Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
Throughout Slaughterhouse Five, religion goes by almost unnoticed by the average reader, yet there are many references which have significance beyond themselves. For example, Billy Pilgrim is described as appearing as though he was crucified while traveling in the train to the camp. Also, Vonnegut reminisces on a crucifix of the Messiah which hung in his room as a child. One of the most important religious references, however, is that of the serenity prayer.
The serenity prayer is found in two different locations in the book: the locket on the chest of Montana Wildhack and on a plaque in Billy's optometry office. The two locations are unrelated besides the fact that they both involve Billy Pilgrim. However, they do connect the reality of Billy's tangible and recognized life with that of the Tralfamadorian fantasy life. Also, it shows the significance of prayer in Billy's life because it is prevalent in two very important memories of his. "People would be surprised if they knew how much in this world was due to prayers" comments Vonnegut (Vonnegut, 195). This short quote helps to further suggest the significance of religion throughout the story, and it also suggests an expansion of this theme to the world beyond the book. By not limiting this insight to the book, Vonnegut reaches out to bring the themes of the book into the lives of its readers.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Slaughterhouse: The Unanswered Question
Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
"It is so short and jumbled and jangled, Sam, because there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre. Everybody is supposed to be dead, to never say anything or want anything ever again. Everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, and it always is, except for the birds. And what do the birds say? All there is to say about a massacre, things like "Poo-tee-weet?" (Vonnegut, 13).
At the end of the first chapter, Vonnegut tells the reader how the story is to begin and how the story is to end. True to his word, the story ends with a bird saying "poo-tee-weet?" The significance of this last line, however, is left for the reader to interpret.
Although the above quote at the beginning of the novel helps to give some background as to what the bird noise is supposed to signify, the sound still holds some mystery. The idea that the entire book was written about a horrifying event, yet the author could not comment on the event to conclude the story. This is strange because it seems unlikely that someone would write a book to leave the aftermath of its main subject open for discussion and interpretation. The fact that it is a question, and not a statement, lends to its mysterious nature and allows for greater interpretation. It is almost as if the bird is questioning the reasoning behind the massacre of the Dresden fire-bombing. Perhaps, it was asking why the massacre had not worked as planned and why there were survivors. The most likely interpretation, though, would be one with a negative connotation because of the quote at the beginning of the story. But this seems contradicting because of the setting in which the sound occurs. It is spring which is traditionally a time of rebirth, but it is still a time of great destruction in Dresden. In any matter, the idea of the bird ending the story leaves it open for interpretation and adds to the overall mystery of the event of the Dresden firebombing.
Kurt Vonnegut
"It is so short and jumbled and jangled, Sam, because there is nothing intelligent to say about a massacre. Everybody is supposed to be dead, to never say anything or want anything ever again. Everything is supposed to be very quiet after a massacre, and it always is, except for the birds. And what do the birds say? All there is to say about a massacre, things like "Poo-tee-weet?" (Vonnegut, 13).
At the end of the first chapter, Vonnegut tells the reader how the story is to begin and how the story is to end. True to his word, the story ends with a bird saying "poo-tee-weet?" The significance of this last line, however, is left for the reader to interpret.
Although the above quote at the beginning of the novel helps to give some background as to what the bird noise is supposed to signify, the sound still holds some mystery. The idea that the entire book was written about a horrifying event, yet the author could not comment on the event to conclude the story. This is strange because it seems unlikely that someone would write a book to leave the aftermath of its main subject open for discussion and interpretation. The fact that it is a question, and not a statement, lends to its mysterious nature and allows for greater interpretation. It is almost as if the bird is questioning the reasoning behind the massacre of the Dresden fire-bombing. Perhaps, it was asking why the massacre had not worked as planned and why there were survivors. The most likely interpretation, though, would be one with a negative connotation because of the quote at the beginning of the story. But this seems contradicting because of the setting in which the sound occurs. It is spring which is traditionally a time of rebirth, but it is still a time of great destruction in Dresden. In any matter, the idea of the bird ending the story leaves it open for interpretation and adds to the overall mystery of the event of the Dresden firebombing.
Slaughterhouse: PTSD
Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
"There are almost no characters in this story, and almost no dramatic confrontations, because most of the people in it are so sick and so much the listless playthings of enormous forces. One of the main effects of war, after all, is that people are discouraged from being characters," (Vonnegut, 183).
Since the beginning of the book, I had wondered whether or not the speaker was entirely mentally sound. The jumbled organization of the book and its constant jumping around from one event to another led me to believe that the speaker had some sort of mental issue. Realizing that this was a war-based novel, I just assumed that the disorder suffered by the speaker was that of post-traumatic stress disorder. He was unable to emotionally relate to others, suffered from drinking problems, and had the need to come to terms with what had happened to him. It was not until the last section of the book that my suspicions were finally confirmed.
Slaughterhouse Five is written with a humorous tone despite the dark subject matter of the book. Vonnegut inadvertently explains this writing style by saying that "I think you guys are going to have to come up with a lot of wonderful new lies, or people just aren't going to want to go on living," (Vonnegut, 167). These "wonderful new lies" take form in Vonnegut's writing style as humor that downplays the significance of the horror of the Dresden firebombing. In the lives of the characters, however, the lie is the self-imposed forced forgetting of war-time terrors. By failing to remember the war, the veterans are lying to themselves in order "to want to go on living."
Kurt Vonnegut
"There are almost no characters in this story, and almost no dramatic confrontations, because most of the people in it are so sick and so much the listless playthings of enormous forces. One of the main effects of war, after all, is that people are discouraged from being characters," (Vonnegut, 183).
Since the beginning of the book, I had wondered whether or not the speaker was entirely mentally sound. The jumbled organization of the book and its constant jumping around from one event to another led me to believe that the speaker had some sort of mental issue. Realizing that this was a war-based novel, I just assumed that the disorder suffered by the speaker was that of post-traumatic stress disorder. He was unable to emotionally relate to others, suffered from drinking problems, and had the need to come to terms with what had happened to him. It was not until the last section of the book that my suspicions were finally confirmed.
Slaughterhouse Five is written with a humorous tone despite the dark subject matter of the book. Vonnegut inadvertently explains this writing style by saying that "I think you guys are going to have to come up with a lot of wonderful new lies, or people just aren't going to want to go on living," (Vonnegut, 167). These "wonderful new lies" take form in Vonnegut's writing style as humor that downplays the significance of the horror of the Dresden firebombing. In the lives of the characters, however, the lie is the self-imposed forced forgetting of war-time terrors. By failing to remember the war, the veterans are lying to themselves in order "to want to go on living."
Slaughterhouse: So It Goes...
Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
Finally...
Some sort of explanation as to the organization of the novel as well as the infamous phrase "So it goes." Vonnegut, like Billy Pilgrim, looks at time with the Tralfamadorian view; it is all one entity that can be viewed as a whole at any given time. Therefore, “There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects. What we love in our books are the depths of many marvelous moments seen all at one time," (Vonnegut, 186). This quote explains the organization of Slaughterhouse Five better than anything that we have thus far discussed in class. Basically, it is saying that there is no organization to the story; it just is. Thus, the Tralfamadorian view of time is modeled throughout the structure and plot of the book. It explains why Billy is able to transport himself throughout time literally and also why Vonnegut is able to insert brief descriptions of events without introduction or conclusion, almost haphazardly. Also, the revelation of future events takes away from the "suspense" and the "cause" and "effect" of the plot of the story. In essence, the plot of the book just is. It tells a story, but it tells a story in its totality, with all viewed at once, because it is the way it was meant to be viewed.
Kurt Vonnegut
Finally...
Some sort of explanation as to the organization of the novel as well as the infamous phrase "So it goes." Vonnegut, like Billy Pilgrim, looks at time with the Tralfamadorian view; it is all one entity that can be viewed as a whole at any given time. Therefore, “There is no beginning, no middle, no end, no suspense, no moral, no causes, no effects. What we love in our books are the depths of many marvelous moments seen all at one time," (Vonnegut, 186). This quote explains the organization of Slaughterhouse Five better than anything that we have thus far discussed in class. Basically, it is saying that there is no organization to the story; it just is. Thus, the Tralfamadorian view of time is modeled throughout the structure and plot of the book. It explains why Billy is able to transport himself throughout time literally and also why Vonnegut is able to insert brief descriptions of events without introduction or conclusion, almost haphazardly. Also, the revelation of future events takes away from the "suspense" and the "cause" and "effect" of the plot of the story. In essence, the plot of the book just is. It tells a story, but it tells a story in its totality, with all viewed at once, because it is the way it was meant to be viewed.
