Portrayal of Insanity in Wide Sargasso Sea

Throughout the novel Wide Sargasso Sea, it is observable how insanity is a product of social oppression, when characters such as Antoinette are no able to adapt to a new culture or different set of customs due to the presence of her own culture that is so ingrained in herself.


The theme of insanity in Wide Sargasso Sea is a theme that to a certain extent can be justified. For instance, the situation in which Antoinette's mother is involved, is a situation that affects her attitude, her personality ( over time), and the way she way she interacts with the other characters in the story. First off it is important to see the racial conflict between the white European descendants, and the emancipated back community. Even though in the case of the Antoinette's mother that European stereotype is not present, being white is a racial fact that automatically makes the black community to be against her. In addition to this, her attitude of despising most of the individuals in the novel, even more the black servants notably, is a fact that must be linked to her insanity, and her mental climax, in which she later on loses the composure, not even recognizing her own daughter.

In addition to this, expanding on the theme of insanity when looking at Antoinette's mother, her lack of will when it comes to staying strong, and facing the situation is a message that in some way foreshadows, a message that is implied in the story. If we contrast Mr. Mason's attitude with Antoinette's mother attitude, we see how he is able to bear with better way better than Antoinette's mother. On the other hand it must also be understood that Mr. Mason has not been exposed to a society that only holds hatred against him for such a long time, when comparing to Antoinette's mother reality. In addition to this, having to raise two children that do not have  a father figure might as well be one of the facts that in some way justify her later on state of insanity, depression.

In Antoinette's case, partial identity, being forced to adapt to a different culture, and not being able to identify herself with a specific society is the major factor that influences her temporary insanity. Throughout the novel, we are able to observe how, in part 1, Antoinette's partial identity is factor that is not directly addressed by her, even though later on she realizes that she has to face this factor, and face the reality before being able to emotionally move on.

( Expand on Rochester's mental, and later on physical oppression)

Prompt A

The relationship between men and woman, and the differences in their role in society, are central considerations in many works of literature. Discuss the part they plan in Wide Sargasso Sea.


Throughout the novel Wide Sargasso sea, the roles of the the men and women in society are set, since men are portrayed as the ones that economically contribute to the family, whereas women are portrayed as the ones that take care of the children, and keep the house under control.

During part A, before Mr Mason marries Antoinette's mum, it is displayed how Antoinette's mother plays the role of the bossy figure in the house, that despises most of the servants, if not all, and only gives commands, and instructions. On the other hand, even though being a widow, most of the male servants are the ones that carryout the tasks related to land, and physical work. As an example we see how Godfrey is in charge of the horse, even though being an old individual, taking care of a horse requires continued movement of heavy amounts of straw, cleaning feces, or simply, educating the horse, which requires a lot of energy. On the other hand  Stephine plays the role of the babysitter that does not leave the house often, and that takes care of the children, even more than the mother. Therefore through the role of the servants, the set roles men and women can be seen.


Through contrasts between Antoinette's mother and Mr. Mason, and Antoinette and Mr. Rochester, it is pretty perceivable how women in general are able to feel the racial conflicts better than men. In this novel men are portrayed as the naive sex, when it comes to understanding racial conflicts between the white Europeans, and the back community.

First off, contrasting Mr. Mason with Antoinette's mother, Mr. Mason is a character in the story that is not really able to feel the atmosphere, and recognize the racial conflict between the white European descents, and the black servant community. Being from England, black servitude for him, is a pretty common thing, although failing to understand how perspectives changed after the emancipation act, is  feature that is clearly contrasting when looking at the attitude of Antoinette's mother. Mr. Mason is the one that economically maintains the family, and the one that keeps going travelling to Engloand back and forth, whereas Antoinette's mother is the one that stays in the West Indies all the time. Having spent many years in the West Indies, and being from white European land owners, is what allows Antoinette's mother to really feel the conflict that is going on between the black community and the white European decedents.

 In addition to this, in part two, again this is pretty much reflected in Mr. Rocherster's lack of familiarity with the West Indies' culture and atmosphere. Antoinette is portrayed as the character that perceives the nature in a pretty friendly, and comforting way, whereas Mr. Rochester is that undecided husband that feels as if everything around him was his enemy. This lack of adaptation, and lack of knowledge of the culture is what later on does not allow Antoinette to be herself, since Mr. Rochester incapable of getting used to her, decides to enforce the English culture to her.

