Stephen Leacock Case

“Are the rich happy?”

By Stephen Leacock

The narrative that I have chosen is “Are the rich happy” by Stephen Leacock. It is a story about a man that like me wonders if rich people are as happy as they look. It shows that no matter how much money you have, you can’t escape the issues and problems of the world. The text shows the differences between the rich and poor and how each social group deals with their issues.

The purpose of the story was to show the rich people are content with the wealth they have but also shows that the issues can’t be resolved by the amount of money they have.

“Yet one most not draw a picture of the rich in colours altogether gloomy. There are cases among them of genuine, light hearted happiness”. (Leacock, 1916)

“My judgment is that the rich undergo cruel trails and bitter tragedies of which the poor know nothing”. (Leacock, 1916)

The narrative didn’t have much of an impact on me but it did give some clarity to the question does being rich or having a lot of money make you happy? The answer is “NO”. The amount of money you have just give you an idea how many issues you will have.

“Caged Bird”

By Maya Angelou

Although the author does not state races, the poem is a metaphor that shows various differences between African American and Caucasian men. The poem metaphorically describes the social injustice between blacks and whites.

The purpose of the poem was to show the hopes and dreams of the caged bird and the equality that it felt deserves. Unsure what the future may hold, the caged bird continues to sing (pray) for freedom.

“The caged bird sings with a fearful trill of the unknown but longed for still and his tune is heard on the distant hill for the caged bird sings