"Why does she come here at all--who wants her?" -page 186
Miss Brill might be the all time champ of people watching. Her routine to come to the park every Sunday has become a part of her life. The quote above uses indirect characterization. Miss Brill has no one in her life and is an extremely lonely person. She goes to the park and creates a play/story in her head. She judges the other people and creates entertainment for herself. Also, she could be covering up her own insecurities. Miss Brill changes quite a bit throughout the story. She starts off very confident and proud. After the she hears the young couple making fun of her, she loses all her confidence and becomes very upset. Miss Brill wants to be young and feel important in the world. The young couple makes her realize that she is old, strange, and lonely. When she heard something crying at the end, I think it could have been a number of figurative things. The crying was her feelings on the inside. Her creativity and confidence could be crying because they were damaged. Her longing for not being lonely could cause her inside to cry. A theme for this story could be that she does not like to accept change or it is hard for her to realize what her situation truly is.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Once Upon a Time (Theme)
"...the alarm set up wailing against the screams while the beleeding mass of the little boy was hacked out of the security coil with saws, wire-cutters, choppers, and they carried it- the man, the wife, the hysterical trusted housemaid and the weeping gardener- into the house." -page 236
This not-so-typical children's bed time story is filled with irony. All of the security precautions put into the house were what eventually killed their son. The parents were so paranoid of danger and robbery that they took it to another level. They would add some new type of security, even when nothing happened or no threat was posed. Another irony was that the alarm went off so easily and so often that it just became disregarded. The reader thinks that the parents paranoia comes from their protection of their child, but at one point they let him walk ahead of them all by himself. The parents had these internal subconscious type feelings that something was going to go wrong. They caused themselves to be paranoid, not society. A theme of this story would be that a person cannot constantly live in fear.
This not-so-typical children's bed time story is filled with irony. All of the security precautions put into the house were what eventually killed their son. The parents were so paranoid of danger and robbery that they took it to another level. They would add some new type of security, even when nothing happened or no threat was posed. Another irony was that the alarm went off so easily and so often that it just became disregarded. The reader thinks that the parents paranoia comes from their protection of their child, but at one point they let him walk ahead of them all by himself. The parents had these internal subconscious type feelings that something was going to go wrong. They caused themselves to be paranoid, not society. A theme of this story would be that a person cannot constantly live in fear.
A Worn Path (Theme)
"She doesn't come for herself- she has a little grandson. She makes these trips just as regular as clockwork." -page 229
My first impression of Old Phoenix was that she was the psycho, old lady, who no one understands and likely has upwards to 40 cats. She is hallucinating, talking to animals, talking to herself, and is making stuff up in her head. She avoids all of the advice from the hunter and turns down his help. She acts extremely strange when she actually gets into town too. After I read the quote above, I started to have more sympathy for her and somewhat respect what she was doing. She made that long journey into town many times to get medicine and occasionally buy something for her grandson. However, based on her conversation with the attendant, I think that her grandson is actually dead. Welty, the author, says that whether the boy is alive or not is irrelevant. The story and it's theme is about how Phoenix shows her love and care for her grandson. She feels that it is necessary that she does something for him. This serves an emotional purpose which shows how much she cares about him.
My first impression of Old Phoenix was that she was the psycho, old lady, who no one understands and likely has upwards to 40 cats. She is hallucinating, talking to animals, talking to herself, and is making stuff up in her head. She avoids all of the advice from the hunter and turns down his help. She acts extremely strange when she actually gets into town too. After I read the quote above, I started to have more sympathy for her and somewhat respect what she was doing. She made that long journey into town many times to get medicine and occasionally buy something for her grandson. However, based on her conversation with the attendant, I think that her grandson is actually dead. Welty, the author, says that whether the boy is alive or not is irrelevant. The story and it's theme is about how Phoenix shows her love and care for her grandson. She feels that it is necessary that she does something for him. This serves an emotional purpose which shows how much she cares about him.
