Literature

European religious and secular tradition has long viewed the role of women in the ancient narratives as negative. Beginning with Eve who seduced Adam and thus caused the downfall of the entire mankind, Western literature conceived mythological women as evil or, at least, irrational creatures. However, this view is, to a great extent, a fruit of precisely Western tradition. In fact, it is difficult to trace a general trend in presentation of women in the ancient texts.    In looking at the images of women in the Book of Genesis, in Chapters 2 and 3 of the Bible, and the story of Joseph the Dreamer, found in chapter 37 of Genesis (verses 39  46), the Gilgamesh epic, and the Egyptian Tale of the Two Brothers, one can discover that ancient texts could treat women both positively and negatively. 

This is especially because Ancient authors had very different ideas of good and evil than we currently do. In fact, acts which may seem evil for us were explainable or even encouraged during the Antiquity.  Additionally, ancient texts were authored by men, so their approach and their accounts are masculine, and thus we now have a one-sided view presented by those male-authors which does not reflect female view. Another result of male authorship is that ancient texts pay much less attention to women than they do to men. 

Thus, every female character attracts much attention. When a male acts in an evil manner, he acts as one among many characters, but when a women acts in an evil manner, she acts in her feminine capacity. This aggravates all her vices and sins as those attributable to the entire womanhood. Nevertheless, there are numerous pieces in the ancient narratives demonstrating womens dignity and positive influence on the outcome of the story.  Portrayals of female and male characters in each of these texts differ depending on the authors approach and our evaluation of the narrative. Each narrative reflects the development of males approach to women in the ancient societies. 
 
Female Characters and Ancient Ideas of Good and Evil
The Ancient East was a much more primitive and harsher society than our modern Western  society is or was. Correspondingly, its moral perceptions differed greatly from those we share now. Ancient Egypt, Israel, and Mesopotamia were patriarchal societies with strong male domination. In all of the concerned narratives women play a subordinated role being rather objects than subjects. Their characters reveal themselves only in interaction with males, and this interaction is not always pleasant for women. Thus, in the Tale of the Two Brothers the wife of the older brother does not even have a name. Her character reveals itself only in interaction with males. Ennead, the second female character does have a name however, she is a prisoner of men just as Anubiss wife is. The chirographist calls down blessings when he mentions the Pharaoh and his servants, since the will of the Pharaoh is divine.

Yet, the actions of the Pharaoh are far from divine, at least in our understanding. He simply took a women he desired, killing her husband as well as dozens of own servants. Ennead behaves strangely throughout the narrative. She swears fidelity to Bata, yet she becomes Pharaohs faithful wife and tells him where Batas heart is. At that, she, somehow, remains faithful to Bata by becoming pregnant from a splinter, which was a part of Batas new body. It appears impossible to judge this mythological story in the light of present ideas of good and evil. Probably, ancient Egyptians would consider cunning with the Pharaoh as a much greater sin than murder of her husband. Seemingly, the author makes no moral conclusion in the Tale of Two Brothers.  Certain clues demonstrating the ancient Egyptian attitude towards both female characters are given through the development of the narrative. Anubis wifes death demonstrates condemnation while a happy conclusion of the story shows that Enneads actions were correct and virtuous. This makes The Tale of Two Brothers similar to behavioral guide which demonstrates the consequences of both virtuous and wicked behavior. 

In the Gilgamesh epic female characters are portrayed in two extreme states either as goddesses or as prostitutes. Surprisingly for modern morality, there is hardly a difference between these two states.
Ritual prostitution was a usual practice for Babylon, so using a hurlot, a wanton from the temple of love to hunt Enkidu is a virtue rather than sin. After the wild and uncivilized Enkidu lays with a prostitute he is no longer innocent and no longer able to live in the wild. This brings Enkidu to civilization and enables him to establish a relationship with Gilgamesh, however, at the cost of losing his wild anarchic nature. This makes a complicated analogy between loss of innocence and development from the wild to civilization, which only becomes possible because of a woman. In Gender and Aging in Mesopotamia The Gilgamesh Epic and Other Ancient Literature,, Harris emphasizes the Mesopotamian concept that norms of sexual behavior are an important part of civilized life  It is not a mere chance that a prostitute initiates Enkidus new state. As an experienced woman, Shamhat is not simply a sexual partner, but a tutor for Enkidu. Once again, further development of the story makes the role of a prostitute positive or, at least, necessary, for otherwise Gilgamesh and Enkidu would never meet. 

In The Tale of the Two Brothers and the Gilgamesh epic, the authors seem to avoid ethical considerations. They are blind to moral simply telling a story without reference to a certain system of values. Readers can assume what the author deems to be good and what the author deems to be evil, although this is not directly mentioned. It can be reasonably suggested that the later text of the Bible demonstrates the growing interest to ethics and moral, which was not apparent in The Tale of the Two Brothers or the Gilgamesh epic. The Tale of the Two Brothers and the Gilgamesh epic are precisely tales told for entertainment. In contrast, Genesis is a later religious text, in which moralistic questions come to the fore. 

Yet, even in Genesis, Adam and Eve are judged by God rather than the writer.   It is Eve who is seduced by a serpent and it is Eve who gave a forbidden fruit to Adam.  There is a passage in the Biblical text proving that Adam and Eve were equal before the Fall of Man, yet they receive different punishments as a result of being tempted. Talking to Eve God says I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children and thy desire to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. It thus follows, that male domination over women is a punishment imposed on Eve and entire womanhood. Adam also received a punishment however, he was never accused in the Western tradition, rather being viewed as a victim of Eves mindlessness. A question remains open what did the authors themselves think of the story

A comparison of Adam and story to other moralistic problems of the Bible does give some answer. For example, the story of the Fall reveals another tricky moral dilemma. God forbade Adam and Eve to eat a fruit, which would open their eyes and let them know good and evil. Apart from the question that God was not totally honest (Eve and Adam did not die after eating the forbidden fruit), one can ask how could they know that disobedience was evil since they did not know what evil was Without knowing the concept of evil, Adam and Eve have not actually committed something what is evil as such. Thus, they could not commit a conscious sin. Their sin is disobedience to divine will and violation of the supreme order. This is important for understanding female status in the ancient societies, in which women lost their equality with men and became subordinated. In such manner, the sin of disobedience became a typical female sin.  

Relations of authority and hierarchy are a key to understanding the moral of ancient authors. Subordination to Supreme Will, whether it is the will of God, Pharaoh, or Gilgameshs mother stands in the center of their ethical considerations. Disobedience is a sin worthy of the harshest punishments. Women were viewed as unwise, weak and subjected creatures, so for a woman being good meant being obedient. Certain difference can be found between Babylonian and Egyptian society. In the Gilgamesh women like Ninsun occupy higher positions than the men do. In their capacity, these women can give orders to everyone, including men from the lower classes, so the obligation to obey follows not from gender, but from the social position of a character. In contrast, The Tale of the Two Brothers gives leading social roles to men, and thus an obligation to obey for the inferiors evolves into obligation to obey for women. 

Approaches Towards Women by Male Authors
In Gender and Aging in Mesopotamia The Gilgamesh Epic and Other Ancient Literature, Harris argues that in the Gilgamesh epic, in whatever version was composed by men for the edification and entertainment of presumably male audience who read or to whom the Epic was read.  All of the concerned narratives share similar masculine approach to women. This approach combines admiration and fear of womens fertility. In ancient stories, women act as unwise creatures driven mostly by instincts (Anubiss wife, Ishtar) in contrast to rational males driven mostly by reason. More than that, in case women are unsatisfied in their desires, they take revenge using their falseness and cunning. The descriptions of women seducing men are so similar in all narratives that they could be written by one author.

