Explain Different Religious teachings on Life After Death :: essays research papers fc

Over two thousand years ago Saint Tiruvalluvar wrote that "Death is like falling asleep, and birth is like awakening from that sleep." The early Hindu’s did not believe in Heaven, nor did they ascribe to such desire. Their early teachings were that they would be reunited with Mother Nature. There was no yearning to live eternally – their prayers were for a healthy life. The notion of reincarnation and Heaven evolved over time. In the Hindu religion, righteousness and to be without sin is of paramount importance. They are the determining factors whether one goes to Heaven or Hell. The Hindu’s teach, â€Å"As it does and as it acts, so it becomes: The doer of good becomes good, and the doer of evil becomes evil†¦" Hindus moved onto believe in a cyclical time span. This means they believe people don not live and die just once but are reborn a number of times before reaching their final state. Hindus believe that after death the soul is reborn in this world to live a new life. What the person and into which caste they are reborn into is decided by there karma. Karma will try to increase their goof karma by keeping dharma which is their duty to the Gods. The process of being born growing, dying and being reborn is called samsara. It is the goal of every Hindu to be freed from this cycle in order to be in the presence of God or become on with God. The idea of reincarnation derives from the Bhagavad-Gita. There are three four verses imparticular, the first one talk about the soul not ever being born or dying that it is always alive and it is therefore the body which dies. â€Å"It (the self) is not born, and It does not die; nor is it ever that this One having been nonexistent becomes existent again. This One is birthless, eternal, undecaying, ancient; It is not killed when the body is killed.† - Gita Ch. 2 Verse 20 The second verse related to reincarnation states â€Å"As after rejecting (discarding) worn-out clothes a man takes up other new ones (clothes), likewise after rejecting worn-out bodies the embodied one (soul) duly attains new ones.† -Gita Ch.2 Verse 22. As if when the body is worn and grow as much as it can, the soul moves on. The third verse discusses that fact the reincarnation is a certainty.

“Mob Scene” Commentary Essay

During the mob scene in To Kill A Mockingbird, author Harper Lee uses juxtaposition of light and dark imagery to convey the contrast that exists between good and evil. Through this comparison, the suspenseful and tense mood is portrayed strongly to the reader. Throughout the scene, dark shadows are vividly associated with the theme of evil, and the mob. The first evidence that clearly builds suspense about the mob is â€Å"shadows became substance as lights revealed solid shapes†¦Ã¢â‚¬  (202). This quote server to keep the readers mind thinking about how the mob might actually look. Since Harper Lee leaves a neutral expression on the mobs faces, the reader can make their own interpretation on the mobs facial expression, and how they look. Solid shapes may also be a sign of evil or harmful beings since there are not any physical features associated to the body. By saying the bodies were dark solid shapes, a suspenseful mood is made and portrayed to the reader. As the tense mood arises throughout the mob scene, Scout, Jem and Dill decide to go help out Atticus. â€Å"I pushed myself through dark smelly bodies and burst into the circle of light.† (203). In this part of the scene, innocent Scout pushes her way through the dark mob, finding herself in a circle of light with Atticus. The dark mob, and the circle of light in which Atticus sits, makes a very distinct barrier of good and evil. Atticus being the â€Å"good guy† sits and guards his defendant Tom Robinson in the circle of light while the dark smelly bodies of the mob plan to murder them both. Having both sides with different opinions, intentions and colour description, portrays the tense mood. The final evidence from the mob scene that displays a contrast of good and evil is when Atticus, Scout, Jem and Dill leave the dangerous mob. â€Å"As they passed under a streetlight, Atticus reached out and massaged Jem’s hair, his one gesture of affection.† (207) This quote shows a reappearing sign of hope and goodness. Even though Atticus demanded Jem and the others to go back home (for their own good), without being successful, Atticus still loves his boy and cares for him. Harper Lee purposefully shows Atticus’s sign of  kindness to demonstrate that light is a symbol of kindheartedness and morality. In conclusion, Harper Lee creates a moment of tension and suspense in To Kill A Mockingbird during the mob scene through the juxtaposition of the ominous threat of the dark elements upon the light.

