"A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner
#5 What are the advantages of the first person plural point of view in this story? What would be lost if it were told in first-person singular, by one of the townspeople, or in third-person limited point of view?
This was a more confusing story than the first one I read. I found it very hard to follow because there didn't seem to be any plot line I could actually follow. It was really messed up, though. She slept with a dead guy up until she died? That is really messed up. The story is told in first person plural point of view which gives a sense that everyone else is sort of looking in at Emily's life. If it were narrated in any other way, the story would lose the sense that everyone in the town was fascinated by her. She seemed nice in the beginning, but towards the end other people seemed to be talking about her and saying rumors. It says, "We did not say she was crazy then. We believed she had to do that. We remembered all the young men her father had driven away, and we knew that with nothing left, she would have to cling to cling to that which had robbed her, as people will" (Faulkner 285). This shows that the third person plural of all the people collectively thought she was going crazy and that she was being a huge werido.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Death Blog Post #1
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
DIDACTIC LITERATURE: form of fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking
#6. By transporting a primitivistic ritual into a modern setting, the story reveals something about human nature and human society. What?
Wow this short story was weird. I had a feeling something weird was going on and I knew someone was going to die because of the cheery name of our unit this week. Also, the stones were quite the twist from the seemingly nonchalant mention of them in the beginning to the very important need towards the end of the story. This story teaches a lot about human nature. I found it strange at first that every one knew everyone and each other's husbands and wives. Everyone could call on one another by first name. It was especially weird because Mr. Summers was asking if every one in the village was there and a lot of people could just be like, "Clyde Dunbar...That's right. He broke his leg, hasn't he?" (Jackson 266). Everyone knows everything about everyone in this weird little village. It was freakish to begin with and then come to find out they're going to end up stoning someones mother, wife, and daughter. It surprised me a lot and I thought it was trying to allude to the fact that humans are vicious. They will kill their next door neighbor for seemingly no reason at all. That is just what these people did--they brutally murdered their friend and neighbor because they were taught that it was their tradition to do so.
DIDACTIC LITERATURE: form of fiction or nonfiction that teaches a specific lesson or moral or provides a model of correct behavior or thinking
#6. By transporting a primitivistic ritual into a modern setting, the story reveals something about human nature and human society. What?
Wow this short story was weird. I had a feeling something weird was going on and I knew someone was going to die because of the cheery name of our unit this week. Also, the stones were quite the twist from the seemingly nonchalant mention of them in the beginning to the very important need towards the end of the story. This story teaches a lot about human nature. I found it strange at first that every one knew everyone and each other's husbands and wives. Everyone could call on one another by first name. It was especially weird because Mr. Summers was asking if every one in the village was there and a lot of people could just be like, "Clyde Dunbar...That's right. He broke his leg, hasn't he?" (Jackson 266). Everyone knows everything about everyone in this weird little village. It was freakish to begin with and then come to find out they're going to end up stoning someones mother, wife, and daughter. It surprised me a lot and I thought it was trying to allude to the fact that humans are vicious. They will kill their next door neighbor for seemingly no reason at all. That is just what these people did--they brutally murdered their friend and neighbor because they were taught that it was their tradition to do so.
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Glass Menagerie Blog Post 5
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
7. The author tells us that "Amanda, having failed to establish contact with reality, continues to live vitally in her illusions." What part of this statement could be applied to Laura as well? What part could not? What are the chief instances in the play of Amanda's having lost "contact with reality"? What are her chief illusions? What are her strengths? How is she both cruel and tender with her children? What qualities has she in common with Jim, the gentleman caller? Why do you suppose her husband left her?
