Ah, Woe Is Me

Ah, Woe Is Me

A) Summary of The Story:

In the beginning of this short story we are introduced to Sarah, an aging black servant living in South Africa. She works hard for an upper-class white family and spends all of her money on education for her three children who are sent to a boarding school. They come home once a year at Christmas, and the first time the narrator meets the children, she is surprised at their well-mannered behaviour. She finds, however, that Sarah is a bit harsh towards them, and she comments on this. Sarah tells her that it is better to learn the lesson now and grow to accept one's fate later. In the course of the following year, Sarah must give up her job because of her legs, and one day her daughter comes to the house. Slowly she tells her story to the narrator. How the younger brother is working now, and how she is taking care of Sarah. The narrator offers her some clothes and some money and invites her inside for a cup of tea. When she is about to leave, she starts crying and can only mutter that her mother is very ill. Unsure of what to do, the narrator hands her a handkerchief.

B) An Essay About the Text:

The setting in this story is South Africa in the 1950's. Apartheid and segregation are words that describe the conditions under which the blacks (the native Africans) live perfectly. The blacks nearly have no rights and must accept being oppressed by the whites. Sarah is only one of many poor blacks who only just manages to earn a living by working as a servant for a rich white family (the narrator). Slavery does not exist anymore, but it can be difficult to distuingish the life of a slave from that of a native African in the 50's except from the fact that they do after all get paid for their work. Sarah is very concerned about her children getting a good education. She probably wants them to have a better life than she has had so far, and while that is a very noble thought, the facts speak against it. Her children do not at this time have a very good (if any) chance of getting a good solid education because it is very expensive, and their mother does not make that much money. Even if she did make enough money, her legs are bad, and at the end of the story, she has to give up her job (and thus take her children out of the boarding school) because she cannot afford to pay for the school. This is what could look like the final blow to her children's future success in life. No education means no chances of getting a better life in South Africa (and just about everywhere else, too). But what if she did have enough money to give her children a proper education - would that guarantee the children a good future life? I gravely doubt it. As I said before, the blacks live almost like slaves, and as such, they do not have the opportunity to climb the social ladder. All in all, Sarah's hopes and dreams for her children are all very noble, but, unfortunately, at that time and place, very unrealistic.

    The narrator does not treat Sarah any better than most other white people in South Africa at this time. While she allows Sarah's children to stay in her house during Christmas, I think the only reason she does it is because she tries to escape her own bad conscience. It is Christmas after all. Throughout the rest of the year, she does not even think about helping Sarah's children financially so they can stay in school. Even though she presumably has more money than Sarah will ever see, the thought of helping her servant out does not strike her at any point in the story. Her servant is her servant, and servants' children are not someone she thinks about. This point is also very clear to see when one reads the description of the narrator's thoughts about Sarah's children. She is surprised at how well they behave, how good their manners are; as if she was expecting a horde of wild animals instead of normal human beings. She is undoubtedly not the only one to think this way about the blacks, they were considered animals by many white people at that time. However, the narrator seems to excuse her treatment and behaviour towards Sarah and her family with ignorance (see lines 99-103). I find it hard to believe that this ignorance really existed, but it is possible that it did, because the whites and the blacks were so distinctly segregated by the apartheid system. Yet I find it hard to believe that the narrator was completely unaware of Sarah's almost inhuman standard of living. Surely, even though apartheid almost divided the whites and the blacks into two separate worlds, she must have known something about the conditions under which Sarah and her children lived, and that it was getting worse as the days went by (because of the mother's bad legs).

