Pride And Prejudice By Jane Austen - 1049 Words

Alice Kui Professor Mary Poovey, Caitlin Zaloom Relationships in Pride and Prejudice Pride and prejudice is a novel that was written by Jane Austen concerning manners, pride and intolerance. Austen is a writer of distinction that manages to catch the attention of the audience in issues such as marriage, class, love and deceit. The novel is a love story; however, its author was also aimed at explaining the unfairness and discrimination that presides over the relationships that exists between people as well as how it impacts the choices of men and women. She was also concerned about how women make decisions concerning marriage. Austen depicts a society where different choices for people are rather limited, on the basis of almost entirely on a family s connections and social ranking (Austen, 13). Austen s novel â€Å"Pride and Prejudice† brings into spotlight various critical moral concerns in relation to the subject of the institution of marriage as well as other significant issues related to it. Austen explains that being born a woman in such a society suggests that even less alternatives on whom to get married to or not to get married to, or how to establish the nature of a person’s life. Furthermore, the way in which the society weakens and controls women is useful in explaining Mrs. Elizabeth Bennet s panic concerning the marriage of her beloved daughters, as well as why such marriages should always entail both financial and practical considerations. Coming from nobleShow MoreRelatedPride And Prejudice By Jane Austen Essay1724 Words   |  7 PagesThe 18th century novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a fascinating book about a young woman’s struggle with family and love. Pride and Prejudice was originally published in 1813, but, the most common version of the story, and the one used for this research, is from the version published in 1892, still by only Jane Austen, though many other authors have contributed to this book over time. Austen often re ferences the class system at the time, often noting one of the multiple heroine’s struggleRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1467 Words   |  6 Pages Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is a classic novel that has remained relevant even years after its release. Its themes and symbols are understandable to even the most modern of reader. One of the many themes is sisterhood, something that is focused on constantly throughout the novel. Elizabeth Bennet, the protagonist of the novel, finds many of her decisions to be based upon the actions of her sisters. Making sisterhood a main driving force. Whether they are confiding in each other for marriageRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen872 Words   |  4 PagesIn my personal cherished novel, Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, the worlds of two immensely divergent people display the marxist idea of the importance of social status and its affect on the people. The two main characters seem to be on opposite ends of the earth in terms of an affluent Mr. Darcy being so privileged while on the contrary, Miss Elizabeth Bennet is of a lower class. Throughout the novel, there is a fine distinction between their clashing opinions and actions that are highly influencedRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen Essay1711 Words   |  7 Pageshe 18th century novel, Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen, is a fascinating book about a young woman’s struggle with family and love. Pride and Prejudice was originally published in 1813, but, the most common version of the story, and the one used for this research, is from the version published in 1892, still by only Jane Austen, though many other authors have contributed to this book over time. Austen often references the class system at the time, often noting one of the multiple heroine’s struggleRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1285 Words   |  6 PagesPride and Prejudice Analysis I.Introduction Jane Austen wrote her novels during the time period known as the Regency. The Enlightenment and the Age of Reason, a time where ideas like democracy, secularism, and the rise of developing sciences were making their way across Europe had come to an end.It was replaced with the wave of horror that was the French Revolution, a once minor revolt that escalated into a violent war, concluding with the rise of Napoleon, which whom England fought against the majorityRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1384 Words   |  6 PagesNicole Voyatzis Professor W. Acres HISTORY 1401E May 26, 2015 Discussion Paper - Pride and Prejudice Pride and Prejudice written in 1813 by Jane Austen tells the story of The Bennet’s and their five unmarried daughters. The family live as part of the lower gentry in early 19th century England. With that being said, Mrs. Bennet’s primary focus in life is to ensure that all her daughters are married, preferably to wealthy men. The book begins with Mrs. Bennet seeing an opportunity for her daughtersRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen1570 Words   |  7 PagesThe comical novel Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen depicts the love life of women in the early 1800’s. Austen shows the hardships young women in that time period had to go threw to find their place in this world. Women were thought of as objects to the men, they were supposed to be stay at home mothers, or simple just a accessory to their