Premarital Sex Essay Example for Free

Premarital Sex Essay Premarital sex is a huge problem in society today; the numbers are staggering. Among people who have been married, a raging ninety- three percent of men, and eighty percent of women (between ages eighteen and fifty-four) have lost their virginity before their honeymoon. Teens everywhere are not waiting until they are married to have sex. Teenagers are saying, ‘sex is fun’ and ‘everybody is doing it’. Teens are less developed, emotionally and physically before having sex, and they are not prepared for the serious problems that come along with their decision to have sex. There are always consequences when a teenager chooses to have sex. Teenagers, according to some polls, view premarital sex as acceptable as long as ‘two people love each other’. If at age sixteen a teenager tells a parent or someone older that they are in love, the parent will laugh and say that no teenager at sixteen has experienced true love. Love is something one experiences when one is mature and ready for a life-long commitment, not when one is involved in a two-year high school crush. Premarital sex is based on selfishness, not on love†. If one has passionate feelings for someone, one may feel the need to have intercourse with that person. Teens need to open their eyes and see the harmful effects of premarital sex. Premarital sex hurts you, running the risk of getting diseases and it profoundly scars you emotionally, by cutting you off from God. Some teenage girls are saying, Oh I’ll be fine, I am on birth control and we used a condom; there are no worries. No form of contraception can prevent a heart from being broken and a soul from being lost. Sexuality is an instinct imprinted into the genes of each living creature. Attraction to the opposite sex has been the key factor behind reproduction and survival of each species. Most of the species are born with only seasonal sexual necessities. They mate and reproduce only at limited times a year. Human beings, on the other hand, have active sexual instincts throughout his/her life; right from the very day he/she discovers his/her sexuality in pre-adulthood. This instinct has found overpowering the cultural advancement we have gained over the past. Sexuality is only sexuality for all other animals, but human beings have restricted forms of sexuality like pre-marital sexuality and extra-marital sexuality. The main reason behind introducing this restriction is that unlike all other animals we live in a civilized society with strict norms of morality and cultural obligations. The society always long for mature relationships and mutual respect between each member of this society. The main goal behind bringing in the sexual restrictions is that each member of this society should be treated with dignity and not as instruments of fulfilling lust. II. Body Meaning Though a human being gains the physical maturity of procreation at the beginning of puberty, he/she is considered eligible for mating and reproduction much later may be after 18 years of age or 20. And also the society insists that a sexual practice outside a marriage is improper and illegal at times. Premarital sexuality is any sexual activity with an opposite sex partner or with a same sex partner before he/she has started a married life. The term is usually used to refer the intercourse before the legal age of a marriage. Adults who presumably marry eventually also fall under this definition.

The Neverending Story Essay -- Literary Analysis, Michael Ende

Michael Ende’s The Neverending Story is a timeless tale of adventure, imagination, and self-discovery. The story revolves around Bastian Balthazar Bux, an innocent but awkward, socially outcast, and greatly misunderstood pre-teen boy of a widowered father who finds himself metaphorically and literally lost within the pages of a magical book entitled The Neverending Story. Inside the book, Bastian discovers a terrible affliction has befallen the enchanting land of Fantastica, a mystic world full of rock creatures, purple buffaloes, and wind giants (to name a few). The malevolent force he finds is slowly and sporadically consuming Fantastica and all of its inhabitants. It is called the Nothing, and it threatens to destroy the world of Fantastica forever unless someone is able to find the one who will give the Childlike Empress a new name. The Childlike Empress, also known as the Golden-Eyed Commander of Wishes, is an aloof, seemingly omnipotent, and mysterious girl that rules Fantastica. She is the fabric which holds Fantastica together, and in essence she is Fantastica. Her desire for a new name (which she claims wills save the world) leads a brave young warrior on an arduous journey to find someone who can give her a new moniker. That warrior’s name is Atreyu. Atreyu is a strong and persevering hunter turned adventurer whose quest begins upon receipt of a message from the Childlike Empress to locate the giver of her new name. Though he does not fully understand his mission or final destination, Atreyu resolves himself to fulfill the request of the Childlike Empress. Bastian also resolves himself to see Atreyu’s story to the end, but he eventually realizes that Atreyu is not the only one on a mission from the empress an... ...an is tested by the empress to give her a new name. The examples continue to follow both parts of the novel and both heroes, though all are in disorder according to Propp’s sequence. Regardless, at least twenty-four of Propp’s thirty-one functions are present in Ende’s novel. CONCLUSION The myth motifs discussed are but a few of the many to be found in Ende’s novel, though I would argue that the mythological parallels came second to his writing an engaging story. Rather than a cookie-cutter myth comparison, The Neverending Story is a fantastic journey through imagination. Only when examined and pulled apart do the intricate mythological relationships reveal themselves. I still wonder if the foundations of myth lurk in the subconscious minds of story tellers like Michael Ende, or are the relationships found in his and others’ stories entirely coincidental?

