Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley was yet again another story that frustrated me. The novel had so much promise due to its great plot and frame story structure, and Shelley completely ruined it through the actions of Victor. I just do not understand Victor's foolish actions because he caused every negative aspect of his own life. I have much sympathy for the creature because all he wanted was to have a loving family and companion of his own. Past just the conflict between Victor and the creature, I really enjoyed the romance that went on between Victor and Elizabeth. Shelley was able to do a good job at characterizing Elizabeth into what seemed like the perfect women who completed Victor. It came as a big surprise to me when Elizabeth said , "That I love you" (Shelley, 138). Then again Shelley let me down by killing off Elizabeth, which further irked me. Overall, I would have to say this was a well crafted novel. I found it very interesting how connected Victor and the creature were. Shelley was really able to pack a lot of events into a short amount of time, while also creating suspense with almost every situation. Furthermore, this novel was able to keep the reader entrained through the complexities of literary techniques.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a novel composed of multiple character's chasing something. Whether they are chasing a person, or a dream, or an idea, there is always a character chasing something. Victor finally decides to chase the creature after the death of Elizabeth because he has a new found motivation: revenge. Victor recalls, "I was possessed by a maddening rage...to wreak a great and signal revenge on his cursed head" (Shelley, 147). Victor's motivation to chase down the creature is not to make amends, but rather it is to execute the creature. All Victor can now think about is accomplishing his revenge on the creature. This constant thought process has caused Victor to become mad within his obsession. This motivation also serves to begin Victor's downward spiral to his death. Victor stops at no end to seek his revenge, which causes him to become mentally and physically weak while stranded in the Arctic. Victor allows himself to become so caught up in his motivation to seek revenge because it is honestly the only hope he has left in his entire life.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley establishes a variety of thematic topics. One theme that is discussed throughout the entire novel is the idea of health and how it is affected by mental and physical conditions. After Victor discovered the death of Henry, "[His] strength was gone. [He] was a mere skeleton; and fever night and day preyed upon [his] wasted frame" (Shelley, 135). Victor was in so much shock and horror that his health began to deteriorate. At this point he is beginning to lose the will to live. He is in so much dismay that he has rendered himself physically ill for months on end. Since Victor's health is so harshly impacted due to being weakened mentally, the reader can get a sense of how his memories are destroying him. The events that occurred distorted his mind so much that his physical health leads to near death. Whenever Victor hits a mental breakdown, he seems to come close to death due to illness. Shelley is able to convey a direct correlation between the frantic mental state Victor is in to the health conditions he experiences.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

The creature in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is characterized in a controversial manner. Some people find the monster to be evil at heart, and others observe that he is truly a genuine creature. Shelley is able to use juxtaposition to tie both of these ideas together when the creature states, "My heart was fashioned to be susceptible of love and sympathy; and when wrenched by misery to vice and hatred it did not endure the violence of the change" (Shelley, 164). Shelley is stating that the monster began life as a loving and kind creature. Due to the creatures constant rejection, the creature began to feel hatred toward humanity. Therefore, the creature was morphed into the "wicked devil" that Victor portrays him as because of the evil humanity inflicted upon him. This juxtaposition proves that the creature did not intend to cause such distress in the lives of others, but did so in order for others to feel his pain. The creature felt pain and sorrow whenever he murdered one of Victor's loved ones, but he expressed even greater despair when he was labeled as an outcast. The creature just wants to return to his original, loving and sympathetic ways, rather than cause such heinous crimes.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Toward the end of Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor's story begins to catch up with the present. Since there are at least three different stories told, this novel is structured to be a frame story. The story follows a pyramid by beginning with Walton's story, continuing with Victor's story, including the creatures' story, and then heading back through Victor and Walton's stories. When Victor question's whether Walton will help him, Walton writes a letter stating, "You have read this strange and terrific story" (Shelley, 155). This use of a frame story allows the writer to convey that the story is being told by actual witnesses. The frame allows to show the complexities of how each character is involved because each of their stories intertwine. This structure also allows the reader to better observe how the personalities and characteristics of the characters are similar in respects to their dreams and ambition. Victor and the creature share similar emotions during the exact same time frame. The reader would have no knowledge of this aspect of the story if their stories were not told within each other's story. This framework helps to cover each topic and unanswered question, and then tie it all together from each perspective.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

So far Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a fairly decent novel. The story is very different from the folklore that I had heard previously before starting this novel. I had originally imagined the doctor to be in a state of elation and have an evil laugh once the monster was born, rather Victor, “Rushed out of the room… [and] threw [him]self on the bed” (Shelley 35). This novel is very different in many other aspects especially because the focus is not based on a creepy monster that goes on a massive rampage throughout the village. As I stated, this novel is decent, but I believe it is a little slow with action throughout the story. Whenever a person or topic is brought up, Shelley goes into full detail of explaining this person/idea, which causes the story to become monotonous at points. It also does get quite annoying that adjectives such as “benevolent” so frequently that the word is almost clichéd.   Other than that slight negative aspect, the story seems to have a great plot and story line behind it. The vocabulary is high, but very easy to understand. Not too bad of a novel for an eighteen year old who hates the thought of writing books.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Throughout Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, there is a great deal of conflict that arises in Victor’s life. He is conflicted externally with the issue of the monster, but he is mostly conflicted internally by his thoughts and emotions.  When discussing how Victor felt at fault for the death of his brother and sister, he proclaims, “I behold those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts” (Shelley 60). Victor is mentally blaming himself for the murder of both his relatives. He feels that since he created the monster who led to their deaths, it is his fault that their situation had ever occurred.  Victor is even further struck with depression and despair by this. He is conflicted internally because he has to live with the knowledge and guilt of these two lives that were ended by his creation. Victor reflects frequently about this disaster, which does not help his internal confliction. This conflict creates more madness to Victor’s character. Victor is now obsessed with revenge by killing the monster, which he feels is the only way to end his mental confliction.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley offers a vast amount of messages and lessons. Shelley spends a great amount of time articulating these themes through the different anecdotes Victor has to offer. The monster is telling a story to Victor when the monster recalls, “He raised her, and smiled with such kindness and affection that I felt sensations of a peculiar and overpowering nature” (Shelley 75). The theme being conveyed here pertains to ‘Family – Domestic Affections’. Throughout the last few chapters of the first eighty pages of the novel, the monster observes a family and beings to feel human emotions. The monster is experiencing brand new ideas every day and learning very rapidly. This family interacts in such a loving way and impacts the monster in a very positive manner. The monster begins to spend a great deal of his time thinking of how wonderful it would be to be a part of this family and join in on the love they share for each other. This theme helps to express that the monster is misunderstood by society. The monster is just like any other human beings because he has feelings and emotions and can think for himself. The monster just wants to find a loving home where he can feel as though he is creating happiness for others.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein contains many characters that interact with each other in very unique ways. Most of the characters are family members or very close family friends. When Victor’s mother is on her death bed, she states, “My firmest hopes of future happiness were placed on the prospect of your union" (Shelley 24). Judging by the diction Shelley uses in this passage, Victor and Elizabeth have a much different relationship than is portrayed on the surface. Elizabeth is mentioned as a “sister figure” and is referred to as “cousin” by Victor himself. Even though she is given titles as a relative, their mother states that she always imagined Victor and Elizabeth obtaining a “union”, or in other words marriage. The diction used when referring to the relationship between Victor and Elizabeth cause the reader to question the motivations of these two characters. They seem to trust each other very well, correspond frequently, and think of their love for one another often. Victor even states multiple times that Elizabeth is his forever. These two characters establish a mystery on the true depth of their “brother-sister” relationship.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor spends a large portion of his college career creating a human being which he intended to bring to life. Victor shares this story with his new friend, Robert, but focuses very little on the actual creation of the monster. As soon as the monster comes to life, Victor recalls, “Unable to endure the aspect of the being I had created, I rushed out of the room” (Shelley 35). By speaking of the creation in such a brief manner, Shelley is able to convey a sense of understatement. The resurrection of the corpse seemed to happen much faster than Victor had expected, which caused him to regret his work immediately.  This understatement also implies that the creation of the monster is not the focus of Victor’s story. The monster is assembled and given life very early in the novel, which further proves that there will be a greater message to the story.  Victor’s understatement of his success in reaching his goal also implies how upset he is with his creation. The second the monster breathes life, Victor is ashamed of the work he has done and find no honor in creating a living human being.  Victor continues his story talking about more important ways in which the monster ends up affecting his life.

