What Is Literary Realism Definition and Examples of the Realism Genre in Literature

The realism art movement of the nineteenth century was a dramatic shift from the exotic and poetic Romanticism that dominated the art world in the decades prior. Literary realism, in particular, introduced a new way of writing and a new generation of authors whose influence can still be seen in American literature and English literature to this day.

The Color Purple and Gender Roles - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 772 Downloads: 4 Date added: 2019/07/03 Category Literature Essay Tags: Gender Roles Essay The Color Purple Essay Did you like this example? The Color Purple is an African American staple piece of literature. The film released in 1985 directed by none other than Steven Spielberg won a Gold Globe for Best Actress: Whoopi Goldberg, Directors Guild of America Award for Outstanding Directing, NAACP Image Award for outstanding Motion Picture and earning $142 million box office sales. The author of the book The Color Purple Alice Walker won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1983. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Color Purple and Gender Roles" essay for you Create order Walker included topics of symbolism and realism in her work such as loyalty, strength, racism, marriage, happiness, love, sex, and rape just to name a few. These same topics of realism happening all over the world highlighted in Walkers writing were the same reasons for it being banned numerous times from its release in 1982 until present day. A topic that was depicted in both the book, the movie, and stage play of The Color Purple was gender roles. The idea of black woman in society and how men, black men in this case, dominated and oppressed women of color throughout their daily lives. The topic of rape, incest, arranged marriage; all were at the forefront of this literature. The topic of violence against women is heavily described as well as womens strength and authority to leave their abusive husband. This is seen in Sophia and Harpos relationship, where she has the moral authority to leave her husband who abuses her and takes her children to live with her sister. This book also challenges the topic of religion and God. Through the book there is a shift in the main characters view of God as a white man to God being more of a universal being. Celies emotions towards femininity and masculinity open up her emotions and attraction of women over men. Ceilie is afraid of men, they scare her and instill fear in her, so she av oids looking at them and doesnt feel attracted to them. Where as women are more friendly and able to reproduce the love and affection our main character Celie desires. So here we see topics of sexuality and non-heteronormativity. Before we can analyze why this book suffered its trials and tribulations of being accepted into American society. We must look at what was going on in this country up until this point. Ronald Reagan was elected two years prior and the Iraq War was in its early stages. Segregation was abolished a little over twenty years prior to The Color Purples release, although there was still inequality. Marginalized people across the country protested for equal rights along with the protest of the Vietnam War were the tone of the 70s and 80s. At the release of this book and the many controversies that revolved around its content. I almost wonder if the real problem lies within America not wanting to recognize a powerful African American piece of literature. This book has been challenged and banned from libraries and school reading list since its release up until 2014 for its subject matter. What troubles me the most is why we feel the need to restrict audiences from literature that touches on the truth in society. The book addresses the life of a woman in Georgia dealing with the day-to-day oppression of a man and her inner desires of love. This same woman uneducated, beaten, raped by someone who supposedly loved her but she doesnt share the same emotional connection with in her forced arrangement of a marriage. I feel that the challenges made against this book were solely unjust. In what ways can we be aware of past occurrences if they arent made available to us to analyze. During the most recent challenge of The Color Purple in 2014 the book was challenged due to complaints of obscenity, language, and sexuality when assigned to an Advanced Placement eleventh grade class. My question isnt that the sole purpose of being apart of an Advanced Placement course? To be able to analyze complex literature you may not have access to in regular courses. It seems to me that these children are being punished for their intelligence. The argument was that the pieces of the book that described, sex, violence and rape dont serve any literary value to the AP students. My question is who is to determine whether these real world experiences are of literary value? If these topics werent of some issue Alice Walker wouldnt have took the time to document the many adversities black women and women in general face. Although it is often the parents who are eager to censor their childs learning experiences from reality this parent was defeated and the color Purple remained in Bru nswick County, North Carolina.