    When Janet, one of Sarah's two daughters, comes to visit the narrator in the end of the story, the narrator once again displays her ignorance about the blacks, but this time she openly admits it. Janet is, of course, in an unpleasant situation when she stands in the back yard of her mother's former employer. Everyone has some pride in themselves, and standing in the back yard, asking for alms is, of course, very degrading to a proud person, no matter who that person is. Janet has probably tried being in a similar situation before, but now that her mother is unable to provide for the disintegrating family (her father has lost his job and her sister has married and moved away), the life and death of her family depends solely on her and her brother who are the only ones working. Janet is of course very depressed and sad, but she cannot give up now. Her last hope is that the narrator will help her out, and, fortunately, she does. The handkerchief is actually the first thing the narrator has ever done to help Sarah's children. It is not until that point in the story Janet realizes just how bad things are with Sarah and her family. Of course, one could again be tempted to think that it was only her bad conscience that made her give Janet the clothes, but there is no way to be sure. I am, however, inclined to believe that the narrator has finally realized how immense the difference between the "black world" and the "white world" really is. However, the things she gives Janet (some money and the handkerchief) will not last long, and what will Janet do then? Come back for more, of course. I am not saying that the narrator is doing something bad, but I do not think she realizes that Janet will probably come back again. It is like giving a stray cat some food; it will always come back for more. The question is if the narrator would give Janet more money if she came back, and if it would be any help at all. The first question is easy: Yes, she would give her more money if she came back - her conscience forbids her to do otherwise. The second question is a bit more difficult to answer. Of course the money is an instant help to Janet and her family, but only a very insufficient one. The few dollars (or whatever currency they use in South Africa) she gives Janet will only provide the family with a meal or two, and after that they will be back to where they started, and would have to beg for more money. Now, I am not saying charity does not help, but I do not think it helps as much as many people would like to think it does. In many cases, it only puts off the sufferings.

    The apartheid system has officially been abolished in South Africa today, but I think old habits die hard, so to speak. I am sure there are still blacks like Sarah and her family who have to subordinate to the richer white population even though - officially - apartheid does not exist there anymore. Societies do not change overnight, especially not when one group has to give up its right and privileges and share them with others (whom they dislike). Sarah's story is undoubtedly not the worst example one could find, but no one knows what happened after the scene in the narrator's back yard.

Translation:

In the beginning of his well-known novel about a missing principal, Hans Scherfig gives the following description of how it all started:

    On the tenth of October, a horrible discovery was made on Amager Fælled. A soldier found the horribly mutilated remains of a person who had literally been blown to bits.

    The police immediately started an extensive investigation, which was somewhat complicated by the fact that it was impossible to identify the body. Some small pieces of clothing were sent for chemical analysis, but since the results would not be available until a week later, the police were unable to proceed directly with solving the mystery.

Book Review: A STRANGER IS WATCHING

    A STRANGER IS WATCHING

    A Stranger is Watching is a terrific book. I enjoyed reading this book very much. The non-stop action kept me reading for hours.

    One of the best features of the book is how it was written.The point of view changes every chapter.For example Chapter 1 is written in the point of view of the infamous Foxy character.Chapter 2 is written in the point if view of our protagonist, Steve; and so on.I also liked how the author built the relationship of the characters up,so you care about what happens to them and feel like you're going through what they are going through.For instance,the author tells us of Steve's wife's death.We find out that Steve's son, Neil was never the same after this tragedy.When a new women,Sharon comes into Steve's life,Neil rejects her.Neil thinks that if Sharon and his father get married ,his father will send him away.When Neil and Sharon are held hostage together, Neil's feelings for Sharon change;he begins to see her as a nice person and a motherlike figure.I felt the author built this relationship up well so that the story would have a happy ending. 

    I also like how the author made the character traits of the protagonist completely conflict with the antagonist.The protagonist,Steve is a successful man with a family and no problems;at least in the mind of the antagonist.The antagonist has problems with females,a career he feels is going nowhere,and a lack of good friends.throughout the story we find out that the antagonist is very jealous of the protagonist's lifeand that's why he indirectly targets him.This contrast was an addition to the already excitng plot of the story..

    In my opinion the best part of "A Stranger is Watching"is the end,chapter 52.this chapter contains one of the greatest climaxes I ever read.The chapter begins at a frantic moment.All of the characters lives are at risk because Foxy's bomb is about to go off.After a fight with Foxy,Steve manages to release Sharon and Neil.At the same time Ronald Thompson(a juvenile convicted if murder)is about to be executed for the murder of Steve's wife,Nina.A few chapters earlier we find out that Nina is Foxy's victim but he got off clean with it. Steve races out of Grand Central Station (where the bomb is going to go off)with Sharon and Neil.At this point the author stops her narrative and begins with the time eleven forty-two,twelve minutes after the bomb goes off,at this point we don't know what happened to our characters.In this next paragraph we are informed that Steve,Neil ,and Sharon get away while Foxy dies from his own bomb.We also find out that Ronald Thompson is saved from his execution and released from prison.

    I enjoyed this part of the story so much because it was the point of the highest excitement. Every event that took place in the story built up to this major event.All excitement in the story was covered at this point.I feel the climax is the best part of every story,and should be.This was definitely one of the best books I have ever read.

