Encounters in Enemies and Recognition :: Enemies Recognition Essays

Encounters in Enemies and Recognition An encounter is an unexpected meeting, and we see the leading characters in ‘Enemies’ and ‘Recognition’ having to come to terms with their past and as their encounters occur we see their changing perspective about certain issues surrounding them and how their characters develop from what they are to what they become. In ‘Enemies’ we see this being exercised upon by the leading character Mrs Clara Hansen. The title of the story ‘Enemies’ is in itself a description of what Mrs Hansen has become to her true self, an enemy. A common definition or rather characteristic associated with an enemy is one who hates and opposes and enemies usually in the general context fight a war or battle with another. Mrs Hansen fulfills this definition of what makes an enemy through her struggle within her confrontation between what she has become and who she truly is. In the opening pages we are given a description of Mrs Hansen as keeping to herself when she travels and this is justified by her having money, been a baroness, a beauty, and has survived dramatic suffering. This description of her conveys a picture of her as a very proud woman who has suffered and worked hard to get where she is. She is also described as having â€Å"The crushing presence of these states in her face and bearing is nearly always enough to stop loose mouths of the people who find themselves in her company.† This description of her conveys the amount of influence she has upon people and she may assume some level of control upon their behaviour. The people who do not behave in accordance in her presence, those who assail her face are referred to as either stupid, senile or self obsessed, hence, saying that one would not be normal not to do the latter in her presence. â€Å"Withdrawn as a castle†, this being a statement giving her a high status especially when used as a simile against a castle, actually making her seem like a queen and very uncommon unlike the ordinary man, and this is the perception that she has of herself. Her relationship with Alfred is that of master and servant with her being the dominant power. The fact that she was dominant over a male servant, even though there was general oppression against all blacks in the apartheid era, is an inverse upon the social norm of sexism, we actually do not see her beneath the authority of any male within the whole story. Encounters in Enemies and Recognition :: Enemies Recognition Essays Encounters in Enemies and Recognition An encounter is an unexpected meeting, and we see the leading characters in ‘Enemies’ and ‘Recognition’ having to come to terms with their past and as their encounters occur we see their changing perspective about certain issues surrounding them and how their characters develop from what they are to what they become. In ‘Enemies’ we see this being exercised upon by the leading character Mrs Clara Hansen. The title of the story ‘Enemies’ is in itself a description of what Mrs Hansen has become to her true self, an enemy. A common definition or rather characteristic associated with an enemy is one who hates and opposes and enemies usually in the general context fight a war or battle with another. Mrs Hansen fulfills this definition of what makes an enemy through her struggle within her confrontation between what she has become and who she truly is. In the opening pages we are given a description of Mrs Hansen as keeping to herself when she travels and this is justified by her having money, been a baroness, a beauty, and has survived dramatic suffering. This description of her conveys a picture of her as a very proud woman who has suffered and worked hard to get where she is. She is also described as having â€Å"The crushing presence of these states in her face and bearing is nearly always enough to stop loose mouths of the people who find themselves in her company.† This description of her conveys the amount of influence she has upon people and she may assume some level of control upon their behaviour. The people who do not behave in accordance in her presence, those who assail her face are referred to as either stupid, senile or self obsessed, hence, saying that one would not be normal not to do the latter in her presence. â€Å"Withdrawn as a castle†, this being a statement giving her a high status especially when used as a simile against a castle, actually making her seem like a queen and very uncommon unlike the ordinary man, and this is the perception that she has of herself. Her relationship with Alfred is that of master and servant with her being the dominant power. The fact that she was dominant over a male servant, even though there was general oppression against all blacks in the apartheid era, is an inverse upon the social norm of sexism, we actually do not see her beneath the authority of any male within the whole story.