The short story “Use of Force” shows the forces of nature clashing in man vs. man conflict and physical conflict. This conflict is also seen in Wuthering Heights and is displayed through the positioning of the reader by the narrator. In both these texts, this conflict …… Both Bronte and Williams effectively position the reader to accept or reject characters, through the narrator, which helps the reader in relating with situations and understanding conflict.
This happens at the beginning of “Use of Force” when the reader is positioned to admire and feel compassion for the child Mathilda, “Unusually attractive little thing, and as strong as a heifer in appearance, but her face was flushed, she was breathing rapidly and I realized she had a high fever. ” Paragraph 4 This device allows the reader to feel for the sick child and easily understand the unsaid conflict between her and the doctor. In Wuthering Heights a similar method is used by Bronte, when describing characters.
For instance, “Joseph was an elderly, nay, old man, very old, perhaps, though hale and sinewy… looking in my face so sourly” Chapter I, page 4 By putting in sourly, Bronte has put the reader into a position where they reject Joseph, as he seems to have a negative personality where he doesn’t conform. This is demonstrated more throughout the story. Man vs. man conflict is displayed very effectively through the parallel of the child vs. the doctor in “Use of Force”. Mathilda is scared of the doctor and becomes defensive when he tries to open her mouth.
This unco-operative behaviour forces the doctor to turn physical, and on approaching her, she too gets physical, “She knocked my glasses flying and they fell although unbroken, several feet away from me. ” Paragraph 13 This physical conflict is also explored in Wuthering Heights between Hindley and Heathcliff. Heathcliff takes Hindley’s physical abuse and doesn’t retaliate, instead “Coolly the child gathered himself up, and went on with his intention, exchanging saddles and all…” Chapter IV, page 40 This is different to “Use of Force”, where the doctor goes to use physical force on the child and she herself uses it, in retaliation.
Instead of Heathcliff physically retaliating, he waits and takes more suspended, built-up revenge later on. Two conflicting parties with two completely different motives are found in conflict. In “Use of Force” this is the case with the doctor and the child, where by the doctor wants to examine the child’s throat and the child wants to be left alone and keep her throat secret to herself. At the same time these divided parties appear to be worthy opponents. Although they are in conflict with one another, the Doctor shows admiration toward the child for her sheer determination to prevent anyone knowing she has Diphtheria.
This is also the case in Wuthering Heights where Catherine is in conflict with Isabella, as they both love Heathcliff, yet Catherine shows admiration toward Isabella for continuing her pursuit of him and finally marrying him. Williams’s style of writing involves the reader and captures their emotions. Emotive language and descriptive passages suspends the readers’ emotions and creates a means to put across the concept of conflict successfully. In Wuthering Heights, man vs. an conflict is explored numerous times through a number of characters; Heathcliff and Hindley, Heathcliff and Edgar, Joseph and Isabella, Catherine and Isabella, and Heathcliff and Haerton. When these opposing characters come up against one another, emotive and descriptive language is used which engages the reader and allows them to understand the particular conflict. This is also the case in “Use of Force”, where the doctor vs. child conflict is continually demonstrated through their actions and comes to life through the descriptive lines, “Hysterical shrieks” and “blind fury” and “unreasoning assault”.
Man vs. man conflict reaches a climax point in both texts. In “Use of Force” this occurs as the doctor rationalises in his mind and realises it’s now or never. “In a final unreasoning assault I overpowered the child’s neck and jaws. ” Paragraph 29 It’s at this point that the physical conflict is over and battle is won. Up until this, the reader has been left in suspension waiting for this event to occur, and as it does the author has ended the man vs. man conflict. Similarly, in Wuthering heights the story reaches its climax as Heathcliff dies. “I could doubt no more—he was dead and stark!
Chapter XX, page 332 After this point, the major man vs. man conflict has been resolved, as Heathcliff is no longer able to take revenge out on anyone, yet the traumatic experiences of the past can still affect everyone. Although conflict reached a climax point and was somewhat ‘resolved’ in both “Use of Force” and Wuthering Heights that post mental and emotional influences could still affect the characters. In “Use of Force” The traumatic experience could easily affect the young child in later life. The physical conflict, inflicted upon her, could cause emotional and psychological scaring and pain.
The violation of her rights, resulting from the conflict taking place, may also influence her behaviour in the future. The experience may also lead her to never trust adults or doctors and again, including her own parents. In Wuthering Heights, there isn’t so much psychological or emotional pain that will greatly influence characters behaviours in the future, instead there is a feeling of closure toward a hectic time, while Heathcliff was alive. The successful writing style shown by Bronte and Williams in their stories is effective in engaging the audience and illustrated conflict.