APO 96225 by Larry Rottmann

The poem APO 96225 by Larry Rottmann is a poem that is a sequence of letters between parents and their son who is a soldier. The mother asks how things are, and after giving false answers demands the son to tell the truth of the situation. The son responds with, "Today I killed a man. Yesterday, I helped drop napalm on women and children" (Rottmann, lines14-15). The son is blunt and honest, and mother immediately rejects the truth and asks for him to go back to the false responses. This is a perfect example of irony in many respects. The mother could not handle the truth and continued to act as if the truth had not actually occurred. This irony sends the message about war that people who are not fighting the war can never imagine the horrors of war. The son is so numb to the reality of the actions he has taken. This poem reveals that the public turns their eye in the opposite direction when it comes to learning of negative aspects of war. The poem is implying that war changes the perspectives of both citizens and soldiers. The soldiers lose a sense of the severity of their actions, and the public allows immoral actions to take place with knowledge of them occurring.

I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson

The poem I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson is a poem that is a giant symbolism for the speaker feeling alienated. The speaker utilizes imagery in order to help convey a somber mood. When talking about the people at the funeral the speaker said they were, "treading -- treading". Then the speaker later talks about a drum, "beating -- beating" (Dickinson, lines 3,6). These images create a dreary mood over the funeral and show that everything is occurring in slow motion. The mourners are moving at a slow pace and the music seems to almost sound like a heart beat. The sounds of the casket creaking give a creepy aspect to the funeral. The speaker uses the imagery to explain every detail of the funeral with their senses. Sound is the biggest sense used, implying that the speaker can only hear what is going on. The speaker can feel the casket being lowered. The reader can conclude that the speaker is the actual person inside the casket because they only hear what is going on outside the casket until it is finally buried.

Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield

Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield is a story of a lonely old women who sits in a park every Sunday. Question four on this story first asks why Miss Brill enjoys going to the park. Miss Brill enjoys it simply because, "she loved sitting there, watching it all!" (Mansfield, 184). She visits the park as her weekly routine so that she can listen into the conversations of all the other visitors. She also enjoys watching the activities people participate in. The second part of this question is more important because it asks why this specific Sunday is enjoyable. While observing and listening into the other conversations, Miss Brill realises that she is part of the routine for all these other people. Miss Brill finally feels important and accepted because she feels as though people would notice is she discontinued attending the park. She feels as though she is in a play and everyone has their special part. In her head, her part is acknowledged and accepted by all the other visitors. At the end of the story, we find out that she is actually not welcomed in the park by some people.

Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville

Throughout Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, the speaker goes into great detail about every character and scene. The speaker allows the reader to understand the personalities of each character because of how in depth his details go. When characterizing Bartleby, the speaker states, "The passiveness of Bartleby sometimes irritated me" (Melville, 653). I believe the word "passive" describes Bartleby's character perfectly. Bartleby avoids any form of contact with the outside world by refusing to do anything, but refuses with such respect and innocence that there is nothing one can do about it. Bartleby is a static character because he does not change at all during the story. This means that Bartleby is passive the entire time, which causes frustration due to the speaker pitying Bartleby. Throughout this characterization of Bartleby, the reader may get a sense of how awkward Bartleby acts. The speakers true thoughts and feelings allow the reader to create a mental image of this strange and unique character.

Bartleby the Shrivener by Hermon Melville

The short story Bartleby the Scrivener by Hermon Melville is the story of a lawyer who employs an odd man by the name of Bartleby. The speaker goes into detail about every one of his employees, but Bartleby seems to be peculiar and causes issues. A motif is used when Bartleby repeats, "'I would prefer not to'" (Melville, 650). This statement first is viewed as disrespect and insubordination. After Bartleby makes this all his responses, the speaker begins to question why Bartleby is not comfortable with the requests made. These words even begin to impact the other workers in the building. The speaker and Nipper find themselves subconsciously using the term "prefer" just as Bartleby does. The speaker realises that Bartleby is confined to himself and lacks friendship and a social life. The entire story is focused on the speaker attempting to convince Bartleby to change. Just as Bartleby continues to make the same statement, he continues to refuse making any changes to his lifestyle. This motif is able to connect every scenario because every dialogue with Bartleby ends with the same result, stubbornness.

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas is a poem where the speaker informs the reader to not go into death without a fight. Question one about this poem asks what is the meaning of the phrase "good night." This phrases is mostly repeated when the speaker says, "Do not go gentle into that good night" (Thomas, 6). The phrase "good night" simply stands for death. This line is where I belive that Thomas is demanding the audience to not die without a fight. The speaker is attempting to tell the reader that they should not have any regrets when it comes to their time of death. Thomas is also saying that once death arrives to someone, it should not come as a blind shock. He is saying prepare and be ready for death. He acknowledges death to be a positive event, but says that it is only positive when one has completed their dreams. Only when someone has accomplished their purpose in life can they finally be content and accept death.

That time of year by William Shakespeare

That time of year by William Shakespeare is a poem that starts out by discussing the season of fall and the death and decay of fall. Then Shakespeare continues the poem by exlaining how death consumes like a fire. By using juxtoposition, Shakespeare is able to both compare and contrast fall and death. When speaking of fall, he states, "Which by and by black night doth take away," and later speaks of death, "That seals up all in rest" (Shakespeare, 6-7). Shakespeare juxtaposes these two themes by showing how both almost take the life out of everything, causing rest. Where I am confused is after juxtaposing them as similar, he brings love into the death stanza, causing death to be almost positive. I think he is trying to state that the event of death helps him call to mind pleasent thoughts such as his loved one. This poem was easy to understand at first but loses me after talking about the glowing fire. This is yet another poem that I feel as though has no point to it. Shakespeare should have cut the poem off after line seven. It would be nice if someone could offer some advice on what this poem is talking about because past possible juxtopositon, I see no other depth to this poem.

Crossing the Bar by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Crossing the Bar by Alfred, Lord Tennyson is a poem that discusses a man who is given a calling from objects in the sky. The speaker then reaches a period of darkness and sadness. I believe this poem is packed full of symbolism. After discussing a tide and heading for home, the speaker states, "And may there be no sadness of farewell When I embark;... I hope to see my Pilot's face to face When I have crossed the bar" (Tennyson, 11-16). This poem symbolises a man reaching his time of death, and he does not want his friends and family to feel sadness for him. Then when he says he has "crossed the bar" he is saying that he has finally passed away. The "Pilot" represents the speaker finally meeting God in heaven. The speaker is acknowledging that he has reached his demise, so he looks forward to the positive outcome of the event. The speaker has accepted his death and sees it as a time to rejoice and be happy because he has finally reached the end of his journey that he embarked on. Tennyson is able to use this symbolism to show death in a new light, that of the begining of a new adventure.

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner is, like The Lottery, also another twisted story with an even more sickening ending. The main character of this story is about a woman named Emily, and yet it is taken from an interesting point of few. The reader views this story from the first person point of view, but not from Emily's point of view or any of her close companions that she spends most of her time with. The people in Emily's town observe, "When we saw her again, her hair was cut short, making her look like a girl..." (Faulkner, 285). By the use of "we" and the speaker saying that they had seen her for the first time in a while, the reader can conclude that the towns people are observing her. The story is also jumbled in a non chronological order, leading to believe different individuals are sharing their story. Being written in the first person point of view, Faulkner is able to create a sense of mystery and questioning about Emily. The towns people telling the story are unsure of the true answers behind Emily so the reader must piece puzzles of the story to make their own conclusions. By having the towns people at the end explain the details of the room with the corpse, the reader is able to realise how sick and twisted Emily acts. The first person point of view helps to establish how distant Emily was from reality, and how her distance was perceived by normal people.

The Lottery by Shirly Jackson

The Lottery by Shirly Jackson is a short story that is very deceitful and has a sick twist at the end of the story. There are many points though out the play where Jackson uses foreshadowing to imply that the "lottery" taking place is not what it appears to be on the surface. The setting shows that it is a lovely summer day, but the peculiar children are, "Selecting the smoothest and roundest stones" (Jackson, 264). These actions immediately begin to raise questions and cause the reader to think twice about what is actually going on. Jackson is able to confuse the reader by creating such a peaceful image of the day in order to embed hints to what is truly going to happen at the end of the story. By using foreshadowing as a literary technique, Jackson challenges the reader to focus on details in order to gain a better understanding of the traditions this village participates in. Mr. Adams later states, "'That over in the north village they're talking of giving up the lottery" (Jackson, 268). Mr. Adams, through the use of foreshadowing, helps the reader to see that something more is going on than a normal lottery. These small details that Jackson uses help the reader to see that the lottery is going to have a negative ending. Most good lotteries do not involve gathering stones and discussing how other villages are not continuing this tradition.

