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Example research essay topic: Perception Of Reality Lot Of People - 1,883 words

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The Adventures of Augie March/ A Bend in the River From the earliest times the man used the word fate, he has been thinking about its curves. The man has been trying to avoid its traps and take its advantages. Though the word sounds differently in many languages but it is something in which people of any nationality have been interesting for many centuries. But different people have different view of fate. Somebody believes that it is something that cannot be passed. Others are sure that fate can be changed; and that everybody is a master of his own fate.

During the periods of political and social uncertainties, men more often think about their fate and the ways to overcome its obstacles. Some of them follow submissively along their ways; others try to fight. But the only thing is evident that the perception of reality and fate roots deeply in a persons character, his experience and stage of life. Having examined the books The Adventures of Augie March by Saul Bellow and A Bend in the River by V. S.

Naipaul, it becomes evident that the main personages, Augie and Salim, have some common features but at the same time differ greatly in their perception of reality and their role in it. The both lived in difficult times, full of political, cultural and personal conflicts. They tried to find their place in new life. Augie and Salim met a lot of people who influenced their opinion or were influenced by them. But they differ in their approach towards new conditions they have happened to be. Salim tries to become somebody, while Augie is passive or sometimes in opposition with the world around him.

What is their fate and how can they manage it? With the purpose to answer the question it is necessary to examine the events in the both books more carefully. In The Adventures of Augie March Saul Bellow reflects period from the 1920 s to the 1940 s. It was a difficult time for the United Sates and its citizens. The Great Depression leads to the great contrast between rich and poor.

Most of all, it is replaced with the Second World War. The very first phrases of the novel reveal its deeply social context: I am an American, Chicago born Chicago, that somber city and go at things as I have taught myself, free-style, and will make the record in my own way: first to knock, first admitted; sometimes an innocent knock, sometimes a not so innocent. But a mans character is his fate (Bellow, 3). Augie quotes the Greek philosopher, Heraclites. According to Heraclites, a mans character influences his fate. Augie's character places the protagonist in constant opposition with the social regimentation.

From the very beginning, the author concentrates the attention of the readers on two main themes: theme of love and of respect. Grandma Lausch is the first personage in Augie's life that has influenced it. She teaches Augie to manage the world: Nobody asks you to love the whole world, only to be honest; and Respect is better than love (Bellow, 9). Though Grandma Lausch took part in his upbringing; Augie taught little from his grandmas lessons. He is depicted more like observer. Later he discovered that he has a weak sense of consequences (Bellow, 43).

The hero tried to dictate his own fate but fail because he has inability to estimate after-effects of the consequences of his present actions. Augie fails to control his fate because of his natural passivity. Anna Colin, Mamas cousin, proposed Augie a perfect perspective to marry her daughter and become a part of the Colin's family. It was a possibility of a hard-and-fast fate for Augie. Later, he rejected the proposition and said: My mind was already dwelling on a good enough fate (Bellow, 28). At that time, Augie noticed that something was going on: it is a bad winter for everyone not just for the notables but for people oblivious of anything except their own ups and downs and busy with the limited traffic of their hearts and minds (Bellow, 50).

It was the beginning of The Great Depression and the beginning of personal misfortune for Augie. But it was a period when Augie acquired great experience of life and met a lot of people. One of them was Einhorn. He was like father for Augie.

But he had a lot in common with Grandma Lausch, thats why though Augie sympathized with Einhorn; the mans character was quite different from his. Augie drew the similarity: both believing they could show what could be done with the world, where it gave or resisted, where you could be confident and run or where you could only feel your way and were forced to blunder (Bellow, 102). From him Augie knew that dishonesty is the main aspect of the real world. The Great Depression struck every family, rich or poor. The Einhorn's lost a lot of their fortune and inheritance. Augie's family also lost almost all their money.

Augie decided to join Joe Gorman and a bunch of fellows. Though Augie did not want to take part in the robbery of a store selling leather goods, but he did not refuse. Later, Einhorn explained Augie why he acted that way: This is where a young fellow starts to decay and stink, and his health and beauty go. By the first things he does when hes not a boy any longer, but does what a man does (Bellow, 116). Youve got opposition in you. You dont slide through everything.

