Violence, Power, and Goals in the Hebrew Bible and The...

Violence is a means to an end. Violence is not something most humans resort to for enjoyment. Violence is, however, the right thing to be done in certain situations. With violence, comes great power. Power and violence walk together, hand in hand. When violence is exhibited, the power of the individual is shown to those around him. In both the Hebrew Bible and The Iliad, violence is depicted as a mode to reach goals. The reason for this is that violence allows an individual or a deity to flaunt their powers, while they simultaneously achieve their personal and communal ambitions. Just like how mortals have their own goals, deities also have an agenda. God, in the Hebrew Bible, has only two goals: to have humans obey Him blindly and to†¦show more content†¦Sacrifices are, in nature, very violent. Innocent blood is spilled to please the vengeful God. In Exodus 12, the Lord struck down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, from the first-born of Pharaoh who sat on the throne the first-born of the captive who was in the dungeon, and all the first-born of the cattle (Exodus 12:29). God did all that just because the Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let the Israelites leave his country. The immense sacrifice of the first-borns of man and beast was an act of violence that led the exodus of the Israelites. The mass murder of the Egyptian people and livestock also proves to the Pharaoh the great power of God, a power that would have remained unseen if not for the plagues and the executions. For after the Pharaoh witnessed the death of at least one man or one beast in each Egyptians household, he said, Up, depart from among my people...Go, worship the Lord as you said (Exodus 12:31). With this final act of violence, God helped reach the Israelites communal goal: to leave the oppressive Egypt and to enter the liberal Promise Land of Canaan. Because humans were created in Gods image, it makes perfect sense that humans will use violence as a way to achieve their own goals, just like what God does. In I Samuel, David had one goal during the Goliath episode: to let this whole assembly (the soldiers) know that the Lord can give victory without sword or spear. For

A Passage to India by Forster - 650 Words

Today, for the most part, women are seen as equal to men. Women are given the same opportunities as men and an equal chance at getting a job as men. In today’s society, women do not just have one role and that role and that being to have kids, but they can pursue any career they wish. However, it was not always this way. According to feminist theorists, western civilizations were patriarchal which means that the society is dominated by males. The society is set up so that the male is above the female in all cultural aspects including family, religion, politics, economics, art, and the social and legal realms. The patriarchal biases of gender between male and female say that a male must be active, dominating, adventurous, rational,†¦show more content†¦While reading the novel, Forster gives the reader the impression that the women characters are not smart in society. The male characters in the novel treat the women like they are stupid and the female characters admit that they are not smart. The first female character who is described in the text as stupid is Adela Quested. Forster says in the novel, â€Å"The dialogue remained light and friendly and Adela had no conception of its underdrift. She did not know that the comparatively simple mind of the Mohammedan was encountering Ancient Night† (Forster 64). By just reading what Forster wrote down on the page, the reader can see that Adela is not that bright and cannot follow a conversation. Another example of Adela’s stupidity noted by Forster is: She made the remark without thinking what it meant. To her, as to the three men, it seemed in key with the rest of the conversation and not for several minutes – indeed, not for half an hour – did she realize that it was an important remark, and ought to have been made in the first place to Ronny. (62) Again, Forster indicates that Adela is talking with men, and she says something that does not make any sense and does not contribute to the men’s conversation. Forster adds that she should not have said the comment in the first place. Finally, the last example from the novel’s text showing Adela’s stupidity stated by Forster, â€Å"The point she made wasShow MoreRelatedA Passage To India by E.M. Forster 1224 Words   |  5 Pages In A Passage To India, E.M. Forster uses the technological infrastructure motif to support his theme that people from vastly different backgrounds have difficulty forming true friendships. He contrasts the stately, structured English architecture with the chaotic, organically-inspired Indian architecture and the high-tech, powerful English automobiles with the more primitive transportation alternatives that the Indians possessed. Forster then uses this technological gulf as a metaphor for theRead MoreA Passage Of India By E M Forster1586 Words   |  7 Pagesnovel ‘A Passage to India’ by E M Forster there many different character that each reflect ideas, some of the ideas would be relevant to a Victorian audience. There are a plenty of ideas that reflects the attitudes and values common in the early 20th Century. Forster uses each of the characters to represent different ideas and values towards issues like racism, which is present throughout the novel. Cyril Fielding is a very interesting and unique character in the novel ‘A Passage to India’, becauseRead MoreSummary Of A Passage Of India By Quot. Forster1475 Words   |  6 PagesA Passage to India, written by E.M. Forster, is a story of human relations between the British colonists and the people of India. Dr. Aziz, a native Indian and main character in the novel, is extremely frustrated of the way others think about these two cultures together. 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Fosters novel has been the subject of litera ry criticism from many angles given the highly controversial subject matter which is called into question as to whether it is a genuine representation of India under colonisation written from an objective experience, and whether this attempt to represent India is successfulRead MoreNature in a Passage to India1435 Words   |  6 PagesNature in A Passage to India Nature is everywhere. This universal idea inspires many authors to emphasize nature’s role in the human world and to highlight how the human world affects nature. A Passage to India, written by E.M. Forster, does just that. In many instances throughout the book, Forster stresses human struggles and how these coexist with nature. While doing this, Forster also illustrates the resentment and friendship shared between the two ethnic groups in the novel. He successfullyRead MoreThe Difficulty of English- Indian Friendship in A Passage to India1582 Words   |  7 PagesIn his A Passage to India, Forster explores the possibility of English-Indian Friendship. He begins and ends by posing the question of whether it is possible for an Englishman and an Indian to ever be friends, at least within the context of British colonialism. Thus, as soon as the novel opens, the reader is introduced to an argument, between Mahmoud Ali, Hamidullah, and, Aziz raising this English-Indian-friendship question. The argument is quite significant because it sets the tone of the novelRead MoreAnalysis Of Forster s The White Man s Burden 852 Words   |  4 Pages 2. E. M. Forster’s A Passage to India: colonization: emancipation and the bridge of cultural interaction ‘Since freedom is our natural state, we are not only in possession of it but have the urge to defend it’ Étienne De La Boà ©tie Take up the White Man s burden– Read MoreSummary Of A Passage Of India 1404 Words   |  6 PagesEnglish Journey To India In the novel, A Passage to India, E.M. Forster describes how the heritage and civilization of India profoundly differs from England when a class of English set foot in Indian territory with detrimental effects to follow. Introduction Cultural Background of India and England Entering the Caves Detrimental Effects Courthouse Letters with Aziz Assumptions Conclusion Ameera Salman Mrs.King AP English 11 December 2, 2014 The novel, A Passage to India, starts off by stating

