Presentation

In Jane Austen’s novel Emma, the function of setting is to demonstrate life as it would be in Highbury around the same time as Austen was writing the book (around 1815). The setting mostly refers to the period the is set in story as well as the place, which of course also bears much relevance. However, Jane Austen’s main concern in the book was to convey social convention, an aspect of life which would have a major affect on the characters in the story as it did Jane herself, in context to the period it is set. Also the themes of marriage and wealth also tie in with social status in the book as it would be of importance in the early 18th century that it is set in.

The character that to help all these themes together as well as Emma herself is Harriet. Not only is the power of status shown by Emma’s control over Harriet,( not even by force but Harriet’s freewill, as she admires and aspires to Emma)but she also takes the theme of marriage with Emma’s mischievous behaviour as she tries to match make Harriet to suitors of seemingly higher class.

Harriet also ties in with the education being a parlour boarder at Mrs Goddard’s school. We are able to see a glimpse of what education is like as Jane Austen bring s in her description of Mrs Goddard the mistress of a school “not of seminary, or an establishment…but, a real, honest, old-fashioned boarding school…where girls may be sent out the way and scramble themselves in to a little education, without any danger of bringing back prodigies” We are shown the kind of education girls would have received at the time, a middle class education. Jane evokes a warm sense to the ides of school though the last line is a little shocking it brings in the real world, a world where contraception were not available and pre-marital sex was still a shameful act in the eyes of society. The “scramble” for education also shows the type of education the girls may receive. Not a full education but whatever the girls could grasp. In this way we can already see the kind of education that society of the period were growing up with. However for Emma, a member of higher class this was different, as it is shown, she was educated by Miss Taylor as would all member s of upper class be tutored at home.

Through out the novel there are marriage agreements and suitors made and discussions between characters of “equal marriage” this refers to marrying a person in the story of equal wealth and status. By the end of the novel it seems all characters seem to have found their equal in marriage, with Emma it is the gentlemanly Mr Knightly who if not just equal in status is equal by intellect as is evident through their many long conversations they hold, conversations on a level we never see Emma talk to Harriet with. Harriet also marries Mr Martin who after all turns out to be the right match for her. Though it would seem the message from the writer is that one should marry within ones own status, it is interesting to acknowledge the marriage at the beginning of the book. Miss Taylor, Emma’s nanny therefore middle class, marries Mr Weston, of upper class, and there seems to be no evidence of criticism from the writer or characters of their marriage. In fact there are so many occasions in the book where the couple are described well together and perfectly married it seems they are almost a role model to other married couples at the time.

However though there is a happy ending, Jane Austen uses Emma, with her mischief and interfering nature to demonstrate the importance of social class and equal marriage within society at the time. As she takes Harriet and manipulates her feelings towards Mr Elton, the occurrences only reveal the nature of class to us. When Mr Elton realises Harriet has affection for him he is disgusted at the thought of it, even wise Mr Knightly comments on Mr Elton’s views as Mr Elton said he would marry richly. This is revealed even further when he turns his attentions on Emma, the richest female in the story. His desire for Emma or rather Emma’s money in turn disgusts her, and the feeling is evident and her “astonishment” shows how unequal she feels her self to him and how superior. An unequal marriage seems the most shocking of all things in the story, as it would in context.

However after being rejected Harriet only turns her attentions higher to Mr Knightly, the richest man in Highbury; however the reader does not feel this is arrogance on the part of Miss Smith, believing that he may requite her feelings but the fault of Emma who builds up Harriet’s vanity through the book. The importance of marrying for money seems far more important than marrying for love and it is only then when the idea of marrying for love enters Emma’ head. The only reason it seems Mr Knightly could marry Harriet would be for love, for Harriet has nothing of possession to offer. Though this idea is introduced, marrying for love, two central characters Emma and Harriet marry into equal relationships, and though they do love their partners, it is the equality that is expressed so importantly. It is simply that Jane Austen has idealised their relationships with their love for their partners and equality both being present to the characters.

