Victims of Society in The Outsider and Antigone Essay -- Meursault Ant

Victims of Society in The Outsider and Antigone Both Meursault and Antigone are the protagonists in their stories. They have much in common, such as the fact that they explain their impending deaths as decided by fate, even though each seems to have an easy way of surviving. Both are willing to die for what they believe is right. The concept of fate is quite different between the texts. In Antigone, a Chorus tells you at the beginning of the play that Antigone will die. Antigone uses the excuse of fate to explain her own death to Creon, where as in The Outsider fate is much more subtle. First I will look at The Outsider and Meursault. Albert Camus wrote this novel as a challenge against the death penalty and the society that imposes it. It reflects his existential philosophy including how we do not trust people that are different, that society would rather hear lies then the truth if the truth makes them uncomfortable, and that people with different views to the majority are persecuted. Camus' choice of Meursault, an unusual person, who does not 'play the game', enables him to demonstrate this argument. Meursault's first words are 'Mother died today.' He is very quiet and detached and likes to observe events around him like a spectator, regardless of their importance to him. At his mother's funeral, he does not cry, he smokes and drinks coffee, and this turns out to be the reason for his execution. It may appear that the fact that Meursault is killed because of the way he acts at his mother's funeral is a sign of hubris, much like Creon's in Antigone, who does not respect Polynices' death properly. Camus shows us Meursault's philosophy is a hedonistic one; he acts like each day is his last. His bo... ...ne's destiny is argued by all the individual characters, each arguing only for the side that benefits themselves. The Chorus argues for fate to justify it's existence, Creon argues for it to justify his decision to have Antigone executed, Heamon argues against it because he wants Antigone to live on. These two stories rely on inevitability to draw attention away from the storyline, and bring the focus onto the issues they raise. Camus wished to persuade people that the death penalty was unjust and wrong, while Anouilh wanted to encourage a sense of rebellion among the people of occupied France during World War 2. In The Outsider and in Antigone both of the main characters believe that they are destined to die, becoming martyrs for their author's causes. Bibliography ============ Anouilh, Jean - Antigone, 1944 Camus, Albert - The Outsider, 1942

How Does the Author Present Human Nature in Lord of the Flies?

Lord of the Flies is a novel written by William Golding, it was published in 1954. It is an allegorical novel in which Golding uses many powerful symbols to present his ideology about human nature. In this novel human nature is seen as a theme which runs through the entire novel. In this essay I will give examples of how Golding presents Human Nature in Lord of the Flies. The quote â€Å"where’s the man with the megaphone? † connotes Human Nature. When the boys land on the island after greeting one anther they ask for others. This shows Human Nature because naturally they are curious about their surroundings; this is developed in each human from a very young age. Looking for other people when you are lost is a common thing to do. Human Nature is presented through the pronoun â€Å"where† because as most humans would do when they are lost, they are questioning things. â€Å"We’ve got to have rules and obey them. † When Ralph starts to desire rules it is the beginning of civilization on the island. Rules are a way of keeping everything under control so that everyone behaves and all rights are equal. The noun â€Å"rules† represents Human Nature. It connects with the principle of Human Nature where naturally rules are desired to keep everything in line. Rules have been made dating back to biblical times to restore law and order. Without rules there is chaos, the fact that this boy has recognized that rules are needed to be made and obeyed shows the impact not only human nature but society has on all of us. The conch is a strong symbol of rules and rules relate to civilization. The conch was one of the first set of rules made on the island. No boy may speak unless he is holding the conch and once he is holding it, he cannot be interrupted. The boys have imposed this â€Å"rule of the conch† on themselves, and thus the conch represents society’s rules. We have rules so that we act civilized, desiring to be civilized is simply part of our Human Nature. Human Nature is presented through the event of Jack killing the pig. â€Å"His mind was crowded with memories; memories of the knowledge†¦.. taken away its life like a long satisfying drink† this quotation gives the reader chance to explore the mental state of Jack in the aftermath of killing his First Pig. Jack is overjoyed by kill and is unable to think straight as his mind is â€Å"crowded with memories†. A flaw of Human Nature is the feeling of power it’s something all humans desire unfortunately the lengths some people will go for power can be extreme. Golding explicitly connects Jack's exhilaration with the feelings of power and superiority he experienced in killing the pig even If it is not a good thing. Jack's excitement stems not from pride at having found food and helped the group but from having â€Å"outwitted† another creature and â€Å"imposed† his will upon it. Ralph Wept for the end of innocence, the darkness of man’s heart† this is at the end of the novel when Ralph realizes that although he is saved from death on the island. He will never be the same again. He as well has lost his innocence and learned about the evil that lurks within all human beings. The phrase â€Å"darkness of man’s heart,† talks about the pres ence of evil instincts lurking within all human beings, no matter how civilized you may be. This connotes Human Nature as it talks about something that is within all humans naturally just that some people are able to suppress the evilness. The question that rises in this novel is whether these boys where evil all along or whether it was the effect the environment had on their nature. Human Nature is presented in the novel as the protagonist Ralph and the antagonist Jack. It is clear that when they both land on the island they both appear as immature kids who wanted to get back home. It is part of their Human Nature to return back to where they came from, which is what they try to do. â€Å"You’ll get back to where you came from† here Simon talks and acts almost as if he was a prophet, as if he knows truly that they were going to go home. It is in their nature to go somewhere knowingly that eventually they will go back to where they came from. Golding’s use of words in the novel and the way he presents Human Nature through different techniques makes us question Human Nature. The novel mostly focuses on Humans Nature being the cause of Society’s Flaws. The novel makes you think about Human Nature as a whole and whether these boys were capable of killing each other from the beginning or whether it was due to their surroundings. It also makes you think about yourself; someone who is affected by human nature; if you were left on an island at a young age to tend for yourself what would become of you. In this novel Jack the antagonist has his first experience of killing a pig at first he couldn't do it, but eventfully he did. This urge then took over his innocence and turned him into a murdering savage. It is clear in Lord of the Flies that Golding believes Human Nature to be evil.

