africa are to trade with the natives and immerse them with the light of civilization. However, their actions fail to reflect their stated motives since the Europeans take the ivory from the natives by force and they treat them inhumanely. Not to mention that the Europeans constantly refer to natives as objects such as machinery as well as suppress and eradicate them at any opportunity. Ultimately, the Europeans utilize their false words as a civilized veneer that masks their capability of being evil and savage. For instance, in Africa, Marlow states that he has familiarized himself â€Å"†¦with a flabby, pretending, weak-eyed devil of a rapacious and pitiless folly.† (pg. 81). Symbolically, the colonists are described as the devil mentioned above becau se they treat the natives with brutality even though their stated intentions are pure. Also, the colonists are foolish and tactless for they are unaware that their actions expose the evilness behind their actions. Similarly, in Coppola’s work, the United Sates affirms that they fight in the name of freedom and democracy, yet they commit senseless and violent killings. In reality, their ulterior motives were to promote capitalism and become a dominant military world power. Furthermore, the U.S. focuses on their attention on murdering their own operative instead of attempting to finish the war, which is of a higher priority when lives are at stake. Additionally, the U.S. troops are strangers in Vietnam, but they act as if posses the foreign land since they seize territory and commit murder without being incited.

How successfully does ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ use the conventions of the horror genre? Essay

Explain your answer, looking closely at details of the text, and comparing the novel with other horror stories you have read or seen. ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is a short novel written by the famous author, Robert Louis Stevenson. Stevenson’s ambition from an early age was to be an writer, although his father had different ideas. In one of his most famous novels, ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’, Stevenson captures the extremism of Dr. Jekyll’s split-personality; his desire to let his dark side run wild, achieved by drinking a magical potion that changes him into the animalistic, violent and somewhat evil Mr. Hyde. The word â€Å"horror† categorises everything typically frightening, in every sense. Horror conventions include anything from darkness, shadows and night-time to werewolves, knives and blood; from monsters, violence and death to screaming, animal howls and creaky doors. â€Å"Horror† is simply a term to summarise all things scary, and is used mostly to describe books and films. ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ can be seen as a horror novel, because of its shocking and horrific content. In this essay I will explore the ways and successes in which Stevenson presents the story of ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ using conventions of the horror genre, referring to details of the text and comparing the novel with other horror stories and videos. One of the important horror conventions used in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is the use of darkness and the atmosphere of the setting. It is necessary that the weather, amount of light and general atmosphere is dark, quiet and negative to create a tense, scary mood. In the horror genre, violent or evil actions traditionally occur at night, when there are less people around to help, it is much quieter than during the day, and because the darkness easily conceals any crimes that are committed. The first time that Enfield sees Hyde, he is returning home â€Å"about three o’clock of a black winter morning†. There is â€Å"literally nothing to be seen but lamps†, and â€Å"all is empty as a church†. This, even before Enfield has set eyes on Hyde, creates a tense atmosphere where it feels likely that something horrible will happen. The weather is dark (â€Å"black†), and it is winter, suggesting that it is very cold, and the general atmosphere is very un-welcoming. The fact that the area is â€Å"empty† adds to the horror, because this means that nobody will be around to help you when something evil appears out of the darkness. Another example is â€Å"the lamps, unshaken by any wind, drawing a regular pattern of light and shadow.† Shadows are seen as frightening, because of the way they creep around and you can never be sure who or what is making the shadows. The darkness and gloomy weather successfully creates a threatening, tense, and un-inviting atmosphere. This horror convention is similarly used in ‘The Tell-Tale Heart’, when the old man’s room is described as â€Å"as black as pitch with the thick darkness.