Whether it is Anubiss wife telling to Bata come, lets spend for ourselves an hour sleeping (together). Such will be to your advantage, for I will make you fine clothes. In Genesis, the masters wife caught Joseph by his garment, saying, Lie with me and he left his garment in her hand, and fled, and got him out.  In these texts, females appear to be driven by their irrational sexual desire, which they are eager to satisfy at all costs. This approach is most dramatically presented by goddess Ishtar, who prefers to kill Gilgamesh after he rejects her sexual advances. In the case of Bata and Joseph, the males reject womens proposals, thus making women vengeful. Their tool for revenge involves lies and cunning behavior. In the Tale of the Two Brothers and in the story of Joseph the Dreamer, angry women call upon other men alleging that their insulter beat or raped them, thus causing other men to punish the innocent. In Gilgamesh, Ishtar demonstrates aggressive sexual behavior attempting to kill Gilgamesh after he refuses to lay with her. Siduri serves as Gilgameshs guide to the underworld. Consequently, these are women who establish a mystical link between material and spiritual world. Although

Gilgamesh himself speaks to mountains and trees, he is himself unable to pry himself away from the material world. A goddess Anuru creates Enkidu to prevent Gilgamesh from further crimes, and a woman leads him to the underworld. Without womens influence Gilgamesh would remain a tyrant and never walk the way of spiritual self-development.  

The image of women in all the concerned narratives is non-natural, as they oppose natural and social laws.. Men act in accordance with natural laws (like Adam, Joseph, Bata and Anubis) while women break these laws (like Ennead or Ninsun). This can be illustrated by the story of Eve. Although being equal to Adam, it is Eve who is seduced by a serpent. Tempted by their fleshly desires women are seat of the trouble in every ancient text. Temptation of brothers wife leads Bata to conflict with Anubis, and while temptation of masters wife causes Josephs trouble, Enkidus appearance makes Gilgamesh sorrowful.

Males do have carnal desires in every narrative. The Pharaoh desired to have Ennead as his wife, Adam agreed to eat the forbidden fruit and Gilgameshs lust leaves no virgin to her lover neither the warriors daughter nor the wife of the noble (13), and later Gilgamesh meets women like Ishtar seducing him. Thus, women are portrayed as tempting creatures while men agree to be seduced. In the light of this, women start playing an active role determining the future course of events. Nevertheless, the stories have strong male orientation point of view, so males are likely to ascribe their own character to women, so that the true character of mythological women remains unknown, at least because ancient texts give no evidence of females perception of the mythological situation and womens own actions.

The Importance of Female Characters in Ancient Narratives
As noticed above, women in the concerned narratives often act as initiators of certain events, or, more broadly, as fateful characters gravely influencing males further destiny. As observed by Harris, women are regarded positively only when the assist Gilgamesh (and Enkidu) in those heroes activities when they nurture and advice in material fashion. The adventures of the heroes preclude the primary role of women. After all, Bata fathers the future pharaoh after two women betray him. Driven by his fate he dies and resurrects as a ruler and later as pharaohs father.

Thanks to Ennead, The Tale of the Two Brothers concludes happily and successfully. It presents two female characters both using their natural foxery as cunning women. Anubiss wife is an example of a disobedient and thus evil woman, while Ennead manages to reach her goal preserving her female virtue and obedience. In the light of this, Ennead is, obviously, a positive character from the point of view of the ancient Egyptians or, at least, the authors and the audience of The Tale of Two Brothers (the upper classes of the Ancient Egyptian society). In the Gilgamesh epic women drive the protagonist in his destiny, and Enkidu is destiny itself. At the beginning of the narrative Gilgamesh is described as a ruler whom no one could withstand. Hearing the peoples laments gods asks Arunnu, the goddess of creation to make his own reflection, his second self, stormy heart for stormy heart.

This Gilgameshs reflection  is a man, however, the narrative offers strong homosexual insights. Enkidu is a male, yet he may be playing a female role. His actions suggest that Enkidu often acts in a female capacity when Gilgamesh kisses and embarrasses him. Enkidu is not a female character, yet his relationship with Gilgamesh demonstrates the attitude of Mesopotamians towards women as sexual objects (prostitutes or bedmates), while a relationship can exist only between males. Traveling with his friend (and probable lover) Gilgamesh meets Ishtar, the Mesopotamian goddess of love and war. These two characters illustrate dualist perception of a woman by ancient Babylonians. Arunnus actions are, undoubtedly, positive, while Ishtar is not so much negative as fateful. A woman is a creator of life and simultaneously a destructor ruining able to ruin the characters life due to her disastrous hyper libidinousness. Gilgamesh blames Ishtar for her destructive love which ruins men

You loved the many-coloured roller, but still you struck and broke his wing...You have loved the lion tremendous in strength seven pits you dug for him, and seven. You have loved the stallion magnificent in battle, and for him you decreed the whip and spur and a thong ...You have loved the shepherd of the flock he made meal-cake for you day after day, he killed kids for your sake. You struck and turned him into a wolf now his own herd-boys chase him away, his own hounds worry his flanks.

It is difficult to conclude that a goddess of fertility can be a purely negative character however, Gilgamesh avoids contacting her fearing consequences of her love. In the light of this, there is little difference between Ishtar and Anubiss wife. A free and uncontrolled woman could give pleasure to men, but the requital for this pleasure would be death and ruination. 

The overall idea of females in the ancient texts demonstrates that they were treated as otherworldly creatures living in the material dimension and linking nonexistence to existence. They are neither good nor bad, they are just different in their manner of thinking and behavior. It follows, that the importance of female characters in the Gilgamesh epic cannot be overemphasized, since females are alpha and omega of the narrative. This reflects the general idea shared by ancient Babylonians apportioning women with esoteric talents.

Fearful of their supernatural powers males preferred to use women, but never establish a relationship with a woman. In the case when it is impossible to rule over a woman (like Ishtar) men prefer to avoid them. As noted above, the Bible offers a different approach towards creation. Fertility is no longer a merit, it is rather taken for granted, and so sexual intentions of women are deemed as expressly undesirable. Although God tells Adam and Eve to be be fruitful, and multiply, and fill the waters in the seas, and let fowl multiply in the earth, these words do not expressly refer to sexual intercourses between man and woman.

Eve is viewed as Adams equal before Fall and Adams subject after the Fall, but obedience and lower social standing is the price paid by a woman for violation of divine prescriptions. Following this idea, the Bible further presents women in the negative light. However, this presentation is, largely, a result of authors appraisals. In fact, both Eve and Adam sinned, and it was a serpent (a male character) who seduced Eve. Yet, the burden of guilt for the Fall is born by Eve and her heiresses. This can be illustrated already by the story of Joseph, which presents a woman as temptress driving the protagonist from righteous way. Such behavior was normal for Ishtar, condemned for Anubiss wife and sinful for Biblical women.

The Gilgamesh epic, The Tale of the Two Brothers, and the Book of Genesis taken together demonstrate the development of approach towards women in ancient societies. The Gilgamesh includes strong traces of matriarchy. The women in the narrative possess strong supernatural qualities connected to their sexuality and fertility. A female goddess creates Enkidu, an earthly prostitute makes Enkidu civilized and another female goddess acts as a symbol of ruination. The writer (and probably the audience) is alerted with unconceivable female power and thus males in the Gilgamesh prefer to act in defensive by limiting their relationships with women.
   
The Tale of the Two Brothers offers a consumptive approach to a woman as a sexual object and as mother. Although women in the narrative dramatically affect the males destiny, males are now in offensive making women kneel before their physical strength and rationalism. The latter quality enables men to unravel womens artfulness and impose their will on women.    

The least attention is paid to women in the Genesis. Only Eve is a notable female character and only due to the fact that she causes the Fall of Man. A woman seducing Joseph is an object rather than subject of the narrative. 

 Obvious moral appraisal of women can be found only in the Genesis, while The Tale of the Two Brothers and Gilgamesh offer little moral considerations. Both suggest that the valuable female qualities were obedience and modesty. However, these qualities result rather from a position of a woman as a subjected creature than from their gender. Superior females (like goddesses) are not bound by subjection. Obligation to obey born by earthly women is a result of their subjection. They are defeated by males strength and reason and thus become subjected as any creature lacking reason. From this point of view, the position of a woman in the narratives has little difference with the position of children or even cattle. Authors of the Gilgamesh epic, The Tale of the Two Brothers and Genesis are far from understanding womans different reason, sensuality and character, so they prefer to rule over them, but not to communicate with them. 

