A Doll's house- Henrik Ibsen's play, commenting on the role of women in the household. Torvald, Nora's husband, treats her like a doll and his little pet, never truly understanding her. Years ago when he is sick Nora takes him to Italy and forges her father's signature. This criminal act becomes her darkest secret and when Mrs. Linde comes to town and Krogstad is in danger of losing his job, a series of events unfold leading to Torvald finding out. Instead of being a caring husband he immediately lashes out against her, quickly apologizing when he realizes that the situation can be fixed because Krogstad is not blackmailing them. Even though Torvald is willing to move past the incident, his reaction sparks something within Nora, causing her to see life as it truly is. She is no longer a doll and this exposure to reality causes her to abandon her family to find herself, a selfish but necessary act.
Hamlet- William Shakespeare's play where Hamlet's uncle Claudius kills his father and marries his mother. This invasion in Hamlet's life drives him mad as all those around him plot his destruction. His friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern spy on him for payment and his love Ophelia ends their relationship in order to obey her father. This play demonstrates the infection that Claudius is to Denmark, his devil acts of murder and incest causing the country to rot and eventually collapse. The end of the novel ends with all of the characters dead except for Horatio, the voice of reason throughout the play.
Invisible Man- Ralph Ellison's novel written about an unnamed narrator who moves to Harlem after being tricked by Dr. Bledsoe into thinking he would find a nice job because of his experience with Mr. Norton. The narrator eventually joins the Brotherhood, giving speeches to encourage people about unity. This novel goes much deeper than just the racial struggle in the time period, it also demonstrates oppression from authority and the struggle to acquire power. The narrator retreats and descends into a cave where he cleanses himself from society and all that he once valued, losing morality and his sanity along the way, still making his point valid because there is truth in madness.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (contemporary work)- Junot Diaz's novel narrated by Yunior commenting on Trujillo's corrupted reign over the Dominican Republic and the long lasting effects as seen through the de Leon family. A curse, fuku, brought on Abelard Cabral because of his resistance to submit to Trujillo's desire to see his daughter. Oscar, Lola, and Belicia suffer miserable lives at the hands of this curse, fighting against those who try to oppress them.
The Importance of Being Ernest- This comical play written by Oscar Wilde is a "trivial comedy for serious people". Algernon and Jack act as doubles, paralleling eachother along with Ernest and Bunburry. Cecily and Gwendolyn also act as doubles in this play which repeats scenes between various doubles to increase the comical effect and to draw comparisons. This play criticizes the upper class's fixation on appearances. Wilde uses code and various puns to demonstrate his views on freedom of sexual orientation, religion, and marriage.
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