Animal Totems and Guides - 672 Words

Animal Totems Guides Animal totems and guides may present for long or short periods of time and are directly connected to what is presenting your life and/or what lessons are meant for you now. Tune into whether or not the relationship with your animal totem is meant for a number of days or years. Let this powerful animal relationship lead you forward in terms of new knowledge or awareness about your core traits. Animal totems might be presenting to teach you through emotional aspects such as strength, patience, insecurity, fear, confidence or anger. In short, animal totems help us to learn about our ultimate truths in life. They may present in your meditative space and/or your dream space bringing much-needed lessons. It is also common that animal totems are a spiritual tool for you. I.e., when you see this animal it is your spiritual reminder to Ground. The time frame in which a particular animal totem is in your life directly correlates with how well you recognize, learn and then incorporate the knowl edge into your life. Be mindful that your animal totem/s (and we do have more than one) have chosen you! They will present when you are fully and completely ready to accept and realize the lessons in their coming. Most often, your animal totems are wild animals as opposed to domesticated. This is not always the case but often is. Use your gift of Claircognizance (clear knowing) to discern this. Your will know there is a higher knowing message for you when the animalShow MoreRelatedWhat I Learned About The Flute Was So Special1154 Words   |  5 Pagestell stories using animals as the main character. I made this assumption before even looking up the actual reasoning. I then found a quote from Sitting Bull explaining that â€Å"every seed is awakened and so is all animal life. It is through this mysterious power that we too have our being and we therefore yield to our animal neighbors the same right as ourselves, to inhabit this land†. Their thinking may include that because we are all connected , it is easy for us to relate to animals. It is also veryRead MoreSummary Of Sigmund Freuds Totem And Taboo1239 Words   |  5 PagesIn the book, Totem and Taboo by Sigmund Freud, Freud focuses on the commonly acknowledged cultural taboo against incest and studies how it structures primitive societies. He speculates on his concept of the Oedipal Complex and how it affects society as a whole. He wishes to establish a connection between the Oedipal Complex and the phenomenon of conscience, which involves the sense of a moral code governing our lives and our sense of guilt. In order to establish this connection, Freud discusses ambivalenceRead MoreA Comparative Analysis of Shamanistic healers in Celtic and Native American Cultures1112 Words   |  5 PagesCeltics have always held a certain mystique that is worthy of great exploration. From animal spirit guides that aide in healing to the shamans that are often the â€Å"go-to† men of the Native American and Celtic communities , the shamanistic tradition of medicine is one that has been admired and practiced by many that do not share the same ethnicity as theses traditional healers. Although the use of animal spirit guides is often ridiculed, as are the sacred spiritual journeys and conversations that theseRead MoreAn Analysis Of Dominic Pettman s The World Of The Planet We Live1163 Words   |  5 Pagesit’s a human or an animal, have a significance behind where it comes from, where we get it from and what message it receives to another. In this case, to have a voice consist of what it’s used for and how it comes back to you in different reflections using sea and land animals and humans. To have a â€Å"voice† in the planet we live, it involves with imitation, body language, melancholy song with vocalization and similarities of the human species with the species of diverse animals and vice versa. DominicRead MoreWho s Really Control - Is Your Mind A Runaway Train? Essay1237 Words   |  5 Pagesto run and play in; a wise guide, power/totem animal or angel can come and guide you, clear and recharge your energy body, a Master Healer to come and send powerful Reiki and Energy healing to your body or giving you a Healing Massage. BE OPEN: Be open to what may show up for you. Your Sacred Garden is a mystical and magical place where wonderful things can happen. GIVE GRATITUDE: End your session with gratitude for your Sacred Garden and all the plants, animals, guides, angels, etc. that showedRead MoreUnderstanding The Formation, Transmission, And Transformation Of Cultural Meaning Within Societies Essay1692 Words   |  7 Pagesthe resources† and allowed their society to be both politically and economically stable, they were able to form complex clan structures and long lasting alliances (RRCAP 1.4 1996: 55). Cultural artifacts within the society range from elaborate animal totems that recounts and traces clan geologies and relations, to extensive oral traditions and ceremonies that recount historical exploits as well as laws and protocols that ensures cohesiveness within