سعاد نزار محمد عنوز

The poem The Negro Speaks of Rivers by Langston Hughes is a very strong representation of the African American identity that builds on the cultural continuity and historical memory. The paper shares a review of the abundant use of metaphors of rivers in the poem as a symbol of the trauma and strength of the African diaspora. Following the speaker in his relations to ancient rivers, Euphrates, Congo, Nile, and Mississippi, Hughes redefines the notion of Black identity as a dynamic and changing tradition that cuts across both time and space. This paper will examine how the symbolic use of these rivers by Hughes is cultural reclamation and spiritual renewal that deals with the theme of displacement, survival, and ancestral wisdom. Based on the postcolonial theory and the diasporic memory and the cultural renaissance of the Harlem renaissance, the paper posits that the poem of Hughes provides a historical continuum, which binds individual experience with a shared legacy. Through analyzing the imagery, tone, and structure in the poem, the present research points to the fact that the work of Hughes is not just a reflection of the past, but is more of a philosophical picture, linking the past to the present, and renewing the African American experience. Finally, this poem is an anthem to identity, personal and collective, that is a historical set of testimonies to cultural survival.

This research examined the use of gothic elements in Tim Burton’s film “Edward Scissorhands” 1990. The main aim of this examination is to demonstrate whether Edward Scissorhands is a gothic character that follows the Victorian settings of gothic characters, or if it is more likely to be called a modern gothic character by comparing and contrasting the elements of the original gothic character to the factors used by Tim Burton. The analysis illustrates that Edward Scissorhands can be classified as a gothic character belonging to both Victorian and modern gothic because Tim Burton followed the fundamental elements of gothic while adding his own gothic characteristics. It noted that Burton’s themes are similar to Victorian Gothic fiction by exploring themes of isolation and Edward's struggle to be accepted by his society. Moreover, the paper examined the conflict between conformity and individuality that most Victorian and modern Gothic characters experience by comparing Edward Scissorhands with other Gothic characters, such as the Beast in Beauty and the Beast and Frankenstein. The comparison showed that, at the beginning of his discovery by humans, Edward had a chance to be loved, whereas other Gothic characters did not. Furthermore, the paper suggests further exploration can be done on the fact that Edward’s inventor purposely waited until Christmas to give him hands instead of scissors.

This paper examines the phenomenon of homo novus as an example of self-creation and identity transformation in contemporary literature. It focuses on the protagonist in both works of A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and The Alchemist, both of whom experience a unique path but similar to each other toward self-realization. This paper will trace historical development of homo novus since it has its sociopolitical meaning in the Roman context to its wider literary meaning. With closer observation, it can be seen that Stephen Dedalus embodies the intellectual and artistic opposition, but Santiago embodies spiritual enlightenment and wisdom of intuition. The comparison brings out the fact that the two characters rebrand identity by denying inherited norms and forging their own identities. This paper shows that homo novus is a versatile literary phenomenon that represents cultural peculiarity and universal human desire to change

This study will critically analyse the role of the media and its control over the Norse fire regime in V for Vendetta a graphic novel by Alan Moore adapted by by James McTeigue, the film aimed to examine the methods used by this government and compare its strategies to Hitler’s strategies that he followed in Germany in 1933, and the US strategies used in Iraq before 2003. The results showed that propaganda is a media tool to control public opinion and people themselves, as freedom is suppressed not only on the physical level but also on the psychological level, in both literature and the real world. This story emphasises the importance of hope and resistance in the face of dictatorship. It can inspire people to struggle for freedom, even in the most difficult circumstances, such as being alone at the beginning. McTeigue emphasises Moon's point of view on the importance of freedom and justice and explains how people can enhance their society by bringing change through social media, similar to what V did before he died by passing his willingness to change to Evey and all the people of England.