Amanda lives in the past, and Laura is completely unmoving. Tom, on the other hand, wishes to be moving more. Laura could be living in her illusions because she just wants to completely stop her life and be a homebody. Reality is not staying at home and refusing to go to school because it makes you nervous. That is just not something that is realistic in everyday life. Amanda loses contact with reality a lot. She mainly goes back to the past a lot to when she was still in high school. She goes back to talk about how she was and how many gentlemen callers she would receive. How popular and pretty she was in high school comes up a lot. Her strengths are that she wants what is best for her children. She is constantly nagging them about their appearances and what they want to do with their futures. This is also a negative quality because she doesn't go about it in the right way at all. She is cruel to them by putting them down and always criticizing. She is critical of Laura when she tells her not to refer to herself as crippled. She says, "When people have some slight disadvantage like that, they cultivate other things to make up for it--develop charm--and vivacity--and--charm!" (Williams 1244). A young woman who is insecure about herself does not want to have a "charming" quality. They want to be known as beautiful and personable. She is also very tender though like when she comforts Laura after Laura finds out that Jim is actually engaged. She is a good mother, just has trouble relating to her children. I believe her husband left her for the same reasons Tom always wanted to leave and eventually did leave. She is overbearing and kind of annoying at some points. You just want her to stop nagging and shut up and let you do what you want. I can completely relate to this because I see a lot of my own mother in Amanda, but I also believe that, as teenagers, a lot of us would see our own nagging parents in Amanda.
7. The author tells us that "Amanda, having failed to establish contact with reality, continues to live vitally in her illusions." What part of this statement could be applied to Laura as well? What part could not? What are the chief instances in the play of Amanda's having lost "contact with reality"? What are her chief illusions? What are her strengths? How is she both cruel and tender with her children? What qualities has she in common with Jim, the gentleman caller? Why do you suppose her husband left her?
Amanda lives in the past, and Laura is completely unmoving. Tom, on the other hand, wishes to be moving more. Laura could be living in her illusions because she just wants to completely stop her life and be a homebody. Reality is not staying at home and refusing to go to school because it makes you nervous. That is just not something that is realistic in everyday life. Amanda loses contact with reality a lot. She mainly goes back to the past a lot to when she was still in high school. She goes back to talk about how she was and how many gentlemen callers she would receive. How popular and pretty she was in high school comes up a lot. Her strengths are that she wants what is best for her children. She is constantly nagging them about their appearances and what they want to do with their futures. This is also a negative quality because she doesn't go about it in the right way at all. She is cruel to them by putting them down and always criticizing. She is critical of Laura when she tells her not to refer to herself as crippled. She says, "When people have some slight disadvantage like that, they cultivate other things to make up for it--develop charm--and vivacity--and--charm!" (Williams 1244). A young woman who is insecure about herself does not want to have a "charming" quality. They want to be known as beautiful and personable. She is also very tender though like when she comforts Laura after Laura finds out that Jim is actually engaged. She is a good mother, just has trouble relating to her children. I believe her husband left her for the same reasons Tom always wanted to leave and eventually did leave. She is overbearing and kind of annoying at some points. You just want her to stop nagging and shut up and let you do what you want. I can completely relate to this because I see a lot of my own mother in Amanda, but I also believe that, as teenagers, a lot of us would see our own nagging parents in Amanda.
Glass Menagerie Blog Post 4
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
3. What is Tom's dilemma? Why is he always quarreling with his mother? What is his attitude toward Laura? Why does he finally leave? Does he ever resolve his dilemma?
Tom's dilemma is that he is stuck. Basically, he is unmoving and wishes to be moving on to better things for himself. His father wanted the same thing and did it. His life with the family is compared to a coffin nailed shut. His father was able to get out, and he wants out too. He believes that his life should have more adventure in it. He needs something more than just taking care of his sister and mother. He is always quarreling with his mother because he goes out "to the movies" and gets drunk and comes home. He is also always talking about wanting to get away and Amanda is scared he will become like his father and completely leave the family's life. His attitude toward Laura is, I think, a little bit of resentment. He thinks she should be able to go out and find a man who will support her so he doesn't have to and can move on with his own life. He finally leaves because in scene 7, he is pushed to his boiling point. Amanda keeps going on and on about how he is selfish and he finally says, "All right, I will! The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I'll go, and I won't go to the movies!" (Williams 1288). I don't think he ever really dissolves his dilemma though because at the end of the play he runs into Laura again. He never really can get away from his family.
