"YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED."
I thought this story was ironic. Time and money were spent by this happy family protecting themselves from the outside world. They were utterly paranoid. They had some many means of security and different forms of ensurance. This lead to the barb-wires that brutally cut the son. It is ironic that the drastic means of trying to be safe ended up with a boy seriously injured. It is also ironic that the harm came not from anyone outside, but from the parents' paranoia. Perhaps the theme is that worrying is detrimental. Worry can push us to far sometimes.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
A worn path
"She walked on"
This short phrase seems to sum up the theme. Phoenix's persistence in walking the path reveals the theme of determinism and dedication. The grandson may even be dead, but she still walks the path for his sake. It was also discussed in class the theme of racism in the south. Phoenix represents a southern black women, and the white hunter represents the deliverer of racial prejudice. The worn path suggests reccurance, so perhaps the author is noting the reoccurring racism in the south. A black women will always be stopped on her journey by a white man may be a statement of prejudice. Then again, I may be looking to deeply into the story.
This short phrase seems to sum up the theme. Phoenix's persistence in walking the path reveals the theme of determinism and dedication. The grandson may even be dead, but she still walks the path for his sake. It was also discussed in class the theme of racism in the south. Phoenix represents a southern black women, and the white hunter represents the deliverer of racial prejudice. The worn path suggests reccurance, so perhaps the author is noting the reoccurring racism in the south. A black women will always be stopped on her journey by a white man may be a statement of prejudice. Then again, I may be looking to deeply into the story.
Miss Brill
"But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying."
To address the theme of this chapter, I will fittingly talk about...theme. The theme of the short story is loneliness. How is Miss Brill lonely, exactly? Well, she wears an eye sore of a fur coat, which lends her self to being laughed at. On Sunday, she is with no one. She eavesdrops in others' conversations to fulfill social needs. So there's the theme. I also want to establish the power of this loneliness. Miss Brill deluded herself. She believed that people actually were happy to see her, when in reality, she came off as laughable with her bold fur coat.
To address the theme of this chapter, I will fittingly talk about...theme. The theme of the short story is loneliness. How is Miss Brill lonely, exactly? Well, she wears an eye sore of a fur coat, which lends her self to being laughed at. On Sunday, she is with no one. She eavesdrops in others' conversations to fulfill social needs. So there's the theme. I also want to establish the power of this loneliness. Miss Brill deluded herself. She believed that people actually were happy to see her, when in reality, she came off as laughable with her bold fur coat.
Eveline
"She set her white face to him, passive, like a helpless animal."
I read an analysis on theme and found an applicable word, paralysis. She passively refuses to seek adventure and break routine. Her life is stagnant. The theme, to me, seems to be best described by paralysis. She is paralyzed in advancing her life. Adventure and love escape her. I found it apt to compare her to a helpless animal, as the author did. Animals don't break routine or stray from their niches. This is the same with her. Her life is instinctual and unchanging.
I read an analysis on theme and found an applicable word, paralysis. She passively refuses to seek adventure and break routine. Her life is stagnant. The theme, to me, seems to be best described by paralysis. She is paralyzed in advancing her life. Adventure and love escape her. I found it apt to compare her to a helpless animal, as the author did. Animals don't break routine or stray from their niches. This is the same with her. Her life is instinctual and unchanging.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Bartleby the G
"I would prefer not to."
Battleby is quite strange. His vocabulary is limited, consisting primarily of the words "I" "would" "prefer" "not" and "to." This character puzzles me but he also brings me joy. This sort of dry humor appeals to me. I can imagine a classmate, when asked to read or pray, say calmly "I would prefer not to." It would get better because that person's response would remain the same and people's frustrations would grow. On another note, how does Bartleby maintain a job? He basically says no to any sort of command. In the real world, I imagine an employee saying "I would prefer not to," and then the boss say "ok, you're fired." Maybe a good firing is what Bartleby needs.
Battleby is quite strange. His vocabulary is limited, consisting primarily of the words "I" "would" "prefer" "not" and "to." This character puzzles me but he also brings me joy. This sort of dry humor appeals to me. I can imagine a classmate, when asked to read or pray, say calmly "I would prefer not to." It would get better because that person's response would remain the same and people's frustrations would grow. On another note, how does Bartleby maintain a job? He basically says no to any sort of command. In the real world, I imagine an employee saying "I would prefer not to," and then the boss say "ok, you're fired." Maybe a good firing is what Bartleby needs.
Hunters in the Snow again
"'You don't know how good it feels to hear you say that.'"
