Cassio is a an expert in strategic procedures and Othello is a Moor general in charge of the Venetian army. Cassio works by Othello’s side as the army’s lieutenant. Cassio though very useful in the army’s duties was a simple-minded man, unconscious of his surroundings and his actions. He told Iago, “I have very poor and unhappy brains for drinking. I could well wish courtesy would invent some other custom of entertainment.” Yet, shortly after this statement Cassio finds himself in a state in which he is so drunk he ends up fighting with a Cyprus official. Their naive ways lead them through a storm, it swept away Othello as Iago stood and watched.
Othello was an honored and trusted general. His character reflected the honor and respect that was given to him. In scene one Barbantio and Othello confront each other about the couple’s love and marriage. Even as her own father’s trust grew distant Othello stood faithful as he told Barbantio, “My life upon her faith!” Even though Othello trusted his wife he began to suspect her faithfulness, as Othello’s confidant Iago poisoned his mind with thoughts of infidelity.
Othello’s character reminds me of Edmond Dantes. There seems to be a similarity in the sense that, Edmond’s mind was pure and innocent, he didn’t even suspect his own companions of betraying him. Edmond’s mind continued free of cruel intentions until his mind’s capacity began to expand and he soon learned who his real enemies were. Edmond’s character changed. His entire life was altered with the help of his mentor. Othello didn’t have the assistance of a teacher but he had the assistance of Iago. Trust was the key to their downfalls. Othello trusted without protection. When he trusted someone he depended fully on that individual and committed his life to the faithfulness of that person. He wore no armor against the dishonesty of the cruel and knew how to fight only in the physical realm. “I know Iago thy honesty and love doth mince this matter…”When the revelation came upon Edmond’s life he sought out revenge. In the same manner Othello’s heart and mind was purely focused on his wife, Desdemona. When the poison in his mind began to settle, Othello’s trust for Desdemona grew distant and his innocence began to fade.
“For I know thou art’ full of love and honesty and weigh’st thy words before thou gives’t them breath.
Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle – The Lie of the American Dream
The Jungle – The Lie of the American Dream
In The Jungle, Sinclair deeply understands his subjects and can make the plots real for the reader. Even in a small section of the book, Sinclair makes me feel, imagine and contemplate his words. Chapters 18 through 23, were chapters that Sinclair took time and effort to write and make it to perfection. In my own perspective, I think he achieved this accomplishment and made these chapters a realistic event.
The main theme of these 6 chapters is “The lie of the American Dream”. Jurgis thought by coming here to the United States, he would find everything easy, but everything turned against his wishes. In chapter 18, he’s out of jail, free, only to find someone else in his home. He realized that his family had lost their home because of lack of money, and because he wasn’t there when they needed him the most. Later finding them and finding his wife giving birth with complications and smelling death around him. Is a very shocking and yet horrifying idea.
With only a dollar twenty-five, Madame Haupt helped Ona give birth, but failed to give them their life. With that dollar twenty-five, Ona lost her life and left Jurgis alone forever. That same day little Kotrina earned three dollars, Jurgis took it and got drunk. This American lie struck him hard, the least he can do was to get drunk and forget about life for a while.
However, life was still ahead of him. He went back to the fertilizer, but found no job there. He owed so much money, the least he could do was to get a job. He tried many places until his friend found him a job in a big factory. There he worked and worked, but lost it because the factories closed down and there was no work until further notice. Probably Jurgis thought “America lies to me once again”, and has to deal with it.
Thus, Jurgis did not stay with his arms crossed; he went out again to look for more work. He begged, he slept in the streets, he tried everything, but finally he got another job in a mill and worked there. It seemed that life was getting easier but it got worse. One day, Jurgis got home, and found out that his son, his little boy Antanas, had died. This was a nightmare for Jurgis.