                                                         

A Separate Peace

    A Separate Peace is a novel about two boy's lives and how they evolve during the course of WWII.  The story was written by John Knowles, who also left home to attend a school at the age of 15.  The story involves many instances in which the barriers between friendship and rivalry are cited.  One of the main characters of the story, Phineas, often demonstrates that it is important to be yourself and try to make the best out of a situation whenever confronted by one.  Phineas is athletic, friendly, and competitive.

    Phineas is a very athletic person.  He seems to be good at any sport he tries and all of it comes without practice or post-effort.  During the course of his stay at Devon, Phineas wins several awards in all the sports he plays in.  One day while the others are away, Phineas and Gene go to the gym and Phineas breaks the school time trial record for swimming.  If Gene was not injured by his fall out of the tree then he would be able to compete in the Olympics.

    Phineas is a friendly and outgoing kind of person.  Finny was always friendly and respectful towards other people and whenever one of his classmates such as Leper was being isolated from the rest of group, Finny would take up for him.  Even though Gene made Finny break his leg, Finny still didn't hold anything against him and refused to believe what happened.  Finny has always been friendly to others due to his outgoing personality.

    Finny is a competitive sportsman like person.  Whenever Finny sees a challenge that has never been achieved he will try to do what the others could not.  During the summer when there was nothing else to do, Finny decides to make a club.  When the club meets, all the members have to jump out of the tree to be initiated.  Finny will always stand up to challenges set by others and succeed in breaking them.

    Although Finny is not very smart, his athletic talents make up for it.  With Finny's outgoing attitude and friendliness, he can usually talk his way out of most situations that arise while at Devon.  When Finny died after breaking his leg, the world lost a great person.

Book Review: Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible'

 A representation of the true meaning of tragedy

 Arthur Miller's 'The Crucible' is clearly a representation of the true meaning of

tragedy.  John Proctor was, in fact, the medium, the tool, of which Miller utilized to

convey a universal depiction of tragedy.  A broad definition of a tragic hero is a

protagonist who, through faults and flaws of his own and in the society in which he

exists, falters in the grand scheme of things.  This mistake leads to suffering, which

ultimately leads to a self-realization.  Miller, himself, has said, 'Tragedy, then, is the

consequence of a man's total compulsion  to evaluate himself justly,' leading us to

believe that a greater theme encompasses this downfall.  Miller, as well as many other

literary critics seem to convey that tragedy revolves around two universal aspects: fear

and freedom.  'The Crucible' is a direct parallel to the multiple ideals of tragedy and thus

centers around John Proctor's fear and freedom while he exists as a tragic hero.

The first stage in the process of establishing the tragic hero for Miller was

relaying the characteristics of John Proctor.  It was essential that Proctor be viewed as the

so called 'good guy' in the plot, one who stands out or the audience can relate to.  He is

described as a 'farmer in his middle thirties' with a ' powerful body' and a 'steady

manner', and is already being established as the protagonist in which we sympathize

with.(p.19)  Miller's choice to describe him in such a fashion is very significant.  By

describing the tragic hero as a 'strong, steady, farmer' the dramatic effect is even greater.

Who else better to fall victim to his own personal freedom and the fear of others but the

strong, stern character?  John Proctor's description also provides another outlet to convey

the dynamic nature of his character.  While the physical side of Proctor deteriorated

towards the conclusion of the story a contrast is created.  John is said to be '...another

man, bearded, filthy, his eyes misty as though webs had overgrown them, ' an obvious

discrepancy from his initial condtion.(p.123)  Thus, John's physical delineation is an

apparent parallel to the changes he emotionally undergoes making him a dynamic

character.  Miller also establishes Proctor as the protagonist by giving him qualities the

audience found favor with.  John went against the normalities and conceptions of the

townsfolk.  An aspect we can truly justify, especially in America. Proctor's practical

nature is indicated when he often does not attend Church.  He does not agree with Parris'

talk of hell, exclaiming 'Can you speak one minute without we land in Hell again?' and

thus turns away from the Church, clearly emphasizing that rebellious side.(p.28)

The second step in creating the tragic hero is emphasizing the mistake or flaw

which brings upon the character's descent.  It is in this stage that fear and freedom enter

as a major part of John Proctor's actions.

