Examples of issues, positions and assertions:

from TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD,

One issue in this novel is, what obligation does an individual have toconfront injustice? Atticus Finch's position on this issue is that he, as alawyer, has an obligation to represent Tom Robinson and 'see that he gets afair trial—even though doing so creates problems for Atticus1 family. Inthe speech which ends Tom Robinson's trial, Atticus argues:

But there is one way in this country in which all men are createdequal-there is one human institution that makes a pauper theequal of a Rockefeller, the stupid man the equal of an Einstein,and the ignorant man the equal of any college president. Thatinstitution, gentlemen, is a court. . . . Our courts have their faults,as does any human institution, but in this country our courtsaxe the great levelers, and in our courts ah1 men are created equal.

Atticus makes the assertion that all men are equal in the eyes of the court.He states this as a fact; however, in the novel, we see that Tom Robinsondoes not receive equal treatment, and is unfairly convicted of a crime hedid not commit.

from LORD OF THE FLIES

This novel explores the issues of "what is the nature of man?" and "whatkind of government is most effective?" By showing that Jack and Roger,who represent the primitive forces of passion and evil, are ultimately morepowerful than Ralph and Piggy, who represent the civilized forces ofreason, the author William Golding seems to take the position that man'snature, if uncontrolled, can be very destructive. When the officer finallyrescues the boys from the burning island, Piggy and Simon have beenmurdered, and Ralph is being pursued by the "savages": •

The tears began to flow and sobs shook him (Ralph). He gave himselfup to them now for the first time on the island; great, shuddering spasmsof grief that seemed to wrench his whole body. His voice rose under theblack smoke before the burning wreckage of the island. . . . with filthybody, matted hair, and unwiped nose, Ralph wept for the end of innocence,the darkness of man's heart, and the fall through the air of the true,wise friend called Piggy.

When Golding writes that Ralph weeps for "the darknes of man's heart,"he (Golding) makes the assertion that man's heart IS dark. In other words,

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the conclusion of the novel takes a position on the nature of man. Golding'sposition is that man has evil tendencies, a darkness in his heart. Thisposition leads the reader to draw another conclusion about Golding'sposition on the issue of "what kind of government is effective?" If allindividuals have the capacity for evil, then a structured government isneeded to control this tendency. Without rules, we will degenerate intochaos and destruction, as did the boys on the island.

from Dante's INFERNO

In THE INFERNO, Dante represents the medieval belief in a moral universewhere God rewards good and punishes evil. In Dante's picture of hell,he takes a position on the issue of "how do we judge right from wrong?" byarguing that every individual must listen to God's word and follow hislaws-no person has the right to decide what is right and what is wrong forhimself. Dante also argues that there are three levels of sin, and that sinsof passion are not as evil as sins of violence, which are not as evil as sins oftreachery (fraud, betrayal). In the 6th Circle of Hell (Canto 11), Virgilexplains to Dante why treachery is a greater sin than violence:

•

Malice is the sin most hated by God.And the aim of malice is to injure otherswhether by fraud or violence. But since fraud

is the vice of which man alone is capable,God loathes it most. Therefore, the fraudulentare placed below, and thir torment is more painful.

Here, Dante (through the poet Virgil), makes the assertion that God hatesfraud more than he hates violence. In other words, he thinks that cheatingor lying (fraud) is a greater sin than murder committed out of anger(violence). Dante's reasoning for this assertion is that God gave manreason, and when man uses this reason (which he alone of all othercreatures possesses) to sin, God becomes particularly angry. Thus, inDante's hell, Judas Iscariot (who betrayed Jesus), and Brutus (whobetrayed Julius Caesar) are in the very bottom of hell, in the mouth ofSatan.

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