Life Insights

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

In Shelley's Frankenstein, I came across many insightful quotes throughout the book. As Victor has just experienced the deaths of his brother, William, his dear friend, Henry, and his newly-wed wife, Elizabeth, his life has really taken a turn. All of these deaths happened in Victor's life in a time-span of a little less than three years. For Victor, this was a great deal of change in a very short period of time. Shortly after Elizabeth;s death, Victor says: "Nothing is so painful to the human mind as a great and sudden change"(Shelley, 146). After reading this quote, I instantly saw the truth in those words. As humans, we typically adapt to a routine and stick to it. We often like to do things that are safe and predictable in order to keeps things running smoothly in our lives. This quote verifies that obsevation about human's lives. Humans are often shaken by any change in their life that they do not see coming. Like the case was for Victor, some people take a long time recover from these changes. Some people never quite recover from sudden changes in their lives.

It's a Hard Knock Life (for Victor)

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

As Victor continues to tell his tale in Frankenstein, Shelley insinuates that Victor's road ahead will not be an easy one. Victor is soon approaching his wedding day where he will come into a union with Elizabeth. However, Victor is told by the creature that he will be there with Victor on his wedding night. Initially, I thought that this meant that the creature would taint Victor's children. As I continued reading, I realized that the creature was more making a death threat. The phrase: "I shall be with you on your wedding night"(Shelley, 141), is spoken by the creature to Victor. This phrase haunts Victor as he goes about his life after destroying the almost-companion of the creature. The use of the phrase above would be considered paralellisim because it is used frequently throughout the last portion of the book. After haunting Victor for so long, the phrase finally achieves a sense of truth. On Victor's wedding night, it is not Victor's life that is taken, but it is Elizabeth's life that is taken. The creature came to take Elizabeth's life and to leave Victor feeling abandoned and alone.

How Do you Solve a Problem Like the Creature?

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

The use of foreshadowing is present in Shelley's Frankenstein. When the creature becomes despondent after his failed attempt with the cottagers, he wants to fill the lonely void in his life. It came as no surprise to me that the creature would want a woman companion to keep him company. However, he wanted Victor to create a creature just as ugly as the creature himself. Initially, Victor agreed to the creature's request. However, the following quote shows a bit of foreshadowing if Victor were to complete the creature's request. "I looked towards its completion with a tremulous and eager hope, which I dared not trust myself to question, but which was intermixed with obscure forebodings of evil, that made my heart sicken in my bosom"(Shelley, 120). This shows that Victor had uneasy premonitions of the creation of the second monster. These thoughts foreshadowed that if this creature had been created, then she would have been worse than the creature himself. This potential creature could have solved the problem of the creature's loneliness. I think that if she had been created, then she would have only caused more trouble. It seems as though the creature's only hope for a peaceful life is at the expense of Victor's life.

Monster on DeLacey Madness

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

The mood created by Shelley in Frankenstein quickly changes when the creature decides to encounter the cottagers. Before the encounter, the mood was somewhat calm. As a reader, I was a little bit on edge because I knew that the creature would soon encounter the cottagers. I was nervous for the creature before he executed his plan. The mood of hope for the creature quickly changed to sorrow for the creature as a reader. Due to the early return of old man DeLacey's family, the creature's plan was rushed in execution. After the creature had realized the children were home, he told the old man something that insinuated his rush. "Now is the time!-save and protect me! You and your family are the friends whom I seek"(Shelley, 96). The rush shown by the creature changes the mood from comfort to discomfort for the reader. While the creature had waitedd for the seemingly opportune time to approach the cottagers, the plan soon went awry. If the creature had waited until the whole family was home, then I think that his plan may have gone better for him.

Safie

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

The characterization of Safie seems to play a more significant role in Frankenstein. Shelley characterizes Safie as an Arabian who has been taken in by the cottagers. However, the creature feels some sort of connection to Safie. This connection is reinforced by hope from the creature. Like the creature's character, Safie's character seems to be foreign to the cottagers. "I soon perceived that although the stranger uttered articulate sounds, and appeared to have a language of her own, she was neither understood by, nor herself understood, the cottagers"(Shelley, 82). The fact that Safie had to learn the language of the cottagers showed a similarity between herself and the creature. The creature felt that if Safie could conform to the life of the cottagers, then he could as well. The characterization of Safie's foreign qualities provide an aspect of hope for the creature to be accepted. This hope continues to build within the creature. I feel as though this hope will only be torn down though.

The Monster Did It

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

As death strikes Victor's family yet again in Frankenstein, the family continues their mourning. As Victor is reading a letter that his father wrote him, he receives news of a death. "William is dead!-that sweet child, whose smiles delighted and warmed my heart, who was so gentle, yet so gay! Victor, he is murdered!"(Shelley, 46). This shows that the father feels quite strongly about the death of William. With the death of his mother right before he left for university, Victor does not enjoy dealing with deaths. I feel as though William's death will not be the last death that happens in Frankenstein. William and Elizabeth were quite close. As a result of their closeness, Elizabeth was devastated to hear about William's death. In fact, she blamed herself for his death even though it was in no way her fault. Death affects the members in Victor's family quite drastically. I feel as though there will be more deaths throughout the book and all of them will be connections to Victor.

Life from Death

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Prior to reading Frankenstein, I had always thought that the character of Frankenstein was in reference to the monster. However, as I have read Shelley's words, I have come to realize that Frankenstein is in reference to the man who created the monster: Victor Frankenstein. Victor simply wanted to attempt to create life from the bones of the deceased. Little did Victor know that his creation would be so unbearable for not only himself to handle, but his creation would also be too much for society to handle. After Victor had created his monster, he had to run out of his apartment because he could not stand to be around such a horrific creation. "Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room, and continued a long time traversing my bedchamber, unable to compose my mind to sleep"(Shelley, 35). This shows that even though this creation was something of Victor's making, he could not stand to be around his own creation. This creation frightened him and he wished that he would never have created it. Victor knew that he had the knowledge necessary to create such a monster; however, he still wanted to create this being. Perhaps in today's society, people find themselves with the knowledge needed to create certain things, but the real question is whether or not we should actually create these things. Sometimes knowledge can be a harmful thing to attain. Often times too much knowledge can come back to hurt people in ways in which they did not think were possible. Victor Frankenstein did not expect his creation to hurt anyone; however, this does not mean that his creation will not end up doing so.

Mommy Dearest

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Shelley presents Caroline as an archetype as the most caring of mothers. My preconceived notions of Frankenstein did not leave room for a maternal, loving figure. Nonetheless, Shelley has presented Victor's mother, Caroline, as the archetype of all mothers who would do absolutely anything to protect and care for their children. When Elizabeth caught scarlet fever, Caroline stayed by her sickbed and cared for her in hopes that Elizabeth's health would be restored. As a result of Caroline's motherly care for Elizabeth, she was able to return to her salubrious lifestyle. However, the consequences to Elizabeth's return to health were not predicted. "On the third day my mother sickened; her fever was accompanied by the most alarming symptoms, and the looks of her medical attendants prognosticated the worst event"(Shelley, 23). This shows that as a result of Caroline caring for Elizabeth, Caroline caught a much more severe case of the scarlet fever. Caroline's motherly instincts made her care for Elizabeth even if it meant endangering her own life. Mothers would do anything to ensure that their children stay healthy and safe, and Caroline was no exception to the typical, caring mother.

Robert vs Victor

Frankenstein
Mary Shelley

Shelley begins using characterization early on in Frankenstein. She characterizes both Robert and Victor as lonely men who thirst for knowledge. Both of these characters have an instant connection when Robert pulls Victor into the boat. Only moments after Robert has spoken with Victor, he says that he begins "to love him as a brother; and his constant and deep grief fills me with sympathy and compassion. He must have been a noble creature in his better days, being even now in wreck so attractive and amiable"(Shelley, 11). This shows that Robert starts to have an instant attraction to Victor because they share some similarities in their personalities. I believe that the fact that Victor and Robert have so much in common is the reason that Victor opens up to Robert. Victor does not want Robert's thirst for knowledge and discovery to ruin his life the way it ruined Victor's own life. The characters of Victor and Robert share quite a few similarities which can be confirmed by the ways in which they empathize with each other. Victor deciding to tell Robert his story reveals a piece of Victor's character that makes the reader believe there is something about Robert that Victor finds relatable and trusting.

