Frankenstein 10

    I have no finished Mary Shelley's Frankenstein and I must say I am extremely disappointed with the entire ending. I hate books where everyone simply dies in the end, which is exactly what happens here. This reminds me of The House of Mirth. We read approximately 27,495 pages just for everyone to die in the end. I think books like that are pointless because if they are just going to die what is the point of reading about everything that happens to them before they die? I guess someone could argue with that when we study famous people's lives after they die, but that is different. Everyone in this book is a nobody that I simply do not care about.
     Anyways, I did notice the them of death to be extremely apparent in these final pages. Obviously that is because practically everyone dies.

"I shall die. I shall no longer feel the agonies which now consume me..." (Shelley, 166). 

     This quote shows that the creature has control throughout the entire book. Not only did he have control when all of Victor's friends died, but he, too, has control when he will die. The only death he did not control was Victor. He controlled all of Victor's life, but not his death. Just as Victor controlled the creature's birth, but not his life. I love this juxtaposition. Now I am wondering if I am reading too far into this or if everyone else sees this. Nonetheless, I find it fascinating the ways the roles changed throughout this novel.

Frankenstein 9

     As I near the end of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I notice a theme I had not yet realized was appearing in the book: duty. Duty is both one's sense of obligation to one's fellow beings and one's sense of responsibility for oneself. Victor shows a sense of obligation towards the creature. When the creature asks Victor to make a female creature, Victor hesitantly agrees.

"I had now neglected my promise for some time, and I feared the effects of the daemon's disappointment" (Shelley, 118). 

     Victor is the speaker of this quote and it shows how he feels obligated to serve the creature. However, Victor really has no reason to be in debt to the creature. If anything, the creature should be Victor's "slave." Victor have the creature the precious gift of life. There is no greater gift than this. Without Victor, the creature would not exist. The creature has done nothing but awful things to Victor. Because of this, the creature is clearly in debt to Victor. Victor has done nothing wrong (well, besides create him) and does not deserve to be the creature's slave.

Frankenstein 8

     As I continue to read Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I learn that Henry Clerval is more than just a friend to Victor, he also acts as a foil character. When Victor decides to go to France, his father arranges for Henry to join him. At first Victor is weary of his presence, thinking it will take time away from the solitude he coveted. However, quickly into the trip, Victor realized Henry's presence was a blessing. "Alas, how great was his contrast between us" (112). Victor continues to explain how alive, refreshing and delightful Henry is. While Victor is gloomy, depressed, and quiet; Henry is overjoyed to be alive and experiencing new things. The two characters balance out nicely, and give each other what the other lacks.
     As I read about Victors quest for France, I am curious to see where the creature is at this point. Victor says, "he promised to follow me wherever I might go" (111). Does this mean the creature, too, will go to France? Is he keeping such a watchful eye on Victor that he even knows Victor has gone to France? I am sure we will find out shortly of his whereabouts.

Frankenstein 7

     As I finish up to chapter seventeen of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I notice another important theme has appeared: benevolence. Benevolence is the active expression of love and sympathy for one's fellow beings. There were numerous instances where benevolences was shown by a number of different characters. When the creature finally entered the cottage of the DeLacey's, both the creature and the father of the DeLaceys show benevolence towards each other. Later on, when the creature meets William in the forest, the creature attempts to show benevolence towards William. However, when William fights back and calls the creature a "monster! Ugly wretch" and "ogre" (102) the creature has a sudden change of heart. When he is recounting the tale to Victor, both Victor and the creature show benevolence towards each other. After Victor refuses to create a friend for the creature, the creature does not torture Victor. Instead, he talks to him nicely and calmly. Victor, then, is benevolent towards the creature by agreeing to create a female creature. Victor says, "I concluded that the justice due both to him and my fellow creatures demanded of me that I should comply with his request" (107). This quote shows how Victor changed from hatred and fear to love and sympathy for the creature. Because of the creature's strong argument and promise to leave Europe and leave Victor's family alone, Victor agrees to the project. I am interested to find out whether or not the creature will stay true to his promise or whether his creature friend will become his companion in crime.

Frankenstein 6

     As I read chapter thirteen of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, I notice one very prevalent theme: alienation and solitude. Alienation and solitude is a sense of not belonging, either to a community or to one's own sense of self. This is shown very much in the creature, who feels he is an outcast of society. As he learns about various human relationships, he asks, "But where were my friends and relations" (86). This is absolutely heartbreaking. He truly has no one there for him and he does not interact with any humans. He later says, "I had never yet seen a being resembling me... What was I" (86). This, too, is so sad to hear from anyone/ The creature has no where to go and has no idea what to do think of himself. The creature seems lost in more ways than one. 

     These quotes evoke sympathy from the reader. We feel bad he is so sad and lonely. As I read, I began to regret accusing him of the murder of William. Even though it seems obvious it was him, he seems to not have control of himself. His life is sad he seems as though he can not do anything about it. 

Frankenstein 5

    As I finish the first half of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, I remember once again that this in fact a frame story. Since the novel has not visited back to the original story of Walton on the boat, it is easy to forget that the story we are in currently is not the whole story. In these chapters, we see yet another frame story.
     In chapters 9 through 13 of the novel, we learn a lot about the creature Victor created. Surprising to both the reader and Victor, we learn that the creature is in fact a functioning human being. He seems to have grown immensely since the last time Victor interacted with him.

"All men hate the wretched; how, then, must I be hated, who am miserable beyond all living things" (Shelley, 68). 

     These are some of the first words the creature says to Victor. I certainly was surprised at his intelligence and it seems as though Victor, while terrified, was too. The eloquence with which he talks astonished me.
     We enter into yet another frame story. In this one, the creature tells Victor about his past and the experiences he has gone through. I found it fascinating that the creature has grown so much on his own in the two years he has been away from Victor. This amazes me that Victor would not only be able to create life, but independent, functioning life that is able to develop, learn, and grow. I'm curious to see if Shelley will return back to the story of his creation so the reader can understand how it is "possible" to create such life.
   

Frankenstein 4

     As I read chapters 6 through 8 of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, I once again notice a change in narrator. In chapter 6, a letter from Elizabeth makes up much of the chapter. While she is not the narrator of the story, the inclusion of this letter shows us a bit of her point of view of what is happening in this point in the story. The same goes for chapter 7 when a letter from Victor's father is included. I liked that Shelley includes other's points of view in the novel because we are not only hearing one person's thoughts.
     This novel seems to have death as one of its central themes. These few chapters bring extremely sad news to Victor. He learns from the letter from his father that his brother, William, has been murdered. After rushing home, he learns that Justine Moritz, a girl who grew up at the Frankenstein residence, has been accused of the murder. The Frankensteins know she is innocent, but she pleads guilty anyway and is sentenced to death. Frankenstein realizes these deaths are his fault: his monster he created is obviously responsible for the murder of William. Because of William's murder, Justine is killed as well. The last sentence of chapter eight gave me the chills upon reading it.

"...William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts" (Shelley, 60). 

     This sentence seems to foreshadow more deaths to come because of this monster. Victor obviously regrets creating his monster and is petrified as to what will happen.

     I noticed in the footnote that this marks the end of Volume I of the novel. Shelley seems to have finished the first volume with a cliffhanger purposefully.

Frankenstein 3

     An immense amount of irony is present throughout the creation of Frankenstein's creature and his coming to life. As Frankenstein spends almost two years building the creature, he has very high hopes for his creation. He hopes that the creature will be able to help the science world by solving previously unanswered questions about life and death. Frankenstein devotes all of his time to his creation and can not wait for him to come to life. However, when the creature does become animate, Frankenstein is horrified.

"...but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished, and breathless horror and disgust filled my heart" (Shelley, 35).

     The creation that Frankenstein thought would bring him much joy did exactly the opposite, it horrified him. This is very ironic because both Frankenstein and the reader expect the creation to be just as Frankenstein dreams. We expect it to be everything he wanted and when we find out the project is a catastrophe, everyone is taken by surprise. Frankenstein realized immediately what an awful thing he had done, and begins to refer to his creation as a monster.
     After running in fear from the monster after seeing him for the first time, Frankenstein later returns to his workshop to find the monster to have left. I am extremely interested to find out where he went and when he will return.

Frankenstein 2

    As I begin reading chapters one and two of Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, I notice the narrator has changed. The narrator for the letters portion of the novel was Robert Walton, the captain of his voyage. However, as the book transitions from the letters to the chapter portion of the story, the narrator changes to a man named Victor, previously referred to as "stranger." The story is still told from first person point of view, however it is from a different person's point of view. The current narrator is the man Walton's crew picked up after being stranded on the broken ice. The man is telling Walton his history, beginning with his childhood. Victor tells Walton about his childhood, his family, and his interests.

"The world was to me a secret which I desired to divine" (Shelley, 18).