In what ways does Jean Rhys characterize Antoinette as an outsider in Part one of the novel and to what effect?

Before this prompt can be addressed some information regarding context must be understood. In what concerns context, we are located in the West Indies, after the Emancipation Act occurs, therefore this era is a period of time in which two distinct and confronted social classes are being mentioned, are being made part of the story. These two social classes are the white European rich slave owners, and the black community who is freed from forced labor.

At this point, relating this information to the prompt, Antoinette cannot be included in any of these social classes. Being from European descent, Antoinette lives with her mum and brother in the West Indies,Jamaica being specific, where her mother inherited the possession of land, and territory. Therefore, after the Emancipation act, it can be said that Antoinette as well as her mother are the legacy of white European slave owners who are now confronted to slaves that have finally being freed. In contrast with the white European rich land owners, Antoinette's family faces economic problems, which in some way excludes her from this social class, while in addition to this, the British culture does not have anything to do with her, since she is raised in the West Indies.

In part one, it is visible how seeing white foreign people is a strange thing for Antoinette, which is portrayed when visitors visit her mother at their house, when she decides to hide in her bedroom, being ashamed of her looks. In addition to this, the way that Antoinette views Mr Mason naivety regarding the attitude of the black community is another evidence that shows how she does not share the same opinion, and values that Mr Mason has due to culture difference.

On the other hand even though Antoinette is raised in the West Indies, the black community,does not see her as a person originally from there. Evidence from the text that portrays this is Antoinette's relationship with Tia. Tia is a young girl from the black community that becomes Antoinette's best friend. Regardless of their differences, Antoinette and Tia enjoy a good friendship, although at one point of the story social values and differences ingrained in the personalities of the girls start to arise, which end up complicating the friendship.

The overall message that Jean Rhys portrays through this evidence is Antoinette's hybridity. What this mean is that despite being raised in the West Indies, Antoinette is of European descent, which means that just because of the fact of being white she is not fully accepted by the black community. This is seen when Tia throws a rock to Antoinette while crying, which portrays the fact that for Tia it is hard to lose her friendship with Antoinette, while at the same time the cultural value of her community force her to throw the rock at Antoinette.

Antoinette's lack of origin, or identity is a major theme in the story, which is considered to be an internal conflict, this conflict must be solved before she can get involved into serious responsibilities such as marriage .

Sheik Al Junaydi in the Thief and the Dogs

What does Sheik al Junaydi represent in The Thief and the Dogs? How is he significant to the characterization of Said Mahran? How does he contribute to the themes of the text?


In the Thief and the Dogs Said Mahran, as the protagonist, displays his own ideology and view of things. First of all it must be mentioned that he himself lives deceived since his perspective of justice is a biased perspective that has been modified and adapted to his own aims and to his own advantage. Right after Said is freed from prison, it is shown how he was betrayed by his best friend Ilish, who handed him to the police, and started anew life with Said's wife Nabawiyya. Due to this fact throughout the story, Said tries to take revenge on Ilish, and Nabawiyya for taking Said's daughter away from him, and for ruining his life.

Before analyzing Sheik Junaydi's role in the Thief and the Dogs it is important to establish a context that explains the reason why Mahfouz decided to include him in the story. First off, as the tragic hero that Said is, his actions are driven by impulse, and not by rational thought. Not being able to start a new life after being imprisoned, Said's main aim is to take revenge on those that betrayed him. Therefore Ilish for telling the police that he is a Thief, and showing proof, and Nabawiyya for escaping with Ilish, and for letting Ilish be Sana's father figure. At this point we already see a sort of bias that shows how Said's concept of justice is sort of biased. Even if Said was a thief, and went to jail due to the fact that he stole many things for his own good, he blames Ilish, who according to Said, is the one and only guilty individual. Therefore we already see how Said's morals and values shift, and change concepts so that the outcome suits his situation, and adds to his advantage. As an example we can look at Said's ideology that states how the ends justify the means.