The Glass Menagerie (Blog 5)

I actually enjoyed The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams. I am starting to like reading plays a little more than novels and stories because they are all based around dialogue rather than extraneous details. Williams did a great job at characterizing each person in the play, which helped to create a unique image of each character. I also liked how Williams made it very obvious what the symbols of the play were when he made comments like, "'But since I have a poet's weakness for symbols, I am using this character also as a symbol; he is the long delayed but always expected something that we live for'" (Williams, 1237). This helped me better understand the play and not get hung up and frustrated with the little details. Overall I enjoyed the play, but there is one area where I was displeased with the play. I felt as though there was almost no point to the play. Nothing really happened. The gentlemen caller showed up, and right when there was hope, he just left for his fiance. Plus the ending was just sort of weird how the play ended. Aside from that, the characters were unique, the sadness was minimal, and the play was an easy read.

The Glass Menagerie (Blog 4)

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is composed of a large amount of characterization about each character in the play. Every character is explained in great detail in order for the reader to gain a complete understanding of the type of person a character is and their personality. Laura has a few epithets that help characterize her such as, "Home girl... dependent... failure... frightened... sick" (Williams, 1253-54). Although these are not all the adjectives that describe Laura, a trend may be very obviously observed. Laura is characterized as the shy, reserved, and unsocial type of person. Every time Laura is talked about between Tom and Amanda, many of these epithets are used to show how hopeless Laura lives. These descriptions of Laura help to evoke sympathy for Laura and her "crippled" appearance. Laura is also characterized as an unhappy person with a low self esteem. She lets her negative views of her own appearance cloud her ability to function as a normal person around other people. Williams does a great job of helping the reader visualize what kind of person Laura is by explaining the reasons she is so closed to society.

The Glass Menagerie (Blog 3)

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams has a character who never appears in the play, Tom and Laura's father. Their father is used as a big symbol in the story to help influence the way the characters act. When Amanda and Tom are having a conversation after Tom apologizes, Amanda claims, "I -- loved your father... and you -- when I see you taking after his ways!" (Williams, 1252). This is one of many instances in the play were Tom is compared to his father. Amanda seems to always be worried that Tom is going to end up leaving the family just as their father did years ago. Tom is controlled and persuaded to do as Amanda wants because Amanda manipulates the father's past mistakes. It seems as though the guilt trips Amanda plays on Tom is almost having a reverse effect which causes him to act more like his father. Tom views his father as a symbol of hope and the opportunity to follow his dreams of going on an adventure. Amanda views the symbol of the father as a way to control her children and almost draw pity upon herself. In the end, Tom ends up following in his father's foot steps by leaving to make a new life somewhere else.

The Glass Menagerie (Blog 2)

Laura in The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams struggles with living a shy and reserved lifestyle due to a low self esteem. After Laura's conversation with Jim, the reader learns that Laura was always so self conscious because, "[She] had that brace on [her] leg -- it clumped so loud!" (Williams, 1276). Jim responds by informing Laura, "In all respects -- believe me! Your eyes -- your hair -- are pretty!" (Williams, 1283). This conversation between Laura and Jim contains a great deal of irony. Laura has spent her whole life worrying what others thought of her and keeping to her self. She has been so focused on thinking everyone notices her disability that she completely shuts out all positive aspects of life. Now Laura is realising that she actually is attractive, and possibly could have had a chance with Jim if he was not engaged to another woman. She never thought any guy would like her because she has a slightly crippled leg, but on the contrary, Jim did not even notice her leg brace. I see is scene to be very ironic because Laura refuses to put her self in social situations, which causes her to lack social skills, when she is viewed by most people as an average girl. Laura has missed a lot of opportunities to express herself and pursue her dreams, even to the point were she is dependent on her family members,  all because she gets so nervous when she is in public.

The Glass Menagerie (Blog 1)

The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams is a non realistic play about a family whose father left them at a very early stage. Many times throughout this play, the main character Tom poses as a narrator by making small soliloquies at the beginning of scenes. Ate the beginning of Scene 6 Tom makes a small speech stating, "I knew that Jim and Laura had known each other at Soldan, and I heard Laura speak admiringly of his voice" (Williams, 1262). These small soliloquies have a major roll by informing the audience about background information and other unknown facts about the characters. This soliloquy on page 1262 happens to have importance because it tells the audience a little about Jim and how he would make a perfect gentlemen caller. Tom is able to create an image of Jim being athletic and intelligent, which is very opposite of Laura's character. Now that the reader knows that Jim and Laura have some chemistry, this is able to raise some interest in wondering if Jim will be the "one" for Laura. Along with informing the audience about Jim's relationship with Laura, Tom is also able to inform the audience of his own relationship with Jim. At the end of the soliloquy we learn that Jim and Tom are not as close of friends as Amanda thought. Both of these two pieces of background information help to set the stage for the scene of having dinner with the gentlemen caller.

Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden

Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden is a poem about a father who seems to be taken for granted. I am very confused by what exactly is going on in this poem. The father seems to work all the time and is never acknowledged for his hard work. There is slight personification when, "the [is] cold splintering, breaking" (Hayden, line 6). I do not understand why the cold is being given adjectives that cause the cold to be almost creating sound or moving. I get confused even more when the author says that he has to get up and get ready when it is warm. The tone makes it seem almost as if there is a negative home life, which causes the love between each family member to be grave and somber. I am able to pick up that the family is obviously not happy for these reasons, but I feel as though the poem just sort of stops before anything has really been stated. The author leaves me with multiple unanswered questions, so I have not observed much depth to this poem. Did I miss something important, because I feel like I could have written this poem.

The Joy of Cooking by Elaine Magarrell

The Joy of Cooking by Elaine Magarrell is a poem where the speaker talks about how she will be "preparing" different parts of her siblings. From her sister, she will be cooking her tongue, which will, "grow back, Next time perhaps" to be cooked again differently (Magarrel, lines 5-6). From her brother, she will be cooking his heart, which will, "barely [feed] two" (Magarrel, line 16). This poem is an example of an extended metaphor. The speaker is not literal when she says she is going to cook the tongue and heart of her siblings. The speaker is merely stating that she influences the words and actions of her siblings. Her sister uses the same manners and words as the speaker, and the speaker says her sister's language will change again in the future. The brother on the other hand is influenced by the way his sister treats others. From the diction and tone, it almost seems as if the speaker is influencing her siblings to be rude, cruel, and vulgar just as herself. This metaphor is created across the entire poem, and it seems as though the speaker is enjoying morphing her siblings into the people they have become.

The Drunkard by Frank O'Connor

The Drunkard by Frank O’Connor is a short story about a man who takes his son to a bar, and then the son consumes an excess amount of alcohol till he is intoxicated. There is a great deal of humor in this story not only because the sun is clearly underage, around the age of nine or ten to be exact, but there also plays some irony behind the son’s drunkenness. In the beginning of the story, the son seems to be like a typical child in both his manner in speech. Soon after he consumes his father’s beer, the son’s diction changes very radically. The son becomes an angry drunk (sad to think he is an angry drunk at the age of nine) and makes statements such as, “’Ah, Jasus,’ [he] said crossly, ‘what do I want to go home for? Why the hell can’t you leave me alone?’” (O’Connor, 350). The use of this boy’s diction shows that he is so mentally altered by the alcohol that he has completely lost his filter, like most drunk people. More importantly, his diction serves to produce a great deal of humor for the story. Nothing is more funny that a nine year old getting drunk and yelling at some old ladies in the street. After being embarrassed by his son’s performance, the father feels as though he should be pitied for being so mistreated. Through these humorous events, I think his father is rethinking the choices he made of bringing his son to a bar and leaving him unattended.

Once upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer

Once upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer is the story of a woman who is frightened by a sound in her house, so she decides to tell herself a bedtime story in order to help induce sleep. I found the reactions of the people in this story to be extremely exaggerated and quite annoying. The characters seem to be very paranoid that someone will break into their house, which ends up creating a great deal of irony. The family in the bedtime story is constantly looking for better security systems and finally finds one that, “a gang of workmen came and stretched the razor-bladed coils all around the walls of the house” (Gordimer, 235). Soon after, the son of this loving family decides to take a little adventure into this barb wire placed around the castle-like walls of their suburban home.  As expected, the son gets cut up and questionably may even meet his demise. I found this to be a very ironic event because the family invests so much time and money into protecting their family, and their means of protection end up harming their son. The family becomes so obsessed with the thought of being attacked by a riot that they cause the very inside of their fortress to pose as larger threat. I could not have imagined that after harping on how dangerous their society was, the parents end up being the reason for their sons injuries. This irony may show that people who take things to the extreme end up causing the unwanted damage.