partner. Women were the subordinates in life, as they still are today. Austen tells the story of how Mrs. Bennet (a mother of 5) works tirelessly to get her daughte rsRead MoreJane Austen: Pride and Prejudice 1086 Words   |  5 PagesJane Austen, born December 16, 1775, was an English novelist whose works of romantic fiction earned her a place as one of the most widely read authors in English literature. Austen’s novels critique the life of the second half of the eighteenth century and are part of the transition to nineteenth-century realism. Though her novels were by no means autobiographical, her fictional characters do shed light on the facts of her life and but more importantly, they offered aspiring writers a model of howRead MorePride And Prejudice By Jane Austen914 Words   |  4 Pages Bell 1 Natalie Bell Pedersen English 4 honors 29 February 2016 Pride and Prejudice Essay Jane Austen s novel, Pride and Prejudice, focuses on the social conflicts of England during the 1800s. Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy fall in love, and face social criticism. Mr. Darcy struggles with the ideology of societal expectations while falling in love with Elizabeth Bennet. After persistent self-reflection, Mr. Darcy overcomes the stereotype of whom he should marry, and marries ElizabethRead More Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen 1104 Words   |  5 Pagesrate of over 50% from 1970-2010. However, during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, marriage was often one of the few choices for a woman’s occupation. Reading Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen from the twenty-first century perspective might make some matters that are stressed in the book seem dated or trivial. As Pride and Prejudice was set sometime during the Napoleonic Wars, it is only fitting that finding a proper marriage is on the minds of many of the women in the book. Marriage and marrying

Women s Roles During The 19th Century - 1448 Words

From the early beginnings of civilization to the 19th century, women were viewed as breeding objects to their husbands, and they were caretakers of the house who were responsible for the cooking and cleaning in the residence. They were also accountable for taking care of children, making dinner for her husband, and throwing lavish parties that others envied. When the American Revolution began in 1765, women s roles began to change drastically. Men had to fight against the British, so women left the safety and security of their traditional roles to serve their country, and perform their usual duties. During the Revolution, women were given roles in the military as â€Å"camp followers†, snuck into the army disguised as a man, and some women†¦show more content†¦An example of this would be Abigail Adams and the Daughters of Liberty. The Daughters of Liberty, a secret organization composed of women, believed in the unfair taxation of the colonists and women responded by non- violent boycotts. The Tea Act caused a terrible reaction throughout the colonies, and women refused to buy and drink tea to support the colonists’ efforts to remove the British. A source stated, â€Å"Although many colonists continued to refuse to drink tea out of principle, many others resumed partaking of the beverage, though some of them salved their conscience by drinking smuggled Dutch tea, which was generally cheaper than legally imported tea.The American consumption of smuggled tea hurt the finances of the East India Company, which was already struggling through economic hardship. Although it was a private concern, the company played an integral role in Britain’s imperial economy and served as its conduit to the riches of the East Indies† (History.com Staff). Another example of how the women boycotted was the Homespun Movement. Instead of buying clothes from British products, women hand-spun clothes themselves which provided clothing and blankets to the soldiers during the cold winters. Next, women found illegal ways to help fight in the war. At this time females could not fight or join the army, but some bold and courageous women seized the challenge. Women traded their dresses andShow MoreRelatedWomen s Role During The 19th Century1672 Words   |  7 Pagespast, men and women are â€Å"equal†, but realistically speaking there will always be certain standards set for women that will always differentiate from those set for men. The change in women’s role in the 19th century showed improvement because they began to speak up and refused to be silenced until their voices were heard. This made a deep oppression in the history and lives of women for years to come, but there will always be a standard set by men for women to overcome. The way women are seen todayRead MoreWomen s Roles During The Early 19th Century1836 Words   |  8 Pagesthe case many years ago prior to 1920. In fact, women or people of color were not allowed the right to vote. Nevertheles s, over time the roles of women began to change and with changing roles, women began to be more aware of their rights, thus began to fight for equality. Without the beginning of woman’s suffrage and early women reforms done in the early 19th century, the right of women to vote could have never been successful; changing roles of women from the beginning of the colonization age leadRead MoreThe During The 19th Century902 Words   |  4 PagesThe events in the 19th century had changed the lives of women and blacks completely. It was an age where the impact of the industrial revolution caused a sharp