W.H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen” is an epitaph on a statue of a man who was simply ordinary and is celebrated for just that. The speaker, presumably some government worker who researched Unknown Citizen JS/07/M/378, romanticizes this man’s unremarkable life but still maintains a tone similar to that of an official, unemotional report. The Unknown Citizen is memorialized as a model for all other citizens in this “fictional” society because of his lack of individuality or uniqueness. He is the government’s idea of a perfect man—one who doesn’t stand out, break the rules, or think for himself.
The poem gives us certain details of the citizen’s life, but Auden purposely omits any details that would make the unknown citizen seem to be irregular. Auden’s goal in doing so was to emphasize the fact that this man is celebrated because he fits the norm—not because he stands out as an individual or as one who has done anything remarkable with his life. This fictional government prefers this mindless conformity because it allows it to better keep track of and control its citizens.
The poem itself was written in 1940 and technically doesn’t reference any specific or real events, industries, or organizations. However, Auden uses this fictional society in which the government keeps very close track of its citizens to satirize America—the country where Auden himself had just become a citizen. In fact, the poem seems to be a social commentary on America. Auden criticizes America for its celebration not of the individual but of the citizen who fits in and does not think for him- or herself.
Auden’s word choice is simple. Since this epitaph is supposedly inscribed on a monument to this ideal unknown citizen, the speaker of the poem purposely made the inscription easy to understand so that all citizens could know exactly what their government views as ideal.
The rhyme scheme of “The Unknown Citizen” is irregular; however, it definitely contains rhyme and each idea in the poem is contained by its own unique rhyme scheme. For example, the pattern of the first five lines is ABABA, and the first five lines are a general introduction about the unknown citizen and what a “great” person he was. The pattern of the next eight lines of the poem is CCDEEFFD. Although this is not a normal rhyme scheme, each line rhymes with one other line. This section of the poem is concerned with the citizen’s work life and friends from work. The next two lines, a rhymed couplet, are concerned with the world around the unknown citizen and his reactions to it. The next two are another rhymed couplet and are about his health and insurance. The pattern of the next eight lines is IJJIKLK. These lines discuss the extent to which the citizen was an ideal consumer and patriot. The next three lines all rhyme with each other and depict the citizen’s family life. The last rhymed couplet seems to be Auden’s own voice letting us know that the whole thing was one big satire—surely an individual’s happiness cannot be measured by government standards and statistics.
The second to last line of the poem uses two rhetorical questions to clue us in to Auden’s clear satire. It makes us aware of the fact that the poem never addresses the citizen’s happiness or fun aspects of his life. This man seems to be living the American dream: he has a steady job, a family, a few friends, and some modern conveniences. However, we know nothing about his happiness or his ability—or lack thereof—to express himself as an individual. But as Auden points out, the unknown citizen’s life is measured not by how he developed himself as a human being, but by how he contributes to the society in which he lived.
(WC 638)
Do you think this poem is satirical? Why? How can you tell?
In my paper, I assume that the speaker is a government worker. What other assumptions could you make about the speaker?
What facts do you think were left out about this citizen? What traits could he have had that would make him less of a model?
Are any of the things that he is revered for potentially negative? (i.e. staying out of his children’s education, materialism)
Do you think this “unknown citizen” is a real person or did this fictional government just invent him as a model?
Monday, April 21, 2008
Sunday, April 20, 2008
1984 freaks me out a little bit.
So this is blog 1 of 3 for my novel. I'm sorry I didn't do them on time. Life has been many kinds of chaotic lately and I apologize. I hope to finish the book and complete the other two blogs by the end of the weekend. Sorry again for my lateness.
-Ally
My initial reaction to 1984 could probably be summed up as "I'm so glad I don't live in this world and what is wrong with these people?" I think I would submit to being "vaporized," as they call it, rather than live in this world where there is no freedom to think except to agree with the government.
The first of many things that I found disturbing about this society, Oceania, was the telescreens that exist in virtually every building. The idea that someone, somewhere could be watching your every move and listening to your every conversation is terrifying—particularly because it is this totalitarian government’s workers on the other side of the screen. Orwell gives us a very specific description of the pains to which Winston goes to be able to hide from the telescreen long enough to write in his diary—one of many offenses that could potentially get him killed.
Only a few pages into the novel, I could tell that Winston was different from the other people in Oceania. He was not as easily duped as the rest of them. When Winston started writing in his diary, however, I began to doubt his sanity as well. The nonchallant language he uses to describe a popular movie in which "a ship full of refugees [is] being bombed somewhere in the Mediteranean" (8) and all kinds of other horrible things happen is truly scary. He, like much of the audience at that film, does not seem to appreciate or understand the horror of the situation. These poor people have no concept of compassion or sympathy because their government has forced those instincts out of them.
I began to warm up to Winston as we learned more about him through his journaling and through his inner monologue that we get to read along with. We witness his inner struggle to remember things, to remember the truth as it really is and not as the government wants everyone to remember it.
Winston is able to recognize that something is wrong with the world he lives in due to the fact that he works in Minitrue, the Ministry of Truth. However very little of the work he does at Minitrue involves truth itself. Winston's, and many of his coworkers', job is to take what has really happened and reshape it into a lie that suits the government and then becomes accepted as truth. This fabrication process is appalling. It is no wonder that the citizens of Oceania are so brainwashed--they couldn't escape it if they tried.
Another disturbing aspect of this society is their invented language, Newspeak. As I understand it, at this point in the novel, Newspeak is not spoken by most of the population except potentially as a second language. We learn more about Newspeak from Winston's friend Syme, who works on compiling the Newspeak dictionary. Syme tells us that Newspeak is supposed to allow people to narrow their minds and thoughts by eliminating words that are "unnecessary" and therefore making true self-expression more difficult. Of course this totalitarian government doesn't want its citizens to be able to think for themselves. If they could think for themselves, they might rebel or otherwise cause problems.
The only free-thinking people in society it seems, are the proles--the lower class who are allowed to think for themselves because they make up the proletariat and don't seem to matter as much as other citizens. The government somehow just allows them more freedom; however, I think eventually they will revolt.
I'm really enjoying the novel so far. It's sort of terrifying at some points but I still like reading it and find it interesting.
WC 612
-Ally
My initial reaction to 1984 could probably be summed up as "I'm so glad I don't live in this world and what is wrong with these people?" I think I would submit to being "vaporized," as they call it, rather than live in this world where there is no freedom to think except to agree with the government.
The first of many things that I found disturbing about this society, Oceania, was the telescreens that exist in virtually every building. The idea that someone, somewhere could be watching your every move and listening to your every conversation is terrifying—particularly because it is this totalitarian government’s workers on the other side of the screen. Orwell gives us a very specific description of the pains to which Winston goes to be able to hide from the telescreen long enough to write in his diary—one of many offenses that could potentially get him killed.
Only a few pages into the novel, I could tell that Winston was different from the other people in Oceania. He was not as easily duped as the rest of them. When Winston started writing in his diary, however, I began to doubt his sanity as well. The nonchallant language he uses to describe a popular movie in which "a ship full of refugees [is] being bombed somewhere in the Mediteranean" (8) and all kinds of other horrible things happen is truly scary. He, like much of the audience at that film, does not seem to appreciate or understand the horror of the situation. These poor people have no concept of compassion or sympathy because their government has forced those instincts out of them.
I began to warm up to Winston as we learned more about him through his journaling and through his inner monologue that we get to read along with. We witness his inner struggle to remember things, to remember the truth as it really is and not as the government wants everyone to remember it.
Winston is able to recognize that something is wrong with the world he lives in due to the fact that he works in Minitrue, the Ministry of Truth. However very little of the work he does at Minitrue involves truth itself. Winston's, and many of his coworkers', job is to take what has really happened and reshape it into a lie that suits the government and then becomes accepted as truth. This fabrication process is appalling. It is no wonder that the citizens of Oceania are so brainwashed--they couldn't escape it if they tried.
Another disturbing aspect of this society is their invented language, Newspeak. As I understand it, at this point in the novel, Newspeak is not spoken by most of the population except potentially as a second language. We learn more about Newspeak from Winston's friend Syme, who works on compiling the Newspeak dictionary. Syme tells us that Newspeak is supposed to allow people to narrow their minds and thoughts by eliminating words that are "unnecessary" and therefore making true self-expression more difficult. Of course this totalitarian government doesn't want its citizens to be able to think for themselves. If they could think for themselves, they might rebel or otherwise cause problems.
The only free-thinking people in society it seems, are the proles--the lower class who are allowed to think for themselves because they make up the proletariat and don't seem to matter as much as other citizens. The government somehow just allows them more freedom; however, I think eventually they will revolt.
I'm really enjoying the novel so far. It's sort of terrifying at some points but I still like reading it and find it interesting.
WC 612
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Villanelle for Gabriel
I was thinking about the two villanelles that we have read during Bullwinkle's corner and decided to write a villanelle about Gabriel from Fences.
My favorite character from Fences is Gabriel,
Although he is a grown man,
He acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
Some of the characters in Fences who we get to know well,
Are likable enough for some short timespan,
But my favorite character from Fences is Gabriel,
We learn that his brain doesn't work so well,
Because he fought in WWII and was injured in Japan,
He acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
He leaves Troy's house and goes to live with Miss Pearl,
Who probably treats him far better than Troy--that despicable man,
My favorite character from Fences is Gabriel.
He is the only character--as far as I can tell,
Who is truly free of life's real demands.