At this point, we already know that Said's values sort of adapt or modify justice and what is right or wrong depending on Said's situation. Now that this has been stated, it is possible to see how the Sheik Al Junaydi acts as a moral referee, or spiritual leader in the story.


When Said feels that he has lost everything right after he is released from prison, he decides to seek help at the Sheik's expense. On the other hand, as a spiritual leader that has to be an example for the others, the Sheik acts according the the values that his religion convey, and offers shelter and food to Said. Therefore in this situation we can see already two opposing views that are portrayed in the story. First off Said, reminding that his dad used to be friends with the Sheik, and reminding about the Sheik's mercy, he decides to take advantage of this to have shelter and food. On the other hand, the Sheik, knowing Said's situation after being freed from prison, decides to act as a spiritual leader that acts according to his values, and offers Said shelter and food. In this situation we can see how Mahfouz's use of the Sheik represents how the Sheik does not merely want to offer shelter and food to Said,but also offers Said spiritual guidance telling him "Take a copy of the Koran and read..."

What this gesture symbolizes, is how Said understand how there are still individuals in society that are able to give second opportunities, and that stay true to their values, and who do not switch their values depending on times, and depending on profit. When it comes to effect on Said, it could be said that there is an ethical contrast between Raouf Ilwan ans the Sheik, who are character that hold completely opposite ethics.

On the one hand Raouf, as the Marxist teacher that used Said transmitting him his values, becomes a wealthy middle class individual that after Said is freed from prison does not want to give him shelter, and does not have any interest in Said whatsoever. On other hand, the Sheik Al Juneydi, is a character that makes Said remember about his father, and about an individual that has always been merciful, polite, and loyal to Said. Therefore based on the way that the Sheik actswithSaid, it is correct to say that the Sheik is a moral guidance for Said, that whenever talks with Said, makes him question his own ideology, that one ideology that absorbs Said's own life, and shapes his actions.

In addition to this in what concerns theme, linking back to Said's view or perspective of justice, from my point of view I believe that the Sheik's view is an example of unbiased justice that tries to show Said's view of justice's weaknesses. What this tells us is that, the Sheik's view acts as an archetype of balanced and  correctly ethical view that tries to persuade Said so that Said's view of justice changes. In all the times that Said meets the Sheik, the Sheik wants to transmit his values, and view to Said through quoting the Koran, and through motivating Said to reflect on himself, his attitude, and his past. Therefore the looking at it through a more symbolic view Sheik's values and messages could represent Said's conscience, that burns his inside. What this means is that throughout the novel Said shows that the most important thing for him is his ideology, and taking revenge on Ilish and Nabawiyya, although when he meets the Sheik his foundation starts shaking, and he  starts reflecting and questioning his ideology and his actions.

Practicing Thesis Statements

Mahfouz represents Said's past as a crucial factor that shapes his ideology and attitude, in which every action is right if it contributes to the achievement of his goals, in doing so he portrays the message that the ends justify the means for a low class individual that has been betrayed or deceived.

Said Tragic Hero

1  - Said's ideology itself can be considered his flaw, since it ties him to an unfortunate end. As we have seen in the story, Said's intention is to carry out his own way of justice, which is the Marxist justice, the abolition of the social classes distributing the wealth among all individuals of society. This ideology drives Said to desire revenge on Raof, who now, after Said is freed from prison, has become a rich journalist that has abandoned his Marxist ideologies. Besides of this. his character itself, his need to take revenge on Nabawiyya, and Ilish doom his future.

In addition to this, Said keeps thinking about his past, and keeps focusing on taking revenge, instead of thinking about starting a new life. This event can be seen as lack of vision. As Aristotle said, it is the trait of the character that leads to his downfall, therefore in this case it is his hatredor lack of compassion that dooms his destiny.