differentiation between the gender roles, especially of the upper and middle classes. In 19th century, appeared the events such as African American Civil Rights Movement, Civil War, and The Women’s Rights Movement had put women and blacks’ role to a new level. During the Civil War, women stepped out of their domestic domains to support theRead MoreAnalysis Of Gilman s The Yellow Paper 907 Words   |  4 PagesGilman had created two pieces during a time era in which women were trying to revolutionize the ideology behind their goals and what they’re expected to be. The 19th century is often equated to the domestic ideology that involves women to take on specific gender roles such as being a housewife and obeying their husbands every request. This ideology strained them of their sexuality; strained them of their liberation. Women during this time period pushed for different roles that doesn’t involve the houseRead MoreWomen and Work in the 19th Century Essay920 Words   |  4 PagesDuring the 19th century, change was in the air. Industrialization, involving the movement of labor and resources away from agriculture and toward manufacturing and commercial industries, was in progress. As a result, thousands of women were moving from the domestic life to the industrial world. During the 19th century, the family economy was replaced by a new patriarchy which saw women moving from the small, safe world of family workshops or home-based businesses to larger scale sweatshops and factoriesRead MoreWomen s Rights For Women1465 Words   |  6 PagesWomen’s rights in America in late 1800’s women’s right to vote women in medicine and the equal rights for women are the 3 main points that were big in the 1800’s. Women’s rights to vote women couldn’t vote back in the late 1800’s. Women had to stay home and take care of the children, cook and clean the house and when their husbands get home take care of them too. Although women had to do all those things they were not paid equal for the things they did. Women were told it is not job to vote thatRead MoreVirginia Woolf Sentimental Education Essay1250 Words   |  5 Pagesperception on Relationships molded by Economic and Social Status during 19th Century Europe During the turn of the 19th century in Europe, doctrines such as the Napoleonic code, and earlier writings from philosophers like Rousseau continued to have a direct impact on how woman were seen and treated within society. Virginia Woolf, a 20th century author, wrote on how these 19th century writings changed society’s perception of women and what their roles should be in the eyes of men. In her book, A Room Of One’sRead MoreVirginia Woolf Sentimental Education Essay1244 Words   |  5 PagesSociety on Relationships molded by Economic and Social Status during 19th Century Europe During the turn of the 19th century in Europe, doctrines such as the napoleonic code, and earlier writings from philosophers like Rousseau continued to have a direct impact on how women were seen and treated within society. Virginia Woolf, a 20th century author wrote on how these writings changed societies perception of women and what their roles should be in the eyes of men. In her book, A room of ones ownRead MoreFrankenstein Pursuit Of Knowledge Essay1673 Words   |  7 Pages Among the many themes explored in Mary Shelley s timeless classic â€Å"Frankenstein†, the one I find to be most relevant and the one that truly resonated with me was the dangers that stem from the pursuit of knowledge. This theme resonated with me for many reasons because, while the pursuit of knowledge has allowed humankind to exert and enjoy unparalleled and unprecedented power over the animal kingdom and the world itself, it’s a seemingly benign aspect of human nature that can paradoxical ly renderRead MoreA Doll’s House by Henrik Ibsen Essay961 Words   |  4 Pagesprotagonist of the story, represents the typical women in society during that era. The audience’s first impression of Nora is a money obsessed, childish, obedient house wife to her husband, Torvald Helmer. However, as the play progresses one can see that Nora is far from being that typical ideal trophy wife, she is an impulsive liar who goes against society’s norm to be whom and what she wants. Her husband is illustrated as the stereotypical man during the 19th century, as he is the dominate breadwinner of

The Fame/The Fame Monster by Lady Gaga free essay sample

I have to say Lady Gaga is quite a character. Ive been up like the past few weeks studying her style of music, her lyrics, and her videos. And I think she is simply AMAZING. Shes so tongue and cheek. Im really impressed with her vocal range. In all honestly, the genre she works in, which is sort of an electronic pop, is really quite the most annoying and my least favorite genre. The ability to so easily manipulate the sound and the artist’s voice is a bit scary. Who knows what you’re really listening to? A prime example of pop being the demise of good music is Ke$ha, an artist who is so drunk on electronic techniques and auto-tune, you can’t tell what you’re listening to. Her singles â€Å"TiK ToK† and â€Å"Blah Blah Blah† completely alter her voice, and yet her record producer spotted her and signed her because her voice sounded like a â€Å"guttural orgasm†. One can’t be sure if this is true, seeing as her backup vocals on Flo Rida’s â€Å"Right Round† are also auto-tuned. But what’s interesting about Lady gaga is that she has so much to say. She has her personal message to fans and she has her subtext within her music. One could easily make a song up about strip poker and get it on the Billboard’s top 100, but to get it to number one and have it mean something is really good. What’s it all mean? Well, I’m sure you’ve heard it before. In â€Å"Poker Face†, she’s talking about her hiding her sexuality. Whoda thunk that? The psychological fears and anxieties of being able to tell your lover you’re also attracted to the other gender are complex and simply juicy. And what about â€Å"Paparazzi†? That song is one of my favorites, as one can draw extremely close comparisons to the musical Chicago. The song can have so many different interpretations. 