.... Many readers misinterpret racist remarks by characters in the novel as reflections of Twain’s own beliefs supporting slavery. These claims, though, can be easily repudiated by some of Twain’s comparisons between whites and blacks made outside of Huck Finn; for instance when he said, “One of my theories is that the hearts of men are all alike, all over the world, whatever their skin complexion may be�. This brings into question the reason for Twain’s frequent use of the word “nigger�, not to mention the exceedingly racist views harbored by most characters. It is true that the book is peppered with racist stereotypes, lewd remarks belittling blacks, and the use ....

.... to keep up much longer financially. Bigger had no money, except for the spare change his mother gives him, so he would usually just hang out at the pool hall, which was in the black district, or southside. Bigger used to pull little jobs with his friends, but all of them including Bigger wanted to pull off a big job, by robbing Blum's store. They were afraid though, of getting caught for robbing a white man. They know the police don't care about blacks, and would probably accuse them of many more crimes. Luckily for Bigger, though, the Relief Agency did find him a job with the Daltons. When Bigger went to the Daltons house for the first time, he brought his gun, beca ....

.... have settled into a fairly familiar and ordinary routine, they are still responsive to each other’s sense of accomplishment and agree to celebrate with a night on the town. Elisa is earthbound, rooted securely in her garden but also held down by her connection to it. Their house is described as “hard-swept� and “hard-polished,� and is the only outlet for her talents. However, Elisa needs something more in her life than a neat house and a good garden. Their marriage is childless and conventional and she has begun to sense that an important part of her is dying and that her future will be predictable and mundane. Elisa is a barren woman who has transferred her mat ....

.... perspectives concerning women. The main character, Marlow, generalizes all women and depicts every woman as living in a dream-like state merely “going through the motions� of life. In his descriptions of the various women characters, Marlow either implies or directly states that women are not mentally equipped to survive in society, and can only function in a dream-like state. He also conveys that it is the responsibility of men to save women and preserve their naïveté. This point of view is reflected often, and stems from his English upbringing and the British society of the day. Marlow speaks utilizing many lewd words and racial slurs. Many of the Victorian ideals ....

.... She was married to a little clerk at the Ministry of Public Instruction. As a result of this, “she suffered ceaselessly.� She felt she was “born for all the delicacies and all the luxuries.� She suffered from the poverty of her house, “the wretched look of the walls,� from the “worn out chairs,� and from the “ugliness of the curtains.� All those things that another woman of her rank would never even have been conscious, “tortured her and made her angry.� Even the sight of her servant would cause her to daydream of “two great footmen in knee breeches who sleep in the big armchairs, made drowsy by the heavy warmth of the hot-air stove.� †....

.... in the community are upset that they have come to be with them. Their direct neighbors who have a son that is Travis's age no longer lets her son play with Travis and he become hurt and confused. Walter has to explain that many people that are white beleive that they are better then those who are black. Travis who is stay in dismay and is confused waits at home while Walter goes over to the neighbors house to talk to them about what has happened. Walter is, in good reason, very angry and annoyed by the racist whites. He goes over and at first tries his best to stay calm over the situation. The white father then says, "Listen, if I ever see your son with mine, I will througth ....

.... there are instances when Stephen is angered by his fathers' actions, and resents his statements. The growing debts incurred by Simon lead to his son's transferring to a day school. Stephens' difficulties at his former educational institution are relayed by his father, much to the chagrin of the younger Dedalus. Later in the novel, Stephen loses even more respect for his father as the familys' debts continue to grow and they are forced to move. Once, when the two males travel to sell of the family estate, Simon returns to his former school and converses with his former classmates. Stephen is upset to hear of his father's wild behavior as a youth, and of his flirtatio ....

.... the descriptions of the working facilities and what foulness and corruption were found within. Such descriptions were there solely for the shock or disgust of the reader. The end of the story was extremely confusing. I can understand why Jurgis left his family after the death of his young wife, and then the death of his only son. After his time in the country and working for the political machines of Chicago, he became interested in the idea of socialism. With the introduction of a socialist Jurgis, I wanted to put down the book. Where had the whole socialist movement came from? I felt it made absolutely no sense to be in this story. The story, at that point, needed to conce ....