A World Lit only by Fire

A World Lit Only By Fire: Essay

Fire was one of the most vital tools for a person's daily life during the middle ages. It was used in many ways to serve a person's daily needs such as for cooking, light, and warmth. Similarly, in A World Lit Only By Fire, William Manchester conveys to the reader why stagnation occurred in society, by using fire as a symbol for need. Further on, this is a non-fiction book because of the content it gives the reader, which is full of facts about the Medieval Ages and the Renaissance. So, in A World Lit Only By Fire, Manchester explicates the flaws and drawbacks in society's advances through the use of theme and historical context.

William Manchester tries to transmit to the reader the theme of change which differed the way that many people lived their life in the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Many people during the Middle Ages were too imprudent to understand the need for finding out new ways to do daily activities and people who wanted to point something wrong out they were subjected to being wrong. For example, Manchester (1992) states that "Indeed, throughout the Middle Ages, which lasted some seven centuries after Charlemagne, literacy was scorned; when a cardinal corrected the Latin of the emperor Sigismund, Charlemangne's forty-seventh successor, Sigismund rudely replied, 'Ego sum rex Romanus et super grammatica'--as 'king of Rome,' he was 'above grammar'" (p. 1). This quote addresses that change was once forbidden because of higher rule which no one could rebel against and point out flaws. This is because literacy wasn't given importance in the Middle Ages, which prevented many people from learning vital things about the world. Also, during this time no one actually tried to invent new things But, then change is shown here because when the people enter the Renaissance period, entire lives of people changed. This was because people started to find easier ways to do daily activities and many new options to choose from. People had actually sought for many advances in society which included progress in technology, science, and discovery. For instance, during this time, small table clocks and watches were telling time by the hour, kerchiefs were introduced, and cutlery (Manchester, 1992, p.57). All of these inventions proved that a major change had occurred in time. Also, Manchester proves that these inventions sparked a time in which people began a race against each other to build things. Change had uncovered in society now, and Manchester now shows that it sparked a new way that people saw society.

In addition, the historical context has also an impact on the advances society has. This is because the time periods in which this book took place in were during the Medieval Ages and the Renaissance. There is a big difference between both time periods because both have shown different things about