Dubliners By James Joyce Essays (2761 words) - After The Race

Dubliners By James Joyce James Joyce's Dubliners was written in 1914 right at the onset of World War I breaking out in Europe. It is a journey through the stages of life itself: childhood, adolescence, adulthood, public life and finally death. Each one of the stories in the novel fall into one of these stages. "After the Race" falls into the adolescence aspect of the book. It does this because the characters have not yet grown up. Although they are adults they are still immature. Jimmy is easily fooled into gambling away all of his money. He never regretted it. He was actually happy that Routh won the game and took everyone's money. Because of actions like this they are very carefree about how they go about with life. The only thing that they want to do is be happy. They were very free, moving about doing whatever they wanted, but a cloud was settling over them. This cloud was entrapment. Most of the story is about how the characters struggled to keep their freedoms over the entrapments. It also touches upon other characters from other stories by paralleling Jimmy to Eveline. "After the Race" is a story in which the ideas of freedom and entrapment are tested and joined as one to prove the overall archetype in Dubliners of paralysis and death. Freedom can be seen throughout this story. Each character presents their own struggle with freedom. The aspect of freedom can also be seen in the setting that is used in "After the Race." Even the aspect of a race can be thought of as freedom. The drivers are speeding along down windy roads toward an endpoint where there is a reward. While driving the driver can become one with nature. He sees his surroundings and must make split second decisions about what to do. One can see freedom in this. It is the freedom of choice. In Dubliners as a whole many characters struggle with this freedom. It is no different in the story of "After the Race." The race that is spoken about has a long history of running. It is run once every four years. The course itself has long mountain climbs through Achill Island, Kerry, Cork and Wicklow and a fast frenetic route from Criterium to Dublin's O'Connell Street and Parnell Square. It consists of one hundred twelve kilometers through Slane, Navan, Clonee and Lucan. The roads that the race is run on are always shut down. The drivers pass through beautiful scenery and are greeted in Dublin by thousands of spectators. The finish line to the race is in front of the President's house. 1 The race car itself also brings a sense of freedom to the reader of the story. Joyce writes, "How smoothly it ran. In what style they had come careering along the country roads! The journey laid a magical finger on the genuine pulse of life and gallantly the machinery of human nerves strove to answer the bounding courses of the swift blue animal."2 This shows how they viewed the complex machinery of a race car as a sort of freedom. "Today many people still view the idea of complex machinery as freedom because of mankind's control over nature."3 The city to city races that would take place along European country side around the turn of the century were a "sport of beauty in which even spectators were free to interact with the drivers."4 The passengers of the car were even experiencing their own freedoms. Joyce writes, "In one of these trimly built cars was a party of four young men whose spirits seemed to be at present well above the level of successful Gallicism: in fact, these four young men were almost hilarious." 5 The men in the car were very carefree. "They knew that they would probably not win this race, but continued to go about their merry ways." 6 They cruised through the countryside and into the crowded streets of Dublin knowing that they had lost the race. Garrett says they were proud of their achievement of making it through the entire race. 7 There is the same sense of freedom that was involved with the race. That freedom is the freedom of being one with nature. If they were not feeling this freedom then loosing the race would have most likely come down harder on them. They were extremely happy in the event of losing this race. A different, but highly related sense of freedom comes about from the passengers themselves. An

Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence Introduction King George III was in charge of the British Monarch when Britain’s power was unmatched (Brooke, 1972). New lands were discovered and the empire set up colonies virtually everywhere in the world. Thomas Jefferson in making the case for American independence listed a number of abuses by the King on the colonies that he believed gave impetus to the struggle for American independence (Bernsten, 2005, p. 78).Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Declaration of Independence- Constitution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Jefferson said that the abuses had been aimed at the colonies for purposes of establishing tyrannical government in North America. Some of the abuses that King George is accused of committing involve taxation with little representation, the sugar act, the tea act, and the quartering act. Abuses Jefferson listed 27 abuses that the thirteen colonies suffered under the monarchy. The fi rst twelve abuses dealt with the denial of the colonies of the right to establish representative governments. He did so by the rejection of the laws proposed by the colonies. The king directed the dissolution of colonial bodies of representation and in their place took the ministers. He also increased his meddling in the judicial process as well as the rights of the colonies. He was also accused of exalting the power of the military over civilian besides forcing civilians to support the military (Bernsten, 2005, p. 98). Thirteen to 22 abuses describe in detail the use of parliament by the King to destroy the colonies’ right to independence. Parliament under the Kings guidance enacted laws that were unfriendly to the colonies according to Jefferson. The taxes levied taxes that discouraged trade, quartered troops, and levied taxes without colonial authority approval. Some of the legislations had taken away judicial freedom and the right to be tried by a jury. The other five abu ses according to Jefferson included the use of military force by the King on the colonies. The King unleashed his army and hired mercenaries on the colonies, destroyed the colonies ships and assets and kidnapped the citizen and forced then to compulsory British military service. Amendments In the new republic, the American constitution sought to prevent the occurrence of such acts by pursuing the doctrine of the separation of power. The doctrine advocates for the separation and independence of the legislature, executive judiciary branches of government (Pendergast, et al. 2001, p. 100).Advertising Looking for research paper on history? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This was done primarily to stop the abuse of power as had been witnessed during King George’s time. The drafters of the constitution envisioned the system as one that would have introduced them necessary checks and balances that were crucial for t he prevention of abuse of power. The first ten amendments addressed the issues that had led to the abused witnessed during King George’s time (Pendergast, et al. 2001, p. 80). These included the freedom of religion, press, assembly, and petition. There was also the right to posse’s arms, lodging soldiers in private homes, resumption of jury trials, reservation of power to the states, no unreasonable search and seizure, no cruel punishment and the enumerated rights. Role of ethics The US constitution is hyped as the greatest document that human beings have ever written (Williams, 2004, p. 35). It could not be great were it not for the ethics that governed the process and the people involved. The founding fathers of the nation including Adams and Jefferson were guided by principles that were characterized by selflessness. Ethics ensured the documents that were drafted were all-encompassing and applied to all of the United States. Ethics also helped in guiding the foundli ng fathers to avoid the mistakes that had been committed the King. References Bernsten, J.T. (2005). Thomas Jefferson. Oxford: Oxford University Press. Brook, J. (1972). King George III. London: McGraw-Hill. Pendergast et al. (2001). Constitutional Amendments: Amendments 18-26, and the un-ratified amendments. New York: UXL.Advertising We will write a custom research paper sample on Declaration of Independence- Constitution specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Williams, J. K. (2004). The U.S. Constitution. New York: Compass point books. declaration of independence Most of the changes made to the declaration of independence were made for political reasons. The United States did not want to jeopardize their possible future relations with Britain. They also did not want the British people (most likely their descendents) to be angry with them. The writers of the Declaration of Independence also made sure that they said He when they stated the reasons they felt they deserved The first section of the Declaration of Independence was revised to give the justification for the Declaration of Independence's existence. It says that when a nation is created, it owes world opinion an explanation why it is rejecting its former system of government. The paragraph states three main ideas. The phrase "it becomes necessary" ( ) is the first of countless reasons why the colonies have no choice but to separate. The second point is that the people, not government, of the colonies are ending the relationship with the British. It was revised to make is clear that it was the will of the people to end the relationship. The third point that a new nation (The United States) is entitled to the same respect and authority ("separate and equal station") The middle of the Declaration of Independence is a list of charges against the King made by the colonists. The colonists made the charges seem they were mad at their king as well as the British. All of these were revised out so they charges were only against the king. The reason that this was do was because the colonists did not want to make the British people mad at them because then they would be more willing to go to The declaration then concludes by relying on God (Divine Providence) to protect the colonies in their fight for independence. The last paragraph at first seems a little hollow so it was revisited to seem stronge