† As the narrator is pondering the murder of the old man, the darkness is important as it will not only create a tense atmosphere, but it will also conceal the murder. This is similar to the way the streets are usually described as dark and dingy in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’. Another important horror convention used in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is the Pathetic Fallacy. Stevenson employs the Pathetic Fallacy to reflect the emotions of the characters, by making the weather match the appropriate mood. A weather description in Chapter Four is an example of this; â€Å"A great chocolate-coloured pall lowered over heaven, but the wind was continually charging and routing these embattled vapours.† At this time, Mr Utterson is showing a police officer to the house of Edward Hyde, who we are suspecting of the murder of Sir Danvers Carew. The intensity of this scene is reflected by the stormy weather, and the â€Å"mournful reinvasion of darkness.† Many of the chapters of ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ include descriptions of dark, dingy weather, and more often than not the streets of Soho are described as empty or silent. In Chapter Two, the by-street is described as â€Å"very solitary† and â€Å"very silent.† Silent, solitary areas create a threatening atmosphere, as it suggests that there is nobody else around to help you if you get into trouble. This contributes to the sense of horror, because there is an inevitable feeling of danger present in any dark, empty places. The setting of the laboratory is also contributes to the horror in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’. There are not many descriptions of the laboratory, although one says that the tables were â€Å"laden with chemical apparatus.† This idea creates a sense of mystery, because at the time we do not know what the chemicals are used for. This creates tension in the plot, and we don’t know what to expect, which contributes to the overall horror of the story. Laboratories are traditionally linked with other typical settings for horror stories including castles, graveyards, and big empty houses. A contrasting horror setting to that used in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is used in ‘The Darkness Out There’ by Penelope Lively. ‘The Darkness Out There’ features Packers End which has many deathly feelings and darkness to it, the three men who died horrid deaths in there, and the chills which Sandra gets from thinking about the place. When Pac kers End is talked about, night time is used which is a mighty contrast to the sunny images of fields and meadows that Packers End is described as during the day. Unlike ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’, ‘The Darkness Out There’ has only one setting, which changes from a peaceful, sunny area to a dark, chilling one. The general theme of ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is duality. This alone adds to the horror, as it builds up the tension and creates the twist in the story. Throughout the story, there are hints given that Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde are in fact the same person; one of these includes a quote from Edward Hyde: â€Å"You will not find Dr. Jekyll; he is from home.† As suggested in the novel, Jekyll seems to be â€Å"pretty sure† of Hyde, meaning he knows him very well indeed. Another hint includes Mr Utterson’s reaction when he is presented with the stick that Hyde had used to kill Sir Danvers Carew. Utterson instantly recognises the stick â€Å"for one that he had himself presented many years before to Henry Jekyll.† These hints mostly go un-noticed or un-considered, but they add mystery to the plot throughout the whole story, which gives the story an increasing amount of tension. Dr. Jekyll’s door is used symbolically as a block between Jekyll and the rest of the world, which almost suggests that the world outside literally can not understand Henry Jekyll. The door is always closed, which creates an undefined suspicion of Jekyll. This creates horror in that we can not be certain what Jekyll is always doing hidden away in his laboratory, although we are almost certain it can’t be good. The idea of duality in this story is the division between a normal, respectable man, and his darker side. Henry Jekyll is supposedly an ordinary man; trustworthy as he is a doctor, with no abnormalities in his life. Then there is Edward Hyde: a hideous, evil murderer who lets his fantasies run wild and brings them to life. Henry Jekyll is simply a man who wishes to keep his good reputation, but who also feels the need to carry out his fantasies, which include his desire for prostitutes, and murder. These are things that are not seen as acceptable, and people who do these things are excluded from society and disliked by most people. This theme is a frightening one, as people tend to fear murderers and criminals. The horror created by this theme makes the story into a shocking reality. The popular theme of transformation used for werewolves and vampires is also used in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.’ Stevenson uses horrific descriptions to give the reader a good idea of how frightening and disgusting the transformation is to watch: â€Å"The rosy man had grown pale; his flesh had fallen away; he was visibly balder and older.† This is an unpleasant thing to imagine, and it is quite frightening. There are also descriptions of the facial expressions of Dr. Jekyll as the transformation is taking place: â€Å"Dr. Jekyll grew pale to the very lips, and there came a blackness about his eyes†, and â€Å"Dr. Jekyll, looking deadly sick.† Descriptions like this add to the horror, because they are meant to shock the reader and create a cold, unfriendly atmosphere. The descriptions make Dr. Jekyll seem more like an animal than a human. A similar transformation occurs in Michael Jackson’s ‘Thriller’ video. Michael is in the woods with his girlfriend, and a full moon comes out, which immediately triggers the transformation of Michael into a werewolf. It is horrific to watch. It starts off with him just twitching a bit, and falling to the floor, but then when he lifts his head his eyes have become wider and yellow like a cat, and his expression is fierce. He then develops fangs; his ears and hands become hairy like a werewolf, and claws come out from beneath his fingernails. These things are meant to scare the viewer, and Stevenson describes Jekyll’s transformation for the same purpose. Although transformations are more horrific to see visually, Stevenson’s detailed descriptions are successful in creating horror. The presentation of Mr. Hyde is completely negative. His looks are described as â€Å"extraordinary† and â€Å"particularly wicked.† He is also described as â€Å"pale and dwarfish† with a â€Å"murderous mixture of timidity and boldness.† These images are used to exclude Hyde from normal-looking people, to make him individual. He is also given animalistic descriptions such as â€Å"ape-like fury†, â€Å"a hissing intake of breath† and â€Å"snarled aloud into a savage laugh.† This makes Hyde seem in-human and frightening like a monster, which adds to the horror. The effect Hyde has on the other characters encourages the reader to turn against him, and see him as a frightening creature of a man. Mr. Enfield describes Edward Hyde: â€Å"something wrong with his appearance; something displeasing, something downright detestable. I never saw a man I so disliked†¦ He must be deformed somewhere.† This informs the reader that Mr. Hyde has a very evil expression, and does not appear to be normal. There are also descriptions of violence and hatred; â€Å"†¦ tales came out of the man’s cruelty, at once so callous and violent, of his vile life, of his strange associates, of the hatred that seemed to have surrounded his career; but of his present whereabouts not a whisper.† Horror is created in this quote because Hyde has been given many negative characteristics: cruelty, callous, violent, vile, and hatred, and there is a twist of mystery at the end which says that nobody knows of Hyde’s present whereabouts. Stevenson is clearly trying to make the reader also dislike Hyde, by creating an overall image of this animalistic, cruel, violent man with a lot of hatred. This successfully creates horror in the novel. In the same way, ‘The Blob’ by R. L. Stine describes a huge, overpowering man-made monster which terrorises innocent people and publicly crushes them to death. The Blob is described as â€Å"†¦ a gigantic landmass of blubber, standing so high that even the tallest of men would flee for their lives at the site of this extraordinary, yet silent, creation.† A final contribution to the horror in ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is the savage acts of Hyde. Hyde’s murder of Sir Danvers Carew and the trampling of the little girl are described in horrific detail. The trampling of the little girl was described by Mr. Enfield: â€Å"†¦ the man trampled calmly over the child’s body and left her screaming on the ground.† The murder of Sir Danvers Carew was described like this: â€Å"†¦ he broke out in a great flame of anger, stamping with his foot, brandishing the can†¦ like a madman.† This is horrible, and Hyde is made to look like a â€Å"madman.† The horror continues to build up as we discover that Hyde must be simply insane, and he will do whatever he pleases, not caring what the world thinks of him. In conclusion, ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is a very successful horror story. It uses many different horror conventions and has parts of the plot which successfully build up the tension throughout the whole story, such as the little clues that suggest Jekyll and Hyde are the same person, and the laboratory door. However, there are weaknesses in the plot; Mr. Hyde is small and not intimidating like other horror characters such as Frankenstein. Generally though, ‘The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’ is a very successful horror novel, and would probably stand among the top 10 best horror stories of all time.