Both authors have demonstrated man vs. man conflict and as the audience I have gained a much better understanding of conflict after reading these stories. The short story “Use of Force” shows the forces of nature clashing in man vs. man conflict and physical conflict. This conflict is also seen in Wuthering Heights and is displayed through the positioning of the reader by the narrator. In both these texts, this conflict …… Both Bronte and Williams effectively position the reader to accept or reject characters, through the narrator, which helps the reader in relating with situations and understanding conflict.
This happens at the beginning of “Use of Force” when the reader is positioned to admire and feel compassion for the child Mathilda, “Unusually attractive little thing, and as strong as a heifer in appearance, but her face was flushed, she was breathing rapidly and I realized she had a high fever. ” Paragraph 4 This device allows the reader to feel for the sick child and easily understand the unsaid conflict between her and the doctor. In Wuthering Heights a similar method is used by Bronte, when describing characters.
For instance, “Joseph was an elderly, nay, old man, very old, perhaps, though hale and sinewy… looking in my face so sourly” Chapter I, page 4 By putting in sourly, Bronte has put the reader into a position where they reject Joseph, as he seems to have a negative personality where he doesn’t conform. This is demonstrated more throughout the story. Man vs. man conflict is displayed very effectively through the parallel of the child vs. the doctor in “Use of Force”. Mathilda is scared of the doctor and becomes defensive when he tries to open her mouth.
This unco-operative behaviour forces the doctor to turn physical, and on approaching her, she too gets physical, “She knocked my glasses flying and they fell although unbroken, several feet away from me. ” Paragraph 13 This physical conflict is also explored in Wuthering Heights between Hindley and Heathcliff. Heathcliff takes Hindley’s physical abuse and doesn’t retaliate, instead “Coolly the child gathered himself up, and went on with his intention, exchanging saddles and all…” Chapter IV, page 40 This is different to “Use of Force”, where the doctor goes to use physical force on the child and she herself uses it, in retaliation.
Instead of Heathcliff physically retaliating, he waits and takes more suspended, built-up revenge later on. Two conflicting parties with two completely different motives are found in conflict. In “Use of Force” this is the case with the doctor and the child, where by the doctor wants to examine the child’s throat and the child wants to be left alone and keep her throat secret to herself. At the same time these divided parties appear to be worthy opponents.
Although they are in conflict with one another, the Doctor shows admiration toward the child for her sheer determination to prevent anyone knowing she has Diphtheria. This is also the case in Wuthering Heights where Catherine is in conflict with Isabella, as they both love Heathcliff, yet Catherine shows admiration toward Isabella for continuing her pursuit of him and finally marrying him. Williams’s style of writing involves the reader and captures their emotions.
Emotive language and descriptive passages suspends the readers’ emotions and creates a means to put across the concept of conflict successfully. In Wuthering Heights, man vs. man conflict is explored numerous times through a number of characters; Heathcliff and Hindley, Heathcliff and Edgar, Joseph and Isabella, Catherine and Isabella, and Heathcliff and Haerton. When these opposing characters come up against one another, emotive and descriptive language is used which engages the reader and allows them to understand the particular conflict.
This is also the case in “Use of Force”, where the doctor vs. child conflict is continually demonstrated through their actions and comes to life through the descriptive lines, “Hysterical shrieks” and “blind fury” and “unreasoning assault”. Man vs. man conflict reaches a climax point in both texts. In “Use of Force” this occurs as the doctor rationalises in his mind and realises it’s now or never. “In a final unreasoning assault I overpowered the child’s neck and jaws. ” Paragraph 29 It’s at this point that the physical conflict is over and battle is won.
Up until this, the reader has been left in suspension waiting for this event to occur, and as it does the author has ended the man vs. man conflict. Similarly, in Wuthering heights the story reaches its climax as Heathcliff dies. “I could doubt no more—he was dead and stark! ” Chapter XX, page 332 After this point, the major man vs. man conflict has been resolved, as Heathcliff is no longer able to take revenge out on anyone, yet the traumatic experiences of the past can still affect everyone.
Although conflict reached a climax point and was somewhat ‘resolved’ in both “Use of Force” and Wuthering Heights that post mental and emotional influences could still affect the characters. In “Use of Force” The traumatic experience could easily affect the young child in later life. The physical conflict, inflicted upon her, could cause emotional and psychological scaring and pain. The violation of her rights, resulting from the conflict taking place, may also influence her behaviour in the future. The experience may also lead her to never trust adults or doctors and again, including her own parents.
In Wuthering Heights, there isn’t so much psychological or emotional pain that will greatly influence characters behaviours in the future, instead there is a feeling of closure toward a hectic time, while Heathcliff was alive. The successful writing style shown by Bronte and Williams in their stories is effective in engaging the audience and illustrated conflict. Both authors have demonstrated man vs. man conflict and as the audience I have gained a much better understanding of conflict after reading these stories.
