Religion in the Fictional Town of Cold Sassy - 931 Words

Throughout centuries, humans have expressed different perspectives toward a single idea. The subject of religion invites challenging discussions from skeptical minds because religion is diversely interpreted based on personal faith. The authoress sets her novel in a fictional town, Cold Sassy, where religion plays a predominant role in people’s lives. Through Will Tweedy’s narration she explores the religious opinions of the town’s most prominent citizen Rucker Blakeslee, Will’s grandpa. Although Blakeslee spent his whole life in a religiously conservative town, he has a radical approach toward religious concepts such as predestination, suicide, funerals, faith, and God’s will, thus forcing him to challenge the traditional views of†¦show more content†¦The Crabtrees’ actions are an example of how much Cold Sassy despised suicides. On the contrary, when Uncle Camp committed suicide, Grandpa Blakeslee, being one of town’s p eople, did not scorn at Camp; instead, he arranged for a traditional funeral like for any other conventional deaths. When Will asked Grandpa whether Camp ends up in Hell for committing suicide, he replied that many people in the world have committed worse sins that God needs to attend to. He also conceded that Camp was not hateful or evil as those people. So, his lecture concludes saying that God would not refuse Camp into heaven because he unhappily chose suicide as an unavoidable option. (334) In all the above religious concepts, Grandpa has always contradicted his views with the organized religion of Cold Sassy. Grandpa’s reason for this contradiction is that Grandpa likes to hear about the loving, caring and forgiving God, instead of hearing about a threatening Lord from the preachers in his town. He also discloses to Miss Love that the only reason he went to church was to please his first wife, Miss Mattie Lou. This disclosure means that Grandpa did not ever agree with the traditional beliefs of his

Band of Brothers, Easy Company Free Essays

The young men of Easy Company were ordinary citizens turned soldiers. Some of them worked in agricultural farms or coalmines. Others lived in the mountain and few were sons of the Deep South. We will write a custom essay sample on Band of Brothers, Easy Company or any similar topic only for you Order Now Some came from very poor families while others were raised from the middle class (Gerjevic 2006). These were just few of the brave men who composed the Easy Company, 506th Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division, U. S. Army. In 1942, the Easy Company was created and underwent basic training in Camp Toccoa, Georgia. The training included climbing the Currahee Mountain. They were the young volunteers seeking for thrill, honor, source of income and dreamed of attaining higher level than a draftee. The training was rigid and required great physical effort. After nine months of hard training, they prepared the invasion of Hitler’s fortress (Ambrose, Simon and Schuster 2006). At about 1 a. m. June 6, 1944, came D-Day, they silently smoked, talked in whispers and uttered short prayers as they board the C-47s. Each man was in full battle gear. They were ready to fulfill their delicate mission (Gerjevic 2006). The Band of Brothers successfully did their assigned role in the D-Day invasion where they parachuted into Normandy, overpowered a German defense line on Utah Beach, head the force that entered into Carentan, led the fighting in Holland, captured an area in Bastogne, bravely led the counteroffensive in the Battle of the Bulge and finally overran Hitler’s Eagle’s Nest at Berchtesgaden (Webster 2006). The Easy Company suffered physical as well as mental casualties. Overall, the Band of Brothers successfully made it and they were proclaimed American heroes. The war was a story on how draftee citizen soldiers conquered well-trained German opponent such as the Wehrmach and S. S (Ambrose, Simon and Schuster 2006). The Band of Brothers, Easy Company was born in 1942. Their contribution in the success of America in their three years in the war cannot be underestimated. Their courage, endurance and dedication towards the interest of the nation have earned them a place in America’s great history. The Band of Brothers is worthy to be considered as one of the greatest military unit that the United States of America ever had. Work Cited Gerjevic, Sandi, â€Å"Band of Brothers†, accessed December 5, 2006, http://www. sandigerjevic. com/brothers. html Ambrose, Stephen, Simon Schuster, â€Å"Band of Brothers†, accessed on December 5, 2006, http://www. bookreporter. com/reviews/0671867369. asp Webster, David Kenyon, â€Å"accessed December 5, 2006, http://www. davidkenyonwebster. com/ How to cite Band of Brothers, Easy Company, Papers

Dracula moved Essay Example For Students

Dracula moved Essay Suddenly with a single bound he leaped into the room, winning a way past us before any of us could raise a hand to stay him. There was something so panther like in the movement- something so inhuman This describes to us how quick Dracula moved. As we already know. Dracula can take many forms and as it says, there was something so panther like in the movement this suggests that he had taken another form which had enabled him to move so fast without anyone having a chance to get him. This brings suspense into the story as the readers now begin to realise just how supernatural and amazing Dracula is. A horrible sort of snarl passed over his face, showing his eye- teeth long and pointed This particular quote brings in the element of fear to the readers mind. It seems as though Bram Stoker uses the facial expressions that Dracula creates to bring in this fear factor into the story. He describes the way that Dracula looks and this instantly brings in the fear element as Draculas look is so mean and horror like. This is typical as this story is focused around the Gothic element, which consists of the fear convention. The diabolical quickness if the counts leap back saved him. A second less and the trenchant blade had shorn through his heart This suggests that the Dracula was very quick in his movement, which once again backs up the suggestion that Dracula is regarded as a supernatural. Further along with the encounter Dracula jumps out the window, which creates a massive amount of fear and suspense for the reader as the reader wonders about what may have happened to Dracula. Dashed across the room and threw himself at the window Only someone stupid or someone very confident in their own abilities would try something as dangerous as that. This could be the work of someone who has the power of 20 men as Dracula was once described in the story. As we move on we get the other side of Dracula. The unusual/inhuman side. took my luggage and carried it in before I could forestall him. I protested but he insisted: Nay sir you are my guest. It is late and my people are unavailable. Let me see to your comfort myself This gets the readers thinking about why Dracula is doing this. It all seems as though he is trying to play the nice guy so he can take his time and pounce at the right moment which suits him. Count Dracula also makes him supper and provides him with very good accommodation, which seems as though it is coming out of Draculas good will but the reader will always have that suspicion which gets you thinking whether or not Dracula is always going to try and get some pleasure (the consuming/sucking of blood) out of the pain (being nice to the guest which isnt normal). So finally. The book itself. Bram Stoker has found a unique way of using the gothic conventions to excite the reader with the suspense and fear which is created within the story. The conventions that are used are put to good effect as the readers minds are tested as images are created due to the graphic content which is written about in some areas of the story. The writer himself highlights the way Dracula is brought across to the readers which he does effectively using the conventions. The way he describes some of the parts and the buildings he makes it feel as though you are actually part of the story. Bringing everything that I have wrote about together Bram Stoker has come up with a very interesting and gripping tale of Dracula. The Gothic conventions have worked fantastically for him to create this very good book and overall it was very interesting and he certainly knew how to bring the elements of suspense and fear into the story as well as telling a fabulous story at the same time.