     I love this quote Victor says to Walton. It truly captures his personality and his character as he grew up. He seems to have had an adventurous childhood where he independently discovered the world.  Hearing Walton's story is very interesting, and I wonder if he will remain as the narrator for the remainder of the novel.

Frankenstein 1

      The introductory letters of Mary Shelley's novel, Frankenstein, begin the story by including quite a bit of  characterization. Throughout the letters, we, the reader, are introduced to two prominent characters, Robert and the stranger. Shelley details not only the physical appearances of the two men but also their personalities and history. We learn why the two men have suddenly crossed paths while they are pursuing completely different goals. After the two men initially meet, they form an instant bond. I think it is their loneliness that makes them come together in such a unique friendship.

"I said in one of my letters, my dear Margaret, that I should find no friend on the wide ocean; yet I have found a man who, before his spirit had been broken by misery, I should have been happy to have possessed as the brother of my heart" (Shelley, 10).

     Walton says this in one of his many letters to his sister, Margaret. I found this sentence to be very touching. These two men, who really had no one close to them at the moment and seemed to be quickly losing hope, found each other. It was their destiny to be at the same place at the same time on the vast, open sea. These men clearly needed each other, and I think their friendship will play a role throughout the entire story.

Bartelby the Scrivener

     I found the story Bartelby the Scrivener by Herman Melville to be extremely long boring, and frankly, pointless. The author used an excessive amount of details and seemed to ramble on. He also used quite a bit of characterization. The speaker spends multiple pages talking about his four workers, Turkey, Nippers, Ginger Nut, and most of all, Bartelby. I found the character of Bartelby to be rude and annoying. I realize the point was to make him seem lonely, but I found his behavior ridiculous. The fact that he repeated "I would prefer not to" many times a page made me want to quit reading every time, because I knew what was going to happen each time he was questioned. The only line that kept me interested for more than a few seconds says Bartelby was "as useless as a necklace" (661). I found this statement to be far from the truth. Necklaces add so much to an outfit, they even complete outfits. Some people have necklaces they wear every day because they are a part of their person or simply statement necklaces they break out non occasion. Bartelby is not a necklace. He is the one that is useless. He does not complete anything. He is not a part of anyone's person or a "special occasion" kind of guy. It is obvious the speaker is a man because this is just wrong.

APO 96225

     The poem APO 96225 by Larry Rottmann is very eye-opening. This poem is about a young man in war who writes letters to his family. His first letter reads, "Dear Mom, sure rains a lot here" (846). His family claims to want to know what is really happening in the war, so the boy writes back "Today I killed a man..." (846). After, the family is upset and would like happier letters, like the first. I think this relates to the attitudes of the American public during any war. We claim to want to hear what exactly is going on, but as soon as it becomes to gruesome, we back away and act like it really isn't happening. There seems to be situational irony in this poem. The mother, when asking the boy to write what is really happening, does not expect the boy to say he is killing men, woman, and children. The reader, too, does not expect the man to keep writing such light-hearted messages. This poem makes us realize we need to be aware of what is really happening overseas in wars, not just the sugar-coated things we hear.

Much Madness is divinest Sense

     The poem Much Madness is divinest Sense by Emily Dickinson proved to be somewhat confusing to me. However, I did understand the overall meaning and greatly enjoyed it. The poem reads, "Much Madness is divinest Sense... Much Sense- the starkest Madness" (830). This is saying that insanity is good sense and that good sense is insane. This paradox is actually very true. We must be both insane and have good sense. We must know when to have each of these qualities separately and when they are better paired. Through life, if we are constantly acting insane we will look foolish. However, if we always have good sense we will never do anything spontaneous or daring. We will never live up to the phrase "Carpe Diem." At times it is proper to have good sense, but at other times it is exhilarating to be insane.

I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain

     The poem I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson is extremely sad. the entire poem is an extended metaphor. It compares what the speaker is feeling in her mind to that of a funeral. The poem begins with the people entering the funeral. In her mind, she seems to be feeling overwhelmed with lots of things going through her brain. Then, it goes to the people of the funeral being seated and music starting. At this point, her mind is still- almost numb- except for a pulse-like beating. The casket is then opened. she feels her soul is opened and empty- only filled with pace. Silence then followed in both the funeral and her mind. and lastly, the casket was lowered in the ground. "And I dropped down and down- and I hit a World, at every plunge, And finished knowing- then-" (776). The poem is unfinished. From this, I can gather that the speaker, too, is lowered into the ground- having died.

Miss Brill

     The story Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield is both uplifting and sad at the same time. The story began very happily. Miss Brill began getting dressed for her wonderful Sunday tradition of listening to the band. She detailed her clothing, where she sat, the band itself, and what she would do afterwards. When talking about her clothing, Miss Brill Personified her fur shall. "'What has been happening to me?' said the sad little eyes" (182). To be honest, I don't really understand the significance of the fur. I think this quote does impact the meaning because of the sadness in the fur and in the ending. However, I don't really know what quite yet.
     The end of the story was very depressing. A young couple came and sat near Miss Brill. They talked rudely about her saying "why does she come here at all- who wants her? Why doesn't she keep her silly mug at home" (186). Miss Brill overheard this and is obviously deeply hurt by it. So much that she does not treat herself to a treat afterwards. When she takes off the fur and puts it away, she thinks she hears crying. Again, I am sure this has to do with the fur, but I don't completely understand its overall meaning. Nonetheless, the ending of the story is extremely sad.

Death, be not proud

     John Donne's poem "Death, be not proud" is extremely moving. Donne seems to be a man that respects death. He seems to look forward to it, since it is inevitable. However, he sees death as being helpful. He sees death as being a minor hiatus from living. He then says "One short sleep passed, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die" (972). This last sentence of the poem is beautifully written. Donne says that after we have taken a minor break from living, we return. Death, then, dies. This poem evokes a lot of thought from the reader. How can death die? I really like the perspective he takes on death, saying it is just needed sleep. I don't think Donne is being crazy by saying we wake eternally and that death dies. Perhaps death is merely purgatory, and when we waken eternally we have reached heaven. Whatever, the case, I really like Donne's positive viewpoint on death.

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night

     Dylan Thomas' poem "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" uses a variety of literary techniques. One that stood out to me is his use of a refrain. The refrain in this poem reads, "Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light" (968). The speaker seems to be talking to people, offering them advice. I think this refrain is saying we can not let death overpower us. We need to continue to fight for our lives. The speaker addresses specific groups of men directly. He speaks to wise men. good men, wild men and grave men. He gives them each their own piece of advice. At the end of each of these group's specific stanzas, he alternates between one line of the refrain. This speaker seems to fear death and want all those near to him, specifically his father, to live on forever.

Crossing the Bar

     The poem "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson seems to be a metaphor for death. Throughout the whole poem, I expected the poem to be about death. However, the last stanza is what made me sure that is the poem's theme. It says, "I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar" (886).  The bar he speaks of seems to be the passing between earth and heaven. The fact that Tennyson capitalized Pilot shows that the Pilot in his life is God. Being Catholic, I really like that he says God is his "Pilot." Just yesterday in my pre-calculus class with Mrs. Toner, she told us about an old popular bumper sticker that said "God is my co-pilot." She then told us "If God is your co-pilot, switch seats." She told us this because we need to let God control and lead all of our life, not just let him help sometimes. Obviously, the speaker of this poem feels the same way as Mrs. Toner. He lets his Pilot, God, lead him to his after life.

A Rose for Emily

     I really did not enjoy the story "A Rose for Emily" by William Faulkner because of the way the story was organized. It did not go in any sort of logical order. Also, much of the story was not explained. The reader has no idea if Emily and Homer Barron were really married. We also don't know if Emily killed Homer. In this story, there seemed to be situational irony. This is when what is expected is different than what actually happens. When Emily purchased the arsenic, I assumed she was going to kill herself. The whole story up to that point seemed gloomy and like she was always sad."'I want some poison, she said to the druggist. She was over thirty then, a slight woman, though thinner than usual, with cold, haughty black eyes in a face the flesh of which was strained across the temples and about the eyesockets as you imagine a lighthouse-keeper's face out to look" (286). This dark, depressing description of Emily made me think the author was using foreshadowing. I thought he was describing her in such an awful way to show why she would want to kill herself. Maybe she did kill herself, because yet again the author does not really tell the reader. However it seems as though she really did die from old age and I was wrong in both instances.

