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Is Anna and the King (or The King and I) a True Story

How much of the story from The King and I and Anna and the King is an accurate biography of Anna Leonowens and the court of King Mongkut?  Does popular culture accurately represent the historical reality of this womans life story, or of the kingdom of Thailands history? Twentieth Century Popularity Anna and the King, the 1999 version of the story of Anna Leonowens six years at the Court of Siam, is, like the 1956  movie musical and stage musical, both titled  The King and I, based on a 1944 novel, Anna and the King of Siam. Jodie Foster stars in this version of Anna Leonowens.  A 1946 movie  Anna and the King of Siam, also based on the 1944 novel,  arguably had less impact than the latter popular versions of Anna Leonowens time in Thailand but was still part of the evolution of this work. The 1944 novel by Margaret Landon was subtitled The Famous True Story of a Splendid Wicked Oriental Court.  The subtitle is clearly in the tradition of whats come to be known as orientalism — the depiction of Eastern cultures, including Asian, South Asian and Middle Eastern, as exotic, undeveloped, irrational and primitive.  (Orientalism is a form of essentialism: ascribing characteristics to a culture and assuming that they are part of the static essence of that people, rather than a culture that evolves.) The King and I, a musical version of the story of Anna Leonowens, written by composer Richard Rodgers and dramatist Oscar Hammerstein, had its premiere on Broadway in March of 1951. The musical was adapted for a 1956 film. Yul Brynner played the role of King Mongkut of Siam in both versions, earning him both a Tony and an Academy Award.   It is probably not accidental that the newer versions of this, from the 1944 novel to the later stage productions and movies, came when the relationship between the west and the east was of high interest in the west, as World War II ended and western images of what the East represented might reinforce ideas of western superiority and the importance of western influence in advancing Asian cultures. The musicals, in particular, came at a time when Americas interest in Southeast Asia was increasing.  Some have suggested that the underlying theme — a primitive Eastern kingdom confronted by and literally schooled by a more rational, reasonable, educated West — helped lay the groundwork for Americas growing involvement in Vietnam. Nineteenth-Century Popularity That 1944 novel, in turn, is based on the reminiscences of Anna Leonowens herself. A widow with two children, she wrote that she had served as governess or tutor to the sixty-four children of King Rama IV or King Mongkut. Upon returning to the West (first the United States, later Canada), Leonowens, as had many women before her, turned to writing to support herself and her children. In 1870, less than three years after leaving Thailand, she published The English Governess at the Siamese Court. Its immediate reception encouraged her to write a second volume of stories of her time in Siam, published in 1872 as The Romance of the Harem — clearly, even in the title, drawing on the sense of the exotic and sensational which had captivated the reading public. Her criticism of slavery led to her popularity especially in New England among those circles that had supported abolitionism in America. Inaccuracies The 1999 movie version of Anna Leonowens service in Thailand, calling itself a true story, was denounced for its inaccuracies by the government of Thailand. Thats not new, though. When Leonowens published her first book, the King of Siam responded, through his secretary, with the statement that she has supplied by her invention that which is deficient in her memory. Anna Leonowens, in her autobiographical works, included details of her life and what was happening around her, many of which historians now believe were untrue.  For example, historians believe that she was born in India in 1831, not Wales in 1834.  She was hired to teach English, not as a governess.  She included a story of a consort and monk being publicly tortured and then burned, but no one else, including many foreign residents of Bangkok, told of such an incident. Controversial from the start, this story nevertheless continues to thrive: contrasting old and new, East and West, patriarchy with womens rights, freedom and slavery, fact mixed with exaggeration or even fiction. How to Learn More About Anna Leonowens If you want more in-depth information about the differences between the story of Anna Leonowens as told either in her own memoirs or in the fictional depictions of her life in Thailand, several authors have dug through the evidence to make the case both for her exaggerations and misrepresentations, and the interesting and unusual life that she did live. Alfred Habeggers 2014 scholarly study Masked: The Life of Anna Leonowens, Schoolmistress at the Court of Siam  (published by the University of Wisconsin Press) is probably the best researched.  Susan Morgans 2008 biography  Bombay Anna: The Real Story and Remarkable Adventures of the King and I Governess  also includes considerable research and an engaging story.  Both accounts also include the story of more recent popular depictions of the story of Anna Leonowens, and how those depictions fit in with political and cultural trends.