The thinking, attitude and behavior of humans are influenced by their desire to attain success in their lives. The pursuit of success blinds people towards the feelings and thoughts of other people. This attitude of human beings in depicted in the play The Rise and Fall of Little Voice by Jim Cartwright.

The play focuses on the life of Little Voice, a timid girl. Little voice is living with her domineering mother, Mari.  The death of her father has resulted in loneliness for Little Voice. Little Voice locks herself in her bedroom and listens to the old records which were collected by her father. As most of her time is spend in listening to these records, Little Voice develops the talent of impersonating the voices of famous singers. This talent of Little Voice is noticed by Ray Say, her mothers boyfriend who is seeking to progress in his career as a club-agent. Ray Say seeks to exploit the singing talent of Little Voice to fulfill his aim of success.

Ray Say
The character of Ray Say in the play comes across as an individual whose desire to attain his success makes him to overlook the true feelings of Little Voice. Ray Say succeeds in impressing Mari with his wisdom. Cartwright  mentions, You have wisdom. Also you know what to say in many situations, also you know how to have a laugh, dress and drive. He is a club-agent but his career is not moving in a way expected by him. He is still struggling to make name for himself in this field. So when he hears Little Voice singing, he is pleased with his discovery, for Little Voice can aid him in becoming successful. Richar states that No sooner has Ray Say.. heard Little Voice singing than he has instant dreams of the fortune hell make as her personal manager.  Ray realizes the potential of Little Voice, for she had a talent which can turn her into a famous personality. Little Voice may be a shy girl but she possessed the ability to imitate the singing of famous singers. Billington  writes, Little Voice is a shy girl who, in Cartwrights likeable if overlong Lancastrian fairy tale, reveals the power to imitate showbiz icons of song. He devotes all his attention to Little Voice and strives to convince her to sing in public. Wolf mentions, Ray Say, a local talent agent and main squeeze of the drunken Mari, who is soon transferring his attentions, in business terms at least, to promoting LV as a newfound star.

Although Little Voice is hesitant to sing in a club, Ray forces her to do so to serve his purpose of becoming famous. Simon writes, Next thing, the evil impresario has her performing-in a state of shock and totally against her will-for the profane, vulgar crowd at a local club. A shy girl like Little Voice is forced to perform on the stage in front of numerous people by Ray Say.
   
Ray is cunning enough to convince Little Voice to perform on the stage. As he is obsessed with his aim to succeed, he resorts to cruelty. He ignores the emotional distress that Little Voice is undergoing, owing to the performance and makes her to do a thing which is in contrast to her timid nature. Maxwell  points out that Ray Say . a mix of loser and viper who impresses with his guile, then appalls with his cruelty. When Little Voices first performance captivates the audience, Ray is excited with the thought that his dream of becoming a successful individual will be realized very soon, owing to Little Voices talent. Even though Little Voice has agreed to perform only once, he tries to persuade her to give a second performance. Ray is so determined to utilize the opportunity presented to him in form of Little

Voice that he fails to realize the detrimental effects of his acts on Little Voices mind. Shenton mentions, When Maris latest boyfriend, small-time working mens club impresario Ray Say, overhears LV singing, he puts in place a tragic sequence of events as he pushes her towards stardom she doesnt want and is literally terrified of.  The talent, which Mari was unable to see, was noticed by Ray and he struggles to make the most of his discovery. Hitchings explains that Mari belittles LVs gift, yet when it comes to the attention of her new squeeze, small-time impresario Ray Say, he sees an opportunity too juicy to pass up. Little Voice was providing Ray with a chance to become a successful artist manager and he wanted to grab that chance with both his hands. Coveney  writes, But Ray, an out-of-time Teddy boy chancer, is moving into artiste management, and when he hears LV singing along with her Dads vinyl collection upstairs, he plots her progress in local show business. Although Ray enters Maris life as her boyfriend, he is more interested in Little Voice after he heard her singing once. It is written in Telegraph.co.uk  that But Ray turns out to be more interested in her withdrawn daughters ability to sing like her idols than in Mari. The selfish attitude of Ray leads to conflicts between Mari and Little Voice, as Little Voice directs all her anger towards Mari. Rays intentions and behavior point towards his evil nature, for he tries to exploit Little Voice to accomplish his aim of achieving success.

The emergence of Rococo arts and Neo-classical style in the seventeenth and eighteenth century had paid tribute to greatest eras in the history of art as well as of the world.  History accounted that the other marked the lighthearted and uneventful period in the history while the latest came out during the age of warfare and religious confrontation (Rococo), through which many artists had drawn inspiration from. As Honour and Fleming wrote,  their view of themselves and of the human condition  all can be sensed in the way a subject is rendered, sensuously or cerebrally, emotionally or dispassionately (p. ii). However, they also noted that artists during these periods had rarely expressed their aims (Honour and Fleming, p. ii) except that their styles became useful as a means of distinguishing styles that coexists, derive from and merge into others, or are developed in one place and taken up elsewhere (Honour and Fleming, p. ii). Basically, Rococo style was a new mode of Baroque while Neo-classical style was a modified version of Rococo.

Comparison and Contrast between Rococo and Neo Classical Styles
Comparison
Both Rococo and Neoclassicism architectures have achieved similarities despite a total revolution of style that emerged with Neoclassicism, that is, it was able to emphasize culture, political condition, and social condition in its theme. Both found the importance of color in enhancing the image of a once significant structure. Lastly, both keep its artistic value using decorative features such as paintings and sculpture for Rococo and statues for Neoclassicism.

Contrast
Given the historical features, Rococo style differs from Neo-classical arts in a sense that the former had light-hearted, whimsical style of decorative art (Rococo), while the latter emphasized courage, sacrifice, nationalism, and tradition (Neoclassism). To illustrate the differences, two great architectural designs will be used in this study Queluz National Palace in Portugal for Rococo and Cathedral of

Vilnius for Neo Classicism.
Specific Works of Visual Arts with Rococo and Neo Classical Styles
Queluz National Palace in Rococo Style
Queluz National Palace is remarkable in its elaborative design and grandiosity in its very light color. The faade has decorative features illustrated around windows and doors, rooflines, and swooping pediments. Other parts of the building are noticeable because of some statues on top of the building, yet its grandiosity remains standing because of its color that enhances its feminine look. The interior part is more sophisticated in its glazed tiles, decorated ceilings that are enhanced through their crystal chandeliers.  What make the structure really impressive are the splendid paintings in light or golden color on the ceilings of very huge rooms, which brighten the interior of the building. The garden also adds to the attraction which contains statues of interesting story such as the rape of the Sabines and many others as well as other surprises such as a double staircase.
Cathedral of Vilnius in Lithuania in Neo-Classical Style
   
Cathedral of Vilnius in Lithuania became an important building in the city because of fairs and other gatherings that were held regularly surrounding the building. The building is characterized by its solid form usually less decorative column and portico with definite lines that outline windows, door and the roofs.  The walls are plain except for few statues of images including the three at the rooftop. Most of these statues were recovered from excavation, which is why it has historical importance. The building has lighter motifs in a solid color of white.  This masculine look is enhanced by the simplicity of the work.  In the interior part of the building, there are also lines that add strength in the character and are enhanced by its color. What surprising about the building is that inside the chapel, one can see illustration or paintings that can be seen in the building the altar looks like the one used in pagan religious practices. Actually, one characteristics of neo classicism is that, it houses several antiques and relics that have been found for the purpose of preservation and historical relevance.

Analysis
At the turn of every century, people lived up to what the society dictates what helps people recall these historical events are the works of arts that witnessed the ever-changing tide in history.