The marriages contrast to the marriage of Mr Elton and Mrs Elton, as is commented by a character that in marry Mrs Elton, Mr Elton received twenty thousand pounds, an equal marriage but not one for affection to each other. In the novel Jane Austen only shows their judgemental characteristics and superficial attitudes, perhaps the example of a bad marriage, though equal in status?

Though the term setting in fiction also applies to period, an important factor in this book the setting, in referral to place is also important. Highbury is a rural environment almost cut off from the world. This small town helps us understand the narrow mindedness of some characters, and also the reason of so little action. The central action to the story is conversation, the lack of action means that to keep the reader entertained Jane Austen had create something else to keep the readers interest. Through such detailed language and description we receive such vivid characters and receive a lot information from their speech and others speech about them.

This also ties in with the period as presentation of a person would be very important and so what you say was also important, this is reproduced in Emma, as everything each character says reveals something about them. Also by setting the story in a remote rural area there can be more attention to new characters that enter the life of Emma. The conversation and excitement created by the awaited arrival of Frank Churchill creates a lot of excitement between characters in the book as it is not often visitors would come. Importance is added on this figure as he is a bachelor of Emma’s age and so expectations of the reader and other characters are raised.

Therefore in the setting of Emma, Jane Austen’s main concern with period was to show the social convention of the time, the way it affected marriage and also the importance of marriage in the context of the story. Jane uses Emma and Emma’s treatement and views of other characters to show the three main themes of money, status, and marriage within the 18th century period it was set.

Topic: , social responsibility, and diversity. Specific Purpose: To inform my audience about the marketing strategy, environmental and social commitment and diversity of Nike company Brief: In my presentation, I will be talking about Nike’s marketing strategy and its social responsibility MARKETING A) INTRODUCTION §       Preview – Because Nike’s success largely depends on its shrewd marketing strategy, I will be explaining to you the importance of marketing to Nike and introducing what is currently deploying. B)  BODY 1. Marketing is very important to its viability and profitability a.

