An anonymous author wrote, “In literature, evil often triumphs, but never conquers.” Any good story needs a conflict, and throughout history, the most basic literary struggle has been between forces of good and evil. Ultimate victory for the forces of good becomes that much more effective when it has had to overcome smaller victories for the opposing, evil forces. Evil may win the battle from time to time, but good will always win the war.
However, many works of literature present the ultimate triumph of evil over good. Just as in real life, the “good guys” don’t always win; in fact, some of our greatest works of literature make far stronger and more effective thematic points by having the forces of evil win out over good in the end, even after leading the reader to believe that good will ultimately prevail. An author can use such a work as a cautionary tale, as a reflection of a grim or uncomfortable reality, or simply to surprise the audience. Two such examples of this literary abnormality are Charles Dickens’ classic novel, A Tale of Two Cities, and George Orwell’s 1984.
In A Tale of Two Cities, set during the French Revolution, Charles Dickens depicts how pointless the rebellion becomes when the original goal of equality becomes lost when the anger, frustration, and desire for revenge of the third estate is finally discharged. Initially, the members of the upper, ruling class were the ones perceived as evil, maintaining their societal positions through a system of fear and repression. However, as the revolution progressed and power was shifted onto the lower classes, they too abused their upper hand, committing evilly heinous and merciless punishments and executions, illustrating yet another common theme of the corruption of an innately good individual once in power. Madame DeFarge, abused and downtrodden member of the lower class, personifies the pent up frustrations and hatred that corrode one’s sense of propriety and transform one into an evil, bloodthirsty villain. It is in this manner that Dickens illustrates that it is often difficult to distinguish one element as evil, especially when people as a whole possess a capability of displaying both good and evil tendencies.
The Essay on Macbeth Is the Most Evil Character in British Literature
Macbeth states, "False face must hide what the false heart doth know" (1. 7. 83). What this means is that the false face, or a lie, must hide what an impure heart is going to do. Right then and there, Macbeth has convinced himself that if he can get away with committing treachery, he can justify doing it. This event is crystal clear evidence of Macbeth becoming more and more evil. Macbeth also ...
George Orwell’s part fiction, part philosophy, 1984, intends to warn the reader of the dangers of extreme socialism by presenting a tale set in a “negative utopia”. The population’s thoughts and actions are under constant video surveillance, history becomes fictionalized, and an evil figurehead named Big Brother lords over a nation perpetually at war. When the main character, Winston Smith, realizes the nature of his world and hopes to become part of a resistance movement, he is found out by the Thought Police and sent to the ironically titled “Ministry of Love,” a torture center where he undergoes intensive mental and psychological rehabilitation. Only when he is able to say, and more importantly believe, that 2+2=5, can his rehabilitation be complete; yet once his mind has been completely re-oriented toward Big Brother and doublethink, he will be killed. As he dies, the final thought that goes through his mind is his love for Big Brother, which shows that the evil defeated him; he failed in his attempt to revolt and lost his mind, soul and life to Big Brother and the inscrutable, indefatigable ultra-socialist regime.
All of us would like to believe that good will ultimately triumph over evil, but as we see every day on the news, in our lives, and in literature, we know that things don’t always turn out that way. Authors of great novels have a way of reminding us about things we sometimes forget, or that we’d like to forget. Thanks to Dickens and Orwell, we remember that it’s often difficult to separate right from wrong, and that sometimes evil is stronger, and realize that it will take that much more good to conquer it.
The Term Paper on Big Brothers/Big Sister
Running Head: BB/BS Open Arms and Open Hearts: Big Brothers/Big Sisters Pamela Naughton Rucker Mrs. McKibbin EH 322-04 March 19, 2001 OUTLINE Thesis Statement: The Big Brother/Big Sisters program was designed to help children from single parent homes. The program matches children with positive adult role models. I. Beginning a. History-BB/BS began as early at the 1900’s. b. Facts and ...