Similar Gothic Elements in the Work of Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne

Similar Gothic Elements in the Work of Edgar Allan Poe and Nathaniel Hawthorne Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe are considered masters of American gothic fiction. They used similar gothic elements in their writing and used it to build up a sense of impending doom. Even today numerous readers enjoy, study, and discuss the gothic elements both utilized in their work. Gothic writing is a style that is concerned with the dark side of society, an evil that lies within the self. Poe and Hawthorne contributed stories which contained dark struggles between characters and society with its rules of order of the time. Gothic writing is fantasy meant to entertain despite the fact that it depicts the political and social problems happening at the time. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allen Poe used their writing to allow them and readers deal with the problems of society, their own lives, and their inner demons. Poe and Hawthorne’s works are still being interpreted by generations of readers on many different levels. Nathaniel Hawthorne was one of the most valiant and significant writers of fiction before the Civil War. He gained fame for publishing, The Scarlet Letter, and was praised for his literary style. The Scarlet Letter, allowed him to direct attention to issues he valued. Other stories like, â€Å"The Birthmark,† and, â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter,† provided a unique view of a how a male dominated society can harm its women. Author Henry James considered him a genius and the most significant writer of his time (Norton Anthology, â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne† 1272). Often Hawthorne’s jobs pulled him away from his writing but allowed him to support his family. Hawthorne skillfully used gothic elements in his writing to create a clear picture of some approaching death. Though he favored his poetry, Edgar Allan Poe was a master weaver of horror tales who influenced other writers such as T. S. Eliot and William Faulkner (Norton Anthology, â€Å"Edgar Allan Poe† 1531). His lifetime of troubles may have shaped his stories of haunting and death. His reputation as one of the key writers of the macabre in the 18th century is due to selections of poetry and prose such as, â€Å"The Raven,† â€Å"The Purloined Letter,† â€Å"The Tell-Tale Heart† and â€Å"The Cask of Amontillado. † His story, â€Å"The Murders in the Rue Morgue,† is considered to be the first modern detective story. Poe tried to make writing his sole means of work but found that was not possible so he spent time doing different jobs and even joining the military for a time, none of which worked out. He was prone to drinking and had health issues most of his life. For a time, he was an editor for different publications. However, after the death of his wife, Virginia, Poe’s weakness for drinking increased and partly contributed to his death. Hawthorne and Poe used gothic elements in their writing to build up the sense of impending doom. For example, â€Å"Some of Edgar Allan Poe’s work seems to follow a pattern: the indeterminate urban situations, the nightmare intensities, and above all, the confusions of consciousness as the protagonist’s madness destabilizes narrative and setting† (Lloyd-Smith, â€Å"Chapter Three† 30). Poe used these near death situations and a dreamlike feeling in his writing coupled with his morbid sense of humor to reverse the outlook of his readers. He combined in his poetry and prose ways to make his readers quiver unspeakably and tantalize them with psychological complexities. In the selections â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher,† and â€Å"The Murders at Rue Morgue,† he incorporates gothic elements of fantastic excess which invite and challenge interpretation (Lloyd-Smith, â€Å"Chapter Three† 32). To illustrate this, â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne similarly internalized and domesticated the Gothic to explore its insights into the psychology of everyday life, and its applicability to history† (Lloyd-Smith, â€Å"Chapter Three† 33). His tales are full of magical or fetish objects which are used to show a series of historical and personal meanings (Lloyd-Smith â€Å"Chapter Three† 33). Hawthorne used these elements to create a atmosphere of gothic strangeness that fascinate the reader due to the variety of meanings it