Preview

Conflicting Perspectives HSC English Essay Snow Falling on Cedars

Better Essays
Open Document
Open Document
947 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
Conflicting Perspectives HSC English Essay Snow Falling on Cedars
Conflicting perspectives are an inevitable part of human existence as they arise from the complex interplay of individual experience, social and cultural background and influences. Representations of these discrepancies are fundamentally constructed through acts of deliberate selection and emphasis, enabling composers to manipulate audience’s conscious perceptions of truth and reality. David Guterson’s Snow Falling on Cedars portrays the necessity of accepting the inexorable existence of nature, fate and prejudices within society. Likewise Alissa Ti’s modern painting with analytical article Perfect Harmony integrates art, music and literature to represent humans’ essentiality in moving on from the difficulties in life. Together, conflicting perspectives represented through art parallels the subjectivity of life and shows that there is no conventional definition for “the truth” as it depends solely within each individual. Guterson depicts conflicting perspectives on humanity’s response to the ungraspable forces of nature and fate by selectively contrasting Western and Eastern philosophies through Ishmael and Hatsue’s past and values. Ishmael figuratively views life as “one whole ocean”, floating between his inability to “let go” his past “war veteran” and “unconditioned” love memories for Hatsue symbolised in his unwillingness to “denervate” his “amputated arm” to its “stump”. In juxtaposition, Hatsue represents an Eastern perspective considering life and the relationship with Ishmael as an “ocean [that] won’t mix”, separated by racial prejudices from her unavoidable traditional values. Guterson affirms Hatsue’s recognition that “there’s no point perpetually grasping for something” as she symbolically “learn to play her” life “like an instrument” in “harmony”, emphasizing that humans should accept a ‘greater truth’ than individual desires by acknowledging “death, injustice, hardship”, as “part of life”. Guterson then metaphorically summates humans as “dust in
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Good Essays

    Prejudice - Montan 1948 & Snow Falling on Cedars
    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Prejudice - Montan 1948 & Snow Falling on Cedars

    The conventions of the concept, ‘prejudice and hatred are never right in a just society’ are explored in Larry Watson’s 1993 fictional novel, ‘Montana 1948’ and also in the film, ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’, directed by Scott Hicks. Specifically, the two compositions delve into this notion by mainly focusing on the prejudices that are placed on those who are not of the Caucasian race. For example, in ‘Montana 1948’ the Indians are discriminated against and American-Japanese citizens are victimized in ‘Snow Falling on Cedars’. These prejudices are similarly portrayed in both texts; however there are also some contrasting features. Varying techniques such as changing from present to past text to emphasise the continuous use of memory, various panning shots and most importantly, dialogue, are all used to convey that prejudice and hatred are never right in a just society.…

    • 494 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Snow Falling On Cedars Symbolism Essay
    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Snow Falling On Cedars Symbolism Essay

    The islanders know deep down that no matter what Kabuo Miyamoto says or does will make the jury any less suspicious. Secondly, the cedar tree is a major symbol in this novel. The cedar tree signifies affection, untruthfulness, in addition to nature. Inside the cedar tree, Hatsue and Ishmael developed a secret love relationship, starting at a very young age. “We don’t go out-that isn’t the right word-we can’t go out, Ishmael. We’re trapped inside this tree” (207). Hatsue and Ishmael cannot go out into the world as lovers. The cedar tree was their escape route to continue their love for one another. Hatsue and Ishmael began to portray their families. Their love for one another is not accepted due to the color of their skin. After all Hatsue did have a face of a Japanese. She has no business being with a white man. Lastly, the war is foremost the most important symbol in this novel. War symbolizes Prejudice, obliteration, plus separation. War was a hard time for every race. However, the most affected citizens were the Japanese. Many people that went to war came back with missing limbs, if they even came home at all. Even after the war, the…

    • 445 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Snow Falling on Cedars Essay
    • 1300 Words
    • 6 Pages

    Snow Falling on Cedars Essay

    The development of events outside a person’s control, regarded as determined by a supernatural power; fate. An indifferent power that predetermines the inevitable events and outcome of our lives; fate. A simple four letter word that controls so much more than we, human beings, truly come to realize in our lifetimes; fate. In the novel Snow Falling on Cedars, most of the citizens of San Piedro Island also fail to conclude that this powerful force is either working against them, or determining the outcome of their future. Given the fact that Guterson relates the entire novel to how a Japanese-American man, Kabuo Miyamoto, is accused of murdering a white fisherman by the name of Carl Heine, there are many instances in which fate is the reason behind the outcome of events. The whole reason that Carl actually died was because of chance; his death was a mere accident, not a murder. Similarly, the disastrous snowstorm that hits the island of San Piedro during the trial of Kabuo is also a prime example of fate because it controls how the trial goes on for the many characters involved. Likewise, Kabuo’s fate is decided for him, the final verdict being either life or death. In the end, whether the citizens of San Piedro realized it or not, fate was the main force that decided how the events and lives of those living on the island would turn out.…

    • 1300 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Maestro
    • 926 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Maestro

    Distinctively visual images evoke profound ideas and notions about society, culture and values which enables responders to perceive reality in a new light, challenging or reinforcing their own ideas and attitudes. Through the use of distinctively visual images, composers are able to add depths and complexity to the characters within their respective texts in a way that shapes and deepen their responder’s perceptions of these characters. In the postmodern novel “Maestro” by Peter Goldsworthy, distinctively visual images is used to convey Edward Keller’s traumatic and shady past, allowing the audience to perceive his distressing past experiences with greater depth and clarity. Additionally, Goldsworthy uses distinctively visual images to illustrate Keller’s isolation and displacement in Darwin while also highlighting the complex and nebulous relationship between him and his student, Paul. Similarly, I have used distinctively visual images to represent how Goldsworthy’s characterization of Keller has shaped perceptions of him, allowing the audience to see both his past as a musician in Vienna and his life as an exile attempting to escape his traumatic past.…

