Absalom Absalom and Love Essay

Many of the novels we surrender read this semester contain prevailing themes that provide insight into American society. unitary of these themes that we have closely examined throughout the semester is a psyches proper to delight in. Love is undoubtedly a sizeable force in unmatchables life. As we have seen through our readings, how perpetually, this force is often forest every last(predicate) by the regard to conform to kind standards. Whether or not a couple is ALLOWED to be in love says a lot round what is socially acceptable for that particular area and time period.Although love is technically a right given to all, American Literature shows how it is often denied by social standards and therefore ceases to exist. William Faulkners Absalom, Absalom tells Rosa Coldfields version of how doubting Thomas Sutpen was the demise of her and her family. As the story progresses, it constructs known that Thomass son, Henry, kills Charles Bon to prohibit him from marrying his sis ter, Judith.One would infer that Henrys reason for his desperate need to prevent their marriage was because Charles was their half-brother, and therefore their marriage would be considered incest. We come to dress out, however, that this is not exactly the case. In Chapter 8, in response to whether or not Judith build out marry Bon she says Yes. I have decided. Brother or not, I have decided. I will. I will (283). As the chapter progresses, however, Quentin and Shreve accept that its the miscegenation, not the incest, which (they) cant bear (285).In this case, two socially unaccepted taboos prevent Judith from pursuing her relationship with Bon. The fact that it is worse in the eyes of her family that Judith may be marrying a hu gayity with black personal line of credit than a man who is her relative, however, says a lot about how strong racial prejudices were in the south during the 1800s.Judiths right to love Bon is forcefully stymy by social norms, and is a perfect example of Southern finish during that time period. Another instance of love being obstructed by social standards is seen in F.Scott Fitzgeralds Great Gatsby. Jay Gatsby, a resident of western hemisphere Egg and a symbol of new wealth, falls in love with Daisy, a resident of East Egg and a symbol of open wealth.Daisy and her husband, turkey cock, are described to have lived in a rather deluxe secret society (17) to which members of old silver had often tried and failed to become a part of. Throughout the novel, it is clear that Daisy had married Tom for his person and his position (151) rather than for love.Yet when Daisy finally accepts that she had never loved Tom and was currently in love with Gatsby, the class divides remain too customary for her to pursue a relationship with Gatsby. Tom quotes Nowadays people stupefy by sneering at family life and family institutions, and next theyll throw everything overboard and have intermarriage in the midst of black and white (130). Fro m this quote and the happenings throughout the novel, the force obstructing the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy is the social condemnation of new mvirtuosoy marrying old money.The Great Gatsby shows how in our society, is often difficult for people of distinct economic backgrounds to pursue a relationship. T. S. Eliots The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock is an inquiry of a typical mans psychological struggle to declaim himself emotionally and conform to social standards. Throughout the poem, the narrator shows insecurity in almost everything he does, fearing that his moves will be frowned upon.He says There will be time, there will be time to prepare a face to meet the faces that you meet and often asks Do I hold? and thinks about what they will say. His insecurity prevails in an encounter with what seems to be a woman he loves. He seems afraid that the woman will disown him because of his balding hair and thin composure, and thinks about what he should say in order to i mpress the woman And how should I then presume? How should I begin? In the end the narrator concludes that It is impossible to say moreover what I mean, and he drifts into a fairytale by the sea until compassionate voice wake us, and we drown. Eliots poem is an example of a mans love for a woman being obstructed by his own need to conform to what is socially acceptable of a man. He refuses to open up and share with the woman his feelings in fear that he will be mocked and denied. The Love Song of Alfred Prufrock shows the struggles of maintaining masculinity, and the fear a man has of loosing his composure. While the last stories had similar circumstances and outcomes, love doesnt perpetually have to be between a man and a woman, and social norms arent always successful at obstructing loves powerful force.In Mark Twains huckabackleberry Finn, the love shared between huckaback and Jim leads to a powerful revelation in Hucks life and a groundbreaking relationship considering the Souths invasive social standards. When Huck begins his journey with Jim, he is overcome by an instilled sin for assisting in the run away of Miss Watsons slave. Huck says It would strike all around, Huck Finn helped a nigger get to his freedom and if I was to ever see anybody from that town again, Id be ready to get down and lick his boots for shame (226).As their adventure progresses, however, Huck begins to suck up how much he enjoys Jims company, slave or not nevertheless somehow I couldnt seem to strike no places to moderate me against him, just the other kind (227). Huck struggles internally with this realization, but cannot get over the feeling in his heart telling him to keep Jim around. Finally, Huck decides that he would not turn in Jim, and that he would go to blazing if that were what it meant.In this instance, Huck valiantly goes against what is socially acceptable, and the force of love prevails. Huck and Jim remain friends even though it is extremely frowned upon. Although love is a freedom, one can see how easily and often this freedom is taken away due to what is acceptable in the eyes of others. The circumstances involved in the obstruction of love shows a lot about the society in which these characters live, and the values held by the people who lived there.