3. What is Tom's dilemma? Why is he always quarreling with his mother? What is his attitude toward Laura? Why does he finally leave? Does he ever resolve his dilemma?
Tom's dilemma is that he is stuck. Basically, he is unmoving and wishes to be moving on to better things for himself. His father wanted the same thing and did it. His life with the family is compared to a coffin nailed shut. His father was able to get out, and he wants out too. He believes that his life should have more adventure in it. He needs something more than just taking care of his sister and mother. He is always quarreling with his mother because he goes out "to the movies" and gets drunk and comes home. He is also always talking about wanting to get away and Amanda is scared he will become like his father and completely leave the family's life. His attitude toward Laura is, I think, a little bit of resentment. He thinks she should be able to go out and find a man who will support her so he doesn't have to and can move on with his own life. He finally leaves because in scene 7, he is pushed to his boiling point. Amanda keeps going on and on about how he is selfish and he finally says, "All right, I will! The more you shout about my selfishness to me the quicker I'll go, and I won't go to the movies!" (Williams 1288). I don't think he ever really dissolves his dilemma though because at the end of the play he runs into Laura again. He never really can get away from his family.
Glass Menagerie Blog Post 3
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
SYMBOL: a person, place, thing, or event that stands for something more than itself
SIMILE: a figure of speech that makes an explicit comparison between two unlike things, using words such as like, as, than or resembles
The menagerie itself is symbolic of Laura. She also seems rather attached to them. They are symbolic of how the arguments between Tom and his mother, Amanda, affect Laura. While arguing, Tom puts on his coat to storm out and knocks some of the little figures over. Neither Tom nor Amanda really notice, but Laura seems heartbroken. In the beginning, Tom explicitly says what the glass menagerie is supposed to represent about Laura. He says, "...Laura's separation increases till she is like a piece of her own glass collection, too exquisitely fragile to move from the shelf" (Williams 1234). The glass menagerie is very delicate and Laura is so shy and so much of an introvert that she runs the risk of becoming like one of the little figurines that just sits on a shelf and never really does anything.
There is a simile that compares Laura to the glass menagerie. It is in scene 6 when she is being prepared by Amanda for the gentleman caller. The stage directions describe her appearance: (The arrangement of Laura's hair is changed; it is softer and more becoming. A fragile, unearthly prettiness has come out in Laura: she is like a piece of translucent glass touched by light, given a momentary radiance, not actual, not lasting) (Williams 1263). Her appearance and fragility increases with the amount of crippling shyness that comes over her.
SYMBOL: a person, place, thing, or event that stands for something more than itself
SIMILE: a figure of speech that makes an explicit comparison between two unlike things, using words such as like, as, than or resembles
The menagerie itself is symbolic of Laura. She also seems rather attached to them. They are symbolic of how the arguments between Tom and his mother, Amanda, affect Laura. While arguing, Tom puts on his coat to storm out and knocks some of the little figures over. Neither Tom nor Amanda really notice, but Laura seems heartbroken. In the beginning, Tom explicitly says what the glass menagerie is supposed to represent about Laura. He says, "...Laura's separation increases till she is like a piece of her own glass collection, too exquisitely fragile to move from the shelf" (Williams 1234). The glass menagerie is very delicate and Laura is so shy and so much of an introvert that she runs the risk of becoming like one of the little figurines that just sits on a shelf and never really does anything.
There is a simile that compares Laura to the glass menagerie. It is in scene 6 when she is being prepared by Amanda for the gentleman caller. The stage directions describe her appearance: (The arrangement of Laura's hair is changed; it is softer and more becoming. A fragile, unearthly prettiness has come out in Laura: she is like a piece of translucent glass touched by light, given a momentary radiance, not actual, not lasting) (Williams 1263). Her appearance and fragility increases with the amount of crippling shyness that comes over her.
Monday, October 1, 2012
Glass Menagerie Blog Post 2
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
SYMBOL: a person, place, thing, or event that stands for something more than itself
fire-escape/smoke break/time portal...?
