The Things They Carried By Tim O Brien - 1369 Words

Many authors use storytelling as a vehicle to convey the immortality of past selves and those who have passed to not only in their piece of literature but in their life as an author. In Tim O’Brien’s work of fiction The Things They Carried, through his final chapter â€Å"The Lives of the Dead,† O Brien conveys that writing is a matter of survival since, the powers of storytelling can ensure the immortality of all those who were significant in his life. Through their immortality, O’Brien has the ability to save himself with a simple story. Through snippets of main plot event of other chapters, O’Brien speaks to the fact the dead have not actually left; they are gone physically, but not spiritually or emotionally. They live on in memories as Linda lives on in the memories of O’Brien and as many of his war buddies live on through his stories. He can revive them and bring them back to the world through his writings and through these emotions or events he experienced with them and with their deaths can make them immortal. Through the reminiscent stories of Linda and O’Brien’s war companions and himself, O’Brien conveys that storytelling allows people to reanimate others who have died and past selves to create an immortality of humans. In this final chapter, O’Brien strings the various threads of plot events together to form a cohesive message. Each of the major themes is illuminated as each of the major stories is retold mostly told about Vietnam and a younger version of himselfShow MoreRelatedThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien892 Words   |  4 PagesThe Vietnam War was a long, exhausting, and traumatic experience for all of the soldiers and those who came with them. The Things They Carried, by Tim O Brien illustrates the different affects the war had on a variety of people: Jacqueline Navarra Rhoads, a former nurse during the Vietnam war, demonstrates these effects within her own memoir in the book, The Forgotten Veterans. Both sources exemplify many tribulations, while sharing a common thread of suffering from mental unpredictability. DesensitizationRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1377 Words   |  6 Pageslove to have it as good as we do. Tim O’Brien’s The Things The y Carried discusses many veterans who experience the burden of shame and guilt daily due to their heroic actions taken during the Vietnam War. The book shows you how such a war can change a man before, during, and after it’s over.     Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚  Ã‚   As I reflect on the many conflicts America has been a part of, none can compare to the tragedies that occurred in The Vietnam war. As told in The Things They Carried (O’Brien), characters such as NormanRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1457 Words   |  6 Pagesthe theme pertains to everyone regardless of their background. It conveys the same ideas to people from all across our society. Lastly, a classic is timeless, which means it has transcended the time in which it was written. In Tim O’Brien’s novel, The Things They Carried, he offers a new, intriguing way to view war or just life in general and also meets all of the crucial requirements mentioned above to qualify it as a book of literary canon. Though this book is technically a war novel, many peopleRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1242 Words   |  5 Pagesâ€Å"Tim O’Brien is obsessed with telling a true war story. O Brien s fiction about the Vietnam experience suggest, lies not in realistic depictions or definitive accounts. As O’Brien argues, absolute occurrence is irrelevant because a true war story does not depend upon that kind of truth. Mary Ann’s induction into genuine experience is clearly destructive as well as empowering† (p.12) Tim O’s text, The Things they Carried, details his uses of word choice to portray his tone and bias. Tim O’BrienRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1169 Words   |  5 Pagesbut are set in the past and borrows things from that time period. A story that fits this genre of literature is The Things They Carried. The story is about Tim O Brien, a Vietnam veteran from the Unite States, who tells stories about what had happ ened when he and his team were stationed in Vietnam. He also talks about what he felt about the war when he was drafted and what he tried to do to avoid going to fight in Vietnam. The Things They Carried by Tim O Brien was precise with its portrayal of settingRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1004 Words   |  5 Pages Tim O’Brien is a veteran from of the Vietnam War, and after coming home from his duty he decided to be a writer. His work â€Å"The Things They Carried† is about a group of soldiers that are fighting in the Vietnam War. The first part of the story talks mostly about physical items that each soldier carries, and also mentions the weight of the items as well. Though, there is one exception to the list of physical things. Lieutenant Cross is a character of the story, and Tim O’ Brien quickly states theRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien896 Words   |  4 PagesTrouble without a doubt is what First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross c arried around his shoulders because he was out in war, where mistakes happen. Lost and unknown of his surroundings he had to lead his men into safety, while destroying anything they found. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross only holds onto one thing for hope and that is Martha, the woman who he hopes is a virgin to come back to. Tim O’ Brien introduces symbolism by adding a character that has a meaning of purity and a pebble, which symbolizesRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien Essay832 Words   |  4 PagesSummary: â€Å"By and large they carried these things inside, maintaining the masks of composure† (21). In Tim O’brien’s The Things They Carried, the American soldiers of the Vietnam War carry much more than the weight of their equipment, much more than souvenirs or good-luck charms or letters from home. They carried within themselves the intransitive burdens—of fear, of cowardice, of love, of loneliness, of anger, of confusion. Most of all, they carry the truth of what happened to them in the war—aRead MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien1407 Words   |  6 Pages       Our introduction stated that in â€Å"The Things They Carried,† author Tim O’Brien tells us not directly of the soldiers of Vietnam, or the situations they find themselves in, but about the things they carry on their shoulders and in their pockets. These â€Å"things† identify the characters and bring them to life.   I find that to be true as the author unfolds the stories about war and the uncommon things one carries in to war both inadvertently and on purpose.  Ã‚  Ã‚  As it was noted: Stories about war –Read MoreThe Things They Carried By Tim O Brien Essay984 Words   |  4 PagesVery few novels and short stories have managed to clarify, in any lasting process, the means of the war in Vietnam for America and for the troopers who served there. With The Things They Carried, author (Tim O’Brien), captures the war s pulsing rhythms and trying dangers. However he goes abundant any. By moving on the far side the horror of the fighti ng to look at with sensitivity and insight the character of affection, courageousness and worry, by questioning the role that imagination plays

The Government Should Not Control Over Our Guns Essay

Samuel Rosales Prof Draegan Eng 101 30526 24 June 2015 Gun Control â€Å"These kids spend a majority of their time in school, and if they’re not having a positive experience, they can become depressed. In some cases, they lash out, grabbing whatever weapon is available to them. It can be an assault rifle, a knife, a Molotov cocktail, poison, Indian burns or MMA. But if you take one weapon away, these kids are just going to grab the next thing available to them. Maybe they will use a gun with a smaller clip, limiting the amount of lives they can take. Or maybe they’ll get more creative, and think of something far more terrible. So taking a weapon away won’t really solve anything, and this is my point here† (Powell, 2015). This is a quote by Aaron B. Powell, and he says it exactly right. I believe the government should not be allowed to have control over our guns. The government should not control our gun rights. The government has a grip much too tight on gun control policies. The second amendment says, â€Å"A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed† (U.S. Constitution, 1787). With all of the restrictions that the government is putting on gun control is infringing our right. The government has also put up laws that require doctors to report mentally ill patients to the government for gun control reasons; although, this type of law can have negative effects. As StevenShow MoreRelatedGuns Are Not Always Used For Evil Purposes851 Words   |  4 Pages Guns are not always used for evil purposes. It is who controls the gun that does the evil deeds. â€Å"The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while th e latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles† (Cooper, n.d.) How would you feel if your government came in and confiscated your guns? As AmericansRead MoreGun Control859 Words   |  4 PagesScholarly Essay: Gun Control There has been considerable debate recently in Canada over the issue of gun control. The Canadian parliament enacted the Firearms Act to enforce gun control by requiring gun owners to register their firearms. Just recently, the government of Alberta lead in a charge, including five other provinces and numerous pro-gun groups, complaining that the law is unconst... Gun Control Gun control Gun Control Part I:Introduction The issue of gun control and violenceRead MoreBetter Mental Health Care Will Stop Senseless Shootings Essay1010 Words   |  5 Pagesissues in our society today is the power of gun rights versus gun control. For the last few decades, the hot topic as regards to the availability of assorted firearms within the United States of America has been characterized by concerns about a right to bear arms found in the Second Amendment to the U.S Constitution, and the responsibility of government to prevent crime and deaths. The biggest component of the Gun Control debate is whether existing gun laws are sufficient, or whether more gun laws areRead MoreGun Control: A Deadlier Weapon Essay1411 Words   |  6 PagesAre guns killing off humanity? Over the past few years, mass shootings and violence had taken place