Quest For Family Essay - 906 Words

nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp; The Quest for Family nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;The 1950’s were a decade of growth and expansion. Growth of the middle class, expansion of religion and a growing economy kept Americans on the move- literally. Families were moving from the cities and into the suburbs. â€Å"This massive shift in population from the central city was accompanied by a baby boom that started during World War II. Young married couples began to have three, four, or even five children (compared with only one or two children in American families during the 1930’s) (The American Story, pg. 729). This style of living began making the immediate†¦show more content†¦732). With all of this materialistic, religious and economic growth, the American Identity seemed to look like it was cut out of a cookie cutter- everyone seemed to be conforming to the same ideal- but that about those who did not have that â€Å"cookie cutter† life? nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;Jack Kerouac was one of these people who were not living the typical American life. He and others like him were labeled as the â€Å"beats† because they â€Å"walked to the beat of a different drum† in comparison to the ideal. His book On the Road was the beginning of what is known now as the beat movement, telling of his adventures of traveling across America for seven years. What was he searching for on this journey and why? I am going to argue that Kerouac was searching for a family and that his search was fueled by the 50’s mindset. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"I first met Dean not long after my wife and I split up.† This was the first sentence of Kerouac’s story and it definitely sets the stage for the first thing he is searching for: family. Kerouac’s â€Å"fictional† character â€Å"Sal Paradise† ( I say â€Å"fictional† because really Sal is Kerouac- he reveals his thoughts and feelings through this character) is immediately intrigued with Dean, and Sal is searching for companionship in Dean. Unfortunately, when Dean met Carlo Marx,Show MoreRelatedCoraline1398 Words   |  6 Pagesis a quest structure that the protagonist follows through. The typical quest structure is as followed: an ideal happiness, disruption of the ideal happiness, tasks to reinstate happiness, and finally the reinstating of happiness. The cycle is never broken. In Neil Gaiman’s Coraline, this quest structure is abandoned. Unlike the typical quest structure, the protagonist, Coraline, u ndergoes a coming of age quest in which the quest structure deviates from the typical structure. Coraline’s quest signifiesRead Moreothello Essay956 Words   |  4 Pages The Theme of Quest Explored in â€Å"Araby† and Atonement In James Joyce’s â€Å"Araby and Ian McEwan’s Atonement both authors express that that the characters mature and grow through quests. In Joyce’s â€Å"Araby† the boy goes on a quest to the bazaar to meet Managan’s sisters whom he is very interested in. However, because he is a young boy and does not leave his much, and has no source of income there are limitations on his freedom, which ultimately affect his quest. In McEwan’s Atonement Briony goesRead MoreThe Development of the Character of Bilbo Baggins1605 Words   |  7 Pagesprior to the quest, during the quest, and after the quest. Prior to the quest, Bilbo Baggins was a conservative, respectable and stubborn hobbit who lead a rich and comfortable life (Stephanie web). These characteristics, as well as safety and a dull existence, are typical of the Baggins Family. Bilbos father, Bungo Baggins, came from an unadventurous family that was, apart from their wealth, similar to most families in the Shire. Bilbos mother, Belladona Took, came from a family that was veryRead MoreA Hero of the Ages Essay718 Words   |  3 PagesGelfling, is a hero from the movie The Dark Crystal. Jens story is one of prophecy, the never ending fight between good and evil, and love. This composition shall trace Jens quest as well as evaluate his success in that quest, his individual self, and finally he shall be compared to one of the Greek heroes. Jens quest can be classified as restoring the good kingdom. During a time of great change in the universe, there was a single dark crystal which held the source of balance and truth. Read MoreCry, The Beloved Country1145 Words   |  5 PagesCry, the Beloved Country as a Quest Novel Human nature compels everyone to quest after things they have lost. In Alan Paton’s Cry, the Beloved Country Stephen Kumalo goes out in search of his family when his tribe is being torn apart by family members leaving and never coming back. He leaves Ndotsheni in search for his sister and his son, prompted by a letter from Reverend Msimangu in Johannesburg. Upon arrival in the great city, Kumalo meets Msimangu who leads him to to Gertrude. Kumalo reconcilesRead MoreMy Personal Statement On Friendship1053 Words   |  5 Pageshas changed dramatically, starting in fourth grade when I was accepted into Quest, the advanced program in my school district. In fourth and fifth grade I made friends with a majority of the other kids in Quest. We were all quite close. We hung out all the time. At recess the entire class played capture the flag together, apart from the rest of the classes in our school. We always stuck up for each other. We were like a family. The changes and continuiti es with my relationships have sculpted my outlookRead MoreGrapes of Wrath Essay1158 Words   |  5 PagesGrapes of Wrath, many concepts appear that were noted in How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster. However, the three chapters of Foster’s how-to guide that most apply to Steinbeck’s novel were â€Å"It’s All About Sex†¦,† â€Å"Every Trip is a Quest (Except When It’s Not),† and â€Å"It’s More Than Just Rain or Snow.† On more than one occasion these concepts are hidden within the book, and two of them actually seem somewhat linked together. After reading between the lines, The Grapes of Wrath has anRead MoreMy Personal Statement On Friendship1053 Words   |  5 Pageshas changed dramatically, starting in fourth grade when I was accepted into Quest, the advanced program in my school district. In fourth and fifth grade I made friends with a majority of the other kids in Quest. We were all quite close . We hung out all the time. At recess the entire class played capture the flag together, apart from the rest of the classes in our school. We always stuck up for each other. We were like a family. The changes and continuities with my relationships have sculpted my outlookRead MoreThe Pursuit Of Knowledge And Scientific Discovery1223 Words   |  5 PagesFrankenstein, the Creature and Robert Walton. This pursuit of knowledge drives the plot of the novel, leading Victor to create the Creature in his attempt to break down the mortal barriers that surround him and unlock the secret of life. Robert Walton’s quest for discovery leads him to the North Pole, far beyond the reach of Humans at that time. Ultimately Victor’s thirst for knowledge and scientific discovery did him more harm than good with Victor’s hatred of his creation driving him to death. Frankenstein’sRead MoreWilliam Shakespeare s The Lord Of The Flies913 Words   |  4 Pagesviews the character . The guardian in the story is the character that tries to get the hero to abandon the quest. The character shows up at any part of the quest and blocks or prevents the hero from the next part of the story. Sometimes this could be seen as obstacles that make the quest harder to complete. The guardian or obstacle must be defeated in some way in order to move on with the quest. The shadow is the villain in the story. The shadow’s only purpose is to cause conflict or strife for the