Readers Find Simple Faith in Karons Books Essay -- Jan Karons Mitfor

Readers Find Simple Faith in Karon's Books Since 1994 Jan Karon's Mitford series of novels has sold more than three million copies, with the latest, A New Song, occupying the number one position on Amazon.com's list during the last week of April this year (Jones 71). The Mitford books focus on inspirational stories, spiritual themes, and small town humor. Readers identify with the realistic characters in the stories. Rogene Kellar, 83, in a Newsweek article said she has read each book four times. Kellar further remarked, "I think you feel better having read them, but it's not goody-goody." Kellar's daughter, Carol Montgomery 57, said, "It gives you peace." The Mitford books enjoy a following of devoted readers and have also become marketable in another way. Hallmark plans to release the Mitford collection of greeting cards and collectible knick-knacks soon. Penguin Books publishes a quarterly Mitford reading group discussion guide and the newsletter, More from Mitford. Additionally, respected women's magazines such as Victori a have retained Karon as Writer in Residence publishing pieces of short fiction about Mitford. However, despite all of the attention, some readers want more of Karon. Lauren Winner in a recent article, "Karon's Agenda," published in Christianity Today finds: The Mitford books are strikingly bereft of anything controversial--no women priests or church wardens, for example, are ever mentioned, nor is the issue that is currently threatening to divide the Episcopal church in America--homosexuality. . . .I believe Karon would only do her readers a service by tackling these admittedly explosive questions head-on. (Winner 65) Winner asserts Karon avoids such issues in the books "presumably because they... ..., but they remain the issues that most, common, citizens face in their communities. So perhaps a simple, "day-to-day" faith is sufficient after all. Works Cited Jones, Malcolm. "Touched by Angels." Newsweek May 3, 1999: 71-72. Karon, Jan. At Home in Mitford. New York: Penguin Books, 1994. Karon, Jan. A Light in the Window. New York: Penguin Books, 1995. Kaorn, Jan. These High, Green Hills. New York: Penguin Books, 1996. Karon, Jan. Out to Canaan. New York: Penguin Books, 1997. Karon, Jan. A New Song. New York: Viking Books, 1999. The Student Bible: New International Version. Grand Rapids: Zondervan Bible Publishers, 1986. Tompkins, Jane. Sensational Designs: The Cultural Work of American Fiction 1790- 1860. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. Winner, Lauren. "Karon's Agenda." Christianity Today July 12, 1999: 64-65.

Bhagavad Gita on Krishnas Teachings

5. Bhagavad Gita The story in the Bhagavad Gita with Arjuna and Krishna has many teachings of Krishna about renunciation, selfless services, and meditation. It’s also important why Arjuna doesn’t want to wage war. There are many things that Krishna tells Arjuna. All of this will be brought up throughout the essay. In the story Arjuna does not want to wage war. His sudden reaction is reasoned by his internal feelings for this war. Arjuna doesn’t understand why he should have his family risk their lives in the war. Arjuna also does not agree with this war because he really does not like the kingdom that rules him anyways.Arjuna does not want to renounce his worldly possessions for peace in the action. At this point in time Arjuna doesn’t understand the selfless service in this action of war. Krishna appears in a bright light to Arjuna when Arjuna asked to see him. Krishna came to Arjuna to help him understand why he was being asked to wage war for the kingdo m. Krishna tells Arjuna many things when they are together discussing the war. Krishna begins by telling Arjuna about the life and death cycle of a Hindus. The life and death cycle in Hinduism is based on the persons Karma.Their Karma is what decides the reincarnation process and/or being of their next body. In Hinduism the reason of the life and death cycle is to work on their Karma. Krishna then explains that truly divine humans find peace in serving the gods. Therefore, Arjuna needs to be at peace with what Krishna and the other gods are asking of him in this war. This was to explain to Arjuna that he needs to find peace in his actions but not to renounce his worldly possessions for it. Arjuna again is struggling with allowing his family fight in this war where they could lose their lives.Krishna then wants Arjuna to do this selfless service for him. Selfless service is a way of serving the gods and a good practice of Karma. Meditation is a way of arriving at selflessness. Medita tion helps break the rebirth and death cycle, because meditation is used to focus on achieving the divine. Krishna was able to convince Arjuna that this war was a good thing. Arjuna, after spending the time with Krishna, felt reassured that his worries were for no reason and this action would help in eternity. Krishna explains his reasoning to Arjuna.Arjuna than understood his task and the teachings of Krishna. Renunciation to find peace in the action of war was one teaching of Krishna. Committing this selfless service for the gods was good for Arjuna’s karma was the second lesson that was taught during their meeting. The last teaching of Krishna to Arjuna was about the importance of meditation. All of Krishna’s teachings to Arjuna revolved around creating a better Karma and therefore, ending the rebirth, life, and death cycle. Ending that cycle is over all goal of the Hindus religion.

Prospero and Ariel in The Tempest by William Shakespeare...

Prospero and Ariel in The Tempest by William Shakespeare Throughout the years since The Tempest was first published in the 1623 Folio, there has been much debate among Shakespeare’s contemporaries and critics as to the significance of the figure of Prospero and other major characters featured in the work. In this paper, I want to examine the figure of Prospero and his relationship with the character Ariel. In doing this, I want to show how Prospero is a figure for the artist, how Ariel is a figure for the poetic imagination, and how the relationship between Prospero and Ariel explores the relationship between the artist and his or her poetic imagination. By showing this, I wish to argue that Shakespeare’s intention in portraying†¦show more content†¦Prospero even creates the actual tempest of the play through Ariel, which allows the creation of the rest of the story to happen. Prospero’s art is truly powerful and permits Prospero to conjure up and wield anything he must to attain his desired purpose or fan cy. As Stopford A. Brooke states about Prospero: â€Å"He acts like a divine Providence, moulding nature and human wills to his purposed end† (Brooke 307). Prospero’s ability to mold or control nature and human wills is derived from his books and his staff. With these instruments, he wields the spirits of nature. Therefore, these instruments can be said to be the main sources of his power. The idea of Prospero’s power solely coming from his books is even expressed in the play by the character Caliban in the following lines: â€Å"Remember / First to possess his books, for without them / He’s but a sot, as I am, nor hath not / One spirit to command† (3.2.79-82). What can be taken from this and other references throughout the play, then, is that Prospero’s power comes from the possession and knowledge of the aforementioned books. Caliban, in a sense, simplifies Prospero’s power by believing that only the possession of the books gives Prospero the power to control nature and its spirits. If anything, it is the study and knowledge of the books in Prospero’s possession that give h im his true power. In addition, Caliban does not take the wizard’s staff into account, which does provideShow MoreRelatedThe Tempest By William Shakespeare1705 Words   |  7 PagesLiterature Mr. Nath 5 December 2014 The Tempest Written between 1610 and 1611, The Tempest by William Shakespeare is the final play penned by the famous Bard. The play portrays the illusory struggle of power and conscience through the character of Prospero and his egocentric motives. Politically, the play can be seen as an analysis of important political issues relevant to that of oppression and imperialistic tendencies of the time. 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