He simply acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
We grow to love crazy Gabriel,
And laugh at his quirky plans,
My favorite character from Fences is Gabriel,
Who acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
My favorite character from Fences is Gabriel,
Although he is a grown man,
He acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
Some of the characters in Fences who we get to know well,
Are likable enough for some short timespan,
But my favorite character from Fences is Gabriel,
We learn that his brain doesn't work so well,
Because he fought in WWII and was injured in Japan,
He acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
He leaves Troy's house and goes to live with Miss Pearl,
Who probably treats him far better than Troy--that despicable man,
My favorite character from Fences is Gabriel.
He is the only character--as far as I can tell,
Who is truly free of life's real demands.
He simply acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
We grow to love crazy Gabriel,
And laugh at his quirky plans,
My favorite character from Fences is Gabriel,
Who acts like a child and thinks he is the Archangel.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Subtext
SCENE IV. The Queen's closet.
Enter QUEEN MARGARET and POLONIUS (always scheming)LORD POLONIUS
He will come straight. Look you lay home to him:HAMLET
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.
(Spoken vehemently...Polonius really wants to see Hamlet get it)
[Within] Mother, mother, mother!QUEEN GERTRUDE
(Mockingly, as if he's acting much younger than he is)
I'll warrant you,HAMLET
Fear me not: withdraw, I hear him coming.POLONIUS hides behind the arras but not well enough....
Enter HAMLET
Now, mother, what's the matter?QUEEN GERTRUDE
(Still with some condescension. He clearly knows what is the matter)
Hamlet, thou hast thy father much offended.HAMLET
Mother, you have my father much offended.QUEEN GERTRUDE
(to use a more modern phrase...OH SNAP)
Come, come, you answer with an idle tongue.HAMLET
(She is still patient with him at this point. Perhaps as if she is reprimanding a young boy)
Go, go, you question with a wicked tongue.QUEEN GERTRUDE
(Ouch.)
Why, how now, Hamlet!HAMLET
(She begins to lose her temper)
What's the matter now?QUEEN GERTRUDE
Have you forgot me?HAMLET
(Since she still babies Hamlet to an extent, she seems to think that he should still show her the same affection that a young boy would show his mother even though that is not the appropriate way to treat Hamlet.)
No, by the rood, not so:QUEEN GERTRUDE
You are the queen, your husband's brother's wife;
And--would it were not so!--you are my mother.
Nay, then, I'll set those to you that can speak.HAMLET
(Slightly taken aback)
Come, come, and sit you down; you shall not budge;QUEEN GERTRUDE
You go not till I set you up a glass
Where you may see the inmost part of you.
(Now Hamlet gains "control" of the scene. He is the one driving all the action)
What wilt thou do? thou wilt not murder me?LORD POLONIUS
Help, help, ho!
(She realizes she's lost control and is scared)
[Behind] What, ho! help, help, help!HAMLET
(He unnecessarily panics and reveals himself)
[Drawing] How now! a rat? Dead, for a ducat, dead!LORD POLONIUS(He knows what is really behind the curtain and believes that whoever it is deserves to die for being a co-conspirator in this scene and perhaps even Hamlet's father's death) Makes a pass through the arras
[Behind] O, I am slain!QUEEN GERTRUDE(Crooooak) Falls and dies
O me, what hast thou done?HAMLET
(Shocked by what just happened, she begins to feel faint and cannot seem to hold her ground)
Nay, I know not:QUEEN GERTRUDE
Is it the king?
(He wishes. He speaks very calmly for someone who has just committed murder)
O, what a rash and bloody deed is this!HAMLET
A bloody deed! almost as bad, good mother,QUEEN GERTRUDE
As kill a king, and marry with his brother.
(Almost as bad...but not quite. He places himself out of the same league as Claudius)
As kill a king!HAMLET
Ay, lady, 'twas my word.QUEEN GERTRUDELifts 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.
(His anger is apparent)
What have I done, that thou darest wag thy tongueHAMLET
In noise so rude against me?
(She seems to have missed the bigger picture)
Such an actQUEEN GERTRUDE
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.
(He continues to reprimand his mother for what she has done, reminding her of the extent to which he holds her in contempt)
Ay me, what act,HAMLET
That roars so loud, and thunders in the index?
(She still doesn't get it)
Look here, upon this picture, and on this,QUEEN GERTRUDE
The counterfeit presentment of two brothers. (He points to a portrait on the wall of Hamlet Sr. and Claudius)
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. (Hamlet Sr.=a god) Look you now, what follows:
Here is your husband; like a mildew'd ear,
Blasting his wholesome brother. (gross) 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.
(With each line, his anger mounts and he moves closer to his mother. As he speaks, Gertrude becomes more and more upset by Hamlet's harsh words.)
O Hamlet, speak no more:HAMLET
Thou turn'st mine eyes into my very soul;
And there I see such black and grained spots
As will not leave their tinct.
(She wipes tears from her eyes)
Nay, but to liveQUEEN GERTRUDE
In the rank sweat of an enseamed bed,
Stew'd in corruption, honeying and making love
Over the nasty sty,--
O, speak to me no more;HAMLET
These words, like daggers, enter in mine ears;
No more, sweet Hamlet!
(She cuts him off, appalled)
A murderer and a villain;QUEEN GERTRUDE
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!
No more!HAMLET
(She begins to sob)
A king of shreds and patches,--QUEEN GERTRUDEEnter Ghost
Save me, and hover o'er me with your wings,
You heavenly guards! What would your gracious figure?
(He looks up and in the opposite direction of Gertrude to where the ghost is)
Alas, he's mad!HAMLET
Do you not come your tardy son to chide,Ghost
That, lapsed in time and passion, lets go by
The important acting of your dread command? O, say!
Do not forget: this visitationHAMLET
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.
(He rebukes Hamlet for upsetting his mother so. After all, the ghost still loves her)
How is it with you, lady?QUEEN GERTRUDE
Alas, how is't with you,HAMLET
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 is slightly more collected but still thinks Hamlet is bonkers)
On him, on him! Look you, how pale he glares!QUEEN GERTRUDE
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.
(He doesn't understand that she cannot see the ghost)
(They speak quickly) To whom do you speak this?HAMLET
Do you see nothing there?QUEEN GERTRUDE
Nothing at all; yet all that is I see.HAMLET
Nor did you nothing hear?QUEEN GERTRUDE
No, nothing but ourselves.HAMLET
Why, look you there! look, how it steals away!QUEEN GERTRUDE
My father, in his habit as he lived!
Look, where he goes, even now, out at the portal!Exit Ghost
This the very coinage of your brain:HAMLET
This bodiless creation ecstasy
Is very cunning in.
Ecstasy!QUEEN GERTRUDE
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: (I'm crazy but I know what I'm talking about)
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.
(He still has some love for his mother. He wants her to reform her ways. He has not yet completely given up on her soul. He still holds her in higher regard that he holds the others)
O Hamlet, thou hast cleft my heart in twain.HAMLET
(You broke my heart)
O, throw away the worser part of it,QUEEN GERTRUDE
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. (He is clearly begging her to listen to him)
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 (and effecting a more scornful tone of voice)
I do repent: but heaven hath pleased it so, (looks up)
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.
What shall I do? (She is exasperated by everything that has just taken place)HAMLET
Not this, by no means, that I bid you do:QUEEN GERTRUDE
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.
(He wants her to reveal the truth about Claudius because her word is more reputable than Hamlet's. He begs her to condemn Claudius even at her own expense)
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.
(I can't do it.)
Friday, February 8, 2008
Lonely Hearts
Lonely Hearts
by Wendy Cope
by Wendy Cope
Can someone make my simple wish come true?
Male biker seeks female for touring fun.
Do you live in North London? Is it you?
Gay vegetarian whose friends are few,
I'm into music, Shakespeare and the sun.
Can someone make my simple wish come true?
Executive in search of something new—
Perhaps bisexual woman, arty, young.
Do you live in North London? Is it you?
Successful, straight and solvent? I am too—
Attractive Jewish lady with a son.
Can someone make my simple wish come true?
I'm Libran, inexperienced and blue—
Need slim, non-smoker, under twenty-one.
Do you live in North London? Is it you?
Please write (with photo) to Box 152.
Who knows where it may lead once we've begun?
Can someone make my simple wish come true?
Do you live in North London? Is it you?
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Do you really want to know?
In Sophocles's play, Oedipus the King, a terrible fate befalls King Oedipus--he kills his father and marries his mother. However, he commits each of these crimes without truly knowing what he is doing. When he kills his father, Oedipus thinks he has merely killed a few random travelers, and when he marries Jocasta, Oedipus has no idea that she is his mother. Over the course of the play, Oedipus discovers these horrors and is mortified. Several characters in the play contribute information that allows Oedipus to piece together the puzzle that is his misfortune, but many of them attempt to shield Oedipus from the terrible truth. Oedipus still begs them to reveal their secrets because he is determined to solve the mystery which has brought a plague upon his people. Although Oedipus may appear to be a proud and selfish character, as the play progresses, we see that he comes to terms with his terrible fate in order to redeem the people of Thebes so that they no longer share in his suffering.
When Creon first tells Oedipus that the man who killed Laos must be exiled in order for the people of Thebes to be saved, Oedipus calls on the seer Tiresias to reveal the true threat to the kingdom. Although Tiresias refuses several times to tell Oedipus the truth, he ultimately points to Oedipus as the ruin of Thebes. Oedipus is shocked and denounces Tiresias as a fool but then spends the rest of the play trying to determine what, if any, truth there is to Tiresias's claims.