Waldman vs. Krempe

Frankenstein
Mary Shelly

As I read Frankenstein, I notice the plethora of characters that Shelly introduces the reader to quite early on in the novel. Two of these characters include Victor's professors. Shelly presents them as foil characters to each other. Professor Krempe is Victor's professor who thinks that philosophical readings are a waste of time. All of Victor's readings on studying Agrippa, Paracelsus, and Magnus are seen as inconsequential and essentially a waste of time in Krempe's eyes. Professor Krempe tells Victor that he "little expected in this enlightened and scientific age, to find a disciple of Albertus Magnus and Paracelsus. My dear sir, you must begin your studies entirely anew"(Shelly, 29). This quote shows that Professor Krempe clearly does not view the Victor's previous studies as useful. Professor Waldman is a foil character to Professor Krempe becuase Professor Waldman sees value in the philosophical studies in which Victor has been pursuing. Professor Waldman teaches chemistry. Consequently, Victor seems to prefer Professor Waldman to Professor Krempe. These two characters foil each other because they present Victor with their oppsoing views and opinions. However, each of these men play an important role in Victor's inspiration behind his creation.

Alienation Unit 5

APO 96225
Larry Rottman

In APO 96225, Rottman describes how people like to be kept in the dark about particular topics regarding their surroundings. When reality becomes painful to accept, people like to be unaware of reality. However, when things are going well in the world, people like to be a part of the good that is happening. As a son is writing his family while he is at war, he describes the spectacular sunsets and the "funny monkeys"(Rottman, 846). The fact that the son is only speaking of the carefree happenings at war indicate that he does not want to ruin his family's lives with the painful reality of war. He wants his family to stay happy, but his family insists that their son tell them everything that is happening where he is located. He then speaks of how he killed a woman and her child. The family then replies with a complaint that his letters are too depressing. This proves that unless people hear what they want to hear, then they will undoubtedly be unhappy. It will be impossible to keep everyone happy with the reality of the world in which people live.

Alienation Unit 4

Much Madness is divinest Sense
Emily Dickinson

Much Madness is divinest Sense is a poem in which Dickinson speaks of the little occurence of differing, accepted opinions in society. Dickinson speaks of how the majority seems to rule in almost every instance. "Demur-you're straightway dangerous-and handled with a Chain-"(Dickinson, 830). This quote from the poem is saying that whenever anyone begins to follow their own opinion, they are quickly guided back with the majority. I feel as though Dickinson has a slight bitter resentment for society. I feel as though she thinks that society is trying to keep everyone's opinion in uniformity with all of the other opinons. If someone were to think unconventionally, then their thoughts would immediately be shut down by higher authorities that control the majority's accepted thoughts. This poem reminded me a little bit of Ayn Rand's Anthem. This story, like Much Madness is divinest Sense, shows society trying to control the thoughts and actions of each and every individual. It seems as though each person cannot be capable of forming their own acceptable thoughts. Each person must have their thoughts and opinions approved by the majority.

Alienation Unit 3

Bartelby, the Scrivener
Herman Melville

In Bartelby, the Scrivener, Melville tells the story in an interesting way. Melville uses the literary technique of having a narrator in the story. I believe that the use of a narrator helps add meaning to the work because as a reader, I was able to get a better feel for what was actually happening in regard to the law firm. He begins by having the narrator, an old lawyer, speak of each of his scriveners before he speaks of Bartelby. I believe that narrator mentions each of the other scriveners before Bartelby because he soon indicates that each of the other scriveners were not as good as Bartelby. The other scriveners all had more downfalls in their personalities and way of work opposed to Bartelby. Bartelby's work is described almost as a robot by the narrator. "He ran a day and night line, copuing by sunlight and by candlelight. I should have been quite delighted with his application had he been cheerfully industrious. But he worte on silently, palely,mechanically"(Melville, 649). This sentence shows the narrator's first-hand view of Bartelby's work ethic. The fact that first-person narration is taking place allows for there to be one, distinct point of view being conveyed throughout the entire story.

Alienation Unit 2

Miss Brill
Katherine Mansfield

A literary technique used in Miss Brill would be the literary technique of characterization. Ms. Brill's characteristic qualities are revealed throughout the story. Some of this characterization is direct and indirect. I would characterize Ms. Brill as an older woman who is a little bit peculiar, alone, and observant. "She had become really quite expert, she thought, at listening as though she didn't listen, at sitting in other people's lives just for a minute while they talked round her"(Mansfield, 183). This sentence from the story really characterizes Ms. Brill as an observer. At the same time, I could not help but feel bad for Ms. Brill. I get the sense that all of her life, she has been an outsider. She has always taken such a fascination and interest in everyone's lives around her. However, I feel as though those same people do not pay nearly as much attention to Ms. Brill's life. Ms. Brill could go missing and I do not think very many people would notice her disappearance.

Alienation Unit 1

Miss Brill
Katherine Mansfield

One important literary technique used in Miss Brill is the technique of setting. Mansfield does a nice job of keeping the setting somewhat unknown to the reader. I felt as though I could tell that the setting was somewhere that was somewhat public, but I could not figure out many more specifics beyond that. "To and fro, in front of the flower beds and the band rotunda, the couples and groups paraded, stopped to talk, to greet, to buy a handful of flowers from the old beggar who had his tray fixed to the railings"(Mansfield, 183). This quote indicates that Mrs. Brill's location is somewhere that is in the open. She is able to observe everything that is going on around her. I feel as though Mrs.Brill enjoys watching everyone's happenings more than she enjoys actually being a part of them herself. The setting is important in indicating that Mrs. Brill enjoys surrounding herself with activity.  I was a little bit confused as to where specifically the setting took place. However, I feel as though the setting a bit ironic because Mrs. Brill is amidst a great deal of activity and yet she is just sitting in solitude watching everything happen around her.

Death Unit 5

Death, be not proud
John Donne

Donne's Death, be not proud is an example of the literary term, apostrophe. This poem is directly addressing "death." The speaker is humbling death slightly. Everyone is affected greatly whenever death becomes a part of their life. The speaker is saying, "Death, be not proud, though some have called thee mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so..."(Donne, 971). Even though people think that death is powerful thing, the speaker is telling "death" otherwise. The speaker wants to make it clear that "death" is not as powerful as he thinks he is. Though death is something that is unavoidable, the speaker wants for everyone to not let the deaths of others get us down too much. He wants us to focus on other things instead of directing so much attention toward something so dark and negative. Fate is something that no human can control and death is included in each person's fate.

Death Unit 4

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night
Dylan Thomas

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night is a poem that Thomas wrote about how death, in itself, is extremely unfair. He made the point to address each different type of man in telling him that he cannot avoid death. However, he also made note of the fact that men will realize all of the mistakes in their lives when it is too late to correct them. He says men will "learn, too late, they grieved it on its way..."(Thomas, 968). He addresses the wise men, the good men, the wild men, and the grave men. I believe that he addresses a wide variety of people to show that everyone will die and it is unavoidable. The speaker's message is to not let death take us quietly. I believe that part of the theme of the poem is that one could live their life however they would like to, but the end result will still be death. The speaker is advising us to catch pur mistakes before it is too late to do anything about it. I believe that the sole message of this poem is that death is an unavoidable end that almost undoubtedly cannot be justified.

Death Unit 3

The Lottery
Shirley Jackson

In The Lottery, Shirley Jackson introduces the reader to different characters. One of these characters is introduced early on in the story. The literary technique being used is the use of a static character. Mr. Summers is a static character in The Lottery. At the beginning of the story, he is introduced as the man who runs all of the civic activities in the town. However, he does not come to be any sort of hero by any means by the end of the story. In fact, everyone in the town still views him as the lottery caller at the end of the story. "He was a round-faced, jovial man and he ran the coal business, and people were sorry for him, because he had no children and his wife was a scold"(Jackson, 264). Here, Mr. Summers is described as a typical man who has no characteristics that set him apart from any typical man. In a way, static chracters sort of fly under the radar throughout the stories in which they are presented. Mr. Summers most definitely is a static charcter in The Lottery because of his lack of change throughout the story.

Death Unit 2

A Rose for Emily
William Faulkner

In A Rose for Emily, the literary term, round character, was made apparent by Faulkner. Emily proved to quite the round character. The speaker seemed to know bits and pieces of Emily's life and aspects of her life, but never anything about her life in its entirity. "Our whole town went to her funeral...mostly out of curiousity..."(Faulkner, 281). This quote shows how very little was known about Emily. The fact that no one was quite sure about Emily's life means that her character was somewhat complex. Therefore, I believe that Emily Grierson was a round character. She also went through physical changes. In her early years, she was beautiful and thin, but after a few years, she became obese and her hair became gray. Due to the hardships in her life, she aged more quickly. The gray stood for Emily's expedited aging. Though there were very few specific characters in the story, Emiy's round character contributed to the story's theme of the complexity of death.