A Worn Path by Eudora Welty

A Worn Path by Eudora Welty is a short story about a grandma named Phoenix Jackson who takes a long journey to a doctor's office. Throughout this journey, Phoenix experiences a great deal of both external and internal conflicts. Despite all of these obstacles she must overcome, she still is characterized as a strong, determined woman. One of the first conflicts the leader may learn about is that, “She carried a thin, small cane… and with this she kept tapping the frozen earth in front of her” (Welty, 223). After reading this line, the leader may infer that Phoenix is blind. Later on in the story, the reader observes that in fact Phoenix can see, but not very well. Although Phoenix has trouble seeing, she continues to make this long, challenging journey across rugged terrain. Phoenix may also be slightly mentally conflicted because it seems as though she is not completely there when, “Phoenix only waited and stared straight ahead, her face very solemn and withdrawn in to rigidity” (Welty, 229). After being asked a question, Phoenix seems to just space out almost as if she is losing her mental thought process. Both of these conflicts combined show that Phoenix may not be making a rational decision to take this journey, but she is motivated and determined to complete this quest.

A Raisin in the Sun (pages 519-535) [overview]

This final section in A Raisin in the Sun  by Lorraine Hansberry has a surprising twist at the end. The reader learns how Walter shows to be a dynamic character when he has an unexpected change of heart. Walter's character is at first an antihero because he gets angry with his family easily, puts his selfish interests first, and drinking in excess rather than being the husband, son, brother, and father he should be. After being lectured by Mama because he is planning on accepting money from the Welcoming Committee, Walter decides, "'We don't want your money" (Hansberry, 532). Walter has changed from being an immature, selfish family member, to now being a man who puts what is best for his family first. Up until this point, Walter would have done anything for money, even neglect his family, but he has changed throughout the play. Mr. Younger, Walter's father, played a role in showing Walter how to be a man. Walter was raised to put family first and work hard for the money he earns, and Walter finally decides that this is the correct path to take. This change is important because he can finally teach his own sun how to be a man and serve as a positive role model. Walter has dynamically changed for the good of his family which has lead to unity between the family members.

A Raisin in the Sun (pages 492-519)

The climax has finally taken place in A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Question twelve asks about a situation where a "point of no return" is reached and how that causes a character’s life to never be the same. Walter makes multiple decisions throughout the entire play that result in such high collateral damage that there is no way to return to his normal life. The biggest decision Walter makes is when he lends Willy all of his father’s left over legacy money. Willy ends up skipping town and Walter is devastated when he claims, “Man… Don’t let it be true… Man… I trusted you… Man, I put my life in your hands” (Hansberry, 517). Walter made the choice to give all the money he has to the antagonistic Willy and figures out it was the worst decision he could have possibly made. There is now no way to pay for Beneatha’s college funds or his business ideas. Walter’s life will never be the same because this money that his mother gave to him was his last chance at making something of himself. Furthermore, this was the last opportunity Walter had to pull his family out of poverty. Walter made such a poor choice that he will have to live without getting the opportunity to completely turn his life in a positive direction.

A Raisin in the Sun (pages 476-492)

Mama makes a huge decision in this next section of Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun. The first of the questions for this play asks how two characters are searching for a better way of life, and how they attempt to bring about this change. Walter and Mama are two characters whose search for a new way of life causes them to clash. Mama is searching for a new home with which to raise Travis and start new, and toward the end of this section, "'She went out and she bought [Travis] a house'" (Hansberry, 489). Mama has taken the first step to changing her lifestyle in hopes that it will improve the family life of the Youngers. Walter on the other hand was hoping to use the money that Mama used to purchase a house to start up a business of liquor stores. By attempting to gain his own business, he hopes to make a larger profit than he is in order to support his family. Unlike Mama, Walter thinks he is looking at the big picture, and by being able to make money he can not only purchase a new house, but have more money to spend in the future. Both of these characters plan to obtain similar ways of life, but in very extreme ways. Mama wants to spend it on multiple things in order to improve their life, whereas Walter wants to spend it all at once in hopes of acquiring a larger profit in the future. At the end of this section, Walter's dreams for obtaining a new life are destroyed by Mama's possibly irrational decision of buying a home.

A Raisin in the Sun (pages 456-475)

Tensions are rising to an even higher level in this section of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Question five asks about the problems caused between the generation gaps in this play. Beneatha and Walter are beginning to show their own identities and personalities, which tend to conflict with one another. More importantly, these identities are viewed as so radical to Mama that it begins to frustrate her due to lack of understanding. Mama is conversing with Walter when she claims, "In my time we was worried about not being lynched... and how to stay alive and still have a pinch of dignity too... Now here come you and Beneatha -- talking 'bout things we ain't never even thought about hardly... You ain't satisfied or proud of nothing we done" (Hansberry, 475). Mama is from a generation where black people were doing everything in their power to be free from oppression. Now her children's generation, the generation of Walter and Beneatha, is becoming one that tries to avoid the oppression by conforming with society. Not only does Mama have to deal with these generation barriers, but so do Beneatha and Walter. These two get angry with Mama's religious beliefs and the choices she makes with money, respectively. Lack of communication between these separate age groups causes a great deal of unnecessary conflict.

A Raisin in the Sun (pages 435-455)

The play A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry is a story of a family who is under such money pressures that they have to make smart decisions on how they spend their money. Question four asks what pressures in the play may compel a person in the story to take action that they would not normally take. Ruth feels these money pressures and denies her son, Travis, fifty cents that is imperative for him to have at school. When Walter learns that his wife is withholding money from their son he, "Hands [Travis] the coin, but his eyes are directed to his wife's" (Hansberry, 441). Walter is feeling pressure to act as though his family is not in the need of money in order to preserve their son's innocence. Later on Walter even chastises his wife for releasing this information to their son. This family lacks the money to pay for their son's small fees at school, but Walter is still compelled to give his son money in order to maintain the feeling of an "ordinary" family. Walter is so focused on acquiring money that he tends to act as though this family has plenty of money to throw around. If Walter continues to make these foolish decisions, they may not have the money in the future to help Travis out with his tiny expenses. This family is has external conflicts of economic pressure that causes them to make decisions that go against each parents decisions.

"Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri is a short story based on the trip an Indian-American family takes to India. The story uses multiple examples of foreshadowing that I caught onto very easily in the short story. The first, and most important, example of foreshadowing is when Mr. Kapasi observes, "That this boy was slightly paler than the other children" (Lahiri, 151). The second I read this passage of the story, I knew there was a secret that was unknown to the reader. This statement just screamed "PAY ATTENTION!" to me. By making this observation, I started making assumptions and my own thoughts on how the story was going to end. Through creating these assumptions, the author was able to inadvertently build suspense on how what would happen next. It was almost dissapointing to find out that I was right, Mrs. Das had cheated on her husband. She was so caught up in the fact that her marriage was doing downhill that she allowed herself to make a careless mistake. Since I was able to predict that this is what had occurred, I did not find it to be a surprise when Mrs. Das made this confession to Mr. Kapasi.

"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker

The short story Everyday Use by Alice Walker illustrates a variety of past memories and explains the personality of each character in order to explain a small event that occurs. In order to convey this information, Walker examines every bit of detail in order to explain how much meaning there is to the details. One way in which Walker conveys this information is through the use of simile. When explaining the narrator of the story, the narrator states that, "I can kill and clean a hog as mercilessly as a man" (Walker, 174). This offers insight that the narrator is not really observed by most people as a female. The narrator is not very attractive, and tends to accomplish, with ease, the jobs that most men would do. This simile helps to establish how different this mother is from her two daughters. Even though Maggie is also unattractive, their personalities are way different. Dee has the more outgoing and established personality like her mother. All of these personal appearances and personalities end up clashing at the end of this short story. I feel as though Maggie and Dee take their mother's personalities to the extremes.

"Hazel Tells LaVerne" by Katharyn Howd Machan

Hazel Tells LaVerne by Katharyn Howd Machan is a poem very similar to the story of The Frog Prince  but has a very different end to the poem. The second question after this poem asks about the poem's humor, how the language reveals Hazel's personality, and if how Hazel treats the frog is consistent to her character. The only "humor" I really observed in this poem was when Hazel called the frog a, "Little green pervert an i hitsm with my mop" (Machan, lines 20-21). In all honesty I did not find much humor in this statement, but that is as humorous as this poem will get. When it comes to Hazel's language, she uses jargon the whole time throughout the poem. Hazel's uneducated vernacular reveals that Hazel is very poor and struggles for money. This language may also imply that Hazel is not very confident in herself because she does not talk as though she is attempting to impress others. This also is revealed in the way she treats the frog. Her treatment of the frog is consistent because she is almost offended by the idea of being a "princess." She does not see herself as a princess, so she abuses the frog.