Freedom and prosperity are not always won in the battlefield. Guns are not the only weapons in winning a struggle. There were valiant men in history who paved the way to the ending of a long struggle with nothing but pens. A history maker like Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala gave life to the adage that the pen is mightier than the sword.
According to Ralph Bauer in Encountering Colonial Latin American Indian ChroniclesFelipe Guaman Poma de Ayalas History of the New World,  In 1908, the German anthropologist Richard Pietschmann discovered in an archive in Copenhagen an early-seventeenth-century manuscript consisting of nearly 1, 200 pages of narrative written in Spanish, Quechua, and Aymara, as well as nearly 400 drawings.
This was written by Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala.
The powerful narrative written by Guaman Poma was entitled New Chronicle and Treatise on Good Government (Nueva coronica y buen gobierno) which was believed to have been completed  in about 1615 (Mills and Taylor 153). This manuscript was an outpouring of Guaman Pomas feelings for his fellow Andeans who suffered during the Spanish conquest.
In Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayalas Appeal Concerning the Priests, Peru, a section of Nueva coronica, as edited by Kenneth Mills and W. Taylor in Colonial Spanish American A Documentary History, Guaman Poma stood in the gap in behalf of his people. Through his potent use of words and visual arts, he presented the struggles of the native Andeans during the Spanish colonization under the hands of certain priests. His appeal was a point by point unraveling of the bitter reality of the suffering of many Andeans in the hands of certain priests who not only governed the ecclesiastical but also the judicial and commercial arenas in their society.
Guaman Poma exposed in his writings the deeds of parish priests like Francisco de Avila who had many illegitimate children and had abused many of the Andeans. He believed that the priests had a great responsibility to the natives  they should epitomize integrity, honesty and love as servants and messengers of God to the native Andeans. This view led him to fight against those priests who abused the men and women of his time and praised those who lived up to their teachings in the faith.
Many of the priests took advantage of the women of Andes who became an easy prey for the satisfaction of their sexual desires.  They also entered into money making ventures under the guise of a genuine religious activity. Both men and women were made to work without pay. Guaman Poma highlighted both verbally and visually the extravagant parties hosted by the priests. In one of his drawings, he literally depicted the low stature accorded to the natives who served wine in the priests table.
The oppression led the natives to leave their place and find refuge from their cruel lords. Guaman Poma emphatically stresses that there was no remedy to the cruelty, greediness and proliferation of Mestizos in their society.
Despite his pessimistic view of the condition of his fellow Andeans under abusive priests in many parts of his writings, Guaman Poma did not lose heart. He still generously gave praises to the Jesuits who he considered as good priests. He also presented remedies such as policies of admitting priests who were already fifty years of age, interim appointment, close monitoring and others.
Guaman Pomas appeal carefully laid down all the bases of his cries. He vividly described in words and drawings the situation of his people. He also bravely named the people who caused the sufferings and other evils of society. He ended with recommendations and a cry for freedom to live a bountiful life for the Andeans.
He, as a valiant writer, had strongly expressed his opinions on the issues in his society under the Spanish colonization. Because of the blatant abuse of power and cruelty of the priests who dominated the ecclesiastical, judicial and commercial aspects of their lives, Guaman Poma lets us in to his thoughts on their spiritual and moral state of affairs during the Spanish colonization vis--vis the pre colonial period

The ancient (Andean) priests of metals, idols, demons, and gods, high priests of stone according to their law, these priests of metals acted devoutly and gave good example, as with the virgins and nuns of the temples.  And so the rest submitted to their justice and law. They were Christians in everything but their idolatry.
Now the priests and ministers of the eternal, living God are as I have described them. From such a bad father springs a bad child, lost to the things of the true God. From a bad tree comes bad fruit, from a bad foundation comes a bad root. This badness is what God punishes most severely in Hell and in this life (Mills and Taylor 162).
   
His writing reveals that the situation of his people during the Spanish colonization was marked by a bondage which many of his fellow Andeans desired to be freed from. It was a period in their history as a people where they had to survive. Thus, it appears that he recognized the value of their pre colonial life as a nation over their situation during the colonization despite the fact that he embraced Christianity which was introduced by the colonizer.
Rolena Adorno in her book Guaman Poma Writing and Resistance in Colonial Peru wrote, Rabidly anticlerical, he decried the greed of all holders of colonial office, civil as well as ecclesiastical. He defended the Andeans as civilized Christians and attacked the Spaniards as lost sinners.
Even with Guaman Pomas despise for the colonial officers and ecclesiastical leaders, he was found to have promoted the institutionalization of the Christian religion and the creation of a sovereign Andean state that would form part of a universal Christian empire presided over by the King of Spain (Adorno 5).
In his appeal, Guaman Poma recognized the authority and the lordship of the royal crown. It was before him that he plead his cause and hoped that his suggested remedies be taken in with greater favor and consideration.
The author, Rolena Adorno, found Guaman  Pomas writing as complex but coherent and always unequivocal in favor of native rule and opposed to colonialism, Guaman Poma was anti-Inca but pro Andean, anti clerical but pro-Catholic.
A hero is one who paves the way for a better life for him and his countrymen even if it will cost him his life. A hero was Guaman Poma who courageously stood for the oppressed even before seemingly untouchable colonizers. .
He, with an eye opener manuscript, was a history maker. His appeal concerning the priests opened the eyes of every reader, during his time and up to the present,  that there are so many ways of getting ones message across.
Because of his blow by blow account, his writings can be given greater weight and consideration with regard to its reliability. His writing reveals an unbiased scrutiny of the ills in his society  he was quick in criticizing the bad priests but was grateful enough to thank those good friars who introduced Christianity and lived as examples of the faith.
Unequivocal language and vivid visual descriptions allowed us to look to the past with clarity, understand and empathize with the native Andeans. He accurately documented the past so that revolutionaries that came after him would have a benchmark.
Guaman Pomas work is significant not only for the Andeans of his time but also for the present generation around the world.
His appeal concerning the priests teaches us five significant lessons necessary for the warfare that our society is currently facing.
First, we can demonstrate our opposition and abhorrence to oppression and cruelty in a more peaceful yet potent way of fearlessly broadcasting the truth not only to our fellow oppressed but also to authorities who we think are capable of helping us in our struggle. The Nueva coronica with its massive writings of almost 1,200 pages, icluding nearly 500 drawings, were meant explicitly for the eyes of King Philip III (Mills and Taylor 153). He was courageous enough to let his pleas be heard by the highest official.
Second, let us never forget the goodness of our own culture. We can embrace the new things introduced to us if it would cause us to grow as a nation without forgetting where we came from, our roots. Guaman Poma was described as a distinct writer for, unlike the other writers of Spanish chronicles about the conquest, he laid the blame on the abuses of the colonial regime and insisted that America had a legitimate history before conquests which was recorded in another language (Bauer).
Thirdly, a strong appeal and a fierce battle through potent writing are not necessarily crowded with biting criticisms only. Be humble enough to give credit to the people who contributed to your development as a nation. Also, be ready to give your remedies to the problem. Do not leave it to the person to whom your appeal is addressed. You are in the best vantage point to make critical analysis of the situation and provide for its possible solution. Guaman Poma suggested realistic and attainable solutions to the problem. Among his suggestions were the effectiveness of appointing priests on an interim basis and having them post bond. He believed that this will pave the way for a better life for the Andeans. Borrowing Guaman Pomas words in his appeal concerning the priests, in the collection edited by Kenneth Mills and W. Taylor, then all will eat well or better.
Fourthly, give your readers a window to your soul for them to be able carry the burden with you. Guaman Poma precisely narrated the events as they unfolded, made striking comments and provided convincing evidences to his accusations. Also, his visual presentations literally and figuratively supported his stance.
Lastly, your good station in life gives you an opportunity to take the battle for the poor and the helpless and never a reason to be pathetic and unheeding to the call against poverty and oppression. Guaman Pomas nobility did not keep him from opening his eyes to reality. It did not make him shun the lowly. Instead, he used his education and power as weapons to fight with and for the poor.
Guaman Poma was not only an admirable and brilliant writer of his time but also a superb artist. His visuals portrayed and gave life to his letters. They do not just aid ones understanding of his message. The drawings have the ability of capturing the hearts of its viewers and waking up complacent souls. This is because it gave a vivid representation of his ideas as well as a figurative portrayal of the events.
Indeed, Felipe Guaman Poma de Ayala fought a good fight against poverty, oppression and other ills of his society by wielding his best weapon  the mighty pen.