Death Unit 1

The Lottery
Shirley Jackson

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson definitely proved to be an ironic story. As I read The Lottery, I was anticipating the actual lottery itself to be something that everyone looked forward. However, everyone is just extremely anxious for the results of the lottery because no one particularly would like to win. Earlier in the story, the lottery was associated with other joyful happenings in the town. "The lottery-was conducted-as were the square dances, the teenage club, the Halloween program..."(Jackson, 264). The fact that the lottery was placed in the same sentence as square dancing made me think that the lottery was something happy that went on each year. Thinking that the lottery was a joyful event would an example of situational irony. Typically, I associate the lottery with winning something. However, in this story, winning the lottery means winning an sooner-than-anticiapted death sentence. Dying is ironically placed on the same level as winning a lottery, which I felt to be a little bit twisted. I was surprised by the ending, but the ending itself was not particularly happy by any means.

The Glass Menagerie 5

The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams

Williams made Tom an extremely relatable character in The Glass Menagerie. He, like many people, feel trapped in their own lives. Tom strives to have adventure in his life. He wants to have a thrilling factor in his mediocre life of providing for his ungrateful mother. Frequently, Tom attends the movies. He justifies going to the movies often because he likes the adventure. He says that "adventure is something I don't have much of at work..."(Williams, 1252). Since Tom cannot get action and adventure in his own life, he frequents the movie theatre to vicariously live throught the adventurous characters in the movies. Part of the reason that Tom admires his father is because his father went out to go achieve the adventure he wanted to achieve. I feel as though the only thing holding Tom back from pursuing that adventure is Laura. Even though Tom quarells with Amanda frequently, he cares about Laura. If Tom could find some way to provide a nice life for Laura, then he would be out searching for adventure.

The Glass Menagerie 4

The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams

One common occurence throughout The Glass Menagerie is Amanda's constant reliving of her glory days. Williams has Amanda relive her enjoyable days constantly throughout the story. When Amanada is stressing how important it is for Laura to have gentlemen callers, Amanda starts to reminisce on her days of many gentlemen callers. Amanda says to Laura that "one Sunday afternoon in Blue Mountain- your mother received- seventeen!-gentlemen callers"(Williams, 1238).

I believe that part of the reason that Amanda spends so much time reliving her glory days is because she is somewhat displeased with her current life. Her life consists of having to depend on her son, Tom, for financial support. She also spends a great deal of time trying to help Laura make something of herself. However, she is only concerned with her children's well-being as it pertains to herself. For exampe, she wants Tom to have work so that he can provide for her. I feel as though the only way that she can find happiness is through her youthful days.

The Glass Menagerie 3

The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams

In The Glass Menagerie, there is a bit of situational irony present at the end of the story. Williams places situational irony at the end of the story to throw the reader off guard. I know that ending particularly surprised me! After the gentleman caller finally comes to the house, the family is thrilled. Amanda is thrilled that her daughter might finally get married, and Laura is about to meet with the man who she secretly admired during her school days. However, once Jim starts to break Laura's shell, he admits that he is doing something terribly wrong by spending the evening with Laura. Jim tells Laura that he has "been going steady...with a girl named Betty"(Williams, 1284). He says this to Laura after he has already kissed her and instilled a new sense of confidence within her. I felt awfully bad for Laura after Jim confessed that he was in love with another woman. After Laura had opened herself up to and started falling for this man, he just told her that he would never see her again. I feel like Jim's presence in Laura's life helped her become less shy; however, I feel as though Laura wanted to be more to Jim than an acquaintance.

The Glass Menagerie 2

The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams

One symbol that is prevalent throughout The Glass Menagerie is in fact the object, the glass meangerie. Williams made very clear from the beginning of the story that the glass menagerie would be a key symbol. The glass menagerie is a symbol of Laura's fragility. One of Laura's only interests is her glass collection. Each piece in the collection is particularly fragile and must be dealt with in a gingerly fashion. Just like Laura's glass, Laura is quite fragile because of her physical ailment in  her leg. However, once Jim comes into Laura's life, he advises her to become more confident in herself. Right when she starts to become more confident in herself, Jim accidently bumps into a table, breaking the glass menagerie. I feel as though the breaking of the glass menagerie was symbolic of Laura breaking her "shell." In fact, when the menagerie breaks, Laura says, "maybe it's a blessing in disguise" (Williams 1282). Even though becoming a little bit more open was a struggle for Laura, it allowed her to become closer with Jim. When Jim broke the glass menagerie, he also broke Laura's closed-off personality.

The Glass Menagerie 1

The Glass Menagerie
Tennessee Williams

In The Glass Menagerie, Tennessee Williams makes a point to keep the father a focal point of the story. Even though he is never explicitly in the sotry, he is referred to frequently. The large portrait of the family's father is a motif throughout The Glass Menagerie. Amanda refers to him frequently as her husband who has been away on business for sixteen years. Due to the constant fighting between Tom and Amanda, Tom wants to follow his father's footsteps. Tom wants adventure in his life, and the motif that is the portrait of his father is a constant motivation for an adventurous life. When Tom is referring to the portrait of his father, he says: "I'm like my father. The bastard son of a bastard! See how he grins? And he's been absent going on sixteen years"(Williams, 1269). Tom is saying that even though his father left their family, his grin and happiness is taunting the family. Tom aspires to be just as happy as his father is, and he knows that he will not attain that happiness if he is at home with his mother. In fact, Amanda is the root of much of Tom's unhappiness. I feel as though the motif that is the portrait serves as a constant reminder for the family that the father was able to reach a sense of self-satifaction. While the rest of the family is stuck at home, the father is out travelling the world and encountering adventure. At least this is what Tom believes his father is doing. I feel as though Tom has a glorified view of what his father has done since he left the family.

Family Unit 5

"Those Winter Sundays"
Robert Hayden

I felt as though Hayden did an exceptional job of making Those Winter Sundays, in a way, relatable. I felt as though the father in the poem went unappreciated by his family. Hayden describes a father who is extremely hardworking and labors all day, but "no one ever thanked him"(Hayden, 781 line 5). I feel as though the family takes the father's hard work for granted. They never take time to appreciate him which is why the father is seemingly distant from the rest of the family. However, the father continues to provide for his family because it is the right thing to do. He wants for his hard work to pay off. I think that the father hopes that one day, someone in the family will take notice of his hard work and thank him. Even if the family does not exhibit this form of thankfulness, I do not think that the father will stop his hard work. However,like the family in the story, many people are not as considerate as they could be and take many things in their lives for granted.

Family Unit 4

"The Joy of Cooking"
Elaine Magarell

After reading this story, I realized that my sibilings maybe are not all that bad. The narrator says things in The Joy of Cooking that would lead the reader to believe that she truly does not enjoy her sibilings in the slightest. However, I did not think that the tone was very bitter, I even thought that the narrator seemed a little bit enthused when she talked about the her dislikes for her sibilings. When she is talking about her sister, she says: "I have prepared my sister's tongue, scrubbed and skinned it" (Magarell line 1-2). I think that the fact that the narrator wanted to prepare the tongue meant that this was the most annoying aspect of her sister. She wanted to get rid of the tongue because she hated any words that came from her sister's mouth.

On the contrary, the narrator's brother was not very loving. As the narrator talks about preparing the brother's heart, she says, "Although beef heart serves six my brother's hert barely feeds two" (Magarell line 15-16). I feel as though that was the narrator's way of explaining how little the brother loved. The fact that his heart was not big enough to feed the suggested amount of people implies that his heart was little due to a lack of love for others.

Family Unit 3

"The Drunkard"
Frank O' Connor

Frank O' Connor definitely knows how to make a story twisted as he proved to do so in The Drunkard. I felt as though the author foreshadowed to what the lives of the characters might hold in the future. At first, I just viewed the father as an irresponsible man with a drinking problem. However, I grew to dislike the father more and more throughout the story. When the father was oblivious enough to not notice his son taking sips of his alcohol, I really did not care for the father. As his son became more central in the story, I started to see the literary technique of foreshadowing come into play. The morning after the little had a drink, the mother called her son, "my brave little man" (O'Connor, 351). I feel as though this could perhaps foreshadow to the fact that the little boy is in for an interesting future given his father's history. The boy's mother fears that her son will turn out like his father, and she is trying to prevent this from happening. The little boy has already had his first drink, and I have a feeling that it will only be a matter of time until he has his next drink.

Family Unit 2

"Once Upon A Time"
Nadine Gordimer

Gordimer's piece, Once Upon A Time, has a great deal of irony within the story. Throghout the entire story, the parents are trying to create a safe, protected environment for their son. Ironically, the seemingly safe environment that they have created ultimately leads to the death of their son. The family installs an extremely sensitive alarm system to prevent robbers from breaking into their house. One day the boy tries to scale the side of the house where the wire coils are located. As the parents see this taking place, they burst out to try to save him, but the cat sets off the alaram which causes "...the bleeding mass of the little boy..."(Gordimer, 236) to be hacked out of the security coil with saws and other harmful tools. The fact that the family installed this alarm system for protection is ironic because the boy ended up being directly harmed by the overprotectiveness of the house. I definitely learned a lesson from the irony of the story. Often times in life, we can try to do everything to protect ourselves from certain things happening to us; however, unknown elements will always intervene. There will always be some sort of unforeseeable cause that will make things troublesome for us. This family seemed to have the perfect, protected life. They would have thought that their abundant amount of security would not allow for any tragedy to take place.