"Mr. Z" by M. Carol Holman

M. Carol Holman's Mr. Z is yet another poem about racism, prejudices, and stereotypes. The second question at the end of this poem asks what motivations and strategies Mr. Z uses to achieve his goal. First, I established he was black when he was, "Taught early that his mother's skin was the sign of error" (Holman, line 1). This seams to be very vague considering any race could be implied, but the poem later states he was trying to gain, "Whatever ground was Anglo-Saxonized" (Holman, line 8). The fact that Mr. Z is trying to act more "Anglo-Saxonized", in other words white, shows that his mother's skin must have been black. Now that I know Mr. Z is black, I see that his motivation throughout the poem is to conform with the white society in order to be accepted. Mr. Z rejects his music and foods in order to be accepted and avoid being judged. His goal is not to achieve happiness with who he truly is, but to achieve a lifestyle that avoids hardship. Mr. Z uses the strategy of concealing his true identity and masking it by distinguishing himself as having more merit than other blacks. Furthermore, Mr. Z lies to himself and never allows himself to reach his full, happy potential in order to reach his "goal."

"Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes

The poem Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes is packed full of imagery and similes in order to convey the author's meaning of the poem. At the end of the poem, the second question asks if knowing the author was a black American added to my understanding of the poem. This important concept helped me give me complete meaning of the entire poem. The author of the poem is explaining that he has dreams of being more than, "A raisin in the sun... a sore... rotten meat... Or crust... a heavy load" (Hughes, lines 3-10). Knowing the author is black, helps understand that these examples of imagery are actually how he feels he is treated. He has created beautiful dreams in his head, but they are hindered by the fact that his skin color sets him apart from society. After looking up the word "defer" in the giant dictionary located in Mr. Costello's room, I learned that defer essentially means "to postpone." Knowing that the author is black, and that defer means to postpone, the author is trying to say that because of these hindrances in society he is has to put his dreams aside temporarily. This also adds more meaning to the poem when the author states, "And then run?" (Hughes, line 5). Obviously this line shows that this author is running from something, but what is he running from? His dreams or the labels placed on him by society? As a black American, the author is able to express his feelings of oppression through out the whole poem.

Perrine Poetry Blog Entry

Altogether, I see Perrine's point of view and can honestly say that his approach is very convincing and persuasive. With this being said, I still do not agree with the idea that poetry has a specific meaning and interpretation behind the words. I believe that writing is an art form that can be manipulated and shaped into any meaning possible. Poetry especially has  these capabilities. Every little detail of a poem can completely change the meaning of a poem, whether it is the structure, or a minor detail, or the mood. Poetry is flexible in it's meaning, and the fact that every individual's interpretation is inconsistent is a perfect example. Besides, why does there even have to be a "correct" meaning behind a poem? What does it matter? I enjoy different points of view when it comes to subjects like poetry, art, etc. Every person thinks differently, which is the beauty behind interpreting poetry.

Even though I did not agree with Perrine, there were still points he made that I found to be interesting and logical. I like how he compared judging and interpreting a poem to a scientific hypothesis. Even though the two are not linked in any way possible because science is fact and poetry is opinion, I still find the comparison amusing. The comment, although slightly flawed, has some logic behind it, and I liked the attempt. I also liked the idea of the Emily Dickinson poem being about a "garden", although he does not agree with this interpretation. I found this interpretation be very beautiful and unique. I never thought of that poem in such a way, and I wish I could view poems in such a way. Perrine's ability to interpret poems in such a way challenges me to observe the little details of poems. As far as the poetry in class goes, I hope to notice similar aspects of poems that Perrine observes.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter IX (pages 174-180) [Overview]

F. Scott Fitzgerald finishes The Great Gatsby by explaining what happened with Nick's relationship with Miss Baker, and by finding out the truth from Tom. I personally found the ending of this book to be quite sad. Nick never married Jordan, Gatsby was murdered, and Nick's only friends, Daisy and Tom, left him. Despite the sad ending, I found this book to have a good story behind it. Although I am sure there where a large amount of lessons and messages to take from this novel, I personally observed very few. I still question whether one of the lessons is that people with wealth, "[Smash] up things and creatures and then [retreat] back into their money or their vast carelessness" (Fitzgerald, 179). I do not believe that Fitzgerald is attempting to say that rich people mess things up and then coward away from the consequences, but that may be what he is trying to get across to the reader. Furthermore, I believe Gatsby's character was a good role model in saying one should fight for their dreams. I also believe one of the biggest lessons to take away from this book, although I already said this in another blog, is that alcohol has more negative affects than positive. I enjoyed reading this book and felt as though it was very well written and realistic.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter IX (pages 163-174)

The end is finally coming to F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby when plans for the funeral are taking place. Although Gatsby's character is technically no longer in the book, the reader may still learn a great deal about him. First, the reader is able to learn from Gatsby's father that, "'Jimmy was bound to go ahead... Do you notice what he's got about improving his mind'" (Fitzgerald, 173)? After learning of this observation that Henry Gatz made about Gatsby, the reader can infer that Gatsby always strove to improve and better himself. This is the reason behind Gatsby's success. Gatsby worked everyday to make himself greater just the slightest bit more. Second, the reader is able to learn from this chapter that although Gatsby threw massive house parties, he had very few true friends. When it actually came time for the funeral it was delayed for a period of time because they were waiting on friends to show up, "But it wasn't any use. Nobody came" (Fitzgerald, 174). Gatsby strove to please people by entertaining them with parties, but he never became close friends with any of them. Nick was his only true friend who stuck around even after he was murdered.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter VIII (pages 152-162)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald begins to use a great deal of suspense throughout this section. The rising action begins when Wilson disappears and begins to head toward West Egg. Then the conditions turn just right when Gatsby orders his butler to stay inside while he goes swimming. I question whether the phone was even on the hook because Nick was never able to get any of his phone calls through. As Gatsby is going swimming the climax reaches is peak when the butler, "Heard the shots -- afterward he could only say that he hadn't thought anything much about them" (Fitzgerald, 161). The climax is finally over. Gatsby has been shot dead. The decision has been unwillingly made as to who Daisy will have to choose. Although it was all a misunderstanding, I think Gatsby would have sacrificed himself in order to keep Daisy alive. Fitzgerald was able to manipulate his writing in a way that kept the reader on the edge of their seat wondering what would happen next. Sadly, the worst possible outcome occur, leaving Gatsby no longer a character in the novel.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter VIII (pages 147-151)

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby involves using many flashbacks of Gatsby's life in order to explain unknown information. Gatsby and Nick have a conversation after Gatsby gets home about his past with Daisy. After Gatsby went off to war, Daisy felt pressure to talk with other men so she began dating a large amount of men. Daisy is waiting for her life to form and finally, "That force took shape in the middle of spring with the arrival of Tom Buchanan" (Fitzgerald, 151). There are a great deal of differences between this novel and the book Dear John, but I believe in some aspects this flashback connects similar themes between these two novels. In both of these stories there is a man who has to go off to war, and the woman they are in love with feels obligated to marry another man. These stories are very unfortunate in the fact that the men's emotions and heart are shattered. I personally do not understand why Daisy could not be patient enough to wait for Gatsby if she truly loved him. Daisy was going through a confusing time in her life and desired some type of reassurance in her life, which is where the story line to Dear John does not match The Great Gatsby. This whole situation just frustrates me that Daisy married another man.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter VI (pages 125-145)

In the second section of Chapter VI in F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby there is a great deal of drama and arguing. Gatsby and Daisy finally inform Tom about the truth of their love for each other. After Tom is informed of this he becomes enraged and tries to deny the situation. Once Tom has realised that Daisy and Gatsby truly love each other, Tom begins to blackmail Gatsby by revealing, "'He and this Wolfsheim bought up a lot of side-street drug-stores here and in Chicago and sold grain alcohol over the counter'" (Fitzgerald, 133). Tom turned an argument about who Daisy truly loved into an ad hominen argument. Quickly realising he was losing the argument, Tom brought up events in the past in order to scare Daisy. These facts about Gatsby's past not only tarnished Gatsby's character, but caused Daisy more confusion on which man she should pick. By attacking Gatsby's character during this situation made matters worse. Tom is weak with arguing so he had to resort to the last measure he had. Judging by the end of the chapter, it looks as thought Tom may have unfortunately won Daisy back.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter VII (pages 113-125)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald continues on with more exciting twists and turns in this chapter. The first section of this chapter involves a great deal of tension between Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy due to a great heat wave. Tom makes several comments that pertain to his research on science, and of course none of his information is true. When talking about how hot the day is, Tom states, "'I read somewhere that the sun's getting hotter every year... It seems that pretty soon the earth's going to fall into the sun -- or wait a minute -- it's just the opposite -- the sun's getting colder every year'" (Fitzgerald, 118). This quote is an example of dramatic irony because I know that none of these facts are accurate. First, the sun is not getting colder, nor will it. Second, due to gravity, the Earth will stay at a constant orbit around the sun, so there is no way the "earth's going to fall into the sun." Lastly, the sun may be getting hotter every year, but it is not that extreme to where the tempurature is that noticable. The sun has its own "life" and as it gets "older" it burns hotter. Tom's facts are rediculous and unreliable that he has to correct his own information because he knows it is ludacris.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter VI (pages 101-111)