Since Nike is a consumer product company, it must respond to market changes through aggressive marketing. * If fail to anticipate accurately and respond in timely manner to market changes, Nike could experience material adverse effects on sales and profitability. b. Nike must stay domestically and globally competitive to other large companies such as Puma or Addidas. c. As a result, Nike takes marketing issues very seriously. Nike has been increasingly investing into marketing. (Refer to chart) * Nike experienced a substantial increase in marketing investment in the FY of 07-08, largely because of the Olympic Games 2008. Demand creation in FY 2009 is $2,351. 4 mil. , increased 2% in compare with FY 08 2. Nike is successfully deploying the favorable brand image strategy a. Favorable brand image * Associates with a distinctive logo and advertising slogan “Just do it” * Advertise itself as a high quality and expensive product company. * Promotion: Nike contracts with high profile athletes and actively sponsors sport events to promote its brand. For example: * Michael Jordan: in 2007, the Jordan brand, now a separate Nike subsidiary with its own building, grossed about $800 million. Tiger Woods: in 2000, Nike agreed to a multi-year deal with Woods worth a reported $105 million (It can be said that Nike is successfully approaching the market by its shrewd marketing strategy. Now, I’ll be talking about Nike Social responsibility) SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY INTRODUCTION §       Preview: Nike is a leading socially responsible company. I’ll be exploring Nike’s community investment and environmental commitment. (First, I’ll be talking about community investment) BODY I. Nike has a long history of engagement in communities around the world, investing in their backyards, key markets and manufacturing communities. . In FY07-09, Nike has directly invested in community $168. 8 million – Set the goal of $315 million of contributions for FY11 – Involves contributing expertise and philanthropic activity to the community. 2. To achieve its community investment strategy, Nike has developed 2 core approaches: a. Focus on creating new models to provide young people access to the power of sport (to unleash their confidence, leadership, health, education or employment) – The Nike Foundation (separate nonprofit organization): focuses on developing adolescent girls to bring positive changes into community. They has committed more than $100 mil to benefit adolescent girls. b. Promote philanthropic activities and create financial flows that ensure long-term success – Nike manages a portfolio of investment that have triggered donations from consumers to expand its initial investment. – Notable projects: Livestrong, Human Race, Hurley H20 water initiative… (Not only is Nike socially responsible but also Nike is environmentally responsible)    BODY 1. Highly committed to sustainable development – To help focus effort and resources where company can make the most impact, Nike developed its own North Star to define sustainable development. . To achieve its goal, Nike has broken it into a number of smaller attainable steps: a. Product design: * Internally, Nike mobilizes its human resources to develop closed-loop product. * Externally, Nike actively posts unresolved problems and requests solutions from outside investors, universities and companies. b. Climate and energy: As a co-founding member of Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP), Nike and its partners have committed to strategic collaboration to push for US energy and legislation and rule making. c. Water: Nike aims to contract with factories where water is abundant enough to support it operations. * Nike also collaborates with factories to improve efficiency of water-utilizing * Nike encourages its suppliers’ adherence to high quality standards for all of their production. (Nike itself is a diverse company) BODY 1. Diversity and inclusion are key to drive creativity and innovation: – Grows their competitive advantage, recruit – In 2006, Nike appointed its first VP of Diversity. – In 2008, Nike formed a global diversity and inclusion team focused on three areas: a. Engaging employees b. Providing business consultation . Developing innovative tools, models and designs 2. Diversity and inclusion statistics a. Gender diversity: * Global work force is half-male, half-female * Overall management is 60% male and 40% female. b. Ethnicity diversity: c. 55% of its work force is Caucasian, 22% is African American, 13% is Hipic, 9% is Asian/Pacific islander and 1% is American Indian. d. Supplier diversity: national and regional partners on its suppliers effort, including the National Minority Supplier development council, the Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs and the Women’s business Enterprise National Council.

Look again at chapter 4 in: The lonely passion of Judith Hearne and concentrate on Father Quigley’s sermon and the presentation of . Analysing Moore’s narrative methods and themes, consider in what ways this extract reveals Moore’s negative attitude to organised religion. Relate your findings to the rest of the novel. Brian Moore a successful Irish novelist who was born into a privileged middle class Roman Catholic family in Belfast, on the 25th August1921.

Moore is one of nine children who had a strict Roman Catholic upbringing; his two brothers are doctors and his father a successful surgeon and head of Catholic hospital. Moore remembers his father as a man who would not “tolerate failure”1. Moore went to school at Saint Malachy’s College; he once described his school as a “priest factory”2 showing his displeasure for regimented organised religion. Moore confessed to becoming within a “hairs breath of being a failure,”3 as he could not pass his maths exam to follow in his father and brothers footsteps.

He was a university drop-out and realised early in life that he was an atheist4. He portrayed failure and his displeasure for religion and Belfast, through the characters and descriptive language used in The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne, written in (1955). He depicts Belfast as drab and shows us his hatred for Belfast bigotry for example, ” drab facades of the buildings proclaiming the virtues of trade, hard dealing and Presbyterian righteousness,”5 he also describes Belfast as, “the protestant dearth of gaiety, the protestant surfeit of order, the dour Ulster burghers walking proudly among monuments to their mediocrity. 6 However it is Moore’s negative evaluation of the Catholic Church, as personified by the interpretation of Father Quigley, which truly displays his repugnance for religion and the society that shapes it. In this novel set in the 1950s Belfast, Brian Moore closely relates to the recurrent theme of religion, he shows his distaste through the despair and escalating loss of faith suffered by the lonely spinster Judith Hearne, (who secretly turns to alcohol to appease her). Judith’s cherished possessions and religious influences are the picture of her Aunt Darcy and the painting of The Sacred Heart.