Family Unit 1

"A Worn Path"
Eudora Welty

In A Worn Path, Welty's use of figurative language was extremely prevalent. As Welty is describing the different encounters that Jackson on her journey to visit her grandson. Similes are extremely abundant particularly in the first part of the story. As Jackson is walking by the pine trees, "the cones dropped as light as feathers" (Welty, 224). The usage of figurative language allows the reader to relate a particular item or happening to something a little more well-known. This simile also allowed me to picture what aspects of the journey would have looked like. I found the firgurative language to be extremely helpful in interpretting the story. I was able to better understand the different literal and figurative obtacles that Jackson had to overcome in order to reach her desired end: her grandson. I still found myself a little bit confused on aspects of the story such as whether or not the grandson was dead. However, the things that I could know for certain were verified through Welty's use of figurative language.

Raisin Blog 5

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry


As I read A Raisin in the Sun, I found myself not really taking much of a liking to Walter Jr. However, Hansberry made me reconsider my opinion of him at the end of the story. When Travis and his father, Walter Jr., are having a conversation about Travis' dreams, I realized that Walter really wanted nothing but the best for his son. When Walter asks Travis what his dreams are, Travis replies: " I don't know then. I can't make up my mind. Sometimes Mama asks me that too. And sometimes when I tell her I just want to be like you- she says she don't want me to be like that and sometimes she says she does..." (Hansberry, 502). This shows that even Walter Jr.'s wife would like for Travis to aim for large dreams. Walter Jr. wants to provide for his family so Travis can have the ability to do whatever he wants to do with his life. Since Walter Jr. could not achieve all of his dreams, I think he wants to vicarioulsy achieve dreams through his son. Walter Jr. wants to give Travis the life he never had. Since Walter Jr. was cheated out of his own money, his motivation for succeeding is now Travis. If Walter Jr. did not have a son, I am not sure whether or not he would be as driven to find a better life for himself. If Travis were to tell his dad that he wants to be just like him, then Walter Jr. wants to make sure he has made something of himself that he is not ashamed of.

Raisin Blog 4

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry


One moment I found particularly shocking while reading A Raisin in the Sun, was the moment where I discovered that Ruth was considering the option of aborting her child. I can understand why aborting her child may have seen like a financially responsible decsion. However, if money had not been so important to the Younger family, then Ruth would have understood how wrong of a decision it was to consider abortion. Before I found out that Ruth was considering this though, I found out something interesting about Mama. "...And then, Lord, when I lost that baby- little Claude- I almost thought I was going to lose Big Walter too..."(Hansberry, 452). I knew that this fact would come into play later on in the story, I just did not know that it would be involving one of Mama's own children. The reason that Mama felt so strongly about Ruth considering voluntarily giving up her baby was Mama involuntarily had to give up one of her own children. Mama wanted Walter to try to convince Ruth to keep the child because Mama did not want Ruth to make a mistake that she would regret. The fact that Walter was making very little effort in trying to change Ruth's mind made Mama quite angry. My guess is that Mama envied Ruth's ability to choose in the regard of whether to have a baby or not.

Raisin Blog 3

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry


Within each major character in A Raisin in the Sun, an internal conflict existed. Hansberry indicated that Mama's internal conflict was deciding how she wanted to use the money. She knew that she needed to help her family somehow, but she was unsure of how she could do so. Each character had their own dream that they had the intent of pursuing. I felt that out of all of the characters, Beneatha has the most trouble with her internal conflict. I feel as though throughout the story, she is trying to figure out who exactly she is as a person. After Mama accuses her of trying and quitting so many different activites, Beneatha says: " I don't flit! I- I experiment with different forms of expression-"(Hansberry, 454). I think that all of her different ways of expressing herself are efforts in finding out her identity. The fact that Beneatha is going to medical school proves that she is trying to make somthing of herself. She is trying so hard to break from the life that members of her own family have been living. Beneatha has dreams, but she needs to understand what it is she lives for and stands by to make these dreams a reality.

Raisin Blog 2

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry


One external conflict that really meant a great deal to me while reading A Raisin in the Sun was the conflict between Mama and Beneatha. Hansberry really makes it obvious that Beneatha is the rebellious, feminist of the family. On the contrary, Hansberry also makes it apparent that Mama is very traditional and conservative in her views and actions. Naturally, it was no mystery that the two of these characters would not get along all of the time. However, I did not think that any of these disagreements would ever escalate to physical violence. At one point in the story, Beneatha states that there is no God. Mama, being the the devout, religious person that she is, does not accept this statement at all. "(MAMA absorbs this speech, studies her daughter and rises slowly and crosses to BENEATHA and slaps her powerfully across the face. After, there is only silence and the daughter drops her eyes from her mother's face, and MAMA is very tall before her)" (Hansberry, 457). The fact that Mama slaps Beneatha speaks volumes of her character. I could tell from this scene that Mama and Beneatha had not agreed on many things throughout their lives, and perhaps Mama slapping Beneatha was a breaking point for Mama. Even though Beneatha is a very opinionated and strong woman, Mama proves to still hold authority over Beneatha's opinion when she is in Mama's house.

Raisin Blog 1

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry


Lorraine Hansberry does an excellent job of using the literary technique of distinguishing a theme in A Raisin in the Sun. One theme that I noticed throughout the story was the theme of money. To the Younger family, money brought them together and tore them apart at the same time. When Mama is conversing with Ruth, she says: " Somebody would of thought my children done all but starved to death the way they talk about money here late. Child, we got a great big old check coming tomorrow" (Hansberry, 451). Ever since the Younger family discovered that Mama would be receving a ten thousand dollar check on the account of her deceased husband, the family has been nohting but mad with money talk. Mama is saying that lately all of the Younger family talks about is money. Each member of the family has a different plan they would like to execute with the money that the Youngers are about to receive. I think that money is a theme because Hansberry wants to show that there are very few dreams that can be fulfilled without some kind of financial involvement. Not very many people can be truly happy and see their dreams come true without at least a little bit of money. Hansberry illustrates that money can build hope for the possibility of fulfilling one's dreams, but the abuse of money can just as easily lead to despondency.

Identity Unit Blog 5

Hazel Tells LaVerne
Katharyn Howd Machan

I found that Katharyn Howd Machan conveyed Hazel Tells LaVerne as a quite humorous piece. Part of what created the poem's humor was the misspelling of words and the excessive usage of slang. I thought that this story was satirical toward fairytale stories. I felt as though it was making fun of "The Frog Prince" fairytale. Consequently, that just made the story a little bit funnier. "well i screams ya little green pervert an i hitsm with my mop.."(Howd Machan). The fact that she refers to a talking frog as 'a green pervert' made me laugh. I really thought that the improper use of grammar made the poem pretty funny. Most of the poems I have read have been gramtically correct for the most part and seeing a little of variation made it a little more enjoyable. I felt like Machan's humorous approach to poetry and satirical fairytales was very interesting and not typical in most poems.

Identity Unit Blog 4

Dream Deferred
Langston Hughes

I felt as though Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes was a very thought-provoking poem. Initially, I noticed that the poem started and ended with a question. I thought that this might have shown that each person could have had different inital and concluding thoughts upon reading the poem. Before learning that the author was African American, I felt as though the poem was put into a different perspective for me. I thought that maybe the poem stood for all of the dreams of African Americans that had to be put to rest because they simply did not have the right to pursue such things. Many of the dreams of African Americans did "fester like a sore"(Hughes, 805). Because of their race, they did not have the same freedoms as whites had to pursue their dreams. As a result, many African Americans had to settle. Consequently, their dreams were also compromised as well. I think that Hughes was speaking on behalf of all of the African Americans whose dreams were put to the side. This poem also serves as a type of warning for those who might be questioning the pursuit of their own dreams. Hughes is telling the reader that unless one pursues his dreams, the dream itself will dissipate somehow.

Identity Unit Blog 3

Everyday Use
Alice Walker

As I read Everyday Use by Alice Walker, I found it to be extremely different from the other short story from this unit. Though there were some similar characteristics. Just like Interpreter of Maladies, Everyday Use had a variation of different types of characters throughout the story. I felt as though Maggie was a foil character in regards to her older sister, Dee. Both of the girls seemed very different to me. Maggie seemed slightly timid and a little bit clingy toward her childhood life. She seemed very wary of change and as I read the story, I could not help but feel a sense of pity for her. On the contrary, Dee was not timid at all. Ever since 'the fire' that was discussed in the story, Dee had a surge to create herself anew. She wanted to leave her old life behind and she even did so by creating a new name for herself, literally. Maggie is characterized as having her "chin on chest, eyes on ground, feet in shuffle..."(Walker, 175). She is indeed a foil character to her sister Dee who "was determined to stare down any disaster in her efforts" (Walker, 175). Both of these girls displayed their differences throughout the story. Walker's use of Maggie as a foil character makes the differences between Maggie and Dee more easily discernible.