The Lottery

     In "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson, I felt there was quite a bit of dramatic irony. Dramatic irony takes place when there is a discrepancy between the reader's understanding of a scene and a character's understanding. Throughout almost the entire story I had a completely different understanding of what a lottery is than the characters did. I assumed it was the lottery involving money. I thought the town made such a fuss over it because it is exciting in a small town to see who the "big winner" is. However, I soon realized I was completely wrong. I am never one to see events coming in a story, so I really did not realize it was not a modern-day lottery until they came out and said that a Hutchinson would be stoned. The characters in the play knew the entire time what was going to happen; they were never confused, like myself. They weren't so much excited as they were nervous or anxious to find out who the "winner" was. I even interpreted minor events in the story differently than what the characters were actually doing. When discussing the children, the author writes, "Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and roundest stones" (264). I thought this was some sort of children's game, like they were going to play marbles or something. I had no idea they were collecting the stones that would soon kill a citizen. This entire story had me very confused.

The Glass Menagerie

     The ending of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is extremely sad and Williams uses quite a bit of Pathos. The gentleman caller, Jim, and Laura seem to hit it off great- they even share a small kiss. However, we soon find out Jim is not the sweet, caring man he pretends to be. He is really a cheater- he is engaged and cheating on his fiance, Betty. The way Jim breaks the news to Laura that he will never be calling her is absolutely heart-wrenching. Laura, the shy, innocent girl she is, is absolutely shocked and heart-broken. Jim, a player and a cheater, seems to feel not guilt. Even though he acts sorry, it is evident he doesn't care about Laura's feelings at all. He even tells Amanda he is engaged in a manner that shows he sees nothing wrong with what he has done. Amanda is obviously appalled at his behavior. Williams does a spectacular job in his writing by making the reader feel so much sympathy for Laura. 
     While the ending of the play clearly angered me, I did really like Tom's soliloquy at the very end. His speech seems like the perfect way to end the play, rapping up many loose ends about his future. Tom finishes the play by saying "For nowadays the world is lit by lightning!  Blow out your candles, Laura- and so goodbye" (1289). This last sentence is beautifully written, however I am not exactly sure of its meaning. I am not sure if it symbolizes that Laura never found love, or that maybe she even died alone. Whatever it means, it leaves the reader wondering. I really enjoy Williams' writing style in this regard.

The Glass Menagerie

     After finishing scene six of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, I have realized I am either very confused or simply wrong. For some reason, I thought I read that the families father had passed away, I'm not sure where I came up with that, but scene six has told me otherwise. Amanda tells Jim O'Connor, the gentleman caller, "I married a man who worked for the telephone company!- That gallantly smiling gentleman over there! A telephone man who- fell in love with long-distance!- Now he travels and I don't even know where!- (1270). This statement from Amanda shows that her husband hasn't died, he has just left the family. Maybe this is why she seems so bitter towards him, insisting Tom not be like his father. I am still very curious as to whether I made up the idea of the father being dead or if it actually said it somewhere.
     Something I have noticed to occur throughout the play is that the stage directions tell the reader when music will play and what song is playing. And often times the music seems to change the mood of the scene a great deal. Tom tells Jim of his idea to move, and when Jim asks Tom to where, the stage directions read, "(The music seems to answer the question, while Tom thinks it over)" (1268). I enjoy that the author included these stage directions and I find it interesting that at different points in the play the music seems to speak when no words are said.

The Glass Menagerie

     Throughout scenes four and five of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, there is a lot of discussion about the families deceased father. While telling Laura about a magic show Tom went to, he says, "But who ever got himself out of one [a coffin] without removing one nail? (As if in answer, the father's grinning photograph lights up. Scene dims out) (1249). This almost seems like a bit of eerie foreshadowing.  While it does not seem likely for their father to have actually gotten out of his own coffin, presumably after already being dead, it does make me think that maybe the father is not dead after all. The mother seems to talk poorly of his drinking problem quite often, which maybe shows she did not like him. Because of this, however unlikely it may be, I have begun wondering whether or not he actually died or he simply abandoned the family. Amanda later says to Tom while forcing him to let her comb his hair, "There is only one respect in which I would like you to emulate your father... The care he always took of his appearance (1255). Amanda says here she did not like his father and wants her son to be almost nothing like him. This makes me think she is holding a grudge against him for something other than his horrible drinking problem. While I may be looking way too far into this, it seems to me that the deceased father will be of more importance than we think.

The Glass Menagerie

     "Even when he wasn't mentioned, his [a gentleman caller] presence hung... like a sentence passed upon the Wingfields" (1244). At the beginning of scene three in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Tom, the narrator and son of Amanda, is telling the audience through first person point of view what an impact Amanda's want for a gentlemen caller has made in the Wingfield household. The above simile  shows that her "obsession" is taking a toll on their family, comparing it to a court or prison sentence. Amanda is doing everything she can to "help" Laura. But, in reality, this doesn't seem to be what Laura wants at all. Her mother is taking so much control of their lives that it seems to drive them all apart. Not only is she trying to control Laura's life, but Tom's as well. During an argument between Amanda and Tom, Amanda yells at Tom for talking back, to which he replies "No, no, I mustn't say things" (1246). Tom is being sarcastic here, because we know he will continue to talk back to his mother. The incessant fighting in the house seems to be rapidly increasing from what seemed like a happy, little family at the beginning of the play.

The Glass Menagerie

     After finishing scenes one and two of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, I have learned a lot about two of the characters, Laura and Amanda Wingfield. Amanda is Laura's mother, and it is obvious she cares about Laura very much. Through Amanda's talk to and about Laura, there is quite a bit of indirect characterization.  Amanda is trying to make a good life for Laura. She has been paying for her to go to college and tries to help her meet potential husbands. However, Amanda is disgusted with Laura when she finds out Laura has not been attending her classes. She is also unhappy with Laura's lack of interest in men. Amanda says, "Fifty dollars' tuition, all of our plans- my hopes and ambitions for you- just gone up the spout" (1242).This quote tells the reader a lot about Amanda. It shows they are her dreams, not Laura's. This also makes it seem as though Amanda didn't accomplish or never had the chance to fulfill her own ambitions, so she is trying again with her daughter. It is clear they are not Laura's dreams, since she shows no interest in pursuing them. It will be interesting to see which of the women gets their own dreams fulfilled.

Those Winter Sundays

     The poem "Those Winter Sundays" by Robert Hayden evoked quite a bit of sympathy from the reader. The son talked about his father with admiration. He described how ""Sundays too my father got up early" (781) describing that his father worked endlessly through the weekend. The way he writes this one short line shows his respect and gratefulness to his father for working even on Sundays.
     The author managed to evoke sympathy for both the son and the father. During the line I mentioned earlier, I felt bad for the father. I felt sorry that he not only had to work so much, but that he could not stay with his son or family. Also Robert says "No one ever thanked him" (781). This line shows how his son truly does respect and appreciate what his father does, but his father simply does not get the praise. However, I also felt sorry for the son. He recalls "slowly I would rise and dress, fearing the chronic angers of that house" (781). This line made me turn from feeling sorry for the dad to being more on the son's side. Maybe the father is not as appreciated as I had previously thought because of his angry temper or way of raising his son.
     The last line of the poem offered a bit of clarification but also raised more questions. It reads "what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices" (782). This line leads me to believe that, even though his father is mean or unloving, the son still respects him for what he does for himself and the family.
     This poem shows a seemingly typical relationship between a father and a son in our society today.

The Joy of Cooking

     In "The Joy of Cooking" by Elaine Magarrell there is a great deal of indirect characterizations. The speaker, who I assume is Elaine herself, describes the food she is preparing. However, the dishes are extremely odd- her sister's tongue and her brother's heart. Through these two body parts, we learn a lot about her brother and sister and how she feels towards them.
     When Elaine tells us that she has prepared her sisters tongue, I think she is revealing to us how she feels about her sister. This shows she thinks her sister talks to much- and maybe that she wants her to stop all together. The fact that she cuts the tongue out of her sister could show that this is the one thing she would change about her sister- her amount of talking.
     Towards her brother, I think Elaine shows more disgust and disappointment. She describes his heart, which she is preparing, as being "firm and rather dry" ( line 10) and says it "barely feeds two" (line 16). The way she describes it as being firm, dry, and small compared to the tongue of a cow shows that she thinks her brother is cold and unloving. Maybe it is that he doesn't love anyone or simply that he doesn't lover her.
     The way the author managed to convey a characters feelings about her sibling by describing her cooking is very unusual.

The Drunkard

     I found "The Drunkard" written by Frank O'Connor to be very humorous. Worrying it was not supposed to be funny, I read the questions at the end of the story to see what direction they were going with the story. The first question, reading "what are the sources of humor in this story" assured me that the story was simply written for comedic value.
    Answering that first question, I found many parts of the story funny. Mainly, I thought the boys thoughts while he was both sober and drunk were hilarious. After his first sip of the liquor, he says "It was a terrible disappointment. I was astonished that he could even drink such stuff. It looked as if he had never tried lemonade" (347). This sounds like such a little-boy thing to say. It must be like coffee, an acquired taste. The boy also says "I was not grand! Grand was the last thing I was" (348) in response to a man telling him he'll be "grand" soon. He then proceeds to say "I never met two men who knew less about the effects of drink" (349). I found these comments to be so funny because the boy, clearly having far less experience being intoxicated than the adults, thinks they have no idea what they are talking about since he clearly does not see himself feeling better in the near future. I love how the boy personifies innocence and naivete.
     Because of the comedic story line, I enjoyed this story. However I would hope this never happens to my children!

