Similar To Harold's Mother example essay topic

A Similar Aspect Of The Characters InA Similar Aspect Of The Characters In Sodier's Home, A Good Man Is Hard To Find, And Bartleby The Scrivener. Harold's mother, the grandmother, and Bartleby are selfish characters. In Ernest Hemingway's "Soldier's Home,' Harold's mother shows selfishness in that she refuses to understand his changing behavior. Her son, Harold Krebs, is a young man who is returning home from his tour of duty in France. The overwhelming shock of his experiences at war molds Harold into a different man. Harold wants to talk about how the war has affected him.

He is unable to tell his mother the unvarnished truth about his battles because of the time period in which they live. His mother has no concept of what really happens in a war and this is evident when she says "I know the temptations you must have been exposed to. I know how weak men are. I pray for you all day long.

' She prays for Harold so that he will be strong and fight off the temptations of women. This is sickening to Harold, because the desire of a woman is a minor fault compared to the horrifying events that occur in the outbreak of war. Harold cannot explain to his mother how the war affected him. He betrays symptoms of his discontent with his behavior hoping that she will make some kind of logical relation. This drastic change in his behavior does not spark a question of doubt in his mother's mind.

The connection between his recent return home and his changing behavior is not made. Harold isolates himself from his family and his community. He does not want any consequences. ' The psychological damage he receives from the war causes him to act cold and emotionless. Harold's mother asks him, "Don't you love your mother,' and he replies, "no. ' His mothers love for him is selfish because she refuses to acknowledge the affect the war has on her son.

The grandmother in Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find,' is similar to Harold's mother. The grandmother reveals her selfishness in that she persistently tries to change her son's mind about where they will be vacationing. The family is taking a trip to Florida. The grandmother wants to go to Tennessee to visit some of her connections. Her selfishness induces her into boldly telling a lie. She pretends that she is genuinely concerned for her families safety when she tells Bailey about a criminal being loose in Florida.

Even though it appears that she is concerned, her underlying motives are to change Bailey's mind about vacationing in Florida. The grandmother wants her way so badly that not only does she lie to her son, but she tries to make him feel guilty and says, "I wouldn't take my children in any direction with a criminal like that a loose in it. I couldn't answer to my conscience if I did. ' Her selfishness is present again when she lies about her concern for her grandchildren. She protests that the grandchildren "have been to Florida before, You ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be broad. ' She is not worrying about her grandchildren's worldliness, she is only trying to change her son's mind about the trip to Florida.

Another example of her selfishness is when she tells her family about the man that she could have married. She tells them that she "would have done well to marry Mr. Tea garden,' because of his wealth. Not one time does she ever mention that the marriage would be out of love for him. She only mentions that he is "a very wealthy man.

' Her egotistic personality is evident when the family encounters the Misfit. The grandmother's only concern is for herself. She does not worry about her family, she only tries to save herself. Like the other two characters, Bartleby, in Melville's "Bartleby, the Scrivener,' also has a selfish nature. Bartleby is a copyists that works at a lawyers office. He does not speak much, but thoroughly does his work.

He is secretive and gives vague replies to all questions. He works diligently copying paper after paper. After only a short period, he decides that he has "given up copying,' without any warning to his boss. Bartleby abruptly gives up copying and all other work in the office. The narrator discovers that Bartleby is living in the office, but does not make Bartleby leave. Bartleby does not ask for permission to stay in the office.

He selfishly assumes that he can stay there rent free. Even when the narrator tries to tell Bartleby that he needs to quit, he replies, "I would prefer not to. ' Bartleby is selfish because he takes advantage of his kind hearted boss. Bartleby never thanks his boss for trying to help him out.

The lawyer moves his office across town to rid himself of Bartleby. The new landlords at the building have Bartleby thrown in jail because he refuses to leave the building. His boss feels obligated to help, because Bartleby does not have any family to speak of. Bartleby also shows that he is selfish when he is in jail.

On the lawyers first visit to the prison, Bartleby tells the lawyer that he has "nothing to say' to him. The Lawyer continues to visit him frequently and pays for his meals. Bartleby never expresses any gratitude, no matter what the lawyer does for him.