Student Essay on Between a Rock and a Hard Place: the Characters of Bryce Courtenay and Thomas Hardy

Being between a rock and a hard place is not a very delightful situation. You can not move, and feel constrained by unyielding surroundings. The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay and Tess of the D'Ubervilles by Thomas Hardy depict the struggles of two young individuals as they attempt to survive in societies which seem to go against them and constrain them. These two people are each caught "between a rock and a hard place" throughout their respective novels. Both Peekay and Tess encounter many people some who physically or mentally help them as they attempt to discover their identities, while other hinder their efforts. Their struggle to obtain freedom from their oppressors is the main focus in each novel. In their journey towards freedom they face many losses as well as gains, which truly help to determine who they finally become. Although Peekay...
(read more)