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Slaughterhouse: Flashforwards
Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
Lucas Jacob used a term in one of his blogs that I thought perfectly described the type of foreshadowing used by Vonnegut in this book: flashforward. The term makes sense because all these visions show something that is yet to happen. It is more than foreshadowing because these events are certain to happen; they are not merely hints of what might occur. These flashforwards are part of the crazy organization of Slaughterhouse Five, which is full of random jumps through time. Throughout most of the time describing Billy's involvement in the war, he flashes forward to his optometry career following his return home from the war. Also, Billy uses these flashforwards to describe events that will occur to other characters in the story. This reflects his ability to see time, and the lives of others, as one span as well. "Derby wouldn't [survive the war]. That good body of his would be filled with holes by a firing squad in Dresden in sixty-eight days," (Vonnegut, 83).
These flashforwards are to the reader what spoilers are to the movie-goer. We are told what is supposed to happen, yet we cannot stop ourselves from continuing to see if it actually happens. Because we are only briefly into the book, we cannot tell whether or not the flashforwards are actually real, but the previous knowledge of the Tralfamadorians leads us to believe that they hold some basis. Oh well, I guess we'll find out!
Kurt Vonnegut
Lucas Jacob used a term in one of his blogs that I thought perfectly described the type of foreshadowing used by Vonnegut in this book: flashforward. The term makes sense because all these visions show something that is yet to happen. It is more than foreshadowing because these events are certain to happen; they are not merely hints of what might occur. These flashforwards are part of the crazy organization of Slaughterhouse Five, which is full of random jumps through time. Throughout most of the time describing Billy's involvement in the war, he flashes forward to his optometry career following his return home from the war. Also, Billy uses these flashforwards to describe events that will occur to other characters in the story. This reflects his ability to see time, and the lives of others, as one span as well. "Derby wouldn't [survive the war]. That good body of his would be filled with holes by a firing squad in Dresden in sixty-eight days," (Vonnegut, 83).
These flashforwards are to the reader what spoilers are to the movie-goer. We are told what is supposed to happen, yet we cannot stop ourselves from continuing to see if it actually happens. Because we are only briefly into the book, we cannot tell whether or not the flashforwards are actually real, but the previous knowledge of the Tralfamadorians leads us to believe that they hold some basis. Oh well, I guess we'll find out!
Slaughterhouse: Juxtaposition
Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
Throughout the story, there are several instances which are juxtaposed with another occurrence or mirrored by some aspect of another scene. For example, the colors blue and ivory are repeated when describing both Billy's feet in his house and the hook used to prop himself up in the train.
However, one of the major juxtapositions is between Billy Pilgrim's career and his Tralfamadorian view of life. Billy is an optometrist, or a doctor who specializes in the care of sight and eyes. It is slightly ironic, though, that Billy works with sight because his own view of his life is changed as well. Just as he helps his patients to literally see more clearly, the Tralfamadorians helped him to see the truths of life more clearly. At the end of Chapter Five, the two are finally combined to show their relation. "While he examined the boy's eyes, Billy told him matter-of-factly about his adventures on Tralfamadore, assured the fatherless boy that his father was very much alive still in moments the boy would see again and again," (Vonnegut, 135). With this statement, the two types of sights are united: his sight is literally being corrected, but Billy is also correcting his sight of time. The two are one in the same for Billy, and he is unable to separate them.
Kurt Vonnegut
Throughout the story, there are several instances which are juxtaposed with another occurrence or mirrored by some aspect of another scene. For example, the colors blue and ivory are repeated when describing both Billy's feet in his house and the hook used to prop himself up in the train.
However, one of the major juxtapositions is between Billy Pilgrim's career and his Tralfamadorian view of life. Billy is an optometrist, or a doctor who specializes in the care of sight and eyes. It is slightly ironic, though, that Billy works with sight because his own view of his life is changed as well. Just as he helps his patients to literally see more clearly, the Tralfamadorians helped him to see the truths of life more clearly. At the end of Chapter Five, the two are finally combined to show their relation. "While he examined the boy's eyes, Billy told him matter-of-factly about his adventures on Tralfamadore, assured the fatherless boy that his father was very much alive still in moments the boy would see again and again," (Vonnegut, 135). With this statement, the two types of sights are united: his sight is literally being corrected, but Billy is also correcting his sight of time. The two are one in the same for Billy, and he is unable to separate them.
Slaughterhouse: The Understanding of Time and the Concept of Free Will
Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
"'Take it moment by moment, and you will find that we are all, as I've said before, bugs in amber," (Vonnegut, 86).
When Billy Pilgrim is abducted by the Tralfamadorians, he is introduced to a radically new concept of time. Yet, this new concept cannot be fully explained to him because the Tralfamadorians are not beings who are capable of sufficient explanations. However, this new view of time becomes part of Billy's mentality and affects the organization and the plot of the story in general. For example, the novel jumps from point to point in Billy's life, with the events sometimes being more than a decade apart. There seems to be no transition between these moments which exemplifies the Tralfamadorian idea that time is seen like "a stretch of the Rocky Mountains," without gaps and without a change in view (Vonnegut, 85).
Along with this radical view of time is the radical concept that free will is strictly a human concept. The Tralfamadorians suggest that the idea of free will is something created by the humans to offer an explanation to the inexplicable. The Tralfamadorians believe that everything that is planned to happen, including war, is unavoidable. This helps to justify the phrase "so it goes" which so consistently follows any mention of death, whether literal or figurative. By using such a phrase, the path of time is allowed to continue without question; there was nothing that could have altered the outcome of an event, and, therefore, there is no sense in questioning the cause of the event. This directly affects the character of Billy Pilgrim and gives him his lessez-faire attitude about death and the war.
Kurt Vonnegut
"'Take it moment by moment, and you will find that we are all, as I've said before, bugs in amber," (Vonnegut, 86).
When Billy Pilgrim is abducted by the Tralfamadorians, he is introduced to a radically new concept of time. Yet, this new concept cannot be fully explained to him because the Tralfamadorians are not beings who are capable of sufficient explanations. However, this new view of time becomes part of Billy's mentality and affects the organization and the plot of the story in general. For example, the novel jumps from point to point in Billy's life, with the events sometimes being more than a decade apart. There seems to be no transition between these moments which exemplifies the Tralfamadorian idea that time is seen like "a stretch of the Rocky Mountains," without gaps and without a change in view (Vonnegut, 85).
Along with this radical view of time is the radical concept that free will is strictly a human concept. The Tralfamadorians suggest that the idea of free will is something created by the humans to offer an explanation to the inexplicable. The Tralfamadorians believe that everything that is planned to happen, including war, is unavoidable. This helps to justify the phrase "so it goes" which so consistently follows any mention of death, whether literal or figurative. By using such a phrase, the path of time is allowed to continue without question; there was nothing that could have altered the outcome of an event, and, therefore, there is no sense in questioning the cause of the event. This directly affects the character of Billy Pilgrim and gives him his lessez-faire attitude about death and the war.
Slaughterhouse: Organization
Slaughterhouse Five
Kurt Vonnegut
"Now Billy was starting to get worried about it, about his mind in general. He tried to remember how old he was, couldn't. He tried to remember what year it was. He couldn't remember that either," (Vonnegut, 58).
Continuing with the organization of the first section, the second section is likewise jumbled, choppy, and repetitive. The speaker seems to be recalling memories without regard for how to properly organize these thoughts into a manner appropriate for a book. However, it is important to remember that Billy Pilgrim is not the narrator of his own story. There is an omniscient narrator who is simply telling the life of the man from an outside perspective.
However, it adds to the overall meaning of the work because it allows the reader to experience the journey through the creative process of the author. By writing the novel as it comes to mind, the author is creating a work that is an honest and bare-bones piece of literature. Along with the rawness off the book, too, is the ability for the reader to relate to the struggle of the author to recall the details included in the book. By struggling to even follow along at some points, the reader is able to understand the mentality of the author. With this mentality, the reader gains an insight into a mind that has been ravaged by the terrors of war. The seeming lack of organization purposely causes the reader to associate the mindset of the author with one of a soldier returned from war. It makes the story much more believable and relatable, and it helps to convey the overall tone of the novel.