Regulated Legalization of Cannabis in Germany Essay

Leaving the moral ‘high’ grounds Towards a regulated legalization of cannabis in Germany Introduction At first glance, German drug policy seems quite progressive: Drug abuse is treated as a health and social issue and there is a strong focus on prevention through education. However, Germany is still a staunch supporter of the current prohibition regime and is committed to the aim of a â€Å"drug free society†. As such, tackling the supply side of the drug trade is still an important pillar of German drug policy, which leads to a number of adjacent problems (International Narcotics Control Strategy Report, 2009). In order to reduce drugrelated harm, better combat international drug trafficking and to allocate public resources more†¦show more content†¦Policy Suggestions NN31701 1 While potentially all drugs are dangerous, only a fraction of marijuana users displays signs of problematic useÍ ¾ The majority are otherwise lawabiding citizens. Until today there are no recorded incidents of deaths resulting from marijuana overdoses and the drug is generally not associated with violence, unlike alcohol, which is legally available. (Nadelmann, 2013). A popular misconception regarding the legalisation of drugs is that it entails a complete liberalisation of the drug markets and a carte blanche for completely unrestricted drug use. Indeed, what proponents of reform advocate is MORE regulation. At this point, the production and distribution of drugs is entirely left to international drug cartels and street dealers, selling products of unknown purity and quality with gigantic profit margins to adults and minors alike (Rolles, 2007).Thus, the German government should set up a government controlled licensing system for the production and sale of cannabis in conjunction with a set of strict rules: ââ€"  No sale to minors ââ€"  No consumption outside the licensed venues ââ€"  No advertising ââ€"  Limit number of producers and retailers ââ€"  Provide consumers with adequate information regarding cannabis use Impact on stakeholders Improved control over quality and purity Recent reportsShow MoreRelatedAn Analysis Of An Ethical Dilemma Using The Doing Ethics Technique Essay2122 Words   |  9 Pagespublic support for marijuana law reform than ever before with new polls showing more than half the country is in favor of legalizing marijuana. The Drug Policy Alliance (DPA) believes marijuana should be removed from the criminal justice system and regulated like alcohol and tobacco. What’s going on? The drug war is responsible for hundreds of billions of wasted taxes dollars and misallocated government spending, as well as devastating human costs that far outweigh the damage caused by drugs aloneRead MoreBuy A Gram Or Keep It Banned?2119 Words   |  9 Pagesoverdoses or negative health effects by adult users. Marijuana has the possibility to generate millions in revenue, primarily at the state level if legalized and taxed. Legalization would have a great impact on organized crime, such as cartel sales, thus reducing crime rates. These are only some of the many advantages of legalized and regulated marijuana sales. Therefore, one could deem it irrational to ban something that could possibly save or, at the very least, improve the quality of lives. The tax benefitsRead MoreWhy Hemp Should Be Legalized Throughout The U.s.1666 Words   |  7 Pagesmarijuana, it is actually a healthy thing, it can be used for many things, and it is nothing like marijua na (ethos). Some people believe hemp and marijuana are very much alike, however, they are far from a like. Yes, they are in the same family, cannabis, but the only similarity they have is their looks. Yes they look alike but, marijuana is shorter and bushier while hemp is generally taller. Hemp is a plant. There isn’t anyone or anything on Earth that could turn hemp in to marijuana. If you smokeRead MoreThe Prohibition Of Marijuana Should Be Legal1948 Words   |  8 Pagesdrug, it in