At first, Oedipus's motive is merely to prove Tiresias wrong; however, once he speaks to Jocasta and learns more about Laos's death, he begins to entertain the unpleasant idea that Tiresias might be correct. He sends for the only man who survived the journey on which Laos met his death--a shepherd who no longer lives in Thebes. Before the shepherd arrives, a messenger brings word to Oedipus of his "father's" death. However the messenger also informs Oedipus that the King of Corinth, whom Oedipus believes to be his father, is in fact not related to Oedipus at all. Once the shepherd arrives, he begs that Oedipus not ask the truth of him, but Oedipus is so set on solving this mystery, even though it will certainly only lead to his own doom, that he demands the truth. The shepherd confirms that Oedipus is indeed the son of Laos and has married his mother and killed his own father.
In a fit of rage at his own misfortune and at Jocasta’s suicide, Oedipus gouges out his own eyes and succumbs to his miserable fate. It is then that he commits his most selfless act: he chooses to go into exile himself so that the people of Thebes will no longer suffer from the plague. Although Oedipus is introduced to us as a haughty, proud ruler who thinks he can defy fate and the gods, by the end of the play, he is reduced to a humble, unhappy man who leaves the life and people who once but no longer revere him so that they may lead a better life. (WC 530)
When Creon first tells Oedipus that the man who killed Laos must be exiled in order for the people of Thebes to be saved, Oedipus calls on the seer Tiresias to reveal the true threat to the kingdom. Although Tiresias refuses several times to tell Oedipus the truth, he ultimately points to Oedipus as the ruin of Thebes. Oedipus is shocked and denounces Tiresias as a fool but then spends the rest of the play trying to determine what, if any, truth there is to Tiresias's claims.
At first, Oedipus's motive is merely to prove Tiresias wrong; however, once he speaks to Jocasta and learns more about Laos's death, he begins to entertain the unpleasant idea that Tiresias might be correct. He sends for the only man who survived the journey on which Laos met his death--a shepherd who no longer lives in Thebes. Before the shepherd arrives, a messenger brings word to Oedipus of his "father's" death. However the messenger also informs Oedipus that the King of Corinth, whom Oedipus believes to be his father, is in fact not related to Oedipus at all. Once the shepherd arrives, he begs that Oedipus not ask the truth of him, but Oedipus is so set on solving this mystery, even though it will certainly only lead to his own doom, that he demands the truth. The shepherd confirms that Oedipus is indeed the son of Laos and has married his mother and killed his own father.
In a fit of rage at his own misfortune and at Jocasta’s suicide, Oedipus gouges out his own eyes and succumbs to his miserable fate. It is then that he commits his most selfless act: he chooses to go into exile himself so that the people of Thebes will no longer suffer from the plague. Although Oedipus is introduced to us as a haughty, proud ruler who thinks he can defy fate and the gods, by the end of the play, he is reduced to a humble, unhappy man who leaves the life and people who once but no longer revere him so that they may lead a better life. (WC 530)
Monday, January 14, 2008
Gerasim
In Tolstoy’s novella “The Death of Ivan Illych,” the only person with the ability to comfort Illych and to help him forget his terrible, painful suffering is his servant Gerasim. Anyone else who is even remotely acquainted with Illych seems to only irritate him further or offer him no real comfort at all. One day, in the third month of Illych’s illness, when Gerasim enters Illych’s room to attend to him, Illych asks him to please raise his legs because it makes his pain easier to bear. Gerasim does so and Illych discovers that he feels immensely better while Gerasim holds his legs up, and worse once Gerasim sets them down. Although it seems as if it is the position of Illych’s legs that affects his level of pain or comfort, I believe that it is actually the presence or absence of Gerasim’s companionship that affects Illych’s well being.
While Illych has Gerasim hold his legs up, he also asks Gerasim to sit with him for a while and talk to him. Illych grows to rather like Gerasim, and though “health, strength, and vitality in other people were offensive to him…Gerasim’s strength and vitality did not mortify but soothed him (paragraph 216).” Gerasim almost becomes Illych’s role model. Although Illych knows that he will never again be young and healthy like Gerasim, simply being around him allows him to remember the only somewhat happy period of his life—his youth. Maybe if Illych could have learned from Gerasim and adopted some of his good nature, he would have recovered from his illness, or at least lived his last few days in peace.
What bothers Illych most about his condition is the fact that others around him constantly deceive him in relation to it. They either feign sympathy for him, make excuses not to see him, or deny that he is dying when he knows he really is. Gerasim is the one exception to this norm as he does not lie to Illych, and truly does pity him. This small dose of actual concern that Gerasim begrudges Illych does more good for him and gives him more comfort than any dose of medicine that he takes. He even begins to look to Gerasim as a friend, not a friend like the phonies he used to play bridge with, but an actual, honest companion.
It is worth noting that Gerasim himself is a mere peasant, therefore not in the social class to which Illych worked so hard to ascend. Perhaps if Illych had merely allowed himself and his wife and his family to live out their days as happy peasants, and not always worked so hard to advance his position in life, he might have had a happier life. He might have found more companions in life who made him truly happy, or led a life that he could look back upon and remember fondly, rather than miserably. Unfortunately though, Illych passes away as an unhappy, lonely, middle-class man.
(WC 496)
While Illych has Gerasim hold his legs up, he also asks Gerasim to sit with him for a while and talk to him. Illych grows to rather like Gerasim, and though “health, strength, and vitality in other people were offensive to him…Gerasim’s strength and vitality did not mortify but soothed him (paragraph 216).” Gerasim almost becomes Illych’s role model. Although Illych knows that he will never again be young and healthy like Gerasim, simply being around him allows him to remember the only somewhat happy period of his life—his youth. Maybe if Illych could have learned from Gerasim and adopted some of his good nature, he would have recovered from his illness, or at least lived his last few days in peace.
What bothers Illych most about his condition is the fact that others around him constantly deceive him in relation to it. They either feign sympathy for him, make excuses not to see him, or deny that he is dying when he knows he really is. Gerasim is the one exception to this norm as he does not lie to Illych, and truly does pity him. This small dose of actual concern that Gerasim begrudges Illych does more good for him and gives him more comfort than any dose of medicine that he takes. He even begins to look to Gerasim as a friend, not a friend like the phonies he used to play bridge with, but an actual, honest companion.
It is worth noting that Gerasim himself is a mere peasant, therefore not in the social class to which Illych worked so hard to ascend. Perhaps if Illych had merely allowed himself and his wife and his family to live out their days as happy peasants, and not always worked so hard to advance his position in life, he might have had a happier life. He might have found more companions in life who made him truly happy, or led a life that he could look back upon and remember fondly, rather than miserably. Unfortunately though, Illych passes away as an unhappy, lonely, middle-class man.
(WC 496)
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Top 10....
Top 10 Reasons (in no particular order) Why Fermina and Florentino's relationship in old age is much healthier than their relationship in their youth.
1. When Florentino and Fermina are both adults, they have more control over their own lives. Fermina is free of the restrictions her father once placed on her personal relationships, and Florentino is free of his mother's well-meaning, but often bad advice (such as the time she advised him to enjoy his suffering instead of allowing himself to concentrate on things in life which did not cause him so much pain and anguish.) Therefore, it is easier for them to court and spend time getting to know one another.
2. Since both Fermina and Florentino are both old and wrinkly, their love must be based on something more substantial than each other's appearance or physical attractiveness.
3. After his initial faux pas of showing up at Fermina's house just after Urbino's death, Florentino tries to appear less obsessive and more charming. While he is still secretly just as obsessed with Fermina now as he was fifty plus years ago, his attempts to give her some space and not to simply shower her with compliments. He no longer places her on an impossibly high pedestal as he once did.
4. They do not need to worry about money or future success. Their lives are in order so they can devote more time to one another than they could when they were younger.
5. Florentino's methods of courtship are much less creepy than they used to be. Instead of corresponding with Fermina via letters hidden randomly around their city, they simply use the post to communicate (although he does take certain precautions when doing so.) Also, they have much more face-to-face interaction. Florentino comes to Fermina's house once a week and they talk or play cards together. Fermina's son even interacts and develops a positive relationship with Florentino.
6. Their letters are no longer about blind (emphasis on blind) passion but instead about more adult topics that go beyond their relationship itself. For instance, Florentino helps her recover from the loss of her husband even though he had secretly been awaiting Urbino's death since his and Fermina's marriage.
7. They are older and wiser. While they have not lived life together and had the experience of growing old together, both are significantly more mature and therefore able to connect on a deeper level than they did when they were young.
8. Because of their age, neither has to worry about the other potentially falling for someone else. At this point in their lives, either the two of them will get together, or they will both be single for the rest of their lives. The competition factor that existed in their youth has disappeared.
9. Florentino's impulsivity is not as catastrophic as it was once; since their next day might be their last they care less about their actions. For example, allowing the captain to fly the cholera flag on their boat was an impulsive and unwise decision; however, even in the worst case scenario, nothing terrible can really come of it for Florentino and Fermina--they'll be dead soon anyway :-D.
I lied. I could only come up with nine reasons. Can you think of any that I didn’t mention that perhaps I should have added? (WC 549)
1. When Florentino and Fermina are both adults, they have more control over their own lives. Fermina is free of the restrictions her father once placed on her personal relationships, and Florentino is free of his mother's well-meaning, but often bad advice (such as the time she advised him to enjoy his suffering instead of allowing himself to concentrate on things in life which did not cause him so much pain and anguish.) Therefore, it is easier for them to court and spend time getting to know one another.
2. Since both Fermina and Florentino are both old and wrinkly, their love must be based on something more substantial than each other's appearance or physical attractiveness.
3. After his initial faux pas of showing up at Fermina's house just after Urbino's death, Florentino tries to appear less obsessive and more charming. While he is still secretly just as obsessed with Fermina now as he was fifty plus years ago, his attempts to give her some space and not to simply shower her with compliments. He no longer places her on an impossibly high pedestal as he once did.