contains such as the scarlet letter in his novel, The Scarlet Letter, â€Å" or the cryptic veil in â€Å"The Minister’s Black Veil. In particular, â€Å"‘The Fall of the House of Usher,’ is justly the most famous of all Poe’s gothic horrors. For it is only within the context of this nightmare that one can explain why â€Å"Usher,† occupies such an important place in the 19th century development of the Gothic genr e. With great attention to economy of expression and unity of effect, this pattern would be revisited by countless other Gothic stylists† (Dougherty 6). This means that Poe used the fantasy of impending doom in â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher† to change it from being just an upper class dream, to a tale of horror which brought together some of the political situations in the nineteenth century such as those of race and class. Hawthorne and Poe successfully incorporated gothic elements in their writing which provides greater insight to the meaning and interpretation of their works. Nathaniel Hawthorne and Edgar Allan Poe utilized specific literary elements to bring their stories to life for their readers. For instance, Poe uses imagery to transform â€Å"The Fall of the House of Usher,† into a rebellion of inharmonious elements. The house has the same structure as a human head, with windows shaped like eyes, and as it begins to fall into disrepair so to do the humans inhabiting the home, Roderick and Madeline. They are no longer governed by reason and there is a shift to corruption, insanity, and irrational behavior (Bloom 32). This means that the disintegration of the home mirrors the impending death of those living in the home as well. Ultimately, the home crumbles and is swallowed into the waters of a small lake after Madeline and Roderick die. In addition, Nathaniel Hawthorne prolific use of â€Å"emblems in his writing alerts us that they are allegories and that the stories go beyond the regional, historic, pastoral and gothic boundaries which generate and define them† (Heim & Bloom 49). This means in â€Å"The Birthmark,† the birthmark itself actually symbolizes life as opposed to imperfection because when Aylmer removes it from his wife’s face, he achieves the perfection he is seeking, but at the cost of her life. Alas, it was too true! The fatal Hand gad grappled with the mystery of life, and was the bond by which an angelic spirit kept itself in union with a mortal frame. As the last crimson tint of the birth-mark—that sole token of human imperfection—faded from her cheek, the parting breath of the now perfect woman passed into the atmosphere, and her soul, lingering a mome nt, near her husband, took its heavenward flight† (Norton Anthology, â€Å"Nathaniel Hawthorne† 1331). In addition, the emblem he uses in The Scarlet Letter, suggests the reader should seek more meaning regarding what it really was and what it was telling the reader because it was about more than just about forbidden love. In â€Å"Rappaccini’s Daughter, the garden itself became a source of poison despite its incredible beauty because the flowers that made it beautiful could kill anyone who comes close to them. Moreover, â€Å"Hawthorne’s tales are critiques of the nature and efficacy of conflicting values with which moral problems can be met† (Heim & Bloom 53). This means that because of his Puritan heritage, Hawthorne used his writing to explore the exchange of and the difficulty between situations dealing with desires and imagination. He looked at the moral problems and the limitations where desires and actions connect and struggle. In The Scarlet Letter, the circumstance is set for the struggle of forbidden sexual intercourse between Minister Dimmesdale and Hester Prynne. Poe and Hawthorne contributed stories which contained struggles between characters and the society and its rules of order of the time. For example, Hawthorne’s tales are often constructed to suggest that they are narratives veiled by something in the structure of the narrative itself† (Heim & Bloom 68). This means that Hawthorne’s selections describe people who are torn between their own wishes and the differing demands of society and its rules of right and wrong. They test one’s limits and the possibilities of sin and virtue with a great anxi ety for righteousness. Hawthorne had an intimate understanding of the elements that makeup and set apart the human condition. To illustrate, for Edgar Allan Poe â€Å"reason seems a masquerade, adopted only