their confederacy of clans (RRCAP 1.4 1996: 56).Read MoreCharacteristics of African Religion1769 Words   |  8 Pagesarrival of the first missionaries in Natal. The name Modimo is today commonly used for god. In the traditional religious orientation of the Batswana , Madimo was never conceived as a person. Madimo was known as the beginning and the cause of human, animal and even world existence, but not as a human being and even less as a father. A Realm Of Spirits: There are Three categories in this feature: Ancestoral spirits : Nature Spirits Read MoreThe Massain and the Nuer Peoples of Africa1705 Words   |  7 Pagescattle. In fact, Tepilit states that his father even made the following comment when he neglected to properly watch over his father’s herd one day: â€Å"Woman, do not feed that dog, and tell him to stop the daybreak! He does not deserve the food of my animals if he cannot bring them all home safely† (Saitoti 19). Even though these appear to be harsh words, because the Maasai rely primarily on pastoralism, neglecting to properly attend to a herd is a serious offense. With respect to the Nuer, â€Å"Cattle areRead MoreThe Drum Beater By Karoo Ashevak1933 Words   |  8 Pagesis the belief in animism. Animism is the â€Å"belief that all plants, animals, and objects have spirits† (Merriam-Webster Dictionary). The Inuit’s were firm believers in the importance of spirits. This is the reason why Inuit’s not only had great respect for animals, but especially for the one’s they hunted (The Inuit, 25). As a result, they were especially careful with the animals they hunted, because they believed that the animals gave themselves up for the better of the community. Their belief inRead MoreAborigines in Australia Essays2829 Words   |  12 Pagespractically depending on wild animals and plants for food, only equipped with the basic paraphernalia of graving tools, spear, boomerang, wooden shield, grindstones, among others, moving from one area to another in search for game food which made them semi-nomadic people. Comprising of some 500 tribes, their culture are linked by totemism, or affinity to an animal, plant or cosmical phenomena, with several tribes belonging to one totem but may have varied languages (Reidlinger

The Gratifying Qualities Of Sophocles Antigone - 1567 Words

Antigone Shanice Douglas Ms. Masterson English Honors II September 18, 2015 The gratifying qualities of Sophocles tragedians plays, establishes him as one of the most infamous playwrights in Greek history. His refreshingly realistic themes and contradictory characters remain the topic of conversations today. Sophocles’ unorthodox approach of a female character also set him aside from other renowned playwrights. In his play Antigone, audiences are still indecisive on who is the tragic hero; Antigone or Creon. City law versus natural law is the primary issue in Antigone, characters are conflicted with the choice of breaking the law in order to do what is right. The events that occur display Sophocles’s view on human behavior and teaches the audience an important lesson on decision making and the effects of unbridled pride. Creon who is too blinded by his power and pride to look past the surface and seek different solutions, blatantly disregards the needs of his city and family. His impulsive decisions are the elements that contribute to his f all from grace. Antigone’s headstrong personality is admirable, because she breaks Creon’s decree in order to follow her beliefs. Creon deemed Polyneices, Antigone s brother an unhonorable fighter and retracts his natural right to be buried. Antigone did not fear the consequences when she buried her brother, she stood by her decision because she knows the God’s are the ultimate power. Sophocles play Antigone shows the truth of

Industrial Revolution in Victorian England - 3817 Words

The Industrial Revolution in Victorian England was a period of time in history when new inventions and technology changed the way people lived and worked. It impacted how they communicated, the way products were manufactured, and created new forms of cheaper and faster transportation. Innovations resulted in changes that were previously unheard of. The invention of the steam engine revolutionized the way people and things were transported. Manufacturers were able to ship their goods more quickly by rail and reduce their expenses. Railroads allowed people to travel faster and farther than in the past. The Industrial Revolution created new sources of employment, with mills and factories attracting labor from farms to cities (Victorian†¦show more content†¦Another type of housing built near factories were tenement homes, which consisted of multiple row houses stacked on top of each other (Wroble 6). People lived in row houses and tenements because they were cheap and cl ose to work. When the next day at the mill came, a whistle woke the workers at five AM for a 12 hour work day (Wroble 21). â€Å"Inventions just made up one thread of life in Victorian times, but they were a distinctly colorful one† (Van Dulken 2). With the growth of factories