Analyze compare and contrast two books Research Paper

Analyze compare and contrast two books - Research Paper Example John who is Ann’s mother and the Red Girl. Anne is the main character who dominates the whole novel and the story is told in her own subjective voice. The author depicts Anne as an arrogant and complex being who struggles to survive and define her own separate world from that of her mother. Anne is seen to develop as a character as she struggles with the fear of separation from her mother, becomes an expert in marbles and eventually develops hatred and anger as she rebels against her mother’s attempts to define her world (Kincaid 32). Mrs. John’s character is developed and defined by Ann through her subjective narration. She is initially portrayed as a person who is strong, wonderful, kind and full of knowledge about the societal norms and values. Anne develops bitterness and hatred towards Mrs. John when she repeatedly tells her that they are two separate beings. In addition to this, Anne points to her mother’s sexual relationship with her husband as the reasons for her alienation and neglect. The Red Girl on the other hand is developed as a character that represents the outside world and does not have to adhere to the societal norms and values. The Red Girl represents the new world which Anne dreams of creating and she becomes a key figure in Anne’s development as a character by offering her a sense of self. The major characters in The portrait of a young artist as a young man by James Joyce includes: Stephen Dedalus, Simon Dedalus, Emma Clery, Cranly and Charles Stewart Parnell. Stephen Dedalus, the main character in the novel, is developed as a highly sensitive individual. He has the advantage of a quality education but is portrayed to be living in isolation and deprivation amidst the oppressive colonial nationality, highly developed social immorality and extremist family and religious values. Just like Anne in Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid, Stephen feels trapped and seeks escape by abandoning the restrictive societal norm s and living freely as an artist. As a character, Stephen undergoes growth, development and transformation as the story progresses. His transformations occurs in various stages starting in his first year in college where he demonstrates that he is an intellectual person with his understanding of societal systems and begins to create a different perception of his environment (Joyce 32). Another transformation occurs when Stephen engages in sexual intercourse with the prostitute in Dublin which transforms his from innocence to promiscuity according to the societal values. The third transformation was motivated by Father Arnall’s speech regarding the concept of death and hell which led to his conversion from a sinner to a Catholic. His final transformation indicates his maturity as a conscious individual when he changes his obsession from religion and focuses on the appreciation of art and beauty. Thematic analysis Themes refer to the major topic or subject in a piece of literat ure. The themes in Annie John by Jamaica Kincaid include the relationships between mother and daughter, colonization and the impact of colonial education and the various gender relations in the society. The main theme is the relationship between mother and child where Kincaid develops the complex relationship between Anne and her mother in her childhood and adolescence. As a result of the closeness of their relationship, Anne encounters several challenges and tension as she