English Advanced: Discovery Essay

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Hello

This is my discovery essay i was wondering if it required any changes and improvements




The value of a discovery is measured by its ability to challenge and shape views of ourselves

To what extent do you agree?

In your response, refer to your prescribed text and one other related text of your own choosing

The prescribed texts are listed on page 9 of the stimulus book.

Discovery and its values are measured by it ability to challenged and shape views of the individual. These are shown through Robert Gray’s ‘Coastal Road’ (2014), ‘North Coast Town’ And ‘Meatworks’, exploring the various themes of the decline of the natural world and the effects of discovery on the individual and the environment through the emotional,creative and spiritual discovery;and Voltaire’s ‘Candide’ (1759), following the irony and satire, of “the best of all possible worlds” a reflection of Enlightenment philosophy. Voltaire uses numerous themes to create bildungsroman and a way to criticize Enlightenment philosophy through the spiritual,intellectual,creative and emotional discovery experienced by Candide and the individual. Both Gray and Voltaire provocatively challenge the discoveries made by the individual and persona when confronted by the factors that influence and affect them through their journey, challenging their their widely held assumptions and leading them to new worlds and values. These themes and motifs would slowly effect and shape the individual actions and views.

Robert Gray’s ‘North Coast Town’ challenge and shapes the persona and ourselves through the discovery of the moral degradation, as well the negative and corruptive result of consumerism in regards to  ‘North Coast Town’.  Gray uses tactile imagery to describe the declining morals of the town “stepping about on mud...smell of the vandel lavatory.” Creating an ugly, unhygienic and declining atmosphere of the ‘North Coast Town’ attributing it to the human activity and degrading moral stature, this idea of declining moral stature is further reinforced by the polluting and destructive nature towards their surrounding “dropped their first can”. Irony is  also used by Gray to display the corrupting thoughts of greed and wealth within the poem. “The place is becoming chrome” Gray uses adjective and imagery to describe the effects of consumerism acting upon the ‘North Coast Town’ community, stating how the greed for wealth has led to the physical and intellectual discovery that the coastal towns are losing their uniqueness and ‘colour’. Gray reinforces this stance of the regressive nature of consumerism on coastal town through “closed hamburger stand”, displaying the result on consumerism has create the opposite effect from what the community desired. This theme are also commonly reflected through Voltaire’s ‘Candide’. Human morality is another key platform for discovery in which Voltaire uses to satirically display the intellectual, emotional and spiritual discovery of Candide. “You're a bitter man," said Candide. That's because I've lived," said Martin.”,Voltaire used Candide as a tool to express the bitterness of the human nature. This is ironically seen through Candide repeated optimistic and philosophical outlook that Candide discovers are quickly overshadowed by the non-existent moral stature of those around him. This view of Optimism and his philosophical outlook gained from the teachings of Pangloss acts as the catalyst for the emotional, intellectual and spiritual discoveries that Candide and the audiences makes through Candide journey serving in the Bulgars army to the retirement to a peaceful farm life leading to new worlds and values, “all is misery and deceit.”- Candide.

Robert Gray’s poem ‘Meatworks’ provocative and confronting notions of sexulaity, death, gore and killing challenges and offer a renewed perception of the individual and others, this is explicitly described through sensory imagery, motifs, imagery, personification and first person. Gray uses repeated sexual motifs accompanied with imagery and motifs of fear “shaped into a penis”... “pig’s fear made them mount one another” to create an explicit and uncomfortable atmosphere that highlights the responsive actions, in the form of perverse copulation, of beings in response to their fears, which can be reflected in Voltaire’s ‘Candide’. Gray also repeatedly uses motif of death and gore in addition to connotations of fear to create an deathly and evil atmosphere.“sticky stench of blood”... “chomping,bloody mouth” Gray uses a variety of sensory imagery, like olfactory with sibilance “sticky stench” to create a disgusting and sinister element. Voltaire's similarly uses heavy sexual and death motif to encapsulate the new worlds and values that Candide discovers.  “ravished a hundred times by pirates” sexual motifs are explicitly described throughout the novel, each female character has been either subjected to rape, sexual exploitation or/and sexual slavery. Voltaire uses this motif to signify the emotional and spiritual discovery of Candide, as the chastity of females are upheld values but the sexual nature denies any opportunity of so, rather graphically leading many females to lose their chastity, a satirical aspect towards Voltaire’s 18th century Europe. Other motifs like death are also used extensively to provoke and disillusion Candide “best of all possible world” philosophical outlook and optimism. “The ground about them was covered with the brains, arms, and legs of the dead.” Voltaire repeated used of violence, death and slaughter reflects the chaotic nature of 18th century Europe during the enlightenment era, but more importantly uses these to make Candide, overtime question and challenge his understanding of his previous discovery about optimism and “best of possible worlds” Pangloss philosophical teachings, revealing the flaws and downfall of both aspects, disillusioning Candide.

Overall, the discoveries made by the individual and the persona may vary according to the various methods Gray and Voltaire uses to transmit their thoughts and discoveries, which challenge and shape the individual's worldview. Voltaire, ‘Candide’ takes a more direct and explicit way in which he uses discovery to unveil the folly of optimism and the uselessness of philosophy through Candide’s journey “You are very harsh.' 'I have seen the world.” Voltaire provocative discoveries lead to disillusionment, new worlds and values, ultimately the novel is an bildungsroman causing the individual to challenge their widely held assumptions and reassess the discoveries made both in the individual’s life and in ‘Candide’. Whilst Gray employs similar themes in his poetry to detail the discoveries made in the contemporary society, provoking and challenging our everyday assumptions and overtime induce the individual to reassess their worldview and discoveries. Gray approaches with a less provocative stance as Voltaire's ‘Candide’ but more relatable and applicable discovery increasing its value upon the individual life. Therefore, discoveries and its value are measured by its numerous ways to challenge and shape the individuals world views.

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Hey sorry this is late but hopefully it still helps!

1) For both poems on Gray you are missing a specific link to how the disgust the responder receives in witnessing the immorality of the abbatoir or the urbanisation of the North Coast Town leads to them adopting a different perspective. Use terms such as this confronts the reader to challenge their existing belief on _________. Your use of quotes is great but the link to the discovery concept is missing.
2) You could in general express yourself with more clarity as there are some grammatical errors and sentences which, when read aloud, don't make sense or are too long.

Hope that helped!