'And if society alone is responsible for the cramping  of our lives then the

protagonist must needs be so pure and faultless as to force us to deny his validity

as a character.  From neither of these views can tragedy derive, simply because

neither represents a balanced concept of life.'(Miller)

It is this balance between the internal and external that opens the door for fear and

freedom to enter.  Fear is society's tool.  In Puritan New England paranoia was a common

aspect.  The people lived in fear of the devil, a physical devil that existed and walked

among them.  When word spread, speaking of witchcraft in Salem, that fear, that

paranoia emerged ever so imminently and thus began the tragedy.  With the people's fear

came rumors.  Mrs. Putnam asked, 'How high did she fly, how high?' of Betty clearly

exhibiting that rumors of witchcraft were surfacing and spreading.(p.12)  Subsequently,

from such rumors came the accusations.  It was the accusations that proved most costly.

People turned against each other saving themselves by accusing their neighbors.  All of

these consequences sprouted from fear in the hearts and minds of the people of Salem.

Fear, however, only contributed to this tragedy.

John Proctor's freedom within was the other half that completes the equation.  It

was this freedom that resulted in his mistakes, his flaws.  Proctor chose to have relations,

outside of his marriage to Elizabeth with Abigail. In Act Two, John makes a determined

effort to please Elizabeth.  He kisses her perfunctoritly; he lies in saying that her cooking

is well-seasoned (perhaps a kind of irony on the lack of spice in Elizabeth) showing the

strain in their relationship. (Murray, 46)  Like all men Proctor had his temptations yet his

freedom allowed him to give in to them.  Through his own freedom John 'lusted with the

girl' and went 'against the law of God and Salem'  (Murray, 46)  Freedom also existed in

John's choice to not attend Church.  It was this choice that also contributed to his

downfall, for it did not put him in the best standings with the townspeople.  The fear in

society and the freedom of John Proctor both complement each other in that balance that

Miller spoke of .  Tragedy comes from what the protagonist can, as well as cannot

control.  This evidence clearly holds true to Miller's definition of tragedy.

Suffering was a major step in coaxing John to his realization.  He suffered

mentally and emotionally because of his flaw, as the heat of the accusations intensified.

He witnessed his wife Elizabeth go through the agony of being accused as a witch.  he

suffers because he too was accused of betraying God.  Their true suffering becomes

apparent when Proctor confesses to adultery to pardon Elizabeth.  Elizabeth lies in turn to

save her husband's name.  They endured this torment for each other.  They endured it till

their day of sentencing.  This extreme anguish and emotional stress which Miller creates

adds to the sence of tragedy.  It is this emphatical grief which makes the conclusion of

The Crucible so outstanding.  Miller utilizes the sorrow to make Proctor's all-important

realization that much more spectacular.  However, in the Greek definition of tragedy this

suffering would serve as pathos.  Pathos is the element of sympathy in the plot to evoke

pity.  In the Greek tradition this was essential to the plot.  However, Miller does not see

his tragedy as one that should include pity for the protagonist.  'The possibility of victory

must be there in tragedy.  Where pathos rules, where pathos is finally derived, a character

has fought a battle he could not have possible won.'(Miller) This statement demonstrates

the conflict in belief.  Miller feels the protagonist must emerge victorious in some way

where the Greek tradition relies on an emphasis of pity.  In Miller's view, how can we

have pity for someone who has won?  This is where the conflict lies and as we see in

Proctor's realization, ' The Crucible' will hold true to Miller's definition.

Proctor learns something about himself and the world around him in his final

realization before his execution.  This is the concluding step in the tragic plot. 'Tragedy

seems to me to be an investigation of the possibilities of human freedom.'(Kerr)  Again,

it is Proctor's freedom that makes him a tragic hero.

 'I cannot mount the gibbet like a saint.  It is a fraud, I am not that man.  My

honesty is broke, Elizabeth; I am no good man.  Nothing's spoiled by giving them

this lie that were not rotten long before... I want my life... I will have my life...

Then who will judge me? God in Heaven, what is John Proctor, what is John

Proctor?  I think it is honest, I think so; I am no saint.' (pp. 126-127)

These passages indicate that Proctor has come to see the truth.  He has the freedom now,

to not give in to them, to let God judge him.  'I think the tragic feeling is evoked in us

when we are in the presence of a character who is ready to lay down his life, if need be-

to secure one thing- his sense of personal dignity.'(Miller)  Miller's definition of  tragedy

is a clear cut example of Proctor's actions in 'The Crucible.'  Proctor realizes that his

confession to these people violated his freedom.  He learned that we need to answer to

God and God only for forgiveness.  The confession revoked Proctor's dignity and his

freedom.  Miller says, 'Tragedy enlightens... in that it points the heroic finger at the

enemy of man's freedom.' Proctor sees this and points a heroic finger at those people

who tried to take his freedom.