Cosmetic Surgeries Of Pets - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 6 Words: 1886 Downloads: 1 Date added: 2019/10/30 Category Medicine Essay Level High school Tags: Cosmetic Surgery Essay Did you like this example? Cosmetic surgeries are performed on people all the time. Animals, like their human companions can also have cosmetic surgeries. Tail docking, ear cropping, devocalization, and declawing are the most common unneeded surgeries performed on pets.   Each surgery in special circumstances benefits the pet and always benefits the owner. I would like to know if these surgeries can cause harm, if they do, what kind. Do the benefits outweigh the problems? Is it ethical to put an owners desires above the pets? Tail docking is the amputation of a part or all of a dogs tail. The amputation of the tail is generally done when the puppies are a few days to a week old. There are several ways it can be accomplishedone of the most common being the application of a rubber band around the tail. The band is squeezed tight enough to stop blood from flowing to the tissue underneath of it eventually causing the necrosis and loss of that region. Docking can also be accomplished through a surgical removal of the tail using a blade or scissors. Bleeding can be stopped by a suture or two. Tail docking can be traced back to the Roman empire where dogs tails were cut to avoid the contraction of rabies. Later in history docking was believed to increase agility and strength of the dog. It was also used to decrease the chances of a dog getting injured during dogfights [1]. Tail docking today is generally used for working/hunting dogs to prevent injury of the tail. It can also be used for dogs whose tails become matted easily or have an increased risk of fecal material and urine becoming lodged in the coarse hair. Another far more popular reason to justify docking is because it is a traditional look for the breed in question [2]. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "Cosmetic Surgeries Of Pets" essay for you Create order According to the AVMA, only two states have regulations on tail docking in the United States. Maryland law stipulates that only a licensed veterinarian may perform the surgery under anesthesia when it is appropriate. Pennsylvania prohibits a dogs tail from being amputated from five days to twelve weeks of age. It is legal for a veterinarian to amputate the tail during that age but only if it is medically necessary. The law does not prohibit a veterinarian from performing the surgery after the dog is twelve weeks old as long as anesthesia is used [3]. Hunting dogs have an increased risk of breaking or damaging their tails while on a hunt. The alternative is to remove the tail to decrease the odds of that happening. Dogs can sometimes leave fecal matter and urine on their tails and the hair can become matted and smell. Animals that have this issue can have their tail removed to improve their hygiene [4]. Short-haired dogs who are excessively flamboyant or hyper can also have their tails docked in order to decrease injury to themselves. Like any other surgical procedure, tail docking can have complications. Pain during and after the operation is likely. Hemorrhaging, infection, and toxemia can occur. The amputation area may also delay healing. Necrosis of the site is also possible without proper veterinary care [5].   Neuromas are also a possible complication and is often seen with severe pain. Shock can also be a byproduct of surgery which can be fatal [6]. Behavioral effects of tail docking has had little research done on it. Dogs mainly use their tails to communicate with other dogs and humans [5]. A slight shift or small movement in a dogs tail can signal submissiveness, anxiety, uneasiness, and playfulness. Therefore, the removal of the tail could hinder the animal from displaying their emotions and effect a dogs interaction with humans and other dogs [6]. The publics perception of tail docking is an important issue to discuss. A recent study was done to assess the public view on physically altered dogs. The experiment found that natural looking dogs were perceived as more playful and attractive than the modified dog of the same breed. The modified dog was perceived as being more aggressive and more dominant [7].   Assuming a person wanted a more aggressive looking dog for protection, a modified dog may be the way to go. Adopting out a modified breed as a family dog may be more difficult given the negative perception of them.  Ã‚   Ear cropping is another controversial cosmetic surgery surrounding dogs. Ear cropping involves the surgical removal of part of a dogs ear. Cropping usually takes place when the dog is between six and twelve weeks of age. The dog is placed under anesthesia and scissors/scalpel is used to remove part of the ear flap. There are various lengths the ears can be cut to depending on the breeds traditional style or personal preference. After surgery, some breeds require the positioning of the ears in an upright position; tape and bandages are the most commonly used [8]. Ear cropping is commonly seen in Doberman Pinschers and Great Danes. Ear cropping was used on Great Danes in order to keep their ears from ripping when hunting wild boar [9]. Today, cropping is used to keep the tradition of the dogs breed. It can also be used to make security dogs look more alert [8].   Only nine states regulate ear cropping of dogs. New York, New Hampshire, Maine, Washington, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts prohibit ear cropping unless it is performed by a licensed veterinarian and under anesthesia. Maryland also has the same regulation but stipulates that it must also be appropriate for the animal [3]. According to the AVMA, ear cropping has been thought to stop dogs from getting ear infections that are common to hanging ears. However, there is not enough scientific evidence for this claim. Many believe that cropping a dogs ears keeps the animal from being injured during a fight or horseplay. There is no scientific proof that dogs hear better with cropped ears, but it is considered a benefit for the dog by some owners. Ear cropping may not be considered a major invasive surgery, but the animal is still put under anesthesia. There is always a risk of death when an animal is surgically operated on.   