Kurt Vonnegut
"Now Billy was starting to get worried about it, about his mind in general. He tried to remember how old he was, couldn't. He tried to remember what year it was. He couldn't remember that either," (Vonnegut, 58).
Continuing with the organization of the first section, the second section is likewise jumbled, choppy, and repetitive. The speaker seems to be recalling memories without regard for how to properly organize these thoughts into a manner appropriate for a book. However, it is important to remember that Billy Pilgrim is not the narrator of his own story. There is an omniscient narrator who is simply telling the life of the man from an outside perspective.
However, it adds to the overall meaning of the work because it allows the reader to experience the journey through the creative process of the author. By writing the novel as it comes to mind, the author is creating a work that is an honest and bare-bones piece of literature. Along with the rawness off the book, too, is the ability for the reader to relate to the struggle of the author to recall the details included in the book. By struggling to even follow along at some points, the reader is able to understand the mentality of the author. With this mentality, the reader gains an insight into a mind that has been ravaged by the terrors of war. The seeming lack of organization purposely causes the reader to associate the mindset of the author with one of a soldier returned from war. It makes the story much more believable and relatable, and it helps to convey the overall tone of the novel.
Thursday, March 28, 2013
Dover Beach
"Dover Beach"
Matthew Arnold
p892
"Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold presents three different bodies of water, each with their own respective meaning. In the first stanza, the English Channel is referenced. The second stanza alludes to the Aegean Sea. The third, the Sea of Faith.
The reference to the English Channel establishes the setting of the poem. Dover beach is located in an area which has a view of both the "French coast" and the "cliffs of England," (Arnold, 892). Through this literal body of water, the reader is able to understand where the thought process of the speaker is taking place.
The next referenced body of water, the Aegean Sea, serves a slightly different purpose. It is introduced following an allusion to the Greek philosopher Sophocles who "long ago heard [the eternal note of sadness] on the Aegean," (Arnold, 892). By alluding to such a well-known intellectual, the speaker is able to show the universality of what he is experiencing. If a normal man can experience the same emotions that a man as wise as Sophocles can, then the reader is able to conclude that this downtrodden feeling is common among humans. Therefore, the poem expresses a universal emotion to which the reader can also connect.
The last body of water that is mentioned is the only figurative image out of the three: the Sea of Faith. There is no literal Sea of Faith, but it does represent the feelings of the speaker. The Sea of Faith represents the speaker's personal level of faith which used to "lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled," (Arnold, 892). But now, the faith has dwindled, drained by a world that is not as it portrayed. The speaker sees no hope in trying to refill the Sea but instead finds comfort in his lover.
Matthew Arnold
p892
"Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold presents three different bodies of water, each with their own respective meaning. In the first stanza, the English Channel is referenced. The second stanza alludes to the Aegean Sea. The third, the Sea of Faith.
The reference to the English Channel establishes the setting of the poem. Dover beach is located in an area which has a view of both the "French coast" and the "cliffs of England," (Arnold, 892). Through this literal body of water, the reader is able to understand where the thought process of the speaker is taking place.
The next referenced body of water, the Aegean Sea, serves a slightly different purpose. It is introduced following an allusion to the Greek philosopher Sophocles who "long ago heard [the eternal note of sadness] on the Aegean," (Arnold, 892). By alluding to such a well-known intellectual, the speaker is able to show the universality of what he is experiencing. If a normal man can experience the same emotions that a man as wise as Sophocles can, then the reader is able to conclude that this downtrodden feeling is common among humans. Therefore, the poem expresses a universal emotion to which the reader can also connect.
The last body of water that is mentioned is the only figurative image out of the three: the Sea of Faith. There is no literal Sea of Faith, but it does represent the feelings of the speaker. The Sea of Faith represents the speaker's personal level of faith which used to "lay like the folds of a bright girdle furled," (Arnold, 892). But now, the faith has dwindled, drained by a world that is not as it portrayed. The speaker sees no hope in trying to refill the Sea but instead finds comfort in his lover.
Sorting Laundry
"Sorting Laundry"
Elisavietta Ritchie
p841
"Sorting Laundry" by Elisavietta Ritchie presents an extended metaphor used to describe the relationship between the speaker and her lover. The reader is able to decipher that the speaker is a female because she describes her own articles of clothing, "blouses, panties, stockings, bras," which are all feminine articles of clothing (Ritchie, 842). Each item being sorted represents a different aspect of the couple's relationship. For example, the pillowcases and the bedsheets represent the time spent in bed with each other, both conversing and expressing their love. The gaudy towels suggest the quirkiness that exists within the relationship; their reluctance to fade, the couple's resistance to conform. Furthermore, the descriptions of the various articles of clothing serve to describe the relationship even more. The wrinkles in the clothing offer an insight into the "wrinkles" of the affair, some chosen to be smoothed out while others are overlooked. "[W]hat's shrunk" suggests that the love is not all that it was at its inception, yet it is still hard to discard (Ritchie, 842).
Lastly, the "strangely tailored shirt" and its consequential memory tell the reader that the speaker is uncomfortable with the thought of being alone (Ritchie, 842). Although she holds on to mementos from her past, she cannot see herself with another man, and thus she folds the laundry and folds her lover "into [her] life," (Ritchie, 841).
Elisavietta Ritchie
p841
"Sorting Laundry" by Elisavietta Ritchie presents an extended metaphor used to describe the relationship between the speaker and her lover. The reader is able to decipher that the speaker is a female because she describes her own articles of clothing, "blouses, panties, stockings, bras," which are all feminine articles of clothing (Ritchie, 842). Each item being sorted represents a different aspect of the couple's relationship. For example, the pillowcases and the bedsheets represent the time spent in bed with each other, both conversing and expressing their love. The gaudy towels suggest the quirkiness that exists within the relationship; their reluctance to fade, the couple's resistance to conform. Furthermore, the descriptions of the various articles of clothing serve to describe the relationship even more. The wrinkles in the clothing offer an insight into the "wrinkles" of the affair, some chosen to be smoothed out while others are overlooked. "[W]hat's shrunk" suggests that the love is not all that it was at its inception, yet it is still hard to discard (Ritchie, 842).
Lastly, the "strangely tailored shirt" and its consequential memory tell the reader that the speaker is uncomfortable with the thought of being alone (Ritchie, 842). Although she holds on to mementos from her past, she cannot see herself with another man, and thus she folds the laundry and folds her lover "into [her] life," (Ritchie, 841).
I taste a liquor never brewed
"I taste a liquor never brewed"
Emily Dickinson
p797
The Convergence of the Twain
"The Convergence of the Twain"
Thomas Hardy
p778
"The Convergence of the Twain" by Thomas Hardy seemed to offer to conflicting ideas to the reader: one is the contrasting of human vanity and the brute force of nature and the other is the inevitable matrimony of the two. Throughout the poem, the "jewels in joy designed," the "gilded gear," and the "opulent" nature of the Titanic create the image of human vanity (Hardy, 778). This quality is personified by the ship, and the fated meeting of the ship and the iceberg creates a feeling that the speaker looks down upon vanity; it is almost as if the quality of vanity can lead to no end other than ruin. This is where the idea of the "star-crossed lovers" comes into play. The diction towards the end of the poem creates a tone of a fated love with the use of marital, almost sexual, word choice. For example, "mate," "intimate welding," and "consummation" all add to this technique used by the speaker to describe the relationship between the ship and its downfall (Hardy, 778). This marital diction seems to be slightly ironic; it is unusual that words used to typically describe lovers would be used to describe such a tragic event. However, it does seem to reinforce the tragic Shakespearean idea of "star crossed lovers" by which two fated hearts fulfill their destiny only to discover that it is also their downfall.