1. A sta lker follows a star and â€Å"follow you until you love me†. 2. What do you want more: love or fame? 3. You can do anything when you’re famous and people will still keep fleeing to give you power. There are others, but this song has so much depth. I admit that they aren’t the best lyrics of all time, but because it does have several layers beyond its superficial beat and catchy tune, this single marked her place as someone who has style and most importantly substance. â€Å"Bad Romance† is another favorite of mine, as it goes into the psyche of someone who is in love with a bad boy, someone who fears what may happen if she loses him â€Å"I want your love and all your love is revenge, you and me could have a bad romance†. The song continues with Hitchcock-ian references: â€Å"I want your Psycho, your Vertigo shtick/ When you’re in my Rear Window, baby you’re sick†. This line shows that the singer loves her lover unconditional ly. Every flaw, every inadequacy, she accepts regardless. Another great song of hers is â€Å"Paper Gangsta†, a song about what it’s like trying to write songs and not sell yourself out. And Gaga has managed to do exactly that, while maintaining her â€Å"Fame†. I think one of the most important aspects of her career is that she’s matured into a great songwriter so quickly. She went from â€Å"party-hardy† in â€Å"Just Dance† in the beginning of The Fame to more mature songs such as â€Å"Paper Gangsta†. And from there, she jumped the ball and floored us with her next album/EP The Fame Monster. Containing some of her best work yet (sure, there are only 8 songs, but still great nonetheless), The Fame Monster is simply a mini-contemporary masterpiece to behold. With â€Å"Bad Romance†, she’s also got my favorite song by her of all time, â€Å"Speechless†. The ballad tearfully, powerfully is about her father and it oozes emotion in every chord. It sounds great live and may be her best work she will ever do. It’s all organic, so those annoying haters who hate pop can go and listen to this and see her as both a great pianist and great composer. I won’t even begin to talk about her music videos. There’s just too much to love. From her more fun early videos to her emotionally created videos like â€Å"Paparazzi, â€Å"Bad Romance†, and the recent â€Å"Telephone†, she is just simply the artist of our day. She can be fun too! Not all of her songs need that deep analysis I give them. â€Å"Teeth† and â€Å"Telephone† are great for simply listening to or dancing to. â€Å"Teeth† is like Adam Lambert’s â€Å"For Your Entertainment†. The thing is, Gaga’s is more fun, catchier, better composed, and†¦just better. Significantly so, as it doesn’t sound so filthy and unclean. â€Å"Telephone† pairs up Gaga wit h Beyonce for an upbeat song about†¦clubbing and ignoring your cell phone. What could be better? Her ability to transition from genre to genre is also a veritable talent. From grungy rock like â€Å"Boys Boys Boys† to a more Lady-Gaga-sings-the-blues composition like the Canadian track â€Å"Again Again† and to a weepier ballad like â€Å"Speechless†, her style has great range. As does her voice. One is hard put to find such an enormous pop star with such an enormous voice. Her flowing tonal qualities last throughout her songs. AND SHE ALWAYS SINGS LIVE! Watch her live performances on YouTube and you can TELL she sings live. Did I hear avante garde? Yes, you did. The word of the conceptual artist has welcomed her into their family. Her fashion, some may say, is completely ridiculous. And, in a way, it is. But is it really fashion? Well, not really. Her most bombastic pieces are pieces of art she chooses to wear. Her bizarre Muppet coat, her red lace outfit , and it goes on and on and on. The great thing is, is that her wearable art has what we may call as an Artist Statement. It can be interpreted, it has a meaning. It’s not just something outrageous to wear at the Grammys. There’s always more to it. Her skeleton suit she wore to the American Music Awards was a statement on anorexia in fashion. Her Muppet coat was a statement about wearing fur. Her fire bra was about the woman’s body as a sexual weapon. This isn’t just some crazy drug addicted pop star; this is a woman with a brain. She’s articulate, smart, and very pretty. Her fan base is huge. Her â€Å"little monsters† as she lovingly calls them absolutely adore her. And for good reason. She gives then an outlet where they can be comfortable with themselves. Being the freak for most of her high school life, she’s able to emulate that emption in her music and give her little monsters a place of acceptance at her concerts. While I thin k it’s a stretch to call her fans her best friends, I am quite happy at how modest and kind she seems to be. Hopefully, it’s not a horrid facade like most stars. I simply love Lady Gaga now; she’s such a weird and amazing character. Hopefully, she won’t be a flash in the pan.