They are watchfully set out wherever she lives and instil authority, security and judge her life. Moore very skilfully uses omniscient narration and also invades Judith’s stream of consciousness to give us insight to her inner thoughts and to the other characters of this novel. He reveals through the dual voice of the characters his sympathies for Judith; also Father Quigley’s stern approaches and his hatred for a religious society that he left behind. However this is particularly more evident in the role that the Catholic Church played, in forming his negative attitude towards organised religion.

Moore continuously reveals religion of all descriptions very negatively, for example according to Donoghue he hates Belfast “such is his bitterness that the bitterness applies to all aspects of religion; the personal and institutional”7 and also quoted by Sullivan, “my bitterness against the Catholic Church, my bitterness against the bigotry in Northern Ireland, my feelings about the narrowness of life there. “8 this reveals that Moore is not eager to live in Belfast culture again and hates everything its represents.

The themes of loneliness and despair have been introduced by the beginning of chapter four, Belfast, its society and surroundings have been revealed in belittling terms. Religion is a constant theme within the novel and Moore sets the scene as Judith gets ready for Sunday Mass, the best part of the week. “She sets loneliness aside on a Sunday morning,”9 Judith approaches Sunday as a social occasion to see her friends the O’Neil’s and also a day out to meet other Catholics who conformed and attended Mass.

Judith never really joined any good causes within the church she followed in her Aunt Darcy’s footsteps, “Church affairs tend to put one in contact with all sorts of people whom one would prefer not to know socially. “10 Moore reveals that religion is a comfort to Judith, a social interaction and a routine. “Gods ways were not our ways,”11 this reveals to the reader the negative attitude Moore has on the teachings of the Catholic Church. This view is further backed up with Madden and his unrighteous thoughts of lust for Mary the night before.

Madden is more concerned with keeping his trousers clean from the dusty boards in church, and receiving absolution for his sins, than he is with worshipping god. Moore presents Catholicism in a very negative light; he depicts Maddens character to show us that many Roman Catholics see religion as insurance and a way to get forgiveness to enter heaven. Moore uses the regimented way in which father Quigley criticises his congregation to reveal, according to Donoghue “the whole catholic system whose failings one man is made to embody. 12 Moore describes Father Quigley as “shuffling”13 and “peering”14 as he makes a hasty entrance to the altar. The haste of his arrival is portrayed by the altar boys who “scuttled”15 to keep up with his swift entrance. He is further described as a tall and terribly stern man with accusing “long spatulate fingers. “16 Moore uses repetitiveness and the priests patronising narrative tone to demonstrate his misgivings of the Catholic Church. The sermon itself emphasised regimented routine, not the worship of god, as father Quigley rushed through and “mumbled the opening prayers,”17 showing no respect.

The parishioners also had the same sense of haste and lack of respect, “latecomers jostled, whispered and shuffled”18 revealing the diverse absence of secularism amidst the “noise and confusion. “19 It would appear that Moore’s use of pathetic fallacy heightens the mood, as the weather darkens the room “the priest’s white and gold vestments shone brightly out of the murk above his congregation. “20 Moore felt this is “Like many attitudes of Irish priests, he takes the best seat in the room and considers everything to be in his due”. 21.

Stood like a “watchdog”22 and “his nostrils flare like a horse. “23 To the reader this reveals he is like an owl seeking his prey, in for the kill, as he hurled abuse at his parishioners, shouting repetitively. “I mean you people up there.. , I mean coming in late.. , I mean young boys and girls dirtying up the seats.. , I mean the shocking attitude of the parishioners.. ,”24 it sounds like he is threatening the parishioners with eternal damnation “if you don’t have time for god he will have no time for you. “25Mass is supposed to be a celebration to God.

