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.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)