I could be completely off in my thinking right now and realize that it is allowed, but I get the impression that whenever Tom Wingfield goes to the fire-escape for a smoke break he recalls a memory to tell during the play. Every scene seems to begin with something to do with the fire-escape and Tom either already at it, or on his way over to it. I already know that the memories are his too. He is the narrator so it makes sense that he has a smoking problem and needs to have a reason to go over there. It's a sort of time portal back in time to the memories he has had. He brings them into the play when he goes out for a smoke break. Towards the beginning of scene 5, Amanda is going on and on about how Tom smokes too much and how he could use the money for schooling. Tom's response is this: "I'd rather smoke. (He steps out on the landing, letting the screen door slam.)" (Williams 1255). Then comes music which also leads me to believe there is another memory coming up. And then he begins to recall the dance studio and a conversation with Amanda about his sister, Laura.
SYMBOL: a person, place, thing, or event that stands for something more than itself
fire-escape/smoke break/time portal...?
I could be completely off in my thinking right now and realize that it is allowed, but I get the impression that whenever Tom Wingfield goes to the fire-escape for a smoke break he recalls a memory to tell during the play. Every scene seems to begin with something to do with the fire-escape and Tom either already at it, or on his way over to it. I already know that the memories are his too. He is the narrator so it makes sense that he has a smoking problem and needs to have a reason to go over there. It's a sort of time portal back in time to the memories he has had. He brings them into the play when he goes out for a smoke break. Towards the beginning of scene 5, Amanda is going on and on about how Tom smokes too much and how he could use the money for schooling. Tom's response is this: "I'd rather smoke. (He steps out on the landing, letting the screen door slam.)" (Williams 1255). Then comes music which also leads me to believe there is another memory coming up. And then he begins to recall the dance studio and a conversation with Amanda about his sister, Laura.
Glass Menagerie Blog Post 1
The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams
1. In presenting scene 1, the author says: "The scene is memory and is therefore nonrealistic." To whose memory does he refer? Why should memory be nonrealistic? List the different ways in which the play is nonrealistic. What, according to Tom in his opening speech, is the ultimate aim of this nonrealistic method of presentation?
I believe that all the memories are from Tom Wingfield who is also the narrator. Tom is in all the scenes because he was either there in the memories or is telling the memories as a narrator in the play. This is why I can logically think that he is the one who's memories are telling the story. Memory should be nonrealistic because, "memory takes a lot of poetic license. It omits some details; others are exaggerated, according to the emotional value of the articles it touches, for memory is seated predominantly in the heart." (Williams 1235). So, I think memory should be nonrealistic because something realistic would be the event actually happening. It is unrealistic for an event to reoccur in real life and happen again in a play. The play itself is nonrealistic because of the fact that it is a memory play. Also, the narrator is also a character and tells about all the stage directions, music, and lighting that happens in the play while still being a character in the play. His ultimate aim of this nonrealistic method is to give the truth "...in the pleasant disguise of illusion" (Williams 1236).
1. In presenting scene 1, the author says: "The scene is memory and is therefore nonrealistic." To whose memory does he refer? Why should memory be nonrealistic? List the different ways in which the play is nonrealistic. What, according to Tom in his opening speech, is the ultimate aim of this nonrealistic method of presentation?
I believe that all the memories are from Tom Wingfield who is also the narrator. Tom is in all the scenes because he was either there in the memories or is telling the memories as a narrator in the play. This is why I can logically think that he is the one who's memories are telling the story. Memory should be nonrealistic because, "memory takes a lot of poetic license. It omits some details; others are exaggerated, according to the emotional value of the articles it touches, for memory is seated predominantly in the heart." (Williams 1235). So, I think memory should be nonrealistic because something realistic would be the event actually happening. It is unrealistic for an event to reoccur in real life and happen again in a play. The play itself is nonrealistic because of the fact that it is a memory play. Also, the narrator is also a character and tells about all the stage directions, music, and lighting that happens in the play while still being a character in the play. His ultimate aim of this nonrealistic method is to give the truth "...in the pleasant disguise of illusion" (Williams 1236).
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