The Darkness Out There and What is The Darkness Essay Example

The Darkness Out There and What is The Darkness Essay Both authors use their titles as a way of drawing in the reader by making them ask questions right from the start. Lively chose the title The Darkness Out There and this poses the question, What is The Darkness? The word darkness foreshadows that the story is about the unexpected and evil. In the same way, Thomas Hardys title Old Mrs Chundle, immediately begs the question Who is Old Mrs Chundle? Already the reader is picturing an old lady in their mind and wants to find out more about her. Like Lively, Hardy engages the reader by posing questions through the title. Titles are a very effective way of engaging the reader right from the outset. Also, both authors use stereotypes to engage the reader. Lively stereotyped the three main characters, Sandra, Kerry and Old Mrs Rutter. Sandra has been stereotyped as a girly girl who likes a good giggle. Kerry is depicted as one of the lads, he has explosive acne and black slicked down hair. Finally Mrs Rutter is also stereotyped as a dear old thing. The effect of Lively stereotyping her characters engages the reader even further. The reader is able to easily identify with the characters and in this way quickly becomes involved with them. We will write a custom essay sample on The Darkness Out There and What is The Darkness specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on The Darkness Out There and What is The Darkness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on The Darkness Out There and What is The Darkness specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer As well as stereotyping the characters Lively chooses to stereotype the surroundings. She walked through the flowers, the girl, ox- eye daises and vetch cow parsley. This helps to build up the scene of a warm summers day with a girl skipping innocently through the fields. What this does is build up the stereotyping ready for when she reverses them at the end. I will go into this in further detail later on in the essay. Hardy also stereotyped his characters. Old Mrs Chundle was a stereotypical old lady, living on her own, cooking meals for passers by. However the Curate, in complete contrast, is a typically respectable old chap of a higher class. We can tell this when old Mrs Chundle says I dont want to eat with my betters and the language he uses such as Why my good woman. Also the way he insisted on paying Mrs Chundle for his meal I should feel much happier if you would. Once again, this helps the reader to picture the characters more clearly in their mind. As in The Darkness Out There, Hardy moves away from the stereotype of the Curates character curate slowly throughout the story. Firstly the Curate is described as The Kind Hearted Curate who invites Old Mrs Chundle to his parish for service And youll come, if I put it up at my own expense? Later he turns the character round from a caring, friendly Curate to somebody who less than charitably complains about her cabbage breath. I shall tell her not to come. Finally at the end of the story, when Mrs Chundle dies, Hardy uses the line brushed the knees of his trousers, and walked on. The brushing of the trousers symbolises the brushing away of any remorse or guilt for betraying his duties as one of Gods People. Another technique used by Lively throughout the story is to allow the reader to witness Sandra growing up and experiencing puberty. This is shown this by the use of the structural device Packers End. At the beginning of the story Sandra fears Packers End. When she was younger she feared the area because of witches, wolves and tigers But then we have an idea of her stage of puberty when her attention turns to rape. Another reason we know Sandra is growing up and entering adolescence is because when they are in Mrs Rutters house, Mrs Rutter complimented her on her appearance The girl blushed. She touched secretly, the soft skin of her thigh; she felt her breast poke up and out at the thin stuff of her top This adds to the reader alignment of Sandra. We also experience her emotions when on line 173 she shows her first sign of compassion by saying Thats Terrible! This technique allows the reader to identify with Sandra and become involved with her. Both authors use morals to enhance the meaning of their story. Lively uses many different morals. Her first one is that things arent always what they seem. She shows this by reversing all the stereotypes at the end of the story. She does this by reversing the characters of Kerry and Mrs Rutter. Mrs Rutter was a stereotypical old lady, which was reversed when we learnt that she left a German Fighter Pilot to die. Kerrys character grew in maturity throughout the story. When we first met him he jumped out to scare Sandra, he rose from the plough beyond the hedge and through Sandras thought process we were give the line you only have to look at people to know they are not up to much. to when he took it upon himself to leave Mrs Rutters house in disgust. Dunno `bout you, but Im going. By doing this she also shows that peoples perceptions solely based on appearance are likely to be wrong. Penelope