The Wasteland, Tell-Tale Heart - Essay Example

Full of vengeance and resentment, Lahlouba spent 20 years of his life an overly bitter person full of resentment and vengeance. When he felt the day for revenge had finally dawned. Ironically, he came out fiercely looking for his enemy only to find that he died a long time ago.

The events of this story sit perfectly to what we encounter in today’s living. Arguably, many murders are caused by revenge. People spend many resources planning and executing revenge missions and this includes governments. It does not come by surprise that the last two world wars were revenge-oriented. The most important lesson to contend with within the story is the fact that many times, we live in resentment even when it is not worthwhile. I learned a long time ago never to harbor resentment and vengeance since it only makes me less happy and fruitful in life. Had Lahlouba forgiven his adversary, he would have collected the pieces of his life and loved a much promising and fruitful life. I strongly believe that happiness is one of the most valuable tenets of life and it can only be realized through forgiving and forgetting about the people who wrong us in life. Otherwise, the world would be chaotic if everybody was moved by resentment and vengeance like Lahlouba, we would all be living in a human wasteland (Naguib 117-126).

Silence
We live in a world that is full of violence. However, there are different forms that have varied impacts on our lives. The author narrates the story of an anonymous man who was executed by German soldiers for his political ideologies. The narrator tells how the man was pulled out from a German barrack and executed by an angry mob that was waiting outside the barrack. The narrator recounts the lives of German prisoners of war and, the violence that they encountered in their daily lives. Life in prison was not easy for the prisoners since they had to survive all forms of violence.

The story titled “Silence” has enabled me to rethink my future and the implications of my life in relation to violence. Although incidents resulting from politically motivated violence have reduced considerably, people still suffer from acts of violence resulting from political factors. The story has enabled me to consider the impacts of politically motivated violence in society. The struggle for survival is the next factor that stands out in the story. Although we live in a world that is full of violence, we should not accept victimization. Avoiding victimization and struggle for survival are the main outstanding themes of the story. The main lessons from the story have enabled me to consider the need to survive the violence that characterizes the world that we live in. I consider the story inspiring and motivating at the same time. It is evident that life is full of challenges and, therefore people should be prepared to face realities in life. The story depicts prisoners who were determined to make it in life despite their immediate situations. Similarly, survival is a significant aspect of our lives (Tadeusz 161-163).

Tell-Tale Heart
The Tell-Tale heart is the title of the story that culminate through the twist and turns of the author’s life. The story follows the life of an anonymous narrator who claims that he is sane even after murdering an old man. The narrator claims that his victim had “vulture eyes” to justify his actions. After committing the act, the murder hides the body of the old man under the floorboard hoping that nobody will unearth the truth. However, the narrator’s guilt worsens day by day, after the man’s heart starts beating under the floorboards. The story does not clearly state the relationship between the narrator and the old man but it is evident that the old man was a father figure or that the narrator worked for the old man.

The ambiguity of the two main characters in the story stands out as the main aspect of the story. Although the moral of the story is intertwined with acts of violence, the story has a significant influence on any reader. I consider the story a true representation of modern society. It is evident that acts of violence such as murder and assaults are happening to closely related people. I concur with the plot of the story that your enemy or the person who can harm you is the person that you trust most. Although we are social beings, we have to treat all people with caution or we need to reconsider our relations with other people (Poe 355 358).