4. They do not need to worry about money or future success. Their lives are in order so they can devote more time to one another than they could when they were younger.
5. Florentino's methods of courtship are much less creepy than they used to be. Instead of corresponding with Fermina via letters hidden randomly around their city, they simply use the post to communicate (although he does take certain precautions when doing so.) Also, they have much more face-to-face interaction. Florentino comes to Fermina's house once a week and they talk or play cards together. Fermina's son even interacts and develops a positive relationship with Florentino.
6. Their letters are no longer about blind (emphasis on blind) passion but instead about more adult topics that go beyond their relationship itself. For instance, Florentino helps her recover from the loss of her husband even though he had secretly been awaiting Urbino's death since his and Fermina's marriage.
7. They are older and wiser. While they have not lived life together and had the experience of growing old together, both are significantly more mature and therefore able to connect on a deeper level than they did when they were young.
8. Because of their age, neither has to worry about the other potentially falling for someone else. At this point in their lives, either the two of them will get together, or they will both be single for the rest of their lives. The competition factor that existed in their youth has disappeared.
9. Florentino's impulsivity is not as catastrophic as it was once; since their next day might be their last they care less about their actions. For example, allowing the captain to fly the cholera flag on their boat was an impulsive and unwise decision; however, even in the worst case scenario, nothing terrible can really come of it for Florentino and Fermina--they'll be dead soon anyway :-D.
I lied. I could only come up with nine reasons. Can you think of any that I didn’t mention that perhaps I should have added? (WC 549)
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
My take on one of Ariza's letters
As you might have guessed from my comments in class, I believe that Ariza's feelings towards Fermina should be labeled as an obsession rather than as love. Towards the end of class, someone pointed out that we do not actually get to read any of the letters that Ariza and Fermina write to one another. Depending on how each of us felt about Fermina and Ariza's relationship (whether it was love or not), each of us seemed to imagine the letters differently. The following is what I imagine one of Ariza's letters to sound like (with a few of my own slightly cynical comments in parentheses):
My dear Fermina,
It gives me such pleasure to watch you from the bench in the park as you walk past me each day (what a creep). Each time I look at you, your beauty astounds me as if I were witnessing it for the first time. The sheer grace of your stride makes you appear to be an angel, gliding through the air. I long to touch you gorgeous, shiny hair to see for myself if it is as silky soft as it appears to be. While we almost never make eye contact, I follow your eyes with mine; they captivate me. Once your eyes did seem to meet mine, and my heart stopped beating for that instant. Your smile and mouth, however, are what draw me to you the most. When you laugh or open your mouth to speak to your aunt, I imagine how wonderful it would be to speak to you myself. If only I were permitted to do so, I would surely be beside myself with glee (he is obsessed with a girl who he has barely ever spoken to).
As you know, I admire you so fondly, and I long for the day when we can be together. Surely, it will be the happiest day of my young life (because he does not allow himself to be happy at all; all he thinks of his obsession with Fermina; he even seems to enjoy punishing himself with his “love” for her). While I suffer greatly because we cannot be together, it is surely worthwhile because one day we will be together and I shall be eternally overjoyed. My mother even encourages my suffering because she too believes that one day you and I will be together and that my suffering will sweeten our future love all the more (his obsession is UNHEALTHY, and this is bad parenting on Mother’s part; she should encourage him to court Fermina in a more natural and low-key way and to experience other parts of life as well).
I shall now conclude this letter and leave it underneath the porch of your house as we had planned. I hope to find your reply buried in the ground underneath the bench in the park under on which I sit and admire your loveliness. Once again, my darling, I would like to declare my undying love for you. I hope this letter finds you well. I shall see you as you walk to school tomorrow, and I hope to hear from you soon (he sees her nearly every single day but never speaks to her; they have no verbal communication).
Fondly (obsessively),
Florentino Ariza
Basically, I believe that Ariza and Fermina do not have enough face-to-face interaction to call their feelings for one another love. They simply do not know each other well enough. Therefore, Ariza can fill his letters only with compliments about her beauty and descriptions of his obsession with her. (582)
My dear Fermina,
It gives me such pleasure to watch you from the bench in the park as you walk past me each day (what a creep). Each time I look at you, your beauty astounds me as if I were witnessing it for the first time. The sheer grace of your stride makes you appear to be an angel, gliding through the air. I long to touch you gorgeous, shiny hair to see for myself if it is as silky soft as it appears to be. While we almost never make eye contact, I follow your eyes with mine; they captivate me. Once your eyes did seem to meet mine, and my heart stopped beating for that instant. Your smile and mouth, however, are what draw me to you the most. When you laugh or open your mouth to speak to your aunt, I imagine how wonderful it would be to speak to you myself. If only I were permitted to do so, I would surely be beside myself with glee (he is obsessed with a girl who he has barely ever spoken to).
As you know, I admire you so fondly, and I long for the day when we can be together. Surely, it will be the happiest day of my young life (because he does not allow himself to be happy at all; all he thinks of his obsession with Fermina; he even seems to enjoy punishing himself with his “love” for her). While I suffer greatly because we cannot be together, it is surely worthwhile because one day we will be together and I shall be eternally overjoyed. My mother even encourages my suffering because she too believes that one day you and I will be together and that my suffering will sweeten our future love all the more (his obsession is UNHEALTHY, and this is bad parenting on Mother’s part; she should encourage him to court Fermina in a more natural and low-key way and to experience other parts of life as well).
I shall now conclude this letter and leave it underneath the porch of your house as we had planned. I hope to find your reply buried in the ground underneath the bench in the park under on which I sit and admire your loveliness. Once again, my darling, I would like to declare my undying love for you. I hope this letter finds you well. I shall see you as you walk to school tomorrow, and I hope to hear from you soon (he sees her nearly every single day but never speaks to her; they have no verbal communication).
Fondly (obsessively),
Florentino Ariza
Basically, I believe that Ariza and Fermina do not have enough face-to-face interaction to call their feelings for one another love. They simply do not know each other well enough. Therefore, Ariza can fill his letters only with compliments about her beauty and descriptions of his obsession with her. (582)
Saturday, November 3, 2007
What's In a Name?...A lot if you ask Mother
Mother's character in The Sound and the Fury certainly would not have agreed with Juliet(of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet) that "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet." In fact, Mother is positively superstitious when it comes to the names of various characters in the novel. When characters such as Benjy, Caddy, and Quentin experience hardships or act out, Mother blames their very names for their suffering.
Mother's superstition drives her to change Benjy's name from Maury to Benjamin when he is five. Once Benjy's retardation becomes apparent, Mother simply decides that Benjamin "is a better name for him than Maury was (58)." Mother's doubt of Maury as an acceptable name is probably derived from the fact that her brother, Benjy's former namesake, is a less than successful man with limited morality. She also fears that her brother Maury's unscrupulous actions have cursed his name and that, because he bore the name Maury as well, Benjy was also cursed (with his disability). Since the name "Benjamin came out of the Bible (58)," Mother thinks that G-d will look more favorably upon Benjamin. Once he is given the name Benjamin, Caddy playfully bestows the nickname Benjy upon him. However, nicknames also upset Mother. She tells Caddy to stop calling him Benjy because"nicknames are vulgar [and] only common people use them (64)." Mother simply cannot look past the fact that Benjy will be Benjy regardless of whether his name is Maury, Benjy, or Benjamin.
Once Quentin is born and left in Mother's charge, Mother fears that Caddy's name might have an ill effect on young Quentin. She tells Dilsey that Quentin "must never even learn that name (199)" and she forbids Dilsey to even speak Caddy's name in Quentin's presence. Father calls Mother a fool for taking to such ridiculous and ineffective measures to prevent Quentin from making the same mistakes that Caddy did, but Mother prevails and the name Caddy is blotted out of their lives. Interestingly enough, this cautionary measure does nothing as we learn that Quentin does indeed grow up to be a promiscuous little rebel and not nearly so good-natured as Caddy was.
Mother is also superstitious about the name Quentin because Quentin (the girl) has such a flawed character and Quentin (the boy) committed suicide. She believes that Quentin (the girl) "has inherited all of the headstrong traits(260)" of Quentin (the boy) and of the other Compsons. She even goes as far as to claim that Quentin (the girl) "is the judgment of both of [the Quentins] upon [her] (261)." Mother claims that giving Quentin (the girl) that name was one of the many forces which drove Quentin to become the unhappy miscreant that she is today. On April 8, when Quentin steals Jason's money--the money which is really rightfully hers--and runs away, Mother immediately, and incorrectly, assumes that Quentin (the girl) has committed suicide just as Quentin (the boy) had. Mother says that she "knew the minute they named her Quentin this would happen(283)" as if the name itself were what could have caused either Quentin's suicide.
Perhaps Mother's superstitions were not all wrong, and the names did draw certain personalities to the people who were called by them. However, it is more likely that Mother is simply deranged and looking for excuses for the many misfortunes which befall her family. (WC 559)
Mother's superstition drives her to change Benjy's name from Maury to Benjamin when he is five. Once Benjy's retardation becomes apparent, Mother simply decides that Benjamin "is a better name for him than Maury was (58)." Mother's doubt of Maury as an acceptable name is probably derived from the fact that her brother, Benjy's former namesake, is a less than successful man with limited morality. She also fears that her brother Maury's unscrupulous actions have cursed his name and that, because he bore the name Maury as well, Benjy was also cursed (with his disability). Since the name "Benjamin came out of the Bible (58)," Mother thinks that G-d will look more favorably upon Benjamin. Once he is given the name Benjamin, Caddy playfully bestows the nickname Benjy upon him. However, nicknames also upset Mother. She tells Caddy to stop calling him Benjy because"nicknames are vulgar [and] only common people use them (64)." Mother simply cannot look past the fact that Benjy will be Benjy regardless of whether his name is Maury, Benjy, or Benjamin.