Once Upon A Time

     In "Once Upon A Time" by Nadine Gordimer, the author tells a very gruesome "bedtime story." One thing I really liker about the story is that the author started out with a background of why she is writing a childrens' story. She tells this in the first person point of view. I liked this because it felt very personal, like the author and I know each other so well that she would begin by talking directly to me in the first person. I also like this because normally one does not know why the author chose to write a specific work. I think it is creative how she says "So I begin to tell myself a story, a bedtime story" (232). The fact that we know she is telling this story to herself because she sleeps makes it more interesting to read while keeping that in mind.
     Aside from the gruesome ending of the story, I didn't like many of the details. I didn't like that the city in which the family lived was so caught up with protection from dangers. While we do need to be cautious, dangerous events and people are inevitable. Clearly going to such extreme measures will cause more harm than good.

A Worn Path

    "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty is a story of a loving grandmother who will never stop caring for her grandson. It isn't clear to me whether her grandson is actually still alive or not, but the important part is the Phoenix is still alive and still remembers him always.
     Welty uses many literary techniques to convey her message in "A worn Path." One that stood out to me is her use of imagery. She begins the story by telling the reader it is December. Even though the reader could probably infer that it is snowy and cold, she uses a great deal of imagery to really set the scene. ""IT was December- a bright frozen day in the early morning. Far out in the country there was an old Negro woman with her head tied in a red rag, coming along the path through the pinewoods" (223). From this sentence, the reader gets a good sense of the setting and the main character, Phoenix Jackson. The author can begin imagining the story even from the first sentence.
     One aspect of this story I enjoyed is that the author is focused more on Phoenix's journey to the hospital rather than her time their. This shows how much she is willing to go through to help her grandson.

A Raisin in the Sun

     In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, almost all of the characters are searching for a better way of life. However, they are all very different in going about this.
     Mama and Ruth seem very similar in their dreams. Not only do they want a better life for themselves, but they really care about the well-being of their families. They work to improve their ways of live with their families in mind. They are extremely unselfish in everything they do and never seem to think how their actions will benefit only themselves.
     Walter and Beneatha, however, are just the opposite. While they, too, want a better way of living, they are much more selfish about it. Beneatha wants to become a doctor so that she will live a good life as an  adult. She doesn't seem to care that it is her families money that will get her her education. She only has herself in mind, not her family. Walter, as well, seems to have this mind set. While he says "I want to hang some real pearls 'round my wife's neck" (529) I don't think he is always thinking of Ruth and Travis. Through indirect characterization throughout the play, I have come to the conclusion that Walter Lee is a very selfish character. He makes it seem as though he is thinking of his family, but he is really thinking of just himself. The fact that he took his families money to start his own business, and lost it, shows that if he really cared about his family he would have been a little more careful with his investments.

A Raisin in the Sun

     In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, there are three distinct groups of people- those who make things happen, those who watch things happen, and those who wonder what happened. Two characters who seems to make things happen are Mama and Beneatha. When having second thoughts on whether or not to move to their new home, Mama says, "Lord, ever since I was a little girl, I always remember people saying, 'Lena-Lena Eggleston, you aims too high all the time. You needs to slow down and see life a little more like it is. Just slow down some'" (525). I really like this quote because, even though the children saying this to her thought they were saying something negative, I feel it is a compliment. However cliche and annoying it is, we always remember the saying "Shoot for the moon, if you fail you'll land among the stars." I think this applies to Mama because she thinks it is a bad thing she aims too high in life. However, if we do not have ambitious goals we may never accomplish anything. We can not play life safely. This part of the story really shows how Mama makes things happen in life. 

     I think Walter Lee watches things happen in life. He seems to have ideas but never acts on them. He is "all talk and no action" I suppose you could say. Even though he has dreams and goals, he doesn't really try to pursue them, he just watches as life passes him by. 

     Ruth seems to fit in the wondering group. She doesn't really have an option, though. She is always wondering what Walter will do, or not do, next. She seems to always be in the background and let others control her life. 

A Raisin in the Sun

     In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, many characters are searching for a better way of life. Mama is trying to make a better life for her entire family by buying a new house in a better part of town. Beneatha is trying to make a better life for herself by getting an education to become a doctor. One character trying to improve his life that stood out to me the most is Walter Lee. Walter is the husband to Ruth and that father to ten-tear-old Travis. When Walter is given $3,500 to do whatever he pleases with, he knows he must use it to give his family a better life. Walter tells Travis, "things are going to be very different with us in seven years, Travis... One day when you are seventeen I'll come home- home from my office downtown somewhere-" (502). Walter continues on, telling Travis how great their life is going to be. I respect Travis very much for stepping up and being the husband and father Ruth and Travis deserve. His determination to create a better life for himself and his family is extremely admirable.

A Raisin in the Sun

     Throughout Act I of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, there is a great deal of indirect characterization. One character's personality that is revealed to the audience using this literary technique is that of Mama. At one point in the story, Mama's daughter, Beneatha, states that "there simply is no blasted God" (457). Mama's response, "Now- you say after me, in my mother's house there is still God" (457), shows that her faith is an extremely important part of her character. This small part in the story reveals to the audience that Mama is a religious woman and nothing can come between her and her faith.
     Another instance where we, the reader, learn a great deal about Mama's character is when the prized check of $10,000 finally comes. The family is making a fuss over the money, not being able to contain their excitement. However, Mama says, "Now don't act silly,,, We ain't never been no people to act silly 'bout no money-" (471). I really like this quote from Mama and I think it truly captures a large aspect of her personality. Even though money is very tight for the youngers, Mama stays true to her character. She knows money is not the most important thing in the world, and even when running into such a large amount of money, she remains grounded.
     In the first act of the play, the reader learns a great deal about Mama's true character.

A Raisin in the Sun

     As I began to read A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, one literary technique stood out to me almost immediately, diction. Hansberry uses diction in this play to reveal to the audience the social class and the true character of each person in the story. The poorly constructed sentences with many errors reveal to the audience that this is an under-educated family. Had I not known from the introduction that it is set  in Chicago, I would have assumed, based on their speech habits, that they are southern. Because the play is set in the 1950's and from small innuendos throughout the script, the reader knows this is a lower class african-american family. Mama says "something always told me I wasn't no rich white woman" (Hansberry, 451). This quote not only verifies her race, but it is one of many examples of the uneducated diction used in the play. The play illustrates the struggles many african-americans faced during the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these people, like the younger family, lived in poverty. This play seems interesting me because I am eager to find out what a family in this bad situation will do when they run into a large sum of money.

Interpreter of Maladies

      This short story, "Interpreter of Maladies" written by Jhumpa Lahiri, has many different conflicts arise throughout the story. One event that stood out to me the most was when Mrs. Das tells her taxi driver whom she has just met, Mr. Kapasi, about the strife she has endured the last eight years. She tells him secrets no one else knows, including the fact that her children are not all from her husband. What bothered me the most about this is that Mrs. Das assumes Mr. Kapasi will help her since he works in a doctors office. This is far from the case though, because his work has nothing to do with offering people guidance. Mrs. Das says, "Don't you realize what it means for me to tell you" (Lahiri, 159). I think, at this point, Mr. Kapasi was probably thinking something along the lines of "No, I have no idea why you're telling me any of this right now." It is not his job to be her therapist, and I thought it was just all around strange that she told him this.

     I couldn't help but think about what Mr. Kapasi must have been feeling during this. If I were him, I would want Mr. Das to know the truth. While I would never want to get involved in something that is not my business, I feel it is right that he knows. However, I think hearing this story was beneficial to Mr. Kapasi. He tells of how he and his wife are not very close. I think after hearing this, he will learn to appreciate her and their marriage more.

Everyday Use

     I really enjoyed Alice Walker's short story "Everyday Use." I not only appreciated the story line, but I also found her writing to be extremely engaging. She used quite a bit of imagery throughout the story to make the reader feel as if they were apart of the scene. She wrote in an easily understandable manner without making the story overly simple or boring.
     I feel as though I can relate to both of the daughters, Dee and Maggie. In my house, I am usually Maggie in the aspect of my older sister usually getting what she wants. I usually take the approach Maggie takes in the novel when she says "She can have them, Mama" (Walker, 180) referring to the quilts. However, I can also relate to Dee. Usually my sister is the one to stay closer to my mother, while I am more distant. Walker seems to have made these characters easy to relate to on purpose. I think relating to a character in any story one reads is important. In this case, being able to relate to both daughters, I had somewhat of a less biased opinion on who I thought was "right."
     I spent some time thinking about the title Walker chose for the story, "Everyday Use." I know it comes from a quote from Dee reading "She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use" (Walker, 180) referring to the quilts. However, I think this title goes much deeper than simply this line. I really like the title Walker chose, but I really can't think of a way to put into words what deeper meaning it could have.
   