Eveline (Theme)
"Strange that it should come that very night to remind her of the promise to her mother, her promise to keep the home together as long as she could." -page 221
I think this quote is largely responsible for why Eveline did not leave and go with Frank to Buenos Aires. She had promised her mom that she would do everything she could to keep her family together. She did not want to abandon her siblings with her dad. She wanted to move on and find a better life for herself by marrying her secret boyfriend. However, she did not want to lose her relationship with her family or want to break her promise. She definitely has trouble making up her mind and doesn't choose until the last possible second. A few possbile themes for this story could be that Eveline fears change, or Eveline cannot make a decision, or Eveline does not want to lose her family. Her father has given her every reason to want to leave, but I think Eveline still loves him and knows that he needs her for help. As much as I feel bad for Eveline, I also have sympathy with Frank because of the way she changes her mind at the last minute.
I think this quote is largely responsible for why Eveline did not leave and go with Frank to Buenos Aires. She had promised her mom that she would do everything she could to keep her family together. She did not want to abandon her siblings with her dad. She wanted to move on and find a better life for herself by marrying her secret boyfriend. However, she did not want to lose her relationship with her family or want to break her promise. She definitely has trouble making up her mind and doesn't choose until the last possible second. A few possbile themes for this story could be that Eveline fears change, or Eveline cannot make a decision, or Eveline does not want to lose her family. Her father has given her every reason to want to leave, but I think Eveline still loves him and knows that he needs her for help. As much as I feel bad for Eveline, I also have sympathy with Frank because of the way she changes her mind at the last minute.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Bartleby the Scrivener (Characterization)
"I resolved to gather all my faculties together, and forever rid me of this intolerable incubus." -page 667
This quote revealed the narrator's final attempt to get rid of Bartleby. He is going to move his entire office to a different location, just so he can be away from Bartleby. Most of the narrator's words and actions up to this point I have agreed with and most likely would have taken a similar approach. However, I think moving offices was crossing the line. This was totally letting Bartleby take control of him. I would have taken Bartleby's key or done some way to prevent him from getting back inside the office, or called the police before I would have moved offices.
At first, my initial reaction was that Bartleby was the laziest person on the face of the planet. Later I rebuked this and discovered that he was simply just the weirdest person on the face of the planet. None of his actions or motives make any logical sense what so ever. Refusing to work might be lazy, but refusing to eat is just beyond me. I wish the author would have revealed more about Bartleby. As the reader, I just grew to hate him more and more, but never really got a chance to understand his situation or anything. I don't think I could have been as patient with Bartleby as the narrator was.
This quote revealed the narrator's final attempt to get rid of Bartleby. He is going to move his entire office to a different location, just so he can be away from Bartleby. Most of the narrator's words and actions up to this point I have agreed with and most likely would have taken a similar approach. However, I think moving offices was crossing the line. This was totally letting Bartleby take control of him. I would have taken Bartleby's key or done some way to prevent him from getting back inside the office, or called the police before I would have moved offices.
At first, my initial reaction was that Bartleby was the laziest person on the face of the planet. Later I rebuked this and discovered that he was simply just the weirdest person on the face of the planet. None of his actions or motives make any logical sense what so ever. Refusing to work might be lazy, but refusing to eat is just beyond me. I wish the author would have revealed more about Bartleby. As the reader, I just grew to hate him more and more, but never really got a chance to understand his situation or anything. I don't think I could have been as patient with Bartleby as the narrator was.
Hunters in the Snow 2 (Characterization)
"'I'm going to the hospital,' Kenny said. But he was wrong. They had taken a different turn a long way back." -page 201
This quote shows truly how careless and idiodic these three men are. Also, it shows how terrible of friends they are. Yes, Kenny pulled a very bad prank, but he got shot. Tub and Frank are showing no sympathy though. Their friend is in a lot of pain and they drop him, take his blanket, leave him in the truck, and don't take the right way to the hospital. He most likely would have healed from his bullet wound and been fine. However, with the horrific treatment from his friends, and based on the quote above, Kenny will probably end up bleeding to death or having a very serious injury. I find it strange how the author worded the last sentence. He did not say, "They had taken a WRONG turn," He said, "They had taken a DIFFERENT turn." This almost seems to imply that the two friends chose to go the wrong way. Or maybe the author's diction is this way to emphasize the neglect and carelessness of Frank and Tub. Either way, I'm glad none of these guys are my friends.