Once Quentin is born and left in Mother's charge, Mother fears that Caddy's name might have an ill effect on young Quentin. She tells Dilsey that Quentin "must never even learn that name (199)" and she forbids Dilsey to even speak Caddy's name in Quentin's presence. Father calls Mother a fool for taking to such ridiculous and ineffective measures to prevent Quentin from making the same mistakes that Caddy did, but Mother prevails and the name Caddy is blotted out of their lives. Interestingly enough, this cautionary measure does nothing as we learn that Quentin does indeed grow up to be a promiscuous little rebel and not nearly so good-natured as Caddy was.
Mother is also superstitious about the name Quentin because Quentin (the girl) has such a flawed character and Quentin (the boy) committed suicide. She believes that Quentin (the girl) "has inherited all of the headstrong traits(260)" of Quentin (the boy) and of the other Compsons. She even goes as far as to claim that Quentin (the girl) "is the judgment of both of [the Quentins] upon [her] (261)." Mother claims that giving Quentin (the girl) that name was one of the many forces which drove Quentin to become the unhappy miscreant that she is today. On April 8, when Quentin steals Jason's money--the money which is really rightfully hers--and runs away, Mother immediately, and incorrectly, assumes that Quentin (the girl) has committed suicide just as Quentin (the boy) had. Mother says that she "knew the minute they named her Quentin this would happen(283)" as if the name itself were what could have caused either Quentin's suicide.
Perhaps Mother's superstitions were not all wrong, and the names did draw certain personalities to the people who were called by them. However, it is more likely that Mother is simply deranged and looking for excuses for the many misfortunes which befall her family. (WC 559)
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Benjy and Caddy
Faulkner devotes a great deal of the Benjy section of The Sound and the Fury to the relationship between Benjy and Caddy. Their relationship, much like the rest of the novel, is complicated and difficult to understand. Caddy clearly loves Benjy and treats him with great kindness—she might be the only one in his life who does— and in return, Benjy adores Caddy. Since his own mother is perpetually ill and typically neglects her children, Benjy does not really look to her as a source of comfort. Caddy, instead, fills the role of mother in Benjy’s life—a role that she embraces but becomes more difficult for her over time.
Surprisingly, childhood is the age at which Caddy does the best job playing “mother” to Benjy. She is always alert and sensitive to Benjy’s needs. For example, when Caddy and Benjy are in Mother’s room, Benjy starts crying.
"If you'll hold him, he'll stop." Caddy said. "Hush." she said. "You can go right back. Here. Here's your cushion. See."
"Dont, Candace." Mother said.
"Let him look at it and he'll be quiet." Caddy said. "Hold up just a minute while I slip it out. There, Benjy. Look."
I looked at it and hushed (2.7).”
Caddy knows exactly how to quiet and calm Benjy, while her mother would rather just let Benjy cry. Mother often demeans Benjy, calling him a “poor baby” or pitying him in other ways. Caddy wisely realizes that this pity is not actually good for Benjy and does not make him feel better. She reassures Benjy that he is “not a poor baby (3.2)” and comforts and loves him. At a young age, Caddy becomes Benjy’s favorite person.
While most children resent having to even occasionally look after their siblings, Caddy willingly accepts the profound role she plays in Benjy’s life. One night when Caddy’s father is putting her to bed, he asks her “"Are you going to take good care of Maury." "Yes." Caddy said. (1.18)” She is takes responsibility for Benjy (Maury) when she is merely a child herself. Later, Benjy, Caddy, and Mother are all in Mother’s room, and Mother is complaining about having to look after Benjy and about the effect it has on her health. Caddy pushes her mother’s concerns aside and tells her “"You dont need to bother with him." Caddy said. "I like to take care of him. Dont I. Benjy. (2.7)” Caddy is more willing to love Benjy than his own mother is. In return for the love Caddy gives Benjy, he adores and loves her back. For example, when she comes home from school, he is so excited to see her that he waits outside in the cold, until he sees his beloved protector (3.1). There is clearly a special bond between them.
Yet, as Caddy gets older, it becomes more difficult for her to provide for Benjy in the same way she can when they are children. For example, when Caddy is fourteen and she tries perfume for the first time, the perfume upsets Benjy. Caddy quickly realizes that the perfume is the source of Benjy’s agitation and assures him that “of course Caddy wont. Of course Caddy wont (7.1) “ wear the perfume anymore. When Benjy is upset because he sees Caddy and Charlie together, “Caddy took the kitchen soap and washed her mouth at the sink, hard (8.3).“ She again washes off that thing which upsets Benjy and “smelled like trees (8.3).” One night she cannot wash it all off and Benjy is upset, not only because Caddy does not smell like trees, but that she will not wash for Benjy. She has grown up.
Unfortunately, these two cannot be together forever. Caddy cannot continue to play mother to Benjy and live her own life as well. They will not both be children forever. Benjy alone is stuck with the emotional and mental development of a three-year-old, and Caddy has to grow up and take care of herself.
WC 664
Citations from http://www.usask.ca/english/faulkner/
Surprisingly, childhood is the age at which Caddy does the best job playing “mother” to Benjy. She is always alert and sensitive to Benjy’s needs. For example, when Caddy and Benjy are in Mother’s room, Benjy starts crying.
"If you'll hold him, he'll stop." Caddy said. "Hush." she said. "You can go right back. Here. Here's your cushion. See."
"Dont, Candace." Mother said.
"Let him look at it and he'll be quiet." Caddy said. "Hold up just a minute while I slip it out. There, Benjy. Look."
I looked at it and hushed (2.7).”
Caddy knows exactly how to quiet and calm Benjy, while her mother would rather just let Benjy cry. Mother often demeans Benjy, calling him a “poor baby” or pitying him in other ways. Caddy wisely realizes that this pity is not actually good for Benjy and does not make him feel better. She reassures Benjy that he is “not a poor baby (3.2)” and comforts and loves him. At a young age, Caddy becomes Benjy’s favorite person.
While most children resent having to even occasionally look after their siblings, Caddy willingly accepts the profound role she plays in Benjy’s life. One night when Caddy’s father is putting her to bed, he asks her “"Are you going to take good care of Maury." "Yes." Caddy said. (1.18)” She is takes responsibility for Benjy (Maury) when she is merely a child herself. Later, Benjy, Caddy, and Mother are all in Mother’s room, and Mother is complaining about having to look after Benjy and about the effect it has on her health. Caddy pushes her mother’s concerns aside and tells her “"You dont need to bother with him." Caddy said. "I like to take care of him. Dont I. Benjy. (2.7)” Caddy is more willing to love Benjy than his own mother is. In return for the love Caddy gives Benjy, he adores and loves her back. For example, when she comes home from school, he is so excited to see her that he waits outside in the cold, until he sees his beloved protector (3.1). There is clearly a special bond between them.
Yet, as Caddy gets older, it becomes more difficult for her to provide for Benjy in the same way she can when they are children. For example, when Caddy is fourteen and she tries perfume for the first time, the perfume upsets Benjy. Caddy quickly realizes that the perfume is the source of Benjy’s agitation and assures him that “of course Caddy wont. Of course Caddy wont (7.1) “ wear the perfume anymore. When Benjy is upset because he sees Caddy and Charlie together, “Caddy took the kitchen soap and washed her mouth at the sink, hard (8.3).“ She again washes off that thing which upsets Benjy and “smelled like trees (8.3).” One night she cannot wash it all off and Benjy is upset, not only because Caddy does not smell like trees, but that she will not wash for Benjy. She has grown up.
Unfortunately, these two cannot be together forever. Caddy cannot continue to play mother to Benjy and live her own life as well. They will not both be children forever. Benjy alone is stuck with the emotional and mental development of a three-year-old, and Caddy has to grow up and take care of herself.
WC 664
Citations from http://www.usask.ca/english/faulkner/
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Donny and Connie--Two Unfortunate Teenagers
The character Connie in Joyce Carol Oates’s “Where Are You Going Where Have You Been” reminds me of the character Donny in Anne Tyler’s “Teenage Wasteland.” Each of their stories is different, yet Donny and Connie are both troubled teenagers who do not get along with their parents, make poor choices, and end up in unfortunate situations.
Both characters have an unstable relationship with their parents, and, in each case, their siblings seem to be indirectly responsible for this poor relationship. Donny stops succeeding when his mother has his sister Amanda. His mother no longer gives him as much attention because she needs to focus on his then baby sister (Tyler, 14). Yet, without his mother’s praise and support, Donny starts doing poorly in school and falls into the wrong crowd of kids. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” we do not know much about Connie’s childhood, but we do find out that her parents favor her sister June. Although Connie is prettier and more popular than June, June seems to be more wholesome and to cause less trouble than Connie (Oates, 3). Even though Connie acts as if she is confident in herself, we get the sense that this confidence is merely a façade, one that her mother’s constant nagging (Oates, 1) can easily break down.
Donny and Connie both make poor choices in terms of whom they hang out with. Donny hangs out with kids who cut class, smoke, break into lockers, and sneak off campus to drink beer (Tyler, 7). These kids have a bad influence on Donny and cause him to make irresponsible choices. Connie spends her time with a group of conceited girls who think that they can simply ignore anyone who is not good enough for them (Oates, 6). Her friends also make unsafe choices, like choosing to run across the highway just to get to the restaurant where they can find older, “cooler” kids (Oates, 7). It’s just lucky for them that Connie’s girlfriend’s dad doesn’t “bother to ask what they [do] (Oates, 4)” on those evenings when he drops them off at the shopping plaza. Connie also goes off alone with Eddie, a boy who she only barely knows from school--probably not the safest or wisest choice (Oates, 8-9).