Hazel Tells Laverne

     I really liked the relaxed tone Katharyn Howd Machan uses in "Hazel Tells Laverne." As I read the poem, I noticed one literary technique she utilizes that conveys the true meaning of the poem, and that is her use of diction. Machan wrote in extremely informal language, seemingly southern. She drops the final g on words like "cleanin," "swimmin" and "tryin" just as we often do in Indiana. She writes in the way we speak, like saying "sida the bowl" (Machan)  instead of "side of the bowl." By using the accent Hazel would talk in, instead of writing the poem in formal English, I feel the reader gets a good look into what Hazel's character truly is. While reading the poem, I felt as though someone was actually telling me a story, instead of me reading a poem. Without this crucial literary technique, I don't think the reader would be as engaged in the story or really understand the meaning.
     Another aspect of the poem I liked is the title, "Hazel Tells Laverne." The title of the poem tells the reader from the beginning that this is the telling of a story from one person to another. This acts as a clue that the poem will be informal.

Mr. Z

     The first line of Carl Holman's poem "Mr. Z" absolutely infuriated me. It reads, "Taught early that his mother's skin was a sign of error" (Holman, 848). It is evident that Mr. Z is African american, or at least partially from his mother's side. This first line really sets the tone for the entire poem because it shows how Mr. Z is an insecure man lacking pride in his heritage. This continues on in a metaphor near the end of the poem that I feel truly sums up the entire meaning of the work. Holman writes that Mr. Z is like "an airborne plant, flourishing without roots." As previously stated in the poem, Mr. Z is ashamed of his ethnicity. This metaphor really raps up his life's meaning saying that he has no roots, no foundation to build his life on.. It seems as though Mr. Z lives his entire life without a purpose because he never came to terms with the beautiful ethnicity he was blessed with. I really like that Holman started the poem with  a fact and then tied back into that fact with a metaphor

Dream Deffered

     The poem "Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes explores what happens to postponed dreams. Initially, I was confused whether Hughes meant dreams as in aspirations or as in literal dreams while sleeping. After reading the poem a few times, I came to the conclusion that he is speaking of the idea of what happens when we put off our aspirations. Also, while I know very little about Hughes, I came to this conclusion because of his work for African-American rights.

     Hughes utilizes many literary techniques when conveying his message. The two that stuck out to me were his use of similes and imagery. By comparing postponed aspirations to other things, such as "a raisin in the sun," "a sore" or "rotten meat," we are able to truly understand the topic in a more relatable way. We can easily connect these pushed away dreams with something simpler such as a common sore. Hughes use of imagery helps the reader to easily understand his point. 

     I also loved Hughes' creative use of imagery. The line that stuck out to me the most reads, "Maybe it just sags like a heavy load" (Hughes, 805).  I immediately thought of a laundry bag when reading this line. His creative use of imagery displays how one always carries their dreams with them, however sometimes not as plesently when they are deferred. 

     While Hughes uses many more literary techniques, these two stood out the most to me and helped a great deal in conveying his message.

Perrine Poetry
August 19, 2012

     Before reading Laurence Perrine's article, I had no idea whether or not I would agree with him. And honestly, after reading, I still don't know which side I would take if I were forced to choose. However, as I began reading, I strongly disliked his argument. I really did not like the way he proposed his argument as if it were "in a court of law." Poems are not something so serious that there is one definitive answer and everything else, even slightly different, is wrong, as in court. I believe an imagination is necessary when both writing and interpreting a poem. The poet, when writing, probably does not think about writing a poem that is perfectly logical and economical. The poet uses his imagination, just as the reader should. While I do not necessarily think a poem is "like an ink blot in a Rorschach personality test," I think they are always open for interpretation. I feel if one can give intelligent reasoning for why they feel a poem means what they think, it is correct to them. What may be correct to one student may seem completely wrong to another, but that can always go both ways.
     Another reason I disagree with Perrine's argument is because I feel he spent too much thought on proving others wrong. While explaining why his interpretation of the Emily Dickinson poem was correct, I feel he went into too much detail proving the "garden" interpretation wrong, instead of proving the "sunset" interpretation right. After his explanation of his interpretation, I completely agreed that his interpretation could be right. However, even after he tried to disprove the garden version, I still agreed that that could be just as correct. While I do agree that one should be able to back up their interpretation, I feel someone else can prove a different interpretation to be "right" as well. Something I did agree with, to some extent, was that an interpretation should be somewhat logical. As I previously stated, a writer might not always thing their poem must be perfectly logical. And I think that is ok. But when interpreting a poem, the reader should not be ridiculously far-fetched. However, that being said, if one can offer valid reasoning for their interpretation, who is to say whether it is too far-fetched?

This picture was taken in Cuenca, Spain, which is near Madrid. The town I am in is one of the oldest towns in Spain, and many of the buildings and houses I saw were built before the United States was discovered :)

This picture was actually taken in Portugal, but we thought it was cool that the graffiti was in Spanish. It roughly says "rise to the top, Spain" because of their current economic crisis.

The House of Mirth: Blog 15
Edith Wharton

     As I finish the novel, so many thoughts and questions are going through my mind. First and foremost, I think that even just a few pages before the ending of the story, there was still a bit of foreshadowing. Upon returning home from a walk, Lily begins sorting through her few possessions and paying off all of her debts with her inheritance she has just received. I think Lily knows her life is coming to an end, and she wants to have everything sorted out when it does. I think the final payment of her debts shows she has accomplished all she wanted to in life, and there is nothing left that she needs to do.
     After reflecting on Lily's sudden death due to an over-dose of her sleeping medication, I think Lily knew fully well what she was doing when she took more than the prescribed amount of the medicine. While the book doesn't really say whether or not it was a suicide or an accident, I think Lily committed suicide. She realized all she had after paying her debts was a few dollars and no husband, and I feel she didn't think she had a purpose any longer.
     I find the ending of the book was extremely sad. Selden, who intends on visiting Lily when he learns of her death, finally realizes his true love for Lily. Selden and Gerty Farish sat in the room with Lily's body. They had discussed that it was what she would've wanted. However, Selden is confused when Gerty begins to leave.

"Selden roused himself to detain her. 'But why are you going? She would have wished-' 

Gerty shook her head with a smile. 'No; this is what she would have wished-' and as she spoke a light broke through Selden's stony misery, and he saw deep into the hidden things of love" (Wharton, 264). 

      I find it beautiful that the two finally got to be together. However, because of the horrible circumstances, I find it extremely depressing. I feel that throughout the entire story the two loved each other. I only wish they would have realized their mutual love earlier and Lily's life wouldn't have ended so tragically.


      Overall, I didn't love this book nor did I hate it. One aspect of Wharton's writing I really enjoyed was her use of imagery. Whenever I read a book, I envision in my mind exactly what is happening. Being the daughter of a costumer, I imagine every detail from the setting to the jewelry each character is wearing. I loved how she gave exquisite details of every scene; I always knew exactly what to imagine. 
     One thing I did not enjoy was that I thought the plot was somewhat repetitive. The entire book was about Lily running into financial problems, then running into problems with whom to marry, then worrying about the problems. That simple plot seemed to repeat itself multiple times throughout the entire novel. 
     All in all, I thought the book was alright. While I do not regret reading it, I don't think it is ever something I would choose myself or suggest to anyone. 

The House of Mirth: Blog 14
Edith Wharton

      There seems to be a great deal of foreshadowing in chapters eleven and twelve of The House of Mirth. Lily has been having trouble sleeping lately, I think because of all of her worries. She obtains sleeping medication from a doctor who, during her visit, says, "You don't want to increase the dose, you know... it's a queer acting drug. A drop or two more, and off you go- the doctors don't know why" (Wharton, 234). This makes me believe that, in the few remaining pages of the book, something tragic could happen to Lily. At first, I wondered why he would say this to her. But, as I am writing this, I realize he is a doctor and it is his responsibility to tell her of the potential dangers. Now I am second guessing whether or not this is truly foreshadowing. However, something is telling me something tragic is going to happen. Related to these drugs or not, I have no idea.
     I also learned in these chapters that Lily has been fired from her job. I think this could be foreshadowing because it is cutting Lily more and more out of society. She is slowly becoming less and less noticed in the society, which I think could lead to her social downfall.
     Lastly, I saw some foreshadowing during Lily's meeting with Selden. Lily says,

"There is someone I must say goodbye to. Oh, not you- we are sure to see each other again- but the Lily Bart you knew. I have kept her with me all this time, but now we are going to part, and I have brought her back to you- I am going to leave her here... Will you let her stay with you? (Wharton, 251).