This next small section of F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby was actually extremely confusing to me. First, I did not understand why Tom was at Gatsby's house at the beginning of this section. Second,  I understand that the party was not Daisy's scene, but I do not understand why Daisy did not appreciate the small amount of alone time with Gatsby. The third area of confusion is actually the main focus of this blog. Toward the end of the section I believe that Nick gave some insight to one of Gatsby's past memories. The memory recounted, "Then he kissed her. At his lips' touch she blossomed for him like a flower and the incarnation was complete" (Fitzgerald, 111). This flashback is used to present what I believe is the first kiss that Daisy and Gatsby. By creating the image of this flashback the reader is able to understand the relationship and bond that had been held between these two lovers. Through observing Gatsby's memory the reader can infer that Daisy and Gatsby were madly in love and passionate for each other. This is the relationship Gatsby remembers with Daisy and he is having a hard time accepting any different association to her.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter VI (pages 97-101)

In this section of  The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald we learn the truth about Gatsby's past and how he became wealthy. Gatsby actually had very little education and began working just to survive. I do not understand how he is so wealthy he received such little legacy money from his friend Dan Cody. Another big piece of information that can be taken from this chapter is, "The most grotesque and fantastic conceits haunted [Gatsby] in his bed at night" (Fitzgerald, 99). Fitzgerald now makes it clear that something occurred in Gatsby's past that disturbs him. These details of Gatsby reminds me a lot of Miss Bart in The House of Mirth. Both Gatsby and Miss Bart have made mistakes in their past that cause them to lay awake at night fearing their dreams. They both went through times of poverty and both received less money than they would have expected from legacies. Another aspect that brings them together is that they both struggle to obtain love. While Gatsby is trying to get the love of his life back, Miss Bart had to figure out that love was happiness. It is strange how closely related Gatsby and Miss Bart are through their money issues, sleeping habits, and love life.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter V (pages 91-96)

Now that I am a little over halfway in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I am going to give my opinion so far of the novel and point out spots of confusion. So far I think the book is very well written. I do not know what it is about the book, but the characters act and interact with each other as though a real people would. The novel is pretty easy to understand, but one point of confusion I have found is why Tom is cheating on Daisy with a less attractive woman. It just does not make since to destroy a marriage, especially when Tom has a daughter, for a less attractive and more annoying woman. Another point of confusion that I found in this section of Chapter V is that Gatsby makes comments to Daisy that would be considered creepy in today's society, and Daisy finds it sweet. While they are looking out the window Gatsby says, "'If it wasn't for the mist we could see your home across the bay... You always have a green light that burns all night at the end of your dock.'" Daisy responds by, "Put[ting] her arm through his abruptly" (Fitzgerald, 93). In today's society a comment like that would not go over well with a girl or woman. Other than these few points of confusion the book is fairly interesting.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter V (pages 81-90)

In F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby there is a lot of detail to describe each scene in the novel. In order to create this detail, Fitzgerald uses large amounts of imagery. Fitzgerald describes Gatsby throughout the book as a very energetic and constant moving man. It almost seems as though Gatsby is always talking and interrupting others because he is so outgoing. This chapter shows a different side to Gatsby when he is waiting to see Daisy for the first time in almost five years. The clothing Gatsby is wearing is of very high quality but Gatsby, "Was pale, and there were dark signs of sleeplessness beneath his eyes" (Fitzgerald, 84). The reader already has a sense that Gatsby is nervous, but this quote is able to evoke a picture in the readers mind of how ill Gatsby looks. By picturing this the reader may realise that Gatsby has passed the point of just being nervous and is now worrying himself sick over the whole situation. The novel even goes on further stating that he was so nervous that his conversation lacked depth and expression. This comes to show that Gatsby truly is in love with Daisy and has dreamed about this day for a long time.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter IV (pages 71-80)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald has finally reached a turning point in the novel now that Nick learns Gatsby's true motives. Contrary to my last blog post, the novel goes into first person from Miss Watson's point of view. Nick is informed by Miss Watson of Gatsby's unexpected secret. Gatsby is in love with Daisy and wants Nick to, "Invite Daisy to [Nick's] house some afternoon and then let [Gatsby] come over" (Fitzgerald, 78). This further makes Daisy a more important character to the story. Daisy will now have to make a decision as to whether she will divorce her husband or turn Gatsby down. I believe this would make Daisy a dynamic character because action has taken place, which is finding out about the past, and now her role in the novel has changed. She use to be a minor character who was just in the first part of the novel and now she has reappeared as a love interest for one of the major characters. I also find this whole situation to be ironic because previously in this chapter Nick and Gatsby run into Tom Buchanan. The action of the novel is beginning to rise, and I am interested to see how the novel will unfold.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter IV (pages 61-70)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald has taken a turn in this chapter when Nick gets to finally learn about Gatsby's past. This chapter, and of course all of the other chapters, are narrated by Nick himself. Furthermore, since Nick narrates the novel from his vantage point, the book is written in the first person point of view. Nick recounts that, "Once I wrote down on the empty spaces of a timetable the names of those who came to Gatsby's house that summer" (Fitzgerald, 61). Nick is able to share his own personal story, and show the reader things like all the visitors of Gatsby's home that the reader would not know otherwise. Sharing this minor detail of who visited the home helped me to picture in my head what hundreds of strangers piling into Gatsby's home would look like. By being in the first person point of view, the novel is able to be written as if it is a true story that actually occurred. I think it also helps cut down on confusion on comprehending the story because it eliminates the possibility of mistaking one character's thoughts for another. The first person point of view makes the novel more enjoyable because the reader gets to be in Nick's head and experience his details and thoughts. Fitzgerald is able to explain minor details that make a situation more interesting because he uses the first person point of view.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter III (pages 39-59)

F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby offers a great deal of insight and lessons on how certain things can lead to negative outcomes. Beside just the outcomes of having money, Fitzgerald makes it very obvious about how alcohol causes havoc. Earlier in the novel Tom punched Mrs. Wilson because they got into an argument while they were both intoxicated. This chapter offers even more proof that alcohol can destroy relationships when, "Most of the remaining women were now having fights with men said to be their husbands" (Fitzgerald, 51). It seems as though with this society drinking and nonsense arguments go hand-in-hand. Another negative aspect about alcohol is that the day after each party it seems as though some part of Gatsby's home needed, "repairing [for] the ravages of the night before" (Fitzgerald, 39). One man even got into a car accident and was not even conscious enough to understand what had happened. Gatsby, who does not drink at his parties, is a perfects example that being sober helps him to think rationally and actually remember events. Fitzgerald shows us through one of Nick's experiences after another that drinking may be fun, but in the long run it causes a great deal of problems. Nick has moved into a society that seems to do a great deal of partying because they have so much excess money.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter II (pages 22-38)

This next chapter of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald allows the reader to observe the character of Mrs. Wilson, also known as "the mistress." When we first meet this character, she lives in a very poor area and has very little money. Once Tom and Mrs. Wilson are able to meet up, Mrs. Wilson's character begins to show. At the party they throw, Mrs. Wilson acts as though she is more important when she says, "'I told that boy about the ice... These people! You have to keep after them all the time'" (Fitzgerald, 32). Tom is finally able to provide to Mrs. Wilson whatever she wants and needs. She finally is experiencing money in her life. Money changes people, and Mrs. Wilson is a direct example of this cliche. Mrs. Wilson becomes very bossy, acts as though purchased items are not a big deal, and altogether acts as though she is more important than anyone else at the party. From this section the reader may conclude that Mrs. Wilson thinks that having money means that one can be snobby and stuck up. I personally do not like the character of Mrs. Wilson, especially because she is way less attractive than Daisy. I really just do not understand this whole situation because Mrs. Wilson seems to be worse than Daisy.