The most unfortunate similarity between Donny and Connie is that they both meet similar fates. Donny, after the disappointment of losing Calvin and getting kicked out of his private school, runs away from home and is never found (Tyler, 108-110). It’s too bad that his parents do not attempt to help him until it is too late. There was probably little Connie’s parents could have done to help her in her situation with Arnold. The choice to leave a teenager home alone for a few hours is common and not typically irresponsible. Yet, her parents still could have at least told her not to open the door for strangers when they weren’t home. She might not have listened, as Donny didn’t listen to his parents, but there is the chance that some advice could have been enough to save her. However, she is merely an ignorant girl who does not know how to handle herself and gets into a car with Arnold friend, a creepy, older stranger.
The last thing these characters have in common is that their ultimate fates are a mystery to the reader. Oates and Tyler both lead us to believe that their main characters’ fates are unpleasant; however, neither specifically states what that fate is. We just assume that Donny and Connie are merely two unfortunate teenagers who meet unhappy ends. (WC 606)
Both characters have an unstable relationship with their parents, and, in each case, their siblings seem to be indirectly responsible for this poor relationship. Donny stops succeeding when his mother has his sister Amanda. His mother no longer gives him as much attention because she needs to focus on his then baby sister (Tyler, 14). Yet, without his mother’s praise and support, Donny starts doing poorly in school and falls into the wrong crowd of kids. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” we do not know much about Connie’s childhood, but we do find out that her parents favor her sister June. Although Connie is prettier and more popular than June, June seems to be more wholesome and to cause less trouble than Connie (Oates, 3). Even though Connie acts as if she is confident in herself, we get the sense that this confidence is merely a façade, one that her mother’s constant nagging (Oates, 1) can easily break down.
Donny and Connie both make poor choices in terms of whom they hang out with. Donny hangs out with kids who cut class, smoke, break into lockers, and sneak off campus to drink beer (Tyler, 7). These kids have a bad influence on Donny and cause him to make irresponsible choices. Connie spends her time with a group of conceited girls who think that they can simply ignore anyone who is not good enough for them (Oates, 6). Her friends also make unsafe choices, like choosing to run across the highway just to get to the restaurant where they can find older, “cooler” kids (Oates, 7). It’s just lucky for them that Connie’s girlfriend’s dad doesn’t “bother to ask what they [do] (Oates, 4)” on those evenings when he drops them off at the shopping plaza. Connie also goes off alone with Eddie, a boy who she only barely knows from school--probably not the safest or wisest choice (Oates, 8-9).
The most unfortunate similarity between Donny and Connie is that they both meet similar fates. Donny, after the disappointment of losing Calvin and getting kicked out of his private school, runs away from home and is never found (Tyler, 108-110). It’s too bad that his parents do not attempt to help him until it is too late. There was probably little Connie’s parents could have done to help her in her situation with Arnold. The choice to leave a teenager home alone for a few hours is common and not typically irresponsible. Yet, her parents still could have at least told her not to open the door for strangers when they weren’t home. She might not have listened, as Donny didn’t listen to his parents, but there is the chance that some advice could have been enough to save her. However, she is merely an ignorant girl who does not know how to handle herself and gets into a car with Arnold friend, a creepy, older stranger.
The last thing these characters have in common is that their ultimate fates are a mystery to the reader. Oates and Tyler both lead us to believe that their main characters’ fates are unpleasant; however, neither specifically states what that fate is. We just assume that Donny and Connie are merely two unfortunate teenagers who meet unhappy ends. (WC 606)
Wednesday, September 26, 2007
I love writing blogs on my way to the airport!!
In the story "Harrison Bergernon," Kurt Vonnegut confronts the concept of equality by presenting us with a bizarre futuristic United States in which everyone is "equal in every which way (1). " However, these citizens are not born equal—they are born with many talents and weaknesses just as people in our society are. Once they are born, they are then handicapped so that they are equal to the “average” member of society in terms of strength, intelligence, talent, appearance, and any other way possible. I found this story to be thought-provoking and intriguing; it raises some important questions about the notion of equality and the dangers of a society like the one in the story.
The citizens in the story justify the need for each member of their society to be “equal” by asserting that competition and jealousy are all that come from allowing certain people to be better or worse than others. At first glance, this might seem like a fair concern; jealousy and competition are in fact both results of inequality. While we might envy or be jealous of someone better than we are or be frustrated when we lose in competition, these things are naturally part of the world we live in. Inequality, in a way, is what makes a society able to function well and productively. Were we all able only to perform at an average level in every way, we would not have the science, literature, art, music, or culture that we have today. Yes, we envy the talent of the beautiful ballerinas in the world, but we should enjoy watching them just the same. Part of life is looking up to those who are better than us in certain respects, and learning to be content with our own strengths as well. If the citizens in the story were intelligent enough to read these words, they would probably agree. J
Each United States citizen is equal as a result of "the 211th, 212th, and 213th Ammendments to the constitution and the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General. (1) " The government mandates that everyone be equal to each other, giving the government immense power over its citizens. Since everyone must be equal, and must be equal to the "average" member of society, there is very little room for the citizens to form views and opinions, and much less room for the citizens to share these views with each other. Even if someone were to form a view or an opinion, no one else would be intelligent enough to understand him or her. Each time George, an intelligent person, tries to conjure up a thought or chain of thought, the device in his ear makes a noise which scatters his thoughts. According to the story, this noise was "to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains. (3)" While it is possible that these Amendments were written for that purpose, they also give the government extraordinary power. This device makes it impossible for anyone to think hard enough to question the government, question the information the press publishes, or question anything really. The citizens simply go about their average, boring lives, unaware of their government. In effect, the government has the power to rule without the consent of its people; surely all they are smart enough to do is simply nod and agree with whatever the government does—if the citizens are informed of the government’s actions at all. Were these Americans able to think intelligently, however, they might actually want to speak out and play a part in what’s going on in the world around them. The government surely cannot allow this though, or they might have a situation like the one with Harrison on their hands.
In the Holocaust, the Nazis executed the T-4 program in which they executed thousands of people who were mentally ill or handicapped in attempt to eliminate these defects in future generations. Such a situation could very easily be carried out in the United States depicted in “Harrison Bergernon.” The government mandates that each person must have average intelligence and physical ability so that everyone is equal to each other. The intelligence and physical ability of the entire society is therefore limited by its lowest performing member. What happens when the government wants to raise the national average? The government could likely get away with simply imprisoning, and even potentially executed anyone who was below their predetermined average in either of these two respects. And no one would be able to question the government’s actions, because they are unable to think about the idea for long enough to do so.
We learn from this story that it is important to embrace your flaws and strengths and to embrace the fact that they are different from anyone else’s. Vonnegut also reminds us to be thankful for our freedom to think, to reason, and to be ourselves. (822)
The citizens in the story justify the need for each member of their society to be “equal” by asserting that competition and jealousy are all that come from allowing certain people to be better or worse than others. At first glance, this might seem like a fair concern; jealousy and competition are in fact both results of inequality. While we might envy or be jealous of someone better than we are or be frustrated when we lose in competition, these things are naturally part of the world we live in. Inequality, in a way, is what makes a society able to function well and productively. Were we all able only to perform at an average level in every way, we would not have the science, literature, art, music, or culture that we have today. Yes, we envy the talent of the beautiful ballerinas in the world, but we should enjoy watching them just the same. Part of life is looking up to those who are better than us in certain respects, and learning to be content with our own strengths as well. If the citizens in the story were intelligent enough to read these words, they would probably agree. J
Each United States citizen is equal as a result of "the 211th, 212th, and 213th Ammendments to the constitution and the unceasing vigilance of agents of the United States Handicapper General. (1) " The government mandates that everyone be equal to each other, giving the government immense power over its citizens. Since everyone must be equal, and must be equal to the "average" member of society, there is very little room for the citizens to form views and opinions, and much less room for the citizens to share these views with each other. Even if someone were to form a view or an opinion, no one else would be intelligent enough to understand him or her. Each time George, an intelligent person, tries to conjure up a thought or chain of thought, the device in his ear makes a noise which scatters his thoughts. According to the story, this noise was "to keep people like George from taking unfair advantage of their brains. (3)" While it is possible that these Amendments were written for that purpose, they also give the government extraordinary power. This device makes it impossible for anyone to think hard enough to question the government, question the information the press publishes, or question anything really. The citizens simply go about their average, boring lives, unaware of their government. In effect, the government has the power to rule without the consent of its people; surely all they are smart enough to do is simply nod and agree with whatever the government does—if the citizens are informed of the government’s actions at all. Were these Americans able to think intelligently, however, they might actually want to speak out and play a part in what’s going on in the world around them. The government surely cannot allow this though, or they might have a situation like the one with Harrison on their hands.
In the Holocaust, the Nazis executed the T-4 program in which they executed thousands of people who were mentally ill or handicapped in attempt to eliminate these defects in future generations. Such a situation could very easily be carried out in the United States depicted in “Harrison Bergernon.” The government mandates that each person must have average intelligence and physical ability so that everyone is equal to each other. The intelligence and physical ability of the entire society is therefore limited by its lowest performing member. What happens when the government wants to raise the national average? The government could likely get away with simply imprisoning, and even potentially executed anyone who was below their predetermined average in either of these two respects. And no one would be able to question the government’s actions, because they are unable to think about the idea for long enough to do so.