Lively also tells her reader to fear the unknown. She does this by using Packers End. Lively doesnt let the reader gain much knowledge about Packers End, which will create fear within the reader. Lively also refers to light and dark a lot throughout the story. They are both metaphors. Light representing good, and dark evil. The dark reach of the spinney. Which creates the feeling that there is something sinister lurking in the woods. Polleny summer grass that glinted in the sun this shows to me that she evokes the feeling of an innocent fresh summers day. This builds up the fear of the darkness in the mind of the reader. Thus poses the question to the reader, what is the darkness out there? This is another way of engaging the reader used by Lively. In the last paragraph we see Sandra coming to the realisation of the darkness out there. This is shown by the quotation birds singing and next you glimpse darkness. The word glimpse suggests that the darkness is always there but its lurking, in hiding. Also the last two lines are extremely effective for revealing the true meaning of the story. She walked behind him, through a world grown unreliable, in which flowers sparkle and birds sing but everything is not as it seems, oh no. The phrase not as it seems sums up that Lively is suggesting that you could be facing the darkness everyday of your life but you may not realise it until its too late. By describing the world as unreliable, Lively shows that in Sandras eyes the world has lost its innocence, in comparison to the stereotypical setting seen through the eyes of Sandra in the opening. Hardy uses a similar moral to Lively. His moral is that perceptions of people based on appearance may be misleading. This is shown when the Curate betrays Old Mrs Chundle, even though she looked up to him and thought of him as one of Gods people. Line 297 shows this by saying The curate went out, like Peter at the cock- crow. This is comparing the Curate betraying Old Mrs Chundle to when Peter betrayed Jesus. Hardy also used the narration of the story to engage the reader and enhance meaning. Throughout the story, right until Old Mrs Chundles death the readers sympathies lie with the Curate. The narrator uses lines such as The Kind Hearted Curate and Zealous young man to build up the empathy. I think Hardy used this method, as he wanted to exploit the misconducts of the church. By building sympathy up with the Curate and then reversing it when we found out he betrayed Old Mrs Chundle Hardy adds extra impact to the remorse the reader has for the loss of Old Mrs Chundle. In The Darkness Out There by Lively, Lively use a third person narrator. She walked through the flowers She does this to create distance with the reader. Thus the reader feels they are observing the story unfold from a distance. However, after line 83, the narration switches from third person, to witnessing the story through the eyes and thought processes of Sandra. Some people you only have to look at to know theyre not up to much Using this method aligns the reader with Sandra and enables them to witness her growing up. This engages the reader further by making them want to find out what happens to Sandra. Hardy used pre-twentieth century language, as this was spoken at the time he wrote the short story. Curate hither and howsomever, helps the reader to establish the period in which the story is set. This pulls the reader in, as they can now easily picture a time and a setting in their mind. Local Dialect or Non- Standard English is used in both stories as a way of engaging the reader. In Old Mrs Chundle, Hardy uses local dialect for the character of Old Mrs Chundle. This helps us to learn more about her. For example Tis taters and cabbage, boiled with a scantling o bacon. Would ye like it? gives us a much clearer idea about the character than, It is potatoes and cabbage, boiled with a little bacon. Would you like some? This is also however a complete contrast to the language used by the curate. Yes, my good woman. This tells the reader that he is of a higher class. This also enables us to understand that there was a social divide at the time the book was written. Lively uses slang in the same way as Hardy does Non- Standard English. Both Kerry and Sandra use slang. Stupid so- and- so and whatd you like us to do are just a few examples. This enables the reader to learn more about the age of their characters and also know that they have been brought up in a more urban area. This enables the reader to align and relate to the characters. Building a relationship between themselves and the characters is a method of drawing in the reader even further. In conclusion both Hardy and Lively use a variety of techniques to engage the reader into their short stories. I found both very good and thoroughly enjoyed them. The first time I read them both, I preferred The Darkness Out There. However, after reading them more thoroughly, I preferred Old Mrs Chundle. I loved the way Hardy threw in little words and sentences that didnt seem like much but really had great impact on the story. For example brushed the knees of his trousers, and walked off. Both authors are very effective in engaging the reader.