Verified Document

Real Life In Head's "The Essay

Related Topics:

In turn, Span One was recognized as one of the hardest working spans in the camp. Here we see how one event can alter almost everything. Brille was clever enough to get what he wanted not only for himself but also for his men through one small act. Head shows us the importance of working together to accomplish things. While we live in a society where more and more people live isolated lives, despite our ability to "connect" with anyone any where at any time, this story takes place in a confined space. The men here are limited to what they can do and with whom they can speak. Brille establishes a sense of camaraderie among those in Span One and this makes all the difference in the world because the men truly believe "what happens to one of us, happens to us all" (503). The context of the story makes this point more salient. The political prisoners create a sense of unity among their own in Span One, using psychological techniques that were the "strength of Span One and a clue to the strange terror they aroused in the warders" (502). Teamwork and camaraderie will carry a group of men far, even within a prison setting.

Head also demonstrates how we are more alike than we would believe. We pass strangers every day and sometimes we think we may have nothing, or very little, in common with them. Brille and Hannetjie seem as opposites in the beginning of the story. Our sympathy first reaches out to Brille because we see him suffer a beating for stealing cabbage. Hannetjie comes across as controlling and downright mean. On the face of it, these two men would seem to have very little in common. Brille thinks of fighting in his own home, remembering...

Parts of this document are hidden

View Full Document
svg-one

However, as the story progresses, we discover Hannetjie has his own problems at home. He confronts Brille and says, "This thing between me and you must end. You may not know it but I have a wife and children and you're driving me to suicide" (504), allowing us to see how both men have stress on the outside and that makes them similar. In the end, we see these men do want the same thing because they both want very little trouble in their lives. It seems as though each man has figured out a way to make this happen. We do this almost every day in many different situations.
On the surface, "The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses" is a tale about political prisoners in a camp. However, it is about much more when we look at the points Head makes with these men. While they are in a camp, they do not do anything that is not practiced on the outside. They forge friendships and alliances as well as take advantage of opportunity when they can. Their circumstances also carry some of the same characteristics as ours do in every day life. We can rarely judge anything on the surface and even when we think we might have everything figured out, things can literally change in an instant. Looking at these men in camp forces us to realize we are more like them than we might first think. We are human and this bond forces us to behave in certain ways regardless of circumstance.

Work Cited

Head, Bessie. "The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses." The Bedford Introduction To Literature.

Meyer, Michael, ed. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press. 1993.…

Sources used in this document:
Work Cited

Head, Bessie. "The Prisoner Who Wore Glasses." The Bedford Introduction To Literature.

Meyer, Michael, ed. Boston: Bedford Books of St. Martin's Press. 1993. Print.
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Crime Sociological Perspective Stand Point Theories Crime Society...
Words: 1505 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Crime Theories and Sociology Crime theories and sociological perspective Crime is an overt omission or action through which a person breaks the law, hence the action is punishable and the person may be convicted in the court of law for the said action. It is the subject of great debate in sociology and criminology that what constitutes crime. Since deviation from law has to be considered as crime, the nature and context

Crimes Against Property
Words: 880 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Crimes Criminal Activities Crimes against public disorder In order to be convicted of disorderly conduct, according to the State of Massachusetts the defendant must have committed three specific things: 1) involved themselves in fighting, threatening, or violent behavior, or create a situation that is hazardous or physically offensive, 2) the defendants actions were most likely to affect the public, and 3) the defendant must have intended to cause public inconvenience, annoyance or alarm,

Crime Causation Diversion: Comparison of Juvenile Diversion,
Words: 1137 Length: 4 Document Type: Essay

Crime Causation Diversion: Comparison of Juvenile Diversion, Intervention, And Prevention Programs Operating in California The objective of this study is to compare juvenile diversion, intervention, and prevention programs operating California. This study will examine how programs work to reduce juvenile crime and then conduct an analysis of the relationship between program premise and goals and one of more major causes of juvenile delinquent behavior. One of the provisions to juvenile offenders is

Crime Scene Investigations: Many Crime Scene Investigations
Words: 2150 Length: 7 Document Type: Term Paper

Crime Scene Investigations: Many crime scene investigations revolved around safeguarding the crime scenes, protecting physical evidence, and gathering and transferring the evidence for scientific evaluation. This process is based on the role that physical evidence plays in the overall investigation and determination of a suspected criminal activity. Notably, the ability for physical evidence to play its role in the overall investigation process is dependent on actions that are taken early enough

Crime Data Attorney General Has the Job
Words: 1659 Length: 5 Document Type: Essay

Crime Data Attorney General has the job of collecting, analyzing, and reporting statistical data, which will be able to give valid evaluations of crime and the criminal justice procedure to government and the people of the various states. Crime in Birmingham, Corpus Christi and Anchorage are three places that are unique and have different crime rates. The communicating Criminal Justice Profiles generate web-based exhibitions of data on all three cities. All

Crime on March 9th, 2013, Two New
Words: 5716 Length: 18 Document Type: Term Paper

Crime On March 9th, 2013, two New York City police officers shot and killed a sixteen-year-old Kimani Gray, and claimed afterward that he had brandished a handgun at them after being told to show his hands (Goodman, 2013). More remarkable than the New York Police Department's killing of a young black male, however, was the outpouring of community grief and anger that followed the shooting. The following Monday, March 11th, saw

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now