when convenient as in his analysis of his own poem, â€Å"The Raven,† that refuses submission to its rule. He claimed the existence of a Higher Reason, accessible by intuition and introspection and Poe’s fiction plays around this theme showing how his narrators attempt to contain their irrational experiences, drives, and desires within the rational framework†(Lloyd-Smith, â€Å"Chapter Five† 68). Poe believed reason was useful on his terms and the irrational could be controlled to a certain degree. This is why he is considered the father of the short story. In addition, Poe’s prose, â€Å"continually confronts the material of the real body; or the corpse. Death is perpetually confronted, but the doorway opens only to the horror of this intransigent ‘real’† such as in, â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart, which begins with the narrator explaining his reason for committing murder (Lloyd-Smith, â€Å"Chapter Five† 69). â€Å"He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! He had the eye of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever† (290 Poe). Also, characters in Poe’s stories seem to be awaiting death and cheat it long enough to be able to convey their last message before meeting some horrifying end. His narrators also began by explaining the reason for their misdeeds or misfortunes to the reader as a preface to the actual story. Hawthorne and Poe also used their writing to allow them to deal with the problems of society, their own lives, and their inner demons. To illustrate, â€Å"The Gothic world Hawthorne created in his fiction—with it’s his gloomy settings, concern with death, and explorations of the demonic—is central to his moral and thematic purposes as it allowed him a broad realm through which he could tell the dark truths about the world as he perceived it† (Lloyd-Smith, â€Å"Chapter Five† 71). This means that the gothic elements he used in this writing allowed him to tell about social injustices he felt strongly about. Some such issues were slavery and the degradation of women in a male dominated society. For example, â€Å"Poe's works are associated with death and horror, and he finds a place among the gothic writers. In fact, Poe's use of death as a central motif finds service only in his pursuit of the â€Å"effect† which Poe suggests should be the motivation behind the creation and development of any short story†Ã‚  (Pahl 8). The use of death as a central theme in his writing was helpful only if they produced a physical effect on the reader. Poe felt this gothic element should be the driving force behind any short story that is to be developed and worthy of reading. In addition, â€Å"Poe strived to achieve an emotional effect of either melancholy or terror when he chose the unanticipated and undeserved death of young maidens–soul mates either as wives or sisters–as the subject most likely to inspire this gothic effect† (Pahl 10). Poe often chose to portray women in his works as weak, sickly and almost deserving of some ghastly demise. The characters were usually young and whose roles were that of sisters or wives in the selections. Finally, Hawthorne and Poe both had a fascination with death and the supernatural, which they included in their writing. These gothic elements coupled with the lessons about life, death, morality, sin and virtue in a male dominated world make their writing major sources of study and discussion even today. Readers can choose to focus on Poe’s specific situations set up to produce a reaction or Hawthorne’s ability to draw attention to details and setting. Clearly these two gothic fiction writers helped establish the American short story with a dark twist. Works Cited Bloom, Harold. â€Å"Thematic Analysis of â€Å"The Haunted Palace†. â€Å"Bloom’s Major Poets: Edgar Allan Poe (Jan. 1999): 32-35. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Laredo Community College Library, Laredo, TX. 06 June 2009 http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=lfh&AN=16466202&site=ehost-live Dougherty, Stephen. â€Å"Foucault in the House of Usher: Some Historical Permutations in Poe's Gothic. † Papers on Language & Literature 37. 1 (n. d. ): 3. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Laredo Community College Library, Laredo, TX. 0 June 2009 http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true&db=lfh&AN=4316178&site=ehost-live Hawthorne, Nathaniel. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym et al. Vol. B. New York, W. W. Norton & Co. , 2007. 