Controversial Essay Gay Marriage free essay sample

Nebraska, Florida, Michigan, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Utah all contain a ban against gay adoption. The United States does not include any type of federal law that states whether a state can allow gay or cannot allow gay adoption. The United States is facing a huge dilemma with this debate, and courts are still justifying making this a federal law. While some people believe that letting gays and lesbians have the right to adopt is right because it places children in a better home, while other disagree because they believe it will lead children into emotional disorders. People have not taken the time to realize that gay parenting has always been around for decades, whether we know it or not. The last thing society wants to believe is that homosexuals have always been raising children that have perfectly adapted to other atmospheres. â€Å"On the contrary, gays and lesbians have parenting throughout history, while being forced to hide their sexual orientation from intolerant societies† (Driscoll, Stingl). We will write a custom essay sample on Controversial Essay Gay Marriage or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Most of society has never understood that gay parenting has always been around; they have not yet seen that there is no harm in homosexual homes. Others argue that children living in gay and lesbian homes grow up to follow their parent’s footsteps, but who really says so? Society claims children raised in homosexual homes are likely to be gay, but no studies have proven so. â€Å"Perhaps the greatest fear of all opponents is that children of gays and lesbians will also grow up to be homosexual.. No studies have proven such link† (Driscoll, Stingl). People are timid of the fact that if children rose in households ran by homosexuals that there is a likelier chance of them becoming gay too, but there are no proven facts. Homosexuals have the same ability to raise a child just anyone else, but many deny it. â€Å" Homosexual partners have the dame capacity to care for children as do heterosexuals, and may be more attentive to child-rearing, as they do not raise children conceived ‘by accident’ but only those they have fought against prejudice to obtain† (Pearson). Studies over the years have shown parents that are gay can care for a child just as anyone else could. People are trying to obtain this right for gays and lesbians. Children may not only grow up in the indecisive foster care system, but may grow up in a household without a mother or father due to homosexuality. Children have already suffered enough when it comes to them being tossed from foster home to foster home. Opponents believe that children are better off in foster homes, then homes that intake homosexuality. â€Å"Overall, father love appears to be as heavily implicated as mother love in off springs’ psychological well- being an health† Stanton)†¦ Studies above show parents have the same affection for their children, so without father or mother, they might also develop issues. Without a mother or father, the child can often become sexist towards one gender which is also a main fear. â€Å"Even as the systems and processes are reviewed and altered ton best meet the needs of the children who are wards of the state, the rising question of gay adoption puts children who are already compromised from their experience in the foster care system at even greater risk of trauma† (Chittom, Wagner). Society believes that children in the foster care system have already been through rough situations and putting them in the hands of homosexuals would only make their matters worse. People tend to believes gays are only interested in themselves, and their homosexuality. â€Å"Opponents of same sex adoption promote stereotypes such as the one that gays and lesbians are so preoccupied with their sexuality that they couldn’t possibly share the same innate ability to parents that is the part of being human. Of course such stereotypes are quite besides the fact and border the ridiculous† (Driscoll, Stingl). Stereotypes are a major conflict when it comes to allowing homosexuals to adopt, and society’s opinion is what is stopping them. Whether it would affect the child, or not, people do not like the fact of letting homosexuals adopt. Because of no proven studies that homosexuals will mentally harm children, they still have a chance of winning of their rights. Opponents of gay adoption still disapprove of this idea, and say letting this become legal will harm children. Perhaps the reason that gay adoption is looked at as such a harmful thing is because of all the opponents, and stereotypes. Gays and lesbians have not proved that they would mentally or physically harm the child, others say that letting this become fully legal will only lead children down the wrong path with mental disorders. A lot of people say letting homosexuals adopt will lead to more homosexuality in the United States. The truth of their non-harmful or harmful effects of homosexual adoptions lies beneath future studies.