Identity Unit Blog 2

Interpreter of Maladies
Jhumpa Lahiri

I found that even though Interpreter of Maladies only had a few pivotal characters throughout the story, Lahiri was able to incorporate a dynamic character into the short story. I felt as though Mr. Kapasi was a dynamic character. Even though he was a tour guide when the story began and ended, his capricious opinions about Mrs. Das made his character dynamic. Near the beginning of the story, Mr. Kapasi felt as though "Mr. and Mrs. Das behaved like an older brother and sister, not parents" (Lahiri, 151). This was Mr. Kapasi's opinion of Mrs. Das early on in the story; however, his opinion changed drastically over the course of the story. Mr. Kapasi evolves into a dynamic character when his views of Mrs. Das become a little bit more romanticized when he imagines them exchanging letters with each other after she travels back home. "In time she would reveal the disappointment of her marriage, and he his. In this way their friendship would grow, and flourish" (Lahiri, 156). Mrs. Das's sudden interest in Mr. Kapasi began once he elaborated on his other job aside from a tourist. She had a new found fascination for him as an 'interpreter', so she felt as though she could explain all of her trivial problems to Mr. Kapasi and he in turn would assist her. However, he found this extremely insulting and lost all of his fantasizing views of Mrs. Das. If Mr. Kapasi had kept the same view of Mrs. Das throughout the entire story, then his course of action may have changed and he may have tried to pursue Mrs. Das. His inconsistent views of Mrs. Das are what make Mr. Kapasi a dynamic character.

Identity Unit Blog 1

Interpreter of Maladies
Jhumpa Lahiri

As I read the short story, Interpreter of Maladies, I noticed Lahiri's use of the literary technique of characterization. There were several points throughout the story where Lahiri revealed a great deal about the characters which really helped me to understand the background of the story a little better. When the Das family had first arrived, the characterization was revealed in the form of Mr. Das's clothing. "He had a sapphire blue visor, and was dressed in shorts, sneakers, and a T-shirt. The camera slung around his neck, with an impressive telephoto lens and numerous buttons and markings, was the only complicated thing he wore"(Lahiri, 148). This way in which Lahiri uses characterization reveals that Mr. Das seems to come off as the typical tourist. After reading this description of Mr. Das, I was able to picture what I thought he would look like. By describing the clothing that Mr. Das was wearing, Lahiri was able to utilize characterization in an effective way. Lahiri describes Mrs. Das's appearance as well, which reveals a great deal about her character also. Mr. Kapasi is also described in what he is wearing. Lahiri proves that through the revealing of something as menial as clothing can contribute a great deal to characterization in a story.

Perrine Blog

I found Perrine's article to be extremely insightful and helpful in interpretting poetry. After reading this article, I was able to understand that my interpretations of the poems in class were not entirely correct. I would have never guessed that Melville's poem had anything to do with the stars and constellations. However, Perrine states that "there are no correct or incorrect readings: there are only readings which differ more or less widely from a statistical norm." Though I feel that correct and incorrect interpretations of poetry exist, I believe that the interpretation of poetry is subject to change depending on the reader. I agree with Perrine that the interpretation of poetry can be judeged based off of two criteria: all details must be accounted for and too many assumptions cannot be made. Once too many assumptions are made, the validity of the interpretation becomes less reliable. All details are put in poems for a particular reason, the reader cannot just disregard details that they find inconsequential.

Many of Perrine's tools he uses when interpretting poetry are quite useful in my opinion. For example, I really enjoyed his thoughts on the usage of symbols in poems. As he analyzed Blake's poem, he stated that symbols can have many different interpretations, but they must all have the same general meaning. For example, the rose must stand for something "good" or "innocent", and the worm must stand for something "bad" or "deceitful." I believe that symbol interpretations can be multiple, but misinterpretting the symbols could lead to a false interpretation of the poem itself. Each person will interpret the symbols different, and as a result, there interpretations of their poems as a whole may differ. I think one problem I had with figuring the meaning of symbols was that my interpretations were too literal. I think that after reading this article, my interpretations of poetry will be more valid.(hopefully!)

Picture Time

Just reading some F. Scott Fitzgerald on a Delta Aircraft.

Lonely Goodbye

As I reached the homestretch of The Great Gatsby, I could not help but notice Fitzgerald's theme of loneliness. I think that he was trying to convey that in the end, the only person that will truly be there for you is yourself. Carraway made efforts to plan a funeral for Gatsby in an attempt to honor the man that was so kind to everyone else. Naturally you would assume that a man who threw so many parties and was friends with so many people would have a large crowd at his funeral. Well you would be wrong in assuming that. As Carraway had arrived at the funeral, he noticed the empty facility and asked the minister to wait a little while longer. However, "it wasn't any use. Nobody came" (Fitzgerald, 174). As I read the final sentence "nobody came.", I felt as though Fitzgerald's short sentence really spoke volumes. I felt a sense of emptiness and sorrow for Gatsby. This really showed how alone Gastby was in his life. He was lucky to have someone like Carraway in his life who cared for him so much. However, not everyone will have that one person that will go through that kind of effort.

I learned from The Great Gatsby that you should not let one particular goal consume your entire life. Gatsby was not practical in his pursuing of Daisy. I think that if he had been a little bit more rational in his goals, then he would have been able to lead a fuller and happier life.

On a related note,  I thoroughly enjoyed the Great Gatsby!

Fate: An Unavoidable Truth

As the tables turn in this portion of The Great Gatsby, I find myself to be correct on some of my observations earlier on in the novel. I had thought that perhaps Fitzgerald was mentioning all of Gatsby's houseguests who had died to foreshadow or insinuate that Gastby himself could be near his death or a rough patch in his life. Even though I had thought there was a chance thate he would die, I was still a little bit shocked that he died. All Gatsby had wanted his entire life was to be with Daisy. His parties, wealth, lavish home, and expensive belongings were all a part of his efforts to win Daisy's heart. When Gatbsy realized that she was not going to run away with him, this proved to him that his life was led for no purpose at all. Since Carraway had discovered Gatsby, he felt responsible for Gatsby and obligated to care for him. He had "called up Daisy half and hour after we found him, called her instinctively and without hesitation" (Fitzgerald, 164). He had assumed she would want to know that one of her loves had died, but it had appeared she had skipped town with Tom a few hours prior to Gatsby's death.

Many of the events that happened in this book could have easily been avoided and corrected to prevent any further harm. If Gatsby had realized that Daisy was not his only gateway to happiness, then he could have lived a fuller life up until he met Daisy again. I feel as though a great deal of this book dealt with chance and fate among the characters.

Wealth Wins

As Chapter eight begins in The Great Gastby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I notice that hope seems to be a common theme throughout the first portion. I feel as though Gatsby is clinging onto any chance that he might have with Daisy. Fitzgerald's literary techniques used in this chapter are plentiful and augment the meaning of each happening. However, I think that Daisy would never leave Tom because that would involve taking a huge risk and ultimately destroying her family. Daisy and Gatsby's relationship was not built on a strong foundation. There may have been an attraction, but Gatsby "had certainly taken her under false pretenses" (Fitzgerald, 149). Gastby was assuring Daisy that he could give her a life of happiness and security, but he was terribly poor and just never admitted it to her. Daisy found a man who was able to support her and care for her in ways that Gatsby would not have been able to do. I feel like if Gastby had received his inheritance earlier on in his life, then he would have stood a chance with Daisy. However, a great deal of life is learning to make the decisions regarding who you want in your life and for how long you wish to have them there. I know that I have blogged quite a bit about the love issues among Daisy, Tom, and Gastby, but it is only because I find them to be extremely important in the book. Their relationships have ultimately shaped multiple outcomes within the novel.

Drama and Trauma

Lately I have found there to rarely be a dull moment in The Great Gastby. Fitzgerald is quite good at catching me off guard with certain happenings within the novel. Tragedy strikes in the form of death in this portion of The Great Gatsby. At the close of one of the hottest days on record, a car crash took place. I personally had thought the fighting among Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby was enough drama for one chapter, but Fitzgerald proved me wrong. Myrtle Wilson was killed in a hit-and-run accident. Tom came across this accident on his way home from an exhausitng day and seeing this just made his emotions run wild. As Tom continued driving, "tears were overflowing down his face" (Fitzgerald, 141). Fitzgerald is able to use such descrpitive words which allow the reader to sympathize with the characters. I was able to feel bad for Tom at this moment in the book, and I never thought that I would be able to have an ounce of sympathy for him.

