During one's life they will realize the pain and suffering of this world; whether it is through a death of a family member or a close encounter to death, it will always have a profound effect on him or her. The Novitiate, written by Jean Howarth, depicts a young girl embarking into this world of pain. Little does she know that a simple gopher tail hunt with her brother would into a strong internal struggle within her mind. To gain her brother's acceptance, the innocent thoughts of this girl are then transformed to the painful reality of the real world. Jean Howarth shows that people are often presented with harsh decisions where they must choose whether or not they will sacrifice their own personal beliefs to gain acceptance and approval from ones they love and admire.
Initially, after some argument, a brother agrees to take his younger sister gopher hunting in the Prairies. Using the occasion as a chance to prove her worth, the sister obediently "trotted at his heels" (35) and was "working hard to please" (35). The sister at first was under the impression that the gophers are cute pets and did not understand the real suffering that was about to occur. This is proven in that she simply states, "Judy Craig has a pet gopher" (35). Once again showing her innocence, she wished to take an egg, "I could take one Lucy Oliver took an egg once It hatched", this also strengthened her belief that animals are pets. Throughout the day, the sister tries in every possible moment to prove herself: she "tried to imitate him" (36) and with "her eyes on him were deep with admiration" (36).
However, as the gopher hunting trip continues the girl starts to wonder if she is in more than she bargained for. "Judy Craig's gopher has little hands eats them" (36), once again making reference to Judy Craig, she still believes that gophers are small cute cuddly pets. When her brother begins to act serious and commanding, the girl begins to realize the importance of this gopher hunt, as can be evident in: "don't talk you"ll scare him" (36), " first time and see how it's done" (36), and "He screamed, "Stay back!" (36).
The most obvious commonality in all of Richard Selzer's essays is the central theme of surgery. Two of the three are narratives about experiences he encountered in his line of work, while the third is a detailed description and personification of a scalpel. Through these essays, he tried to estab...
Religious Orders and Communities. Religious Orders and Communities, religious bodies, specifically of the Christian Church, whose members live under a distinctive rule, or discipline. The members of the greater number of Christian religious orders are ordained priests, although lay members are admitted as brothers and nuns to some; a number of orders are for women only. Augustinians Augustinians, religious orders of the Roman Catholic Church whose constitution is derived originally from the Rule of St Augustine of Hippo, broadly divided into the Augustinian (or Austin) Canons, and ...
"Certainly opium is classed under the head of narcotics, and some such effect it may produce in the end; but the primary effects of opium are always, and in the highest degree, to excite and stimulate the system; the first stage of it action always lasted with me, during my novitiate, for upward of eight hours, so that it must be the fault of the opium-eater himself if he does not so time his exhibition of the dose ( to speak medically ) as that the whole weight of its narcotic influence may descend upon his sleep".( De Quincy, Confessions 66). ...
Religion, in some ways, confuses me. They all claim to be so different yet, when one takes a close look at them, they all have striking resemblances to each other. I was raised in a Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox household. Although both had some differences, anyone could see all the similarities...
Thesis The University of Notre Dame establishes its strong roots within American history through its significant influences on America and how it has developed a mystique. It creates a unique identity through its customs and influences that were brought upon them through their mission, foundation, i...
CUBAN SANTERIA Santeria, which literally means, way of the saints', originated in Cuba. Santeria is considered an Afro-Cuban religion. It has roots in Africa, specifically the Yoruba people in southwestern Nigeria. When Africans were brought to the New World as slaves, they brought with them their Yoruba religious traditions (Nunez: 3). Slave owners forced them to give up their beliefs and convert to Christianity. ...