1272-1495. Heims, Neil, and Harold Bloom.. â€Å"An Introduction to Some Elements of Nathaniel Hawthorne's Fiction. † Bloom's BioCritiques: Nathaniel Hawthorne (Jan. 2003 ): 49-78. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Laredo Community College Library, Laredo, TX. 24 June 2009 http://search. ebscohost. com/login. spx? direct=true=lfh=16305750=ehost-live Lloyd-Smith, Allan. â€Å"Chapter Five: Major Themes in American Gothic. † 65-132. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd – Books, 2004. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Laredo Community College Library, Laredo, TX. 24 June 2009 http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true=lfh=23674509=ehost-live   Lloyd-Smith, Allan. â€Å"Chapter Three: How to Read American Gothic. † 25-35. Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd — Books, 2004. Literary Reference Center. EBSCO. Laredo Community College Library, Laredo, TX. 25 June 2009 http://search. ebscohost. com/login. aspx? direct=true=lfh=23674507=ehost-live Pahl, Dennis. Architects of the Abyss The Indeterminate Fictions of Poe, Hawthorne and Melville. Columbia: University of Missouri Press, 1989. Poe, Edgar A. The Norton Anthology of American Literature. Ed. Nina Baym et al. Vol. B. New York, W. W. Norton & Co. , 2007. 1528-1626. Poe, Edgar A. â€Å"The Tell Tale Heart. † The Portable Poe. Ed. Philip Van Doren Stern. New

Character Analysis of Emily Grierson in A Rose for Emily...

â€Å"Here was a woman who has had a tragedy, a tragedy and nothing could be done about it, and I pitied her and this was a salute ... to a woman you would hand a rose† (Outà ³n 63), this is how William Faulkner is quoted when explaining the meaning for the title of his short story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily.† In his short story, Faulkner summarizes the life of a forsaken woman, whom, while heavily respected by her town, is also quite pitied. Faulkner works to give the reader a sense of empathy towards his character while he describes the tragedy that is her life. Emily Grierson, is eventually found to not be the only victim of the story, though, as her faults are exposed. In spite of her disturbing tendencies, William Faulkner still manages to depict his character, Emily Grierson, as a lonely and reclusive woman whom the reader wishes to feel sorry for. Emily Grierson is introduced to the reader as a lonely old lady who simply needs a friend. Her lack of social interact ion is demonstrated throughout the story as the only two companions that she is ever mentioned to having had are her father, who died, and a suitor, Homer Barron, who left her many years ago. The reader is left feeling even more sorry for Emily when the narrator tells of her possible suicide endeavor when she goes to buy poison from the town druggist, â€Å"’I want some poison†¦ I want the best you have. I don’t care what kind’† (Faulkner 99). The narrator leaves the reader supposing that Emily had wished to end her life. TheShow MoreRelated Character Analysis of Emily Grierson in A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner555 Words   |  3 Pages Emily Grierson, referred to as Miss Emily throughout the story, is the main character of A Rose for Emily, written by William Faulkner. Emily is born to a proud, aristocratic family sometime during the Civil War; Miss Emily used to live with her father and servants, in a big decorated house. The Grierson Family considers themselves superior than other people of the town. According to Miss Emilys father none of the young boys were suitable for Miss Emily. Due to this attitude of Miss EmilysRead More Narrative Worth in A Rose for Emily Essay1298 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å" A Rose for Emily†, William Faulkner tells the complex tale of a woman who is battered by time and unable to move through life after the loss of each significant male figure in her life. Unlike Disney Stories, there is no prince charming to rescue fallen princess, and her assumed misery becomes the subject of everyone in the town of Jefferson, Mississippi. As the townspeople gossip about her and develop variou s scenarios to account for her behaviors and the unknown details of her life, Emily GriersonRead MoreA Rose for Emily889 Words   |  4 PagesLiterary Analysis for â€Å"A Rose for Emily† Sometimes a Rose is Not a Rose: A Literary Analysis of â€Å"A Rose for Emily† In the