Moore reveals the paradox of Father Quigley’s angry outburst as a contradiction, “if not a caricature, and a combination of all the worst defects observed imaginable in a Roman Catholic Priest. “26 Moore further subjects the reader to the belief that the Roman Catholic religion is controlling; he once again uses Father Quigley’s embittered tone, as he tells the congregation they have “plenty of money! Plenty of time! Plenty of time. “27 He roars out “drinking the pubs dry.. Football matches.. Naked.. and foreign dances.. instead of ceildhes. 28 Moore reveals the priest is more interested in telling the congregation off for doing worldly activities, instead of putting their money in the collection plate.

This seems to show preaching the word of God is secondary, the relief he offers from these immoral sins are an empty church and “sodality meeting for men and Children of Mary devotions for women”29. Moore may also be trying to emphasis the social control of the church on the faithful. Father Quigley tries to threaten his parishioners with “everlasting fire that was prepared for the devil and his angels. “30 He further accuses his parishioners of leaving the “House of God empty. 31 According to Roman Catholic faith god is supposed to live in the gate behind the “tabernacle door. “32 In the final chapters of the novel we recall Judith’s crisis almost like a nervous breakdown, when she tells the reader “what good of anything unless it’s more than bread. “33 Moore presents us with Judith’s loss of faith as she attacks the tabernacle; this may indeed support his own atheist approach to “the world is indeed secular and empty that the world can hold its void. “34 Moore uses Judith actions to reveal his lack of belief, also Father Quigley’s inability to help Judith in her time of crisis.

The only thing the priest can say is “you should be on your bended knee, praying for forgiveness. A terrible terrible thing! “35 and even Father Quigley rejects her cry for help. “He heaps on penitence and guilt where forgiveness and grace are needed. “36 Moore reveals he was helpless “Shepherd, he looked at his sheep. What ails here? Priest, he could not communicate with his parishioner. No Father Quigley said, “I don’t know what you are talking about,”37 revealing that he could not grasp the situation. He can not understand her loss of faith and he can not deal with it, even as another sympathetic human being.

He was more worried about the protestant taxi driver seeing Judith out of control and in a state of drunkenness. Moore’s attitude to religion throughout The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne relentlessly reveals to the reader that he is not a religious person. He denounces all forms of Belfast bigotry its society and religion, almost like he is biased against Catholicism, to be critical of this it is only his side of the story. His bitterness and religious themes also applies to other novels he has written, such as Black Robe38 and Cold Heaven. 9 Moore reveals his negative feelings for organised religion both Roman Catholic and Protestant, suggesting 1950s religion was a frightening experience. Part of the reasons for these hatreds may have evolved from, As Patricia Craig tartly observes, “the fact that the family happened to live bang opposite the local Orange Order headquarters, topped by a statue of King Billy brandishing his sword,” ‘probably helped to keep their sectarian instincts up to the mark. ” It may also have been the strict catholic upbringing in which Brian had to endure and also simply the troubles and life at that time.

Isolation in Jane Eyre and the Wide Sargasso Sea. The theme of isolation is explored in Bronte’s novel; Jane Eyre. This theme is also developed in The Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys. Both pieces present different types of isolation, such as isolation due to location and the isolation of a character due to their social status, such as Jane’s status as a governess. The various ways in which isolation is present in each of the texts show how inescapable and unavoidable isolation is for the characters in both Jane Eyre and The Wide Sargasso, with it being present in such a large way in their lives.

Physical isolation is present in both texts, with Jane in Jane Eyre and Antoinette in the Wide Sargasso Sea experiencing absolute isolation from society due to their location. In Jane Eyre, Jane experiences such isolation in chapter II when her outburst toward her cousin and patriarch of Gateshead Hall, John Reed, results in her being confined to ‘the red room’. Bronte writes ‘it was silent, because remote from the nursery; solemn, because it was know to be so seldom entered’.