all over America. It seems like these tragic shootings and events are becoming a trend, and more common in public places. In 2012, a movie theater shoot ing took place in Aurora, Colorado, where the shooter, James Holmes, left 12 people dead and at least 70 wounded. He would be later found not guilty because of insanity. Another shooting occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, whereRead MoreEssay on A Well Regulated Militia by Saul Cornell1495 Words   |  6 Pagesthat has problems with gun control, and this issue has many debates between whether or not people should be allowed to carry a gun on them. This free county not only for speech and religion, but also allows people to have the right to bear arms. The Second Amendment of the United States was written by our Founding Fathers,â€Å"A well-regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed† (Government). The main purpose ofRead MoreThe Problem Of Gun Violence1678 Words   |  7 Pagescontinually, it is obvious that America is hurting from having these people telling us how we should think. The media is trying to push gun control on anyone that will tune in or read it. The media will all say the same thing, and the problem is gun violence. What if one removes the word gun from gun violence, that still leaves violence. Before one can decide which side to support, the information should be completely researched for important, specific information about how America will be affectedRead MoreGun Control And The American People1236 Words   |  5 PagesGun Control and the American People: Should Gun Control Measures Be Stricter? There have been many highly publicized gun-related incidents, such as the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012, that have renewed that call for even stricter gun control measures for both politicians and members of the media. The push for greater controls on firearms is bad policy with regards to the protection of our rights as U.S. citizens, our safety from those mean us harm, and the maintenance of an importantRead MoreThe Crime Rates Of Murder And Suicide1018 Words   |  5 PagesDate: November 18, 2015 â€Å"Gun Control in America† The crime rates of murder and suicide is increasing due to guns being handled by different people in our society. Should the American government enforce new gun control laws in our country? This topic matters because gun control will make the country a safer place to live in. However, some people believe that gun control will take over citizen’s rights and isn’t a great idea. Gun control should be enforced by the government because it would help toRead MoreGuns Have Been A Hot Topic Since The United States862 Words   |  4 Pages Guns have been a hot topic since the United States was formed. It seems like just recently, this topic has grown in controversy. It feels like almost every couple weeks or so this country experiences some sort of awful tragedy due to gun violence. Whether it be a school shooting, movie theater shooting or an innocent person was gunned down on street. Between January 2009 and July 2015, there were 133 mass shootings that took place in the U.S (everytownresearch.org/). This is something that shouldRead MoreGun Control Essay1155 Words   |  5 PagesGun Control in America Gun control recently has become a more serious problem in the eyes of the government. It is true that guns kill people, but so do bombs and car crashes. Guns do not shoot themselves, someone has pull the trigger. The problem with guns is not that they exist, but that people have started to misuse them more and more. Taking away guns would cause more problems than keeping them would. Guns are not just used for harming people, hunting also requires guns. Hunting is a very popular

Aristotle And Aristotle On Education - 1262 Words

2.2.2 Aristotle (384 – 322 BC) Another great influence on Education was the Greek philosopher and scientist Aristotle who came later after Confucius, who was born in Stagira, Chalcidice. Aristotle was first a student in Plato’s philosophy school for around twenty years. Later on he was a philosophy teacher in Atarneus which is located in Asia Minor. Aristotle is known for his school named â€Å"Lyceum† which is located in Athens, and he is also known for teaching Alexander the Great who can later. According to Curren from his writings about â€Å"Aristotle on the Necessity of Public Education† and Burnet from his writings about â€Å"Aristotle on Education: Being Extracts From the Ethics and Politics found in the Encyclopedia , Aristotle deceased from the existing idea of childhood in Greek antiquity at that time, just like his teacher Plato. That philosophy was about children being educated as small adults, and so they were taught with adult literature considering their minds as able to abso rb and task like those of the adults. According to Aristotle, the goal of education is to struggle to achieve the greatest goodness and happiness being a member in a city. Most of his philosophy about educating children could be found in the Nicomachean Ethics and Politics; and here he relates to politics as he considers human beings naturally to be political. That is in the social sense, as no one could become happy outside of a community. A person become an individual when he/she becomes an activeShow MoreRelatedAristotle s Education For A Classroom Or Lecture Hall956 Words   |  4 Pagesâ€Å"Education is an ornament in prosperity and a refuge in adversity.