The Great Gatsby: Chapter I (pages 1-21)

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald begins by explaining who the main character Nick is and a few minor characters. Tom and Daisy Buchanan seem to be going through a tough time in their marriage due to Tom having another woman on the side. Daisy has a very peculiar personality because it seems as though she is very spasmodic and cheerful. When Nick first walks into the room that Daisy is in, she acts very odd when she, "Made an attempt to rise -- she leaned slightly forward with a conscientious expression -- then she laughed, an absurd, charming little laugh" (Fitzgerald, 8). These actions may not seem all that out of the ordinary since we do not fully understand Daisy's character, but I have experienced divorce before and I understand Daisy's motivation. Daisy is acting silly and obnoxious throughout this chapter because she is trying to hide her true feelings. Nick has come back into Daisy's life at a time where she is in despair because she does not know how to react to her husband cheating on her. Rather than showing her sadness, Daisy acts cheerful, talks a great deal, and laughs a lot in order to conceal her true feelings. Being experienced with divorce, I would say that Daisy just wants some attention. Nick thinks she should leave Tom, but I believe she is staying with Tom so that her daughter can have a father figure in her life.

Picture Contest: The House of Mirth, Biltmore House

I visited the Biltmore House earlier this summer. This house was opened in 1895 in Ashville, North Carolina. I could not take pictures inside the house, but I was able to take a picture of me reading The House of Mirth on a fountain about a quarter mile away. The house itself sits on about four acres of land, while the estate stretches about to about 80,000 acres of land. Not only having over one hundred bed rooms and almost fifty bathrooms, the house also contains a library with 23,000-volume collection of books, a swimming pool, bowling alley, gymnasium, and acres of gardens. I found this house to be very interesting because the inside (although it is not shown in the picture) reminds me exactly of the type of lifestyle the characters in The House of Mirth lived. The house even had a dinning room designated specifically for "luncheon" similar to The House of Mirth. Although this home is a little bit more luxurious then the homes Lily Bart visited, I still found it interesting to experience how people during this time period lived. (I also have a pamphlet with information about the tour if Mr. Costello would like to see it).

The House of Mirth: Book II, Chapters XIII and XIV (Overview)

This blog post will be used to give an overview of my thoughts over Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. Despite the tragic ending, I personally enjoyed reading this novel. I was surprised at how much each character changed throughout the course of the book. The book contained a great deal of imagery in the descriptive settings and a great deal of irony through the interaction of characters. Wharton did a great job at creating a suspenseful mood/tone to the book by always having the reader guess what Miss Bart was going to get herself into next. The themes that Wharton included throughout the novel were also very powerful and could teach the reader some good lessons. A quote that I found early on in the book and stood out to me is, "Society is a revolving body" (Wharton, 39). This quote is interesting purely by the fact that it is an accurate statement. Society is constantly changing because of the people who have influence on society. This novel helped me to further understand the issues that come with wealth, and how society impacts the way in which people act. Despite the elevated diction and frequent points of confusion, I actually think this was a really good novel and worth reading again in the future.

The House of Mirth: Book II, Chapters XI and XII

More important themes of a wealthy lifestlye are brought to light in this section of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton. The most important theme is revealed when Miss Bart has to choose how she wants to spend the rest of her life. She most choose whether obtain the material wealth is worth breaking her moral code and standards. Miss Bart has to, "Trade his on [Selden's] name, and profit by a secret of his past," in order to get Mr. Rosedale to marry her (Wharton, 247). Many extremely wealthy people are given a challenge in their career that makes them choose between moral dignity or higher profit, and Miss Bart has hit this challenge. Her view on wealth is so distorted that she is willing to use Selden, who she loves, in order to be accepted by society. Luckily, Miss Bart does not succumb to the temptations that Mr. Rosedale has placed before her so many times. With this theme Wharton is trying to send a message that even in tough times, people can make moral decisions. With this theme, which I believe to be the most important them, also included the climax of the novel. The second Miss Bart dropped the letters into the fire represented that she had overcome the social pressures and was able to finally stick to her moral standards.

The House of Mirth: Book II, Chapters IX and X

Setting yet again plays a big part in understanding Miss Bart's situation in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. Miss Bart's life has completely dropped to her greatest fear, and she is in a world of confusion. While in need of a job to support herself, Miss Bart finds herself in completely new corners of the social spectrum. First, Miss Bart discovers a new style of wealth when she spends time in a New York hotel. She explains this lifestyle as, "Over-heated, over-upholstered, and over-fitted... the product of strong ambitions" (Wharton, 222). Not only does Miss Bart find herself in a new situation, but her surroundings seem to be almost in excess. She is back in a wealthy lifestyle and is tempted by the feeling of luxury and comfort. Shortly after being in this new atmosphere, Miss Bart is completely ripped from this setting and thrown into the complete opposite lifestyle. Miss Bart is now experiencing the working class, and the stress and struggles earning just enough to live. Mr. Rosedale observes this new setting and views, "The blistered brown stone front, the windows draped with discloured lace, and the Pompeian decoration of the muddy vestibule," of Miss Bart's new home (Wharton, 238). By the detailed description of this new setting, the reader can conclude that Miss Bart is in the exact situation she has attempted to avoid over the course of the novel. Being in the dingy setting her mother warned her about, she no longer has anything to run from.

The House of Mirth: Book II, Chapters VII and VIII

Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth is packed full of a series of themes pertaining to the structure of society. Miss Bart begins to stress a great deal about her economic position. While having a discussion with Miss Ferish, Miss Bart explains that, "The man pays it by big tips to his servants, by playing cards beyond his means, by flowers and presents-- and-- lots of other things that cost" (Wharton, 216). Finally Miss Bart is able to come forward and express what society is truly like. Society requires a person to spend their money to excess if one desires to be considered wealthy and important. Even though Miss Bart is, "Sick to death of it," the addiction and dependency on the wealthy lifestyle makes her not want to give it up (Wharton, 217). This dialogue between Miss Farish and Miss Bart allows the reader to fully understand how stressful and sickening living a rich life can be. I believe this is a big theme and message that Wharton is trying to get across throughout the entire novel. Through Miss Bart's lack of sleep as a result of worrying too much about her debts, Wharton is able to show the reader that being wealthy is not as easy as it looks. This section challenges the reader to think twice on whether they truly want to live the "American Dream."

The House of Mirth: Book II, Chapters V and VI

In this section of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, Miss Bart is spending a great deal of time with her new social group. Mrs. Fisher comes to Miss Bart and suggests that she get married as soon as she possibly can. After being suggested to marry Mr. Rosedale, Miss Bart takes some time to ponder the possibility. Miss Bart observes that all Mr. Rosedale needs left in his life is a woman who will help him gain social acceptance. Despite her Mr. Rosedale knowing secrets of Miss Bart's past and his few episodes of blackmail, Miss Bart actually considers pursing Mr. Rosedale. The power that Mr. Rosedale was beginning to obtain is what lured her because, "It was success that dazzled her" (Wharton, 195). Miss Bart is becoming desperate to meet her financial needs, and I believe she is considering even more desperate measures. She knows she would not truly be happy with Mr. Rosedale, but the pressures of poverty have further changed her mind set. The impact of money and comfort tend to have a great deal of influence on Miss Bart's thoughts and decisions. As Miss Bart approaches the end of her money supply, I think she will begin to make poor decisions that may not lead to her achieving happiness.

The House of Mirth: Book II, Chapters III and IV

The death of Mrs. Peniston in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth causes Miss Bart to not only have to pay her debts to Mr. Trenor, but also leaves her alone and independent. Miss Bart ended up not recieving her aunt's large amount of money and estate, so all of her friends began to ignore her. Now she questions who her true friends are that she can trust. Toward the end of this section Miss Bart visits Miss Stepney in order to find out about the money legacies. While having a conversation with Miss Stepney, Miss Bart is blamed for being the reason for Mrs. Peniston's death. Miss Stepney claims that Mrs. Peniston died because of, "Rumours about your affairs that made her most unhappy" (Wharton, 187). I find this accusation to contain a great deal of irony because Miss Stepney was the person who informed Mrs. Peniston of the rumours that were circulating about Miss Bart. Miss Stepney even informs Miss Bart that she had no idea what the rumours were about. Miss Stepney is not only hiding the truth, but she is attempting to put the blame on Miss Bart. Moreover, Miss Bart not only feels abandoned and alone, but now she will most likely feel responsible for the death of her caring aunt.

