Composition A - Assess or Interpret
TASK lll 2. A
a)
"Alienation is a form of living death." (Martin Luther King Jr.)
Assess to what extent the quote applies to Larry Ott in Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.
Assess to what extent the quote applies to Larry Ott in Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter.
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Schau doch in unsere Lektürehilfe! Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter: Hier gehts zu den Summaries
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OR
b)
Interpret the cartoon and comment on its message.
Biden's big job
Biden's big job
source: https://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorial_cartoon/2021/01/21/theo-moudakis-bidens-big-job.html; accessed May 16, 2022
content 10 VP
language 15 VP
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Note:
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text.
Our solutions are listed in bullet points. In the examination, full marks can only be achieved by writing a continuous text.
a)
- the quote „Alienation is a form of living death“ by Martin Luther king describes the result of alienation from the social society
- alienation thus expresses the feeling of being an outsider and not part of a social group or society in general
- the terminology „living death“ is a contradiction in itself; it unites two contradictory stages of life - meaning to live a zombie like life.
- a life that is not worth living, where quality of life and well-being are extremely impaired
Introduction
Explanation of the quote
Explanation of the quote
- Larry Ott from the novel "Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter" has always experienced rejection and verbal violence from the people surrounding him which leads to him alienating himself
- with him being thoughtful, sensitive, and rather emotionally tempered he always showed the tendencies of a loner
Main Body
Reference to Larry Ott
Reference to Larry Ott
- he was a shy child ever since
- was criticized and rejected by his father for not being as sporty, manly, healthy, and strong enough as his classmates or other children his age for instance
- Carl considers his son as weak and despises him for it and makes him fight his only friend Silas in the end
- due to his rather introverted character and isolated interests like reading, he distances himself from fellow students
- is considered a "weirdo" and even though he always desperately tried to belong and fit in, was he bullied at school from an early age on
Alienation from father and friends
- on the one hand he turns his back on life in society and retreats to a life of solitude
- accepts his fate as a loner
- on the other hand he tries to get back in touch with Silas to clarify the situation and tell the truth
- and is empathetic with his dement mum (and monsters)
- his way of living is a depiction of living death
he lives like an outcast without connection to society / is like "dead" to society and has no existence in it and yet alive
Living death
- Larry's differentness and lack of acceptance towards him is the result of him being alienated from society
- the disappearance of Cindy Walker finally leads to him being ostracized and living a life of isolation on the fringes of society
- in his attempt to change things for the better, Larry turns to Silas, is proven right and forgives him
(possible) Conclusion
b)
- the cartoon shows the figure of a man with grey hair who is supposed to represent Biden with a speech bubble saying "this won't be easy"
- Biden holds a bucket that has "Ready Mix Cement" written on it and a spatula in his hand
- in front of Biden's figure lays the statue of liberty cut up into pieces and heaped up
Introduction
Description of the cartoon
Description of the cartoon
- the title of the cartoon "Biden's big job" and Biden's statement "this won't be easy" indicate that he will have to pick up the "shambles" of his predecessor Trump (pieces of statue of liberty had straight fractures and suggest that it was brought about by the named predecessor)
- Trump, who has led the country into deep disruption and divided it with his controversial domestic policies e.g. immigration restrictions and racial decision that suppresses the fundamental rights of various ethnic groups
- this is illustrated by the destruction of the country's symbol of freedom; a country which used to be characterized by its diversity and immigration, and a land of unlimited opportunities that was a beacon of hope for many
- he therefore attacked the Capitol as a sign of radical questioning of democratic institutions
- the statue's face, torch, and board are still intact, representing the values of freedom, independence, life, and the pursuit of happiness
- this means that despite Trump's attempt to shake the U.S. to its foundations, these values still hold the country together and reflect the enduring faith
- Biden stands all by himself in the left-hand corner and is rather small and fragile looking portrayed with a bucket full of ready mix cement
- by his portrayal and rather inappropriate attire for the job, the cartoonist suggests that he doubts whether Biden is fit to rebuild America
- Biden's real-life statement in the speech bubble, however, shows that he has respect for the job and is aware of him facing challenges in the process
- the fact that the country needs a rebuild highlights the dramatic and long-lasting effects of Trump's policies
- the rather small size of the bucket full of cement signals that the cartoonist believes that the given amount of cement is not capable of repairing the destroyed Statue of Liberty in its entirety
- that despite Biden's best efforts, the country will always suffer and never fully heal from the deep division Trump's drastic policies have caused
Main Body
Interpretation
Interpretation
- it can be noted that despite all doubts, that the new president Biden represents a glimmer of hope for the country, reversing some of Trump's most controversial decisions through his swift actions, signaling a change to and in the American society
- it will probably take some time for the deep wounds left by Trump to heal, but there can be no absolutist assumption that this is impossible
- it must be realistically stated, however, that the changes will take some time
Comment
- all in all can be summarized that the cartoonist's doubts are well-founded, and it remains to be seen whether Biden's policies will succeed in reuniting a divided America
- President Biden, however, is a beacon of hope for many Americans, and even though the country has been shaken to its foundations, shared values like the drive for freedom and the pursuit of happiness are the basis for a reunited America persist despite Trump's attempt to change it.
Conclusion