Thomas Hardy
p778
"The Convergence of the Twain" by Thomas Hardy seemed to offer to conflicting ideas to the reader: one is the contrasting of human vanity and the brute force of nature and the other is the inevitable matrimony of the two. Throughout the poem, the "jewels in joy designed," the "gilded gear," and the "opulent" nature of the Titanic create the image of human vanity (Hardy, 778). This quality is personified by the ship, and the fated meeting of the ship and the iceberg creates a feeling that the speaker looks down upon vanity; it is almost as if the quality of vanity can lead to no end other than ruin. This is where the idea of the "star-crossed lovers" comes into play. The diction towards the end of the poem creates a tone of a fated love with the use of marital, almost sexual, word choice. For example, "mate," "intimate welding," and "consummation" all add to this technique used by the speaker to describe the relationship between the ship and its downfall (Hardy, 778). This marital diction seems to be slightly ironic; it is unusual that words used to typically describe lovers would be used to describe such a tragic event. However, it does seem to reinforce the tragic Shakespearean idea of "star crossed lovers" by which two fated hearts fulfill their destiny only to discover that it is also their downfall.
Thursday, February 28, 2013
My Mistress' Eyes
"My Mistress' Eyes"
William Shakespeare
In stark contrast to "Barbie Doll" by Margie Piercy, "My Mistress' Eyes" presents a less-than-perfect woman who still is able to hold the eye and the heart of her lover. This pokes fun at the traditional view of woman as needing to be angelic; "I grant I never saw a goddess go, My mistress, when she walks treads on the ground," (885). The speaker is saying that even though he has never seen an angel or a goddess, his lover is even better because she physically exists on the earth with him. This is strange because most of Shakespeare's poetry, and the majority of poems from that time period for that matter, tend to actually compare the physical features of one's love to these aspects of nature. On the contrary, the speaker in this poem tells how his love's features are less beautiful than those of nature.
After researching this poem online, my primary observance was confirmed. This poem is assumed to be written to counteract the trite style of the Petrarch love poem style of the time. Petrarch wrote "Laura," a poem that I studied in World Literature during my sophomore year, and many poets of the time tried to copy this style of praise. However, Shakespeare went against the popular convention and instead showed the imperfect side of love, the more common side of love. He had the courage to challenge what love was considered to be and to accept a woman who was less than perfect despite society's expectations. Isn't that what every girl dreams of in the end? A man who accepts her as she is and not some Barbie Doll?
William Shakespeare
In stark contrast to "Barbie Doll" by Margie Piercy, "My Mistress' Eyes" presents a less-than-perfect woman who still is able to hold the eye and the heart of her lover. This pokes fun at the traditional view of woman as needing to be angelic; "I grant I never saw a goddess go, My mistress, when she walks treads on the ground," (885). The speaker is saying that even though he has never seen an angel or a goddess, his lover is even better because she physically exists on the earth with him. This is strange because most of Shakespeare's poetry, and the majority of poems from that time period for that matter, tend to actually compare the physical features of one's love to these aspects of nature. On the contrary, the speaker in this poem tells how his love's features are less beautiful than those of nature.
After researching this poem online, my primary observance was confirmed. This poem is assumed to be written to counteract the trite style of the Petrarch love poem style of the time. Petrarch wrote "Laura," a poem that I studied in World Literature during my sophomore year, and many poets of the time tried to copy this style of praise. However, Shakespeare went against the popular convention and instead showed the imperfect side of love, the more common side of love. He had the courage to challenge what love was considered to be and to accept a woman who was less than perfect despite society's expectations. Isn't that what every girl dreams of in the end? A man who accepts her as she is and not some Barbie Doll?
Barbie Doll
"Barbie Doll"
Marge Piercy
Of all the works in the Gender Unit, "Barbie Doll" presented the clearest and most relatable aspect surrounding gender expectations within American society. At the beginning of the poem, the reader is presented with "dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy," (835). All of these objects are easily pictured by the average reader and can even be related back to some childhood memories. Being able to relate to the girl within the poem, the reader can empathize with the struggle that she faces and understand her motivation behind her actions.
Even though the young girl in the poem was blessed with several talents and abilities, beauty was one that she could not find in herself and that ultimately led to her downfall. The irony of this poem lies in the last three lines. The poem's subject finally achieved her goal of being beautiful in the eyes of others; however, she is dead and unable to realize this accomplishment. Also, the final line, "To every woman a happy ending" possesses the most irony of these final lines (836). Many little girls are presented with fairy tales that have Prince Charming's, happily ever after's, and most importantly, beautiful princesses. However, with the pressures of modern society, most girls cannot achieve this fabled ending. If they cannot change their circumstances by their own doing, then they are instead condemned to a life miserably ever after.
Marge Piercy
Of all the works in the Gender Unit, "Barbie Doll" presented the clearest and most relatable aspect surrounding gender expectations within American society. At the beginning of the poem, the reader is presented with "dolls that did pee-pee and miniature GE stoves and irons and wee lipsticks the color of cherry candy," (835). All of these objects are easily pictured by the average reader and can even be related back to some childhood memories. Being able to relate to the girl within the poem, the reader can empathize with the struggle that she faces and understand her motivation behind her actions.
Even though the young girl in the poem was blessed with several talents and abilities, beauty was one that she could not find in herself and that ultimately led to her downfall. The irony of this poem lies in the last three lines. The poem's subject finally achieved her goal of being beautiful in the eyes of others; however, she is dead and unable to realize this accomplishment. Also, the final line, "To every woman a happy ending" possesses the most irony of these final lines (836). Many little girls are presented with fairy tales that have Prince Charming's, happily ever after's, and most importantly, beautiful princesses. However, with the pressures of modern society, most girls cannot achieve this fabled ending. If they cannot change their circumstances by their own doing, then they are instead condemned to a life miserably ever after.
Hunters in the Snow
Tobias Wolff
To begin, the resemblances between this story and South Park are so numerous that they cannot go unmentioned. First, both contain all-male groups of friends. Both occur in snow-covered settings. Both have a main character named Kenny who is wounded in an unexpected manner and presumably dies. The two are strikingly similar.
However, on a literary note, the actions of the characters help to characterize them all respectively as well as contribute to the action of the short story. For example, when "Frank and Kenny worked one bank [of the creek] and Tub worked the other, moving upstream," the tendency of the other two to exclude or gang up on Tub is illustrated (189). He is the one who is forced to walk alone while his friends have one another with whom to walk. Another instance that also has this same theme is at the beginning of the story when Tub is picked up by the other two men who were already together. Frank is also characterized by his actions; he likes to constantly excuse his and others' actions. "Kenny was just messing around," "Kenny talks too much," and "I guess I wasn't paying attention" all demonstrate this inability to live up to the consequences of actions (187, 191, 196). The combination of Frank's and Tub's actions and dialogue help to indirectly characterize their friend, Kenny. They talk about him as though he is choleric, irresponsible, and gossip-prone. All of the actions and conversations in the end help the reader to figure out the characters on a more in-depth level than if each was presented individually.
A Jury of Her Peers
"A Jury of Her Peers"
Susan Glaspell
Throughout "A Jury of Her Peers," the image of the canary plays a very pivotal role in the meaning of the short story.
First, the canary serves as a symbol. It is symbolic of Minnie and of the Wright's marriage. Canaries are notorious for their songs, and Minnie used to be found "singing in the choir," (415). This commonality thus establishes a connection between the two. Also, the canary represented the happiness that existed inside of Minnie, the last bit of happiness onto which she held. When John Wright killed the bird, he also killed the joy inside his wife's heart. With nothing left about which to be happy, Minnie could no longer see the sense in their marriage. Thus, with the killing of the songbird, Mr. Wright successfully also killed his marriage and his wife's pleasure.
As well as being a symbol, the bird also explains the method by which Mr. Wright was killed. Both were strangled; Wright by "somebody [who] slipped a rope around his neck and strangled him" and the bird by Wright (411). It seems ironic, though, that this indicator of guilt came so late in the story. It is almost meant to foreshadow the murder of Mr. Wright, yet it is not discovered by the reader nor the characters until after the cause of Mr. Wright's death has already been revealed. Also, ironically, the bird that represented Minnie also comes to represent the death her husband; the thing that she loved the most becomes connected to the thing that she despised the most.
Susan Glaspell
Throughout "A Jury of Her Peers," the image of the canary plays a very pivotal role in the meaning of the short story.