Having the opportunity to study in the United States is one of the biggest achievements in my life being awarded with a scholarship is an icing on the cake. I came here with great hopes for a bright future for myself. However, I did not expect that living and studying away was far from being a piece of cake.

In my first semester, I found it hard fitting in my school. While everyone had someone with them at all times, I was alone and watched from a corner. Though I tried to talk to some students in my classes, my meager knowledge in the English language became a barrier. I did try to make friends but the differences in culture and beliefs were so evident that they found it difficult to deal with me and I with them. Similarly, the moment I arrived home, there was no one to talk to and share the days stories. These are things I was not used to because back in my home country of Turkey, I always had someone to communicate with both in school and at home. Here, it was completely different as I had to put up with the challenges of adapting in a new school and practically, a new life.

Because of all these, my grades suffered. I did not do well in my studies as evidenced by my low grades. That time, no matter how I tried, my body and my mind failed to work in harmony. This took its toll when my body collapsed and I suffered. It took me weeks before I got back on track but when I did I strived to improve on my academic and social standing. Fortunately, I fared well as my grades improved and I finally gained friends.

Now, just for this last semester, I am appealing to regain the scholarship I lost. Admittedly, I did not do well before but for this last time, I know I can prove myself worthy of another chance. Indeed money is an important reason for this appeal but more than that, I want to show this school and my family back home that I can do it and that students like me can make mistakes and still have an opportunity to regain what they lost and fulfil their goals in the end.

Voltaire and Marquis de Sade can be considered as among the few notable literary writers.  Among their famous works are Candide and Justine respectively. On one hand, Voltaire is an essayist and a French Enlightenment writer. Most of his works are focused on civil liberties, specifically on free trade and freedom of religion. Voltaire serves as a pen name to Francois-Marie Arouet. On the other hand, Marquis de Sade is not only a writer but also a revolutionary and a French aristocrat. He is known for writing political tracts, short stories, novels that depict eroticism or sexual fantasies which are bizarre. Both of these writers infuse philosophy on their writing. 
This paper deals with comparing the works of Marquis de Sade and Voltaire. More specifically, the comparison will delve on their masterpieces, Justine and Candide. Through this paper, one will be able to determine the similarities and differences on the style of writing as well as on the way the message of the stories were delivered.      
Justine vs. Candide
During the age of enlightenment, Voltaire wrote a French satire entitled  Candide, oul Optimisme  or in English, Candide or, Optimism. Voltaire s Candide is about a young man who, after being indoctrinated by the philosophy of optimism, goes to various challenges that made him question the Leibnizian mantra that  all is for the best of all possible worlds.  The novel presents romance clichs as well as many adventures that reflects during the process the author s ridiculing of the governments, philosophers and philosophies, armies, theologians, religion and most importantly the Leibnizian optimism.        
In Candide, the style of writing is humorous hence it is able to capture its readers. While it may be said to be blasphemous, its brilliance cannot also be denied. It can be considered to be one of the most successful satires because it is able to present the great tragedy of the story but nonetheless maintain its comedic side. The way the human condition is portrayed is clever and that under a thin veil of naivet, it was able to present highly controversial issues on intellectual hostility, political sedition as well as religious blasphemy.    
Meanwhile, the masterpiece  Justine  is the work of Marquis de Sade. This novel is about two sisters named Juliette and Justine who became orphans at early age and lived in a nunnery. The novel focuses on the life of Justine as she set out to search for work as well as shelter. In her quest for virtue, Justine is instead faced with series of misfortunes and most of them are on being raped and tortured. The story of Justine invokes various philosophical ideas like vice and virtue subjectivity, pursuing desire, going against the accepted tradition, considering nature as man s true ruler, believing that reason dominates the disinterested system, believing in the evils of absolutism and many more.         
Conclusion
This paper has significantly discussed the works of de Sade and Voltaire- Justine and Candide respectively. Candide is a story the presents the philosophy of optimism but with the human conditions, it is found out that not everything in this world is for the best. On the story of Justine, it is best described as an erotic novel about its character Justine and the challenges presented to her as she journeys for virtue in life.  
    Both of the works has been imbibed with great philosophy. They are not simply pieces of writings but the kind of work that is deep and implies the authors  philosophy. These two literary pieces invokes the consciousness of the readers. Both of the novels depict intellectually the hardship and reality of human conditions. Moreover, the novels presents the  perceived truth  by significantly clarifying the realities of life and the possibility of pain, dismay, unexpected twists in life, and even frustrations. Indeed, life is not all happiness and best things but melted and tainted with sorrows and mysteries. The works of de Sade and Voltaire reflected this connotation with relevance and artistic presentation. Thus, the said works must be read with enthusiasm for learning purposes.