Analysis Of Salinger s The Catcher Rye - 972 Words

Written in 1951, J.D. Salinger’s, The Catcher in the Rye continues to be a popular book amongst Americans. Although The Catcher in the Rye has been banned in many public school settings in the United States it continues to stay atop some of the greatest books of all time lists. Whether people are in their teens or in their fifties they find themselves drawn to Holden Caulfield. At some point in their life they could relate to a sense of alienation, caused by money and wealth. Humans are wired to be jealous and want what others have. Holden Caulfield has the opposite problem, he has money and wealth which he inherited from his hard working parents. However, he himself is not motivated to work hard, graduate prep school and earn his own wealth. Instead he despises hard working students at the many prep schools he drops out of. Holden also has a big number of family complications. An area to explore is how wealth can contribute to feelings of alienation and despair. Holden Caulfi eld has a complex relationship with money, not wanting to associate from it, but benefiting from it. A further look into the 1950’s may give an insight into the troubled mind of Holden Caulfield. Holden lived in a time of rebound and, for many Americans, a time of anxiety, that being the 1950’s. With World War II just coming to an end a new challenge was brought to the plate of the United States of America. This challenge being the Cold War. Fears of the idea of Communism, and a war fought with deadlyShow MoreRelatedAnalysis Of Salinger s The Catcher Rye 3756 Words   |  16 PagesSummer Reading-TASIS 2014 Rising 9th Grade Mainstream English The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger and Fahrenheit 541 by Ray Bradbury Please write a typed or handwritten response (200 words each in the language relevant to your course) to each of the following prompts on each of the works assigned for the course(s) you will be taking in 2014-2015: The Catcher in the Rye Initial Understanding: What are your thoughts and questions about the story? You might reflect upon characters, theirRead MoreAn Analysis Of Salinger s The Catcher Rye 1106 Words   |  5 PagesAdrianna Leal Ms. Allie English 6 October 2017 Learn from life and move forward In the novel, The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger uses many symbols and themes as a way to protect Holden from adulthood, his individuality, and childhood. While in high school, Holden seems to struggle with his school work and with his outlook on life. As many obstacles come his way, his main self battle would be having to grow up, become mature, and enter adulthood with excitement and confidence. Holden often usesRead MoreAnalysis Of Salinger s The Catcher Rye 1074 Words   |  5 PagesJournal Responses Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye has been pronounced a literary classic for its atypical portrayal of adolescence, to effectively convey the protagonist’s alienation and confusion. The introduction of The Catcher in the Rye is underpinned by disorder and confusion through a stream-of-consciousness narration, which digresses from one subject to another. Consequently, Holden’s multitudinous thoughts and feelings appear to lack a cohesive pattern. Additionally, Holden’s prevalentRead MoreAnalysis Of Salinger s The Catcher s The Rye 1052 Words   |  5 Pagessociety. In J.D Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger reveals his abomination for phoniness through Holden’s experience with the adult world. Phoniness creates a structured society where the connotations of success are deceptive. In addition, it sets standards and expectations for how individuals should act based on their social status. Furthermore, it interferes with one’s ho nesty by abolishing their authenticity and sincerity. In The Catcher in the Rye, Salinger suggests how the lack of authenticityRead MoreAnalysis Of Salinger s The Catcher s The Rye 2525 Words   |  11 PagesThe Catcher in the Rye (1951) by J.D Salinger is a book with a truly controversial history by being banned from bookstores, libraries, etc. during the time of its release and even now is very scarcely being brought back into the high school setting to be taught as part of the high school curriculum. While being confronted about reasons for being banned, protesters of this book give very vague arguments on why it should be banned such as â€Å"its a very filthy book,† or â€Å"its explicitly pornographic.†Read MoreMental Analysis on Holden Caulfield in J.D. Salinger ´s The Catcher in the Rye824 Words   |  4 Pagestraumatic stress disorders (Health Care Service Corporation) (The Numbers Count: Mental Disorders in America). J.D. Salinger’s novel, The C atcher in the Rye, provides the narrative of a young adult, Holden Caulfield, who I believe shows many symptoms of several different mental disorders. In this essay, I will be providing examples straight from The Catcher in the Rye that support my theory of Holden Caulfield’s lack of mental stability. Holden Caulfield demonstrates extreme and inconsistent behaviorsRead MoreTheme Of The Catcher In The Rye976 Words   |  4 PagesThroughout the novel The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger there are several different themes portrayed that widely relate to current issues of teenagers and adults alike. While reading the novel several different themes were revealed creating a deep and meaningful story line. Three themes viewed within the novel are; the phoniness of the adult world, alienation as a form of self-protection, and the painfulness of growing up. Each of these themes have large significance in character and plot developmentRead MoreAnalysis Of Characters And Themes Of The Catcher Rye 1537 Words   |  7 Pages Analysis of Characters and Themes in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger was born in 1919 to a wealthy Manhattan family. He grew up in the same social conditions as Holden Caulfield does in The Catcher in the Rye. The last thing Salinger cared about was being a successful student because he was very lazy, without care for his responsibilities and tasks. Salinger flunked out of many prep schools, and his parents sent him to a military academy named Valley Forge in Pennsylvania, where he graduatedRead MoreJ.b. Salinger s The Catcher s The Rye 1319 Words   |  6 PagesJ.D. Salinger’s Use of Symbolism in The Catcher in the Rye J.D. Salinger is well known for his works. His most famous being The Catcher in the Rye. Two other of his famous works include Nine stories and Franny and Zooey. J.D Salinger is also well known for his sense of humor that he includes inside of his books. The Catcher in the Rye has become an essential work to be studied in academic literature and its course of study. This book entails many uses of symbolism throughout theRead MoreCatcher in the Rye Word Choice795 Words   |  4 Pagesï » ¿Word Choice in The Catcher in the Rye By Tom Condon Word choice is a crucial element in a well-crafted story. The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger is about a 16-year-old in New York in the 1950s named Holden Caulfield. The book is about his exploration in the world as he suffers from severe mental trauma from his point of view. J.D. Salinger uses word choice for realism, theme, and depth of character to make the story relate to the reader and add dimension. The Catcher in Rye contains many distinct