and population, new inventions started to spring up all over England and the United States. Regardless of their country of origin, inventions had an impact on the whole world. People were looking for ways to improve the quality of their lives, and for tools to make work more efficient and productive. When the number of new inventions started to skyrocket, the patent system was created to protect people’s ideas from being copied or stolen. A patent was a document that could be acquired, which would grant protection from other people trying to steal the preserved ideas and intellectual property and claim them as ones own. When a patent was acquired it gave the person to whom it was granted the rights to manufacture products that used the invention. No other people could make a similar product and try to call it their own. If a person was found toShow MoreRelatedSimilarities and Differences Between the Romantic Age and the Victorian Period.1210 Words   |  5 PagesAge and the Victorian Period. Similarities and Differences between the Romantic Age and the Victorian Period What were the similarities and differences between the Romantic Age and the Victorian Period? The Romantic Age and Victorian Period had many similarities, but they had far more differences. They first differed in rule: the Romantic Age didn’t have a king or queen, but the Victorian Period did. They were similar and different in writing styles, and beliefs. The Industrial Revolution also had anRead MoreThe Romantic Age vs. The Victorian Period Essay1264 Words   |  6 PagesThe Romantic Age and Victorian Period had many similarities, but they had just as many or more differences. They first differed in rule; the Romantic Age didnt have a king or queen, but they did during the Victorian Period. They were similar and different in writing styles, and beliefs. The Industrial Revolution also had a huge effect on both time periods. The Romantic Period was from 1784 until 1832, it brought a more brave, individual, and imaginative approach to both literature and life. DuringRead MoreThe Great Expectations Of The Industrial Revolution1528 Words   |  7 PagesIn 19th Century England, children of lower class were to work long hours in factories, warehouses, and coal mines for low wages and little food. They also were considered by most societies to be property of their parents. Children had little protection from governments who viewed them as having little to no civil rights outside of their parents wishes, and Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations helps bring some of these conditions to light. The times of the Industrial Revolution were the root ofRead More Child Labor and England’s Industrial Revolution Essay1458 Words   |  6 PagesChild Labor and England’s Industrial Revolution    The Industrial Revolution in nineteenth-century England brought about many changes in British society. It was the advent of faster means of production, growing wealth for the Nation and a surplus of new jobs for thousands of people living in poverty. Cities were growing too fast to adequately house the numerous people pouring in, thus leading to squalid living conditions, increased filth and disease, and the families reliance upon their childrenRead MoreCritical Analysis Of The Cry Of Children912 Words   |  4 Pages The Cry of the Children by Elizabeth Barrett Browning is one of the finest examples of Victorian Poetry dealing with the industrial revolution and its effects on the people of England in 19th century. In this paper we will be analyzing this poem with a Marxist approach by looking at the historical facts and going over the poem line by line. Elizabeth Browning was born on March 6, 1806 in England and died on June 29, 1861 in Italy. Her early life as a teenage girl was very interestingRead MoreThe Romantic Period Of The Victorian Era1715 Words   |  7 PagesThroughout history, many time periods have been similar and different from each other. People from each time period decide what they want to continue incorporating and what they would like to disregard. The Victorian Era was brought about upon to show rebellion from the Romantic period. The Victorian Era is a reaction against the Romantic Period due to differences in terms of historical influences, effects of science, crises of faith, and women’s desire for change. The Romantic Period’s history startedRead MoreEssay about Women In The Industrial Revolution1202 Words   |  5 PagesWomens Work in the Industrial Revolution The industrial revolution swept through Europe and North America during the 19th century, affecting the class structure, economy, government, and even the religious practices of everyone who lived in or did commerce with these new industrialized nations. It made the modern age possible, but it was not without its growing pains. The position of women before the industrial revolution was often equivalent to chattel, and then as now, they were expectedRead MoreThe Victorian Era810 Words   |  3 PagesSiedell said, â€Å"In such a society as the Victorians’, when public society is so stifling, steam is naturally going to be driven underground.