Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 2+ (B), Free University of Berlin (John F. Kennedy Institute), course: American Short Stories, language: English, abstract: Bibliography: page 15In the short story "e;Neighbour Rosicky"e; the author Willa Cather tells the tale of the old czech farmer Anton Rosicky and his family. Cather describes Rosicky's present life as well as his past which is presented in several flash back scenes and in form of a narrative told by old Rosicky himself. One of the central motives in the story is the image of nature. It is embedded in descriptions of the Nebraska country, which Cather depicts very enthusiastically. However, the picture of nature and country is presented in various ways with the help of different techniques. One of the goals of this paper is to examine Cather's use of stylistic devices and that of her images and metaphors. Cather also strives to give the reader a very certain picture of the country itself and of country life. Again Willa Cather tries to employ different ways of presenting this picture. The picture nature and country, throughout the entire short story, is set against the contrasting image of the city and it's inhabitants and is ultimately the dominating contrast of the story since it best describes Cather's own thoughts on the topic, as well as conveying her message to the reader. The first indication of an image of nature is given very early in the story in the description of Rosicky himself. He is described as having a "e;naturally high forehead"e;1 and his physical appearance is generally defined "e;through the use of earth tones"e;2 such as his brown creased face with a ruddy color or his long brown mustache3. Dr. Ed Burleigh also notices that Rosicky's children have "e;natural good manners."e;4This introduction of the imagery of nature as quoted above is very subtle. The main character Rosicky, who combines the attributes of nature within himself or his family, is introduced in a very likable and sympathetic way from the very beginning of the story. Therefore the reader is unconsciously presented with a positive point of view of nature. Also, the ability of nature to improve human appearance is highlighted when Mary Rosicky puts one of her dark flowers into Ed Burleigh's buttonhole. [...]

Essay from the year 2003 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2+ (B), The University of Sydney (Anglistics), course: Life Writing (Biographies and Autobiographies), language: English, abstract: In almost any story of childhood and adolescence the topic of death plays a majorrole. Especially in autobiographies that begin with early childhood, death is usuallyaddressed at some point within the story and can often be seen as central to thechild s initiation process. It is in a child s first confrontations with death that itlearns about loss and sorrow and begins to understand the finiteness of life. However, experiences with death tend to be very different for each individual childand each child has different ways of addressing death, and coming to terms with it. This essay will examine death as an experience of initiation in the autobiographiesTo the Is-Land by Janet Frame and The Twelfth of Never by Louis Nowra. Lookingclosely at both of the authors early confrontations with death the essay will thenseek to examine common themes of death (e.g. the power of death, the mystery ofdeath) and will then look at the different ways that death becomes significant toboth characters individually. In To the Is-Land it is the loss of Frame s Grandmother that first confronts youngJanet with the reality of death. However, it seems questionable whether Janet at thispoint already grasps the finality of death. Her grandmother s death seems toprovoke curiosity rather than grief. This is illustrated by the fact that Janet s concernis more directed towards the decision of whether to look at her dead grandmotherlying in her coffin, or not, than it is towards actually feeling sorrow at the loss of aloved person. Her refusal to look on the face of the dead 1 at the same timeconfronts her with the connection of death and power, even if this connection isdrawn in a childlike and slightly bizarre way. When Myrtle came out of the room, I could see in her face the power of having looked atthe dead. 21 Janet Frame, To the Is-Land, p. 232 IBID

Seminar paper from the year 2001 in the subject American Studies - Literature, grade: 2+ (B), Free University of Berlin (John F. Kennedy Institute), course: American Short Stories, language: English, abstract: Bibliography: page 15In the short story "e;Neighbour Rosicky"e; the author Willa Cather tells the tale of the old czech farmer Anton Rosicky and his family. Cather describes Rosicky's present life as well as his past which is presented in several flash back scenes and in form of a narrative told by old Rosicky himself. One of the central motives in the story is the image of nature. It is embedded in descriptions of the Nebraska country, which Cather depicts very enthusiastically. However, the picture of nature and country is presented in various ways with the help of different techniques. One of the goals of this paper is to examine Cather's use of stylistic devices and that of her images and metaphors. Cather also strives to give the reader a very certain picture of the country itself and of country life. Again Willa Cather tries to employ different ways of presenting this picture. The picture nature and country, throughout the entire short story, is set against the contrasting image of the city and it's inhabitants and is ultimately the dominating contrast of the story since it best describes Cather's own thoughts on the topic, as well as conveying her message to the reader. The first indication of an image of nature is given very early in the story in the description of Rosicky himself. He is described as having a "e;naturally high forehead"e;1 and his physical appearance is generally defined "e;through the use of earth tones"e;2 such as his brown creased face with a ruddy color or his long brown mustache3. Dr. Ed Burleigh also notices that Rosicky's children have "e;natural good manners."e;4This introduction of the imagery of nature as quoted above is very subtle. The main character Rosicky, who combines the attributes of nature within himself or his family, is introduced in a very likable and sympathetic way from the very beginning of the story. Therefore the reader is unconsciously presented with a positive point of view of nature. Also, the ability of nature to improve human appearance is highlighted when Mary Rosicky puts one of her dark flowers into Ed Burleigh's buttonhole. [...]

Essay from the year 2003 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 2+ (B), The University of Sydney (Anglistics), course: Life Writing (Biographies and Autobiographies), language: English, abstract: In almost any story of childhood and adolescence the topic of death plays a majorrole. Especially in autobiographies that begin with early childhood, death is usuallyaddressed at some point within the story and can often be seen as central to thechild s initiation process. It is in a child s first confrontations with death that itlearns about loss and sorrow and begins to understand the finiteness of life. However, experiences with death tend to be very different for each individual childand each child has different ways of addressing death, and coming to terms with it. This essay will examine death as an experience of initiation in the autobiographiesTo the Is-Land by Janet Frame and The Twelfth of Never by Louis Nowra. Lookingclosely at both of the authors early confrontations with death the essay will thenseek to examine common themes of death (e.g. the power of death, the mystery ofdeath) and will then look at the different ways that death becomes significant toboth characters individually. In To the Is-Land it is the loss of Frame s Grandmother that first confronts youngJanet with the reality of death. However, it seems questionable whether Janet at thispoint already grasps the finality of death. Her grandmother s death seems toprovoke curiosity rather than grief. This is illustrated by the fact that Janet s concernis more directed towards the decision of whether to look at her dead grandmotherlying in her coffin, or not, than it is towards actually feeling sorrow at the loss of aloved person. Her refusal to look on the face of the dead 1 at the same timeconfronts her with the connection of death and power, even if this connection isdrawn in a childlike and slightly bizarre way. When Myrtle came out of the room, I could see in her face the power of having looked atthe dead. 21 Janet Frame, To the Is-Land, p. 232 IBID