After the spat between the Tom, Daisy, and Gatsby, Tom had insisted that Daisy drive home with Gatsby because he knew that she would be back. Gatsby had let Daisy drive his car. I am not quite sure why he thought that was a good idea, but nevertheless, it happened. As a result, Myrtle's demise was a product of Daisy's driving. I was completely shocked when this happened! I just wonder how many people will find out that Daisy is the one who did this. I feel like Daisy's wealth and prominent status will save her from any possible consequences.

Living Harmonioulsy?

The temperatures are still steadily rising in this chapter of The Great Gastby. Fitzgerald makes an effort to indicate that the tempers of the people are becoming more and more heated as well. When Tom was informed about the affair, he was livid. He did not want to believe that Daisy could have ever loved another man besides himself. He is in such disbelief because he cannot fully comprehend Daisy living harmoniously with another man. I never really thought that Daisy would ever leave Tom even if he found out about the affair. However, I think Tom may have felt a little bit unsure on whether or not Daisy would leave him. "I think he was afraid they would dart down a side street and out of his life forever" (Fitzgerald, 126).  Tom is figuring out all sorts of details on Daisy's affair. He begins asking Gatsby all sorts of questions just because he is curious. I feel as though whenever anyone is dealing with an undesirable situation, they find that figuring out as much as possible about the topic helps in some odd way. I think Tom was trying to figure out as many crucial details about their affair because he needed some strange form of reassurance. I think that Tom and Daisy will realize that they cannot continue in their deceitful ways and learn to move on with their lives...together.

It's Getting Hot in Here

As The Great Gatsby continues, Fitzgerald proceeds to use a great deal of symbolism. When Nick, Jordan, Gatsby, Daisy, and Tom go went into New York, the themperatures were not the only things that were rising. Fitzgerald made note of the temperatures because with the temperatures, the tempers of everyone were rising as well. "The next day was broiling, almost the last, certainly the warmest of the summer" (Fitzgerald, 114). The truths among the love trianlge were beginning to come out. Daisy and Gatsby had been having an affair for awhile and this information was kept from Tom for obvious reasons. Though Tom does not know about the affair in its entirity, there are indications in this chapter that he will soon find out. However, Tom was hurting Daisy in the same way that she was hurting him. They were both being unfaithful to each other, which poses the question as to why they are still together. I think they are still together because they have a stable marriage and a child. I feel as though this could be applied to marriages today. Many people stay together for financial reasons or for the betterment of their family.
 

Frustration Nation

I am not going to lie, I felt a little bit awkward reading these next twelve pages of The Great Gatsby. First of all, Tom and Gatsby come into contact and Tom does not know of the history between Gastby and Daisy. I don't think their history will stay covert much longer though. Fitzgerald's use of dialogue between Tom and Gatsby makes the reader feel awkward. Gastby proceeds to invite Tom and Daisy to one of his extravagant parties. However, I am not sure if the party will end well or not. Nick also does not get a good vibe from the party as he says: "I felt an unpleasantness in the air, a pervading harshness that hadn't been there before" (Fitzgerald, 104). I think that this is Nick's way of indicating his doubts and feelings of uneasiness about Tom and Daisy attending the party. During the party, Daisy and Gatsby shared a dance! I am not quite sure how Tom felt about this. Presumably, he was quite angry. He started getting more and more curious as to how the two knew each other. As Tom's furstration grows, I assume that the truth about Gatsby and Daisy will start to come out.

Reunited

In order for Gatsby to be reunited with his love, Daisy, Gatsby needs to somehow get to see her again. He had devised a plan for Nick to invite him over while Daisy was also there. However, for some reason, Gatsby had Jordan propose this plan to Nick. Fitzgerald is really making The Great Gatsby interesting now.Will she still have feelings for him? I think she will still have feelings for him because of how she reacted to his name being mentioned earlier on in the novel.

Gatsby and Daisy will be reuinted! Though I am not really sure how I feel about this. When Daisy came over to Nick's house, Gatsby was acting a bit childish. When she entered the house, he hid from her. Ever since they had met though he was trying everything in his power to impress her. They ended up going over to Gastby's mansion and I think this was an effort to show Daisy the life that she could have with Gatsby. "He hadn't ceased looking at Daisy, and I think he revalued everything in his house according to the measure of response it drew from her well-loved eyes" (Fitzgerald, 91). This just shows that even though the two had only just been reunited, Gatsby cared a great deal about her opinion of him. I think the relationship between Gatsby and Daisy will only become more involved and therefore, more complicated.

Connections

The latter part of chapter four of The Great Gastby is where I made a great deal of my connections. As Fitzgerald varies between narrators for a brief portion of the chapter, Jordan Baker is able to tell some of her story and how it relates to Gatsby. I was a little bit confused at first because the narrators swtiched. In Jordan's narrative portion of the novel, I was able to find out that she knew Daisy when they were younger! Daisy was quite the catch when she was a young woman! "She dressed in white, and had a little white roadster, and all day long the telephone rand in her house and excited young officers from Camp Taylor demanded the pribilee of monoplizing her that night" (Fitzgerald, 74). This indicates that Daisy had many suitors that just wanted ot be with her even if it was just for a night. It was during this part of Daisy's life that she met Jay Gatsby. He was one of the officers and from the moment he laid eyes on Daisy, he was madly in love with her. However, they have not seen each other in five years. Earlier in the book when Gatsby was brought up in conversation between Daisy and Nick, she acted flustered by asking, "what Gastby?" I didn't realize it at the time, but it was because Daisy and Gastby had history years ago. I think that Gatsby is going to try to use Nick to get to Daisy somehow. I am really excited to find out what happens next!

Foreshadowing the Worst

One of the things that I have enjoyed about reading The Great Gatsby is that reading the novel is like putting together a puzzle. All of the pieces will slowly come together to unveil the character that is Jay Gatsby. I also noticed that Fitzgerald uses a few similes when describing some of the wealthier people that come to Gatsby's parties in the summer. Even though all of these wealthy people attend Gatsby's parties, I've noticed that very few of them truly know Gatsby. Many of these same people that have attended Gatsby's parties have been victims of tragic events in their own lives. Carraway mentions these wealthy people in the mix of those who attended the summer parties, "...the young Quinns, divorced now, and Henry L. Palmetto, who killed himself by jumping in front of a subway train in Times Square" (Fitzgerald, 63). Perhaps the mentioning of these life-altering, dangerous happenings is foreshadowing that something bad will happen to Gatsby.

Aside from Gatsby's not-so-promising future that may lie ahead, I also think that Gastby cares a great deal about what Nick thinks of him. Perhaps Gatsby is going to ask a favor of Nick? I am not entirely sure why Gatsby must form a good realtionship with Nick. Gatsby is well aware of the accusations made about him by others and he made an effort to clear those up for Nick. Clearly Gatsby wants something to do with Nick; however, I am not sure what that 'something' could be.

Love on Long Island

Well it's about time Nick Carraway finally meets this Gatsby fellow! Thus far in The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald has been keeping things interesting by only diclosing parts of Gatsby's character throughout the novel. Though he is becoming more and more known, he still remains somewhat mysterious to the reader. As the novel continues, Nick Carraway has a full conversation with a man only realzing halfway through the conversation that this man is actually Gatsby! Fitzgerald uses excellent symbolism here in showing that Gatsby has gone through perhaps a great deal of his life as unnoticed or underappreciated. However, based off of Nick's description of Gatsby's characteristics and mannerisms, the reader can tell that he is a genuine person. Nick describes Gatsby's smile in the following exerpt: "It was one of those rare smiles with a quality of reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life" (Fitzgerald, 48). As Gatsby's party continues, Nick Carraway gets to know a girl named Jordan Baker. The two of them really seem to have a connection in the book. I think that it may lead to something later on in the novel. I feel as though they both appreciate Gatsby for his genuity and that is how they truly come to realize the chemistry between them. Chapter five ends with Jordan letting Nick know that she wishes to keep in touch with him. I sense that there could be some love in the air!

Partially Gatsby

Finally there is some more ellaboration on Gatsby! Up until this point in The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald was doing a mighty fine job of keeping Gatsby as vague as possible. However, I was getting a little bit frustrated because all of the comments made about Gatsby were brief and not entirely specific. I really was picturing Gatsby as a somber character for some reason, but I'm not sure if I believe that anymore. The one thing that I found Gatsby to be quite famous for were his parties. "At least once a fortnight a corps of caterers came down with several hundred feet of canvas and enough colored lights to make a Christmas tree of Gatsby's enormous garden" (Fitzgerald, 40). These details indicate that Gatsby's parties are nothing short of extravangant. However, many of the people attending the parties do not even know Gatsby. I think that maybe the only way Gatsby can recognized by others is through his parties. I also think that Gatsby might be throwing these parties as means to create friends, but these people only come to the parties to experience the extravagance and not to see Gastby. I am also a little confused at the drunk man's significance in the book. Though I do not know his significance now, I think he may come back into play later in the novel.

