Frankenstein- Symbolism

Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
chaps 13-24

"Suddenly a heavy storm of rain descended" (Shelley, 144).

Weather is a very prominent and direct symbol in this novel.  Sun and other good weather always relates to positive events and optimistic moods.  Storms and raging wind, on the other hand, always accompany negative emotions and ominous events.  The above quote, for example, is the description of the weather on Victor's wedding night, which, as we know, is the time mentioned in the creatures threat, "I shall be with you on your wedding-night."  The reader knows that something bad is going to happen, and sure enough, Elizabeth is brutally murdered not long after the storm commences.
On the other hand, the weather is calm after Victor not longer decides to obey the creature's demand.  After Victor destroys the female and releases himself from "slavery," the sea was still, "the winds were hushed, and all nature reposed under the eye of the quiet moon" (Shelley, 121).
This direct correlation of symbolism helps the reader to make connections and possibly predict a future event.  For example, anything that happens soon before, during, or directly after a storm can be assumed to not be a good thing.  In addition, it can also lead to suspense.  Ominous weather can produce ominous feelings in the reader, while calm or happy weather provides a sense of security.

Frankenstein- Motivation

Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
chaps 13-24

"But revenge kept me alive; I dared not die, and leave my adversary in being" (Shelley, 149).

The main motivation of the violent acts in the novel is revenge.  It is an endless cycle as Victor and the creature continually try to punish the other for acts of wrongdoing.  The creature kills William because Victor rejected him, framed Justine because mankind was disgusted by him.  Victor tries to fight back, but the creature always eludes him.  After Victor destroyed the female, the creature took revenge by murdering Henry and Elizabeth.
Occasionally the actions of characters are motivated by other notions that revenge.  Victor destroys teh female out of unselfishness- he wishes to spare the world of the havoc that two evil monsters and their possible offspring could wreak on the world.
Victor's father and Elizabeth are primarily motivated by compassion and concern.  They continually look out for Victor because she is family and they love him.  Even when Elizabeth thinks Victor might love another, she tells him, "if I see but one smile on your lips when we meet, occasioned by this or any other exertion of mine, I shall need no other happiness" (Shelley, 139).
Every character is deeply motivated by some strong emotion or desire- even Walton is strongly motivated by the intense search for knowledge.  The motivations may be positive or negative, but they always help to reveal more about the character, and add to the complexity of the work as a whole.

Frankenstein- Parallelism

Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
chaps 13-24

Especially in the second half of the novel, parallels are evident between Victor and the creature; they are compared in many ways.  They are primarily similar because of the creature and its desire to have Victor feel some of the suffering that the creature felt.  But even after all of Victor's anguish, the creature maintains that Victor still had not come close to the despair the creature experienced.  Though Victor is dead and the monster comes to repent, it still says, "[Victor] suffered not in the consummation of the deed; -oh! not the ten-thousandth portion of the anguish that was mine during the lingering detail of its execution" (Shelley, 163).  Regardless of the creature's beliefs, the two are much more similar that they are different.  They are both withdrawn, avoid people, posses expansive knowledge, and experience intense emotions such as deep grief or uncontrollable rage.  A quote from Victor could just as easily have been attributed to the creature:  "But busy, uninteresting, joyous faces brought back despair to my heart" (Shelley, 115).  Victor even goes on to say that there is a wall between him and man because of the tragic deaths of those close to him and the grief he feels.  The creature was also set apart from the world, and misunderstood.
Another similarity the creature creates is when it kills Victor's wife after Victor destroys the beginnings of the creature's mate.  Both seek revenge.  We can see more and more parallels between creature and creator as the novel comes to a close.

Frankenstein- Innocence and Injustice

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

chaps 13-24

Another common motif in this novel is one that deals with innocence and injustice.  We saw in chapter 8 the trial of Justine, who was sentenced to death as a murderer even though she was absolutely innocent.  In chapter 21, we see a similar trial- Victor is charged with the murder of his best friend Henry Clerval.  Similarly, Victor is innocent of the crime, but less so than Justine was.  Both technically confessed to the crime, but Victor's confession had some merit.  "Have my murderous machinations deprived you also, my dearest Henry, of life? Two I have already destroyed; other victims await their destiny: but you, Clerval, my friend, my benefactor-" (Shelley, 129).  Victor is confessing his guilt, but his guilt in creating the monster that murdered his friends.  The creation was Victor's doing, so he had a part in the murder.  But unlike the innocent Justine who falsely confessed in hopes of getting  a lighter sentence, Victor was proven innocent and released.  Mr. Kirwin gathered witnesses to back up Victor's alibi, and he also took care of Victor in jail.  Victor feels guilty, but is released.  Justine was innocent, but suffered a terrible injustice.  This imperfect pairing elicits pity for the innocent and reveals certain character traits, such as honesty and purity, but also reveals a connection to life as whole- injustice is not uncommon, even when the life of an innocent is on the line.

Frankenstein- Slave and Master

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

chaps 13-24

The motif of slavery is evident throughout the novel.  Victor is the monster's creator, but the second that the monster was given life, Victor lost his control over it.  The monster is super human and eventually tracks down Victor and exhibits control over him.  The monster is violent and murderous and threatens Victor if he does not make the creature a companion.  If Victor fails, the creature says to Victor, "I will work at your destruction, nor finish until I desolate your heart, so that you shall curse the hour of your birth" (Shelley, 105).  Victor slaves away at this task because he is afraid of the repercussions of his failure.  Although Victor created the monster, he has no control over it whatsoever.  Every time Victor tries to kill the creature, the creature easily eludes him.  Victor hates himself for obeying the creature, and eventually this turns into passionate rage as Victor breaks the bonds and tears apart the beginnings of a female creature.  Victor refuses to be a slave to the creature if it means setting another horrible monster loose on the world.
Even the creature feels like a slave, but not to Victor.  "I was the slave, not the master, of an impulse, which I detested, yet could not disobey" (Shelley, 164).
Earlier in the novel, Victor was a slave to his work, and didn't stop until he achieved his goal- creating life.  As time has passed, he has learned not to be controlled by selfish motives or threats.  This is a lesson he hopes to pass on to Walton, do not be a slave, always maintain control.

Frankenstein- Figurative Language

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

Letters- chap XII

The author commonly uses figurative language like imagery, similes and metaphors to provide more insight into the feelings and actions of characters.  Different types of figurative language were used numerously in the many pages of description about Justine's trial and subsequent death.  When comparing Justine's pain to his own, Victor ranks his own pain as much higher than hers.  "The tortures of the accused did not equal mine; she was sustained by innocence, but the fangs of remorse tore at bosom and would not forgo their hold" (Shelley, 57).  This metaphor, referencing sharp fangs of an animal, clearly displays the utter despair and misery that Victor felt.  He knew that he indirectly caused the death of two innocents, and the guilt would not go away.  More figurative language is used to further show Victor's guilt and despair, and highlight the innocence of everyone else involved.  In speaking of himself and Elizabeth, Victor says, "But I, the true murderer, felt the never-dying worm alive in my bosom, which allowed of no hope or consolation. ELizabeth also wept and was unhappy; but hers also was the misery of innocence, which, like a cloud that passes over the fair moon, for a while hides but cannot tarnish its brightness" (Shelley, 59).

Figurative language simply helps the reader see in more vivid images the feelings of a character, which adds to the understanding of the novel as a whole.

Frankenstein- Expectations

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

Letters- chap XII

I would like to take this time to complain about the anti-climactic giving of life to the creature.  I was not even aware of what exactly had happened until the short paragraph was over.  This was in stark contrast to my expectations that have been developed through various media and simply hearing versions throughout my childhood.  Victor's telling of the monster coming to life is as follows:  "It was on a dreary night of November, that I beheld the accomplishment of my toils. With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being in the lifeless thing that lay at my feet. It was already one in the morning; the rain pattered dismally against the panes, and my candle was nearly burnt out, when, by the glimmer of the half-extinguished light, I saw the dull yellow eye of the creature open; it breathed hard, and a convulsive motion agitated its limbs" (Shelley, 35).  How short! No flash of lightening, not even a maniacal, "It's aliveee!"  I was quite upset, I expected more out of a famous horror story.  But unknown to me, there was still a huge portion of the story I had never even heard of, and it was about to get a lot scarier, something I realized when I had trouble falling asleep later that night.

