Likit Kannan

Literary Analysis

Freedom is the escape from the real world. In The Count of Monte Cristo Edmond dantes is in prison for four years and finally finds his freedom/hope And in Blessings the characters find freedom in art and the view from the mountain.The Count of Monte Cristo and Blessings both explore the theme of freedom in different ways.

First, in The Count of Monte Cristo, Edmond Dantes, has a sense of freedom/hope when he hears the scratching. Since he is in a jail for years he eventually realises its another prisoner. “It was a continual scratching, as if made by a huge claw, a powerful tooth, or some iron instrument attacking the stones.” When this happens it gives him a sense of freedom. He thinks that the noise is made by a prisoner. He finally realizes the only way to help the prisoner is by distracting the jailer. For example “Dantes raised himself up and began to talk about everything; about the bad quality of the food, about the coldness of his dungeon, grumbling and complaining, in order to have an excuse for speaking, louder, and wearying the patience of his jailer, who out of kindness of heart had brought broth and white bread for his prisoner.” This shows how and what he did to distract the jailer. Speaking over the noise, and distracting the jailer. That is how freedom affects The Count of Monte Cristo.

Second, in Blessings, Jesse and Renee, get a sense of freedom when they climb up the mountain. For example rene says “Man, I’ve got to bring my paints up here.” That shows that thats how she express her feelings and she talks about painting a map to get there. Jesse also express her feelings when she says “Rene, first, would you read this? (JESSE takes a piece of paper out of his shirt pocket. He hands it to RENE.) It’s a poem. Real short. I wrote it about this place.” This show how he expresses his freedom which is through writing poems.

Freedom will show you the way, and give you hope.