First, the canary serves as a symbol. It is symbolic of Minnie and of the Wright's marriage. Canaries are notorious for their songs, and Minnie used to be found "singing in the choir," (415). This commonality thus establishes a connection between the two. Also, the canary represented the happiness that existed inside of Minnie, the last bit of happiness onto which she held. When John Wright killed the bird, he also killed the joy inside his wife's heart. With nothing left about which to be happy, Minnie could no longer see the sense in their marriage. Thus, with the killing of the songbird, Mr. Wright successfully also killed his marriage and his wife's pleasure.
As well as being a symbol, the bird also explains the method by which Mr. Wright was killed. Both were strangled; Wright by "somebody [who] slipped a rope around his neck and strangled him" and the bird by Wright (411). It seems ironic, though, that this indicator of guilt came so late in the story. It is almost meant to foreshadow the murder of Mr. Wright, yet it is not discovered by the reader nor the characters until after the cause of Mr. Wright's death has already been revealed. Also, ironically, the bird that represented Minnie also comes to represent the death her husband; the thing that she loved the most becomes connected to the thing that she despised the most.
Wednesday, February 13, 2013
Death, Death, Death
Othello, the Moor of Venice
William Shakespeare
Act V
Finally, the tragic ending for which we have all been waiting; it does not disappoint. First Roderigo dies, then Desdemona, then Emilia, then Othello, and lastly the sentencing to death of Iago.
One death that contributes to the chaos of the ending is that of Desdemona. The first time that she is stifled, the audience believes that she has been killed. However, Othello does not believe so after hearing the cries from Emilia outside of the room, thus, he tries to smother her again. As Emilia enters the room, Desdemona seemingly springs back to life to utter four more lines before finally dying for good. "A guiltless death I die," proclaims Desdemona, and she also says that her death was her own fault (V.ii.121). Even after admitting that he had killed her, Othello still fails to realize that his wife actually committed adultery against him. The death and subsequent revival of Desdemona contributes to chaotic flow of the following action. Just as the audience is confused as to how the woman is still alive, the characters on the stage are confused as to what exactly is happening on stage. Therefore, both the audience and the characters are connected, feeling the same emotional reactions to the action unfolding before them.
As if that was not a spectacular enough ending, Othello finally learns that he was deceived by Iago all along and his wife truly had been faithful. Yet, it is too late, and like the great Romeo and Juliet, both lovers end up dead. Yay, what a tragic ending!
William Shakespeare
Act V
Finally, the tragic ending for which we have all been waiting; it does not disappoint. First Roderigo dies, then Desdemona, then Emilia, then Othello, and lastly the sentencing to death of Iago.One death that contributes to the chaos of the ending is that of Desdemona. The first time that she is stifled, the audience believes that she has been killed. However, Othello does not believe so after hearing the cries from Emilia outside of the room, thus, he tries to smother her again. As Emilia enters the room, Desdemona seemingly springs back to life to utter four more lines before finally dying for good. "A guiltless death I die," proclaims Desdemona, and she also says that her death was her own fault (V.ii.121). Even after admitting that he had killed her, Othello still fails to realize that his wife actually committed adultery against him. The death and subsequent revival of Desdemona contributes to chaotic flow of the following action. Just as the audience is confused as to how the woman is still alive, the characters on the stage are confused as to what exactly is happening on stage. Therefore, both the audience and the characters are connected, feeling the same emotional reactions to the action unfolding before them.
As if that was not a spectacular enough ending, Othello finally learns that he was deceived by Iago all along and his wife truly had been faithful. Yet, it is too late, and like the great Romeo and Juliet, both lovers end up dead. Yay, what a tragic ending!
Two Options
Othello, the Moor of Venice
William Shakespeare
Act V
"This is the night That either makes me or fordoes me quite," (V.i.128-129).
With this aside at the end of the first scene in Act V, Iago sets the stage for the action that will take place in the rest of the play. By speaking solely to the audience, Iago is able to communicate his thoughts to the audience without the other characters on stage knowing anything about what he is thinking. This particular aside, though, creates suspense for the rest of the scene; it leaves the audience with two possibilities for the outcome of the tragedy. Iago will either succeed is his revenge against Othello, or he will succumb to some tragic ending. These two equally exciting options keep the audience engaged in the action that is occurring on stage.
In addition to the suspense created on stage, the aside also offers a literary technique to be examined: foreshadowing. This short one-liner by Iago leaves the reader, like the audience, with two possibilities. Obviously, someone is to die because of the tragic nature of the play, but we are still unsure of who it may be. However, with the two possibilities presented, it must be either Desdemona or Iago. If option one occurs and Iago is successful, Othello will have followed Iago's advice and strangled his wife. If the second option occurs, Iago will have failed in his deception and will be killed for his deceit.
William Shakespeare
Act V
"This is the night That either makes me or fordoes me quite," (V.i.128-129).
With this aside at the end of the first scene in Act V, Iago sets the stage for the action that will take place in the rest of the play. By speaking solely to the audience, Iago is able to communicate his thoughts to the audience without the other characters on stage knowing anything about what he is thinking. This particular aside, though, creates suspense for the rest of the scene; it leaves the audience with two possibilities for the outcome of the tragedy. Iago will either succeed is his revenge against Othello, or he will succumb to some tragic ending. These two equally exciting options keep the audience engaged in the action that is occurring on stage.
In addition to the suspense created on stage, the aside also offers a literary technique to be examined: foreshadowing. This short one-liner by Iago leaves the reader, like the audience, with two possibilities. Obviously, someone is to die because of the tragic nature of the play, but we are still unsure of who it may be. However, with the two possibilities presented, it must be either Desdemona or Iago. If option one occurs and Iago is successful, Othello will have followed Iago's advice and strangled his wife. If the second option occurs, Iago will have failed in his deception and will be killed for his deceit.
Caught in a "Lie"
Othello, the Moor of Venice
William Shakespeare
Act IV
There are often many words that can have several meanings. These meanings may come from misinterpretations, multiple meanings, or simple confusion by the speaker. For example, in Act IV, the word "'Lie" spoken by Iago in line 33 can be interpreted by the reader in several fashions (IV.i.33). Literally, it is the abbreviated version of "belie" which means to fail to fulfill or to betray. In this sense, Iago is telling Othello that Desdemona is deceptive of her husband by managing an affair with Cassio. However, the reader can interpret the word without the apostrophe coming beforehand and read it simply as "lie." With this new misreading of the word, the reader would associate this speech with the speech of Iago in the sense that everything he is saying is a lie. This reading of the word is ironic because the word precedes the lie told by Iago in this scene. From the audience's perspective witnessing the play, they are unaware of spelling and grammatical structure of the script. Therefore, they may hear the word as "lie" and not an abbreviated "belie" which would completely change the meaning of what Iago is about to say. Shakespeare intentionally did this to remind the audience of the untrustworthy nature of Iago even though he is repeatedly trusted by several of the other characters in the play.
William Shakespeare
Act IV
There are often many words that can have several meanings. These meanings may come from misinterpretations, multiple meanings, or simple confusion by the speaker. For example, in Act IV, the word "'Lie" spoken by Iago in line 33 can be interpreted by the reader in several fashions (IV.i.33). Literally, it is the abbreviated version of "belie" which means to fail to fulfill or to betray. In this sense, Iago is telling Othello that Desdemona is deceptive of her husband by managing an affair with Cassio. However, the reader can interpret the word without the apostrophe coming beforehand and read it simply as "lie." With this new misreading of the word, the reader would associate this speech with the speech of Iago in the sense that everything he is saying is a lie. This reading of the word is ironic because the word precedes the lie told by Iago in this scene. From the audience's perspective witnessing the play, they are unaware of spelling and grammatical structure of the script. Therefore, they may hear the word as "lie" and not an abbreviated "belie" which would completely change the meaning of what Iago is about to say. Shakespeare intentionally did this to remind the audience of the untrustworthy nature of Iago even though he is repeatedly trusted by several of the other characters in the play.
They're catching on...
Othello, the Moor of Venice
William Shakespeare
Act IV
At last, someone finally becomes suspicious of from where the rumor of the alleged affair is coming. Desdemona is the first character to tell of her suspicions: "I will be hanged if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue, Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devised this slander. I'll be hanged else," (IV.ii.130-133). However, she happens to be saying all of this information to Iago, the very "villain" that she is cursing. Yet, Iago goes along with the incrimination, acting as though he has no idea the background of the rumor. He plays along with Desdemona's accusations with clear verbal irony. He is completely aware of the situation, but his clever manipulation of speech once again persuades the other characters in the play that he is ignorant of the source of the disagreement in the marriage.