This description highlights the extent of the physical separation Jane faces whilst in the room. She is far away from any other beings, being unable to even hear other people, and with little possibility of the room being visited; it suggests there is little hope of escape from the separation from society she is presented with. By saying the room was ‘silent’, it reiterates the idea that Jane was isolated from all things and this highlights its severity and alienates Jane as she is out of touch with her surroundings, and the world.

It is clear that this isolation is effective enough to have a negative impact on an individual, as Mrs Reed knowingly uses it as a punishment; this suggests that the isolation is severe. Separation for those who had committed atrocities was seen as apt in this period of 19th century Britain, as it was during this decade that ‘The Separate System’ was being introduced. John Howard proposed that in prisons, criminals must be isolated and alone, as it was felt that they must have time alone to ‘stew in their thoughts’, and to be separated from others to avoid influencing innocent people.

The system, although having been used before, was taken up in many households as a punishment. This suggests that the separation from the Reed children, as Mrs Reed had ensured, was due to her fear that Jane would have a negative influence on her children, for fear that they too would learn her ‘ways of the devil’. A review of Jane Eyre, claimed ‘There is a low tone of behaviour (rather than of morality) in the book’, reiterating the point that Jane’s isolation was used to correct her behaviour.

Jane’s desperation to escape is shown when she screams ‘Take me out! Let me go into the nursery! ’, and her desire to end her isolation is resultant in her hysteria, attempting to use methods such as violence and pleading to escape her separation. In The Wide Sargasso Sea, Annette and her family inhabit an isolated residence, and subsequently, due to their location, also face separation from society, much like in Jane Eyre.

The house owned by Antoinette’s mother is rarely visited, Antoinette is aware of this blatant lack of interaction with other individuals as she asked ‘why so few people came to see us’, suggesting their isolation was severe enough to indicate, even to a child, that their isolation was not common. As Annette responds, it becomes clear that this is due to their geographical location, with the roads leading from Spanish town to their Coulibri estate in need of repair, they limit the accessibility of the residence to visitors and therefore , social interaction.

When Annette’s horse, which she uses to attempt to escape the isolated area, dies, she claims ‘we are marooned’. The hyperbole used demonstrates her exasperation and desperation as she is confined to such an isolated area. The term ‘Marooned’ paints a picture of an island, again a piece of land geographical separate from society. This term also demonstrates how helpless she feels in the situation, and suggests she is unable to see a means of escape. It also presents the idea that the separation her family experiences is potentially dangerous.

Evidence of isolation due to a characters place, or position, in society can be found in both novels. Bronte demonstrates the isolation Jane inflicts upon herself, coming as a result of her awareness of her place in society, in the Chapter 17 of Jane Eyre, which tells of Mr Rochester’s return from his unexpected departure to Gateshead hall, accompanied by numerous guests enjoying a social stay, comprising mainly of games and dinners. Jane intentionally separates herself from Mr Rochester’s prestigious guests as they gather in the study after dinner.

After firstly declining her master’s request for her company, anticipating the isolation she will face, stemming from her inferiority in her class, she then goes on to separate herself. Bronte uses the first person narrative to reveal Jane’s feelings, such as in the narrative “I sit in the shade-if any shade there be in this brilliantly-lit apartments; the window-curtain half hides me”. This demonstrates Jane’s need to physically isolate herself from the party, attempting to not only isolate herself from their conversation with a book, but furthermore their presence, trying to hide.

This also indicates her vulnerability, which contrasting with the confidence of the other women. This isolates her further. By saying ‘half hides me’ her reservations are highlighted, shown in the word ‘half’. This demonstrates how unsure she is about her position in society and the level of isolation she should therefore inflict upon herself, which reflects the confusion surrounding the matter in society in 19th century Britain. As a governess, Jane holds a position in society which, during this period, was unclear, as governesses were of the same class as their masters and their peers, but did not hold the same level of wealth.

