Monday, May 7, 2007
Raoul Duke and Dr. Gonzo say they are searching for the American Dream. What do they think the dream is, and do they find it?
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Wilde’s discussion of identity should be taken seriously. For something to be humorous, I believe that it should make a person laugh. This story was entertaining, but not humorous. Presently we all struggle with societal pressures being school, work, family, friends, etc. In order for an individual to survive we must make time for ourselves to unwind and loosen up. In the short story, The Importance of Being Earnest, Wilde represents this in a way that is different from how we may handle this situation. He represents Jack as a man that is upright, moral, and respectable. However, he has a make believe brother, Ernest, who he actually pretends to be in many parts of the story. He is a man that acts completely opposite of Jack. Algernon also pretends to have an imaginary friend, Bunbury. Both of these men pretend to have other people in their lives that are imaginary because it gives them a reason to escape from the real world. For someone to be earnest they are serious and diligent in their intent to do something. Wilde used this word for a reason, because Jack was earnest in living two separate lives for the soul purpose of being able to escape reality whenever possible. I feel that Wilde uses the two separate identities of both Algernon and Jack to show the reader how an individual can act pristine in reality to meet social standards, but also needs time apart from that to relax from the overwhelming pressures of society.
Monday, April 9, 2007
This passage, Induction 2: lines 68-75, is where Sly finally falls to the Lord’s evil trickery and thinks that he is a Lord rather than a drunken homeless man after being picked up on the street by the Lord himself. Also, this passage shows that Sly finally realizes that he has a wife. To further the Lords misleading actions, the Lord tells the Page to dress in women’s clothing and act as Sly’s long lost wife. The humor that arises is illustrated when Sly believes not only that this person is his wife, but when he thinks this man dressed in women’s clothing is a woman. Furthermore, humor arises again when Sly wants to take his “wife” to bed with him. However, the Page denies his request because he is a man.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
"The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson
Foreshadowing is the groundwork of the short story, “The Lottery”. The story reveals everything you need to know while reading it besides the most important part, the fatality of the chosen one. In the beginning of the story Shirley Jackson uses foreshadowing when she describes the town in preparation for the lottery.
“Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones; … and Dickie Delacroix… eventually made a great pile of stones in one corner of the square and guarded it against the raids of the other boys”.
Jackson does not inform as to why the boys are collecting and hoarding these stones, she merely mentions it. Another example of foreshadowing is depicted with this sentence; “no one liked to upset even as much tradition as was represented by the black box”. Implying that stoning the villagers through a lottery is tradition that the residents do not want to be changed.
Jackson uses foreshadowing to aid in illustrating a lesson, or message. Many factors used in the story represent evil, especially in ways the reader would not consider. She uses the color of the box; black, to show the wickedness in the lottery. Also, the names of the characters reveal evil. For example, Mr. Graves is the postmaster and the man that brings the black box to the village gatherers for the lottery. His name foreshadows the lottery winner’s future.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
"Bernice Bob's Her Hair" by F. Scott Fitzgerald
After reading this story, I thought that Fitzgerald could have made the same point with the same characters and the same story line in about one and a half pages. He did, however, manage to do a decent job at showing the readers that girls can be two-faced, backstabbing, careless, individuals. No matter where you turn someone is always judging you. Although no one is perfect (whether it’s physically, mentally, or emotionally), there are still those people that feel it is necessary to find one thing wrong with you and then ridicule you for it.
"Don't I look all right?" asked Bernice, "No; for instance, you never take care of your eyebrows. They're black and lustrous…” responds Marjorie. This excerpt from “Bernice Bobs Her Hair” by F. Scott Fitzgerald signifies the pure narcissistic attitude harbored by Marjorie, Bernice’s cousin. Identity is basically a representation of one’s self. In order to grasp one’s full character you must verbally, mentally, and physically understand them as a person. Fitzgerald, on the other hand, really only presents the negative physical characteristics of Bernice through her cousin Marjorie’s viewpoint.
“If I'd been irretrievably ugly I'd never have forgiven my parents for bringing me into the world.” This statement made by Marjorie is a perfect example of how cruel of a person she is. It also gives the reader a pessimistic view of identity by portraying Bernice as an unattractive woman.
"Because I'm considering it. It's such a sure and easy way of attracting attention." This statement, made by Bernice, illustrates how vulnerable she is to Marjorie and how scornful Marjorie is to Bernice. Marjorie is portrayed as an egotistical being, only caring about herself and the attention she receives from boys, especially Warren. Since Bernice is so “unattractive”, Marjorie is ashamed to be around her so she persuades her into cutting her hair.
At the end of the story, the reader finds out that Bernice, enraged, goes into Marjorie’s bedroom while she is sleeping and cuts off her pigtails. She then runs out the door screaming, "Scalp the selfish thing!” and then throws her pigtails on
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
"A & P." -- What does the narrator reveal about himself indirectly? What sort of transformation does the narrator experience during the story?
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
What does Yeats hope to accomplish with his portrayal of a rape from mythology? What themes does this poem reveal about the present through its portra
I suspect that the theme this poem reveals about the present, through the portrayal of the past, deals with the general idea being derived from this poem, rape. In today’s day and age you will hear news reports and stories of rape and how men have this fierce craving for domination. I feel as though Yeats is trying to portray the power that a man may have over a female, especially the physical power, when he uses words like “helpless” and phrases like “her nape caught in his bill”. This resembles the overall weakness possessed by women and the physical strength within men.