fact has medical, economic and social benefits such as a lowering the cost of the war on drugs, reducing the prison population, generating tax revenue, and creating jobs. These are just a few of the many benefits that can come with the legalization of marijuana. As we learn more about marijuana and its effects we need to revisit our social, political and legal views on its use. While recreational marijuana is still very controversial many people and states have come on board with medicalRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Medicine?1888 Words   |  8 Pagesdrugs? Cannabis setiva, has many nicknames, but most people know it as marijuana. Cannabis s. is a plant thought to have originated in Central Asia but in this day and age, it is grown all over the world. The marijuana plant, when extracted in resin-form, produces cannabinoids. Cannabinoids are the active chemicals in marijuana that cause a physical response when a person uses it. These chemicals act on a person’s nervous and immune systems. The most commonly known cannabinoid in Cannabis s. isRead MoreHistory of Medicine1796 Words   |  7 Pagesof the questions stated above. This medicine is marijuana and there are many different forms of it. Throughout the reading marijuana may be referred to as cannabis. Marijuana has been outlawed since the mid-1930s in the United States. With multiple people backing the medicinal use of marijuana it is on the rise again of being legal. Legalization of marijuana should be granted just for the fact of its medicinal benefits. The medicinal purposes of medical marijuana are vast, from diseases like: glaucomaRead MoreAmericas Right to Legal Marijuana Essay2068 Words   |  9 Pagesso long, the exact date it came about cannot be determined for certain. â€Å"The earliest cultural evidence of cannabis comes from the oldest known Neolithic culture in China, the Yang-Shao†¦about 6,500 years ago† (â€Å"Why Should Marijuana Be Legal?†). Marijuana was used in many cultures around the world long before the United States created its marijuana laws. The smoking of marijuana, or cannabis, for many of the reasons it is used in present day is in general the main purpose of what it was originallyRead MoreHemp Cultivation in China42289 Words   |  170 PagesInternational Hemp Association Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Cultivation in the Tai an District of Shandong Province, Peoples Republic of China Robert C. Clarke Naturetex International B.V. Van Diemenstraat 192 1013 CP Amsterdam The Netherlands Clarke, R.C. 1995. Hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) Cultivation in the Tai an District of Shandong Province, Peoples Republic of China. Journal of the International Hemp Association 2(2): 57, 60-65. This paper summarizes the history of hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) cultivation andRead MoreDrug Trafficking And The United States10785 Words   |  44 Pagesailments the drug was used to cure included, but were not limited to, cold fever, hay-fever and toothache. In the year 1887, Oregon became the first state to prohibit the sale of cocaine without instructions. Later in the year 1898, a drug company in Germany started selling of heroin to other countries and continents. At that time heroine was used as a cough suppressant drug. The amount of cocaine consumed in the United States increased in the year 1911 which caused increased cases of prostitution inRead MoreThe Problem Of Drug Trafficking10787 Words   |  44 Pagesailments the drug was used to cure included, but were not limited to, cold fever, hay-fever and toothache. In the year 1887, Oregon became the first state to prohibit the sale of cocaine without instructions. Later in the year 1898, a drug company in Germany started selling of heroin to other countries and continents. At that time heroine was used as a cough suppressant drug. The amount of cocaine consumed in the United States increased in the year 1911 which caused increased cases of prostitution in