I though the ending events of the story were touching, funny, and ironic. The story unfolds as three idiots with guns wander the woods in a hopeless hunting effort. Tub shoots Kenney. One might think that Frank might be angry with Tub, but that is not the case. Frank and Tub share in a touching moment of openness. Frank reveals his secret love of a child. Tub reveals his nerve-racking task of leading a secretive double life as someone who is actually fat. These moments brought humor to the story. Ironic humor, though, was introduced with the situation of Kenney. Kenney lay in pain, wounded by his friend. Tub and Frank seem unconcerned and delightfully have some pancakes.
I though the ending events of the story were touching, funny, and ironic. The story unfolds as three idiots with guns wander the woods in a hopeless hunting effort. Tub shoots Kenney. One might think that Frank might be angry with Tub, but that is not the case. Frank and Tub share in a touching moment of openness. Frank reveals his secret love of a child. Tub reveals his nerve-racking task of leading a secretive double life as someone who is actually fat. These moments brought humor to the story. Ironic humor, though, was introduced with the situation of Kenney. Kenney lay in pain, wounded by his friend. Tub and Frank seem unconcerned and delightfully have some pancakes.
Hunters in the Snow
"'Next thing you'll be wearing a nightgown, Frank. Selling flowers out at the airport.'"
The author indirectly characterizes the relationship between the three hunters. The three constantly poke fun at each other. They are actually quite rude to each other, even telling each other to "stop bitching." I find their relationship to comedic. It is in a way like the three scrooges. To add to this, comedy comes from Tub, the chubby man who lives a "double life," of over eating. Also, Frank is in love with a child. Lastly, in the end, Frank and Tub are sincerely unconcerned with their wounded friend, stopping to get pancakes for Tub.
The author indirectly characterizes the relationship between the three hunters. The three constantly poke fun at each other. They are actually quite rude to each other, even telling each other to "stop bitching." I find their relationship to comedic. It is in a way like the three scrooges. To add to this, comedy comes from Tub, the chubby man who lives a "double life," of over eating. Also, Frank is in love with a child. Lastly, in the end, Frank and Tub are sincerely unconcerned with their wounded friend, stopping to get pancakes for Tub.
Everyday Use
"No doubt that when Dee sees it she will want to tear it down. She wrote me once that no matter what where we "choose" to live, she will manage to see us."
The main agent of characterization used is indirect characterization. The example I choose was Dee, or Wangero I suppose. It is inferred that Dee thinks that she's above her family in some respects. She believes, illustrated by the quote, that her family is incapable of choosing a good place to live. Also, Dee shows this detachment from her family by her change of name. Another example is when Dee condescendingly implies that the quilts are for artistic purposes only. These facts make me view Dee negatively. It's as if she thinks she is above her family
The main agent of characterization used is indirect characterization. The example I choose was Dee, or Wangero I suppose. It is inferred that Dee thinks that she's above her family in some respects. She believes, illustrated by the quote, that her family is incapable of choosing a good place to live. Also, Dee shows this detachment from her family by her change of name. Another example is when Dee condescendingly implies that the quilts are for artistic purposes only. These facts make me view Dee negatively. It's as if she thinks she is above her family
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Interpreter of Maladies..again
"As his mind raced, Mr. Kapasi experienced a mild and pleasant shock."
The tone of the story on part of Mr. Kapasi is of desire, fantasy, and infatuation. The source of this tone comes from Mr. Kapasi misinterpretation of Mrs. Das interest in his career as flirtation. The dramatic irony is that for much of the story, Mr. Kapasi is unaware that Mrs. Das misinterprets him as a doctor and wants a remedy for her persistent dissatisfaction in her life, rather than actually being interested in him. I thought it was also ironic that the title has the word "interpreter" in it and a main component of the story is a misinterpretation.
Personally, the ending was a bit disappointing. Nothing Changed in Mr. Kapasi's life. It appears that he will return to his failed marriage. I guess I feel sympathy for him. On another note, I felt sorry for the Mr. Das because he is wholly unaware that one of his children isn't his, and that obviously, this rose from a violation of faithfulness.
The tone of the story on part of Mr. Kapasi is of desire, fantasy, and infatuation. The source of this tone comes from Mr. Kapasi misinterpretation of Mrs. Das interest in his career as flirtation. The dramatic irony is that for much of the story, Mr. Kapasi is unaware that Mrs. Das misinterprets him as a doctor and wants a remedy for her persistent dissatisfaction in her life, rather than actually being interested in him. I thought it was also ironic that the title has the word "interpreter" in it and a main component of the story is a misinterpretation.
Personally, the ending was a bit disappointing. Nothing Changed in Mr. Kapasi's life. It appears that he will return to his failed marriage. I guess I feel sympathy for him. On another note, I felt sorry for the Mr. Das because he is wholly unaware that one of his children isn't his, and that obviously, this rose from a violation of faithfulness.
A Rose for Emily
"One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, that faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair."
It is astonishing the effects certain circumstances have on the human mind. Miss Emily is evidently very lonely, hence the persistent "poor Emily." She would rather have a dead body accompany her without the chance of leaving than to be alone. I think this morbid act not only stems from the fear of loneliness but also the inability to let go that is fundamental in her essence. This is seen when she still refuses to pay taxes even when the man who remitted her taxes is long since dead. For most people, time heals everything. We would not be able to function if we were never able to move on and forget tragic events such as the death of a loved one. It seems in the situation with Emily's father and Homer the evolutionary trait of, for lack of better words, being able to move on is absent.
It is astonishing the effects certain circumstances have on the human mind. Miss Emily is evidently very lonely, hence the persistent "poor Emily." She would rather have a dead body accompany her without the chance of leaving than to be alone. I think this morbid act not only stems from the fear of loneliness but also the inability to let go that is fundamental in her essence. This is seen when she still refuses to pay taxes even when the man who remitted her taxes is long since dead. For most people, time heals everything. We would not be able to function if we were never able to move on and forget tragic events such as the death of a loved one. It seems in the situation with Emily's father and Homer the evolutionary trait of, for lack of better words, being able to move on is absent.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Interpreter of Maladies
"Mr. Kapasi observed it too, knowing that this was the picture of the Das family he would preserve forever in his mind."
Much of the story follows Mr. Kapasi's obsession with Mrs. Das and his anxiety around such a women with whom he is infatuated. Mrs. Das confesses her unhappiness with her life as a mother and wife, and Mr. Kapasi reveals his discontent with his dull marriage. It seemed that these two unsatisfied characters were going to form a intimate relationship with each other, as their is an apparent mutual interest among them. Ironically, the resolution ends with the opposite. Mr. Kapasi's contact information is lost and the only memory of Mrs. Das is the fleeting piece of paper, symbolic of the possibility of forming a relationship. I thought this dynamic of the plot presented the mood of the story as generally unhappy and disappointing. Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das never develop intimacy, but have to return to their empty lives.
Much of the story follows Mr. Kapasi's obsession with Mrs. Das and his anxiety around such a women with whom he is infatuated. Mrs. Das confesses her unhappiness with her life as a mother and wife, and Mr. Kapasi reveals his discontent with his dull marriage. It seemed that these two unsatisfied characters were going to form a intimate relationship with each other, as their is an apparent mutual interest among them. Ironically, the resolution ends with the opposite. Mr. Kapasi's contact information is lost and the only memory of Mrs. Das is the fleeting piece of paper, symbolic of the possibility of forming a relationship. I thought this dynamic of the plot presented the mood of the story as generally unhappy and disappointing. Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das never develop intimacy, but have to return to their empty lives.
How I Met My Husband
"I was surprised when the mailman phoned the Peebleses' place in the evening and asked for me. "
Edie meets a WWII pilot, named Chris, and it is here where much of the story's focus is . Edie a few times has a chat and a cigarette with Chris, and even gets "intimate." The focus on their interaction and the title of the story suggest that this man will become Edie's husband. The irony is that Chris suddenly vanishes from the story and never contacts Edie again. Then, with only a minute appearance in the story, Carmichael is found out to become Edie's husband. The author implements the irony to stimulate the mind by giving our brains an unexpected twist. The story focuses extensively on Chris and suggested by the title, we think he is the husband. It is revealed though, that the husband is Carmichael, who is in no way dynamic to the plot of the story.
Edie meets a WWII pilot, named Chris, and it is here where much of the story's focus is . Edie a few times has a chat and a cigarette with Chris, and even gets "intimate." The focus on their interaction and the title of the story suggest that this man will become Edie's husband. The irony is that Chris suddenly vanishes from the story and never contacts Edie again. Then, with only a minute appearance in the story, Carmichael is found out to become Edie's husband. The author implements the irony to stimulate the mind by giving our brains an unexpected twist. The story focuses extensively on Chris and suggested by the title, we think he is the husband. It is revealed though, that the husband is Carmichael, who is in no way dynamic to the plot of the story.
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