Also, in this section of speech, there are some lines which suggest which characters will not make it out of this tragedy. Desdemona's above quoted line, if interpreted literally, can be seen as a foreshadowing of her death as her supposition is true. Following this line, too, there is a curse that she offers to the man responsible for slandering her name. "A halter pardon him and hell gnaw his bones!" (IV.ii.136). This line suggests that Iago might also face his doom before the conclusion of the play. However, it is a tragedy, and one cannot assume until the last hand hits the stage who will ultimately suffer a grim fate.
William Shakespeare
Act IV
At last, someone finally becomes suspicious of from where the rumor of the alleged affair is coming. Desdemona is the first character to tell of her suspicions: "I will be hanged if some eternal villain, Some busy and insinuating rogue, Some cogging, cozening slave, to get some office, Have not devised this slander. I'll be hanged else," (IV.ii.130-133). However, she happens to be saying all of this information to Iago, the very "villain" that she is cursing. Yet, Iago goes along with the incrimination, acting as though he has no idea the background of the rumor. He plays along with Desdemona's accusations with clear verbal irony. He is completely aware of the situation, but his clever manipulation of speech once again persuades the other characters in the play that he is ignorant of the source of the disagreement in the marriage.
Also, in this section of speech, there are some lines which suggest which characters will not make it out of this tragedy. Desdemona's above quoted line, if interpreted literally, can be seen as a foreshadowing of her death as her supposition is true. Following this line, too, there is a curse that she offers to the man responsible for slandering her name. "A halter pardon him and hell gnaw his bones!" (IV.ii.136). This line suggests that Iago might also face his doom before the conclusion of the play. However, it is a tragedy, and one cannot assume until the last hand hits the stage who will ultimately suffer a grim fate.
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Iago's Speech
Othello, the Moor of Venice
William Shakespeare
Throughout the play, characters often switch their speaking patterns from iambic pentameter to prose or blank verse. Recalling what I had learned in Mrs. Miles' freshman English class, I was able to determine that this is for one of two reasons: there is a lack of formality or education in the speech or it is a speech of pure passion. Within his plays, Shakespeare uses prose to illustrate the lack of education in the common class characters. However, within the context of Othello, Shakespeare uses prose to show a lack of formality. When Iago breaks his iambic pentameter to speak in prose, it is demonstrating his desire to come across as genuine. This contributes to his sense of being "honest" because many of the other characters perceive his informality as being sincere.
In contrast, Iago uses iambic pentameter in formal situations such as his address recounting the skirmish between Cassio and Montano. This is considered a formal situation because Iago is speaking to a superior in a public arena. Yet, even in his formal speeches, Iago continues to utilize very average, almost daily, word choice. Words and phrases such as "brief," "swift of foot," and "did part them" all can be replaced by more advanced words that would accentuate Iago's intelligence (II.iii.201-224). However, by choosing these words, Iago is able to maintain his common connection with others and his reputation of being honest. Iago, being a fine manipulator of speech, knows that if he was to use higher diction, he would seem arrogant and thus unrelatable to the other characters. He uses his knowledge of speech to control the other characters, and I expect him to use it to ultimately bring the tragic end to this play.
William Shakespeare
Throughout the play, characters often switch their speaking patterns from iambic pentameter to prose or blank verse. Recalling what I had learned in Mrs. Miles' freshman English class, I was able to determine that this is for one of two reasons: there is a lack of formality or education in the speech or it is a speech of pure passion. Within his plays, Shakespeare uses prose to illustrate the lack of education in the common class characters. However, within the context of Othello, Shakespeare uses prose to show a lack of formality. When Iago breaks his iambic pentameter to speak in prose, it is demonstrating his desire to come across as genuine. This contributes to his sense of being "honest" because many of the other characters perceive his informality as being sincere.
In contrast, Iago uses iambic pentameter in formal situations such as his address recounting the skirmish between Cassio and Montano. This is considered a formal situation because Iago is speaking to a superior in a public arena. Yet, even in his formal speeches, Iago continues to utilize very average, almost daily, word choice. Words and phrases such as "brief," "swift of foot," and "did part them" all can be replaced by more advanced words that would accentuate Iago's intelligence (II.iii.201-224). However, by choosing these words, Iago is able to maintain his common connection with others and his reputation of being honest. Iago, being a fine manipulator of speech, knows that if he was to use higher diction, he would seem arrogant and thus unrelatable to the other characters. He uses his knowledge of speech to control the other characters, and I expect him to use it to ultimately bring the tragic end to this play.
The Handkerchief
Othello, the Moor of Venice
William Shakespeare
Act III
As the conflict between Desdemona and Othello escalates, a major symbol of the play enters the action (I know that it's a major symbol because Mr. Costello told us to look out for it). The handkerchief is symbolic of several things within the context of the story. The most important meaning surrounding the image of the handkerchief is that of purity and of faithfulness. Othello tells the history of the fabric: "'Twould make her amiable and subdue my father entirely to her love, but if she lost it or made a gift of it, my father's eye should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt after new fancies," (III.iv.53-57). With this information, it can be inferred that Othello is using the history of the handkerchief to explain why he doubts his wife's faithfulness. Because she is unable to produce the cloth, he assumes that it is lost and, therefore, Desdemona has lost the love of Othello. Additionally, Othello continues to tell that the handkerchief was "dyed in mummy which the skillful conserved of maiden's hearts" which means that the fabric was dyed using a special concoction mixed from the blood of virgins (III.iv.67-68). This image calls to mind the consummation of marriage after which the bloodied sheets of the couple are placed in a public place to prove the virginity of the wife. Then, again, is the audience reminded of the image of faithfulness and purity that is embedded within the handkerchief.
William Shakespeare
Act III
As the conflict between Desdemona and Othello escalates, a major symbol of the play enters the action (I know that it's a major symbol because Mr. Costello told us to look out for it). The handkerchief is symbolic of several things within the context of the story. The most important meaning surrounding the image of the handkerchief is that of purity and of faithfulness. Othello tells the history of the fabric: "'Twould make her amiable and subdue my father entirely to her love, but if she lost it or made a gift of it, my father's eye should hold her loathed and his spirits should hunt after new fancies," (III.iv.53-57). With this information, it can be inferred that Othello is using the history of the handkerchief to explain why he doubts his wife's faithfulness. Because she is unable to produce the cloth, he assumes that it is lost and, therefore, Desdemona has lost the love of Othello. Additionally, Othello continues to tell that the handkerchief was "dyed in mummy which the skillful conserved of maiden's hearts" which means that the fabric was dyed using a special concoction mixed from the blood of virgins (III.iv.67-68). This image calls to mind the consummation of marriage after which the bloodied sheets of the couple are placed in a public place to prove the virginity of the wife. Then, again, is the audience reminded of the image of faithfulness and purity that is embedded within the handkerchief.Sexist Shakespeare
Othello
William Shakespeare
Act II
Act II presents us with the first view of society within the context of the play; woman are inferior. For the majority of history, woman have been viewed as subordinate and subject to do the work which was deemed below the standards of a man. However, one would not expect to find a hint of sexism in a Shakespearean work of literature. A man who wrote some of the most beautiful love stories and poetry that poured out his soul could not possibly be sexist, could he? Yet, Shakespeare chooses to have his characters comment on the role of women in society.The first glimpse of the relationship between men and women is given to us by Cassio's interactions with Desdemona and Emilia. Cassio greets both women in a fashion reminiscent of the chivalry that existed in medieval times. This presents a stark contrast to the following interaction between Iago and the two women. Iago tells the ladies that it does not matter the attractiveness or intelligence of a woman because they are manipulative creatures who, in the end, will get what they want. Iago then goes on to comment that a woman's job is "to suckle fools and chronicle small beer," (II.i.159).
The discrepancy that exists between these two male characters emphasizes the division in society toward the role of women. Because Iago's point is further elaborated upon, the audience is able to conclude that it is the more widely accepted viewpoint. However, the roles of characters within their environment will continue to develop, and there are sure to be more comments on the nature of women.