† –Aristotle Education is a source of splendor for anyone who may encounter it. It builds minds and helps souls see the truth hidden in everyday reality. With the truth in tow, people are able to act in their best interests and come ever closer to the good, however one decides to define such a thing, whatever the circumstance may be. This quote recognizes these facts, which is why I am enchanted by it. However, one must be carefulRead MoreThe Collins And Aristotle s Impact On The Field Of Education1271 Words   |  6 Pages Marva Collins and Aristotle, and their significant impact in the field of education. The information provides the reader with a very brief biography of each educator, their contributions within the field of education, as well as their impact on others. There will be a comparison and contrast graph between the two educators, from their philosophies to their own education. This report will even ignite my own personal experiences on the effect of both Marva Collins and Aristotle . Marva Collins KnownRead MoreThe Evolution Of Education From Socrates, Plato And Aristotle To Medieval Europe753 Words   |  4 PagesEducation has changed over the years from Socrates, Plato and Aristotle to medieval Europe to even the twenty first century. When comparing the intended students then and the classes that were offered to them are vastly different than the intended students and classes that are offered now. Even the instructors are different from who can teach then to who can teach now. In ancient Greece, there were Sophist who were a group of philosophical teachers in the fifth century BCE. There were three mainRead MoreAristotle s Realism Philosophy And Philosophy1590 Words   |  7 Pagesworld. Therefore, everything one can learn and know comes from experiencing the world around us. Aristotle is considered by most to be one of the greatest realism philosophers. He was born in a Grecian colony at Stagira, 384 B.C. At birth he was born into a set life. His father, Nicomachus, had a position under the King Amyntas of Macedonia as court physician. Therefore, this could relate to how his education started off. It was thought that his ancestors held the same position under the King becauseRead MoreEssay about Aristotle and Platos Views on Reality980 Words   |  4 PagesAristotle and Plato were both great thinkers but their views on realty were different. Plato viewed realty as taking place in the mind but Aristotle viewed realty is tangible. Even though Aristotle termed reality as concrete, he stated that reality does not make sense or exist until the mind process it. Therefore truth is dependent upon a person’s mind and external factors. According to Aristotle, things are seen as taking course and will eventually come to a stop when potential is reachedRead MoreAristotles Impact on Current Society812 Words   |  4 Pages _NAME___ HUM 360 B1 Wilmington University Aristotle was one of the most important western philosophers. He was a student of Plato and the teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many subjects, including physics, metaphysics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politics, government, ethics, biology, and zoology. I found that his biggest impacts on modern society were in the subject areas of ethics, and zoology. Aristotle wrote the first book ever written about ethics titlesRead MoreCritical Analysis of Plato and Aristotle1634 Words   |  7 Pages(HISTORY OF POLITICAL THOUGHT) TOPIC A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLES POLITICAL THOUGHT WRITTEN BY OKWOR, STEPHEN USHIE 09/ED/EF/814 DEPT OF EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATIONS (POLITICAL SCIENCE UNIT) FACULTY OF EDUCATION SUBMITTED TO DR. EJERE DEPT OF POLITICAL SCIENCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION FACULTY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE UNIVERSITY OF UYO, UYO AKWA IBOM STATE MAY, 2012 A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF PLATO AND ARISTOTLES POLITICAL THOUGHT In order to compare these great philosophers, it is importantRead MoreExpanding Beyond Philosophy: Aristotle919 Words   |  4 PagesAristotle, famous for his work in philosophy, also had a huge impact in the educational, political, and scientific world. Born in Stagira, Greece in 384 BC Aristotle is very highly credited for his influence on philosophy. Aristotle’s young life was very unstable. At only the age of ten did Aristotle’s father Nicomachus died, and short after his fathers’ death his mother also died. Aristotle was then put into the care of his uncle Proxenus. Although during the time Nicomachus was alive, he was theRead MoreAristotle s Influence On Modern Society1435 Words   |  6 Pagesinfluential person in the pre-modern age in World History is Aristotle. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher, a student of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. He wrote on many different subjects, including physics, poetry, theater, music, logic, rhetoric, politic s, government, ethics, biology and even zoology. Aristotle was one of the most important philosophers in Western thought, and was one of the first to systematize philosophy and science. Aristotle questioned the nature of the world and of human beliefRead MoreHistorical Views of Leadership: Plato and Aristotle1320 Words   |  6 Pagesleadership through the eyes of two titans of Greek thought: Plato and Aristotle. Both men lived in 4th century BCE Athens, so much of their background and experience was shared. Aristotle was the younger of the two, and he was Plato’s student. Where leadership is concerned, both philosophers agreed that the â€Å"best men† should rule, and that the purpose of leadership was the betterment of the State. They also agreed that education was paramount to forming these best men. They disagreed, however,