We learn from this story that it is important to embrace your flaws and strengths and to embrace the fact that they are different from anyone else’s. Vonnegut also reminds us to be thankful for our freedom to think, to reason, and to be ourselves. (822)
Monday, September 17, 2007
A&P
As readers, we are delighted by descriptive language and well-thought out imagery—two areas in which John Updike’s short story “A&P” is certainly not lacking. Not only does Updike provide the reader with vivid descriptions of the store and the customers in it, he also describes them in a singular, yet complex fashion. He stays away from clichés and creates unusual similes and metaphors that describe his subjects particularly effectively.
Updike takes care to use just the right words to describe each one of his characters—particularly the three main girls in the story. His careful attention to detail in describing them through Sammy’s eyes parallels how much careful attention Sammy is giving them and to their appearance. The queen walks into the store on her “long white prima-donna legs” and “ [comes] down a little hard on her heels, as if she didn’t walk in her bare feet that much, putting down her heels and then letting the weight move along to her toes as if she was testing the floor with every step.(2)” Rather than simply saying she walks carefully, Updike finds the exact words to convey how she moves. Updike describes the girl who is Sammy’s favorite as “a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet broad soft-looking can with those two crescents of white just under it (1)” paying the most attention to describing the part of her which Sammy seems to be paying the most attention to. The last girl is “the kind of girl other girls think is very “striking” and “attractive” but never quite makes it. (2) ” In addition to being slightly humorous, this description clues us in to the fact that she might have some good features but is awkward and clearly inferior to the other two.
Updike devotes this same attention to the other characters in the story as well—even the seemingly insignificant ones. For instance, when he describes the old woman whose groceries Sammy is ringing up at the beginning of the story, he goes beyond simply calling her a witch or a rude old lady. He tells us that “if she’d been born at the right time they would have burned her over in Salem. (2) ” In paragraph five, Updike spins an extended metaphor about the customers in the store as sheep who are startled by the girls’ appearance as an animal would be by a loud noise. The “sheep” typically walk one way and repeat the same motions each time they go to the store. However, the girls and their clothing startle the “sheep” and causing them to “jerk, or hop, or hiccup (5) ” but then return to their shopping like obedient livestock. Later, Updike refers to them as “scared pigs in a chute [29]” upset by the unfolding scene between Lengel and Sammy as Sammy quits his job. The store manager Lengel, the “bad guy” of the story is “ pretty dreary, [and] teaches Sunday school and the rest, but he doesn’t miss than much. (12)” From that short description, we learn that he is usually fairly sedate, has observantly noticed the girls, and is upset by their clothing or lack thereof—probably because it offends his Christian morals. As the girls leave after being lectured by Lengel, Sammy tells Lengel that he quits “hoping [the girls] stop and watch [him], their unsuspected hero. (21) ” He wants their attention so badly that he thinks he is being heroic in quitting his job “for them” even though he and his family need the money.
The language Updike allows us to see how Sammy views the world and these people around him. Most of the judgments he makes about the customers are shallow and solely based upon their appearance, their groceries, and the brief interaction he has with them as they check out. However, when he comes face to face with the girls and watches as Lengel humiliates them in front of the other customers, he looks past his initial impression of them and sees them not as objects but as people—people who deserve his sympathy. (682)
Updike takes care to use just the right words to describe each one of his characters—particularly the three main girls in the story. His careful attention to detail in describing them through Sammy’s eyes parallels how much careful attention Sammy is giving them and to their appearance. The queen walks into the store on her “long white prima-donna legs” and “ [comes] down a little hard on her heels, as if she didn’t walk in her bare feet that much, putting down her heels and then letting the weight move along to her toes as if she was testing the floor with every step.(2)” Rather than simply saying she walks carefully, Updike finds the exact words to convey how she moves. Updike describes the girl who is Sammy’s favorite as “a chunky kid, with a good tan and a sweet broad soft-looking can with those two crescents of white just under it (1)” paying the most attention to describing the part of her which Sammy seems to be paying the most attention to. The last girl is “the kind of girl other girls think is very “striking” and “attractive” but never quite makes it. (2) ” In addition to being slightly humorous, this description clues us in to the fact that she might have some good features but is awkward and clearly inferior to the other two.
Updike devotes this same attention to the other characters in the story as well—even the seemingly insignificant ones. For instance, when he describes the old woman whose groceries Sammy is ringing up at the beginning of the story, he goes beyond simply calling her a witch or a rude old lady. He tells us that “if she’d been born at the right time they would have burned her over in Salem. (2) ” In paragraph five, Updike spins an extended metaphor about the customers in the store as sheep who are startled by the girls’ appearance as an animal would be by a loud noise. The “sheep” typically walk one way and repeat the same motions each time they go to the store. However, the girls and their clothing startle the “sheep” and causing them to “jerk, or hop, or hiccup (5) ” but then return to their shopping like obedient livestock. Later, Updike refers to them as “scared pigs in a chute [29]” upset by the unfolding scene between Lengel and Sammy as Sammy quits his job. The store manager Lengel, the “bad guy” of the story is “ pretty dreary, [and] teaches Sunday school and the rest, but he doesn’t miss than much. (12)” From that short description, we learn that he is usually fairly sedate, has observantly noticed the girls, and is upset by their clothing or lack thereof—probably because it offends his Christian morals. As the girls leave after being lectured by Lengel, Sammy tells Lengel that he quits “hoping [the girls] stop and watch [him], their unsuspected hero. (21) ” He wants their attention so badly that he thinks he is being heroic in quitting his job “for them” even though he and his family need the money.
The language Updike allows us to see how Sammy views the world and these people around him. Most of the judgments he makes about the customers are shallow and solely based upon their appearance, their groceries, and the brief interaction he has with them as they check out. However, when he comes face to face with the girls and watches as Lengel humiliates them in front of the other customers, he looks past his initial impression of them and sees them not as objects but as people—people who deserve his sympathy. (682)
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Where Did They Go Wrong? What Opportunities Did They Miss?
RReading Teenage Wasteland was sort of a terrifying and revealing experience. As a fairly well-adjusted and well-behaved teenager (or so I've been told), I don't think I've given my parents anywhere near as much trouble as Donny gives his. Still, I almost pity them in that I too am at the age where I follow very little of their advice and guidance. Reading Daisy’s account of Donny’s downfall makes me understand a little better where they are coming from in their constant stream of advice. The terrifying aspect of this story, I found was the fact that Daisy and her husband do almost nothing wrong as parents and yet Donny still ends up with a life seemingly gone to waste.
I truly believe that Donny's problems, however, can be attributed to his need for attention and how and from whom he seeks it. As a small child, he sought attention from his parents like most children. When he was very young, he actually got this attention from his mother. She seems to have indulged him enough, although his father probably worked very hard, as he does now, to support their family. Once Amanda was born, however, Daisy admits that Donny no longer got as much attention from his mother due to her preoccupation with his then baby sister Amanda. His father was still largely absent. It is unfortunate that Matt did not try to play a larger role in his son’s life. He might have even been able to turn Donny around if he had just spent some time with him while Daisy was busy with Amanda.
Based on the fact that he now attends a private school, Donny might have tried to regain his mother’s attention by working hard in school to impress her. Daisy, however, took little notice of his intelligence. She was probably thrilled that she could concentrate more on Amanda and did not need to worry about Donny’s schoolwork. When Donny realized that he would never again get the same attention from his mother, he turned to his friends for attention. Apparently the friends who would give it to him were from the wrong crowd. As he spends more time with these friends, they have a bad influence on him. He starts smoking, drinking, cutting class, and generally causing mischief. Daisy is so busy with Amanda that she does not notice Donny’s rapid decline.
When his misbehavior is brought to Daisy's attention she is at a loss for what to do about it. So she begins to do all she knows how to do—follows the advice of his principal and gives Donny attention again—watching him complete his homework assignments, however much stress it adds to her day. It takes Donny a while to adjust to having his mother’s attention once again. Slowly he starts to respond, and his grades improve slightly. Perhaps he is remembering his childhood when he craved his mother’s attention.
Donny shows some improvement but not enough for his school They request to have him psychologically tested. The conclusion of these tests is that he is simply “going through a difficult period in his life. They recommend that he get a tutor and suggest Cal. Now Donny has someone new to get attention from: Cal. Cal replaces Daisy as an attention source but is merely an addition to the attention Donny receives from his friends. Since Donny still hangs out with his friends, they continue to negatively influence him. While Cal is good for Donny in some ways such as improving Donny’s morale, he seems to waste the chance to really help Donny overcome his peers’ pressure and become a more dedicated student. Cal could even potentially influence Donny to attempt to repair his and his parents’ broken relationship. In the end, Cal simply further alienates Donny from his family and from Daisy.
The story is one of countless missed opportunities. Daisy misses the opportunity to help shape Donny into a good person when he was younger. Matt misses the opportunity to develop any kind of a relationship with his son. Daisy again misses the opportunity to turn Donny around when Donny starts seeing Cal. Cal misses the opportunity, if he wanted it in the first place, to change Donny’s life. And everyone misses the opportunity to save Donny from the wasted life he chose to run away from. At the end of the story, we learn that that the opportunity to save Amanda from a similar fate is slowly slipping away as she spends more and more time away from home. All in all, the characters in the story are given several chances to save each other and save themselves, and yet each chance they get, they waste. (787)
I truly believe that Donny's problems, however, can be attributed to his need for attention and how and from whom he seeks it. As a small child, he sought attention from his parents like most children. When he was very young, he actually got this attention from his mother. She seems to have indulged him enough, although his father probably worked very hard, as he does now, to support their family. Once Amanda was born, however, Daisy admits that Donny no longer got as much attention from his mother due to her preoccupation with his then baby sister Amanda. His father was still largely absent. It is unfortunate that Matt did not try to play a larger role in his son’s life. He might have even been able to turn Donny around if he had just spent some time with him while Daisy was busy with Amanda.