     Even though Lily says she will see Selden again, I don't think she will. So many instances they have gone great periods of  time without seeing each other. I think her leaving the "old" Lily with him is foreshadowing that either she will never see him again and wants to leave part of her with him, or that she loves him but knows their love is not mutual. I am eager to find out what will happen in the few remaining pages of the book.

The House of Mirth: Blog 13
Edith Wharton

     While reading The House of Mirth, I have noticed that while Lily tries to be independent, it is nearly impossible because of her financial state. However, reading chapter nine made me very proud of Lily. She has become an apprentice at a hat-making store. I love that she did this because, by learning a trade, she can eventually have a good enough income to pay off all of her debts and be completely independent. I feel this would make Lily happier, since she currently is worrying daily about her finances. I feel this would also take the pressure of getting married off of her. She won't need to marry solely to have more money.
     Something I have enjoyed thoroughly throughout the novel is Wharton's consistent use of imagery throughout the novel. I feel this helps the reader get a better visual of what is really happening. It also helps the reader to stay interested. Wharton describes Lily's dream of having her own hat boutique in the following passage.

 "And of course only the finishing touches would be expected of her: subordinate fingers, blunt, grey, needle-pricked fingers, would prepare the shapes and stitch the linings, while she presided over the charming little front shop- a shop all while panels, mirrors, and moss-green hangings- where her finished creations, hats, wreaths, aigrettes and the rest, perched on their stands like birds just poising for flight" (Wharton, 229-230).

   I absolutely love the way this is written. The imagery is so delicately laced throughout the passage so that the reader can perfectly imagine the adorable store front.  I love this aspect of Wharton's writing style.

The House of Mirth: Blog 12
Edith Wharton

     In our society, people are constantly complaining that the institution of marriage is being destroyed or certain groups or people are disgracing the sanctity of marriage. For example, Kim Kardashian's famous 72 day marriage was said to "cheapen the institution of marriage." Also, many feel legalizing gay marriage would disgrace the sanctity of marriage. While I could go on for hours as to why I feel these views absolutely ridiculous, that isn't the point. My point is this: why are people all of the sudden worrying about the sanctity of marriage? After finishing chapter nine of book two of The House of Mirth, I have come to a simple conclusion: in the early 1900's, no one's true motivation for getting married was love. Their reasoning to get married was because it was expected of them. Lily, nor any of the men she is involved with at this point, does not care about loving someone. They simply care about being married. So, why, now, in 2012, are people fretting about the "sanctity of marriage?" Less than a hundred years ago, marriage was not a result of two people loving each other, it was simply a contract. Clearly, people have been marrying for the "wrong" reasons for hundreds of years. Even though I feel people were getting married as sort of a contract during the time of this novel, I do like that people minded their own business and did not protest against other's marriages, even if they were not out of love.
     Lily says: "I am ready to marry you whenever you wish" (Wharton, 205). I absolutely loathe everything about this. Lily should be independent. If she knew she and Rosedale were meant to marry, she would not have to be so subordinate to him and marry when he wishes. I also hate that this sounds like such a contract.  Lily does not seem excited and she does not truly want to marry. Marriage should be something to look forward to, not something to dread.
     Clearly, I am very opinionated when it comes to these topics. I simply feel marriage is the business of the two people involved, not of the rest of society. I hate that Lily feels she is forced to marry just because everyone is pushing it upon her.

The House of Mirth: Blog 11
Edith Wharton

     About a third of the way through the second book, I read something that truly got me thinking. While speaking of all the plans other members of society had for themselves, Wharton says "...Lily herself remained without plan or purpose" (Wharton, 190). Even though it seems Wharton is really only discussing where Lily will reside and how she will handle her financial troubles, I feel this quote really sums up Lily's current situation. It isn't that I feel Lily has absolutely no purpose in life; everyone has something to put forth. However, Lily does not know her purpose. She has no plans when it comes to marriage, where she will live, her finances, her friendships. Nothing is mapped out for her. I also feel she also does not have any set destination in life. Throughout the entire book, Lily hasn't had a real plan for anything. And, after 200 pages, she still has nothing. I thought that at this point in the book there would be some sort of new adventure, such as getting married or solving her finance problems. But things are still the same. Over the course of the novel she has lived spontaneously, going from friendship to friendship, one crazy idea to the next. She has been from not wanting to get married to wanting just the opposite, and back and forth a hundred times. I honestly respect Lily for this. I love the spontaneity of her life. She seems to pick up and go places, such as Europe or Alaska, with no thoughts of what she should be doing or what could happen while she is gone. I love that she has nothing tying her down to New York. While I'm only sixteen and honestly have no idea of what will become of my future, I hope that, maybe just for a few years, it is somewhat like Lily's. Even though I know it could never happen, the idea of not having any obligations amazes me. To be able to do whatever I want at any given moment sounds absolutely thrilling.
     After re-reading those past few sentences, they sound like such a sixteen-year-old thing to say. But, if the shoe fits...

     Lily's pick-up-and-go attitude relates a lot to my life. Just yesterday, my dad was saying that after this school year we should move to Carmel, Indiana. He said this because after I graduate, we will have nothing keeping us on the south side. My dad, also a very spontaneous man, loves the idea of having a new adventure, even if that means only an hour from our current abode. I, personally, am ecstatic about the idea.

The House of Mirth: Blog 10
Edith Wharton

     In chapters three and four of book two, lots of drama ensues. Bertha, who I've mentioned my hatred for many times, will not allow Lily to return to their cruise. I'm not sure how she can simply leave someone in Europe stranded, but only Bertha would find a way to do that. I honestly have no idea how Lily gets back. Selden takes her to the Stepney's but I really don't know what happened to her from there.
     Chapter four reveals the death of Mrs. Peniston. Lily does not seem overly distraught about the death, which I find concerning since I don't think Lily has anywhere else to live. I can't decide if Lily is angry or content at what Mrs. Peniston left her in the will. Lily only received $10,000, which is shocking to everyone since she was expected to inherit the house as well. Lily seems extremely upset that she did not get the house. I don't know how she will afford to live alone or with whom she will live. It is not clear to me where she is currently residing. On the other hand, she seems overjoyed that she will be able to pay off the $9,000 she owes to Trenor.
     I really don't like that the will of Mrs. Peniston is of more concern to her friends and family than her actual death. No one really talks about their feelings or expresses their sorrow over the matter. It seems they are all much more worried about who will receive what and why.
     This seems very similar to how many feel about losses today. People become so caught up in worrying about the will and hoping they will get everything they want that they often forget about the celebration of life that should be taking place. Like many other things in our society, this truly needs to change.

The House of Mirth: Blog 9
Edith Wharton

     As I begin Book two of The House of Mirth, the setting changes to being in Europe while Lily joins the Dorsets on a cruise around the Mediterranean. I think this is the same cruise Selden is on, or they simply happen to run into each other at some point on their travels. This isn't really clear to me.
     It is apparent from the beginning of the second book that infidelity will continue to be a prominent theme. I quickly learned that the only reason Bertha invited Lily on the cruise is so Lily would distract Bertha's husband, George, from Bertha having an affair with Ned Silverton. I know that sounds ridiculously confusing, but that also seems to be a recurring theme throughout the novel.
     The infidelity and lies infuriates me. I don't understand why Bertha would basically encourage an affair between Lily and George so she could have an affair. If she knows they are both having affairs, why doesn't she simply get a divorce? I know this is the early 1900's and divorces were looked down upon much more than they are now, but everyone's behavior right now in the novel is absolutely ridiculous.
    Well, George realizes that and decides to go to Selden to get a divorce. Lily opposes this at first, but all of the sudden she is ok with it. I didn't really understand why she had such a quick change of heart.
     Bertha, who I am really beginning to loathe, seems to have started rumors that Lily and George are having an affair. This seems like yet another absurd move on her part. I know I wouldn't want people thinking my husband were having an affair. Obviously it looks bad on his part, but I think it reflects poorly on her as well.
     As I've made obvious throughout multiple blogs, I really loathe infidelity. Because of this, I absolutely can not stand Bertha's character. While I realize she is not the only one committing this sin, she seems to me to be the trickiest and sliest in her ways. I hope she gets caught cheating before the rumors spread of George and Lily being together.