Analysis of The Age of Anxiety by W.H. Auden Essay Example For Students

Analysis of The Age of Anxiety by W.H. Auden Essay Analysis of The Age of Anxiety by W.H. AudenAnalysis of The Age of Anxiety by W.H. AudenThe themes and ideas in Audens The Age of Anxiety reflect his belief thatmans quest for self actualization is in vain. I. Audens backgroundA. As a 1930s poet1. Views of Society2. Diagnosis of the industrial societyB. Major conflicts of his worksII. The Age of Anxiety overviewA. As a quest poem1. Characters search for self-actualization2. Characters inevitable failure in the questB. Characters views on the general situation1. Their belief to be in Purgatory when they areallegorically in Hell2. Their disbelief in impossibilityIII. The Age of Anxiety character analysisA. QuantB. MalinC. RosettaD. EmbleIV. Part IA. Commonly called PrologueB. Introduces scene and charactersC. Characters think aloud to reveal their nature1. Quant views himself with false admiration2. Malin examines the theoretical nature of man3. Rosetta endeavors to create an imaginary and happy past4. Emble passes his youthful judgment on the others follies V. First act of Part II, The Seven AgesA. Malins domination of this act1. Serves as a guide2. Controls the characters through his introduction of each ageB. Others support Malins the ories by drawing from past, present, and potential future experiencesC. The ages1. The first agea. Malin asks the reader to Behold the infantb. Child is helpless in cradle and / Righteous stillbut already has a Dread in his dreams2. The second agea. Youth, as Malin describes itb. Age at which man realizes his life-bet with a lyingselfc. Naive belief in self and place in life is boundlessd. It is the age of belief in the possibility of afuture3. The third agea. The sexual awakeningb. Distinction between dream and realityc. Discovery that love, as it was thought to be, is asharp contrast to love in the bounds of reality4. The fourth agea. Presents circus imagery as a form of art too closeto life to have any purgative effect on theaudienceb. Rosettas definition of life and the world5. The fifth agea. Conveys the image of man as an astonished victorb. Man believes he has made peace with the meaning oflifec. Anxiety declines as He man learns to speak /Softer and slower, not to seem so ea gerd. Man is no longer confined to a prison of prismaticcolor, but is free in the dull, bland placethat is the worlde. Embles opposition of the fifth age(1) Refuses to go willingly into middle age(2) Demands to know why man must Leave out the worst / Pang of youth(3) Is disturbed by time unlike the others for he is still young enough to have a futuref. Quants domination of the fifth age(1) Attempt to eliminate all hope(2) View on mans adaptation to the fifth age6. The sixth agea. Man begins to show ageb. Impotent, aged, and successful, Malins portrayalof a man of this age is indifferent to the world7. The seventh agea. Hypothetical man is tired outb. Malin is ready for this age in contrast to theothers reluctance to die just yetVI. Second act of Part II, The Seven StagesA. Unlike The Seven Ages, this act is nothing more than a dreamB. The Seven Stages is an attempt to find the perfect time of lifeC. The stages1. The first stagea. Each character begins alone, isolated with his owntho ughtsb. Justification of the view that the quest is fornaught2. The second stagea. Is initiated by the first pairing of characters(1) Shows possibility of hope(a) Emble(b) Rosetta(2) Shows futility of hope(a) Quant(b) Malin3. The third stagea. Begins as the couples turn inland(1) Emble and Rosetta by plane(2) Quant and Malin by trainb. The characters complete the third stage withoutsuccess in their search for self4. The fourth stagea. Malin speaks for them all in his derogatorativestatements about the cityb. Malin passes judgment on its citizens based onthe urban surroundings5. The fifth stagea. Rosetta visits a mansion in which she wishesshe were raised and to which she wishes sheshall returnb. While Rosetta is within the house, the othersexamine its exterior and its comparison tohe human bodyc. Rosetta finds life inside the house no betterthan before6. The sixth stagea. A forgotten graveyard is the settingb. Symbolizes The results of life7. The seventh stagea. The characters wande r deep into a forest, eachtaking a solitary pathb. They meet at the edge of the forest with a desertbefore themc. As they realize that life has no meaning, thedesert becomes the real world, thus endingthis stage with their awakeningVII. The remaining three partsA. Follows the characters from the bar to their homesB. The four remember the despair of the conclusion