Based on the fact that he now attends a private school, Donny might have tried to regain his mother’s attention by working hard in school to impress her. Daisy, however, took little notice of his intelligence. She was probably thrilled that she could concentrate more on Amanda and did not need to worry about Donny’s schoolwork. When Donny realized that he would never again get the same attention from his mother, he turned to his friends for attention. Apparently the friends who would give it to him were from the wrong crowd. As he spends more time with these friends, they have a bad influence on him. He starts smoking, drinking, cutting class, and generally causing mischief. Daisy is so busy with Amanda that she does not notice Donny’s rapid decline.
When his misbehavior is brought to Daisy's attention she is at a loss for what to do about it. So she begins to do all she knows how to do—follows the advice of his principal and gives Donny attention again—watching him complete his homework assignments, however much stress it adds to her day. It takes Donny a while to adjust to having his mother’s attention once again. Slowly he starts to respond, and his grades improve slightly. Perhaps he is remembering his childhood when he craved his mother’s attention.
Donny shows some improvement but not enough for his school They request to have him psychologically tested. The conclusion of these tests is that he is simply “going through a difficult period in his life. They recommend that he get a tutor and suggest Cal. Now Donny has someone new to get attention from: Cal. Cal replaces Daisy as an attention source but is merely an addition to the attention Donny receives from his friends. Since Donny still hangs out with his friends, they continue to negatively influence him. While Cal is good for Donny in some ways such as improving Donny’s morale, he seems to waste the chance to really help Donny overcome his peers’ pressure and become a more dedicated student. Cal could even potentially influence Donny to attempt to repair his and his parents’ broken relationship. In the end, Cal simply further alienates Donny from his family and from Daisy.
The story is one of countless missed opportunities. Daisy misses the opportunity to help shape Donny into a good person when he was younger. Matt misses the opportunity to develop any kind of a relationship with his son. Daisy again misses the opportunity to turn Donny around when Donny starts seeing Cal. Cal misses the opportunity, if he wanted it in the first place, to change Donny’s life. And everyone misses the opportunity to save Donny from the wasted life he chose to run away from. At the end of the story, we learn that that the opportunity to save Amanda from a similar fate is slowly slipping away as she spends more and more time away from home. All in all, the characters in the story are given several chances to save each other and save themselves, and yet each chance they get, they waste. (787)
Thursday, August 30, 2007
Plot Against America
One of the best things about reading is coming across characters who are easy to identify with. In any realistic novel, the author creates characters who show essential human traits and behaviors so that the reader can look at the character as if he or she were a real person. A reader might hate the character who cheats, swindles, and lies, and fall in love with the one who is brave, heroic, and intelligent. In Philip Roth's The Plot Against America, Philip's mother Bess's essential humanity lies in her sweet, protective, motherly nature. It is easy to see her humanity in how she tries to take of her husband, her children, and herself.
In the novel, Herman, Bess's husband is troubled by many things. He is angry that the United States, led by President Charles Lindbergh, has agreed to stay out of World War II, allowing the Nazis to kill millions of Jews with even more ease. His violent temper also leads him to become very emotional about his political views. Since he believes that Lindbergh's government will turn the United States into a fascist, anti-Semitic state, he is always on the look out for anti-Semitism. When he gets particularly worked up, Bess instinctively tries to calm him down for his sake as well as the rest of the family's. For example, when the Roths are in Washington D.C. on a family vacation, something goes awry with their hotel reservations. They are kicked out of their room, given a refund, and instructed to find a new place to stay for the night. Herman immediately assumes that the hotel manager is an anti-Semite and gets very angry with him, stating that he would rather involve the police than leave quietly--his human nature causes him to lose control of himself as his anger mounts. Bess tries to take care of both her children and the need to get her husband to leave the hotel. Philip recalls that "Here my mother--who was holding my brother and me around the shoulders, shielding us alongside her and at a safe distance from the desk--called my father's name, trying to prevent him from going any further. (68)" Her human nature both encourages her to resolve the conflict and to protect her children so that her family's safety is not threatened.
After considering the needs of her family. Bess also tries to take care of herself. At the beginning of the novel, Roth describes how she has found a comfortable niche for herself in Newark. She is president of the PTA at Philip and Sandy's school, has many other friends, and has found a Jewish community in which she feels like she belongs. Near the beginning of the novel, Herman is given the opportunity for a raise and a promotion if he and his family move to Gentile-dominated Union, New Jersey. Although Bess realizes that the move would mean a more materially comfortable life for her family during the Great Depression, she realizes that it would also lead to a less comfortable social life for her and her family alike. She remembers her childhood in which she constantly felt as if she did not belong because her family were the only Jews in Elizabeth, her hometown. When she heard the news, Philip even knows that "she was thinking, "Ours will be the house 'where the Jews live.' It'll be Elizabeth all over again. (8)" The reader can sympathize with her human desire to belong somewhere, with people who similar to her, who she can identify with.
Bess is not the only character in Plot Against America who readers can easily identify with. Herman, Philip, and Sandy also exemplify common human emotions such as anger, confusion, frustration. The essential humanity of these characters as well as the believability of their situation are two components of Plot Against America that make it a terrific novel. (649)
Monday, August 27, 2007
Letter
Dear Mr. Coon,
My history as a reader and a writer began in kindergarten like most American children’s. I learned how to read and write and then ceased to enjoy either of these activities for three or four years. I can’t remember why. I think I just liked math better.
In third grade, I learned to enjoy reading when I discovered the Babysitter’s Club series by Ann Martin. I read her books throughout elementary school and part of middle school. In middle school I participated in a competition called "Battle of the Books." For this, we were given a list of four or five books to read in two months and then participated in three "battles" where we answered reading comprehension questions about these books. The books we read were from many different genres, which led me to realize that my two favorite genres were historical fiction and fantasy, something that holds true to this day.
Once I arrived at PCDS, I admittedly stopped reading nearly as much as I did in middle school. I found it difficult to read the books I was assigned to read while reading books for pleasure. I also discovered that, after a day of school and not enough sleep the night before, when I tried to sit on the couch and read, I would fall asleep.
I still read a couple books a year because I do enjoy reading, and learning from the books I read. One of the reasons I love historical fiction is that I delight in the random facts I learn from it. My least favorite thing about reading is that even a good book can easily make me fall asleep. My favorite thing about reading is the sense of contentment I get from reading a good book.
In fourth grade, I learned to love creative writing. I enjoyed writing short stories and poetry. When I got to middle school, I decided that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up because I loved all the writing assignments I was given. In high school, however, I stopped writing as much because I stopped enjoying it. I didn't like the analytical or research papers we now had to write. They weren’t nearly as fun as writing stories, poetry, summaries, or articles.
I also have issues sitting down and actually writing a paper. I love to participate in class discussions, but conveying my ideas in writing is hard for me. My writing has improved significantly since freshman year but the process of writing is still challenging for me. I tend to procrastinate because of this.
Last semester, Ms. Garagiola's class helped remind me what I enjoy about writing. I loved the assignments she gave us and I was actually proud of the essays I wrote for her—something I can only say about a limited number of my other papers throughout high school.
That’s it for now. See you in class!
Sincerely,
Ally
P.S. I realize that I went over the word count and that each word of this postscript I type makes that offense even greater. Oops. I’ll try not to let it happen again. (524 words, 491 sans post script)
My history as a reader and a writer began in kindergarten like most American children’s. I learned how to read and write and then ceased to enjoy either of these activities for three or four years. I can’t remember why. I think I just liked math better.
In third grade, I learned to enjoy reading when I discovered the Babysitter’s Club series by Ann Martin. I read her books throughout elementary school and part of middle school. In middle school I participated in a competition called "Battle of the Books." For this, we were given a list of four or five books to read in two months and then participated in three "battles" where we answered reading comprehension questions about these books. The books we read were from many different genres, which led me to realize that my two favorite genres were historical fiction and fantasy, something that holds true to this day.
Once I arrived at PCDS, I admittedly stopped reading nearly as much as I did in middle school. I found it difficult to read the books I was assigned to read while reading books for pleasure. I also discovered that, after a day of school and not enough sleep the night before, when I tried to sit on the couch and read, I would fall asleep.
I still read a couple books a year because I do enjoy reading, and learning from the books I read. One of the reasons I love historical fiction is that I delight in the random facts I learn from it. My least favorite thing about reading is that even a good book can easily make me fall asleep. My favorite thing about reading is the sense of contentment I get from reading a good book.
In fourth grade, I learned to love creative writing. I enjoyed writing short stories and poetry. When I got to middle school, I decided that I wanted to be a writer when I grew up because I loved all the writing assignments I was given. In high school, however, I stopped writing as much because I stopped enjoying it. I didn't like the analytical or research papers we now had to write. They weren’t nearly as fun as writing stories, poetry, summaries, or articles.
I also have issues sitting down and actually writing a paper. I love to participate in class discussions, but conveying my ideas in writing is hard for me. My writing has improved significantly since freshman year but the process of writing is still challenging for me. I tend to procrastinate because of this.
Last semester, Ms. Garagiola's class helped remind me what I enjoy about writing. I loved the assignments she gave us and I was actually proud of the essays I wrote for her—something I can only say about a limited number of my other papers throughout high school.
That’s it for now. See you in class!
Sincerely,
Ally
P.S. I realize that I went over the word count and that each word of this postscript I type makes that offense even greater. Oops. I’ll try not to let it happen again. (524 words, 491 sans post script)
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