As a result, people serving as governesses would often suffer separation and alienation from those in higher and lower classes as they struggled to determine how to act toward beings in such occupations, Miss Ingram’s mother stating “don’t mention governesses; the word makes me nervous”. Bronte was fully aware of such struggles faced by governesses at this time and wrote in a letter to a friend that his daughter ‘would be very unhappy as a governess’.

This suggests Bronte’s knowledge of governesses’ were genuine, as she exerts this knowledge in her personal life. The idea of a struggle to be included is reiterated when the wealthy characters talk about Jane as though she isn’t there, which is unusual social behaviour to exert toward those of the same class; “I noticed her; I am a judge of physiognomy, and in hers I see all the faults of her class. This only furthers Jane’s isolation and separation from the party. Resulting from this place in society and her inferiority in wealth, Jane’s ‘plain grey dress’ contrasts with the extravagant and expensive attires of the other females “Her black satin dress, her scarf of rich foreign lace, and her pearl ornaments”, furthering her blatant separation and isolation from such a group of people through even her clothing. The Wide Sargasso Sea also presents the theme of isolation due to place in society.

Antoinette’s mother, Annette and her spouse were previously slave owners. As a result of this, they are the only white people in the almost solely black community of Coulibri. Slaves in the 19th century were common and were often subject to harsh treatment and laborious tasks set by their owners. This would subsequently result in bitterness toward those who had enslaved them, bitterness which drives one man to suicide in The Wide Sargasso Sea.

In chapter one of The Wide Sargasso Sea, Antoinette talks about the late man’s house, ‘soon the black people said it was haunted, they wouldn’t go near it. And no one came near us’, groups the family with a house the black community think of as haunted. This suggests that Antoinette feels the black community also believe her family to be alienated and viewed as though from a different world, something to be feared and avoided. By saying ‘near us’, the severity of the isolation they faced is highlighted, with people refusing to even get remotely close to them.

This is more severe that Jane’s isolation in chapter 17, in the sense that she is still in the company of others, with Antoinette and Annette rarely experiencing this, furthermore Jane’s isolation is partly self-inflicted, whereas in The Wide Sargasso Sea, the two desperately wish to escape the isolation they faced, eventually seeking an escape in marriage, however, some could argue Jane’s isolation is consistent throughout her life, having no family, this type of isolation, unlike that faced in her situation in chapter 17, is not self inflicted.

Isolation is a theme explored in both Jane Eyre and The Wide Sargasso Sea, with both texts sharing many similarities, in the severity of the isolation faced by characters in each piece for example, and many differences, such as the way in which characters of both novels escaped such loneliness.

In his book, The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life, Erving Goffman compares life to acting. He argues that “when the individual is in the immediate presence of others, his activity will have a promissory character” (Goffman 2). I think it is ironic because I always thought that movies or theaters have always tried to imitate reality and not the other way around. In order to clearly show his analogy, Goffman presents elements of acting such as the front. We are all familiar with the term front act.

” In Goffman’s opinion, people are all playing an act. This is such a bold claim to make because he is saying that we are all just performing and not being our real selves, though there are some truths to his claim. What is confusing is when do we really act, or when do we be ourselves? Most of us would not acknowledge his belief that we are playing a character, but then again, the person that denies this may also just be playing a role, and so the question remains unanswered.

One idea of Goffman that caught my attention is his theory that people cooperate in an act to cover, say, something embarrassing. I have experienced it myself—I would pretend that I have not witnessed someone undergo an embarrassing moment, although unconsciously, I was not trying to make that person feel the embarrassment more, but rather, I was just trying not to be mean.

It did not occur to me that by pretending (and therefore joining in the scene, or rather excluding myself from the scene) not to see the embarrassing act, I have helped in saving that person’s face. What follows is an array of lectures, as it were, like that of a professor teaching a theater or film student, only that his lectures are philosophical and are related to our everyday lives. After reading Goffman’s work, I found myself smiling because of the truths in his analogies that never crossed my mind before.