2 - Comparing Said to Okonkowo, we can see similarities regarding attitude, although as it is shown in The Thief and the Dogs, Said is a person that demonstrates his selfishness through his actions more than through what he says. It is crucial to focus Said's attitude, and mentality from the right angle. Said, as individual, has his own aim or target, which is take revenge on Ilish, Nabawiyya, and Raouf. Throughout the story we see how an old friend of Said called Nur decides to help Said when he needs shelter, and food, without anything in exchange. Later we find out that Nur loved Said in the past, which is one of the reasons why Nur protects and hides Said. After Said was released from prison his only aim was taking revenge, although in this situation we see how he could have stated a new life with Nur, and escape from that sad place hat would only make him remember his past. As a proof that demonstrates Said's pride, we find in the story the fact that he places his aim or tarjet above everything and everybody.

3 - From my point of view, I believe that there is only one turning points in this story. The first turning point is when Said sees Sana for the first time and gets rejected b his own daughter. More than anything, this action damages Said's feelings and mentality. This fact only makes Said realize that he has lost his own daughter, who now has his former best friend as parent figure, therefore Said's desire to take revenge on Ilish and Nabawiyya just increases after this event happens, which later on triggers his unfortunate death. The reason why this happens is that Said's desire to take revenge grows so big, that he can only think in that, which drives him to kill innocent people.

4 -  I believe that this happens almost at the very end of the story, when the protagonist comes to realize that he will not have the change to see his daughter grow, or to be a father since he is in a situation that might trigger his death. The evidence that we find is a phrase in which the author portrays the idea that Sana ran away from said, as an abstract concept that shows his possibility to obtain his daughter back leaving.

The Thief and the Dogs Passage Analysis

Passage:

From the line 21 of page 94, to the end of the page 95.

This scene corresponds to the very end of the story right after Said Mahran, the protagonist, has to escape, away from the Sheikh's house, afraid of being caught by the police. In the scene Said finds himself cornered by the police in the cemetery, where he finds himself in a situation in which he personally realizes that he will not be able to escape.

While the police officers ask Said to stop resisting and give himself willingly to the police, Said's hatred towards the society, and towards his enemies keeps increasing. As the police officers keep warning Said, Said's only aim is to hide behind the headstones and shot aimlessly, as the atmosphere is described as an atmosphere with no vision whatsoever.

In terms of characterization, what is mainly revealed by Mahfouz through this passage, is how Said grapples to stay alive having present in his  mind his aim of taking revenge at all time. One of the pieces of evidence that shows this is Said's effort of talking to the police while he is cornered so that he can make time to think about an escape. On the other hand this whole passage uses a third person narrator.

This use of a third person narrator is essential and pretty significant. In this case we can see how Mahfouz's use of the third person narrator has as aim the perfect portrayal of the situation in which Said is involved. Being in Said's voice would have showed a sort of bias, that would not have defined, and explained his emotions properly. Trying to make time talking to the officers, and thinking about things that do not have to do with death do not really portray his feelings, therefore a third person narrator that is omniscient in this case, can perfectly portray the situation, providing the information straight ahead.


As the passage begins, Mahfouz's use of personification has an effective impact in the reader, that makes the reader completely be in Said's skin in that moment. " His fear- tortured eyes could see the phantom of death now, stalking throw the night." In frost place, it is observable how Mahfouz represents death as phantom that is able to stalk instead of representing it a what it is, a natural process in which an organisms's life comes to an end. This personification is used by Mahfouz to show how much Said knew that his time to die had come. The actual action of seen the death's phantom does not have a figurative meaning, since is an abstract concept that depicts the situation with accuracy.


Right after this personification, we find another sentence that conveys an abstract concept again. As it is mentioned " Sana had turned away from him in alarm, hopelessly.". This sentence just shows how through figurative language, Mahfouz's intention is to explain that in this situation Said had no longer an hope of recovering the time that he had lost with his daughter Sana, which makes the audience understand the extent at which Said's realization of death was. This only shows Said's downfall. As it is presented throughout the story, Sana is the main reason why Said wants to take revenge on Ilish. Not being able to see his daughter, and be part of her life as her dad is the reason that empowers Said's desire of revenge. For that matter, Mahfouz here, wants to represent how this possibility, and this aim disappears from Said's mind, looking at the situation in which he is involved.


