The role of the sea in Synges Riders to the Sea - Literature Essay Samples

W. B. Yeats, whose advice J. M. Synge has followed in exploring the Aran Islands in the remote northwestern corner of Ireland in 1898, mentions that in Riders to the Sea one finds â€Å"first to last the presence of the sea†. The impression of the vast stretches of the stormy gray Atlantic, lashing over the barren Aran Islands, is so predominant in the play that many critics would consider the protagonist to be not the bereaved mother Maurya, but her antagonist, the sea. Though the sea remains offstage, it is the most formidable presence in the play. It is an elemental force, fierce and brutal against which the characters continuously struggle, out of this struggle they achieve a rare quality of heroism that Synge celebrates in Riders to the Sea. The characters in Synge’s play seem to be interlocked in a life-and- death combat with the sea. The sea is both the preserver and the destroyer for these islanders. With negligible possibility for farming, the inhabitants of these islands are compelled to rely on fishing as their only livelihood. At the same time the violent Atlantic storms make the premature death of the fishermen inevitable. The seawater, in the play, does not symbolize only life and rejuvenation, but, more importantly, death. Everything – from the string tying the bundle, the colour and texture of Michael’s shirt to the individual details of human identity is destroyed by the sea. J. M. Synge presents Maurya as an old and bereaved mother, witnessing three generations of men – her father-in-law, her husband and her sons – being destroyed by the sea. Her fifth son, Michael, being missing at the sea for nine days, she is thrown into a frenzy of grief and worry. When her last son Bartley decides to sail to the Galway fair to sell their horses to overcome a financial crisis, she puts up a futile verbal resistance. However, the will of the sea seems to overpower that of human’s and Bartley is drowned near the shore. Synge here represents the sea in the manner of the classical concept of ‘nemesis’ or fate that makes human misery inevitable. The sea becomes the Nemesis, against whom the doomed mankind must fight, and through this fight man attains dignity. The importance of the sea is repeatedly emphasized through frequent reference to its conditions. Catherine and Nora refer to the turbulence of the sea, being worried about Bartley’s intended journey. Maurya also comments about the tempestuous sea revealing her constant nervousness and tension about the safety of her sons. In fact, sometimes the sea appears to indirectly enter the stage. A gusty sea-breeze blows open the door and later the sea-water comes dripping into the room when Bartley’s body is brought in. Synge has presented the sea in Riders to the Sea as an unscrupulous force that indiscriminately destroys both the good and the bad, and it reverses natural order by taking away the young to leave the older generation to lament. This is evident in Maurya’s comment about Michael’s stick – â€Å"In the big world the old people do be leaving things after them for their sons and children, but in this place it is the young men do be leaving things behind for them that do be old.† Yet in their perpetual battle with the sea, the Aran folks acquire a rare moral strength, heroism and stoic endurance. Bartley fully aware of his eminent death, does not hesitate to sail to Galway. The stage-props in Riders to the Sea are closely associated with the sea. The nets and the oilskins establish fishing as their occupation’ the white boards, the rope and the nails are meant for burial reminding us of the destructiveness of the sea. The bundle containing Michael’s clothes is soaked in seawater and the cake is made for Bartley to be eaten during the sea journey. These props attempt to establish a few signs of human identity against the absolute devastation of the sea. The religious beliefs and customs of this Celtic community are also closely associated with the sea. Though formally the Aran islanders perform Christian rituals, their concept of the universe being a hostile place where man is a victim of the malicious forces of nature, is almost pagan. Like pagans, they are full of superstitions about the ‘black hags’ and the ‘star-crossed’. They also believe in supernatural vision such as Maurya’s witnessing of Michael’s spectre on the gray horse following Bartley riding the red mare, the reference to the vision of the ‘Bride Dara’ confirms this view. The spring-well also has supernatural associations. However, the paganism is finally overpowered by Maurya’s deep Christian faith at the end of the play. When she invokes his blessings upon the souls of all the living and the dead, she achieves a spiritual triumph over the sea. As an island nation, Ireland has an intimate relationship with the sea, and Riders draws on practical, mythical and literary aspects of Ireland’s seafaring tradition. Aran provided first-hand experience of the sea’s ruthlessness and the constant negotiation with weather that Irish travel demanded; Synge repeatedly notes the threat of drowning in The Aran Islands. In Synge’s play, the universal drama of life and death has been symbolized by the presence of the sea. It is an elemental power against which the characters of the play struggle and strive. It is a grim force, contradicting which the human characters in the play achieve heroic identity. The sea in this play controls the whole situation, of both nature and human beings, though remaining off stage. The seas unseen presence fills the mind of both the characters and the audience. As a background, as a living character, as a force of nature, as an agent of destiny, as a villain, the sea plays a great role throughout the play.