Of all the four gospels, the gospel according to St. John starts with Jesus Christ and his oneness with the Father since the beginning of time. It progresses with the story of John the Baptist, unlike the rest of the gospels which starts from the birth of Jesus. Johns gospel also presents longer conversations about the teachings of Jesus. It does not contain the stories about the baptism of Jesus, his temptation, transfiguration, exorcism and the Last Supper. Instead, it concentrates on the teaching about the Holy Spirit (Kruse 18).
    The Book of Psalms on the other hand is a collection of prayers, praises and hymns to God written by David. Psalms is written in poetic form which deals with various subjects such as Gods creations, wisdom, worship, war, sin and evil, justice, judgment and the coming of the savior-- the Messiah (gotQuestions.org).
    Both are books in the bible-- the Book of Psalms written in the Old Testament and the Gospel of John written in the New Testament. Although they are books written in different times by different authors both books contain parallel subjects such as the ones written in Psalm 23 and and John 10. Both scriptures contain the subject of the shepherd and his sheep, however the subject was treated differently in these scriptures. This paper seeks to know the comparisons and contrasts of the treatment of the shepherd and the sheep in the scriptures of Psalm 23 and John 10.
    Both scriptures also have different ways on how they were written. As mentioned earlier, Psalm was written in poetic form. John 10 however was written in prose form as a parable taught by Jesus to his disciples. Both scriptures also tell that God is similar to a good shepherd.
    God as a good shepherd is evident in the all the lines of Psalm 23.  Verse 1 says,  The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.  God as a good shepherd already knows what people need in life. He will therefore provide what is truly necessary in ones life. Verse 2 says  He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters.  Like a good shepherd, God gives time to let his children rest and reflect on all things that happened to him and her to have a peace of mind. God also does not force his children to do things that they are unable to do. Verse 3 says  He restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his names sake.   Like the good shepherd, God returns his children who have lost their way in life. He is merciful and always ready to forgive. God gives chance to his children to return to the right path and be with Him. Verse 4 says  Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  Struggles are part of ones life. Moreover, no one can escape death. Although these sad events happen in life, like the good shepherd, God will always be with us every step of the way and He will never leave us. God will save and protect his children. Verse 5 says  You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil my cup overflows.  Even in the presence of enemies, God will always be our shield and protection. He will never leave us.    Lastly Verse 6 says  Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.  Everything good will be ours because we will be under Gods protection and we will live with Him in eternity.
    In the parable of the good shepherd written in John 10, Jesus proclaims himself as the real good shepherd who tends to all his sheep. According to the parable of the good shepherd those who do not enter by the gate is a thief and a robber. Whereas the shepherd enters through the gate because the gatekeeper knows him. When the sheep hears his voice they will follow him, because the sheep knows the voice of their shepherd. When he brings them out of the sheepfold they will follow his voice. They never follow a stranger because they do not recognize his voice. Jesus said that he is the gate for the sheep and all who came before him are the thieves and robbers. Because He is the gate, whoever enters through Him will be saved. According to Jesus, a thief comes only to steal, to kill and destroy but He came to give life-- a life of abundance. He is the good shepherd who lays down his own life for his sheep. The good shepherd knows what is his and those that belongs to him knows and recognize him. There are other sheep that do not belong to the fold but he must also lead them., so that there will only be one flock with him as the shepherd. Being the shepherd, it is Jesus mission to lay down his life as commanded by God the Father. Because of the things the He said, the Jews were divided. Some thought that He was possessed and was out of his mind. It was the Feast of the dedication, which was taking place in Jerusalem and Jesus went to the temple. The Jews gathered around Him asking if He was the Messiah. Then Jesus answered them,  I told you and you do not believe me. The works I do in my Fathers name testify to me. But you do not believe because you are not among my sheep. My sheep hear my voice I know them and they follow me. I give them eternal life and they shall never perish.  (John 1025-28) Because of what He said, the Jews picked up rocks to stone Him and they said that they are stoning Him for blasphemy.  You, a man, are making yourself God.  Jesus said.
    The Lord speaks of the blindness of His listeners referring to the pharisees. He is the true shepherd in contrast with the pharisees who teach error and are more preoccupied with their own interest. The Lord being the good shepherd, has shown this by sacrificing His life for his sheep through His death on the cross. When he said that  other sheep that does not belong to this fold , these refers to the pagans, gentiles and other non-believers. Jesus distinguishes Himself from false shepherds who led the people astray. These false shepherd include the political revolutionaries as well as pharisees and scribes, self-style religious leaders who misled the people and put heavy burden on them.
    The shepherd is committed to the flock and he is responsible for them. If a sheep is lost, he makes all the effort to find it and bring it back. The shepherd is an image of God and the good shepherd is what God is like. A shepherd rejoices when a lost sheep is found as God rejoices when a lost sinner repents and comes back to Him.
    As the sheep stays within the fold, so must we if we want to belong to God alone. We must remain faithful and loyal to him. The world is full of destruction and it is so easy to lose sight of God. How can we maintain our connection with God This we can do through prayer, through scripture reading and fellowshipping with fellow believers.
    Jesus was rejected by the Jewish religious leaders of His time. So he formed a community which he called his disciples and taught them everything before He leaves them. All these teaching come from His Father.
    Jesus carries out His mission ans shepherd in communion with His Father, and the Fathers role as shepherd of His people is realized in His Son. Therefore, Jesus and the Father not only life but also power. Jesus Christ mirrors the goodness power and love of the Father. Those who follow Jesus belongs to His flock, as the disciples listen to their shepherds message and live it.
    In the book of Psalms it is shown how the shepherd protects his sheep. On the other hand, the parable of the good shepherd in John 10 shows that the shepherd not only cares for his sheep but also the sheep themselves know their shepherd and therefore follow him.

The human society was undergoing numerous changes during the nineteenth century and these changes were reflected in all the aspects of human lives. The scientific advancements were influencing the thinking of the people, as they started to view things from scientific perspective rather than the teachings of the church. This influence was even evident in the field of literature and arts in the form of modernism. The modernist writers aimed to differ from the realist writers by utilizing new concepts into their writings. New ideas were being explored by the modernist writers through their writings. One such writer, whose works stand as perfect examples of modernist literature, was Virginia Woolf. Virginia Woolf was known for her innovative writing techniques which included stream of consciousness. Instead of focusing on the plot, she attached significance to the emotions of the characters and their psychology. In this paper we will analyze the use of stream of consciousness in Woolfs writings in context of two of her novels Mrs. Dalloway and To the Lighthouse.

Mrs. Dalloway
    The term stream of consciousness is used to define a literary technique, which places more importance on the emotions and psychology of the characters than the plot of the story. The thoughts and emotions of the characters provide the reader with an insight to their inner workings of their mind and their lives. Stream of consciousness is characterized by a flow of thoughts and images, which may not always appear to have a coherent structure or cohesion. The
plot line character or further along a timeline to incorporate the lives (and thoughts) of

characters from other time periods. (Lombardi). In her novel Mrs. Dalloway, Woolf utilizes the technique of stream of consciousness to bring forth the emotions and psychology of the characters in the story. Although the novel depicts only a day in the life of Mrs. Dalloway, the protagonist, it presents the past lives of all the characters in the course of the accounts of the days happenings. The thoughts and experiences of Mrs. Dalloway, a married woman belonging to an upper middle class and Septimus, a war veteran are similar, as both of them are disconnected from the society they are living in. In accordance to modernist literature, the manner in which time and space is depicted in the novel makes the reader to feel as if heshe is stuck as far as the time and space in the novel is concerned. In course of the description of a single day in the life of Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway, the novel presents the inner feelings, emotions, psychology and past lives of the characters. The novel keeps on shifting from the present lives of the characters to their past lives, as the streams of consciousness are depicted in the novel through the thinking of its characters, especially that of Clarissa and Septimus. The narration in the novel includes both forms of narration direct and indirect speech but both these forms keep overlapping each other. The psychological process undergoing in the minds of Clarissa and Septimus are portrayed in the novel.
Mrs. Dalloway belongs to an upper middle class, and as is the norm in the upper middle class, she frequently throws parties. On the day depicted in the novel, she is preparing for a party that is about to take place in the evening in her house. She decides to pick flowers for the evening party herself and so ventures out for shopping. When she returns, she finds an expected guest waiting for her in her house. The guest was Peter Walsh, an individual who had proposed Mrs. Dalloway years before she was married to her present husband, Richard Dalloway.

Although Mrs. Clarissa Dalloway refused to marry Peter, she is never able to stop herself from thinking about him. The thoughts of Peter keep coming back to her even though she is leading
her life with Richard. For they might be parted for hundred of years, she and Peter, she never wrote a letter and his were dry sticks, but suddenly it would come over her, If he were with me
now what would he say (Woolf 6). She keeps thinking whether she would have been happier if she had married Peter. The loneliness experienced by Clarissa is revealed through the depiction of her thoughts in the novel. Clarissa seems to be lonely in the company of other people also, for she is physically present there but her mind is wandering somewhere else. Even when she is among people, she thinks about how one has to face hisher life alone. During her shopping trip, she is walking in the streets which are filled with people her mind is filled with thoughts of loneliness. She had a perpetual sense, as she watched the taxi cabs, of being out, out, far out to sea and alone she always had the feeling that it was very, very dangerous to live even one day. (Woolf 6). As she feels that humans have to face their problems alone, she tries to hide her worries and apprehensions from other people. She always portrays herself before the society as a woman who is in control of her life and feelings.
    Similarly, Woolf focuses on the thoughts of Septimus and through these thoughts brings forth his pessimistic view towards life. Septimus is a war veteran who is affected by his experiences at the war. He is not related to Clarissa in anyway but still he resembles her in thoughts and attitude towards life.  Septimus belonged to the working class and his physical appearance suggested that he was in constant fear. Septimus Warren Smith aged about thirty, pale-faced, beak-nosed, wearing brown shoes and a shabby overcoat, with hazel eyes which had that look of apprehension in them which makes complete strangers apprehensive too. (Woolf

11). Septimus is so affected by his experiences at war that he views all the things in the world from a negative perspective. Even a motor car appears to him as a dangerous thing. Owing to his war experiences Septimus has lost the ability to feel sorrow and pain. Even the death of his friend, Evans during the war fails to stir his sorrow. After surviving the war and returning to the society, for which he had fought in the war, he found it difficult to fit within the society. He was immersed in his own world which differed from the real world. 
 Lucrezia, his wife makes him to look at things in the park as suggested by Dr, Holmes. Look, she implored him, for Dr. Holmes had told her to make him notice real things, go to a music hall, play cricket-that was the very game, Dr. Holmes said, a nice out-of-door game, the very game for her husband. (Woolf 19). But Septimus views those things differently. His mind is filled with thoughts of loneliness and suffering. He desires to free himself from the trap of loneliness and suffering, which has been developed within himself owing to the horrors that he had experienced during the war. He is haunted by the memories of his dead friend, Evans. The war experiences have led him to his insanity, as he saw and imagined things which were not existent in the real word. He came to regard human beings as ruthless animals, For the truth is (let her ignore it) that human beings have neither kindness, nor faith, nor charity beyond what serves to increase the pleasures of the moment. They hunt in packs. Their packs scour the desert
and vanish screaming into the wilderness. (Woolf 78).  The same English society, for which he had fought in the war, now seems unworthy to be preserved. 
    Through the depiction of the thoughts of Clarissa and Septimus, Woolf takes the reader into the world of these characters, a world which was far different from the real world. Although both these characters were surrounded by human beings, they were gripped by loneliness. 