You just make it look so (Bellow, 117). As Augie confessed that it was the first time when somebody had said the truth about himself. Augie opposed every time when somebody wanted to have something from him. The difference between Augie and his brother Simon was evident: Simon went to the mark he secretly aimed at"; while Augie did not know his mark: I didnt know at the time which mark or exactly understand why there needed to be a mark; it was over my head.

The next time Augie had the chance from his fate was his work as a sporting-goods salesman in the suburb of Evanston. Mrs. Renling, his books wife, took care of him. The woman wanted to make Augie perfect. With this purpose, the Renling's proposed Augie to be formally adopted. They understood that he was self-seeking (Bellow, 153).

The new status would have made Augie Renling, and have given him all of their money. The proposition seemed to be more than attractive; but, marvelously, the man did not accept the offer. (In contrast, his brother, Simon, was wishing to be adopted by the Magnus family) Augie lost his chance of a special future, neglecting even the advice of Einhorn. Augie was young, energetic, promising, bright, and good-natured. He could have a great future; but the problem was in his tendency to oppose everything...

On the one hand, Augie did not accept others' assumptions but on the other hand he found that his own assumptions are shared by others. It emphasized the mans inability to state something even as small as his point of view. Augie rejected the Renling's perfect offer, but accepted doubtful proposition by Joe to accompany him to the East. It sounds like escape from the reality. Augie found that he needed to get out of the city and tried to look for new possibilities. But the decision to go with Joe Gorman was not well for his future.

It seems unbelievable that Augie rejected perfect offers based on reason in favor of questionable actions. It should be pointed that the man had rather romantic approach to the possibility of social mobility. But, unfortunately, he was unable to construct a path to reach the goals of his life. Clem Tambow once told him: Youve got more possibilities than you know what to do with.

The trouble with you is that youre looking for a manager (Bellow, 164). By that time, Augie's brother, Simon had made real money. He wanted Augie to follow in his footsteps and become a part of the Magnus family. : The world hasnt set too tight yet. Theres room, if you find the openings to it (Bellow, 286).

He proposed Augie to marry Lucy Magnus. But Augie did not have the same personality as Simon. Augie helped Mimi and, being unable to stop gossips, had to stop his relations with Lucy. His passivity led to disaster; and he lost the possibility to follow in Simons footsteps. The climax of the novel is Augie affaire with Thea. She was Augie's real and true love.

As an extreme personality, Thea was passionate and powerful. He had a great influence on Augie. It seemed that she tried to adopt Augie like other characters in the story. Thea wanted to recreate Augie image, and make him perfect. One more time the hero allowed others to define his identity for him; and tried to escape from reality, joining Thea in her trip to Mexico. But soon Augie began to think that he and Thea were not quite the same in purpose.

She had the idea of action for which love makes you ready and sets you free (Bellow, 320). Thea had an eagle with which she worked. There is a certain connection between the eagle and Augie. Like the bird he refused to change or to conform to the expectations of Thea. The fatal point in the relationship was that Augie chose Stella to Thea. But affaire with Stella was only Augie's opposition to Thea.

The main hero regretted about his fatal mistake sincerely. But there was a degree of passivity in his actions to return Thea back. Augie was sure that the fate had made the decision for him. Trying to change the future, he always lost his great present.

One more time Augie found himself abandoned. The man examined his behavior and came to conclusion: My real fault was that I couldnt stay with my purest feelings (Bellow, 378). And most of all, he understood that he and Thea had different visions of a good life. He stated in a memorable passage: Everyone tries to create a world he can live in and what he cant use he often cant see.

But the real world is already created, and if your fabrication doesnt correspond, then even if you feel noble and insist on there being something better than what most people call reality, that better something neednt try to exceed what, in its actuality, since we know it so little, may be very surprising. If a happy state of things, surprising; if miserable and tragic, no worse than what we invent. (Bellow, 375). Since Thea showed no inclination to compromise, Stella became a part of Augie's fate and future. Stella explained Augie that they were in similar situations: you and I are the kind of people other people are always trying to fit into their schemes (Bellow, 392); and Augie agreed though felt as if my fate had brushed me (Bellow, 390).

Augie reviewed his ways of growth and change. It seemed that he had learnt something from his failed relationship with Thea. He began to conduct himself with more logic and foresight. Padilla, Augie's fellow...


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Research essay sample on Perception Of Reality Lot Of People

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