This quote shows truly how careless and idiodic these three men are. Also, it shows how terrible of friends they are. Yes, Kenny pulled a very bad prank, but he got shot. Tub and Frank are showing no sympathy though. Their friend is in a lot of pain and they drop him, take his blanket, leave him in the truck, and don't take the right way to the hospital. He most likely would have healed from his bullet wound and been fine. However, with the horrific treatment from his friends, and based on the quote above, Kenny will probably end up bleeding to death or having a very serious injury. I find it strange how the author worded the last sentence. He did not say, "They had taken a WRONG turn," He said, "They had taken a DIFFERENT turn." This almost seems to imply that the two friends chose to go the wrong way. Or maybe the author's diction is this way to emphasize the neglect and carelessness of Frank and Tub. Either way, I'm glad none of these guys are my friends.
Hunters in the Snow (Characterization)
"'He was old and sick. Couldn't chew his food any more. I would have done it myself but I don't have a gun.'" -page 194
The quote I chose is a clear example of irony. Kenny had shot the farmer's dog, but did not tell either of his friends that the farmer had told him to. They had no choice but to assume that Kenny had gone crazy. That is why Tub pulled the trigger and shot Kenny, before he got shot. In reality, Kenny was just being a prankster like always. He thought it would just be a joke, but he did not foresee how shooting the dog would have put his friends on edge. It is ironic that the reader later finds out why Kenny shot the dog. Kenny was not the only one keeping a secret from the other guys though. Tub later reveals that he has no illness. He just eats a lot of food and is fat. Frank tells Tub that he wants to leave his wife because he is in love with a teenage girl. Besides this secret about Frank, he seems to be the most normal out of the three and has the best attitude. Neither Frank or Tub are necessarily ashamed of their secrets, but just ashamed that they have to be kept secret. After talking to each other about it, they both feel a lot more comfortable with each other.
The quote I chose is a clear example of irony. Kenny had shot the farmer's dog, but did not tell either of his friends that the farmer had told him to. They had no choice but to assume that Kenny had gone crazy. That is why Tub pulled the trigger and shot Kenny, before he got shot. In reality, Kenny was just being a prankster like always. He thought it would just be a joke, but he did not foresee how shooting the dog would have put his friends on edge. It is ironic that the reader later finds out why Kenny shot the dog. Kenny was not the only one keeping a secret from the other guys though. Tub later reveals that he has no illness. He just eats a lot of food and is fat. Frank tells Tub that he wants to leave his wife because he is in love with a teenage girl. Besides this secret about Frank, he seems to be the most normal out of the three and has the best attitude. Neither Frank or Tub are necessarily ashamed of their secrets, but just ashamed that they have to be kept secret. After talking to each other about it, they both feel a lot more comfortable with each other.
Everyday Use (Characterization Blogs)
"'Take one or two of the others,' I said to Dee." -page 181
The "likeability" factor for Dee might be one of the lowest on any character I have ever read about. She is stuck-up, rude, selfish, and greedy. I think the strong dislike I have for her influences me to have sympathy for and like Maggie and Mama. Based on previous stories and the way Dee acts towards her mom, Mama has always been a push-over with Dee. Dee has always gotten what she wanted and has rarely been told "no." Finally, in the end, Mama sticks up for herself and makes a decision that goes against what Dee wants. She tells Dee that she is going to give Maggie the quilts and Dee will have to take other ones. Dee storms off saying that they don't understand. Maggie, who was intimidated by and somewhat scared of Dee, gains some confidence and is happy when Mama sticks up for her. Yes, Mama and Maggie are uneducated and lower class, but they embrace this fact. Especially at the end of the story, they are not ashamed of the way they are, and do not care that Dee does not think much of them.