"Honest Iago"
Othello
William Shakespeare
"We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed," (I.i.43-44.).
At the opening of the play, the audience is presented with an Iago within whom the audience can detect an obvious grudge toward Othello. Referring to the man only by "the Moor," Iago strips him of his intrinsic human dignity (I.i.57). However, Iago is never forward or blunt about his exact feelings toward his Captain. He acknowledges his duty to serve under the man even though he feels slighted because he did not receive the promotion. Yet, this underlying tone given throughout Iago's conversation with Roderigo foreshadows a confrontation between the Ensign and his Captain or a crestfallen outcome for one or the other.
This opening information seems conflicting as the story progresses; Iago is constantly referred to as an honest and respectable man. However, the audience knows more about the character of Iago than the rest of the characters involved in the action know. This dramatic irony allows for an even deeper look into the manipulative character of Iago. We are able to ascertain that the man can use words to his advantage in order to advance himself and his priorities in life. As the plot continues, the audience can expect to see more of this character develop as the action develops as well.
William Shakespeare
"We cannot all be masters, nor all masters cannot be truly followed," (I.i.43-44.).
At the opening of the play, the audience is presented with an Iago within whom the audience can detect an obvious grudge toward Othello. Referring to the man only by "the Moor," Iago strips him of his intrinsic human dignity (I.i.57). However, Iago is never forward or blunt about his exact feelings toward his Captain. He acknowledges his duty to serve under the man even though he feels slighted because he did not receive the promotion. Yet, this underlying tone given throughout Iago's conversation with Roderigo foreshadows a confrontation between the Ensign and his Captain or a crestfallen outcome for one or the other.
This opening information seems conflicting as the story progresses; Iago is constantly referred to as an honest and respectable man. However, the audience knows more about the character of Iago than the rest of the characters involved in the action know. This dramatic irony allows for an even deeper look into the manipulative character of Iago. We are able to ascertain that the man can use words to his advantage in order to advance himself and his priorities in life. As the plot continues, the audience can expect to see more of this character develop as the action develops as well.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
The Story of an Hour
"The Story of an Hour"
Kate Chopin
The opening sentence of "The Story of an Hour" foreshadows the loss of love somewhere in the story. The heart condition from which Louise suffers serves multiple purposes within the context of the short story. First, it establishes the manner in which she would be told of her husband's death; it portrays her as a weak character unable to withstand traumatic information. Obviously, a person suffering from heart troubles could not handle any news which would be too exciting or too depressing. This information makes it even more strange that Louise's "pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every bit of her body." By adding this detail, the author refutes that her heart is the source of her troubles. In fact, her heart comforts her during her time of sadness and subsequent joy by relaxing her weeping body. Yet, again, this makes her death at the conclusion of the story ironic even though it can be interpreted in the first sentence of the short story. The doctor's claim that she had died because of overwhelming joy at the sight of her living husband is ironic because it was actually the shock from the loss of her joy and freedom that had been her downfall. Thus, the irony lies in that it should not have been the news of her husband's death that worried Louise's sister, but instead the confinement of her marriage.
Kate Chopin
The opening sentence of "The Story of an Hour" foreshadows the loss of love somewhere in the story. The heart condition from which Louise suffers serves multiple purposes within the context of the short story. First, it establishes the manner in which she would be told of her husband's death; it portrays her as a weak character unable to withstand traumatic information. Obviously, a person suffering from heart troubles could not handle any news which would be too exciting or too depressing. This information makes it even more strange that Louise's "pulses beat fast, and the coursing blood warmed and relaxed every bit of her body." By adding this detail, the author refutes that her heart is the source of her troubles. In fact, her heart comforts her during her time of sadness and subsequent joy by relaxing her weeping body. Yet, again, this makes her death at the conclusion of the story ironic even though it can be interpreted in the first sentence of the short story. The doctor's claim that she had died because of overwhelming joy at the sight of her living husband is ironic because it was actually the shock from the loss of her joy and freedom that had been her downfall. Thus, the irony lies in that it should not have been the news of her husband's death that worried Louise's sister, but instead the confinement of her marriage.
Popular Mechanics
"Popular Mechanics"
Raymond Carver
Throughout "Popular Mechanics," symbolism is used to help convey the emotional struggle between the story's two main characters.
The first symbolic representation is in the form of the snow at the beginning of the story. "The snow was melting into dirty water." Snow, in its fresh state, is white. The color white carries the connotation of purity with it. This purity comes from the origin of the marriage, hinting at an earlier time of happiness and freedom from emotional distress. However, now, the snow, like the marriage, is becoming polluted. It is losing its purity, losing its innocence, and instead becoming contaminated by the world around it.
The next main point of symbolism is also the climax of the story. The physical fight over the baby is symbolic of the emotional fight existing between his parents. As the man and woman fight over the child, pulling him in different directions, they are giving a physical representation of the emotional distress that is tearing the child apart from the inside. By presenting the audience with a visual altercation, the author is able to illustrate an otherwise intangible struggle. Both of the parents continue the struggle, and the child is unable to do anything to shield himself from the consequences. Likewise, he is helpless in the prevention of the emotional challenges experienced by his parents.
You're Ugly, Too
"You're Ugly, Too"
Lorrie Moore
p352
If the life of Zoe Hendricks was to be summed up into one word, it would be ironic. To begin, Zoe is completely unsatisfied with almost every aspect of her life, yet she does little to actually change it. She is not happy with her job situation, and the insertion of comments made by students in italics show the toll that it takes on her mental situation. "Just because Professor Hendricks is from Spain doesn't give her the right to be so negative," (354). Zoe is also uncomfortable with her living conditions in her "mint-green ranch house," (357). For some reason, she is restless within the house and cannot seem to furnish it in a manner that suits her. Also, the color of the house implies its ordinariness; mint-green is a pastel, almost bland, color which is suggestive of the boring and simple nature of Zoe's own life. Zoe's wardrobe of "gray-green corduroy" also suggests this idea (356). To add to her plainness, Zoe's physical appearance is not exactly extravagant either.
Another ironic aspect of Zoe's life is that for having such a strong personality, she is incredibly insecure. Her insecurities are so prevalent that it suggests that her sarcastic interaction with others is to make up for her own shortcomings. For example, all of the three men that she dated while in Illinois were pushed away by her own doing. Zoe complains about not having anyone significant within her life besides her sister, yet she is the one who does not allow a relationship to form. Zoe's own misery comes directly from her own doing. To put it in cliche terms, she is her own worst enemy.
Lorrie Moore
p352
If the life of Zoe Hendricks was to be summed up into one word, it would be ironic. To begin, Zoe is completely unsatisfied with almost every aspect of her life, yet she does little to actually change it. She is not happy with her job situation, and the insertion of comments made by students in italics show the toll that it takes on her mental situation. "Just because Professor Hendricks is from Spain doesn't give her the right to be so negative," (354). Zoe is also uncomfortable with her living conditions in her "mint-green ranch house," (357). For some reason, she is restless within the house and cannot seem to furnish it in a manner that suits her. Also, the color of the house implies its ordinariness; mint-green is a pastel, almost bland, color which is suggestive of the boring and simple nature of Zoe's own life. Zoe's wardrobe of "gray-green corduroy" also suggests this idea (356). To add to her plainness, Zoe's physical appearance is not exactly extravagant either.
Another ironic aspect of Zoe's life is that for having such a strong personality, she is incredibly insecure. Her insecurities are so prevalent that it suggests that her sarcastic interaction with others is to make up for her own shortcomings. For example, all of the three men that she dated while in Illinois were pushed away by her own doing. Zoe complains about not having anyone significant within her life besides her sister, yet she is the one who does not allow a relationship to form. Zoe's own misery comes directly from her own doing. To put it in cliche terms, she is her own worst enemy.
Getting Out
"Getting Out"
Cleopatra Mathis
p896
Focusing on the failed marriage and consequential divorce of a couple, "Getting Out" by Cleopatra Mathis utilizes flashbacks to the relationship and imagery to convey the speakers conflicting feelings between her heart and her mind.