† The reform of the Victorian era, a time in England of refinement and high decorum surrounding the years of Queen Victoria’s reign, did not produce revolution but the opposite: stagnation. And so at this time in England there were ingredients present to create a real revolution and bring a dismantling of the Victorian spi rit, but they were underground and silentRead MoreVictorian and Edwardian Advertising 798 Words   |  3 Pagescentury, Victorian and Edwardian Britain left a big impact on the advertising industry, in where the advertising developed and increased dramatically ever since. The Victorian and Edwardian Britain reflected the social and economic changes in that era in term of the advertising method, the types of products advertised and the expansion of the advertising industry. Historical background of Victorian and Edwardian Britain The Victorian Era was the period of Queen Victorian’s reign in England from 1837Read MoreEssay about Dover Beach by Matthew Arnold1509 Words   |  7 Pagesthe Romantic era and was entering the era of the industrial revolution. New inventions in technology were changing the world and science such as biology and astronomy were challenging long held beliefs of the church and by the church. The church which was going through trials of its own with the Church of England splitting into the low, broad, and high churches (Unknown). In Dover Beach, Matthew Arnold writes of Religion and the Industrial Revolution and how they affected the human condition at the

Traditional Financial Reporting Historical Cost Principle

Question: Discuss about theTraditional Financial Reportingfor Historical Cost Principle. Answer: Introduction Traditional Financial Reporting by business is a mean by which statements are produced with an aim of disclosing the organization`s financial status to its shareholders or to all the interested parties. However the manner and form in which these financial reporting is done has been subjected to severe criticism by various analyst. In their view which has come to be appreciated, they intimate that the traditional financial reporting system is marred with a number of limitations which makes it inappropriate to give precise insight concerning the performance of the organization and hence cannot be fully relied upon and thus the need to come up with more enhance way of reporting such as cost and management accounting. In addition, companies using traditional financial reporting system have for many years been dwelling on reporting economic status in total disregard of environmental and social effects caused by their operations. Below is analysis of some of the criticism of traditional fi nancial reporting, some of the theories that supports the corporate sustainability reporting and the cost and benefit associated by the same. Criticism of Traditional Reporting Firstly, Historical cost principle has been used widely in financial accounting where transaction is recorded at the cost of transaction at the time the transaction takes place. This information does not tell accurately about day to day cost and expenses and therefore make its difficult to predict about the future status of the firm. Thus the information presented cannot be relied upon by the decision makers and its relevance keeps waning over time. It is therefore argued that the current cost information should be reported parallel with historical cost information.Secondly,impact of non-economic of financial factors are highly disregarded, this are factors which impact on the financial outlook of the firm but they are not included as part of these statements since they are not measurable in monetary terms. Some of these factors are co-operation of the employees, creditworthiness of concern and the reputation of the management. Thirdly, the statements does not give the ultimate pictu re of the business, the data provided in this case is just an approximate and the actual value of the business can only be known when it is liquidated. This makes the financial statements just but an interim reports.Fourthly,the traditional financial reporting do not give the actual position ,here there are certain assets in the balance sheet such as goodwill which, in case the business is wound up will not bring in any monetary effect into the business yet it is included in the balance sheet.This can lead to making wrong inferences because what the statement represent is not the actual position of the fimr or business. Theories of Corporate Sustainability Reporting They are several theories that tries to affirm the importance of corporate sustainability reporting (CSR).Among them are (1)Legitimacy theory -in their interpretation,Deegan and Unerman (2011) intimates that the theory is build on tne idea that there exist a social contract that binds the firm and the society in which that particular firm operates. Thus companies and corporations try to make their companies operation acceptable by the society through involving themselves in CSR reporting and hence ensure the organization`s going