Rolling with the Punches

Well as I continue to read The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald is just filling up the pages with drama! First of all, I feel like the the fact that Tom is open about his infidelties is just extremely odd. I mean don't get me wrong, unfaithfulness is an awful, terrible thing in the first place, but it's just strange when someone is so open about it in front of family and friends. "His acquaintances resented the fact that he turned up in popular restaurants with her and, leaving her at a table, sauntered about, chatting with whomsoever he knew" (Fitzgerald, 24). Tom insists on introducing his mistress to Nick. Even though Nick is intrigued, he does not really care to meet her. Fitzgerald uses excellent diction in describing the appearance and mannerisms of Myrtle (Tom's mistress).

As the chapter continues, Tom and Nick attend a party at the McKees. I had a bad feeling about this party the moment I read about it. Myrtle was going to be at this party as well as Tom. I still cannot get over the fact that their affair is not covert in the slightest! As the party carries on, Tom and Myrtle begin fighting and Myrtle proceeds to chant Daisy's name. Tom is so frustrated with Myrtle that he punches her in the face. There is some initial shock among the party guests. Of course Fitzgerald points out earlier on that there is drinking at this party, but punching a woman is simply unacceptable. Tom keeps losing more and more credit in my book.

Private (or Public) Affairs

Well as I continued reading The Great Gatsby, I finally was able to figure out the narrator's name in its entirity! I noticed that many of the other characters in the novel were calling him Nick, so I came to the conclusion that his name was Nick Carraway. F. Scott Fitzgerald does a lovely job of keeping the book running smoothly with the amount of dialogue. I really like the way that Fitzgerald writes because she writes in a way that is intriguing to the reader and I like the uniqueness. Well as I read more of The Great Gatsby, I'm just trying to figure out why Daisy is still with Tom! I am very intrigued by Daisy's character though. She has been able to be somewhat open to Nick, her cousin, even though she doesn't know him terribly well. I feel as though the fact that Tom is cheating on her is more of the elephant in the room. Daisy never really comes right out and says she knows, but there are clues that indicate she is well aware of the affair. As Nick is talking with Daisy, he thinks to himself, "I waited, and sure enough, in a moment she looked at me with an absolute smirk on her lovely face, as if she had asserted her membership in a rahter distinguished secret society to which she and Tom belonged" (Fitzgerald, 17).  I am hopeful that Daisy does not put up with Tom's unacceptable behavior; I'll find out soon enough!

Who is it!

Well here I go jumping into book number two for summer reading! As I was reading the first bit of The Great Gatsby, I was instantly intrigued. Fitzgerald does a great job of luring the reader straight into the book. I found that even if the first few pages there were many insightful life lessons. As the narrator is speaking, he elicits on advice that his father once gave him, "Whenever you feel like criticizing any one, just remember that all the people in this world haven't had the advantages you've had" (Fitzgerald, 1). I really thought this quote was profound and quite deep for only being the first page of the book. As the first chapter continues, I am thoroughly confused as to who the narrator is! I can tell that the narrator is affluent and comes from a wealthy family, but other than that, I could not pinpoint who the narrator was specifically. I eventually was able to conclude that the narrator was a Carraway. The Carraways were indeed a wealthy and prominent family. Another question I asked myself while reading The Great Gatsby was, "Who is Gatsby?" He is referred to a few times by the narrator, but he remains a mysterious, somewhat ominous character. Obviously he plays an important role in the novel, I mean the it's not called The Great Gatsby just for fun.

A Surprise Ending

In the final chapters of The House of Mirth, Edith Wharton is able to sway the reader to sympathize with Lily. When Lily is approached by Nettie, an old acquaintance, a new light shines on her perspective. I believe that Nettie was introduced later on in the book to give the reader hope that Lily would find a way to make something of her life just as Nettie had. However, Lily still lacked the hope necessary to push forward. "But the terrible silence and emptiness seemed to symbolize her future- she felt as though the house, the street, the world were all empty, adn she alone left sentient in a lifeless universe" (Wharton, 261). Wharton wants us to decided for ourselves how Lily's future will play out. However, the end of Lily's life was closer than I had anticipated. Lily's death came as a shock to me as I was reading the novel. I thought that Selden would be able to profess his love to Lily, but time had just run out. Even though Lily was dead when Selden had arrived, he still knew that he was in love with Lily. Honestly, I think Lily and Selden were destined for each other and just had inopportune timing of finalizing the facts.

Painful Goodbye

The emotional roller coaster Lily is riding in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton takes many turns at this point in the book. For the first time in the book, Wharton describes Lily to be crying in the presence of Selden. I think Wharton made Lily cry in Selden's presence to make the point that Selden was the only one who could induce Lily's true emotions. In these chapters, Wharton makes the point that Selden is really the only one who can understand Lily. However, I think that for Lily's best interest, they need to move on in their lives. As Lily is speaking with Selden, she says to him, "Do you remember what you said too me once? That you could help me only by loving me? Well- you did love me for a momen; and it helped me. It has always helped me. But the moment is gone- it was I who let it go. And one must go on living. Goodbye" (Wharton, 251). I think that Lily's intentions for meeting formally with Selden one last time were for closure and inner peace. She needed to appropriately say goodbye to Selden. Even though Lily is now unemployed and living in a halfway house, letting go of this part of her life will be key in the life she leads ahead of her. I think that everyone reaches a moment in their life where, at some point, they realize that letting go of something is essential for growth.

Working for a Living?

As Lily goes about her life in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, she realizes that she is going to have to become employed. Mrs. Fisher is able to help her achieve this goal. Lily becomes employed with a woman, Mrs. Hatch. Ms. Bart serves as her seceretary. Lily's intentions were partially to become less dependent on Gerty. Like Lily, most people do not particularly like asking for help from other people. The vast majority of people believe they are invincible and can deal with whatever life throws at them. Lily is trying to become more independent by accepting the job as Mrs. Hatch's secretary. However, Selden believes that Lily should go back to stay with Gerty. When Lily sees Selden at her work, she is taken back for a moment. Though Lily hates Selden, she cannot help but fnd herself lured by his intrinsic nature. "Even under the most adverse conditions, that pleasure always made itself felt; she might hate him, but she had never been able to wish hi out of the room" (Wharton, 225). This quotes illustrated Lily's ability to hate Selden lovingly.

Unanticipated Outcomes

The next few chapters of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton were filled with unanticipated happenings. Lily adamantly states her intentions with Rosedale. She did this because she did not want to delay possible marriage arrangments any longer. However, she was appauled when Rosedale has said he had no intentions of marrying her. "My dear Miss Lily, I'm sorry if there's been any little misapprehendsion between us- but you made me feel my suit was so hopeless that I had really no intention of renwing it" (Wharton, 206). Rosedale is still madly in love with Lily, but given the recent happenings in Lily's life, he cannot be too closely associated with her. He does not want to commit to Lily in the form of marriage. If Lily's disgraceful actions had not been made public among her social circle, she would have had no issues luring Rosedale into a marriage. The fact that Rosedale does not want to marry her will only cause for more socially accepted men to follow suit. Though men are still deeply infatuated with Lily and her beauty, she is becoming less desirable in a social sense.

New and Improved

In this portion of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Lily seems to be adjusting to a new way of life. She is invited by Mrs. Fisher to a party at the Gomer's house. Lily hesitantly agrees to come and I think that it was in her best interest to join the dinner party. She knew that she had to make changes on the account of her aunt's death earlier on in the book. "It seemed to Lily, as Mrs. Peniston's door closed on her, that she was taking a final leave of her old life" (Wharton, 187). In Lily's efforts to conform to a new self, she discusses with Mrs. Fisher the idea of marriage. I think that Lily was apprehensive to speak about getting married with Mrs. Fisher, but I think that if Lily starts to think about her long-term plans then she can set goals for herself that will allow her to move in the right direction. Lily had established that she was going to try to marry Rosedale, but this decision was made prior to an unexpected visit from George Dorset. His apologetic comments were not accepted with gratitude by Lily. I think that George Dorset will continue to play a role in the closing chapters of the novel.

Wake-up Call

As Lily returns from Europe in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, she arrives home to some upsetting news. Lily's aunt, Mrs. Peniston suddenly died. A great deal of Mrs. Peniston's family came for funeral arrangements. Also the family discussed the will with Mrs. Peniston's lawyer. When going over the will, the family discovers that Lily has been disinherited by her aunt. Mrs. Peniston was so ashamed in who Lily was that she felt she had no choice but to disinherit her. "No one looked at her, no one seemed aware of her presence; she was probing the very depths of insignificance" (Wharton, 180). Throughout Lily's life, she had always been a part of a significant crowd, and at that moment I feel as though it was difficult for Lily to be viewed as inconsequential among her own family. Lily was only given ten thousand dollars while one of her other family members was given her aunt's estate and inheritance. Mrs. Peniston's death was a wake-up call for Lily to get her life back on the right track. Without the her aunt's inheritance to help her, Lily was going to have to form a great deal of independence.

