Tato esej je čistě má, ale NENÍ celá. Bojím se plagiátorství a jak já můžu vědět, že člověk, který z ní něco použije, popř. ji bude vydávat za vlastní celou, napíše čí je, resp. odkud čerpal? Nabízí se otázka: proč to dělám? Odpověď: protože můžu.
This original piece of work IS NOT whole. It's due to my fear of plagiarism which is -unfortunately- truly frequent. Well, you can ask: Why are you doing this? My answer is: because I can.
Social
conflicts in Amis’s Lucky Jim
In spite
of Lucky Jim is a short novel, it is very apt. Kingsley Amis proved that it is
possible to create a story, characters, political opinions, standard of living,
which clearly indicate, what was a situation in Great Britain more than fifty
years ago.
I suppose everything what is written in a book is used even today and all
around the World (not just in GB).
Hypocrisy, social statuses, positions in jobs, social differences, scorns, and
more personalities, manners, behaviours, and social tendency were, are and will
be here in all kind of society.
Consequently, I consider this book as timeless novel.
What does a ‚social conflict‘ mean
According to the sociologist Anthony Oberschall “ “Social”
conflict refers to conflict in which the parties are an aggregate of
individuals, such as groups, organizations, communities, and crowds, rather
than single individuals, as in role conflict. Social conflict encompasses a
broad range of social phenomena: class, racial, religious, and communal
conflicts; riots, rebellions, revolutions; strikes and civil disorder; marches,
demonstrations, protest gatherings, and the like.” [Oberschall, 1978]
We can apply this definition to the novel Lucky Jim as well. Such a ‘community’
is Professor Welch and his family. A ‘role conflict’ is Jim Dixon. Social
phenomena ‘class, rebellions’ are usable too. ‘Class’ as a symbol between
Welch’s family – high society and Jim Dixon – low-class. ‘Rebellions’ as a
symbol Jim’s mental rebellion against Bertrand Welch.
Jim Dixon in a relationship with…
In Lucky Jim the main character named Jim Dixon (hereinafter referred to as “Jim”),
a young man who gets a job as a teacher at the university, struggles with
people from high society. He has got
disagreements
and arguments with them. There are differences between these people and Jim.
The main reason is a fact that Jim comes from a low-class.
Jim’s personality is varied; his behavior is kind, on the other hand, if he
wants something, he is not afraid of lying. This fact proves in relationships.
Most of characters have problems with Jim. Of course,
there are exceptions. So it is not only about ‘bad characters’.
Jim Dixon
and Professor Ned Welch
These two are the opposite of themselves – in many ways (an age, a personality,
a way of life, and probably the most important thing – a standard of living).
This fact is reflected in varied moves.
Considering Jim’s situation, he is worry about the job, he conforms to
university’s setting and he does not hesitate to lie.
At the beginning Professor Welch asks him about an article – he patently thinks
that article is not good. Jim does not think so, nevertheless, his answer
confirms what Professor Welch says. Jim regards this as the best solution – to
have the same opinion.
The article is important due to Jim’s job. It is kind of blackmail.
Professor Welch requires a presentation. Jim must compose a paper on a theme
which Professor Welch wants. Jim submits to this. But in a fateful day, he gets
drunk (he is nervous and Julius Gore-Urquhart supports him – he gives him an
alcohol). As a consequence, his oral presentation is a failure (though students
and Julius Gore-Urquhart like it). He parodies Professor Welch. As a result,
Jim gets fired. As I wrote, Julius Gore-Urquhart likes it as well, so he offers
the job to Jim. It is irony, because Bertrand Welch wants that post.
Conclusion
Jim and
Professor Ned Welch
Social conflict consist in their origin. One is ‘better’, the other is ‘worse’.
A question is ‘who is who’.
Jim can be better because – in spite of he often pretends to be someone else –
he is young, wants to have a steady job position, independent, but also in
love. Simple – he is an actor, so as to get everything what he wants. All these
manners can indicate his ‘dark side’.
Professor Welch’s ‘dark side’ is an ignorance of his behaviour.
He is not realize deeds to people. Or he fully realize everything he does.
Sources:
Amis, Kingsley. Lucky Jim. London: Penguin Group Ltd., 2000. Print.
Amis, Kingsley. Šťastný Jim, Trans. Mucha, Jiří.
Praha: Nakladatelství Svoboda – Libertas, 1992. Print.
Anthony Oberschall. “Theories of Social Conflict”. http://www.annualreviews.org.
The Internet. 5 January 2013.
-š
