Vanity Destroyed

"The Convergence of the Twain"
Thomas Hardy

In this poem, Hardy uses vivid images to describe sunken lavish ship aka the Titanic. In his use of imagery, Hardy conveys the differences between the extravagant ship and the ocean. For example, "Jewels in joy designed/ To ravish the sensuous mind/ Lie lightless, all their sparkles bleared and black and blind" (Hardy). This quote expresses the brilliance of the Titanic as it was before it sunk through "Jewels in joy designed" and "sparkles". These phrases sound appealing to the reader and evoke pictures of wealth. Hardy contrasts these images of wealth with the phrase "bleared and black and blind". This phrase expresses that the sea caused the demise of the vanity of the ship. In addition to this phrase, other phrases like "The sea-worm crawls- grotesque, slimed, dumb, indifferent"(Hardy) also help to show that such a proud, lavish ship did not belong in the ocean. By contrasting the different settings (sea vs. ship), Hardy suggests that such a massive object of vanity was not suitable to cross the ocean. Further, this same contrast in setting could be applied to express that human vanity will cause our demise. A lavish ship sunk in the middle of the ocean because its pride did not allow it to properly navigate around an iceberg. The ship's vanity blinded the people of its possibility to sink. Similarly, our own pride and vanity can blind us from our possibility of failing. By simplifying our lives, we can focus on the truly important tasks and can become successful people.

Setting

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry

The play A Raisin in the Sun took place in Chicago sometime after World War II. During this time, white people strongly discriminated against African Americans. The discrimination that the Younger family faced drove their actions. Because the family was subject to working low paying jobs, they resided in a small, poor apartment. This apartment served as a limitation to the Younger family, especially Walter. In a physical sense, the apartment was too small for the family, and so each member did not have space of their own. In a less literal sense, the apartment served as a symbolic limitation to Walter. The apartment represented the low class in which Walter was raised. He worked as a chauffeur, but he dreamed of becoming something more. However, every night when he returned home, the apartment reminded him of the reality in which he lived. He was not wealthy, and he was limited by the color of his skin. He did not escape the limitation of discrimination until he escaped the confines of the small apartment. "We come from people who had a lot of pride...and we have decided to move into our house because my father-my father- he earned it for us brick by brick" (Hansberry, 148). By leaving the apartment and moving to a new house, Walter left behind his past problems to gain a fresh start with his family.