Brain Structure Differences Essay Example For Students

Brain Structure Differences Essay It is said that George Eliots style of writing deals with much realism. Eliot, herself meant by a realist to be an artist who values the truthof observation above the imaginative fancies of writers of romance orfashionable melodramatic fiction. (Ashton 19) This technique is artfullyutilized in her writings in a way which human character and relationships aredissected and analyzed. In the novel The Mill on the Floss, Eliot uses therelationships of the protagonist of the story, Miss Maggie Tulliver, as a mediumin which to convey various aspects of human social associations. It seems thatas a result of Maggies nature and of circumstances presented around her, thatshe is never able to have a connection with one person that satisfies hermultifaceted needs and desires. Maggie is able, to some extent, to explore thevarious and occasionally conflicting aspects of her person with herrelationships between other characters presented in the novel. From an earlyage, Maggie needs approval from menMaggie is not shown in any deeprelationship with a female friend. (Ashto n 83) A reader can explore intoMaggie Tullivers person and her short development as a woman in four primarymale associations: her fatherMr. Tulliver, her brotherTom Tulliver, herfriend and mentorPhilip Wakem and her dangerous passion with Steven Guest. Maggie unconditionally loves her father although he has been the unconsciousroot of many of her misfortunes. Toms and Maggies young lives areblighted by the gloom, poverty, disgrace and death of their fatherMaggie isobliged by her fathers failure to leave schoolIt is the misfortune of aclever girl denied any activity other than domestic. (Ashton 50) In the timeperiod of the setting of the novel, women were regarded as male property, totake care of household matters and without skill, originality and intelligenceof a man. Mr. Tulliver cared deeply for his daughters future butinadvertently oppressed Maggie through his views of women. This idea isrepresented in his dialog with Mr. Riley of Maggies unnaturalintelligence: Its a pity but what shed been then ladshedhabeen a match for the lawyers, she would. Its the wonderfulstthing. (Eliot 68) Mr. Tulliver by nature was stubborn, opinionated and ledhis family to disgrace as a result. However, there is a close bond between himand Maggie for which he had always protected her and favored her over Tom, asmuch as would permit in that age. Maggie always felt a responsibility to pleaseher father and to never cause him any grievances. She was loyal to him at timesthat he seemed to not return her affection How she wished that her fatherwould stoke her head, or give her some sign that he was soothed by the sensethat he had a daughter who loved him! (Eliot 371) When her father was in thelowest point of self-ruin and was under the scrutiny of the family, Maggie tookupon the position of the protector and loyally defended her protector. Herfather had always defended and excused her, and her loving remembrance of histenderness was a force within her that would enable her to do or bear anythingfor his sake. (Eliot 284) Maggies brother, Tom, is the person of whom shewas the most fond of. She turned the cheek on some of his unkind actions towardher in the realization of a strong, unbreakable bond. This excerpt fromBrother and Sister (A shton 90) portrays the type of relationship Maggieand Tom Tulliver have. He was the elder and a little man Of forty inches, boundto show no dread, And I the girl that puppy-like now ran, Now lagged behind mybrothers larger tread. Every episode in the early chapters show Maggieshigh hopes of pleasure being dashed by disagreements with Tom. (Ashton 75)Tom indeed was of opinion that Maggie was a silly little thing: all girlswere sillystill he was very fond of his sister and always meant to take careof her. (Eliot 92) Even with this mutual love, Tom is extremely harsh ofMaggie, whose only concern is to please him and maintain closeness with himthroughout their lives. In many instances, Tom would feel his authority beingthreatened by Maggie and bear insensitive punishments upon her. He shows hisrage and after his own personal interpretation and feeling, giving Maggie nochance to defend herself. The worst punishment he could evoke upon Maggie is toestrange himself from her and banish him from their home. This action in theirtroubled relationship causes Tom to be callous and harsh and raises thepossibility for Maggie to be isolated in the world. You will find no homewith meYou have been a curse to your best friendsI wash my hands of youforever. You dont belong to me! (Eliot 612) Till the dire years whoseawful name is change Had grasped our soul still yearning in divorce, Andpitiless shaped them in two forms that range Two elements which sever theirlifes course. This excerpt taken from the same poem is significant of thedivided views and paths of these two siblings. The only thing Maggie desired wasto have no cloud between herself and Tom. (Eliot 577) Despite all of thehardships that Tom had inflicted in Maggie, the possibility of his danger duringthe flood sparked the natural protective nature in Maggie as she laboriouslyfought the river to Toms house in a small boat. As seen before in times ofgreat dispair, they put aside their differences and forgave each other wit houtsaying a word. In their unfortunate ending, their mutual love was shown as anembrace never to be parted (Eliot 655) Tom and Maggie must be reconciledin Death, where they could not be in life. (Ashton 92) One of the majorarguments between Tom and Maggie resulted in her friendship with Philip Wakem. One Must Decide The Meaning Of â€Å"progressive Historiography.? EssayBibliographyWorks Cited Ashton, Rosemary. The Mill on the Floss: A Natural History. Twaynes Masterwork Studies. Boston, G.K. Hall ; Co. 1990 Byatt, A.S. The Placing of Steven Guest. Appendix, The Mill on the Floss, Middlesex,Blays Ltd, St Printing; Penguin Classics. 1979 Carlisle, Janice. The MirrorIn the Mill on the Floss; Toward Reading of Autobiography Discourse. Studiesin the Literary Imagination. Vol 23:Issue 2. EBSCO Masterfile Premier 1990Edinborough and London. Brother and Sister The Legend of Jubal and OtherPoems. London, Blackwood 1874 Eliot, George. The Mill on the Floss. Middlesex,Penguin English Library, 1979. Biology