Book Review: 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA by Jules Verne

20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA

by Jules Verne

   

    The news spread worldwide about a serpent-like creature.  Supposedly,  part of the whale family has been ramming ships and sinking them with ease.  The large ship named the Abraham Lincoln was sent out to find and kill this  beast.  An attack of  the monster left Professor Aronnax  and his long time sidekick Conseil thrown overboard.  Ned Land, master harpooner was thrown overboard as well.  An iron-plated submarine saved their lives.  When taken aboard the submarine they were treated with hostility.  With an introduction to Captain Nemo they became passengers aboard the Nautilus.  They were astonished by the Nautilus on how  it could dive down to the ocean depths to see all that the sea had to offer.  Professor Aronnax  and Conseil found the ocean depths to be a  new world!

    Many life and death experiences made Ned Land feel uneasy about his new  life aboard the

Nautilus.  He was determined to escape.  Captain Nemo took them to many exquisite places.  They

experienced hunting and searching for pearls, VigLo Bay, a hollowed out volcano, and the underwater city of Atlantis.  Captain Nemo took them to the South Pole, where no man had been before and Captain Nemo was the first to go there.  They almost died leaving the Great Ice Barrier.  Then they fought with giant squid.  Captain Nemo seemed to be seeking revenge on ships from his own country.  He used the powerful  Nautilus as a weapon to sink many ships.  After 10 months of being aboard they completed their

underwater exploration covering 20,000 leagues under the sea.  A   Maelstrom hit the Nautilus and Professor Aronnax, Conseil and Ned Land, already in the dinghy ready to escape, were thrown from the submarine.  They floated to safety and returned to their homeland. The mystery  remains.  Nobody knows what happened to the Nautilus and its infamous Captain Nemo.

Book Review: Willy Loman: A Man With A Dream, Death of A Salesman by Arthur Miller

Willy Loman: A Man With A Dream

A common idea presented in literature is the issue of

the freedom of the individual in opposition to the

controlling pressures of society.  Willy Loman, the main

character in Death of A Salesman by Arthur Miller,

epitomizes this type of person; one who looks to his peers

and co-salesman as lesser individuals.  Not only was he

competitive and overbearing, but Willy Loman sought after an

ideal that he could never become: the greatest salesman

ever.  Determined to make money, Willy became uncontrollable

and somewhat insane.  Through his dialogue and actions,

Willy Loman portrays a character of insecurity, persistence,

and unknown identity.

From the very beginning of his life, Willy Loman

experienced problems with his popularity and personality.

His last name is a pun on a 'low man.'  He is at the bottom

of the business world as an unsuccessful salesman.  In

addition, his theories on life and society prove to be very

degrading, not to mention influential to his mind set every

day.  Willy believes that being well-liked and having a

personal attractiveness, together, can bring success, money,

and many friends.  Ironically, Willy does not have many

friends and many people do not like him.  With a beauty

unlike others, Willy thinks that doors will open and

problems will all disappear.

As a salesman, Willy developed many hindrances that

caused his mind to deteriorate.  His life as a salesman was

built on a dream that he witnessed as a child.  At an early

age, Willy heard of a salesman, Dave Singleman, who could

make his living out of a hotel room.  Singleman was very

successful and when he died, people from all over the

country came to his funeral.  It was this ideal that Willy

Loman sought after.  All he ever wanted was fame,

popularity, and a few friends.  Unfortunately, when Willy

died, not a single person went to his funeral.  His life,

one that was spent trying to become another person, namely

Dave Singleman, was a waste as no-one even wanted to see him

buried.

In reflection of his career with the Wagner Company,

many other problems arose that forced economic difficulties

on him and his family.  He was determined to live by ideals

that placed him above everyone else.  It was with these lies

and illusions that Willy's life began to lose its' air of

reality.  He lost his identity, courage, and dignity

throughout New England as a salesman.  And as he explained

often, 'I have friends...They know me up and down New

England.'  Realistically, though, Willy was not successful.

He did not have friends and people did not like him in New

England.