Ideologies Essay Example For Students

Ideologies Essay IdeologiesAn ideology is a set of ideas connected together that explain how government and society should be organized and what set of values the society should embrace. The concept of an ideology is a very slippery topic in that people range in the level or degree of their feelings. Ideologies are simplistic and not concerned about logic and consistency. This means that if they are either conservatives or liberal their ideas may vary slightly. Conservatives may have slight differences in the way they think about society. Their ideas are not clear cut or precise. Ideologies contain a view of human nature. In other words, they tell what people are like. There are not clear-cut answers to who is right with their ideas. They are people’s opinions. There are no right answers, but some seem to work better than others do. Nazism is an ideology where a dictator rules all and runs the country himself. The people who join the party believe that there needs to be a single person in charge of the government in order for the country to be run correctly. A communist thinks everybody should be the same. Everybody gets paid the same for doing different degrees of work. No matter how disgusted people may feel about their views, they are ideologies and they are practiced none the less. Liberals are very progressive and optimistic about people. They think that people are good when given a chance. They believe in lighter prison sentences for convicted criminals and blame crime on environmental factors like poverty. A big emphasis is on better education and job training for people who are being rehabilitated. Liberals think that all people can become â€Å"better† with rehabilitation and think prisons should emphasize on rehab. I believe that liberals would rather have freedom over order. Conservatives on the other hand have a more pessimistic outlook on people. They believe that there will always be crime and poverty so why not increase jail time. Conservatives would also like to see harsher penalties given to convicted felons. Forget about the rehabilitation and start paying for the crime that was done. Build more prisons and send more people to them. Conservatives would rather have order over rights. Public order is more important to uphold so that there are fewer crimes. With this you lose a little more freedom as well. In order to find out what our personal ideology was we took a small quiz with questions about different ideas. Once all of the questions were completed you had to add up the number of total points. That would give you a rough idea of what you believed in. Many of the questions had to do with human nature or at least aspects of human nature. Myself looking at the world sort of pessimistically was considered to be more conservative than liberal. The only problem with my results was that some of the questions did not pertain to me. Also I did not understand a few of them. Some of the questions I answered could have gone either way so there is a thin line in between being a liberal and conservative. Political Issues