The author's communication and sowing of fear is much more subtle than the straightforward movies or cartoons, but much more effective and persistently frightening.

About my expectation-
tall head, bolts in neck

Frankenstein- Foreshadowing

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

Letters- chap XII

Because the narrator of the story (Victor) is relating events that have already occurred, his narrative involves a lot of foreshowing, for his purpose of warning Walton.  The author of the novel employs foreshadowing to create suspense and keep the reader speeding through the chapters to find what happens next.  Victor uses foreshadowing as if to tell Walton, "You just wait, it gets much worse."  When speaking of his change in interests from almost magical science to more logical science and mathematics, Victor referred to his new inclination as "the last effort made by the spirit of preservation to avert the storm that was even then hanging in the stars, ready to envelope me" (Shelley, 23).  This foreshadowing implies that Victor will soon suffer a terrible misfortune, related to his intense focus, borderline obsession, with knowledge and the secrets of life.  He foreshadows his misery  in order to continually warn Walton, who is also very determined in his quest for knowledge.  The foreshadowing is ominous, but not specific enough for the reader to hypothesize the exact events the might occur.  This makes the reader want to continue through the story.

Victor foreshadows his misery again when he says, "Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction" (Shelley, 23).

Let us read on... :}

Frankenstein- Characterization

Frankenstein

by Mary Shelley

Letters- chap XII

At the beginning of the novel, and throughout the stranger's story as the reader is introduced to new characters, the author uses extensive characterization.  Every time a new character comes into the story, the author speaks at length about the character's background, upbringing, environment, and personality traits.  Far from being boring or useless, this detailed characterization allows the reader to truly get to know the characters and feel as the speaker feels toward them- to love, even to hate, certain characters.  For example, when the reader is introduced to Elizabeth, she is described as "a child fairer than a pictured cherub- a creature who seemed to shed radiance from her looks and whose form and motions were lighter than the chamois of the hill" (Shelley, 17).  Instantly the reader has a liking for her, and even the speaker says that "everyone loved Elizabeth."  The speaker goes on to say how Elizabeth appreciates the beauty of nature and makes everyone around her smile.  The reader develops deep affection for Elizabeth, and feels her pain when she later displays grief from not hearing from her brother.  Though this is just one example, the author goes in depth with the descriptions of all important characters, pulling the reader into the action and development of the novel.  In addition, the reader can occasionally predict the reactions or outcome to a situation based on previous knowledge of the characters involved.  Characterization draws the reader in and allows them to relate toward some of the characters, while feeling intense emotions (such as love or hatred) towards others.

Frankenstein- Frame Story

Frankenstein
by Mary Shelley
Letters- chap XII

In this section, I have come across two frame stories, but I will focus on the first, because the second has barely begun at the end of this section.  The novel starts with the apparent main character, Robert Walton, who gets on a ship with a larger crew to travel through dangerous terrain in order to reach the pole.  The crew comes across a dog sledge- traveler near death and nurses him back to health.  He tells the crew that he had come so far upon the ice "To seek one who fled from me" (Shelley, 10).  He says no more.  But later in the stranger's conversations with Walton, the stranger comments that Walton saved his life, and was considerate enough not to interrogate him about his current situation or how it came to be.  The stranger appreciated Walton's manners, and discovering that they were very similar, the men became close quickly.  It was because of these similarities that the stranger decided to tall Walton the story that he had vowed never to speak of.  The stranger tells Walton he wants him to learn from the story, avoid the mistakes the stranger made in order to avoid his miserable and doomed fate.
So as the stranger's story is about to commence, the reader must keep in mind that the stranger is telling it in confidence to a friend, to help Walton understand how the stranger ended up like this, and to primarily teach Walton a moral lesson.

"Strange and harrowing must be his story, frightful the storm which embraced the gallant vessel on its course and wrecked it- thus!" (Shelley, 14)
And with this, the story within the frame begins.

"APO 96225"

"APO 96225"
by Larry Rottmann

Situational irony is displayed in this free verse poem when the son initially writes only simple and easily handled information about the war, like "sure rains a lot here," and "you ought to see the funny monkeys" (Rottmann, 846).  The mother pleads with her son to be honest, but when he does, the father admonishes him for upsetting his mother.  Its ironic that once the son was actually honest, the mother didn't want to hear it.  The speaker seems to have critical and slightly disapproving or disappointed attitude toward the parents, the mother particularly.  This can be paralleled with the speakers critical view towards the attitude of the American public toward the war in Vietnam.  Americans were hypocritical; they asked for the truth, but when they got it, they didn't want to hear it.  They only wanted to hear the positive or simple or nonviolent feedback from the war, not the truth of the horrible tragedies that were occurring every day.  Because the truth was so upsetting, American citizens, just like the mother, only decided to listen to what they could handle, and thus had a distorted view of the war.  The author uses mother as a symbol of how all Americans during war time say they want the truth, but simply can't handle it.

"Much Madness is divinest Sense"

"Much Madness is divinest Sense"
by Emily Dickinson

This poem is telling how a thought, suggestion or belief, if not shared by the majority, can be deemed insane. But if an idea is proposed and accepted by the majority, no matter how immoral and illogical, it will be deemed sane simply because more people support it.  If an individual agrees with the majority. he appears sensible, but if he dares to dispute, he could be seen as a traitor or an enemy.  This simple deviance from the accepted norm could cause an individual to be severely alienated, even jailed for his beliefs.
The author employs both paradox and satire in this poem to explain and critisize the workings of a majority group and the conformity of its members.  The paradox, the title, "Much Madness is divinest Sense,"  and another paradox, "Much Sense- the starkest Madness," (Dickinson, 830), describe how an idea can be perceived differently depending on how many people agree.  But this is not a good way  to determine the logic or morality of an idea.
In the case of the Salem Witch Trials and the persecution of saints, Christians, and Jews, the reasoning of the majority was severely flawed, but everyone else just went along.  And those who didn't were too shy to speak out or otherwise were jailed or persecuted themselves.

"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"

"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain"
by Emily Dickinson

The imagery of a funeral is present in the title and throughout the whole poem to describe what is going on in the speakers head.  A funeral is sad and depressing, but this is not about the speaker having sad or depressing thoughts, it goes farther than that.  The speaker is losing her mind, it is dying in a sense.  "And I dropped down, and down- and hit a World, at every plunge" (Dickinson, 776).  This quote describes the speakers sharp descent into madness.  The way the allegory is told and the initial style of writing allows the speaker to in essence, describe in common terms what is happening to her while alienating her personal feelings.  Personal feeling is clearly lacking in the description of the funeral because there is no mention of crying, attempts at comfort, or even a eulogy, only the strict relating of actions and sounds.
This poem relates to Bartleby's lack of feeling or any emotion and also Miss Brill's appearance of being very isolated and alone, even when surrounded by many people.
All the imagery tells the reader that the speaker was constantly beaten down at the hands of others, and they consistently tormented her.  The author successfully uses imagery and the unique rhyme scheme to relay in detail the inner workings and despairs of the speaker's mind, and how it goes awry.

"Bartleby the Scrivener"

"Bartleby the Scrivener"
by Herman Melville

Well well, it is time to talk about a very odd and complicated character: Bartleby.  One of the obvious and most defining traits/habits of Bartleby's is his stubborn refrain: "I would prefer not to."  The majority of the story is centered around Bartleby's preferences, most his preference to do nothing.  There are many theories as to why Bartleby is like this, some personal, some medical, some work related.  In fact, there could be many different reasons for why he is why he is, some of which are symbolic.  Bartleby is clearly socially awkward and does  not pick up on suggestions or cues.  When the lawyer first tries to fire Bartleby, he tries to suggest his leaving: "After you have removed your things from the office, Bartleby, you will of course lock the door...I shall not see you again, so good-bye to you" (Melville, 662).  But even with this suggestion, Bartleby stays.  He even stays after the lawyer moves out of the building.  Through all this, he repeats his refrain calmly.
As odd as he may be, I felt empathy for Bartleby throughout the whole story.  I figured there was some sort of reason why he acted that way, whether he was disabled, awkward, scarred from his last job, or was simply emotionless.  I felt that the lawyer didn't treat the situation very well.  He wasn't stern or demanding, and he moved his office before moving Bartleby.  The lawyer wasn't too bright.  Part of me actually admired Bartleby: he never did anything he didn't want to do.  Even in prison, he made the choice not to eat.  The exact reason behind this behavior though, is unclear.
The subtitle, "A Story of Wall Street," ties in with the symbolism I mentioned earlier.  Bartleby might symbolize the common worker of the time, beaten down by the economy and a mediocre job to the point of near soullessness.  Though Bartleby tried to be stubborn, everything got to be too much for him and he simply died.  But because his death and imprisonment happened so quickly, the reader focuses more on what led up to it, the cause of the tragic end: depression caused by the previous job, a feeling of mediocrity, a general unhappiness.  This kind of thing can happen on Wall Street (but usually less dramatic).

"Miss Brill"

"Miss Brill"
by Katherine Mansfield

This story is in a section about characterization, but beyond that, I am not very clear on the purpose of the story.  Miss Brill is clearly alienated; the tone and writing style give the feeling of separation between Miss Brill and the people she observes.  The detail that struck me the most was that going to hear the band was clearly an established routine for most of the participants, including Miss Brill, but still no one approached or directly acknowledged Miss Brill.  She sat back and observed the actions of all the other citizens in the park.  The only characters with which Miss Brill interacts are the briefly mentioned characters of "her English students" and the invalid man who sleeps while she reads to him.  No character goes out of his or her way to speak to Miss Brill.  In the story, there is a lengthy description of an ermine toque; later I saw a similarity between that woman and Miss Brill.  The woman bought her ermine toque when she was much younger, and though it is shabby now, she still wears it.  Miss Brill similarly bought her fur accessory when she was young, but now that she is older, it is described as "a fried whiting."
At the end of the story, the tables are turned when someone else talks about Miss Brill instead of being talked about.  Two young lovers snicker and insult Miss Brill.  "Why  does she come here at all- who wants her? Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?" (Mansfield, 186)  This causes her mood to change- she is a static character because at the end of the story, her mood is opposite what it was initially.  She started out happy, content, and excited, then became rushed and upset.  The author uses the words, descriptions, and actions of others along with Miss Brill's related actions to indirectly characterize Miss Brill and show how the character changes.  

"Death, be not proud"

"Death, be not proud"
by John Donne

This poem personifies death and makes it seem less powerful and frightening.  Death does not kill everyone it thinks it does and is a "slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men," and dwells "with poison, war, and sickness" (Donne, 971).  The speaker puts death down a belittles it.  He puts himself above death by saying that death cannot kill him.  The speaker may go to sleep, but he will always wake up.  The speaker directly addresses death and reprimands it- telling death to not be too proud or self-confident because it hasn't accomplished much.  The speaker has strong faith and therefore is not afraid of death.
My favorite line is the last one where it says, "and death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die" (Donne, 972).  The speaker's faith is so strong that he believes that Christ will completely destroy death and everyone will have eternal life.  Though God is not directly mentioned in the poem, it is a good assumption that it is God that the speaker is referring too because He is the only one in which a person can place complete faith that death will be destroyed.

"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night"

"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night"
by Dylan Thomas

The poem's title, which is also the refrain, urges the the reader to "not go gentle into that good night" (Thomas, 968).  This is a fancy way of saying not to accept death calmly.  Another refrain, "rage, rage against the dying of the light" (Thomas, 968), reinforces the plea.  The speaker repeats the advice to fight against death, do not go out peacefully.  But in telling the reader to fight, the speaker also acknowledges that everyone does face death at some point, wise me, good men, wild men, grave men, even his own father.  These different types of men may perceive the approach of death in different ways, but they all must fight it in their own way.
This resistance toward impending death is a theme shown in the poem "That time of year" by Shakespeare as well.  The lover mentioned at the end of the poem loves the dying man with even more strength and passion the closer he gets to death, knowing that their time will soon be cut short.

"Crossing the Bar"

"Crossing the Bar"
by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

This poem is an allegory in which the imagery of the sea serves as a way for the author to describe death and the journey to it.  Going out to sea stands for the beginning of the journey towards death.  The speaker knows and expects death, and does not desire grief over his death.  "And may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark" (Tennyson, 886).  The speaker mention "moaning of the bar" and how he doesn't want it when he goes out to sea.  This can be interpreted as the speaker asking for a calm and painless death.  He wants the tide to be smooth, comparable to dying in his sleep.  Though I was confused on the meaning of the boundless deep, I know that it has a negative connotation.  Lastly, when the speaker says that he hopes "to see my Pilot face to face" (Tennyson, 886), it implies that the speaker wishes to meet his maker, the Creator.  Pilot is capitalized because it refers to a higher being, the one who watches over us all.

"A Rose for Emily"

"A Rose for Emily"
by William Faulkner

Many of the details in the course of this story help to characterize Emily; specifically, anecdotes are used illustrate Emily's prominent traits and how other people perceive her.  A common theme in multiple anecdotes is Emily's inability to change or move on.  For example, when Emily's father died, she refused to even recognize his death.  "She told them that her father was not dead. She did that for three days, with the ministers calling on her, and the doctors, trying to persuade her to let them dispose of the body" (Faulkner, 285).  And when neighbors complained about a smell from her house, a young men said, "Send her word to have her place cleaned up. Give her a certain time to do it in, and if she don't..." (Faulkner, 284)  But people were afraid to confront her, so four men simply spread lime in and around her house to dispel the odor.  Another instance of Emily's stubbornness is when the town authorities come to inform her that she needs to pay taxes and she tells them to "see Colonel Sartoris" because he excused her father from paying taxes.  But the Colonel has been dead 10 years and Emily simply refuses to accept that things are changing.  She won't even allow a number to be put on her house in order to receive mail.
These repeated displays of Emily's stubbornness and resistance to change help the reader unravel and understand the final events of the story.  Emily wanted Homer to stay with her forever, she didn't want things to change.  Therefore, she kept his dead body on a bed in a room that was in a state of preparedness for a wedding.  Also, the reader discovers that Emily would repeatedly lay next to the dead and decomposing body of the man.  Though there is no concrete proof, the reader can assume or deduce with confidence that Emily poisoned Homer so that he would stay with her forever, so that she would never have to let go.

“The Lottery”

“The Lottery”

By Shirley Jackson

The objective point of view contributes a lot to the meaning of the story.  It also plays a role in the situational irony.  The objective stance of the narrator means that there is no emotional tone, sense of morality, or judgment in the telling of the events.  This forces the reader to pay close attention to the attitudes and emotions of the characters to determine the tone of the event.

In the case of “The Lottery,” the reader is led to believe that the story will have a positive tone, because the word “lottery” has a positive connotation and implies the receiving of money or a prize.  The fact that the narrator does not refute this positive assumption with a negative tone or judgment leads to the situational irony.  The reader expects a positive response to the winning of the lottery, but that is not what happens.  When Mrs. Hutchinson realized that her husband had drawn the marked paper for their family, she immediately protested.  “Suddenly, Tessie Hutchinson shouted to MR. Summers. ‘You didn’t give him time enough to take any paper he wanted. I saw you. It wasn’t fair’” (Jackson, 269).  At this point the reader still may not realize what is so awful about the lottery because the narrator has yet to suggest a problem with it or display any moral objection through tone or other characters besides Tessie.  At the end, the result of the lottery is spelled out: “A stone hit her on the side of the head” (Jackson, 271).

This matter-of-fact statement elicits shock from the reader but also displays how little the townspeople care about the horrible violence.  It is a tradition, the feel no moral wrong, and so they continue on.  The objective point of view helps show the townspeople’s complete lack of moral and common sense.

This seemingly innocent pile
of stones soon turns deadly

The End of Jim

The Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams

I would definitely categorize Laura as an antihero, as she does not possess courage, grace, or intelligence.  The lack of these traditional qualities serves to elicit pity for Laura throughout the play, especially in her bad fortune with suitors.  That is why the end of the play upset me so greatly- I truly desired Laura's happiness.  Laura obviously was getting along quite well with the charming caller, Jim, and towards the end of their conversation, Laura surely assumes that he will call her or ask her on a date sometime in the future, especially since they had just kissed and Laura had previously established that he was no longer seeing his high school girlfriend.  Unfortunately for Laura, just went she thought she had  a chance at happiness and companionship, Jim reveals that he can not see her again.  "I can't call up next week and- ask for a date.  I though I had better explain the situation in case you- misunderstood it and- hurt your feelings...I've got strings on me. Laura, I've- been going steady ! I go out all the time with a girl named Betty" (Williams, 1284).
Seriously!?  Jim just spent a long time talking to Laura and pretty much flirting, then it was odd when he said he wanted Laura as a sister...then he kisses her!  Then we found out he's engaged!  Laura's hopes are shattered and my likability for Jim just plummeted.  How dare he?  And then he just tells Amanda that his fiance is waiting and he leaves.  Poor sweet Laura is still on the floor, and her mother comes to comfort her.  This is partly Tom's fault because he was the one who unknowingly brought home an engaged man.  The play ends with Tom leaving for good, Amanda comforting Laura, and the narrator saying that he has tried to forget Laura, though his faithfulness sometimes prevails.  Tom the narrator asks Laura to blow her candles out and say goodbye.
The lights go out and the play is over.

This is totally what I would have done to Jim if I was Laura

Different Diction

Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams

At first I thought I would be confused by Tom being both the narrator and a character, but what helped with the distinction was diction the author used for the narrator and the character of Tom.  The word choice and style of speaking for the two parts was quite different.  Tom as a narrator uses much more sophisticated and calm diction, as opposed to the character's choppy, fiery, simple diction.  Tom as a character exits the story in a storm- "The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I'll go, and I won't go to the movies!" (Williams, 1288).  In contrast, the narrator's ending in the play is much more soothing and wise- "TOM: I didn't go to the moon, I went much further- for time is the longest distance between to places...For nowadays the world is lit by lightening! Blow out your candles, Laura, and so goodbye..." (Williams, 1288-9)  This difference in diction not only helps distinguish the two parts but also helps character feel more relatable while at the same time portraying the narrator as a wise man who has grown since the time of his memory.  Tom the narrator is looking back at the particular time of his life and comments on it not with the bias of hindsight, but more with the knowledge and clearer view of experience.

If the narrator had the same loose diction as the character, the reader might not give his insight much merit and might assume that Tom has not changed at all.  If the character had the same diction as the narrator, the character would not be as easy to relate to and might come of as pretentious.
The varied diction helps in not only telling the difference between the two parts, but also the difference between the two roles both the narrator and the character play in contributing to the theme.  The play is a memory play and the sophisticated diction of the narrator helps to display that and also show how Tom has grown.

Symbolism

The Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams

As stated in the title, Laura's glass menagerie play a key role in the theme of the story.  The glass is small and frail.  Laura cares for the glass very much because it is like herself.  Laura is quiet and frail, but can have a subtle beauty, just like glass when it hits the right light.
The first time some glass is broken is when Tom and Amanda are having an argument and Tom shatters some glass pieces in his clumsy attempt to storm out.  "[The coat] strikes against the shelf of Laura's glass collection, there is a tinkling of shattered glass.  Laura cries out as if wounded" (Williams, 1248).  The glass is almost a part of her.  The shattered glass symbolizes how the innocent Laura is caught in between and harmed by the fights between her mother and brother.
Another example of the glass's symbolism is when Laura and Jim are talking about the little unicorn.  When Jim accidentally breaks the horn off the unicorn, Laura says, "Maybe it's a blessing in disguise...The horn was removed to make him feel less- freakish!" (Williams, 1282-3)  I see this as a symbol for how Jim made Laura feel less freakish.  That's why she let him keep it as a souvenir; she wanted him to remember how he helped her and that she cared for him as well.  Jim helped Laura come out of her shell a bit and develop an attachment toward a person over an attachment to glass.

Conflicts

The Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams

Many of the conflicts in this story are intertwined.  The family lives in close quarters and the three family members have distinctly different personalities which occasionally clash.  In addition, internal conflicts can manifest themselves as or lead into external conflicts.
Tom, for example, has the internal desire for adventure that conflicts with the fact that he is stuck in his warehouse job and stuck with his dependent family.  "TOM: Man is by instinct a lover, a hunter, a fighter, and none of those instincts are given much play at the warehouse!" (Williams, 1253)  This conflict causes Tom to be unhappy and confrontational.  He smokes, drinks, and argues with his mother.

In Laura's case, her external setback, the fact that she is cripples, lead to her internal conflict of being shy while trying still to fulfill her mother's expectations of having suitors.  Laura doesn't want to be impolite or anti-social, she is just very self-conscious.
I noticed that Laura becomes less shy around Jim when they get into talking and she senses his warmth.  Jim might just bring Laura out of her shell and be the resolution to the conflict.

Sarcasm Characterizes Tom

The Glass Menagerie
by Tennessee Williams

Tom is obviously a very outgoing and prominent character, especially since he is both the narrator and the brother, leading to a very interesting point of view.  Tom is characterized through many facets: directly through stage directions and his own description as a narrator, and indirectly through Tom's words and actions.  The author uses verbal irony as one way to give the reader some insight into Tom.  For example, Tom's sarcastic and exaggerated response to his mother's accusations of his shady night antics gives the reader a glance at Tom's unique and not necessarily positive character traits.  "TOM: I'm going to opium dens! Yes, opium dens, dens of vice and criminals' hang-out, Mother. I've joined the Hogan gang, I'm a hired assassin, I carry a tommy-gun in a violin case!...(Williams, 1247). Tom's words reveal his stubbornness and independence. Tom appears condescending and almost disrespectful to his mother- he even mentions that she can't tell him what to do or where not to go because he is the one that pays the rent.
In addition, Tom uses his sarcasm to avoid honesty with his mother Amanda.  Tom has before avoided uncomfortable or interrogating questions, and using sarcasm to blow off his mother's concerned questioning might just be the start of Tom's tactics to avoid uncomfortable situations.

Tommy gun in a violin case

"The Joy of Cooking"

"The Joy of Cooking"
by Elaine Magarrell

I find this poem humorous and amusing.  The title is deceptively innocent, because cooking seems like suck a simple, enjoyable, and innocent activity.  But the speaker is talking about cooking some of her siblings body parts! That just sounds evil.  "Best with horseradish and economical- it probably will grow back. Next time perhaps a creole sauce or mold of aspic?" (Magarrell).  The speaker is talking calmly and matter-of-factly about eating her sister's tongue, and even ponders how she will cook it the next time if or when it grows back.
The fact that the poem is a little gross and quite wicked only adds to the humor. It is very exaggerated, obviously the speaker is not going to eat her sister's tongue and her brother's heart, but in describing these activities, the speaker expresses her negative feelings toward her siblings.  Now these feelings could range anywhere from pure hatred, to strong annoyance, to simple frustration.  I know I have felt at least two of these feelings toward my siblings before, and I might have considered cooking their tongue for dinner.  But the fact that the poem is quite unrealistic, but detailed, is what makes it so amusing.

"Those Winter Sundays"

"Those Winter Sundays"
by Robert Hayden

This poem kind of made me sad- the imagery and indirect characterization of the father created a sense of pathos; I pitied the solitary but loving father.  The indirect characterization, the actions of the father, tell the reader that the father is a dedicated and hardworking man who loves his children and takes very good care of them. "...him, who had driven out the cold and polished my good shoes as well" (Hayden, 782).  The father labors tirelessly during the week, then on the weekends, he gets up early in the bitter cold to make the house warm for his family. And "no one ever thanked him" (Hayden, 781).  The cold is imagery that is used a lot to show the hardships and pain the father goes through to care for his children.  He suffers for them.  I definitely feel an amount of pity for the man, and I hope now that the speaker is looking back on it, he realizes how much his father truly loved him and cared for him.

"The Drunkard"

"The Drunkard"
Frank O' Connor

There is a lot of irony in this story, especially situational irony.  The father is a known alcoholic, and wants to go to a funeral to pay respects to his friend, but also to have some drinks.  His son Larry goes with him to try to serve as a "brake" on the father's drinking.  It becomes ironic when Larry keeps his father from drinking by getting drunk himself.  "They all stopped gabbling to gape at the strange spectacle of two sober, middle-aged men bringing home a drunken small boy with a cut over his eye" (O'Connor, 349).  The boy and man have essentially switched places, because the neighbors would expect the man to be drunk, but never the child.
His father is embarrassed and upset, and the mother acts upset as well, but later congratulate her son for being his father's guardian angel.  Because the father saw the effects of drinking on his son, and felt irresponsible and was criticized in the situation, he swore off drinking.  The neighbors actually found humor in the boys drunkenness, but they gossiped about it later.  I find this ironic as well, because when the father got drunk, people either expected it, or got mad, like the wife.  But when something unnatural, illegal, and disturbing happens, like a boy being drunk, they find it humorous.

"Once Upon a Time"

"Once Upon a Time"
by Nadine Gordimer

One point I would initially like to make: I like that the main story was enclosed in the frame story, which we don't learn much about.  The speaker is tired and begins to tell herself a story, which is the focus of the short story as a whole.
This goes without saying, but this story was just messssed up!  The motivation behind the main actions of this story seems simple at first, but then becomes extreme.  At the beginning, the families in the quiet, beautiful suburb simply want to feel safe and protected.   I did feel like the "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED" sign was kind of a foreshadowing that something would go horribly wrong, but I read on to find out. (It turns out that I was spot on).  Back to the motivation- the wife of the family is anxious about the riots happening outside the suburbs, so the husband reassures her and continues to instal more and more security- electronic gates, an alarm system, burglar bars on the window, and a concrete wall.  The ironic thing is, these increasingly protective and paranoid measures do not protect the family any more than before; they only serve as ugly marks on a once beautiful suburb.  The family's desire to be safe does not make them any safer, but only results in harm.  Ironically, after all the security, there where even more intrusions; nothing could stop it.
The story began with love and fairy tales- "there were a man and his wife who loved each other very much and were living happily ever after.  They had a little boy, and they loved him very much.  They had a cat and a dog that the little boy loved very much" (Gordimer, 232).  The wise old witch gave the boy a book of fairy tales.  In a way, the story ended with a form of love and fairy tales:  the boy wanted to be like the Prince, so he crawled through the barbed wire; and the gardener and the rest of the family showed love when the tried with all their might to get the boy's body out of the tangled wire.

"A Worn Path"

"A Worn Path"
by Eudora Welty

The third person limited point of view in this short story helps the reader to focus on the characterization of the protagonist, the old black woman.  The detailed description of the old woman and the difficulty of the terrain she traversed reinforces the intensity of her goal, which the reader later learns is to get medicine for her sick grandson.  "She was very old and small and she walked slowly...she carried a thin, small cane made from an umbrella, and with this she kept tapping the frozen earth in front of her" (Welty, 223).  From this description the reader learns that the old woman is small and weak and frail, and I initially thought she was blind, though I soon figured out that she just had really bad eyesight.  The woman travelled through the woods, up a hill, in a ditch, and even through a barbed wire fence.  Something that struck me as amazing at this point was that the main thing she was worried about was how "she could not pay for having her arm or leg sawed off if she got caught fast where she was" (Welty, 225).  Are you serious!?  She is so determined to reach her goal that even massive injuries would not deter her.  She even has a gun pointed at her face and refuses to turn around.

The fact that the reader is observing this from an outside perspective inspires even more awe at the woman's actions, and her pure determination.  The reader knows the woman's condition and the degree of hardship that she goes through every time she goes into town.  The third person limited point of view and the thorough characterization help the reader better appreciate the woman's great love for her son, and therefore better appreciate the theme of the story.

Generation Gap

A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
Question 5

Because three generations of people are living in the same apartment, generational differences are bound to arise.  Beneatha is the family member I believe is the most different from all the rest because of her age differences, causing different tastes in style, men, and a greater education.  Her education and her focus on culture are the two main points that distinguish her from her family.  "Her speech is a mixture of many things; it is different from the rest of the family's insofar as education has permeated her sense of English..." (Hansberry, 35)  On page 61, it describes how focused on her culture she is, like Dee from "Everyday Use."  She listens to tribal music and wears the clothes of her ancestors and authentic people.  On page 63, she declares, "I am not an assimilationist!"  Beneatha wants to be independent but also culturally proud.

Mama does not understand Beneatha's beliefs or style and does not understand why her culture is so important to her and why she would cut all her hair off.  Also, Mama does not understand Beneatha's desire for success and independence.  Mama just wants her to marry a rich man so that she can be comfortable.  The generation conflicts surfaces many times in the play, but the gap slowly starts to come together when Mama asks about George and Beneatha tells her that he's a fool.  Then Mama, coming to an understanding says, "Well- I guess you better not waste your time with no fools."  And Beneatha says in reply, "Mama- thank you...for understanding me this time" (Hansberry, 98).

Point of No Return

A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
Question 12

At the end of the play, there is a very important event that I believe is a turning point for Walter, a point of non return.  He changes drastically, and because of this, he and his family will never be the same.  At first I thought it was when Walter swore to grovel in front of the white man from the fancy neighborhood so that they could get paid to not move into the all-white area.  Walter wanted the money so bad, he was willing to sacrifice his dignity to get it.  But when the white committee member shows up, Walter suddenly develops an abundance of courage and tells the man right to his face that they refuse to back down and that his family would be moving into the neighborhood calmly and that he would just have to accept it.  Walter's dignity and pride manifested itself and he recaptured his manhood.  Walter tells the man the the family doesn't want his money and they will deal with whatever problems come along, just like any other family would.
Beneatha says to Mama, "He finally came into his manhood today, didn't he? Kind of like a rainbow after the rain..." (Hansberry, 151).  Beneatha uses this charming simile to contradict and disprove what she said about Walter not being a man and  how there was nothing left to love.  Walter proved that he is a strong, willful man, and he will never go back.

Trapped

A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
Question 9

Throughout the novel, the reader gets a strong sense that Walter feels trapped.  Walter does not feel like he can provide fully for his family, and this inability to provide coupled with the fact that the apartment is small and run-down leads to Walter feeling discouraged.  Walter does not find pleasure at home, so he goes out with friends and drinks.  He wants to provide, but he feels he can only achieve this if he has enough money, and he thinks he can get this money from investing with Willy.  When Mama won't allow this, Walter feels trapped.  Walter feels that his Mama and Ruth don't have faith in him, don't listen to him, and are keeping him from his dreams.  "Man say: I got to take hold of this here world. baby!...Man say: I got to change my life, I'm choking to death baby! (Hansberry, 33)
Walter complains about how all Ruth ever talks about is food and work and Mama used to say that dreams were so important, but now she was destroying his.  Walter felt cornered and that might have led him into making the ill-informed and not well thought out decision to give Willy his money.  When Willy runs off with it, Walter feels hopeless and even more trapped.  This desperate feeling leads to Walter considering abandoning his dignity for money.  But in the end, no matter how hopeless he felt, his pride and dignity won out and the trapped feeling went away when he decided to go ahead with moving into the new house.

Search for a Better Life

A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
Question 1

A key theme in the novel is the search for a better way of life.  Beneatha and Walter were the two main characters that exemplified this theme.  Beneatha is in college and aspires to be a doctor.  Walter wants to invest in the liquor store business to make lots of money and provide for his family so that they are comfortable and money is not a inhibiting factor in their daily lives.  Walter talks to his son about what when they have money- "Just tell me where you want to go to school and you'll go. Just tell me, what it is you want to be- and you'll be it..." (Hansberry, 109)  Walter is the man of the family, and is therefore in charge of the welfare of his family.  He is searching for a better life for his whole family, and the way he plans on attaining a better life is investing most of Mama's money with Willy in the liquor business.

Beneatha also wants a better life, but its more of an individual desire.  She is in college and therefore more educated than the rest of her family.  She wants to use her education and Mama's money to get into medical school.  Beneatha yearns for a better life than being a simple home wife.  Her first boyfriend George was wealthy, but she didn't love him.  And her second boyfriend wanted to sweep her off to Africa and get married and be missionaries.  Beneatha just wants to fulfill her own personal desires, and do something with her life.  She wants to be successful and independent, and that motivates her to study hard and wish for some of the money to go toward her schooling, even if she's too proud to ask for it straight out.

Setting

A Raisin in the Sun
by Lorraine Hansberry
Question 2

Setting is a very important element of this play because it remains the same throughout and it has a profound effect on the characters of the story.  The author gives information about the setting before the play even starts, in the opening stage directions of Act 1 Scene 1: "Weariness has, in fact, won in this room. Everything has been polished, washed, sat on, used, scrubbed too often. All pretenses but living itself have long since vanished from the very atmosphere of this room....Time: Sometime between WWI and present. Place: Chicago's Southside" (Hansberry, 23-24).

Mama is proud to be living in the apartment because when she was younger, she "was worried about not being lynched and getting to the North if [she] could and how to stay alive and still have a pinch of dignity too..." (Hansberry, 74).  Mama is living in an actual furnished apartment in the North with none of her old worries, and she bought the apartment a long time ago with her late husband.  She is quite content with it, but still decides to put money towards a new house because she sees how much the run-down apartment is negatively affecting the family.  She even says to the family, "I sped if it wasn't for you all... I would just put that money away or give it to the church or something" (69).
But Ruth complains about the crampedness and the the cockroaches and wonders where the new baby is going to sleep if Travis already sleeps on the living room floor.  The setting stresses Ruth out and negatively affects her mood and her outlook on life, which in turn hurts her marriage and her family relationships.

"Interpreter of Maladies"

"Interpreter of Maladies"
by Jhumpa Lahiri

The Das family is going on a tour together and right away we see the family is not perfect.  The mother yells at her daughter to, "Leave me alone" while she's painting her nails, and the tour guide even observed that, "Mr. and Mrs. Das behaved like an older brother and sister, not parents" (Lahiri, 151).

Question one asks about the conflict in the story.  The main conflict is that Mr. Kapasi has feelings for a married American woman who does not seem to have feelings for her husband or children, as shown by the above quotes and other examples in the story.  Mr. Kapasi imagines writing Mrs. Das and becoming closer to her.  He even considers making a move on her when her husband isn't looking.  But at the end of the story, Mrs. Das loses Mr. Kapasi's address.  Mr. Kapasi notices this, Mrs. Das does not.  Mrs. Kapasi chooses not to say anything; therefore, he will receive no pictures or letters from Mrs. Das, and they will not continue their connection across countries.
I think Mr,. Kapasi doesn't mention the paper because he sees that the monkey attack brings the family closer, and actually elicits some parental compassion from Mrs. Das.  Mr. Kapasi observes the seeds of a  new connection among the family and accepts that when Mrs. Das leaves, she will have left forever, hopefully to have a happy life with her family.
 In reference to question six, I hope Mr. Kapasi takes this event and uses it to inspire and encourage himself to get closer to his wife.  When families grow closer, the end is happy.

"Everyday Use"

"Everyday Use"
by Alice Walker

In this story, Maggie seemed like a static character- shy, thin, and nervous.  Dee serves as a stark contrast to her- loud, outspoken, and stubborn.  "Maggie will be nervous until after her sister goes: she will stand hopelessly in corners, homely and ashamed of the burn scars..." while "Dee though. She would always look anyone in the eye. Hesitation was no part of her nature" (Walker, 173-174).
Dee's stubbornness is shown in her insistence at being called Wangero, as recognition of her African heritage. Then she suddenly demanded her mother's quilts, even though she had refused them earlier in her life and would only hang them up as decoration.  Maggie was really supposed to get the quilts, and planned on actually using them for their intended use, on a bed.  But Maggie consented like she was never used to winning anything, and said that Dee could have them.  The narrator, Maggie and Dee's mother, had a sudden act of courage and snatched up both the quilts and Maggie and pulled them into another room.  Maggie was happy- she smiled a real smile, then shared some snuff with her mom.  I believed Maggie and the mother to be static characters, but they seemed to have gained some courage and become closer to each other by the end of the story.  We cannot be sure if these changes are permanent, but the recent events seemed to have a large impact on their relationships and futures together.

"Toads"

"Toads"
by Philip Larkin

Once I understood this poem, I quite liked it.  Question four asked for the name of the second toad, and I say its responsibility.  Responsibility can be a burden.  Responsibility does not allow a person to cheat or swindle, and therefore the speaker will never get "the fame and the girl and the money/ All at one sitting" (Larkin).  It's hard to just quit working if a person is responsible, even if he hates work.  Continuing to work is the  responsible thing to do, so that a person can pay bills and provide for the family.

I also paid attention to question five, because the speaker's hatred for work is one of the first things I noticed upon reading the poem.  He is comparing work to a large toad that he wants to expel with a pitchfork.  Toads are unpleasant creatures anyway, but the author also includes phrases like, "brute" and "sickening poison" to add to the imagery.  The speaker doesn't seem lazy per say, just frustrated.  He wants to survive without work, live off his wit like some other folks do.  But he's too responsible to quit his job.  His desire of successful unemployment is out of reach.

"Hazel Tells Laverne"

"Hazel Tells Laverne"
by Katharyn Howd Machan

I really enjoyed the speaker's dialect in this poem; the author uses this dialect and certain diction to point out specific traits in the speaker.  The first thing I noticed about this poem was the there is no punctuation or capitalization and many of the words are slang or shortened: "so i goes ta flushm down/ but sohelpmegod he starts talkin..." (Machan)  This shows that the speaker is energetic and emotional, but also uneducated.  Her job is to clean out bathrooms in a trashy hotel, and the thought of her becoming a princess is ridiculous.  The line, "me/ a princess" (Machan) is read as a question and shows Hazel's disbelief in her own personal ability to be a princess.  These elements contribute to indirect characterization as we learn more about the speaker through her phrasing and word choice.

In answering question number one, I said that my first response to this poem was that it was very funny.  I could just see an energetic African American woman gossiping with her friend Laverne and enjoying telling her this unbelievable tale.  Hazel cleans in a not-so-good hotel, so therefore we know she is not financially well off.  She is not high up in society and neither she nor her friend would probably live in great locations.  I guess the hotel she works at is gross enougjh to have frogs in the toilet.  All in all, I liked the revision of the original fairy tail, and found it very humorous.

"Mr. Z"

"Mr. Z"
by M. Carl Holman

My answer to question 3:
The author's attitude toward Mr. Z seems disapproving or disappointed to me.  "Or when he could not cleanly skirt dissension,/ Faced up to the dilemma, firmly seized/ Whatever ground was Anglo-Saxonized" (Holman).  The author is saying that when Mr. Z could not avoid confrontation or taking a side, he went with whatever a white person would do.  He doesn't care if its right or wrong, or if he even believes in it, he just wants to act white.  The author points out how much Mr. Z had to go through in his life, nothing every little detail Mr. Z controlled or changed about himself.  The extreme detail seems overkill, and the effort on the part of Mr. Z was all for naught:  "Not one false note was struck- until he died..." (Holman)
Also shown in these quotes is the author's satirizing of Mr. Z's society.  Mr. Z was told early that having different skin was a sign of error, and when he tried to change, act more like a white person, he was more accepted and successful in his community.  Society taught him that conformity, along with abandonment of his culture and background, was a good thing.  But still, in his obituary, even after complimenting him with the word, "distinguished," the writers still added the phrase, "of his race," making it painfully obvious that nothing Mr. Z could have done would make people forget that he was African American.

Perrine Poetry- Is there a wrong answer?

The Nature of Proof in the Interpretation of Poetry
-Laurence Perrine

I agree with a large portion of this article- I have never believed that all interpretations of a poem are equally valid, simply because one interpretations matches and supports the details and symbolism in a poem more than any other.  I understand that a poet cannot interpret his own poem, because by doing so, "he limits its suggestibility," but I also believe that a poet should not suggest that any interpretation that suits a reader is a right one.  Context is a very important tool in the interpretation of a poem and must never be ignored.  Like in the example of the word "horse," one word can have different interpretations of detail, such as the type of horse, but in no context could "horse" be interpreted as a cow.  Most words in a poem are not as clear cut as that though.  In the untitled Dickinson poem, I personally interpreted it as a field or meadow of flowers.  Perrine quickly shows how this interpretation is incorrect.  Many of the words and details in the poem lean more toward the interpretation of a sunset than my personal view of the poem.  Once those details were pointed out and explained, I saw how a sunset was a better fit to the poem.

On the other hand, I do not believe the meadow interpretation is completely incorrect.  Same with the army interpretation of  the Melville poem.  I recognize that there a better and more correct interpretations of both poems, but I still think my views of the poems are logical ways to see the poem and are supported by most of the details in the poem.  The best interpretations of each poem support all the details (with some deep thought and explanation I might add) and contradict none of them.  But the other interpretations, the common and popular ones, are not necessarily wrong, they just aren't the very best interpretations.  The differing views are still within the area if meaning, and therefore, still plausible.   The poem talking about symbols actually makes more sense to me, because I saw the rose and worm representing a rose and worm, but also as a lady and her lover.  I agree that symbolic poems also have an area of meaning, and for me, that means there are multiple plausible interpretations, as long as, the author says, "the rose must always represent something beautiful or desirable or good. The worm must always be some kind of corrupting agent."  In essence, my belief is that if an interpretation stays within the area of meaning, it is to some degree, reasonable or acceptable.

The End

The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
chap IX, pgs 173-180

Before I give my personal opinion of this novel overall, I would like to tie up some loose ends with Daisy, Tom, and Jordan.  Nick and Jordan finally meet up after quite a while and Nick talks with her about their past.  Her response was to tell him "without comment that she was engaged to another man" (Fitzgerald, 177).  They talk for a bit longer, but the conversation goes south.  "Angry, and half in love with her, and tremendously sorry, I turned away" (Fitzgerald, 177).  I was very upset, I really wish there could have been at least one happy ending in this novel.  As for Tom and Daisy, "They were careless people- Tom and Daisy- they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness, or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made..." (Fitzgerald, 179)  I was almost as upset to hear this, because I kind of wanted Daisy to leave Tom, and the both did unfavorable things, but they just ran away and chose to forget them.  I don't foresee them having a very happy life together, nor do I wish it upon them.

Though I wasn't a big fan of the tragic ending (I'm more of a hopeless romantic), the book itself was quite enjoyable.  The continuous thread of intrigue kept me engaged, and I had strong feelings toward many of the characters, whether good or bad, that drew me into the book even more.  The language and plot was easier to understand than in The House of Mirth, but both had a unique and interesting look into the time period and the lives of specific characters.  All in all, I enjoyed reading The Great Gatsby.

Alone

The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
chap IX, pgs 163-172

Gatsby's sudden death and proceeding funeral, to me, highlight his personal relationships.  When Gatsby was alive, hundreds of people would flock to his house for his fabulous parties.  But now, only curious children and nosy reporters lingered around the house.  Nick called Gatsby's acquaintances- Meyer Wolfsheim, Klipspringer the boarder, and Daisy, but none of them would come to the funeral.  Daisy didn't even respond.  "At first I was surprised and confused; then, as he lay in his house and didn't move or breathe or speak, hour upon hour, it grew upon me that I was responsible, because no one else was interested- interested, I mean, with that intense personal interest to which every one has some vague right at the end" (Fitzgerald, 164).  So many people talked about or knew Gatsby, but none had the decency to come to his funeral.  On the fateful day, three cars went to the cemetery- the hearse, the limo with Nick, Gatsby's father, and the owl-eyed man, and a car with a few servants.  To see a man's rich life be reduced to such a pitiful spectacle was very upsetting.  Nick has no one, Gatsby and both Wilsons are dead, and Daisy and Tom are probably off somewhere trying to restart their life and forget the past.  It seems like such a tragic end.  No one seems to come out happy.  Just like in The House of Mirth, there is death right at the end; things are left unsaid; people are left alone.

Gatsby seems very alone in death

More Death

The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
chap VIII

A few pages of the start of chapter eight are a flashback of of Daisy and Gatsby's past.  Its the typical poor boy/ rich girl scenario, but then the boy goes of to the army.  As much as they love each other, Daisy can't wait forever for Gatsby to come back, so she marries a man who can take care of her.  Daisy sends Gatsby a goodbye letter in the army, which is known as a "Dear John letter."  The flashback reminded me of the movie, Dear John, where Savannah couldn't wait for her boyfriend John to come back from the army any longer, so she marries an old family friend, even though she loves John more.  She sent John a letter to break up with
him in the army, and he was devastated, just like Gatsby.


When I got to the last paragraphs of the chapter, I read them faster and faster, hoping to get to the end to really figure out what had happened.  When the narrator said there where shots, I didn't know what to think. I thought at first that maybe Gatsby had killed himself.  But then Wilson was mentioned- "It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson's body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete" (Fitzgerald, 162).  I honestly re-read that sentence multiple times because I just could not believe that was the way Gatsby's story was ended.  He was a rich man with massive parties and lived a life so full of energy.  The situation seemed like a murder/suicide to me.  Wilson obviously was completely off his rocker, and assumed that Gatsby had killed and possibly slept with his wife just because the yellow car was his.  Oh the unfortunate effects of misunderstandings... This is turning out to be a depressing resolution.  Moreover, I don't believe Nick and Jordan will end up together, for whatever terrible reason.

Myrtle Dies

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald
Chap VII, pgs 134-145

Myrtle Wilson was really a minor character, but I believe her violent death shows the desperateness of the situation and also the turmoil that Daisy feels.  Myrtle walked away from her husband for the last time and Tom could no longer take her away.  Not to be crass, but now that Myrtle is out of the way, the only conflict seems to be with Gatsby and Daisy.  The novel had exposition where we learned about all the characters and the mystery of Gatsby, the narrative hook when we learned about his feelings and his past with Daisy, the rising action Gatsby vying desperately for her attention, the turning point of them spending more and more time together while Daisy's feelings for him grew, the climax where Daisy admits to her husband that she wants to leave him because she loves Gatsby, and now the falling action where we are not sure how Daisy and Gatsby will end up together or what exactly Tom is going to do about it.  We have not yet come to a resolution in which most everyone is settled and satisfied, or even stuck.  Tom's affair was ended with his lover's death, but now his wife might leave him for another man, which is just something that doesn't happen in those times.

Nick and Jordan <3

Amidst all of this the reader might forget about the plot development involving Nick and Jordan.  They met, hit it off, became closer and closer, and now they seem to have strong feelings for each other.  "As we passed over the dark bridge her wan face fell lazily against my coat's shoulder and the formidable stroke of thirty died away with the reassuring pressure of her hand" (Fitzgerald, 135-136).  I hope that the resolution to this situation will be a happy one, because I do not foresee a happy future for anyone else.  Even if Daisy leaves Tom for Gatsby, I will still have a little sympathy for Tom, and I think a part of Daisy will always love him.  And though Gatsby truly loves Daisy, something about him is just off- his past, his money, his business deals- all a little sketchy.  I would rather sweet Daisy not get caught up in all that.  As of yet, unfortunately, I am not exactly sure what would make Daisy truly happy.  I was even more intrigued by this subject of Daisy's happiness when i read the last paragraphs of the chapter.  Nick sees Daisy and Tom conversing: "They weren't happy, and neither of them had touched the chicken or the ale- and yet they weren't unhappy either.  There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture, and anybody would have said that they were conspiring together" (Fitzgerald, 145).

Climax

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

Chap VII, pgs 113-133

Climax!  Everyone finally seems to figure out what is going on.  Tom heard Daisy tell Gatsby that she loved him and Mr. Wilson found out some unfavorable things about his wife and was therefore taking her far away.  Mr. Wilson “had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him on another world, and the shock had made him physically sick” (Fitzgerald, 124).  Though Wilson does not yet suspect Tom, he tells Tom that “my wife and I want to go West” (Fitzgerald, 123).  Wilson actually ended up trying to lock Myrtle in her room until they left, showing very uncharacteristic strength and determination.

Fighting, fighting, fighting

On the other side, Tom, Nick, Jordan, Daisy, and Gatsby all end up in a hotel room together, causing the heat and the tension to build.  Tom soon blows up when Daisy tells him to have self- control, yelling, “ ‘I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that’s the idea you can count me out…’ ” (Fitzgerald, 130)  Gatsby and Tom fight over Daisy with mounting intensity; if you were in the room, you could cut the romantic tension and uncomfortable feeling with a knife.  Throughout the argument, Tom refuses to even consider the fact that Daisy might love Gatsby or that she might leave him for Gatsby.  Eventually Daisy speaks up.  She cries to Gatsby, “ ‘I love you now- isn’t that enough? I can’t help what’s past.’ She began to sob helplessly. ‘I did love him once- but I loved you too.’ ” (Fitzgerald, 132)  And even though Daisy loved Tom once, she loves Gatsby more and has loved him longer and plans on leaving Tom.  The climax of the novel includes the outpouring of all the secrets, revelation of more of Gatsby’s past, and not a lot of hope for a satisfying resolution.  The only thing that has not been put out in the open yet is the fact that Mr. Wilson does not know that his wife has been seeing Tom.  The rest of the novel will be the falling action and resolution, which should be interesting due to the intricateness and complication of the situation.

If I Fall For You...

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

chap V

The first part of this chapter didn't make a whole lot of sense to me.  Did Gatsby have a different birth name? Why did he change it? What was up with the reporter?  Also, I don't think Cody served a lot of purpose as a minor character save the fact that he might have contributed more mystery to Gatsby's past.  Because his past was obbvviously not confusing or mysterious enough. (*sarcasm*)

Because of this confusion, I chose to focus on the end of the chapter, which I found very relatable to music.  I was reminded of a song when I thought of Gatsby's already revealed emotions and romantic situation and also when I read this line from a flashback Gatsby had about Daisy: "He knew that when he kissed this girl, and forever wed his unutterable visions to her perishable breath, his mind would never romp again like the mind of God" (Fitzgerald, 110).  This line seems to relate perfectly to a line from a wonderful Maroon 5 song, Love Somebody.  The lyrics go like this: "But if I fall for you, I'll never recover/ If I fall for you, I'll never be the same."  The whole song seems to match almost exactly how I imagine Gatsby to be feeling, both in his flashback and in present time.

Another line that reminded me of a song was, "So he waited, listening for a moment longer to the tuning-fork that had been struck upon a star. Then he kissed her. At his lips' touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete.  Thought the lyrics aren't exactly the same, I am reminded of a song by Gloriana called Kissed You Good Night. A verse goes, "Half scared to death, can't catch my breath, aren't these the moments we live for? And I kissed you, goodnight. And now that I've kissed you, its a good night, good night, baby goodnight."

The Love Nest

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

chap V, pgs 90-96

"They had forgotten me, but Daisy glanced up and held our her hand; Gatsby didn't know me at all.  I looked once more at them and they looked back at me, remotely, possessed by intense life.  Then I went out of the room and down the marble steps into the rain, leaving them there together" (Fitzgerald, 96).

The end of chapter five involves rising action and possibly the turning point of the novel.  Gatsby and Daisy are spending a lot of time together, and end up snuggling and holding hands in a dark corner in Gatsby’s house listening to the piano.  Gatsby had been wishing for this for five years, and even though she was there with him, she was not his.  No amount of love and hoping could wish away the fact that Daisy was married.  This chapter is the rising action because Gatsby keeps trying to impress Daisy and get her to stay with him.  The quote shows that the two were in their own little world and had close to forgotten all outside of it.  That is why I also believe that it might also be the beginning of the turning point, because Daisy seems very happy and wishes to stay with Gatsby, which might lead to her leaving Tom (which I hope it does).

When reading the last pages of the chapter, I felt like I was in the scene with the character.  You know that inner voice you hear when you read to yourself?  How it gets loud when things are in all caps or something?  Well my inner voice was reading in a very hushed tone, as not to disturb the sound of the piano or the soundless connection between Gatsby and Daisy.  I felt like Daisy might have, looking deeply into the eyes of someone who loves you and forgetting everything else in the world, wanting to stay there forever.

The Symbol of the Storm

The Great Gatsby
by F. Scott Fitzgerald
chap V, pgs 81-89

I noticed the symbolism in this section involving Gatsby.  Gatsby had his house overly lit for no apparent reason.  It was so bright and obnoxious that from a distance, Nick believed his house to be on fire.  This seemingly pointless act of making his house a beacon symbolized Gatsby’s desperate need to be noticed by Daisy.  He is begging for her attention, but he doesn’t know how to get it.  Moreover, Nick’s belief that the lights looked like a fire makes it seem that Gatsby is calling out to Nick for help.  Nick does his best when he invites both Daisy and Gatsby over for tea, but when the two finally meet up, its awkward and uncomfortable and embarrassing.  Nick steps outside to give them some privacy and realizes that it is pouring down rain.  The symbolism of the storm represents the uneasiness and storminess of the meeting inside.  Nick thought that when the rain stopped, it reflected what was going on inside: “But in the new silence I felt that silence had fallen within the house too” (Fitzgerald, 89).  However, what had fallen in the house was not an uneasy silence, but an atmosphere of calm.  Once the storm calmed down, so did the conversation.  A brighter sky symbolizes a brighter beginning and possibly future for Daisy and Gatsby.

Do Daisy and Gatsby have a future together?

Thy Neighbor's Wife

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

chap IV, pgs 72-80

There has been a lot of foreshadowing so far in this book, and especially in this section.  I read the summary on the back cover, so I know that Gatsby loves Daisy at some point in the book.  Therefore, any mention of a connection between them seems like foreshadowing to me.  Meyer Wolfsheim (who is comically if not stereotypically described, being a short rambunctious Jew with a large nose) said that "Gatsby's very careful about women. He would never so much as look at a friend's wife" (Fitzgerald, 72).  I think this foreshadows Gatsby making known his feelings for the married Daisy Buchanan.  And when Gatsby meets Daisy's husband Tom, "a strained, unfamiliar look of embarrassment came over Gatsby's face" (Fitzgerald, 74).  Because Gatsby is usually a friendly and courteous host, his embarrassment in meeting Tom Buchanan foreshadows a deep and upcoming reason for the embarrassment.  When Jordan told Nick about Daisy and Gatsby's history, I realized that Gatsby did have very strong feelings for Daisy and obviously still does.  Everything Gatsby has changed in his life recently- moving, throwing parties, making friends with Nick- is all to get closer to Daisy.  Now that Gatsby's intentions are clear, I'm interested to see how far he'll go and how Daisy will respond.

Let's see how well Gatsby can follow this...if at all

The Smolder

The Great Gatsby

By F. Scott Fitzgerald

chap IV, pgs 61-71

One thing I focused on this section was the continued, emotion of Gatsby’s captivating smile.  Earlier the narrator described the smile as understanding as much as you wanted to be understood, and now he states that “the smile comprehended Montenegro’s troubled history and sympathized with the brave struggle of the Montenegrin people. It appreciated fully the chain of national circumstances which had elicited this tribute from Montenegro’s warm little heart” (Fitzgerald, 66).  The lengthy description of this amazingly enrapturing smile seems to disguise pain and mystery.  It is as if his smile is a shield.  Smooth-talking men have captivating smiles to fool women and hide secrets.  Gatsby’s smile actually reminds me of another charming smile from the movie Tangled.

Flynn Ryder’s famous “smolder” is used to charm the ladies.  Though it has always worked before, it fails when he uses it on Rapunzel.  Gatsby’s smile eventually loses its charm on Nick as well: “There was the smile again, but this time I held out against it” (Fitzgerald, 71).