'With his self-identity weakened and undermined, Willy

lost his grasp of things in general.' (P.P Sharma, critical

analysis)  He spent hours on hours dreaming of the past.

Thinking of himself and his son Biff who had potential, but

did not take advantage of it.  Biff was Willy's inspiration

as a father.  He had the determination to become a great

football player, not to mention make something with his life

and the Loman name.  However, Biff flunked math and threw

all of his opportunities away.  It was with these

circumstances that Biff and his father began to separate.

Willy always promised his sons prosperity and good-fortune,

but he could not give that to him and when he lost Biff, his

life became an even larger failure.

In other memories and illusions, Willy often replays

the moments with his brother, Ben.  Specifically, the time

when Willy was offered a job in Alaska; the job which would

have made him an enormous amount of money haunts Willy every

time he tries to sell his Wagner stockings, only to have his

sales come up lame.  With low sales and age, Willy decided

to ask for a job in New York.  And it was at this time that

his company decided to stop paying by salary, but solely on

commission.  And for a man who cannot sell well, the loss of

a salary is very detrimental to his well-being.  'Although

Willy is aware, maybe dimly and imperfectly, that he is not

cut out for success in the world of trade and commerce, he

nevertheless nurses the dream of getting the better of

everybody else.  And this leads him into an alienation from

himself, obscuring his real identity.' (P. P. Sharma,

critical analysis)

Willy's life would have been more satisfying had he

engaged himself in more physical work that would occupy his

mind.  His life was situated on a dream for success and

prosperity.  When it never arrived, Willy spent a lot of

time, just brainstorming how to make his life what he wanted

it to be.  Putting his family aside, Willy committed a

terrible sin.  In Boston, during one of his business trips,

Willy cheated on his wife.  He met a woman who would be very

cheap for an evening, and as a boost of confidence, Willy

spent the night with this low-class woman.  Unfortunately,

his son Biff, who was surprising his father in Boston,

walked in on the two, thus causing a situation that would

forever haunt Biff.  His thoughts of his father as an

influential salesman in New England were all lost.  What

appeared, instead, was the belief that his father was a

loser with no potential to ever support his family.  It was

at this time that they their lives spread apart.

Using that situation as a downfall and the many others

that occurred in Willy Loman's life, it was not surprising

when he killed himself.  In search of happiness, Willy

believed that he could give his family what they wanted if

he only left the world.  But, his dreams were wrong, as his

family did not even care enough to go to his funeral.  He

died for things that he had lived for- his sons and

illusions of prosperity.  Ironically, though, his life was

not worth the happiness of his son's.  And his life was

definitely not worth the sacrifice that he made for them his

entire life.

Willy Loman died still unsure of his status in the

business world.  He wanted success and money, but at the age

of sixty-one, he realized that these goals would never be

reached.  His identity was lost and his presence on earth

unknown.  Willy Loman was influenced by society in that he

could not overcome the pressures of selling and making

money.  His life long dream was happiness, but that never

came either.  The pressures of society killed a man who once

had courage and determination.  But, as his life moved

further, Willy Loman lost his ability to see the world

clearly.  All his eyes could observe was despair and

insecurity.  It was through his beliefs that he decided to

end his unhappiness, by ending his life.  Willy Loman died a

lost identity, but one that found himself for a brief period

of time; long enough to end his life forever.

Book Review: More's Moral Dilemma

More's Moral Dilemma

During the English renaissance in the 1500's, King Henry VIII wants a divorce from his wife for various reasons, but divorce is against the Catholic religion.  This is why he wants Sir Thomas More's consent, because More is a highly respected Catholic, but he is such a good Catholic that he goes against divorce.  In the play, A Man for All Seasons, by Robert Bolt, King Henry VIII applies pressure on Thomas More to support the divorce in many ways.  He exerts it both directly and indirectly in forms of threats and intimidation from various people.  Henry forces Meg, More's 'renaissance woman' daughter, to take an oath in order to see him, so she  tries to influence his decision about the divorce by using her intellect and by begging.  Wolsey, a cardinal, was told by the king to try to persuade him to support the king's divorce by appointing him to a political office, so if More does not support the king, he could be executed for treason.  Similarly, the king orders Cromwell, his assistant, to apply  pressure by finding a reason to kill More, to force  him out of the way.  All of these pressures from the king lead to a moral dilemma that More has to face, but he chooses to stick to his morals.