Anti Vacation

As the second book of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton opens, Lily cruises across the Mediterranean with the Dorsets. Lily figures that this vacation is just what she needs to escape from her seemingly collapsing life. The Dorsets were willing to allow Lily to accompany them. However, I think that the feuding between Lily and Bertha is only just starting to fulminate. The wanted break from her stressful life was starting to slip from her fingertips. I think that Bertha is starting to get upset with Lily's ability to stay at the top of the social ladder even after her continual tribulations. "A chill of fear passed over Miss Bart: a sense of remembered treachery that was like the gleam of a knife in the dusk. But the compassion, in a moment, got the better of her instinctive recoil" (Wharton, 168). This quote shows that the confrontation with Bertha is only allowing her to remember how she felt prior to the trip. I think that Lily will only be able to put her life back together by accepting everything that has been going wrong in her life. I believe that by starting with acceptance, she will be able to rebuild herself.

Losing Hope

As the first book of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton reaches its end, Lily's life seems to be on a downward spiral. Lily Bart's aunt, Mrs. Peniston, received confirmation from Lily that her gambling problems were in fact real. I think that Mrs. Peniston was disgusted with Lily's habits because she considered them to be unladlylike. When Lily told her aunt that she had thousands of dollars in debt to pay due to her gambling problem, her aunt was adamant about the fact that she would not be helping Lily. In addition to Lily's deteriorating relationship with her aunt, other relationships around her were becoming distant. I think Lily had written the note to Selden in hopes of meeting with him and clearing the air between them. When Lily had requested that they meet at four and he was hours late, she was gettting concerned. "She understood now that he was never coming- that he had gone away becasue he was afraid that he might come" (Wharton, 146). This excerpt from the book was taken after hours of Selden not showing. Lily was starting to lose hope in the people around her. She was starting to realize that the people who she thought would be there for her were only temporarily available.

Feuding Friends

Feelings of hatred and frustration are directed at Lily Bart in these next two chapters of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. A heated conversation between Lily Bart and Gus Trenor takes place. I believe that Gus Trenor instigated this argument to call Lily out on her actions because he was frustrated. Also, I do not believe that Lily's actions were ever called out by someone so aggressively. Being flirtatious with men has been a distinct aspect of Lily's personality since the beginning of the book. Gus Trenor was upset because Lily was not reciprocating the feelings that he shared for her. Meanwhile, Selden was showing a growing interest in Gerty Farish, Lily's best friend. Though Lily and Gerty were best friends, Gerty began to feel as though she hated Lily. I think these feelings were fueled by the men in their lives. Even though Gerty was weighing her true investments in her friendship with Lily, Gerty knew that Lily was going through a lonely point in her life. "Everything in the past seemed simple, natural, full of daylight- and she was alone in a place of darkness adn pollution.- Alone! It was the loneliness that frightened her" (Wharton, 138). Lily was starting to get a taste of loneliness in her life; something that Lily did not have an aquired taste for. I think that Lily's troubles with her relationships are going to only worsen before they get better.

Tainted Views

Throughout the next part of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, gossip becomes more prevalent. As Lily's aunt, Mrs. Peniston, converses with Ms. Stepney, she realizes that negative gossip is circulating about Lily. Mrs. Peniston of course is an avid gossiper herself, but she proves to be in a state of shock when she finds that people are gossiping about her precious Lily. In fact, Mrs.Peniston had said in a frightened voice, "Such things were never heard of in my day. And my own niece! I'm not sure I understand you" (Wharton, 100). This quote shows Mrs. Peniston's denial about her niece's true ways. I think that the relationship between Mrs. Peniston and Lily could be compared to some realtionships that children have with their parents. Some parent are completely oblivious to the lives that their children lead. Just like Mrs. Peniston is unaware of Lily's scandalous nature. I feel as though Mrs. Peniston will go through her own troubles to assure herself that these rumors regarding Lily are nothing but false. I think that most of the women in the book are modest and traditional. The fact that Lily is not as conservative as most women does not settle well among her peers and respected authorities.

Empathy Maybe?

While reading the next few chapters of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I learn more details about the people in Lily's life. I am introduced to her aunt, Mrs. Peniston in this chapter. As far as the aunt's importance in the novel, I am unsure of at the moment. As Lily is greeted by her aunt in the novel, her aunt starts off speaking at great lengths which does not allow for Lily to get a word in edgewise. Also, another character that I took note of was Mrs. Farrish. I believe that Mrs. Farrish will prove to be an inconsequential. However, for this portion of the chapter, she plays a somewhat important role. As Lily sees Mrs. Farrish using her wealth to help charities, Lily starts to think of herself on the same level as the girls who would benefit from such charities. "She pictured herself leading such a life as theirs- a life in which achievement seemed as squalid as failure-and the vision made her shudder sympathetically" (Wharton, 90). Since Lily notices her once financially stable lifestyle crumbling beneath her, she starts to empathize with women in similar situations. As a result, Mrs. Farrish's role in the novel was short-lived yet monumental.

Financial Friends

Friendship and favors are themese in the next few chapters of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. I have met a new character who is a good friend to Lily. I believe that the character Gus Trenor will play a pivotal role throughout the novel. Since Lily had debts due to her gambling problem, she was in need of some financial help from a friend. I believe she went to Gus Trenor because she knew that he would not be able to turn her request down. She knew that unless she was able to pay off her debts, she would have to make some drastic lifestyle changes. "She had reached a point where abrupt retrenchment was necessary, and the only cheap life was a dull life" (Wharton, 64). Lily believes that cutting back would help her back up the social ladder. However, if a kind friend would be willing to assist her financially, then she would be in no position to argue. Gus would easily fall for Lily's beauty and be more than willing to volunteer for such an opportunity to show his friendliness. Once again, Lily's beauty proves to be an extremely valuable asset.

Complements in the House

The next few chapters of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton involve a great deal of dialogue between Lily and Selden. I think that Lily and Selden have a connection that is hard to understand and their relationship could possibly lead to something more. Both Lily and Selden are very opinionated and insightful people. One day when Lily and Selden are conversing, Selden says, "The people who take society as an escape from work are putting it to its porper use; but when it becomes the thing worked for it distorts all the relations of life" (Wharton, 56)  This comment made by Selden implies that he has a keen view of life and society as a whole. He is a man who is well aware of his surroundings; because of his intuitiveness, Selden is able to perceive the people around him. Although Selden's attraction to Lily is made quite obvious, he is still able to be cunning and sly in other ways. Lily is able to conceal her emotions quite well. By flirting and showing interest, she is able to lure any man her way. Lily and Selden are both quick to think on their feet, and as a result, they complement each other. I think that their quick-witted banter and ability to disagree with each other will make them a cohesive pair.

Wealthy and Wise

Throughout chapters three and four of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I learned more about the complex life of Lily Bart. Lily's gambling problem is disclosed in chapter three and I believe that her gambling will prove to be a recurring point throughout the novel. "To be poor seemed to her such a confession of failure that it amounted to disgrace; and she detected a note of condescension in the friendliest advances" (Wharton, 26). This quote shows that Lily does not think highly of those who are poor. She grew up in a wealthy family and this lifestyle is the only lifestyle that she has ever known. When she lost a great deal of money gambling, Lily was forced to realize that she may have to live her life poorly. To Lily, the "poor" and "impoverished" lifestyle was not for her. Her mother knew that when Lily was young that Lily would be able to use her beauty to find a man who would keep her high social status. Beneath the care of her mother, Lily grew up learning to enjoy material goods. I think Lily's struggle to stay within the confines of the circle of wealth will become a key theme throughout the book.

Beautiful, Scandalous Lily

When I started reading The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I immediately took note of Lily's ability to manipulate men. Selden, the man whom Lily is with in the beginning of the book, has fallen easily for Lily's flirtatious actions. "The provocation in her eyes increased his amusement- he had now supposed she would waste her powder on such small game..." (Wharton, 5). This quote illustrates the ways that Lily is able to toy with men's feelings about her. Lily is able to be subtle as she goes about her flirtatious ways with men. I believe that Lily's ways of easily associating with men will only become more prevalent throuhgout the book. Wharton could possibly be noting Lily's beauty to hint at the fact that it could be used for scandalous purposes with particular men later on in the novel. As Lily did with both Selden and Mr. Gryce in the first few chapters, she saw things she wanted, and set out to pursue them. She was able to use her beauty in her favor to intrigue the men. I believe that Lily's beauty is her weapon of choice.