of The Seven Stages rather than the journey itselfIn Audens lengthy poem, The Age of Anxiety, he follows the actionsand thoughts of four characters who happen to meet in a bar during a war. Theirinteractions with one another lead them on an imaginary quest in their minds inwhich they attempt, without success, to discover themselves. The themes andideas that Audens The Age of Anxiety conveys reflect his belief that mansquest for self-actualization is in vain. SOLO Report EssayQuant is more dominant in this age than any other for it is this agethat he represents. In it, he attempts to eliminate all hope for a future. Hefeels that if man cannot adjust to mediocrity, it is too bad. . . If man asksfor more, the world only gets worse (Nelson 120). The sixth age is attributed to mans scars of time, to mans aging. Impotent, aged, and successful, Malin portrays man to be indifferent to theworld (Nelson 120). Hypothetical man is exhausted when His last illusions have lostpatience / With the human enterprise in the seventh age. Malin greets this agewith preparedness, but the other characters feel reluctance in greeting death(Nelson 120). The second act of Part II of The Age of Anxiety, The Seven Stages,is different from The Seven Ages in that the first act is based on experiencesand the second act consists entirely of a dream. The purpose of The SevenStages is to determine the ideal time of life for man in which he can residefor eternity (Nelson 121). The first stage begins like all quests begin, with all characters alone. They are each isolated with his own thoughts. Their journey ends in the samefashion, with each of them alone, which labels this as a false quest for nothingis accomplished (Nelson 121). The second stage is initiated by the pairing of the characters. Thispairing represents the possibility of hope with the two youngest, Emble andRosetta, and it also symbolizes the futility of hope with the two eldest, Quantand Malin (Nelson 121). The third stage begins as the couples begin to head inland. Emble andRosetta travel via plane, which symbolizes the useless attempt to escape life byflying above it. Quant and Malin, on the other hand, travel by train, whichrepresents the same inability to escape life, although this time the method isthrough immersion into life (Nelson 121). In the fourth stage, Malin speaks for the group in his derogatorystatements about the city. Malin also passes judgment on the people of the citynot on the basis of personality content, but on that of the surroundings ofwhich he thinks so lowly (Nelson 122). The fifth stage is reached when the group sights the big house whileriding on a trolley. Rosetta, with her false past as an outline, references thehouse to one in which she was imaginarily reared, and to which she shall return. During her visitation to the house, Quant and the others analyze the housesexterior. Quant comments on the houses appearance: The facade has a lifelesslook. The house is compared to a human being, with its book-lined roomsserving as the brain and the guards at the front gate who / Change with theseasons serving as the senses. Rosetta finds her life within the house nobetter than before (Nelson 122). The sixth stage takes place in a forgotten graveyard. It is observedas a still / Museum exhibiting / The results of life, which could either bedeath or the life that results from death as the Flittermice, finches / Andflies restore / Their lost milieu (Nelson 122). The seventh stage begins as each character plunges deep into a denseforest where they are confronted by a vast desert. Here, Quant asks thequestion, Do I love this world so well / That I have to know how it ends? Thefour take heed of the question and realize that their quest has no meaning, andas they do so, their dream world drifts upwards into the realm of consciousnessand the vast desert makes the transition to reality (Nelson 122-123). The remaining three parts follow each of the characters from the bar totheir respective homes. They each remember the despair of the conclusion ofThe Seven Stages, but have no recollection of the journey itself (Nelson 123). Auden has effectively portrayed the flaw of man in his fruitless questfor the meaning of self. His representations of Quant and Malin as the elderswhose future is bleak counters the bright and cheery illusion that Emble andRosetta may possibly have a future, though, in reality, the only sure future isdeath. Works CitedAltick, Richard D. Lives and Letters. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1969. Auden, W. H.. 19th Century British Minor Poets. New York: Delacorte Press,1966. -. City Without Walls and Other Poems. New York: Random House, 1969. -. Secondary Worlds. New York: Random House, 1968. Bahlke, George W., ed. Critical Essays on W. H. Auden. New York: G. K. Hall Co., 1991. Barrows, Marjorie Wescott, ed., et al. The American Experience: Poetry. NewYork: MacMillan Publishing Co., Inc., 1974. Kunitz, Stanley J. And Haycraft, Howard, eds.. Twentieth Century Authors. New York: The H. W. Wilson Company, 1942. Magill, Frank N., ed.. Critical Survey of Poetry. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.:Salem Press, 1982. Nelson, Gerald. From Changes of Heart (The Age of Anxiety). CriticalEssays on W. H. Auden. Ed. George W. Bahlke. New York: G. K. Hall Co.,1991.