Analysis Of Nella Larsen s Passing - 880 Words

Nella Larsen’s 1929 novel, Passing, is the story of two African American women, Irene Redfield and Clare Kendry, living in New York in the 1920’s. However, the two women are African American by ancestry rather than outward appearance because both possess light enough skin to be able to pass for white. African Americans passing as white was a common occurrence in post-Civil War America. Passing concerns itself with themes of identity, race, belonging, and oppression, yet Larsen muddles the conventional ideas of identity. Skin color is no longer an accurate measure of race, thus the concept of American space acting as a defining aspect of race and identity is central to this novel. Although this novel is fictitious, a close reading of Passing illuminates the cultural normatives of 1920’s America and disproves common misnomers about life for African Americans during this time. Furthermore, when focusing specifically on Larsen’s treatment of American space in the novel it becomes clear that there was no true place refuge for African Americans living in the United States during this time, not even one’s own home. It is nearly impossible to overstate the plight of American Americans throughout the course of United States’ history, and Passing helps to display the slow, grudging path that led towards freedom for African Americans. Initially introduced to the country as slaves, African Americans were stripped of all basic human rights. Believed to be less than human, AfricanShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Nella Larsen s Passing1731 Words   |  7 PagesNella Larsen’s novella Passing, set in Harlem, New York City in the 1920s, tells the story of the reunion of two childhood friends, Clare Kendry and Irene Redfield, and the resulting exploration of race and finding of one’s identity. The novel is titled for the central theme of racial â€Å"passing,† enacted by Clare Kendry, who passes as white with her husband, John Bellew, serving as the catalyst to the tragic events that propel the plot. Passing is defined as â€Å"the ability of a person to be regardedRead MoreAnalys is Of Nella Larsen s Passing2113 Words   |  9 PagesEarly reviewers of Nella Larsen’s Passing focused on Clare as the protagonist. Readers reacted to her passing as white and her innate desire to return to her roots and the problems that came with it. Contemporary critics such as Mary Mabel Yeoman focus on Irene as the protagonist and her racial passing. They see her as a character that is living and behaving in an anti-black way. The change in opinion is because our society’s view of race has evolved over time, but this alone does not explain theRead MoreAnalysis Of Nella Larsen s Passing, Issues Of Race, Identity, And Privilege1626 Words   |  7 PagesIn Nella Larsen’s Passing, issues of race, identity, and privilege are explored. Irene Redfield, the African American wife of a doctor, is herself â€Å"passing† in the Drayton Hotel’s rooftop garden when she comes across Clare Kendry, a childhood friend. Clare is passing as white in her daily life with her husband believing that she is a white woman. Although Irene does not approve of Clare’s passing, and tension exists among the characters, Irene grows to feel sympathetic for Clare and becomes closerRead MoreFeminist Literary Analysis Of By Nella Larsen2280 Words   |  10 PagesFarkhanda Wajibul English 102 Prof. S. Dillion Feminist Literary Analysis Paper 2 20 March 2015 â€Å"A Lesson in Oppression† From the beginning of time and around the world, women have been subjected to patriarchal oppression in various forms. From economic hardships such as wage gaps or an inability to own property, to social mores such as submission in marriage and sexual objectification, women are systematically treated as second- class citizens without a voice. African American women have facedRead MoreLiterary And Scholarly Works : Giovanni s Room By James Baldwin2163 Words   |  9 Pagesbecause they want to understand how these communities are formed, and how the residents of these neighborhoods perceive their identity. This discussion included in this paper will be based on the analysis of literary and scholarly works. For instance, it is possible to refer to such authors as Nella Larsen and Yomme Chang who describe isolated ethnic communities. Furthermore, one can examine the novel Giovanni’s Room written by James Baldwin who examines the reasons why the representatives of the