The House of Mirth: Blog 8
Edith Wharton

     After finishing book one of The House of Mirth, it is still not know who Lily will ultimately marry. Currently, three men seem to be in the running. These men are Trenor, Selden, and Rosedale. Each man comes with quite a bit of baggage and reasons for Lily not to marry him.
     The first man Lily has a run-in with is Mr. Trenor. He tricks Lily into seeing him alone and becomes very angry with her when she does not want to stay. I think the main reasons of him wanting to talk to Lily is to remind her of the money she supposedly owes him and to express his disgust at the idea of Lily and Selden being together. I don't think she owes him anything because he agreed to help her. Also, Lily and Selden are not together, it is only a rumor.
     The second man, whom she never actually gets to see in these three chapters, is Selden. Selden wrote Lily wanting to meet the next day. She told him she would meet him at four but added "I can easily put him off when tomorrow comes" (Wharton, 113). I don't understand why she keeps wanting to put him off. I think, at this point, she hasn't realized her love for him still. Later in these chapters, when Selden doesn't come and she finds he has sailed off for Havana and the West Indies, she realizes she does truly love him.
     Lastly, is Rosedale. When Lily was anxiously awaiting the arrival of Selden, Rosedale showed up instead. In a seemingly creepy way, he asked her to marry him saying "I've got the money, and what I want is the woman- and I mean to have her too" (Wharton, 143). Lily knows she does not want to marry him so she tells him that she needs time to think. Later, when she finds out Selden is never coming, I think, for a minute, she wanted to take Rosedale up on the offer. She began to write him but couldn't find the words she wanted to say.
     As the first book finishes, Lily is left with three men. The first being a married man who seems to want to control Lily. The second being a middle class man who knows money is not the most important possession. And the third being a wealthy man who simply wants a woman to take care of. As I've said before, I have been rooting for Selden the entire time. He seems sweet and I loved that in these three chapters Wharton tells us of his humble upbringings. He was brought up learning that one can live on just a little amount of money quite comfortably. I love that about him and he seems to be sweet, not pushy like the other two men. With him having sailed off, I'm not sure if he will ever return and win Lily's hand.

The House of Mirth: Blog 7
Edith Wharton

    Shortly after the new year, a new family, the Brys, decide to have a party in order to pronounce themselves in society. Carry Fisher organizes the party and makes it a fashion show which includes "ableaux ivante" which is when actors wear costumes and recreate famous paintings and pictures. Many of the party-goers absolutely love Lily and speak of how beautiful she is. It seems like this kind of goes to Lily's head and makes her a bit arrogant, but I can't really tell.

    I find the the scene Wharton describes of the ableaux ivante absolutely fascinating. I think it would be amazing to attend a party such as this. Once, While visiting Chicago, I saw a group of about ten people all dressed from head to toe in silver clothing and even silver body paint. They would pose for about 30 seconds and then all frantically run around and somehow get into another choreographed pose. It was absolutely beautiful. I think I may have appreciated the show more because I dance, and I understand how hard it is to choreograph even the seemingly spontaneous pose changes. As I read the pages about the fashion show, I could not refrain from imagining these people.

   Getting back to the novel, it seems as though a chapter can't go by without some discussion of the men in Lily's life. In this chapter, Lily seems to deal the most with Selden. Then even have an intimate moment after the party. However, much to my dismay, Lily seems to be somewhat rude to him. She says, "Ah, love me, love me- but don't tell me so!" (Wharton, 112). I hope this does not mean the two of them will never be together, because I still think they are more meant to be than the other vain relationships she seems to have.

The House of Mirth: Blog 6

Edith Wharton

     In chapter nine of The House of Mirth, Lily Bart exhibits an ample amount of jealousy and seems to want revenge. These emotions are brought about by letters presented to Lily by an old maid. The maid had kept a collection of letters she found in Selden's room that he had not destroyed. They presumably are love letters, and the maid assumes they are from Lily. When Lily sees them, she knows they are from Bertha Dorset, who, it is assumed, had an affair with Selden. Lily buys the letters, which is why the maid brought them to her attention. Originally, her motivation of buying the letters was to protect Selden. She was not going to read them and simply destroy them herself. However, when Lily learns it was Bertha Dorset that set up Gryce with another woman solely so Lily could not marry him, Lily decides to keep them as blackmail against Bertha. Honestly, I would do the same thing. If someone had done something so rude like Bertha did to me, I would want to have something I could use against that person. 

     However, in chapter ten, Lily seems to have a change of heart. The overall theme of this chapter, in my opinion, is forgiveness. When running into other acquaintances at an opera she attended with Rosedale, the topic of her sudden financial success comes up. Even though she is not particularly happy about it, she brushes it off and does not get mad at anyone for discussing it. Another forgiving moment for Lily is when she sees George Dorset, who informs Lily that Bertha would like to have her over to their house the coming Sunday. Lily suddenly decides not to use the letters against Bertha and accepts the invitation. "If she had destroyed Mrs. Dorset's letters, she might have continued to hate her; but the fact that they remained in her possession has def her resentment to satiety" (Wharton, 97). This shows that simply keeping the letters and not destroying them had been enough revenge for Lily. 

The House of Mirth: Blog 5
Edith Wharton

     In chapter eight, Lily receives some heart-breaking news. She finds out that Percy Gryce, whom she has just decided she would like to marry, is already engaged to another woman, Evie Van Osburgh. Lily is extremely upset at this, but I honestly think it is for the best.

"Lily's passing light-heartedness sank beneath a renewed sense of failure. Life was too stupid, too blundering! Why should Percy Gryce's millions be joined to another great fortune?" (Wharton, 74).

     Like I said, I think it is a good thing Gryce is not marrying Lily. Lily had all of the wrong intentions for wanting to marry him- mainly for his wealth. I feel she is above doing this and deserves to find a man that she loves and can support her. I'll admit, I'm somewhat biased because I, personally, want her to marry Selden. He seems sweet and I think, even if they do not know it themselves, they both have some feelings for each other. 

     Prior to reading this section, I thought Lily could potentially end up being with Gryce or Selden. Now, since Gryce is out of the picture (well, who knows with the abundant amount of infidelity prevalent in this novel), I think her options seem to be Selden or Trenor. Selden, who is not particularly wealthy, would make Lily truly happy. Trenor, on the other hand, would be able to provide financial stability but not true happiness. Also, Trenor is currently married, so Lily would probably not be looked well upon by society if she broke up the marriage. Like I already said, I want her to marry Selden, not only because I think they are genuinely meant for each other, but also so Lily does not break up someone else's marriage. 

The House of Mirth: Blog 4
Edith Wharton

    As I finish chapter six, I am still extremely confused about what is going on currently in the novel. So many characters have been introduced that they are all running together in my mind. I also still don't know how any of these people even know each other. A few things are becoming clear, but, at the same time, becoming more confusing. After a long conversation between Lily Bart and Selden, I am left with explanations that lead to even more questions. Selden thought Lily was interested in Gryce, and Lily thought Selden was interested in Mrs. Dorsett. I don't know how true either of these ideas are though. During their talk, the two decide they will not marry

"'Do you want to marry me?' she asked.
He broke into a laugh. 'No, I don't want to..." (Wharton, 58).

I find it extremely awkward that they discussed the subject, especially since they never dated. I also find Selden's response to be quite rude, since he laughed at Bart. However, it seems things were extremely different during this time; I can not even imagine having this conversation with anyone.  

However, near the end of their talk, something seems to come up in the conversation that might lead to them confessing their true love for each other. However, for some reason Lily remembers she must get home just before anything happens in the conversation. I honestly have no idea if the two will ever get together throughout the novel, or if the abrupt ending to their evening was some kind of foreshadowing that their friendship is not going to progress. Also, while I am not really sure at all where the plot is going right now, I'm sure it will somehow involve both of their future relationships or lack there of.

The House of Mirth: Blog 3
Edith Wharton

     So far in the book, I am somewhat confused about all of the characters. So many have been introduced in these first four chapters that I am having trouble keeping straight who is who and how each character is related to another. I also have no idea what man or men Lily Bart seems to be going after as a potential husband because she has interacted with so many men thus far. Hopefully, as the story goes on, it will become clear who every character is.
     While talking about one character, Carry Fisher (who I really do not know who she is at all), Mrs. Trenor said something that surprised me. She said, "someone said the other day that there was a divorce and a case of appendicitis in every family one knows" (Wharton, 32). I found this shocking,because my thoughts on the early 1900's are that divorces were very rare and looked down upon in society. I never would have believed them to be so common. I feel this very much relates to our society today, since the divorce rate is now 50 percent. While I do not believe the divorce rate in the time of this book was anywhere near what it is now, I still find it shocking that Mrs, Trenor would say they were so common. This actually makes me feel better about our society today. While I am still ashamed of the number of divorces that take place, it makes me feel a bit better knowing this did not begin happening as all-of-the-sudden as I had previously thought.