Definition and Examples of Critical Analyses

Juvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Act Of 1974

A juvenile or â€Å"youthful inmate† as defined by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003 (PREA) is any person under the age of eighteen who is under adult-court supervision and incarcerated or detained in a prison or jail. While PREA defines a juvenile as under the age of eighteen the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 (JJDPA) allows the states to set their own definition of a juvenile (Lahey). This discrepancy in the definition of a juvenile has caused problems and slow progress with states coming towards compliance with PREA. States, such as North Carolina, South Carolina, New York, Missouri, Georgia, Michigan, Wisconsin, Texas and Louisiana have set the upper limit for a juvenile at sixteen. Texas, recently has agreed to comply with the terms of PREA. Louisiana automatically prosecutes seventeen year olds as adults, even for minor offenses (Neustrom). Sentencing juveniles to adult prison is risking the juvenile’s safety by putting them in a si tuation where they are vulnerable and more likely to be physically or sexually assaulted, commit suicide and it also causes an increase in the recidivism. In America on any give day, approximately ten thousand juveniles are housed in adult prisons and jails. Approximately two hundred thousand juveniles enter the adult criminal justice system each year and most have non-violent crimes. Juveniles in the adult jails lose out on the educational and psychological benefits offered by juvenile detention facilities andShow MoreRelatedJuvenile Justice And Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act1577 Words   |  7 Pagesis to research the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Reauthorization Act. The paper will focus on the purpose of this legislation, as well as the values that are expressed by this policy. 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If one is to change delinquent youth’s behavior, they need to variegate the justice system in order to prevent juvenile delinquent recidivismsRead MoreThe American Juvenile Justice System1043 Words   |  5 PagesAmerican juvenile justice system had developed over the past century with a number of variables that makes it different from the adult criminal justice process. Juvenile justice advocates supports the differences on the youthful offenders. Juvenile crime policy over the course of the twentieth century talks about transferring the law’s conceptions of young offenders. Starting from the nineteenth century, many of the youths were tried and punished as adults. However, treatment of juveniles in the UnitedRead MoreModern Day Juvenile Justice System882 Words   |  4 PagesThe modern day Juvenile Justice System (JJS) in the U.S. evolved out of fragmented reform movements throughout the country that began in 1800 and continued into the 1900’s, Progressive Era. Out of the many movements that were occurring in various states, two pioneered approaches took place that could easily be considered the roots of the entire JJS. In 1824 in the state of New York, the New York House of Refuge became the nation’s first reformatory for children. For the first time, there was anRead MoreJuvenile Delinquency Prevention Act Of 19741576 Words   |  7 Pagesexploring the internet on juvenile delinquents. We as a class have had many good questions to answer about the different ways juveniles are treated, and what the correct or incorrect treatment is for juveniles. We have written many papers and had many discussio n on historical milestones, landmark cases, adult courts, juvenile courts, probation and parole, detention centers and juvenile training programs. This semester has really changed the way that I look at juvenile delinquents. 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Also â€Å"Parens patriae† occur if the natural parents are incompetent to control their children. In this case the juvenile justice system design a program that will fit into the kids lifestyle as should have beenRead MoreThe Juvenile Justice System Essay examples1326 Words   |  6 PagesThe Juvenile Justice System Jodia M Murphy Kaplan University CJ150 Juvenile Delinquency Professor Thomas Woods July 31, 2012 Abstract This paper takes a brief look at the history and evolution of the juvenile justice system in the United States. In recent years there has been an increase of juvenile cases being transferred into the adult court system. This paper will also look at that process and the consequences of that trend. History and Evolution In the early nineteenth centuryRead MoreThe High Incarceration Rate Of Juveniles1748 Words   |  7 PagesThe high incarceration rate of juveniles is a significant social problem that affects society as a whole as well as the youth’s individual welfare and developmental trajectory. Adolescents who are incarcerated in the juvenile justice system face a multitude of negative lifelong implications. The history of incarcerating youth in residential facilities such as juvenile halls, camps, ranches or group homes as a consequence for committing crimes has a deep-rooted history in the United States. â€Å"For moreRead MoreJuvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act6750 Words   |  27 PagesIntroduction The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (JJDPA) is the principal federal program through which the federal government sets standards for juvenile justice systems at the state and local levels. It provides direct funding for states, research, training, and technical assistance, and evaluation. The JJDPA was originally enacted in 1974 and even though the JJDPA has been revised several times over the past 30 years, its basic composition has remained the same. Since the act was passed