    • 926 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Snow Falling On Cedars Analysis
    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Snow Falling On Cedars Analysis

    In life, there are so many joys, sorrows, challenges, and complications of a loving relationship. The novel Snow Falling on Cedars by David Guterson has many examples of these complications. The relationships between Carl Heine and his wife, Kabuo and Hatsue, and most importantly Ishmael and Hatsue are three instances of the troubles can throw at you while you are trying to maintain a loving relationship.…

    • 258 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Time Period in Snow Falling on Cedars and the Book Thief
    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Time Period in Snow Falling on Cedars and the Book Thief

    The word prejudice has been used too many times in the history of our country. Throughout wars, as well as immigrants entering the country, that word has been tossed around like it means nothing, but to those who have been persecuted against, it means a lot. The Japanese-Americans and the Jews both have had their fair share of persecution mostly leading back to the Second World War. In Snow Falling on Cedars and The Book Thief the war caused an economic downturn as well as an increased effect of prejudice on the relationships between characters.…

    • 973 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Witness essay
    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Witness essay

    Many composers have been successful in using distinctly visual elements to create a particular image to reveal their own vision of the world. Henry Lawson is able to portray his image that life in the bush is not romantic. One can see this message portrayed through the short stories ‘the drovers wife’ and ‘in a dry season’. However Douglas Stewart portrays his perception of the destructive nature of mankind visually through his poems ‘wombat’ and ‘nesting time’…

    • 740 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Allan so
    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Allan so

    The way that we perceive the world is constantly being challenged and altered because of our subjective views of the texts that we read, particularly through distinctively visual techniques. John Misto’s play ‘The Shoe-Horn Sonata’ (1996) and Jason Van Genderen’s short film ‘Mankind Is No Island’ (2008) explores distinct visuals of hope, survival, injustice and friendship. Our perception of these issues is shaped by distinctively visual techniques such as visual and aural imagery, stage directions, parodied humour, camera angles and lighting.…

    • 1099 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Shoe Horn Sonata Essay
    • 953 Words
    • 4 Pages

    The Shoe Horn Sonata Essay

    People and their experiences in their life are based throughout the challenges and difficulties they face. They may either experience friendship, war, love or even death. These ideas are shown visually within John Misto’s “The Shoe Horn Sonata” and Bob Dylan’s “Masters of War”. Both texts depict the experiences evident through people, places and communities worldwide.…

    • 953 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Narrative Essay On Snow Fire
    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Narrative Essay On Snow Fire

    So, shoutout to Crystalwolf101, Snow Fire, and White Horse! The tomato was first used for food in Mexico and first grown for food in Central/South America.…

    • 1561 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    The Unknown Citizen 'And The Reluctant Fundamentalist'
    • 92 Words
    • 1 Page

    The Unknown Citizen 'And The Reluctant Fundamentalist'

    Representations are constructed versions of reality, manipulated by their composer to reflect their own attitudes and values. Thus, they are subjective and coloured by the composer's perceptions. W H Auden's poems 'The unknown citizen' and 'O what is that sound' and Mira Nair's 2011 film 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist' are representations of significant political acts which are established to reveal the worst aspects of human nature. Both texts delve into a loss of individuality and manipulate the threat induced natural human response of fear to evoke a negative connotation towards the antagonised affair.…

    • 92 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    Colonialism and Natives
    • 1242 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Colonialism and Natives

    Perspectives of people and landscape are shaped majorly by the media and written material. The media influences us to believe who is right and who is wrong in relation to the events in the 1800’s between the natives and the whites and written material like novels and movies give us different views on certain events and help us analyse the events from an objective view. White Man’s Burden, Secret River and Rabbit-Proof Fence are three examples in which the composers have looked at the same event and analysed it in different ways. They have been influenced by perspectives of their time to analyse them in these ways.…

    • 1242 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    • Explain The Difference Between The Ethical And Existential Worldviews
    • 1311 Words
    • 6 Pages

    • Explain The Difference Between The Ethical And Existential Worldviews

    Humans have been searching for the answer to life for centuries. Worldviews like the Mythical and Existential emerged and were built on with the ideas of several philosophers. Great minds like Albert Camus and Jean-Paul Sartre have attempted to explain the ultimate meaning of existence. Fully understanding the meaning of the universe and an individuals existence will never be achieved because the absurdity in relation to humans and the universe can never be explained in entire certainty. The following will explain the presence of absurdity in both the Mythical and Existential Worldviews and the similarities and discuss differences between them.…

    • 1311 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Personal Narrative Essay: Snow Fight
    • 355 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Personal Narrative Essay: Snow Fight

    I believe in snow. The small flakes of decorative ice that fall from as big grey sky. As they float down, it makes the wheels in my brain turn. As they turn, it brings back memories of running and playing in the snow and sledding down a hill that goes on forever. Even the small memories of laughter and cold runny noses. The best memories are after the fun, with hot chocolate and mini marshmallows that bob around in the dark liquid. The warm mug thaws my hands as I sit wrapped in a soft blanket. I believe in the happy memories snowflakes bring people.…

    • 355 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Narrative Essay About Snow
    • 806 Words
    • 4 Pages

    Narrative Essay About Snow

    Kora yelled, “GO! The show MUST go on!” Quickly Phoenix said, “What about that snow, it is really falling down fast.” “NO! DON’T GO!!” screamed George. In my small little town there is a grocery store, with red trim, and run down. You are in a run down little outside town, but has it's rich perks. The hills are what bring most tourists and sometimes the Winter parade. Who knew Jenny could learn how to be so selfless, so fast, in such little time.…

    • 806 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics