All the Pretty Horses Part III

Well Mr. Coon, I have finally settled on a book and I decided to pick All the Pretty Horses. I know you were adamant on us to start reading The Crossing, but if kind of felt weird to start reading the middle part of a trilogy even if they book don’t really intersect until the third novel. It would have always been in the back of my mind, and I’m feeling a lot better about picking the first novel.

So far I’ve read about 75 pages, and the first part of the book was extremely confusing. There was no main character I was able to identify, but after reading further I found out that John Grady Cole was having his final interactions with his family members before deciding to go off on this journey. His grandfather has just died, his mother ran away to go pursue her own dreams, and for some reason he doesn’t live with his father and has a slightly awkward relationship with him. From what I’ve pieced together, he wants to go Mexico so he can live the cowboy life he idealizes. He takes along his friend Rawlins who I don’t know too much about and along the way they meet this annoying kid named Blevins.

Now that I’ve summed up what I know, I guess I will give some of my opinions about the book. The book started off a bit difficult to understand but it has gotten a lot easier since I’ve come to the part about them running away. So far there hasn’t really been much action either which is kind of disappointing. They have just been riding around, but I’m hoping as I get further along in the book it will start to pick up. I’m kind of excited to continue reading because the book has received many accolades and Cormac McCarthy is regarded as one of the premier writers of my generation.

If I had to find some kind of theme so far, I guess it would have be to about the idealized versus reality. It seems as if John Grady Cole and his friends have an idealized version of what cowboy life is like, but they really haven’t faced many hardships. For example, Cole thinks he can make his family ranch profitable once again even though it hasn’t really been producing for years. I also find it amusing as to how Cole and Rawlins find a liking to the cowboy lifestyle even though they have been using money to but food for themselves and haven’t really faced any hardships. As I progress through the novel I assume their naiveté will clash with reality and I look forward to seeing what the results are. The West has usually been romanticized (this is an assumption as I don’t read a lot of western novels) and it will be interesting to see how McCarthy comments on it losing its allure through his characters.

All the Pretty Horses Part II/Huge Problem!!!

Well I have gotten a little farther into my book and the storyline is starting to make a lot more sense. When I previously left off, John Grady Cole and company were wandering around somewhere in Mexico. Now they have cut a third of their group (due to the loss of Blevins because he was being stupid) and they have landed steady work on a huge ranch in Mexico. Obviously the action will be picking up again because I still have a lot of the book to read, but so far Cole has just been working on the ranch and showing his equestrian prowess.

An interesting development in the novel is his love affair with Alejandra. I have a feeling it isn’t going to end up well considering he is a ranch worker and she is the daughter of the ranch owner. I’m looking forward to finding out more about the relationship provided I can get an answer to my next problem.

I checked the JSTOR website today and was only able to find one article on my book. Even then, the article was a book review about the first two books in his Border Trilogy series. I really don’t want to have to switch books, but I guess I may have to in order to fulfill the requirement of having three JSTOR articles. I’m hoping you can help me out with my quandary, and I will try to come see you on Monday to see if there is anything I can do to rectify the situation. Until that time, I don’t want to read too much more into the book because I may very well have to switch to another selection. I will update my blog shortly after I have reached some sort of resolution.

(304)

All the Pretty Horses Part I

Well Mr. Coon, I have finally settled on a book and I decided to pick All the Pretty Horses. I know you were adamant on us to start reading The Crossing, but if kind of felt weird to start reading the middle part of a trilogy even if they book don’t really intersect until the third novel. It would have always been in the back of my mind, and I’m feeling a lot better about picking the first novel.

So far I’ve read about 75 pages, and the first part of the book was extremely confusing. There was no main character I was able to identify, but after reading further I found out that John Grady Cole was having his final interactions with his family members before deciding to go off on this journey. His grandfather has just died, his mother ran away to go pursue her own dreams, and for some reason he doesn’t live with his father and has a slightly awkward relationship with him. From what I’ve pieced together, he wants to go Mexico so he can live the cowboy life he idealizes. He takes along his friend Rawlins who I don’t know too much about and along the way they meet this annoying kid named Blevins.

Now that I’ve summed up what I know, I guess I will give some of my opinions about the book. The book started off a bit difficult to understand but it has gotten a lot easier since I’ve come to the part about them running away. So far there hasn’t really been much action either which is kind of disappointing. They have just been riding around, but I’m hoping as I get further along in the book it will start to pick up. I’m kind of excited to continue reading because the book has received many accolades and Cormac McCarthy is regarded as one of the premier writers of my generation.

If I had to find some kind of theme so far, I guess it would have be to about the idealized versus reality. It seems as if John Grady Cole and his friends have an idealized version of what cowboy life is like, but they really haven’t faced many hardships. For example, Cole thinks he can make his family ranch profitable once again even though it hasn’t really been producing for years. I also find it amusing as to how Cole and Rawlins find a liking to the cowboy lifestyle even though they have been using money to but food for themselves and haven’t really faced any hardships. As I progress through the novel I assume their naiveté will clash with reality and I look forward to seeing what the results are. The West has usually been romanticized (this is an assumption as I don’t read a lot of western novels) and it will be interesting to see how McCarthy comments on it losing its allure through his characters.


Also my blog is late this week because on Friday after school I left for a college trip to visit UCLA. While this gave me ample reading time, I did not have a computer so I could only write this blog once I came back home on Sunday.

Claude McKay's Views on "America"

It is often said that a person’s personal trials and tribulations best serve as influences for poetry. In the 1920s, Claude McKay had already encountered enough experiences to shape his poetry. As part of the Harlem Renaissance, he was helping to blaze a new path for blacks across America, while having to deal with the negative aspects of our nation such as racism and segregation. His conflicting views helped shape his form and content in his well known poem “America.”

In “America,” McKay fuses early 16th century form with a little bit of his own style. The form of the poem makes it a traditional Shakespearean sonnet with fourteen lines and the familiar a b a b c d c d e f e f g g rhyme scheme. The poem also seems to follow the iambic pentameter meter thus giving it a fluid sense of rhythm. However, McKay deviates from the traditional form when he essentially splits the poem into two blocks of seven lines each. This split is readily apparent when examining the eighth line of the poem. In traditional sonnets, that line should be the conclusion to the second quatrain whereas in this poem it is the beginning of a new sentence and idea. The tone in each set of seven lines is also different. The first seven lines take on a critical and bleak view towards America. Yet while pessimism pervades through the second set of lines, one cannot help but notice the hope invoked in the last sentence with regard to priceless treasures out in the distance. It’s as if McKay has the same hope for America as he does for his poem: infusing good aspects of America’s time honored traditions with new ideas to make an even better product.

A sense of duality also seems to run through the actual content of McKay’s poem, especially during his description of America. Although the narrator personifies America to allow readers to more readily relate, we see two opposite extremes. On the one hand the humanly figure of America seems hateful with actions such as, “…stealing my breath of life…” He also describes America using water as a metaphor. He moves from the idea of tides flowing with vigor to the even more destructive example of a flood in order to best illustrate the magnitude of what he faces. McKay uses irony when describing himself as a rebel fronting a king in state. America has never had a king but for oppressed minorities it must surely have felt that way for many years. Likewise, the only way American’s ever received their own independence was by confronting a king. Yet the overwhelming sense of negativity never consumes the poem because the speaker knows that things can better. While the speaker acknowledges that it will not be easy and is at best a tenuous reality, he sees that there is the foundation for change when he looks towards the future. Though not very promising, it is the idea of change for the better that seems to allow him to “…love this cultured hell that tests my youth…”

Claude McKay is unique in his ability to weave a lifetime’s worth of black struggles into one simple sonnet. Yet the further we, as humans, delve into his poem, the more we can see that his story is one which many of us can relate to even in today’s society. While we have come a long way in our quest for a better America, we can strive to do better. Until this challenge has been met, Claude McKay’s poem will continue to serve as hopeful reminder of what is possible.

(613)

To An Athlete Dying Young

THE time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come, 5
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay, 10
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers 15
After earth has stopped the ears:

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man. 20

So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head 25
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.

A. E. Housman

Further Examination of Troy Maxson

I enjoyed the play Fences more than any other play we have read so far this year. Hamlet was pretty deep and intense at certain parts, but Shakespeare’s language was really confusing at certain parts and having to keep looking at the footnotes took away from the pleasure of reading the story. The major premise in A Doll’s House seemed trivial, but I have to acknowledge that the story took place many years before I was born and I am probably not fully acknowledging the difficulties of the time. Fences seems to be an authentic portrayal of the difficulties of some lives. No major event really happens in the story except for a family trying to survive which I guess can be considered a pretty big thing for most people. Everything in Fences revolves around Troy, and I think that I needed to take a closer look at his life and relationships.

My opinion on Troy changed throughout the novel. At the beginning, I thought he was a funny character just trying to do the best he can for his family. My disappointment in Troy grew after his stubbornness to let his son play football and his affair with Alberta. In order to get a better look at what he did in life, it is important to examine his own life. Troy had a terrible childhood. His father added no value to his life and probably brought about the cynicism Troy has towards the world. Because of his difficult upbringing, I try to compare Troy’s father to Troy to see how both situations turned out. Despite the different personalities, I am saddened by how similar a family situation Troy and his father have. While I believe Troy always had his families best interests at heart, his efforts did not bring about the type of success I think he would have liked to see. Like his father, he was unable to keep close bonds with his children. He was in jail during most of Lyons’s childhood and never seemed to give him due credit for his passion in music. Likewise he never has a great relationship with his other son Cory and eventually loses him after having a major argument. Even his relationship with his wife disintegrates though Troy is not nearly as cruel to his wife as his father was, and Rose turns out to be one of the stronger characters, staying with Troy even though she knows the marriage is hopeless. Troy gets duped into committing his brother to the hospital and does not live long enough to make a great impact in Raynell’s life.

Though Troy’s situation turns out to be somewhat tragic I applaud him for trying his best. He never had many opportunities in life due to his upbringing and he kept grinding it out. He stole for the sake of his family, and other times he worked hard to provide for his family. Everything he did for his Cory was with his best intentions in mind. Troy was scarred by the segregation he saw during his days in baseball and he just didn’t want his son to have to go through the same trials. Its easy to criticize him for being stubborn but the events he faced were probably significant enough to leave long term marks and its not as if racism didn’t exist. He tried to do the best he could for his brother, and I really believe that he did not understand what he was signing when he allowed his brother to be admitted. He must have been a great friend as well because Bono absolutely idolizes him, causing me to believe that there is plenty good about him. The biggest mistake I believe is the affair with Alberta. Everyone makes mistakes, but he was too stubborn to stop even after telling his wife and being confronted by his best friend. Again, he has probably had a more difficult life than anything I’ve ever faced so far, but he failed to realize that he wasn’t the only one facing a tough life. It may have been all Troy had to look forward to all week, but it also tore apart his family as Cory never had the same respect for his father and Rose only became a wife in name. Its amazing how that one decision impacted so many lives.

In the end, my opinion of Tony is relatively positive. He is far from perfect as can be seen through his many faults, but he tried to live his life the right way. However, my respect for Rose increases dramatically. In the beginning, I thought of her as a side character, but she turns out to be the strongest of them all from her ability to stay in the broken marriage to her raising of Raynell. The story may have been about Troy, but Rose makes the strongest impression on me.

(823)

Hamlet Subtext

SCENE IV. The Queen's closet.
Enter QUEEN Gertrude and POLONIUS
LORD POLONIUS
He will come straight. Look you lay home to him:
Tell him his pranks have been too broad to bear with,
And that your grace hath screen'd and stood between
Much heat and him. I'll sconce me even here.
Pray you, be round with him.

Polonius speaks in a manner of dominance as if he is much wiser than the Queen. He urges her to be firm with him and to make it clear that his decisions have been wrong through forceful gesticulations.

HAMLET
[Within] Mother, mother, mother!
Hamlet runs up to the door in a hurry after almost killing Claudius. As he knocks on the door he says his mother’s name with enthusiasm due to the energy rushing though him.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
I'll warrant you,
Fear me not: withdraw, I hear him coming.
Gertrude points to Polonius to hide behind the arras while whispering him to not worry because she has everything under control.
POLONIUS hides behind the arras
Enter HAMLET
HAMLET
Now, mother, what's the matter?
Hamlet begins the conversation in a slightly amused, almost joking manner.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.
It is clear from Gertrude’s tone that she does not consider this to be a trivial matter and she quickly lets him know how much the play has offended Claudius.
HAMLET
Mother, you have my father much offended.
Hamlet senses the severity of the topic and begins on his own offensive refusing to listen to his mother, while trying to make his own point. This shows how much the issue has really been bothering him.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.
Gertrude doesn’t fully understand what Hamlet is trying to imply so she tries to act motherly hoping to coax out a different attitude from Hamlet.

HAMLET
Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.
Hamlet shows he is not in the mood for these types of games with a very harsh message towards his mother. He clearly is here for business and is not going to hold back.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Why, how now, Hamlet!
Gertrude is hurt by Hamlet’s tone of voice and is basically questioning his attitude and view towards her.
HAMLET
What's the matter now?
Hamlet throws up his hands in an exasperated matter as he begins to dominate the conversation. He is just toying with her now as she seems to be on the defensive.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Have you forgot me?
As Gertrude cowers before him, she tries desperately to get Hamlet to remember that she is after all his mother. She feels that he should not be acting this way towards her.
HAMLET
No, by the rood, not so:
You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife;
And--would it were not so!--you are my mother.
In essence, Hamlet tells her that you are not who I thought you were or who I remember you to be. He makes it clear to remind her of the mistake he perceives her to have made. He points to the Heavens as he makes his last statement perhaps in reference to his father.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Nay, then, I'll set those to you that can speak.
Gertrude is getting tired of Hamlet’s act. She tries to show some courage by standing up to him and acting a bit sarcastic. She is trying to get him to change is tone of superiority.
HAMLET
Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge;
You go not till I set you up a glass
Where you may see the inmost part of you.
Hamlet keeps on the offensive as he takes a hold of her forcefully and drags her to a seat her desk. He goes to fetch a mirror nearby to hold in front of her and better emphasize his point.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me?
Help, help, ho!
Gertrude gets worried as Hamlet rummages around looking for his mirror. She panics a bit and calls out for help, especially after Hamlet does not answer her, because she thinks Hamlet is near insanity anyways.


LORD POLONIUS
[Behind] What, ho! help, help, help!
Lord Polonius had eagerly been listening behind thinking of how he can use this conversation to his advantage to get into a more favorable position with the king. As he sets off into a daydream of potentially curing Hamlet and winning his hand in marriage for his daughter, he is brought back to reality by Gertrudes claim. He stumbles around a bit behind the arras and mumbles his words.
HAMLET
[Drawing] How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!
Makes a pass through the arras
Hamlet had been expecting Claudius to somehow be involved in the plan. Sensing his failure earlier in the act to kill him, Hamlet is eager for redemption and now is the perfect opportunity because Claudius is alone. He drops his mirror, impulsively takes out his sword, and stabs straight for the outline he sees behind the arras in one clean motion.
LORD POLONIUS
[Behind] O, I am slain!
Falls and dies
Polonius clutches at his heart as he stumbles behind the arras. He drops to the ground as he begins to bleed from the mouth with his eyes wide open as he says his final lines and departs to the other world
QUEEN GERTRUDE
O me, what hast thou done?
In a flash Gertrude gets up in the confusion and shrieks out to Hamlet. Its like one of the scenes when someone knows what happens yet still has to ask what happened because the even is so traumatic. She knows Polonius is behind the curtain, but she can’t believe what just happened.
HAMLET
Nay, I know not:
Is it the king?
Upon sensing that he has killed someone, Hamlet is fully stunned. He cannot comprehend was has happened yet. His thoughts still remain on the king and his singular ambition of killing him.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
O, what a rash and bloody deed is this!
Gertrude is in a state of panic and hysteria. She rushes up to Hamlet as he holds her back and she begins to criticize him like a scared young child.



HAMLET
A bloody deed! almost as bad, good mother,
As kill a king, and marry with his brother.
Hamlet regains his senses and with it his disgust for his mother’s current situation. He immediately regains his cynic view and begins to lay into his mother.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
As kill a king!
Gertrude clearly cannot tell what Hamlet is talking about as she asks him this in a confused manner. She still does not understand where Hamlet is going with this because he has not said anything outright but only through subtle messages.
HAMLET
Ay, lady, 'twas my word.
Lifts up the array and discovers POLONIUS
Thou wretched, rash, intruding fool, farewell!
I took thee for thy better: take thy fortune;
Thou find'st to be too busy is some danger.
Leave wringing of your hands: peace! sit you down,
And let me wring your heart; for so I shall,
If it be made of penetrable stuff,
If damned custom have not brass'd it so
That it is proof and bulwark against sense.

Hamlet is confident that he finished his father’s wishes as he lifts the array. Upon finding that the dead body is of Polonius rather than Claudius’s, he begins a fit of anger. He turns his rage towards his mother as he begins to shaker her and then sets her down on her bed. He is yelling right in front of her.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
What have I done, that thou darest wag thy tongue
In noise so rude against me?
Gertrude has had enough with Hamlet and she wants some answers as to why his behavior has been so vile. She shakes off Hamlet’s arms and stands up to meet him face to face.

HAMLET
Such an act
That blurs the grace and blush of modesty,
Calls virtue hypocrite, takes off the rose
From the fair forehead of an innocent love
And sets a blister there, makes marriage-vows
As false as dicers' oaths: O, such a deed
As from the body of contraction plucks
The very soul, and sweet religion makes
A rhapsody of words: heaven's face doth glow:
Yea, this solidity and compound mass,
With tristful visage, as against the doom,
Is thought-sick at the act.
Hamlet turns his back and begins his words first in a sarcastic matter, only to begin responding with vigor. He is full of emotion because he loves his father so much and is truly angry at his mother. His main point of emphasize has been to pound on Hamlet’s mother for marrying Claudius.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Ay me, what act,
That roars so loud, and thunders in the index?

Gertrude is sick of Hamlet’s baseless accusations and she wants some answers. She throws down his words, and now she demands a proper explanation from Hamlet. She has left Hamlet with no choice but to say what he truly feels.
HAMLET
Look here, upon this picture, and on this,
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers.
See, what a grace was seated on this brow;
Hyperion's curls; the front of Jove himself;
An eye like Mars, to threaten and command;
A station like the herald Mercury
New-lighted on a heaven-kissing hill;
A combination and a form indeed,
Where every god did seem to set his seal,
To give the world assurance of a man:
This was your husband. Look you now, what follows:
Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear,
Blasting his wholesome brother. Have you eyes?
Could you on this fair mountain leave to feed,
And batten on this moor? Ha! have you eyes?
You cannot call it love; for at your age
The hey-day in the blood is tame, it's humble,
And waits upon the judgment: and what judgment
Would step from this to this? Sense, sure, you have,
Else could you not have motion; but sure, that sense
Is apoplex'd; for madness would not err,
Nor sense to ecstasy was ne'er so thrall'd
But it reserved some quantity of choice,
To serve in such a difference. What devil was't
That thus hath cozen'd you at hoodman-blind?
Eyes without feeling, feeling without sight,
Ears without hands or eyes, smelling sans all,
Or but a sickly part of one true sense
Could not so mope.
O shame! where is thy blush? Rebellious hell,
If thou canst mutine in a matron's bones,
To flaming youth let virtue be as wax,
And melt in her own fire: proclaim no shame
When the compulsive ardour gives the charge,
Since frost itself as actively doth burn
And reason panders will.

Hamlet takes out a picture of his father and picks up one of Claudius that is in the bedroom. He begins to favorably describe his father with tons of admiration in his voice. Afterwards, he describes Claudius in a negative manner and flings his portrait across the room in disgust. He then begins to criticize her while standing in front of her. He stresses his bitter words towards his mother and he speaks in a slow but loud voice for her to understand. He uses hand motions when appropriate such as pointing to his yes when necessary or his head.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
O Hamlet, speak no more:
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul;
And there I see such black and grained spots
As will not leave their tinct.

Gertrude understands what Hamlet is trying to tell her and has finally had enough. She turns her back towards him and begins to weep. She feels frail and weak and doesn’t have the energy to stand up to him, so she just pleads for him to let up.
HAMLET
Nay, but to live
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,
Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty,--

Now that Hamlet is on a role and has started his salvo, he doesn’t want to stop. He lowers his voice to a talk but still emphasizes the ending of his line such as enseamed bed and making love. He makes it sound as if Gertrude is a filthy, common woman taking part in despicable acts.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
O, speak to me no more;
These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears;
No more, sweet Hamlet!

She gets down on her knees and in an exaggerated manner begs of Hamlet to stop his barrage of criticism against her.

HAMLET
A murderer and a villain;
A slave that is not twentieth part the tithe
Of your precedent lord; a vice of kings;
A cutpurse of the empire and the rule,
That from a shelf the precious diadem stole,
And put it in his pocket!
Hamlet clearly ignores her warning and continues on as he if hasn’t heard anything. He is still disgusted wit his mother and speaks on as if nothing has happened.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
No more!
At this point Gertrude has very little strength to fight on and she is just moaning away on the floor pleading with Hamlet to stop.
HAMLET
A king of shreds and patches,--
Enter Ghost
Save me, and hover o'er me with your wings,
You heavenly guards! What would your gracious figure?

Once again Hamlet ignores her, but then suddenly stops after the Ghost appears from nowhere. This setback surprises Hamlet and he doesn’t realize his mother is in the room when he addresses the Ghost as if nobody else is there. He pauses and then says his lines in a surprised manner.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
Alas, he's mad!
Since Gertrude cannot see who Hamlet is talking to she thinks he is having one of his crazy episodes again and mutters her lines to no one in particular. She looks around and does not see anyone making her more convinced that he is indeed crazy.

HAMLET
Do you not come your tardy son to chide,
That, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by
The important acting of your dread command? O, say!
Hamlet acts startled and immediately tries to pacify the ghost as a young kid tries to do when they are in trouble. He tries to assure the ghost that he will get the job done and he appears as if he doesn’t want the ghost to be disappointed in him.

Ghost
Do not forget: this visitation
Is but to whet thy almost blunted purpose.
But, look, amazement on thy mother sits:
O, step between her and her fighting soul:
Conceit in weakest bodies strongest works:
Speak to her, Hamlet.

The Ghost is not concerned with Hamlet’s plea. He calmly hovers behind Gertrude and reminds Hamlet that he is not to be too physical with his mother. His goal is just to try to get her to realize her mistake but that he shouldn’t act in a disgraceful matter towards her and that it is up to the heavens to take care of her. He also takes great pains to remind Hamlet that his task is not done.

HAMLET
How is it with you, lady?

Hamlet tries reproaching his mother, this time with more sincerity. He offers her his hand in order to help her get back up.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
Alas, how is't with you,
That you do bend your eye on vacancy
And with the incorporal air do hold discourse?
Forth at your eyes your spirits wildly peep;
And, as the sleeping soldiers in the alarm,
Your bedded hair, like life in excrements,
Starts up, and stands on end. O gentle son,
Upon the heat and flame of thy distemper
Sprinkle cool patience. Whereon do you look?

She gets up without his help and backtracks a bit. She looks at him as if he was crazy. She is slightly scared because first he was angry and then he started talking to what seems like no one in particular. She makes sure to criticize him while keeping her distance so that he doesn’t try to attack her. She also says it in a sincere matter because she believes she is talking to a disturbed person.
HAMLET
On him, on him! Look you, how pale he glares!
His form and cause conjoin'd, preaching to stones,
Would make them capable. Do not look upon me;
Lest with this piteous action you convert
My stern effects: then what I have to do
Will want true colour; tears perchance for blood.

Hamlet points sharply to the air behind him, while trying to plead his care to his mother in a tone of don’t you believe me. He begins to outline him as he describes him to her.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
To whom do you speak this?
Gertrude is trying to act gentle with him clearly believing that he has lost it in his mind. She tries to embrace him in a tender manner.
HAMLET
Do you see nothing there?
Hamlet fights if off and continues to point to the air where Gertrude cannot see anything. With some tension in his voice he once again asks her whether or not she sees anything.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
Nothing at all; yet all that is I see.

Gertrude is perplexed and continues in a gentle manner though she finds this to be a waste of time now.

HAMLET
Nor did you nothing hear?
Hamlet is desperate for answers so he keeps probing her. He wants for her to see the ghost just like he did, possibly to reaffirm that what he is doing is the right thing.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
No, nothing but ourselves.

In an exasperated tone, Gertrude goes along and looks at where Hamlet is pointing only to see nothing. She clearly thinks Hamlet is toying with her or is very mad.

HAMLET
Why, look you there! look, how it steals away!
My father, in his habit as he lived!
Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal!
Exit Ghost
Hamlet is getting desperate now. He keeps wildly pointing to the same spot and he starts to describe him to her. As the ghost leaves he runs after it saying don’t you see him go.
QUEEN GERTRUDE
This the very coinage of your brain:
This bodiless creation ecstasy
Is very cunning in.

She dismisses his fantasy with the wave of her hand clearly believing he is not able to understand her. She sarcastically decides to praise him but she is really only trying to mock him.

HAMLET
Ecstasy!
My pulse, as yours, doth temperately keep time,
And makes as healthful music: it is not madness
That I have utter'd: bring me to the test,
And I the matter will re-word; which madness
Would gambol from. Mother, for love of grace,
Lay not that mattering unction to your soul,
That not your trespass, but my madness speaks:
It will but skin and film the ulcerous place,
Whilst rank corruption, mining all within,
Infects unseen. Confess yourself to heaven;
Repent what's past; avoid what is to come;
And do not spread the compost on the weeds,
To make them ranker. Forgive me this my virtue;
For in the fatness of these pursy times
Virtue itself of vice must pardon beg,
Yea, curb and woo for leave to do him good.

Now it is Hamlet who is on the defensive. As he tries to get his mother to believe that he is not crazy. He holds his hand to his heart and then goes on his rant. It is clear that he is trying to take a gentler approach yet at the same time he doesn’t want his mother to believe that everything that has just taken place simply occurred because Hamlet is mad otherwise it destroys the purpose of the meeting. He has a tone of desperation as he doesn’t want to be misunderstood as he tries to get his mother to repent.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain.

Gertrude is outraged by Hamlet’s suggestions. She is a bit sarcastic though as she says the last line.

HAMLET
O, throw away the worser part of it,
And live the purer with the other half.
Good night: but go not to mine uncle's bed;
Assume a virtue, if you have it not.
That monster, custom, who all sense doth eat,
Of habits devil, is angel yet in this,
That to the use of actions fair and good
He likewise gives a frock or livery,
That aptly is put on. Refrain to-night,
And that shall lend a kind of easiness
To the next abstinence: the next more easy;
For use almost can change the stamp of nature,
And either [ ] the devil, or throw him out
With wondrous potency. Once more, good night:
And when you are desirous to be bless'd,
I'll blessing beg of you. For this same lord,
Pointing to POLONIUS
I do repent: but heaven hath pleased it so,
To punish me with this and this with me,
That I must be their scourge and minister.
I will bestow him, and will answer well
The death I gave him. So, again, good night.
I must be cruel, only to be kind:
Thus bad begins and worse remains behind.
One word more, good lady.

Hamlet continues his gentle approach. He tries to make one last plea to his mother by using any good will he has left. He holds her hand and talks to her as softly as possible. He is really begging from the bottom of his heart. He starts off and then continues getting faster with his voice as if he is agreeing with himself and wants to get his words out as quickly as possible so that his mother will listen. He lets go of his mother and then points to the body and acknowledges that he has committed a sin for which he will need to pay. He warns his mother though that there will be a little more bloodshed.

QUEEN GERTRUDE
What shall I do?
His mother seems sincere when she asks this question. She really wants to believe her son but she doesn’t know how to keep that from Claudius.

HAMLET
Not this, by no means, that I bid you do:
Let the bloat king tempt you again to bed;
Pinch wanton on your cheek; call you his mouse;
And let him, for a pair of reechy kisses,
Or paddling in your neck with his damn'd fingers,
Make you to ravel all this matter out,
That I essentially am not in madness,
But mad in craft. 'Twere good you let him know;
For who, that's but a queen, fair, sober, wise,
Would from a paddock, from a bat, a gib,
Such dear concernings hide? who would do so?
No, in despite of sense and secrecy,
Unpeg the basket on the house's top.
Let the birds fly, and, like the famous ape,
To try conclusions, in the basket creep,
And break your own neck down.

Hamlet pretty much says do whatever you want except for sleep with that vile man. He lists a bunch of indecent activities in order to try to get her to recoil in shame. He says that its better for her to admit the truth of what she really thinks of Claudius then to keep up in this sham.



QUEEN GERTRUDE
Be thou assured, if words be made of breath,
And breath of life, I have no life to breathe
What thou hast said to me.

Gertrude turns and says that she is not strong enough to stand up to Claudius. She cannot face Hamlet when she says this because she realizes how week she is.

The Road Not Taken

TWO roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth; 5

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same, 10

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I marked the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way
I doubted if I should ever come back. 15

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference. 20

Robert Frost

Thank Zeus Antigone is Dead

Unfortunately for all (most of all me) it is my turn to write a blog and allow others to comment on it. My blogs are not nearly as funny as Jimmy Steeby’s or as brilliant as Greg Peirs’s. In fact they are not very entertaining at all, and I think the only reason why Mr. Coon comments on them is to make me feel good about myself.

Anyways, I’m getting kind of sick of Sophocles. Though we only had to read two-thirds of the Theban plays, I feel like I’ve learned all I need to know about him: he really enjoyed screwing the characters of his story. Just look at Oedipus for more proof on my brilliant theory. “Antigone” brings up some great discussions on right versus right. I’ve been surprised though by the stance that most people seem to take towards Creon and Antigone. I fully believe Antigone deserves the fair share of blame for what has happened.

First of all, Thebes has been really lacking in the king department. They lost their King to an act of road rage which was probably brought upon by the King himself. Then when it appears as if the city has found its savior in Oedipus, we find out that he has a great deal of problems, which he can only deal with by gouging out his eyes. It turns out Oedipus’s kids are just as messed up as he is as they can not even properly share the throne. I do not know how the older brother, Polynices, loses the throne as he is supposed to be the rightful heir, but to me that displays a lack of leadership on some level. Then the younger brother, Eteocles, displays some terrible judgment by simply banishing the brother. Did he not think that Polynices would not come back for revenge? He should have finished him off if he wanted to avert trouble. Predictably, Polynices comes back with an army and Eteocles and Polynices manage to kill each other. I just hope they didn’t have duel like they did in Troy where both armies just sit still and watch their leaders have a go at it. By the time Creon comes to power, I do not blame him for being so decisive as the city really needs some strong leadership.

Sure, Creon may not have made the soundest law when he declared that nobody could give Pohynices a proper burial, but let us not forget that Polynices just tried to take over Thebes. If I am a regular citizen of Thebes, I would be pissed with Polynices right now considering he felt it was necessary to kill Thebans just to get back a city he lost. I don’t blame Creon for making the law as once Polynices attacked the city he essentially became a foreigner. Some people will argue that he was still family, but to that I say that its probably better of not having a family member who wants to kill his own siblings. Creon put the feelings of the city ahead of his own personal agenda which is what a ruler needs to do. Others wouild argue that Creon had no authority making this law because it contradicted with the will of the gods. To that, I say I am sick of the Gods imposing their will on helpless humans. The Gods are hardly of better moral authority than most humans considering the shady history that many of them have. Now my opinion on the own matter may be a bit biased because I have always been a strong proponent for the separation of church and state, and I feel that Thebes is no acceptance. One of the things I do not like is that the Gods do not judge cases individually. For example, even though Oedipus killed his father, I do not think he should have been punished for it as he seemed to be acting purely out of self defense. As some may point out, religion played a large part in Greek culture to which I must say that is it really worth praying to a God who seems to treat one’s enemies the same as oneself. I mean if Zeus really wants to allow Polynices to travel to some special place where his soul can relax, why does he have to be covered in dirt for that to happen, but maybe that’s just the anti-authoritarian side of me speaking.

So let’s just say that Antigone just had to bury Polynices to let her self sleep better at night. Well I’m fine with that, but then she should have accepted her punishment. I don’t like the fact that I can only drive 65 MPH on the 51, but it is a law. If I get caught going over the speed limit, I should rightfully be punished. Unfortunately, Antigone has no problem breaking the law but she can’t accept the punishment which has clearly been laid out. I would have had much more respect for her if she had just accepted the penalty as opposed to bringing up the fact that she is essentially his daughter in law. She just lost any respectability she had with me. Also, I wish Ismene did not wuss out at first but then try to accept responsibility once the act had already been committed. The only purpose this served was to annoy Antigone, Creon, and me.

Ultimately, I feel bad for Creon. He turned out to have a weak son who chose Antigone over his family but failed to realize that Antigone had chosen her family as priority. I do not blame Creon for enforcing his laws because otherwise he would have no standing among the citizens of his nations. Then Creon’s wife blamed Creon for both of the deaths even though she failed to consider that the first son was killed by Polynices and that Creon had just taken steps to not dishonor the memory of the dead Thebans. Maybe I just really feel strongly against religion invading our everyday lives or maybe I’m just sick of Sophocles but I feel as if this story gave me a lot to rant about even if not of it makes much sense.

1050

Relationships, Money, and Apples

Like Tolstoy’s “The Death of Ivan Illych,” Kafka’s short story “The Metamorphosis,” is short on action but long on thought provoking ideas. The most exciting part of the story happens to take place in the first line of the story. That being said, I guess I am supposed to have reached an age where I should enjoy these types of stories more. While that isn’t to say that I did not enjoy the novel, I still wish something a little exciting could have happened. One thing that is clear is that Kafka put a lot of his feelings about humanity into this book.

The similarities between “The Metamorphosis” and Kafka’s life are definitely noteworthy. Both Gregor and Franz had overbearing fathers, weak mothers, sisters who eventually betrayed their brother, and jobs which they disliked but endured for the sake of their respective families. Kafka suffered from depression and this gave him a bleak outlook on humanity which is expressed throughout the novel. It seems as if no matter what Gregor does for his family, it is not enough. For five years he has been busting his chops in order to pay back some loans taken out by his family even though he does not really like his job. His hard work allows for his father to sit around all day, for his mother to hire a maid, and for his sister to do mostly anything that pleases her. As long as Gregor was making some money his family had no problems with him. The minute he turns into a bug, forcing the others to work they quickly forget about all of his contributions. Kafka’s bleak view on human relationships is quite evident: you are only valued as long as you are of some use. Within a matter of weeks, the family forgets Gregor’s years of hard work just because they are all forced to find work. They become disgruntled because now they have to provide for themselves and Gregor even though he hardly takes up any resources.

Kafka’s story also brings up another important point that humanity revolves around money. In the beginning of the novel, it is clear that Gregor does not enjoy his job, yet he continues to do so in order to pay the bills his family’s lifestyle accumulates. In fact one of Kafka’s main points of disgust was that he felt that writing could not provide enough income to live a comfortable life. After Gregor’s metamorphosis the whole family is forced to take on jobs and their views on each other versus Gregor grows in relation to the amount of money they make compared to him. Nevertheless, the money the rest of Gregor’s family earns still isn’t enough and they are forced to take a subservient position in order to make ends meet. Gregor is forced to sacrifice his own life in order to show his family that there is more to life than just money. Only then does his family take time to step back and realize what is really important in life.

Kafka’s short story raises some interesting points in relation to human bonds and people’s obsession with money. In fact these issues are still apparent today. Money drives the American economy, often putting us into bad situations. Another example is how politicians make promises to millions of people, which they renege the minute they get into power. After writing this blog and expressing some of my idea’s the only major question that still remains is how Gregor’s father pierce a tough exoskeleton with an apple. With a live arm like that, I’m sure the Yankees wouldn’t mind giving him a try.

(608)

Ilych and the greedy, self-serving Russian culture

I just want to start off by saying that “The Death of Ivan Ilych” was quite a long story. The author could have cut out about ten pages and still have given the same message, as nothing really happens for most of the story except for Ilych lying down and either complaining about his life or coming to the understanding that his life he lived was unfulfilling. That being said, I believe Tolstoy includes some cultural criticism which can not be overlooked. While most of my peers like to continually bash Ilych, I don’t blame him as much as I do the society of which he is apart of.

Ilych displays a trait, which is found in everyone of the bourgeois culture of Russia: self-interest. While that does not mean that people do not need to look out for themselves, Ilych takes it too far. Just like everyone else, his whole life is consumed with trying to get into the upper class society. An example of this is how he tries to decorate his house as do the upper class (a task he truly believes he succeeds in), only to be slammed by the narrator for making a house similar to most other houses. In his effort to become unique he becomes just like everyone else. In the process, he loses sight of the importance of human relationships. As Ilych sits on his deathbed he comes to the realization that he does not have any true friends, and most of his closest “friends” and family are only looking for ways they will gain from his death. For example, each friend thinks of how their life will be better once Ilych is finally dead, and his wife’s main concern is how to milk the most amount of money out of her husband’s death.

The sad part about this whole ordeal is that Ilych would not come to this conclusion without the help of his only true companion. Every time thoughts on his relationships come up, he pushes them aside until he meets Gerasim. Ironically, the only person who understands and empathizes with Ivan is a servant from the lower classes. While the rest of his family and friends try to stay away from him or act in a superficial manner, Gerasim actually listens to and tries to comfort Ivan. Through Gerasim’s feelings and sacrifices, Ilych is able to see what he has been missing his whole life.

Ivan Ilych is not entirely to blame for his problems. The culture in which he grew up in prompted a change in his ideas as can be seen when the narrator claims “all the enthusiasms of childhood and youth passed without leaving much trace on him…” (287). Indeed, Ilych’s fondest memories are from his childhood and he really cannot find much to love in his adult life. This suggests that Russia’s problems at that time went deeper than just one man. Tolstoy despised the attitudes of a new generation of materialistic, self-centered Russians, which was probably the reason why he fled that type of lifestyle to go live out in the country. Tolstoy is left with no choice but to voice his displeasure through the use of his artistic gifts.

(536)

The End of Love, Time, and Cholera

Finishing books always leaves me a bit sad inside. I guess after investing so much time and energy, I feel like I have become a part of the story and know the characters intimately. With that being said, I had an especially difficult time ending Love in the Time of Cholera. For some reason, Florentino’s pursuits and Fermina’s mood swings left me entranced, and I seem to have a void (which will probably be gone with in a few minutes).

Though magical realism plays a large role in this novel, I felt that there were plenty of realistic aspects throughout the novel. One of the aspects of life Marquez best portrayed was marriage. Dr. Urbino sums it up best when he says, “Always remember that the most important thing in a good marriage is not happiness, but stability” (300). Maybe I’m a cynic, but I do not believe that every person ends up marrying the person he or she truly loves. Often times there are certain advantages to getting married, and the love eventually increases over time. In addition, Marquez also portrays the constant mother in law/wife tensions which are sure to keep any man on his toes, and Dr. Urbino tries his best to appease both sides, often not really helping out either. In addition, Marquez remarked how Fermina’s children took up the majority of her time and that this was something Dr. Urbino eventually had to get used. I see the same thing in my own family, as I know that my sister and I come first to both of my parents. That’s not to say that Dr. Urbino and Fermina did not have any love. Their love was just different from that of a character like Florentino in that it was based on more than just passion.

While I liked Marquez’s representation of marriage, a few aspects of Florentino ended up disappointing me. I think he acted very selfishly when he ended up using too many women in his singular drive for Fermina. Sometimes his actions were ok, but other times lead to disastrous consequences. One example I remember is his rendezvous with Olympia Zuleta. While the whole she gets killed by her husband part isn’t entirely his fault, (how could she not remember she had pain on her body?) the way in which he acts after that is terrible. Instead of feeling remorse, he is only scared that he will get killed, or worse—that Fermina will find out about his love affair. In addition, Florentino seems to show little grief when America dies, failing to consider that he is not the only person who can be madly in love with others. Also, his attempts at winning over Fermina’s heart are cheapened in my eyes when he sends that slanderous article regarding Dr. Urbino and a love affair.

In the end, Love in the Time of Cholera starts just as it began: having elements of love, time, and death. All three are essential parts of the human experience though it’s nice to see the contrast between the two scenes. A love ends in the first section, only to have its place taken by a more passionate love in the last chapter. A couple learns to ward off the ravages of time, something Jeremiah de Saint-Amour was too scared to do. Fermina Daza learns to accept and move on from a death seen in the first chapter. In the end, Marquez’s novel can be seen as encouragement to keep on living life because you never know what can happen. (599)


Excuse my blog for being late, apparently I misunderstood you in class and I thought you had said our blog is due sometime during the week.

Love in Love in the Time of Cholera

I find Love in the Time of Cholera to be a much more enjoyable read than The Sound and the Fury, though that should not take anything away from Faulkner’s work. The story line has been captivating enough that I usually have to force myself to not get ahead of the assigned reading. I thought that the discussion in class today was particularly interesting, and after listening to others and taking a little more time to reflect on the work, I have decided to write about my views on love in the story.

Starting in chronological order, Florentino is the first to fall in love just by laying eyes upon Fermina. Some people are skeptical as to whether or not he really loves her based on first glance, but I believe that if a person truly loves someone they will find out relatively quickly. Usually there is just something about a person that makes them attractive to someone else, and I think Florentino found it quickly. He seems really passionate about Fermina as can be seen through his letters written to her and the way he feels about her such as his willingness to die and endure jail time. Another interesting debate the class had is whether or not Florentino is obsessed with Fermina or really in love with her. In regards to pure romantic love, I believe that in order to truly love the other person you must be somewhat obsessed with him or her as is the case with Florentino. However, I do not believe Florentino takes his obsession to the extreme, and I applaud for him for his continued loyalty toward Fermina.

Next, I want to move on to Dr. Urbino because he is the exact opposite of Florentino. Florentino is proactive in his love, whereas Dr. Urbino is content to let his love grow over time. Personally, I do not like Dr. Urbino’s point of view and I am disappointed that he married her due to “some vanity on his part.” I think that he only likes her because she is beautiful, and he did not seem to have the same attraction towards her that Florentino had. I feel like he does not really deserve Fermina, and that she only marries him due to his social standing. Indeed Fermina does not really seem to like anything about him, and only gives into the marriage because he has been so persistent. I am glad to know that by the end of his life he can say he loves Fermina. In the end, the readers find out that he really did love Fermina, it’s just that he went about acquiring his love in a different way that Florentino. Neither way is right, but if my personal opinion, I prefer Florentino’s way, no matter how unrealistic and idealistic it may appear.

The biggest mystery in the story appears to be Fermina’s feelings. I really find it difficult to interpret who she loves. When she was with Florentino, she never really let herself go emotionally in her letters. I believe she began to grow more attracted towards him, but she never felt a strong emotional attachment as can be seen by the ease with which she breaks off the relationship. The same can be said about her relationship with Dr. Urbino. As mentioned above, she does not really give a good reason for marrying him, and it seems odd that she agrees to marry him at the height or her annoyance with him. It feels as if she just accepted his proposal just to get marriage out of the way so that her father and Dr. Urbino would not keep bothering her about it. During the marriage, I never got the sense that Fermina is as devoted to Dr. Urbino as he is to her. For example, she was ready to move out of the house due to a petty argument over soap. I am really interested in finding about more about Fermina and her interactions with Florentino after the death of Dr. Urbino. I feel that these interactions will give us a better understanding as to her true character.

(699)

Jason Compson: A Closer Look

Generally, when someone thinks the following thought: “Once a bitch always a bitch…” we can assume the character is not a very likable one. Indeed, Jason Compson does have his fair share of problems. He is sexist, racist, and terribly mean to Benjy—his only sibling left surviving and pretty much everyone around him. Yet despite his flaws, I believe we need to take a minute to look at some of the reasons for his behavior and some of his finer aspects.

From a very young age we can see some of the meanness in Jason’s spirit such as when he destroys the dolls that Caddy and Benjy were playing with. Yet, by examining Jason’s childhood from the limited information we are given, it seems as if he really did not receive much attention from anyone. Quentin and Caddy were a few years older than him and they had already established their own special bond. Benjy received attention from everyone especially Caddy, but that is in large part due to his condition. Father grew progressively worse due to his drinking problem, and his mother was too selfish to think about anyone other than herself. Seeing as how his mother is his favorite character, it is not surprising he follows along her path. Another example of the lack of attention given to Jason is the fact that the family sold Benjy’s pasture of land in order to pay for Quentin’s college but never seemed to do anything significant for Jason. Jason also has to deal with the heartbreak of being promised a job that gets taken away from him due to his sister’s actions. The heartbreak from that moment is enough to make any young person bitter.

Taking everything into account, Jason still provides for the rest of his family. He has grudgingly taken in Quentin (though not without some personal gain himself), and he has been there for mother the most out of anyone in the family. Sure the family may be a bit dysfunctional, but Jason was the only one willing to endure the pain which may be part of what caused him to become hard. Quentin became overly concerned about what others would think of his family without stopping to think of what impact his death would have on the rest of the family. Caddy managed to act out by becoming promiscuous, without managing to think about the effect it would have on her and the rest of the family. Caddy’s situation has become so bad that she cannot even keep Quentin with her. Father eventually drank himself to an early death, forcing Jason to take charge of the house. If it weren’t for him, it is quite possible that his mother and Benjy would not have any place to live. Also, while Jason acts cynically towards mother, it is important to note that he listens to her for the most part, and he must have done something right to earn her love and respect.

Is Quentin a good character? Even I would have a hard time saying yes to that question. Yet it is important to note that he has been burdened with the expectations of providing for the family for a good portion of his career, while not receiving some of the same benefits as his other siblings. In the end, he is there fore his family, which is something that can not be said for any other Compson.

(573)

The Sound and the Fury Part I

Reading The Sound and the Fury is both enjoyable and frustrating. Its nice to read a book that challenges us; however, because the book is so confusing it takes a very long time just to read a little bit and even then there is the feeling of not understanding everything the way Faulkner intended.

From the first two sections it’s clear that Candance Compson (Caddy) plays a large role. She arguably is the main character in the novel even though we never hear directly from her. Falkner’s decision to not give Caddy a section to narrate is fascinating because it forces the readers to make opinions of her based on her actions and the views of others around her. From her childhood, Caddy’s interactions with the family suggest her nature as she grows older. She cares for Benjamin Compson (Benjy) at a young age, essentially doing the job her mother should be doing. Benjy forges a relationship with Caddy that becomes problematic as Caddy grows older. When Caddy gets her undergarments muddy and takes off her dress, Quentin Compson tries to force Caddy to put her dress back on. This signifies the beginning of Quentin’s attempts to conform Caddy to the traditional Southern values. Since Caddy’s relationship is close to both Benjy and Quentin, she dominates their thoughts. Caddy’s growing up presents a problem to both Benjy and Quentin though for different reasons. As Caddy grows up, it means she has less time to spend with Benjy. Also, Caddy’s maturation conflicts with Quentin’s ideals for her because her promiscuity leads her to make several choices Quentin does not agree with. One symbol that seems to follow Caddy around everywhere is water. Water traditionally symbolizes purity, and it’s ironic to juxtapose the water against Caddy. Caddy’s troubles start off when she enters the water against her brother’s orders. In addition, she is able to successfully use water to rub off her perfume and her kiss to appease Benjy. Losing her virginity is a turning point. She is not able to simply “wash away” her sin and eventually runs away to the river lying down where it all began for the reader. In effect, her life has taken a full circle and landed right back in the same spot though under much different circumstances.

Faulkner intended for each reader to have to make their own opinion on Caddy. She seems disillusioned with the crumbling world in which she lives in, and I do not blame her. Her mother is a selfish, hypochondriac and her father is too weak to do anything but drink. She tries to escape the false sense of pride and superficiality of the era through any means possible, even at the expense of Benjy and Quentin. It is unfortunate that she is forced to make a compromise and marry the conniving Sydney Herbert Head. In the end she is not strong enough to totally leave her family, but losing her virginity planted the seeds of disillusionment which ultimately finish up whatever was left of the once proud Compson family. I am interested to get the full picture of Caddy through the views of Jason and Dilsey and wrap up the loose ends surrounding her.

(535)

The Things They Carried

It is debatable as to whether or not “The Things They Carried” even has a plot. In the traditional sense, the story lacks a defining story line. Instead the novel contains a central incident and a bunch of descriptions which go beyond what a plot could offer in portraying Tim O’Brien’s views on war.

One of the first things O’Brien does is differentiate between members of Cross’s group. Each person has a slightly different load meant to complement his particular skill set and situation. For example, Henry Dobbins, a large man, often carried extra rations, and Kiowa carried an illustrated copy of the New Testament and an old hunting hatchet. The personalization is important because it humanizes each individual during the trying time of war. Too often, the army is referred to as a unit without regards for each individual.

I enjoyed the way Tim O’Brien was so precise and meticulous with his descriptions of each piece of equipment each soldier had. He often goes as far as to describe how much a weapon weights when loaded or unloaded and how much a couple of letters weigh. The exactness of weight in each item can be juxtaposed again the immeasurable weight each soldier holds in the form of feelings. For Lieutenant Jimmy Cross, his feelings come in the form of a deep love, almost lust, for Marta. Yet it is not so much the love that is as important as the fact that Martha serves as an escape for O’Brien. He uses Martha to stay human during the craziness of a war which he did not know why he was fighting for. With the loss of Lavender, Cross severs his connection to the outside world which he had forged through Martha. Lavender’s death was the turning point that sucked him into the bleak landscape of war as evidenced by his change after Lavender’s death. Cross unnecessarily blames himself for being a “coward” by trying to escape his reality and in the process losing a comrade.This plays onto the idea of courage felt by most of the soldiers. Each of the soldiers could have called quits by refusing to move or by intentionally injuring himself. From speaking to my cousin who went to war, the main reason soldiers continue on is for the friendships each person builds within his or her unit throughout the war. In “The Things They Carried,” Cross feels cowardly because he did not devote his full time to his troops and could be blamed of trying to escape physiologically as opposed to physically.

The central incident in “The Things They Carried,” is one that does not receive a lot of time in the story. Lavender’s death is referred to many times throughout the story including the beginning and ending. The reference to his death occurred so quickly and unexpectedly in the story, just as it did in real life. One minute we are reading about Lavender’s death and just as quickly the topic moves towards superstition. The lack of mention of Lavender’s death should not be unnoticed. The effect of Lavender’s death on Cross is apparent, but it also affected other members of the unit including Kiowa who questions himself after he realizes he does not feel the grief Cross feels. In this way, O’Brien humanizes the soldiers by showing how hard death can be even for trained experts such as those of the army.

573

Harrison Bergeron

The central theme of “Harrison Bergeron” is not entirely difficult to comprehend. Kurt Vonnegut Jr. uses his short story to satirize the notion of an egalitarian society in what could be considered a warning for the many aspects of American society including the government, the consumer, or the education system. Through his use of narration and characterization, Vonnegut is able to create an absurd world which forces the reader to determine the important aspects of the story.

Vonnegut’s use of third person narration plays an important role throughout the short story. Viewing the story from the eyes of someone detached from the event makes sure we see each character through the same lens and it also ensures that we do not get attached to any one character because they all bring different views to the story. The narrator’s reliability comes into question with statements such as, “Harrison tore the straps of his handicap harness like wet tissue paper, tore straps guaranteed to support five thousand pounds” (56) and the description of Harrison and his “empress” defying gravity while dancing. The narrator’s unreliability adds to the Vonnegut’s idea of the absurd. Vonnegut’s presentation of the story in such illogical terms allows him to fully maximize his point on the dangers of total government control throughout the story. Placing the story 120 years into the future allows readers to accept many of Vonnegut’s premises throughout the story. Another important aspect of narration is the limited knowledge of the narrator. This allows Vonnegut to make his point without having to deal with obvious holes and other pertinent issues. For example, if everybody was finally equal, then why does not everybody have handicaps to prevent them from seeing, hearing, or even walking? Another important issue Vonnegut does not have to deal with is income distribution or government services. During the 1960s, tensions were at an all time high with the Soviet Union, and Vonnegut’s exclusion of wealth management allows him to skirt around a potential controversy.

Each of the characters also adds a different dimension to the story. George and Hazel seem to represent opposite ends of the spectrum. Hazel represents the view of the weak who are often the first people to be at a disadvantage in the real world. While weak characters are often thought of as the sympathetic characters, in the year 2081 she is clearly at an advantage because the gap has been closed. Instead the reader is forced to feel sorry for George because of the extensive handicaps he must wear just because he was born naturally gifted. In many cases, strong characters receive very little sympathy but Vonnegut was able to turn the tables in this instince. The duo of Diana Moon Glampers and Harrison Bergeron work much in the same way. Often times Glampers is seen to be the evil character in the story, but it is important to note that Harrison is not a great moral character either as can be seen by his conduct pertaining to the musicians. Once he escapes from prison, his intentions are to rule the world are shown when he claims, “‘I am the Emperor!’… ‘Do you hear? I am the Emperor! Everybody must do what I say at once!’…” (54). Bergeron serves as a warning as to what is possible in a world where people have too much freedom. On the other hand, Glampers is in a position where she is in charge of taking away freedom from people and keeping them repressed. The contrast between Harrison and Glampers can serve as a caution as to what happens when people have too much freedom or too little freedom.

Vonnegut’s story could be viewed as a warning sign for the American society of the 1960s; however, many of his same messages can be applied to our times. A recent Time article highlighted the glaring lack of resources gifted children receive when compared to the average child. Now more than ever, there seems to be an endless supply of television commercials implying that it is only cool to dress and act a certain way. American rights are slowly eroding as we continue to fight the global war on terror. It is during these times such as ours that we can really appreciate the message Vonnegut sent over 40 years ago.

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Choices

Another interesting slate of stories, where choices the characters made seemed to be defining moments within each story. To start it of with “A&P,” I understand some people’s thinking when they support Sammy’s decision to quit his job abruptly because Lengel is giving the young girls a hard time about their attire. They believe that if Sammy wants to find his own identity, he needs to leave the regulated confines of A&P or risk turning into Stokesie. Yet I feel Sammy’s decision was a poor one. Lengel had every right to reprimand the girls because as manager of the store he has to watch out its best interest. While girls walking around in bathing suits doesn’t seem to be a big issue, it could potentially upset some of A&P’s older customers. Older customers tend to provide more revenue than the occasional shopping trip by teenagers. With that being said, Sammy’s decision is irresponsible regardless of whether or not Lengel’s decision was right or wrong. From the story we can infer that Sammy’s family really needs the money and even Sammy goes on to regret what he said. If Sammy was so concerned about becoming just another mindless worker, he should have had the foresight to search around for other opportunities instead of putting his family in a tough situation.

In the story “Revelation,” it takes another girls actions to make Mrs. Turpin realize her mistake. Yet even then, I do not see any great changes in Mrs. Turpin’s character. During her “revelation” she describes it as, “And bringing up the end of the procession was a tribe of people whom she recognized at once as those who, like herself and Claud, had always had a little of everything and the God-given wit to use it right…They were marching behind the others with great dignity, accountable as they had always been for good order and common sense and respectable behavior. They alone were the key.” From this view on Mrs. Turpin’s revelation, it seems as if she still believes that she is of a higher class than “white trash,” black people, and the “battalions of freaks and lunatics.” Mrs. Turpin’s beliefs are so ingrained in her, I find it hard to believe that the incident she faced really changed her opinion especially considering the way her vision takes place. Because I do not have much understanding of the Bible, I may be more skeptical than others when it comes to believing in Mrs. Turpin’s sudden conversion into a believer of equality.

From my understanding, Flannery O’Connor was a devout Christian. Her beliefs in Christianity seemed to pervade throughout her short stories. In the story “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the Misfit and the grandmother are direct contrast of each other though not in the way most people would assume them to be. The grandmother comes across as insincere and selfish. For example, she wants her family to go Tennessee as opposed to Florida, she dresses properly so that people will recognize her as a lady when she dies, and she lies about a house in order to get her family to listen to her. She complains about everyone else but fails to notice her own. Ironically, she doesn’t want to visit Florida in part because the Misfit is headed towards there, but her actions lead her right to the Misfit. The Misfit may seem to be the morally wrong character, but he is able to accept himself when he says, “Nome, I ain’t a good man…but I ain’t the worst in the world neither.” When he dies and reaches his judgment, he will have a better understanding of himself than does the grandma. In O’Connor’s eyes this makes the Misfit a more devout Christian than the grandma, who only remembers Jesus during her times of difficulty.

In “Cathedral,” the narrator does not enjoy the prospect of Robert coming to visit him and his wife. Due to selfish reasons, he is a bit hesitant about Robert coming over. He feels that his wife will spend too much time with Robert, and he is also apprehensive about taking care of a blind man feeling it will be too much work. From the story, we also learn the narrator has few friends, doesn’t like his work, and seems to use marijuana as an escape mechanism. Yet it is his decision to talk to Robert, which potentially changes his life. As he tries to help Robert get a better understanding of a cathedral he seems to get a better understanding of himself in a way he never thought possible. By making the choice to help a blind man, the narrator receives more help from Robert than he could have ever imagined.

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Mr. Coon, sorry for not posting my blog yesterday. I figured I would do it after I came back from my JLP trip, but I was so tired that I came home and literally slept the moment I got back home.

The Crazy, Spoiled, and Selfish

One thing I noticed was that the first few stories seemed to present characters in a demeaning light. In “A Rose for Emily,” the character Emily Grierson appears to be (and probably is) crazy especially after the “O. Henry ending.” At first I felt revulsion towards Emily for her sick actions; however, after the in class discussion I tried to examine her character beyond a shallow level. Her upbringing by her father inspires a sense of pity because it seems as if she never got a chance to find a man on her own. Therefore, even though Homer Barron seems like an especially poor choice for her because he seems to be the exact opposite of what her father would have liked, it can be inferred that she liked Homer to spite her father’s memory. With her background in mind, it seems as if she wanted to hang on to Homer no matter what it took (in this case killing him). Her arrogance compelled her to believe she was above everyone else and that the killing was justified. Nevertheless, I find her actions disgusting. She has no excuse for what she did. Upon reflecting on the title of the story, I believe the “rose” symbolizes the visits of the townspeople to Emily’s house. By mourning for her in which cases flowers could be brought, they finally come to terms with the true depths of Emily’s sufferings and are able to view her in a different perspective.

The short story “Everyday use” does not evoke any sense of pity for Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo (Dee). Being family orientated, it is disappointing to me that she never fully found a way to understand her family. When she was younger, it was still understandable for her to not fully accept her family as every child has something to be ashamed of. After her education, she should have a deeper appreciation for what her mother and sister have done for them. Instead she comes to their house, and expects them to go out of their way to please her. The love she shows for her family and heritage is on a superficial level. I particularly dislike how she just feels she is entitled to anything she wants from the house such as when she simply informs her mom that she is taking the churn and dasher. I hope she eventually comes to her senses and repents for the way she has acted. I am glad the narrator of the story finally stood up for her daughter Maggie though it seems a bit disappointing it took so long for her to realize her daughter’s struggles. In addition, Maggie deserves some of the blame for not being a strong enough character though the way she has been treated her whole life makes her a somewhat sympathetic character.

In “Teenage Wasteland,” the character Donny is as lazy and spoiled as they come. I fully credit the parents for trying their level best to help their son though maybe they should not have yielded as much control to Cal as they did. It is easy to criticize the parents looking back in time, but the tutor did tell the parents not to interfere and Donny showed positive results in the beginning. I am disgusted by the way Cal duped the parents. It seems as if he just used the kids to hang out with and to forget about his own misery but charged exorbitant amounts of money to render this service. One character who did not get the attention she deserved in the story (or in the class discussion) is Donny’s sister. If the parents did make a mistake, it was by not giving their daughter enough attention just to deal with their son’s problem. In the end, the parents lose both of their children. Ironically enough they lose one child because they gave him too much attention, and they lose their other child by not giving her enough attention.

Mina Das is presented in such a selfish light that is difficult to find any good in her. Even I have a hard time understanding how she can act this way towards her family, particularly her children. One thing that should not be overlooked is Mina’s childhood. She never received love, and it seems that because of this she is not able to properly love her family. While I am not saying her actions, particularly her selfishness, are inexcusable, I believe the it is important that the author includes this information. It helps to put Mina’s woes and feelings into perspective and show how important family bonds can be.

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The Essential Human Need

For books to connect well with people, the characters must be well thought out and given human characteristics. In Tobias Wolff’s first novel, Old School, he attempts to portray a narrator starting with his final year in a New England prep school. The school is noted for its literary prowess with examples such as, “If the school had a snobbery it would confess to, this was its pride in being a literary place…” (Wolff 5). Enhancing the reputation of the school was the fact that three important literary figures come to visit the school each year. The seniors of the school would compete for the distinction to meet one of these figure by writing and submitting pieces of literature which were then judged by the author. These competitions play a key role as Wolfe starts his novel during the beginning of the first stage of the competition to meet the famed poet Robert Frost.

Throughout the novel, Wolff tries to flesh out his character by examining an aspect of life everyone struggles with: the search for a true identity. It is important to note that the author never reveals the narrators name or any significant details about the author’s description or past history. In a way this helps to signify to the reader, that the narrator has not come to grips with his character. The narrator’s lack of identity also seems to hinder him from making friends. Remarks such as “Nobody got along better, even if real friendship eluded us” (Wolff 13) and the vague descriptions of the other characters help to show the speakers difficulty in making lasting relationships.

The narrator struggles with the idea of conforming to the school’s environment while still trying to build up his own identity. An example of this contrast can be seen by the way he hides his family history and religion. Though the school is not blatantly Anti-Semitic, passages such as “It was one of the marks of their [Jewish boys] apartness” (Wolff 73) show that there was a bit of bias against Jewish people. The narrator has a tough time coming to grips with his “Jewishness” and lower economic background in the predominantly wealthy, Christian school. On the other hand, the narrator struggles to find a sense of individuality in the school. His search for individuality leads him to claim, “I wanted out. That’s was partly why I’d chosen Columbia….No other boy in my class would be going there” (Wolff 109). His struggle for an identity allows many readers to empathize with him. I find myself going through many of the same problems the protagonist goes through regarding the ability to belong to a group yet still keep a sense of the individual.

As alluded to above, the competitions play an important role in the main character’s development. As the narrator strives to win each competition, he comes to grip with his inner-self. I find it ironic that the narrator ultimately finds his true self through the plagiarizing of another student’s story. Wolff has used some of his own experience’s here, as he openly admits that he forged letters of recommendation to get into an elite prep school. When the narrator plagiarizes another student’s story, he gets the courage to reveal parts of himself, but even then he does not claim to be the person in his story when confronted by his roommate Bill. Rather, the consequences of his actions cause him to start a life on his own where he is able to learn enough about himself to become a writer. In particular the narrator’s acceptance to come back to his old school exhibits his comfort with his identity.

Tobias Wolff ends the book in a similar manner to which he started: just enough details to move the reader along. The narrator reveals very little about his life except for a key moment that impacted his life. Yet Wolff reveals just enough to show that finding an inner-self can ultimately lead to a life of fulfillment—another theme which can resonate with each and every person (675).