Clarissas loneliness even when she is amidst people is similar to Septimus tendency of living in his imaginary world which differed from the real world. Clarissa withheld her true feelings from the society which she belonged to she acted and behaved in manner which was acceptable in her society. The real Clarissa differed in many ways from the Clarissa who appeared before the people. Clarissa and Septimus lived in a society where they had to repress their feelings.

To the Lighthouse
    The other novel, in which Woolf utilizes the technique of stream of consciousness, is To the Lighthouse. The novel, which is divided into three parts, begins with the description of a single day spend by the Ramsay family at their summer house and ends with their trip to the lighthouse. The first part of the novel opens with an account of the day, which was spent by the Ramsay family members in their summer house. James, the son in the family is eager to visit lighthouse which is visible from their summer house. Mrs. Ramsay provides an assurance to James by telling him that he would be taken to the lighthouse the next day. But Ramsay rejects the possibility of visiting the lighthouse next day for he thought that the weather would be rough the next day.  This opinion of Mr. Ramsay points towards the tension in the relation of Mr. and Mrs. Ramsay. It also showed that Mr. Ramsay was having strained relations with his son. With the arrival of Ramsay familys friends and colleagues at their summer house, the character of Lily Briscoe is introduced in the novel. Lily Briscoe, a young painter is trying to paint a portrayal of Mrs. Ramsay with her son, James. But she doubts her ability to do so, owing to the opinions of Charles Tansley, a guest at the summer house. Charles Tansley proclaimed that women cannot write and paint. In the second part of the novel, Woolf writes about the lives of the characters in

course of the ten years after their visit to the lighthouse. She mentions about the death of Mrs. Ramsay, Andrew and Prue. The summer house of the Ramsay family is in ruins, as no one has visited it in the course of these ten years. The third and last part of the novel depicts the trip of Mr. Ramsay to the lighthouse accompanied by his son, James and daughter, Camilla. During the trip Mr. Ramsay is able to overcome the tensions in his relationship with his son and daughter, as they come to understand each other. Lily succeeds in completing her painting owing to the inspiration provided by the memories of Mrs. Ramsay.
    With the absence of an omniscient narrator in the first and third part of the novel, it is through the stream of consciousness of the characters that plot of the novel is revealed to the reader. The views and perspectives of the characters in the first part are the only sources through which the readers can know about the characters and their attitudes. The conversations that take place among the characters during their stay in the summer house disclose their feelings and emotions. The thoughts of the characters reflect their attitudes towards life.  The descriptions of the thoughts of Mrs. Ramsay bring forth her nature. It partook . . .  in the face of the flowing, the fleeting, the spectral, like a ruby so that again tonight she had the feeling she had had once today, already, of peace, of rest. Of such moments, she thought, the thing is made that endures. (Woolf  105). Even the opinions of other characters regarding the nature of Mrs. Ramsay aids the reader in understanding Mrs. Ramsay and her relation with her family members. The following words of Lilly bring forth her confidence, It was her instinct to go, an instinct like the swallows for the south, the artichokes for the sun, turning her infallibly to the human race, making her nest in its heart. (Woolf 94). The reader begins to understand the character of Mrs. Ramsay owing to the depiction of her own perspectives and the views of other characters regarding her personality.

Within a span of a single day at the summer house, Woolf succeeds in capturing the varying moods, feelings and emotions of the characters in the first part of the novel.
    In the second part of the novel, the author takes the place of the narrator as she goes on to narrate the events which occurred in course of the ten years after the visit of the Ramsay family to their summer house. But the narration is focused on the time rather than the characters, for the events are depicted in a manner which point towards their relation with time. The narrator seems to be a person who is not related to the characters in any way. The depiction of time in the novel varies according to the needs of style of the novel. The long period of ten years is mentioned in the few paragraphs of the second part of the novel whereas a single day stretches over a number of pages in the first section of the novel. The third part of the novel delves on the trip undertaken by Mr. Ramsay to the lighthouse along with his son and daughter. In this novel also, the past and present lives merge with each other, as the novel depicts a decade in the lives of the characters. The streams of consciousness that run throughout the novel in the form of moods, emotions, thoughts and perspectives of the characters are more significant in the novel than its plot.  

Philip Roths The Conversion of Jews was written in 1950s followed by the Holocaust of World War II which is marked as the time when a large number of Jews settled in United States and assimilated into American culture to some extent while trying to maintain some degree of cultural solidarity.
The story revolves around a Jewish teenager, Ozzie Freedman, who stands against the hypocrisy that he observed as a result of devotion to Jewish formalism. The story started with a conversation between Ozzie and his friend, Itzie Lieberman who condemned the virgin birth of Jesus as impracticable. When the issue was brought in front of Rabbi Binder, he called Ozzies mother which is recorded to be the third meeting of his mother with Rabbi Binder. When Ozzie told his mother that she needs to go and meet with the rabbi the next day, she slapped on his face for the first time in his life. Reluctantly, Ozzie repeated the same question next day during free discussion time from rabbi who in return smacked Ozzies face, giving him a bloody nose. Ozzie cursed Rabbi and fled to the roof. Firemen were called but Ozzie refused to come down and ran around to different parts of the roof, making the firemen follow him on the ground with their safety net. Meanwhile, Ozzies mother also reached for her meeting with the rabbi. While his mother and rabbi pleaded him not to jump and his friends tell him to jump, Ozzie made everybody kneel in a non-Jewish posture. Ozzie made the rabbi and the crowds say that they believe in Gods powers of doing anything. While crying, he made his mother and the rabbi say that they wont ever hit anyone on religious matters. Having said this, he jumped into firemens net.
The story revealed that Roth had elevated Ozzie to a higher place throughout the story be it physically by placing him on the roof and spiritually by making him so divine in contrast to other characters of the story. As a matter of fact, it became quite apparent from what Roth was doing Roth was turning Ozzie into a Christ figure. Both Christ and Ozzie were born Jews. Both had the utmost reverence for the Jewish God. Both spoke out against religious hypocrisy in the Jewish faith. Both succeeded in converting a number of Jews to Christianity. By making Ozzie into a Christ figure, Roth sharpens the edge of his satirical sword even more. Now, he is doing more than just symbolically converting Jews to Christianity. He is doing it through a boy who evokes an image of Christianitys most revered figure, Jesus  the same figures whose divine birth the Jewish characters in the story refuse to acknowledge. (Ryan D. Poquette)
A number of descriptions and images can be highlighted from this short story of Roth that shows Ozzies character as a more sacred person. When Ozzie told off his rabbi, he did in a loud, toneless sound that had the timbre of something stored inside for about six days. By choosing six days intentionally, Roth is pointing towards the six days in which God made heaven and earth, which is mentioned earlier in the story. When the rabbi asked him if he was ready for him to count to three, Ozzie realizes that a divine change had come over him,  Ozzie nodded his head yes, although he had no intention in the world-the lower one or the celestial one hed just entered-of coming down even if Rabbi Binder should give him a million. Here, once again the very mention of Ozzie entering a celestial world makes him holier than others in the story. Another evidence of his holiness came right at the end when Ozzie jumped safely off the building right into the center of the yellow net that glowed in the evenings edge like an overgrown halo. By giving Ozzie a symbolic halo, Roth elevated Ozzie even higher.
In a nut shell, three themes have been discussed by Roth in the story hypocrisy, Freedom and Reverence. Although the story offended a number of American Jews but it succeeded to make its way to win 1960 National Book Award.

