Term Paper on "About Elijah Baley's Character"
Term Paper 3 pages (1058 words) Sources: 1
[EXCERPT] . . . .
Elijah Baley's CharacterAn Analysis of Elijah Baley
Isaac Asmiov's Caves of Steel is an interesting and strange futuristic tale. The novel opens with a murder and introduces the character of Elijah Baley as an insecure detective who does not yet understand the powers of his own capabilities. Throughout the novel, and with the help of his humanoid partner R. Daneel Olivaw, Baley gains a stronger sense of confidence as he continues to get closer and closer to the truth.
Elijah Baley's first impression of R. Daneel Olivaw shows his confusion regarding the nature of the humanoid robot. On the one hand, Olivaw looks human, and he would have otherwise not known he was a robot if he wasn't told. Asimov writes "He had expected a creature with a skin of hard and glossy plastic, nearly dead white in color. He had expected an expression fixed at an unreal level of inane humor. He had expected jerky, faintly uncertain motions. R. Daneel was none of that" (Asimov 13-14). Baley had not guessed him to be a robot, as Olivaw did not meet the assumptions Baley had about robots based on his prior experiences with them. It is this confusion that only intensifies his uneasiness and insecurities when initially working with the robot.
There are a number of clear insecurities that are shown by the character of Baley. In Asimov's novel, the detective Baley is a huge agoraphobic. Baley is intensely afraid of life beyond the walls of the New York City dome. He prefers the dark, enclosed space of the city, and this reflects his lack of confidence in a number of ways. Baley is scared to go outside of his comfort zone, even if that means finding a better meth
download full paper ⤓
Baley shows a lack of confidence especially in front of Julius Enderby and Olivaw, the humanoid robot. Enderby is the Commissioner of Police in New York City, and Baley's boss. He is the one who assigns the important case to Baley and thus tests his character's confidence and abilities. The situation is only aggravated further when Enderby turns against Baley. Enderby believes that there was sabotage within the New York City Police Department, and immediately blames Baley for the murder of Sarton. It is at this point where Baley starts to have his own suspicions of Enderby. Here, Baley believes that Julius Enderby was more successful in the city's hierarchy not because of his abilities, but because of his connection with the Medievalists and his secret plotting to stop the progress of the Spacers within a society in New York that was highly fearful of the world outside the city walls. According to Asimov, "Baley followed Enderby, but at a continually greater distance. It was no… READ MORE
Quoted Instructions for "About Elijah Baley's Character" Assignment:
Essay outline:
Shortly after meeting R.Daneel Olivaw for the first time, Elijah Baley notes that he is *****"not the plain-clothes man of popular myth*****" (p. 26), nor is he a detective *****"incapable of surprise, imperturbable of appearance, infinite of adaptability, and lightly of mental grasp*****" (p.26). Why not? What is it, according to both Elijah Baley and those who know him best, that robs him of the confidence a successful, or at least stereotypical, detective must possess? How is Baley*****'s lack of confidence related to life in an overpopulated metropolis? Why is Julius Enderby, Baley*****'s classmate and friend, more successful that Elijah in the City*****'s official hierarchy? What role, if any, does the declassification of Baley*****'s father play in Elijah*****'s understanding of himself as both a man and an officer of the law?
The essay should analyze the character of Elijah Baley presented in *****"The caves of Steel*****" (The Robot Series) by *****"Isaac Asimov*****" . It*****'s not a research paper, it should focus on critical thinking and analysis.
Important: The essay should be 750 words and not exceed the word limit. In the essay, at least three properly integrated quotations.
How to Reference "About Elijah Baley's Character" Term Paper in a Bibliography
“About Elijah Baley's Character.” A1-TermPaper.com, 2012, https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/elijah-baley-character-analysis/6716068. Accessed 5 Oct 2024.
Related Term Papers:
Mrs. Mallard's Character in the Story of an Hour Term Paper
Mrs. Mallard's Character in "The Story of an Hour"
Mrs. Mallard in the Story of an Hour
As the title of the short story indicates, Chopin gives only a very… read more
Term Paper 3 pages (993 words) Sources: 0 Style: MLA Topic: Women / Feminism
Character Relationship Essay
Character Relationship
The relationship between the two children in "The Kite Runner" is not only the main theme of the book, but also the revolving instrument used by the author… read more
Essay 5 pages (1438 words) Sources: 0 Topic: Literature / Poetry
Character Development in Toni Morrison's "Sula Essay
Character development in Toni Morrison's "Sula"
Toni Morrison's novel "Sula" provides readers with a complex story regarding African-American experiences in the early twentieth century and concerning two girls who go… read more
Essay 3 pages (1042 words) Sources: 3 Topic: Women / Feminism
Malcolm X's Life, to Describe His Character Term Paper
Malcolm X's life, to describe his character. Malcolm X is still remembered as one of the founding fathers of the Civil Rights movement. His outspoken criticism of the American government… read more
Term Paper 6 pages (2179 words) Sources: 6 Style: MLA Topic: African-American / Black Studies
Characters From Various Literary Works in Dante Essay
characters from various literary works in Dante's Hell
Dante Alighieri's epic poem "Divine Comedy" provides readers with an account involving the writer as he is guided through the nine circles… read more
Essay 3 pages (933 words) Sources: 3 Topic: Literature / Poetry
Sat, Oct 5, 2024
If you don't see the paper you need, we will write it for you!
We can write a new, 100% unique paper!