The "likeability" factor for Dee might be one of the lowest on any character I have ever read about. She is stuck-up, rude, selfish, and greedy. I think the strong dislike I have for her influences me to have sympathy for and like Maggie and Mama. Based on previous stories and the way Dee acts towards her mom, Mama has always been a push-over with Dee. Dee has always gotten what she wanted and has rarely been told "no." Finally, in the end, Mama sticks up for herself and makes a decision that goes against what Dee wants. She tells Dee that she is going to give Maggie the quilts and Dee will have to take other ones. Dee storms off saying that they don't understand. Maggie, who was intimidated by and somewhat scared of Dee, gains some confidence and is happy when Mama sticks up for her. Yes, Mama and Maggie are uneducated and lower class, but they embrace this fact. Especially at the end of the story, they are not ashamed of the way they are, and do not care that Dee does not think much of them.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
A Rose for Emily (Plot and Structure)
"That was when people had begun to feel really sorry for her."
I chose this quote becuase I find it ironic and kind of confusing that the people in this town have so much sympathy for Miss Emily. The narrator in the story speaks in third person plural. I saw this as him speaking on behalf of all the citizens of the town. They all felt the same way towards Miss Emily. The way the reader tells the story is "A Rose for Emily" because they are sympathetic of Miss Emily and do not portray her as the crazy murderer she was. As the reader, I did not have much sympathy for her and could tell there was something very creepy and erie about her. Apparently the people of the town did not have the same feeling. They blame the bad things that happen to her for the reasons why she stays inside and is so anti-social. I realize that these bad things that heppen to her are not easy to get over, but it is her own fault that she reacted the way she did. Miss Emily had lots of trouble accepting and adjusting to change. Homer Barron was not going to stay with her and was actually gay, so instead of just letting him go, she killed him and kept his body in her bed.
I chose this quote becuase I find it ironic and kind of confusing that the people in this town have so much sympathy for Miss Emily. The narrator in the story speaks in third person plural. I saw this as him speaking on behalf of all the citizens of the town. They all felt the same way towards Miss Emily. The way the reader tells the story is "A Rose for Emily" because they are sympathetic of Miss Emily and do not portray her as the crazy murderer she was. As the reader, I did not have much sympathy for her and could tell there was something very creepy and erie about her. Apparently the people of the town did not have the same feeling. They blame the bad things that happen to her for the reasons why she stays inside and is so anti-social. I realize that these bad things that heppen to her are not easy to get over, but it is her own fault that she reacted the way she did. Miss Emily had lots of trouble accepting and adjusting to change. Homer Barron was not going to stay with her and was actually gay, so instead of just letting him go, she killed him and kept his body in her bed.
Fantasy for Love (Plot and Structure)
"There were women just waiting and waiting by mailboxes for one letter or another."
This blog is going to compare "How I Met My Husband" and "Interpreter of Maladies." Both of these short stories describe how people have a fantasy for love. The quote above is from "How I Met My Husband," but it can apply to both stories and many situations. One thing critical about the quote is that women aren't the only ones waiting for a letter or fantasizing about love. In "How I Met My Husband," Edie is waiting for a letter from Chris Watters, the pilot. She was infatuated with him and thinks that he actually had feelings for her. She hoped and dreamed that they would be in love and have a relationship. In "Interpreter of Maladies," Mr Kapasi is infatuated with Mrs. Das and thinks that her interest in him is a sign that she wants a relationship. She asks for his address to send him pictures, but all he can think about is how she is going to write him letters. He fantasized about these letters, planning the conversations out; fantasizing about love. If he didn't notice that Mrs. Das had lost his address, he could end up just like Edie. He would be waiting by his mailbox everyday hoping that Mrs. Das had wrote to him.