The first two stanzas of the poem are flashbacks with each one offering small details about the condition of the marriage that led it to failure. It also sets up the length of the marriage: "That year, we hardly slept" implies that the couple was only together for a year before problems arose in the marriage (896). Through the flashbacks into her mental state, the speaker demonstrates her reasoning as to why divorce was the best option for their own sanity. "Walking like inmates," "escaped," and "locked" all convey a feeling of imprisonment within the marriage, implying that the married were trapped within their relationship rather than remaining by free will (896).
This feeling of imprisonment is the basis for the conflicting feelings of the speaker. In her mind, she is not happy, and both her husband and herself recognize that divorce would be the best solution to their marital problems. However, within her heart, the speaker knows that love for her husband does exist, but it is just not enough to keep the marriage continuing. These feelings are reflected in the third stanza of the poem which is set in the present. The speaker still holds on to fragments of their marriage, knowing that love was there and is still in the background of her heart. With the last line of the poem, though, she demonstrates her maturity by accepting that it was the best for themselves.
Cleopatra Mathis
p896
Focusing on the failed marriage and consequential divorce of a couple, "Getting Out" by Cleopatra Mathis utilizes flashbacks to the relationship and imagery to convey the speakers conflicting feelings between her heart and her mind.
The first two stanzas of the poem are flashbacks with each one offering small details about the condition of the marriage that led it to failure. It also sets up the length of the marriage: "That year, we hardly slept" implies that the couple was only together for a year before problems arose in the marriage (896). Through the flashbacks into her mental state, the speaker demonstrates her reasoning as to why divorce was the best option for their own sanity. "Walking like inmates," "escaped," and "locked" all convey a feeling of imprisonment within the marriage, implying that the married were trapped within their relationship rather than remaining by free will (896).
This feeling of imprisonment is the basis for the conflicting feelings of the speaker. In her mind, she is not happy, and both her husband and herself recognize that divorce would be the best solution to their marital problems. However, within her heart, the speaker knows that love for her husband does exist, but it is just not enough to keep the marriage continuing. These feelings are reflected in the third stanza of the poem which is set in the present. The speaker still holds on to fragments of their marriage, knowing that love was there and is still in the background of her heart. With the last line of the poem, though, she demonstrates her maturity by accepting that it was the best for themselves.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Delight in Disorder
Robert Herrick
p979
The main point of the poem by Robert Herrick is that often times the most beautiful things can come out of imperfections. The speaker even claims that the imperfections of the woman whom he admires "do more bewitch me than when art Is too precise in every part," (Herrick, 979). He describes her dress as a "sweet disorder" which covers her "here and there" and even "careless," (Herrick, 979). In modern day terms, the woman sounds like a "hot mess," meaning that she is disheveled but in a manner that adds to her attractiveness in some fashion. Although the name can sometimes carry a negative connotation with it, it would apply nearly perfectly to the woman that is described within the poem.
But something else that also adds to her beauty is the confusion that the speaker experiences when he looks at the woman. This confusion is conveyed through the oxymoron "wild civility" in line 12 (Herrick, 979). Within this oxymoron, the speaker reveals that the woman is actually very refined, but this state in which she currently exists adds a sort of wild aspect to her appeal. The speaker admits his distraction by the woman which also helps to contribute to the reader's understanding of the abnormality of this particular woman's appearance. However, the speaker cannot deny that she is beautiful, even more beautiful than if she were to have been perfectly put together.
Lonely Hearts
"Lonely Hearts"
Wendy Cope
p974
Question 2 Why is the form of the villanelle so appropriate for the subject matter and structure of this poem?
First, according to the Google dictionary, a villanelle is a nineteen-line poem with two rhymes throughout, consisting of five tercets and a quatrain, with the first and third lines of the opening tercet recurring alternately at the end of the other tercets and with both repeated at the close of the concluding quatrain.
The structure of this poem suits its content because it mirrors the origin of the tercets of the poem. The title "Lonely Hearts" refers to the personals section of a newspaper. This section normally includes brief descriptions of an individual and what they are searching for in a companion. Being a villanelle, the poem is able to mimic the short paragraphs posted in this section of the newspaper which adds to the overall effectiveness of the poem by creating a realistic feel, as if the reader is literally reading personal ads.
As far as the content contained within the poem, the villanelle is an excellent medium through which to convey the point of the poem. The separation of the tercets allows each one to function as the voice of each of its individual speajer. Also, the tercets are all unrelated materially, but they are tied together by the refrains "Can someone make my simple wish come true?" and "Do you live in North London? Is it you?" (Cope, 974-975). Through the repetition of these phrases, the poem is able to connect what would otherwise be separate posts; it allows for a better flow of the poem and to emphasize the loneliness of each individual.
Wendy Cope
p974
Question 2 Why is the form of the villanelle so appropriate for the subject matter and structure of this poem?
First, according to the Google dictionary, a villanelle is a nineteen-line poem with two rhymes throughout, consisting of five tercets and a quatrain, with the first and third lines of the opening tercet recurring alternately at the end of the other tercets and with both repeated at the close of the concluding quatrain.
The structure of this poem suits its content because it mirrors the origin of the tercets of the poem. The title "Lonely Hearts" refers to the personals section of a newspaper. This section normally includes brief descriptions of an individual and what they are searching for in a companion. Being a villanelle, the poem is able to mimic the short paragraphs posted in this section of the newspaper which adds to the overall effectiveness of the poem by creating a realistic feel, as if the reader is literally reading personal ads.
As far as the content contained within the poem, the villanelle is an excellent medium through which to convey the point of the poem. The separation of the tercets allows each one to function as the voice of each of its individual speajer. Also, the tercets are all unrelated materially, but they are tied together by the refrains "Can someone make my simple wish come true?" and "Do you live in North London? Is it you?" (Cope, 974-975). Through the repetition of these phrases, the poem is able to connect what would otherwise be separate posts; it allows for a better flow of the poem and to emphasize the loneliness of each individual.
Eveline
"Eveline"
James Joyce
p218
First mentioned in the beginning paragraph of the story, Eveline "sat at the window watching evening invade the avenue...in her nostrils was the odor of dusty cretonne," (Joyce, 218). This first image illustrates a rather stagnant woman unchanged, unmoved by time. She is reluctant to accept any change in her life, and this is reflected in the dust collecting on the old-fashioned fabric. However, the narrator lets us know that she is ready to make a drastic adjustment, which leads the reader to question whether or not the "dusty cretonne" was symbolic of the old Eveline who is now ready to move forward.
This seems like a very plausible occurrence until page 221 when the reader is again presented with the image of Eveline sitting "by the window...inhaling the odor of dusty cretonne," (Joyce, 221). The placement of the recurrence of the image is especially key to its meaning. As Eveline is about to leave to travel half way around the world with Frank, she again smells the familiar fragrance. This second presentation of the image represents her still unchanged heart and foreshadows her refusal to leave with the sailor. Also, following along with the doubling of images, Eveline is first depicted as looking out over the street and last depicted by looking out at Frank. This, again, reinforces her stolid nature.
How I Met My Husband
"How I Met My Husband"
Alice Munro
p137
As the story begins, the audience is presented with the character of Mrs. Peebles, and with this description, she seems to fit the role of foil character to Edie. However, a more appropriate foil character would be that of Alice Kelling, the supposed fiance of Chris Watters.
To begin, Alice possesses a very delusional view of the world; she fails to recognize the "end" of her engagement and foolishly chases her fiance around while he seduces women in each town he visits. Her engagement ring, even, "was a tiny stone," (Munro, 139). The size of this diamond is symbolic of Watters' love that he has for her, little and almost irrelevant. Kelling also fails to answer Loretta Bird when she inquires about the length of her engagement; a common social move to avoid talking about a sore subject. To top off her disenchantment with reality, Alice wears sunglasses, representative of the film through which she sees her world.
Edie, on the other hand, is the most realistic character of the story. She has knowledge of both how the rich and the poor live, and she can easily determine the difference. Edie may not be intelligent, but she certainly knows what is going on around her unlike Alice Kelling. Even though Edie claims to have forgotten "all about Alice Kelling and her misery and her awful talk," Kelling had a lasting effect on her own character: she subconsciously realized what she did not want to be. After seeing the near pathetic life that Alice had lived, Edie decided to not live the same life, and with this subconscious decision, settled to no longer wait for the letter from Watters and marry the mailman instead.
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