concern. Deegan (2002), argues that the contract is mainly composed of the expectation of the society regarding how the firm should conduct itself. O'Donovan (2002) in his view argues that the theory has its genesis from the notion that for the corporation to successfully operate in a society, it must act within the confines of what that particular society considers as socially acceptable and responsible behaviour.I n his word,Waddock et al. (2002) provides t hat depending on the employees attitude regarding how the firm carries out its responsibilities, the employee makes the decision whether or not to work for the particular organization or not. Thus, presentation of non- information (sustainability information) can play a vital role in placing a firm as a preferred employer and hence enhancing the firm`s is able to lure high quality staff. Margolis and Walsh (2003) claim that there is a direct relationship between discretionary disclosure of CSR performance and the financial performance and therefore such disclosure can promote corporate performance. Roberts (1992) provides that it is in pursuit of capital and increasing the shareholders value that the firm find it paramount to make CSR disclosure.Bayoud et al. (2012) in his confirmation states that the disclosure of CRS is indeed tagged to the corporate reputation for stakeholders..(2)Stakeholder theory. This theory states that the firm should not only concentrate on the interest of shareholders but also for the entire stakeholders which are in one way or another affected by the operations and achievements of the organization(Freeman,1984).The stakeholder theory concentrates on the critical analysis on all parties to whom the firm should be responsible. Boatright (2003) stated that firms should be operated in a manner that benefits all of the stakeholders of the firm. Just as shareholders invest their cash in the firm, customers invest their trust and confidence and employees invest their knowledge and time (Graves et al., 2001).As a result, Wicks et al. (2004) it is therefore important for firms to consider the aftermath of their actions on the all the interested stakeholders. Wearing (2005) in his view, the theory emphasis the significance of all the concerned group upon which the operations of the firm impact. According to (Deegan, 2013) stakeholders theory can be explained in terms of ethical and managerial branches. In terms of managerial, its intimates th at the firm or organization will be highly responsive to those stakeholders that will have great economic impact to the firm (O'Dwyer, 2003) or those not actively engaged in the firm`s income generating activities but can influence it in one way or the other (Savage et al., 1991). The ethical facet provides that all stakeholders are entitled to know the effect the firm`s operation have upon the environment and the society as a whole (Deegan, 2013). Cost and Benefit of Corporate Sustainability Reporting However they are cost and benefit associated with corporate sustainability reporting. The cost will highly depend on the industry in which the firm operates, the size of the organization and the time spent by the organization i.e. collection of data, conducting training, writing reports etc.Among the benefits associated with the reporting of corporate sustainability. First and foremost there can be increased trust by being open in non-financial performance hence boosting the image of the company. The competitive advantage of the company over the rest is likely to rise to the confidence the investor will develop towards the company in terms of i.e. negotiating contracts. Conclusion From the above, it is clear that company need to use enhanced ways of reporting their financial information in a manner that will reflect the authentic financial status of their companies. For instance, using historical cost in reporting should be abandoned for a more realistic ways like using current cost information. Reporting of financial information should be more inclusive in that it should include environmental and social aspects. The contribution of the firm to the welfare of the immediate society should be well spelt out in the reporting, this will ensure that the society creates the awareness of its legitimacy and its reason for its continued existence References Boatright, R., 2003. Ethics and the conduct of business. New York:Pearson Education International. Bayoud N. S., Kavanagh M., and Slaughter G., 2012. Factors influencing levels of corporate social responsibility disclosure by Libyan firms: A mixed study. International Journal of Economics and Finance. Deegan, C., and Unerman, J., 2011. Financial accounting theory. Sydney: McGraw-Hill. Freeman, R. Edward.1984. Strategic Management: A Stakeholder Perspective Boston: Pitman Publishing. .O?Dwyer, B., 2003. Conceptions of corporate social responsibility: The nature of managerial Capture. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 16(4), 523-557 Roberts, R. W., 1992. Determinants of corporate social responsibility disclosure: An application of stakeholder theory. Accounting, Organizations and Society, 17(6), 595-612. Ross, S. A., 1977. The determination of financial structure: The incentive signaling Approach, Bell Journal of Economics, 8(1), 23 40 O?Donovan, G., 2002. Environmental disclosures in the annual report: Extending the applicability and predictive power of legitimacy theory. Accounting, Auditing and Accountability Journal, 15(3), 344371. Savage, G.T., Nix, T.W., Whitehead, C.J., and Blair, J.D., 1991. Strategies for assessing and managing organizational stakeholders.Academyof Management Executive, 5(2), 61-75. Waddock, S., Bodwell, C. and Graves, S., 2002. Responsibility: The new business imperative. Academy of Management Executive. Wicks, A. C., Freeman, R. E., and Parmar. B., 2004. Stakeholder theory andthe corporate objective revisited. Organization Science, 15(3), 36-369

100 Years of Solitude - Ursula free essay sample

She unflinchingly goes on after the deterioration and death of her husband. She displays profound amounts of fortitude and perseverance. Ursula alone permitted the longevity of the Buendia family. Ursula prevented chaos by taking charge when needed most. Before the decline of her husband, Ursula did not appear as the superwomen that she eventually became. Marquez had the reader believe that she was merely the wife of Jose Arcadio Buendia. But Ursula first shines when her husband was distraught with curiosity, leaving Macondo when she powerfully scolded him, â€Å"If I have to die for [you] to stay here, I will die† (14).This event at the beginning of the novel proves that Ursula is not one to be tussled with; she is smart and not afraid to speak her mind, even if it takes shouting at her stubborn husband. This proves that Ursula is not simply a stock character created to support Jose, but rather a powerful woman who eventually proves to be far more influential than her husband. We will write a custom essay sample on 100 Years of Solitude Ursula or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page In light of Jose Arcadio Buendia’s strange antics, Ursula was still more than capable of achieving great things. Ursula was the one who was able to find the route out of Macondo, which her husband hadn’t been able to discover.She was also capable of setting up a successful candy business while her husband was not providing for the family. In addition she was also able to raise her children in conjunction with creating her own new frontiers. This showed that she could effectively function as both the mother and the patriarch of the family, while performing incredibly in both roles concurrently. Her ability to juggle parenting, financing, and her pursuit of her own goals is dumbfounding. Ursula is truly the quintessential ‘strong woman’. The true capacity of Ursula’s strength was revealed during the reign of Arcadio after the departure of Aureliano.Arcadio presents himself with great power and tyranny through enrolling school children in his army or subjecting the entire town of Macondo to his oppressive whims. Because of this domineering rule, the citizens were put in fear and weakened. When Arcadio was preparing the execution of Don Mascote, Ursula domineeringly â€Å"let go with the first blow the lash† (106), causing Arcadio to run back home with his tail between his legs. Ursula treated him like a child, causing him to behave like one. Through her intelligence and strength she demeaned the arrogant and powerful leader into nothing more than a scared boy.The Buendia household did not last long after the deterioration of Ursula. Her great power over the household was passed from her to Fernanda. Unfortunately, Fernanda did not comprehend the responsibility required to manage the family, nor did she have the knowledge or know-how to keep the Buendias afloat. The best example of the family’s dependence on her is â€Å"as long as Ursula had full use of her faculties some of the old customs survived and the life of the family kept some quality of her impulsiveness†¦ no one but she determined the destiny of the family. (228) Due the the lack of the strong support in the Buendia family, the hole left by Ursula’s death caused the decline of the family and eventually all of Macondo. Ursula is an exemplary character, and excels under crisis and stress. She had the fortitude to tell her husband what was on her mind, the balance to support her family emotionally and financially while pursuing her own goals, and the courage to stand up to a tyrannical dictator. Ursula is easily the sanest and strongest character in the novel, and demonstrates this constantly.She provides stability to her family and all of Macondo. She demonstrates her logic when she notices trends in her family or the history of Macondo at first they behave very well, theyre obedient and prompt and they dont seem capable of killing a fly, but as soon as their beards appear they go to ruin. (152); or when she noted the repeat of events in Macondo, its as if time had turned around and we were back at the beginning. (193). She provides stability and reason to her family and all of Macondo.