short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, written by William Faulkner, the negative impact of Emily’s upbringing by an overprotective father, leads to incredible pattern in her life and the obvious mental illness that takes over as she not so graciously ages. While written in five sections, the first and last section is written in present time, and the three middle sectionsRead MoreAnalysis of William Faulkners A Rose for Emily Essay1187 Words   |  5 PagesAnalysis of William Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† In â€Å"A Rose for Emily†, William Faulkner uses symbolism, imagery, simile and tone. Faulkner uses these elements to lead his characters to an epiphany of letting go of out-dated traditions and customs. The resistance to change and loneliness are prominent themes within â€Å"A Rose for Emily†. Faulkner uses â€Å"A Rose for Emily† to caution his readers that things are not always what they appear to be. The tone of â€Å"A Rose for Miss Emily†Read MoreEssay on Connecting Symbols in A Rose for Emily1248 Words   |  5 Pagesunderstanding and sometimes hidden meaning. In the short story, â€Å"A Rose for Emily† William Faulkner utilizes a vast collection of symbols, as a means to enhance the reader’s visual perceptions but also prompts consideration into theories of motive surrounding the murder of Homer Barron. Modeled after the post-civil war era of the American south, Falkner transports the reader to the fictitious town of Jefferson and into the home of Miss Emily Grierson, a mysterious figure and longtime resident of YoknapatawphaRead MoreEssay A Rose for Emily: Literary Analysis 2990 Words   |  4 PagesENG 102 Analysis Research Paper 09-25-10 Literary Analysis William Faulkner’s short story â€Å"A Rose for Emily† carries a theme represented by a dying breed of that era, while using symbolism to represent tragedy, loneliness and some form of pride, the story also shows how far one will go to have the approval of others and the pursuit of happiness. In today’s times, a person’s image could mean everything in life and almost everyone tries to fit into the main stream in some form at some pointRead MoreA Rose for Emily by William Faulkner Essay1064 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"A Rose for Emily† opens with a line that immediately tells the audience that the main character, Emily Grierson, lived a life that was on display; â€Å"When Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral† (Faulkner 119). The voyeurism that is evident throughout the story, following the life of the main character through the perspective of her watchful community, is introduced by the very first line. In Donaldson’s essay, she explains that many classic southern gothic tales â€Å"bring attentionRead MoreA Rose For Emily By William Faulkner1507 Words   |  7 Pages1897, William Cuthbert Faulkner was born in New Albany, Mississippi. He stands as one of the most preeminent American writers of the twentieth century. His literary reputation included poetry, novels, short stories, and screenplays. Faulkner won two Pulitzer Prizes for Fiction and the Nobel Prize in Literature. â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is a short fascinating story written by William Faulkner and it was his first short story published in a national magazine. The story involved an old woman named Emily GriersonRead Moreâ€Å"a Rose for Emily†1309 Words   |  6 Pagesâ€Å"A Rose for Emily† Character Analysis of Miss Emily Grierson â€Å"A Rose for Emily† written by William Faulkner, is a story of Miss Emily Grierson, a woman who was born into a wealthy family in the town of Jefferson. She grew up and lived in a huge Victorian home with servants. After the Civil War, it seems that her family’s wealth started to diminish but the Grierson’s were still trapped in the past of their family’s wealth. Emily Grierson’s past and present life is being recalled by a narratorRead MoreEmily Grierson Motive to Kill Homer Barron1425 Words   |  6 PagesWilliam Faulkner’s â€Å"A Rose for Emily† is an intriguing tale of the life and death of Emily Grierson, who ends up killing her male companion, Homer Barron. A motive is not stated by the narrator, but when read critically a motive can be found. Several Literary critics have proposed different motives of why Emily Grierson killed Homer Barron. Some say that Homer was going to jilt Emily. Although homer was the not the mar rying type, there is no evidence that homer was going to leave her. Another motive