This blog is going to compare "How I Met My Husband" and "Interpreter of Maladies." Both of these short stories describe how people have a fantasy for love. The quote above is from "How I Met My Husband," but it can apply to both stories and many situations. One thing critical about the quote is that women aren't the only ones waiting for a letter or fantasizing about love. In "How I Met My Husband," Edie is waiting for a letter from Chris Watters, the pilot. She was infatuated with him and thinks that he actually had feelings for her. She hoped and dreamed that they would be in love and have a relationship. In "Interpreter of Maladies," Mr Kapasi is infatuated with Mrs. Das and thinks that her interest in him is a sign that she wants a relationship. She asks for his address to send him pictures, but all he can think about is how she is going to write him letters. He fantasized about these letters, planning the conversations out; fantasizing about love. If he didn't notice that Mrs. Das had lost his address, he could end up just like Edie. He would be waiting by his mailbox everyday hoping that Mrs. Das had wrote to him.
Interpreter of Maladies (Plot and Structure)
"For this reason it flattered Mr. Kapasi that Mrs. Das was so intriqued by his job. Unlike his wife, she had reminded him of his intellectual challenges. She had also used the word 'romantic.'"
I think this quote really explains Mr. Kapasi's thinking throughout the whole story. He is somewhat disappointed with his life, especially his marriage. I think he is extremely attention deprived, and he is sick of not being appreciated by his wife. Mrs. Das takes some interest in him and he loses all sense and starts fantasizing about her. He thinks something will come of this, but in reality Mrs. Das is just interested in his job because she thinks he can help her. Mr. Kapasi comes to realize that Mrs. Das has wayyy more problems than him. She totally misinterprets his job and she tells him her life story. I don't really understand what she was wanting Mr. Kapasi to say, and he doesn't really either. In the end, both Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das have to accept their current lives. However, Mr. Kapasi has a much better perspective on things. He is disappointed with what happened, but knows it could be much worse.
I think this quote really explains Mr. Kapasi's thinking throughout the whole story. He is somewhat disappointed with his life, especially his marriage. I think he is extremely attention deprived, and he is sick of not being appreciated by his wife. Mrs. Das takes some interest in him and he loses all sense and starts fantasizing about her. He thinks something will come of this, but in reality Mrs. Das is just interested in his job because she thinks he can help her. Mr. Kapasi comes to realize that Mrs. Das has wayyy more problems than him. She totally misinterprets his job and she tells him her life story. I don't really understand what she was wanting Mr. Kapasi to say, and he doesn't really either. In the end, both Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das have to accept their current lives. However, Mr. Kapasi has a much better perspective on things. He is disappointed with what happened, but knows it could be much worse.
How I Met My Husband (Short Stories: Plot and Structure)
"So I said yes, and I went out with him for two years and he asked me to marry him, and we were engaged a year more while I got my things together, and then we did marry."
I find the above quote to be very ironic. The title of the story is "How I Met My Husband," however that quote is about the extent she goes describing her time with her husband. The entire story is actually about her experience with another man. That in itself is also ironic. She ended up meeting her husband, who despite her lack of details, I'm sure she loves very much, by waiting for a letter from another guy that she was infatuated with. Not exactly the best love story I've heard of, but definitely interesting. One of the questions in the book asks "if you can detect the voice of an older, wiser Edie." I think this is definitely a "yes." I could tell she has learned a lot from her experience. There are several examples of this in the text, but one of them is, "Women should stick together and not do things like that. I see that now, but didn't then." She was not traumatized by this experience, but it definitely is a clear and memorable moment.
I find the above quote to be very ironic. The title of the story is "How I Met My Husband," however that quote is about the extent she goes describing her time with her husband. The entire story is actually about her experience with another man. That in itself is also ironic. She ended up meeting her husband, who despite her lack of details, I'm sure she loves very much, by waiting for a letter from another guy that she was infatuated with. Not exactly the best love story I've heard of, but definitely interesting. One of the questions in the book asks "if you can detect the voice of an older, wiser Edie." I think this is definitely a "yes." I could tell she has learned a lot from her experience. There are several examples of this in the text, but one of them is, "Women should stick together and not do things like that. I see that now, but didn't then." She was not traumatized by this experience, but it definitely is a clear and memorable moment.
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