Confidence Is Key free essay sample

Inspirational writer Toni Payne once said â€Å"When you have self confidence no matter how unfavorable a situation looks at a particular time, you know you will win†.Becoming a more confident person, through my dancing is one of the most difficult, yet rewarding struggles I have endured. As a dancer competing at the National level, I have difficulty forming relationships with other dancers against whom I am competing.Some dancers are arrogant and believe they are already the best, while others are too busy with supporters from their own dance chapters, so they spend little time with the other contestants. In 2010, 2012, and 2014, I was one of the more shy contestants with only a handful of friends and acquaintances.I looked forward to spending time with my tap dancer buddy Kendyl, whom I met and befriended during Junior Nationals (‘10 and ‘12), as well as my CT teammates in 2014.Rather than embracing the chance to make friends with people from all over the country, I veered away from the opportunity. We will write a custom essay sample on Confidence Is Key or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page I believed the other dancers were much more experienced and accomplished than me, especially because I tended to be the only tap dancing soloist amongst a number of high level lyrical and contemporary dancers. Miss Michelle, my dance teacher for over 15 years, recognized my lack of confidence and sought to inspire me with some advice her dance teacher had given her.She told me, â€Å"When you walk into the room, you are already the winner†.With that one lesson, she taught me that half of the battle to being a more confident person was thinking like one. In addition to my dance instructor, my solo choreographer also wanted me to make my time at Nationals worthwhile.Unfortunately, Miss Catiy could not come with me to Nashville, TN in 2016, due to her pregnancy.She wanted to send me with something special as a reminder that she would always be supporting me from CT.She handed me a golden keychain attached to a box with an inspirational quote inscribed on it reminding me that â€Å"Confidence is Key†.Throughout my Nationals experience, I kept this keychain with me, to remind me that I can be successful with anything I want to accomplish. Both Miss Michelle’s inspiring words and Miss Caity’s touching gift helped spark the confidence I have in my dancing as well as my confidence as a person.I no longer feel like an underdog in most situations, rather I embrace the opportunities I take on and strive for success. During my first day of workshop classes at Nationals 2016 as the reigning Miss Dance of CT, I realized how lucky I was to hold such a prestigious title.I deserved to be a contestant for Miss Dance of America just as much as any other crowned dancer.Even though I was one of the youngest contestants in the 16-25 year old bracket, I held my head high as I walked through the doors to my first workshop class. I strode over to the ballroom floor and rehearsed my tap solo for judge’s preview.As I practiced my triple pirouette on the slippery wood floor, I saw a second pair of tap shoes stepping onto the floor to practice.Recognizing that we already shared something in common, I decided it would be a good idea to introduce myself.My fingers vibrated in my clenched fists and my voice was shaky when I spoke, but I managed to power through my shyness and make a new friend. Not only was Nick a tap dancer like me, we actually share the same birthday on November 24.Nick and I, along with another mutual friend Owen, decided to go out for ice cream on our last day of classes together.Listening to the strong conservative southerner and strong liberal northerner ramble on about health insurance and entitlement program spending was a great introduction to AP Government and Politics for me, since I had little political knowledge. In addition to befriending Nick and Owen, I was successful in interacting with almost all the Miss and Mr. contestants during my two weeks in Nashville.On the night of our Miss pageant, all the contestants felt united, which was unique for such a prestigious competition.As my friend DeSean stated, â€Å"No matter what happens tonight, I am so happy to have shared the stage with every one of you.This Nationals experience has meant the world to me†.A first timer to the Nationals experience, DeSean was not the only one blown away by the chemistry our group shared.Jojo, now a two time National titleholder, agreed that â€Å"This Nationals was the best one yet†.The Miss and Mr. contestants joined hands and took one final bow, leaving the stage with tears, grateful for all the happy memories we shared together.By having confidence in myself and in my abilities, I walked away from my Nationals 2016 experience with much more than a sparkly crown.The key to my own happiness and personal growth is having the confidence to welcome new experiences and develop close friendships.