The House of Mirth: Blog 2
Edith Wharton

     In chapter three, Wharton discusses one of the major themes of the book, the issue of money, in great detail. Before reading this chapter, I viewed Lily Bart as being very materialistic. She seemed only motivated to marry in order to get money out of the deal and she seemed to view social status as being extremely important. However, I find now that she is much deeper than that. It seems as though her mother is the materialistic one and only married Lily Bart's father for his financial wealth. I now see Ms. Bart as knowing money is important but also realizing there is more to life than being wealthy. Wharton says, "She would not indeed have cared to marry a man who was merely rich: she was secretly ashamed of her mother's crude passion for money" (Wharton, 27). I like this quote from the novel because it shows that even though it may not come off as such, Lily does not view money as the only important aspect of life. Lily seems to be the master at making others believe she has more money than she truly does because of her trendy wardrobe and attendance at many social events. While at first I was not particularly fond of Lily Bart's character, I am now beginning to like her.

The House of Mirth: Blog 1
Edith Wharton

      As I begin to read The House of Mirth, I am introduced to many characters and themes I feel will be prevalent throughout the book. Miss Lily Bart seems to be the main character, and Wharton provides an abundant amount of description of her personality in the first two sections of book one. We also meet a few other characters: Selden, Mr. Rosedale, Mr. Gryce, and Mrs. Dorset. There is a great deal of characterization for all of these characters.
     One theme that is brought up almost immediately by Bart is that of marriage. More specifically, Bart speaks of the relationship between women and marriage. She says, "What a miserable thing it is to be a woman!" (Wharton, 4). She says this when talking to Selden about his apartment and how he can freely do what he wants with the place since it is only his. She implies that men are allowed to have their own flat while it is unheard of for a woman to live alone because of the cost. Bart expresses that she does not want to get married, but she feels she has to because she has no means of income herself. She thinks men are lucky in regard to marriage because "a girl must, a man may if he chooses" (Wharton, 8). Bart seems to be somewhat a feminist, since she believes she should not have to get married. However she realizes it is not socially acceptable for her to work. I agree with Bart's opinion on not wanting to get married. I feel a woman should be able to have the same independence a man can. In our current society, it is acceptable and, for the most part, expected for a woman to work. Because of this, it is easier for a woman to live completely on her own, without the necessity of a man's support. Because this is set in the early 1900's when woman did not work, I am eager to see whether or not Bart will marry or continue living with her aunt.

The Great Gatsby: Blog 15
F. Scott Fitzgerald

     "So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past" (Fitzgerald, 180).

Upon finishing the book, I had many mixed feelings. The last few pages jumped around from topic to topic very quickly. From Gatsby's father, Gatsby's friends, the funeral, the benefits of the western portion of the United States over the east, and many other events that have happened in the recent years in Carraway's life.

For the most part, I greatly enjoyed this book. While at first I didn't really understand what was happening, I quickly began to grasp the plot and become engaged in the story. However, I did not really like the ending, mainly the last chapter. I thought it was not wrapped up very well. However, I think this was Fitzgerald's goal. I think he did not have the intention of dwelling on the funeral for the last chapter, but focusing more on Carraway, which is exactly what he did.

I loved the last sentence to the novel, quoted above. I think it is true in every aspect of life. Our past is always with us and we will continually regress in life. However, just as a boat against the current, we must learn to fight for what we want, and, in the end, move forward.

The Great Gatsby: Blog 14
F. Scott Fitzgerald

     As I begin the final chapter of the novel, I begin to see a somewhat different side of Carraway. Previously, in chapter eight, Carraway had said about Gatsby, "I disapproved of him from beginning to end" (Fitzgerald, 154). It seemed as though Carraway did not feel he and Gatsby were actually friends. However, after Gatsby's death, Carraway told Mr. Gatz "We were close friends" (Fitzgerald, 168). After the murder of Gatsby, Carraway has seemed to turn into a much more caring friend to Gatsby. Carraway phones many people in order to make sure Gatsby has friends at his funeral, and it is important to Carraway to have these people there. Carraway's caring side begins to come out.
     Throughout the novel, Carraway and Gatsby have seemed to have very different personalities. Carraway is a very honest, helpful, reserved man. He never judges anyone and is always ready to help a friend in need. Riches are not the most important thing to Carraway, which is why he doesn't seem to mind his job in the bond business. Gatsby, on the other hand, is a dishonest and deceitful man. Living a luxurious lifestyle is so important to him that he was involved in criminal activity in order to become wealthy. He does whatever he can to win over the heart of Daisy, a married woman.
     Even though the two are so different, and Carraway even denies their friendship, I feel the bond they share is deeper than anyone can imagine. Even though the two did not know each other long, they developed a friendship that could not be destroyed. The two men were always there for each other, all the way to the bitter end.

The Great Gatsby: Blog 13
F. Scott Fitzgerald

I honestly can not believe how chapter eight ended. George Wilson knew it was Gatsby that killed Myrtle, and as revenge, Wilson went to Gatsby's house, killed him, and then shot himself. I am always horrible at predicting what is to come in a book, but I never expected Gatsby to die, nonetheless be murdered.

"...and the holocaust was complete" (Fitzgerald, 162).

Originally, I assumed he was comparing this minor incident to The Holocaust, because of the meaning that has accompanied that word ever since World War II. I was extremely confused as to why he would compare the killing of two people to the horrible event in history that ended millions of lives. However, I quickly realized his words had nothing to do with the tragic event of the 1940's, since that had not even occurred in history yet. Nonetheless, I find his ending of this chapter very effective. The term "holocaust" isn't used much in our society because of the meaning it carries with it, but in this situation, it is perfectly fitting. The murder of Gatsby and the suicide of Wilson could definitely be described as its definition according to Webster Dictionary as a "complete devastation." The deaths of these men will greatly impact the ending of the story because our protagonist is now dead.

The Great Gatsby: Blog 12
F. Scott Fitzgerald

     Even though this book is set in the 1920's, I feel it still relates to our modern world in more ways than I expected. For one, the ridiculous amount of infidelity is still abundant today. A step further, the abuse that appears in this novel is another tragedy that unfortunately has only become worse in our society.
     Overheard by a neighbor, Myrtle Wilson cried out "Beat me! Throw me down and beat me, you dirty little coward!" (Gatsby, 137). This was heard just before her death. As I read, I wasn't sure if her death had been planned by George Wilson or if she was coincidentally hit by a car during their tense argument. However, as I read on, I learned the accident was a surprise to everyone. And even more surprising is that the culprits were Daisy and Gatsby.
     Carraway happened to meet with Gatsby later on in the night, and it shocked me how calm Gatsby was when he learned she had died. He was only worried about Daisy, who was driving and who had to return to her house with Tom. While his care for Daisy is sweet, I feel like someone who just murdered another person should have a bit more regret and fear than he has.
     I am embarrassed to say the first thing I thought of while reading about George abusing Myrtle was the Rihanna-Chris Brown abuse incident. However, when I think about that I realize how often abuse must go on in our world, and yet we only hear about cases in celebrities. It is somewhat eye-opening to realize that not only has this been going on for decades, prior to when I believe our society truly became corrupt, but it is happening far more than most people are aware of.

The Great Gatsby: Blog 11
F. Scott Fitzgerald

     Things are somewhat starting to make sense for me as I read part of chapter seven. All of the confusing relationships and affairs are finally coming together. Tom Buchanan and Daisy are married and have a daughter named Tammy. One of Gatsby's friends is George Myrtle, who is married to Myrtle Wilson. Myrtle Wilson is Tom's mistress, and it seems as though George knows about the affair but simply lives with it. Daisy is secretly in love with Gatsby, which becomes not-so-secret when Tom confronts Daisy and Gatsby of the situation.
     Referring to Daisy talking to Gatsby, Carraway recalls, "She had told him that she loved him, and Tom Buchanan saw. He was astounded. His mouth opened a little, and he looked at Gatsby, and then back at Daisy as if he has just recognized her as some one he knew a long time ago" (Gatsby, 119). This is an important point in the novel because it is when Tom realizes what is going on between the two of them. When Tom confronts the two about it, things get extremely heated.
     Honestly, I find Tom's reaction to be extremely hypocritical. He, himself, has a mistress, Wilson's wife, Myrtle. And yet he becomes extremely hostile when he finds out about Daisy's "affair." The reason I don't quite consider it an affair is because, while they are somewhat over-stepping boundaries with their friendship, they are not having a serious relationship, or so it seems to me. Most of the occasions they have been together either Tom or Carraway have been there. Therefore, it is not much of a secret that they are friends. Back to my original point, I feel Daisy has every right to be even more angry with Tom because on multiple occasions he has lied in order to see Myrtle. Clearly, faithfulness is of great importance to me and that is why I feel it extremely unreasonable of Tom for becoming so upset with Daisy. Simply because Tom is doing the same thing to Daisy does not make it right in any way. However, I still feel he should have realized he made a mistake as well.