    The social and emotional needs of human beings are fulfilled through their interaction with each other and the society. When an individual is isolated from others or from the society, it has a detrimental effect on hisher behavior and thoughts. The two short stories Trifles by Susan Glaspell and A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner bring forth the negative effects of isolation on the behavior of its characters. The story Trifles deals with the negative effect of isolation on a housewife. Mr. Wright is found dead in his house in mysterious circumstances, and when a group of men and women come to Mr. Wrights house, the women find clues which aid them to understand that Mr. Wright was killed by his own wife. Mrs. Wright was overwhelmed by isolation even though she was living with her husband. The other story A Rose for Emily presents the detrimental effect of social isolation on an individual through the depiction of the troubled state of mind of the protagonist, Emily. Being isolated from the society, Emily succumbs to depression and loses her mental balance. Emily kills her lover and keeps his dead body near her. Both Emily and Mrs. Wright murder the men in their lives owing to their isolation and its negative impact on their thinking but the reasons for their isolation were different from each other.

Isolation
The opening words of the narrator of the story A Rose for Emily point towards the recluse life led by Emily. When Miss Emily Grierson died, our whole town went to her funeral..which no one save an old manservant---a combined gardener and cook-had seen in at least ten years. (Faulkner). As the people gathered for the funeral talk about the kind of life led by Emily, the reader becomes aware of the negative effect that seclusion has on Emilys life. The first instance when the people of the town witness the abnormal behavior of Emily is during the death of her father. Emily refuses to accept that her father his dead and therefore forbids the people from carrying her fathers body for burial. She told them that her father was not dead. (Faulkner). In the face of crisis, she loses control of herself and behaves in an unusual manner.

Emilys deviant behavior is noticeable once again when the city authorities pay a visit to her house to collect taxes from her. She refuses to pay the taxes and tells them to meet Colonel Sartoris, See Colonel Sartoris. I have no taxes in Jefferson. (Faulkner). But she fails to realize that ten years have passed by since Colonel Sartoris has died. Emily never tries to understand what the city authorities are trying to telling her. She keeps on repeating the same thing and shows complete disregard to the laws of her society.

Emilys death brings one more aspect of her life before the people, which reinforces the notion that she has lost her mental balance. When people enter Emilys house after her death, they find the corpse of her lover on her bed. The rotten state of the corpse in Emilys bed points towards the eccentric behavior of Emily. Emily not only kills Homer but also sleeps beside his corpse till the end of her life. What was left of him, rotted beneath what was left of the nightshirt, had become inextricable from the bed in which he lay and upon him and upon the pillow beside him lay that even coating of the patient and biding dust. (Faulkner). Years of isolation has turned Emily into a depressed and eccentric woman who kills the man she loves so that she can have him forever. Emilys social isolation has a negative influence on her thinking

and behavior. Social isolation leads Emily towards depression and results into a state where she loses her mental balance.

Similarly, the character of Mrs. Wright in the story Trifles is overwhelmed by her isolation to such an extent that she goes on to strangulate her own husband. The findings of Mrs. Wrights neighbors reveal that Mrs. Wright had killed her husband. When Mrs. Hale searches for scissors in Mrs. Wrights sewing box, she finds a fancy box. Heres some red. I expect this has got sewing things in it. What a pretty box. Looks like something somebody would give you. Maybe her scissors are in here.Theres something wrapped up in this piece of silk. (Glaspell). Then the women notice that there is a dead bird wrapped in a piece of cloth in the box. But, Mrs. Peterslook at it. Its neck Look at its neck Its all--other side to. (Glaspell). When the women see that the birds neck was twisted by someone, they figure out who had killed the bird and Mr. Wright. The women understand that Mr. Wright had killed Mrs. Wrights canary by twisting her neck, her only companion in times of her solitude, and in retaliation Mrs. Wright had murdered her husband in a similar manner.

    The conversations of the women who have converged at Mrs. Wrights house bring forth the disturbed state of mind of Mrs. Wright.  The discussion of women upon noticing the quilt which Mrs. Wright was sewing shows that Mrs. Wright was nervous about something. The other thing that points towards the isolation of Mrs. Wright is the description of her house by Mrs. Hale and her comment that she never came to visit Mrs. Wright. I stayed away because it werent cheerful--and thats why I ought to have come. I--Ive never liked this place. Maybe because its down in a hollow, and you dont see the road. I dunno what it is, but its a lonesome place and always was. I wish I had come over to see Minnie Foster sometimes. (Glaspell) This shows that Mrs. Wrights rarely interacted with other women, and her whole time was spend in her lonely house. It was in 1916, during the peak of her career, that Glaspell wrote this story. Susan Glaspells (1876-1948) literary career increased in significance when she and her husband George Cram Cook moved to their summer residence in Provincetown, Massachusetts, in 1915.  (Keller). The feelings of an isolated women caught in a loveless marriage are very well depicted by the author through the symbols of quilt, broken cage and the dead bird.

Reasons
    Although both Emily and Mrs. Wright behaved in an abnormal manner owing to their isolation, the reasons for their isolation were different from each other. Emily refuses to accept changes in her life and therefore she is unable to connect with her society which has undergone numerous changes. Being a member of a Southerner family, she wanted to hold on to her past as firmly as she can, so she avoids interacting with the other members of the society or changing herself according to the changed times. As Faulkner himself had grown up in a Southerner family and witnessed the decline of the South during his lifetime, he is able to portray the attitude and behavior of Emily in accordance to the image of a Southerner lady. Faulkners own ambivalent feelings of love and hate for the south inform every aspect of this story, from its narrative technique to its title (Volpe 99). Emilys refutation to accept changes in her life is noticed by the people of the town on numerous occasions. Her inability to accept changes results in a situation where she has to resort to killing Homer to be with him forever. Emily had expected that Homer would propose her but when he failed to do so, she kills him and keeps his body near her in an attempt to save her life from being changed. The more she tries to avoid her

life from being changed the more Emily distances herself from the society. As she retreats more and more into herself and defends her privacy, she refuses even the routine ties with the rest of the town. (Brooks 161). It is Emilys clinging to her past that results in her isolation and consequent loss of mental balance.

    Mrs. Wrights isolation was caused by her husbands behavior. Even though it is never mentioned in the story, the discussion of Mrs. Hale and Mrs. Peters points towards the indifferent and abusive attitude of Mr. Wright. Although she has often been referred to as disturbed and abused, there has been little speculation about the nature of her mental condition or the types of abusive behaviors that she experienced in her marriage. (Schanfield). Mrs. Peters comments about the uncaring nature of Mr. Wright, But he was a hard man, Mrs. Peters. Just to pass the time of day with him. Like a raw wind that gets to the bone. (Glaspell). This comment and the killing of canary by Mr. Wright prove that he neglected the emotional needs of his wife. The broken cage and the dead bird suggest that Mrs. Wright abused her wife. The mutilated cage and bird signify the brutal nature of Wright and the physical abuse the wife has borne. (Ben-Zvi 35).  As Mrs. Wright was leading a lonely life with a hardhearted husband, she succumbs to the negative influence of isolation.

    The short stories Trifles by Susan Glaspell and A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner depict the damaging effect of isolation on the thinking and behavior of human beings. Although both Emily and Mrs. Wright commit the heinous act of killing the men in their lives, the reason behind their isolation is different from each other. Emilys isolation is caused by her inability to accept the changes in her life whereas Mrs. Wright experiences isolation owing to the brutal nature of her husband.