King Henry applies pressure on More to support the divorce through Meg.  While More is in jail for failing to take an oath supporting the divorce,  Meg tries to convince him to take the oath, and she says, 'Say the words of the oath and in your heart think otherwise,' (page 81).  More responded to this by saying, 'What is an oath then but words we say to god?' (page 81).  Meg is applying direct pressure on More by asking him to say the oath and not believe in it, so he will get the benefits of believing it and stick to his morals at the same time.  However, More thinks this is against Catholic religion because he thinks of an oath as 'words we say to God,' so he certainly can not use Meg's strategy.  Meg pressures More directly by trying to reach out to his feelings when she says emotionally, 'But in reason!  Haven't you done as much as God can reasonably want?' (page 81).  More supports his beliefs by saying, 'Well...finally...it isn't a matter of reason; finally it's a matter of love.'   Meg wants More to know that his family's food and money depend on him, and further more, whether he says the oath.  More still sticks to what he believes in, because he believes that he must always do what God wants him to do, for there is no limit to what god can 'reasonably want.'  Meg does as much as she can to persuade More to support the King, but it does not work, and More sticks to his morals.

Henry also orders Cromwell to pressure More to support the divorce.  At first, Cromwell informs More directly that the king is not pleased with him, and then says, 'Yet you do not know that even now, if you could bring yourself to agree with the Universities, the Bishops and the Parliament of this realm, there is no honor which the King would be likely to deny you?' (page 66).  More acknowledges this and says, 'I am well acquainted with His Grace's generosity,' (page 66).  Cromwell wants More to know that the king still has great respect for him, and if he supports the divorce there would be 'no honor which the King would be likely to deny' him.  More is not greatly affected by this type of pressure however, because he is the type of man that does not let rewards tempt him to go against his morals.  Cromwell realizes that More is stubborn on this issue, and wants to execute him, so to More he directly reads the charges against him, 'That you did conspire traitorously and maliciously to deny and deprive our liege lord Henry of his undoubted certain title Supreme Head of the Church of England,' (pages 86- 87).  More is shocked, and said, 'But I have never denied this title!' (page 87).  Cromwell is so devoted to satisfying the king that he finds a way uses More's silence as evidence of opposing the king, which means he is 'traitorously' denying the king of his title.  This is the most influential pressure that More has received, because if he is found guilty of high treason, he will be executed; but he still sticks to his morals.  More now has to deal with the harshest kind of pressure to face, because his life is in jeopardy.

Wolsey also plays a part for Henry in pressuring More to support the king.  At first, Wolsey tries to use his power to pressure More directly into supporting the king, 'The King needs a son; I repeat, what are you going to do about it?' (page 12).  More is smart when he says, 'I pray for it daily,' (page 12).  Wolsey is trying to pressure More with his power by making him answer the question, by using 'I repeat' as a way of reminding him that he must answer the question.  More, however, displays his intelligence by saying that he prays for the king's son, instead of giving in to Wolsey's trap and telling him that he supports the king.  Wolsey then gets angry at More and indirectly pressuring him by appointing him as the lord chancellor, which More does not know until Henry informs him, 'Did you know that Wolsey named you for chancellor?' (page 30).  More is surprised to hear this, and says, 'He was a statesman of incomparable ability,' (page 30).   Now More has to support the king, or he could be executed for high treason, which would prove to be the harshest form of pressure for More.  When More realizes why Wolsey appoints him a political position, he realizes what a smart move this is by Wolsey, and calls him 'a statesman of incomparable ability,' but this does not change More's decision about the divorce.  If Wolsey did not name More for chancellor, More would not have been able to be tried for high treason, and he would have been able to disagree with the king and not face execution.

More receives many pressures from many people through King Henry, both directly and indirectly.  In addition to Meg, More's whole family, including Alice, his wife, pressure him to support the king's divorce.  Also, politically he was challenged not only by Cromwell and Wolsey, but he is pressured by Norfolk, Rich, and Cranmer to support the divorce as well.  Socially, More is alone in his disagreement with the divorce.  All this pressure against More, and he still sticks to what he believes in and what his religion says to do, although he dies for it.  The moral dilemma More faces is similar to the moral dilemma of someone who has AIDS.  If you have AIDS, you have no good way of dealing with it.  More displays what a wonderful a person he is by choosing to not go against what he believed in, even though he got executed for it, which was probably a little crazy.