As the passage continues, the rest of the lines in the page 94 just portray Said's attitude, resisting the threats of the police officers, and rejecting to surrender, until the very last line of the page 94 shows a 180 degree turn in Said's state of mind and situation. In a sudden, all the threats, shouts, and barks of the dogs shut down, while darkness, silence, and calmness invade Said. As a final representation of his death, Mahfouz's portrayal of Said's death is pretty abstract, and unclear. Since it is not told directly, the assumption has to be done, although taking into account Said's attitude, a contrasting attitude is portrayed in order to show that what Said was experiencing was death.

Right after all sounds are shut down, at first Said's intention is to show resistance to that lack of feeling, or to that lack of memory, eventually surrendering to make the effort, which is portrayed as the loss of will, which at the same time can be interpreted as the loss of the character itself, since his real attitude is not being shown anymore, leading to his death.

Why does Mahfouz employ stream consciousness narration in the novel and to what effect?

The Thief and the Dogs is a novel written by Mahfouz in 1961. Taking into account that the story was written about a decade after the 1952 revolution it is pretty reasonable that this lapse of time gave Mahfouz an advantage, since he was able to examine and study how Nasser's raise to power affected the Egyptian society, and the social classes.

Once Nasser's consolidation of power in the Egyptian state occurs, the working class, or also known as the low class, becomes disappointed when the middle class takes advantage of the revolution to place itself on a higher position of society. This position brought power, in the form of privileges and wealth to the middle class individuals, which upset the working class. Before the revolution could happen, the middle class, more specifically the intelligentsia, was the class that spread out the Marxist values needed in the social mentality, that one day would overthrow the existing power. Once that power is overthrown, the Marxist mentality that believes in the equality of wealth among all social classes is no longer present in the middle class individuals' mentality. With the pass of the time, the middle class society establishes itself on a higher position of wealth, were Marxist values are completely abandoned. In turn, this upsets the working class, that collaborated and endorsed Marxist values that would finally bring justice, and equality to the Egyptian society, which in fact only brought a feeling of disappointment that can be compared to getting stabbed.

This situation is key when it comes to understanding the characterization of Mahfouz's main character in the Thief and the Dogs. Said, driven by the Marxist ideology of one of his teachers, decides to start stealing from the rich individuals of society, with the aim to redistribute the wealth among the ones that need it. Said represents himself as  robin Hood, whose ideology can be compacted in the statement, "the mean justify the ends". In the story Said gets caught stealing, and therefore goes to jail. The story starts right after Said is freed from his condemn, and is free from the jail. At this point the only thing that Said has in his mind is revenge towards his traitors.

The stream of consciousness narration is a main feature that should be considered Mahfouz's most important narration feature. When using Soliloquy, and interior monologue, Mahfouz transmits the idea that Said's thought and feelings do not represent only the life and situation of an individual, but the thoughts and feelings of an entire social class. For that matter, throughout the novel we recognize different parts of the story in which direct monologue, indirect monologue, and soliloquy are used in order to portray Said state of mind, and ideology clearly to the reader. In order to directly show how Said feels, the author uses direct monologue, as we can see in the very first page of the book when Said tells himself "Nabbawiya. Ilish, Your two names merge in my mind, For years you will have been thinking about this day". In this case Mahfouz wants to portray Said's rage, and bitterness, produced by the betrayal, therefore there is no better type of narrator that could explain the feeling through the use of similies, than Said himself.

On the other hand taking into the account that the story itself focuses on Said's feelings and thoughts regarding his situation, the plot itself is not given much importance, where we can see the use of a third person narrator through which the plot is advanced. A good example of this can be seen at the beginning of the chapter thirteen, where the third person narrator is used to simply advance the plot, therefore the narrator explains how Said carefully studies his moves to get to Tarzan's cafe, to obtain some information.


Finally, it is also crucial to differentiate the use of the indirect, and the direct monologue. All in all, throughout the story, we are able to observe how the focus is Said, when he reflects on his situation, on the things that could have happened if things were different, and therefore the use of direct, and soliloquy directly portrays Said's feelings. On the other hand, the indirect monologue is a biased type of narration in which the information given is directly related to the protagonist's mentality. This bias is just a literary tool, that makes us remember that that the story is all about one perspective, and one ideology, which is Said's ideology. The effect on the reader through the use use of this type of monologue just shows how Said's mentality is the center of the novel.