Infection is also a risk of ear cropping. Post-surgical care involves taping, bandaging, and stretching of the ears. There is also a risk of the sutures on the ears being pulled out [8]. A study done on the perception of the public of dogs with altered ears was done at James Madison University.   The participants were asked to rate an altered dog and a normal floppy eared dog on agreeableness, emotional stability, extraversion, openness, and conscientiousness. The dogs were identical aside from the ears. The results showed that the altered dog scored higher on extraversion, while the normal dog scored higher on agreeableness and emotional stability. The dogs did not significantly differ in either openness to experience or conscientiousness [10]. Another study found that the surgically altered dog was perceived as more aggressive and dominant and less playful and attractive than the natural-looking dog of the same breed [7]. Another form of cosmetic surgery performed is an onychectomy or declawing. Declawing is the surgical removal of a cats claws and toes bones. It is usually done on a cats front paws but could be performed on the back paws as well.   Veterinarians can use a scalpel or a surgical laser. There is no specific age a cat has to be to have the surgery.   However, it has been suggested that performing the surgery on younger cats decreases psychological issues often heard of after surgery. There is no scientific evidence to support this claim at this time. Declawing became popular in the 20th century. Declawing is usually used to prevent cats from scratching and ruining furniture, curtains, and carpets. It is also used to keep people safe from scratches that could occur during horseplay [11]. Hollywood, California banned declawing in 2003. The United Kingdom only allows declawing if it is medically necessary. Currently, no other states have regulations or prohibitions against declawing [3] . Having a cat declawed decreases the chances of it being abandoned or given to an animal shelter. It is also an alternative to leaving the cat outdoors and being euthanized. Scratching is a normal behavior in cats and that can present a lot of issues for owners [11]. Declawing would solve the behavioral problem and also keep the cat with their family. It has also been suggested that cats affected by neoplasia and paronychia would benefit from declawing [12]. There are several welfare concerns about declawing. Like any surgery, declawing has risks such as, profusely bleeding, reopening of the wound, and infections. Scratching is a normal cat behavior and taking that away could lead to unwanted stress. Problem behaviors such as biting and urinating in unwanted places in declawed cats have been noted by opposers of declawing [11].   A declawed cat effectively loses its ability to protect itself. Therefore, cats that have this surgery must stay inside at all times or be closely watched while outdoors. Ventriculocordectomy or devocalization is the surgical removal all or part of the vocal cords. Devocalization is performed by an oral or a laryngeal approach. During an oral surgery, surgical equipment is used to go through the mouth of the patient and into the vocal cord region. It is less invasive and less costly than the alternative approach. A laryngotomy must first be performed by creating an incision into the larynx, providing better access to the vocal cords. Anesthesia is either given through a temporary tracheotomy or through injection [13]. There is no particular age a dog has to be to receive this surgery. However, younger animals tend to recover from surgery faster than older ones. Devocalization was developed to decrease the volume of a dogs bark. It is commonly done as a last resort when training, therapies, and punishment techniques have failed to keep the dog from barking [14]. Four states have laws that regulate/prohibit devocalization of dogs except under certain circumstances. Unless deemed necessary by a veterinarian; New Jersey, Massachusetts and Ohio do not allow the surgery to take place. Pennsylvania delegates that only a licensed veterinarian can perform the surgery, but it does not have to be deemed necessary. California and Rhode Island have legislation that prohibits landlords from forcing tenants to get their dogs the surgery [15]. Allowing a dog to stay with its family is a great benefit of devocalization. If training and behavioral interventions have failed to decrease barking, devocalization is a good alternative. The surgery could possibly save the dog from euthanasia or abandonment. Debarking can also reduce the noise caused by loud barking and noise complaints from neighbors. There are some issues that arise from debarking. Barking is a normal behavior carried out by all canines. Barking can be used to communicate when visual cues cannot be seen or are not understood. Making the bark softer and harder to hear could disrupt normal communication. The reasoning behind the uncontrollable or excessive barking has not been reduced. Therefore, other symptoms of an underlying condition may creep up after the surgery. Some of these reasons could be boredom, anxiety, and obsessive disorders [14]. Devocalization is a major surgery and many risks and complications accompany it. Swelling of the airway, pneumonia, and infection are some potential complications that could arise during the recovery process [15]. There is also risk of scarring inside the laryngeal tube. Scarring could cause noisy breathing and respiratory problems [16].