Value of Literature in Translation

From my point of view, I believe that translation literature from one language to another has a huge value. Many novels that become recognized, and that gain popularity for their message, or for the quality of their plot, are being made available for other individuals by translating them into other languages. This action just adds to the enrichment of society. When we are able to recognize the best literary works written in our language, such good works are worth translating so that people that talk other languages are able to appreciate such literary works.

Therefore the main advantage that translating literary works from language to language gives us, is the possibility to read works written by authors from other cultures, that might express and transmit certain values that are worth to know. As an example, we find the book Don Quixote written by Miguel de Cervantes, a book that has been translated into 28 different language. This only shows that translating a good literary work into different languages only adds culture to the languages in which the book is being translated, since now a message that could not be understand, can be accessed and understood.

The problem in translating the books is not determining whether or not it is worth it to do it, although there is division of opinions when it comes to the adaptations of books into different languages. As in the example shown in the text "Lost in Translation" many literary critics criticized a well known Chinese write for changing the message of the real author of a book. n the one hand the Chinese writer that adapted the book argued that he made use of his interpretation in order to portray a more accurate version of the book, while the critics only responded that he had completely changed the message of the original author, and had misunderstood the message.

Besides of this in the second text, we find that a writer that has experience with translating books transmits the idea that it is impossible to exactly replicate a book, since the interpretation of the writer adapting the novel or the literary work plays a crucial role when the message of the original author is being analyzed and portrayed. I some cases, several words of one language d not exist in the language in which a literary work is being translated, therefore the message becomes a bit changed due to this fact, which seems to upset many literary critics.


When good writers translate literary works from other language that is not their original language, the only product is a literary work that tries to replicate in the best way the message that the original version conveys. En if the message can change at one point of these translated literary versions of a novel, the essence of the original literary works are not lost, and the changed version can portray better a story that a different society that speaks a different language can understand better, even if several words are changed.

All in all. translation literary works just adds a variety of good novels, poems, and essays to the literature available for a society

Paper 2 Thesis Statements

1Discuss the significance of social status in Things Fall Apart, and comment on its contribution to characterization.

Social status is the most important thing for and individual that belongs to the Igbo culture, in which characteristics such as rudeness and toughness are valued and seen as a virtue more than anything else, and where not having titles can make a man be considered a woman.

Social status is the part of the individual that is placed above anything else, including family, and friends. Example: Okonkowo killing Ikemefuna in order to show toughness. 

Any sign of weakness and ability of empathy displayed by a male character, is only subject of contempt and hate that leads to a bad reputation. Throughout the stories we have seen how characters such as Unoka and Nwoye are being despised for lacking rudeness and showing a more human personality and hobbies, such as playing the flute. 

In order to portray the characteristics and attitude of the protagonist Chinua Achebe shows how Okonkowo has to deal with an internal conflict in which he has to struggle to keep his social status intact, in order not to diplay any weakness.  Example: Throuhout the story it is possible to see how the free will of the protagonist is against his destiny. Even after being advised not to kill Ikemefuna, Okonkowo decides that his priority is to keep his socials status no matter what, therefore deciding to kill the child in front of the leaders of the tribe.

4. With reference toThings Fall Apart, how does the text conform to, or deviate from, the conventions of a particular genre, and for what purpose?

In order to show and portray the values of the Igbo culture Chinua Achebe shows in Things Fall Apart how the role of the woman deviates from its conventions in order to show how the man holds a superior role in society.

In the Igbo culture the man is able to access privileges that the woman is not able to access, and enjoys a freedom that the woman is not given. Throughout the story, it is pretty evident that the woman does not enjoy the freedom that the man does. First off, the man is given the right to have several wives that are expected to cook and take care of the man without questioning his decisions. Besides of this, when in this story we see how when conflicts arise among different tribes women are subject of trade in order to settle the disputes.

In the Igbo society the role of the woman is portrayed as only taking care of the husband and taking care of the children. In several parts of the story we see how the main character, Okonkowo, gets angry when finding out that one of his wives, Ekwefi, has not given food to his daughter Ezinma, getting angry and stating that this is the only that Ekwefi has to do, responding to this action by beating her.