The House of Mirth: Book II, Chapters I and II

The beginning of the second book of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth has managed to be the greatest point of confusion thus far. The first chapter is easy to follow at first, but as soon as Mr. Selden runs into Miss Bart for the first time, the book suddenly takes a turn into confusion. Selden is making observations of Miss Bart and thinks, "She was 'perfect'"(Wharton, 155). Then in the very next paragraph, the story jumps to Selden going to dinner with Mr. Silverton. Wait-- What!? So random! This section only went downhill from this point. Next thing I know, the novel is back to Miss Bart who is going to breakfast with the Dutchess, and then Miss Bart goes to the Casino to gamble. What ever happened to Miss Bart being done with gambling debts? Then to make matters worse, there is some scene with Mr. Dorset falling on the ground having a "fit", and then he gets up and says he is getting a lawyer. Is Wharton attempting to piece together the most random events possible? The only non confusion that was witnessed in this section was the argument between Miss Bart and Mrs. Dorset. Even with understanding that scene, I can not decide which character I find more at fault.

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapters XIV and XV

Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth has finally reached a turning point within these last two chapters of Book I. The rising action consists of a series of domino effect events. When Miss Bart is trapped inside the Dorset's home by Mr. Dorset, Mr. Selden observes Miss Bart leaving, which causes him to view the situation from a negative perspective. Mr. Rosedale attempts to seduce Miss Bart by saying he would spoil her with all the money she possibly needed, and she almost falls for his tricks. Right as the rising action is about to peak, Miss Bart discovers she loves Mr. Selden, and needs his presence in her life. The turning point is finally brought about when Miss Bart discovers that Mr. Selden, "Was among the passengers sailing this afternoon for Havana and the West Indies on the Windward Linear Antilles" (Wharton, 145). Right as Miss Bart finally makes her decision that she needs Mr. Selden in her life, more conflict occurs by him running off. These few chapters are packed full of drama which allows Wharton to create a suspenseful atmosphere for the reader. The suspenseful style allows the reader to really get into the book and find it interesting. Finally, one note of confusion I have is did Mr. Selden leave on his cruise with Mrs. Dorset? Wharton almost implies that that is what happened, but I am not quite sure if that is accurate.

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapters XII and XIII

Miss Bart shows a new light to her character in this next section of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth. Throughout the novel, Miss Bart has changed a great deal that I would label her as a dynamic character. She is first seen as a selfish and spoiled woman who is able to obtain anything she wanted. This section shows quite the contrary. Miss Farish informs Selden that, "Lily had given us three hundred dollars... she collected a lot of money from her friends... she has been there with me twice... but as if she liked it as much as they did" (Wharton, 108). It seems as though Miss Bart has had a change of heart throughout the entire novel. She is beginning to put others, specifically those in need, first before herself. She could have used that money to buy a new dress, or spent her time at some dinner or party. Later, when the painting of Miss Bart is displayed during the performance, Mr. Van Alstyne observes, "What's a woman want with jewels when she's got herself to show" (Wharton, 112). Rather than covering her dress with jewels and expensive accessories, Miss Bart wears a simple dress. This seems very unlike the Miss Bart that was observed earlier in the novel who spent all her money on the finest clothing. Miss Bart is finally becomming her true self, and who Selden wants her to be.

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapter XI

Edith Wharton uses very unique structure throughout her novel The House of Mirth. This chapter actually confused me at first and I found it very annoying, but after reviewing the structure I found her paragraphs to be quite organized. There are first a series of paragraphs that explain how Mrs. Peniston, in my opinion, is kind of a busybody and takes note on what everyone in town is doing. These paragraphs also mention that the details of Miss Bart's life, "Did not fall within the range of Mrs. Peniston's vision" (Wharton, 98). Next Wharton dedicates a few paragraphs to explain how Miss Stepney has a strong dislike toward Miss Bart. Wharton structures her paragraphs in such a way that she is able to explain the background information before discussing what is about to occur. Now that Wharton has set the scene for this chapter, she brings both of these characters together into one dialogue where Miss Stepney is able to get her revenge on Miss Bart.  Since Mrs. Peniston pays no attention to Miss Bart, it is able to come as a surprise when Miss Stepney shares the rumors that are circulating about Miss Bart. This structure also allows for a great deal of what I believe to be foreshadowing. Wharton points out that Mr. Rosedale finds Miss Bart to be the final variable for his equation to social success, and she also adds a great deal of emphasis on Mrs. Peniston being very angry before her dinner party. I wonder what Miss Bart will be getting herself into next...

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapters IX and X

Two characters cause conflict in the next section of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton through the use of blackmail. The first antagonistic character is Mrs. Haffen who comes to Miss Bart unannounced with a collection of letters between Mr. Selden and Mrs. Dorset. Lacking both money and employment, Mrs. Haffen demands a large sum or else she will release the letters. This action could possibly tarnish Mr. Selden's character, so Miss Bart feels it is her duty to obtain possession of the letters. Furthermore, Miss Bart has to use her own spending money to pay this woman off. Later on in this section, Mr Rosedale causes more havoc for Miss Bart when he invites her to see an opera, but persuades her by saying he, "Hear[ed] Gus pulled off a nice little pile for [her] last month" (Wharton, 92). This is not the first time in the novel where Mr. Rosedale uses information against Miss Bart. With the information he gathers, he uses it to manipulate Miss Bart into acting as he prefers. Mr. Rosedale has become a barrier that Miss Bart has to overcome by unwanted flattery and kindness. It seems to me that every character in this book tends to cause conflict with Miss Bart in some way or another.

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapters VII and VIII

In this next section of Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth, Miss Bart discovers that Mr. Gryce has left Bellomont because she has scared him away. Miss Bart then decides to turn to a minor character who has only been mentioned a few times in the novel. She approaches Mr. Trenor and in utilizes her skill of charming others is able to come up with a solution; he invests her money for her in order to generate a greater revenue. Mr. Trenor is now given an important role which consists of keeping money and debt related stress off of Miss Bart's shoulders. Miss Bart is now almost forced to become good friends with Mr. Trenor, and keep herself on his good side so that nobody finds out about these circumstances. Mr. Trenor is now a new liability that Miss Bart must worry about and keep in balance. She believes that it will be, "Reassuringly easy to keep Trenor in a good humour" (Wharton, 69). Moreover, with this new found friendship comes a new challenge to Miss Bart. In order to repay Mr. Trenor for his services, Miss Bart must find favor with Mr. Rosedale and accept him as an acquaintance. I am interested to see whether the role of Mr. Trenor will become a successful move on Miss Bart's part, or whether she will regret it in the future.

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapters V and VI

The scene in Edith Wharton's The House of Mirth where Miss Bart creates an even bigger tangle of lies in order to have alone time with Mr. Selden. These two characters have been friends for over eight years, but now they begin to have feelings and thoughts about each other past just a friendship. They have an extended dialogue which allows them to discuss deep topics such as their personal views on success, society, and the future. After observing how each of these characters interact with each other, I have come to the conclusion that Miss Bart's view of success is distorted due to how society influences her. This view on success directly relates to her plans for the future, and she is finally able to realise that she will have, "a miserable future" (Wharton, 57). Mr. Selden on the other hand is able to block out what society deems correct, so his belief of success will allow him to be content with his future. Furthermore, Mr. Selden is able to push the limit during their conversation about Miss Bart's future because he is able to predict how she will react. Another important topic Miss Bart and Mr. Selden talk about is marriage. They both decide that they would enjoy being married to each other, but Mr. Selden knows he does not have the wealth in which Miss Bart is looking for in a husband. Their conversation ends with Mr. Selden becoming annoyed that Miss Bart is so quick to jump back to acting like her normal personality.

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapters III and IV

Throughout this next section of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, the author uses details of the setting for multiple reasons. Wharton not only uses setting to establish a time and place, but she also allows powerful imagery to help the reader visualize the atmosphere. Bellomont is presented as a very visually appealing location when Wharton states, "The hall was arcaded... pale yellow marble... Tall clumps of flowering plants... dark foliage... crimson carpet... struck sparkles from their jewels" (Wharton, 19). This imagery used in the setting allows the reader to illustrate Bellomont in their mind in order to gain a better understanding of Miss Bart's experiences. Most people would be in awe with such skilled architecture and emanate colors, but Miss Bart is not longer impressed. Furthermore, this sample of setting not only allows the reader to imagine the experience, but also gives the reader the opportunity to learn more about Miss Bart's picky nature. Later, after a night of reflecting on her unfortunate past, Miss Bart wakes up and observes, "[her] surroundings ministered to feelings of ease and amenity" (Wharton, 31). Wharton continues this paragraph by giving a detailed explanation of the atmosphere of this scene. She offers descriptions of a park with well trimmed hedges outside, a fire kindled and breakfast-tray placed by the maid, and a beautiful scenery. From these observations, the reader can grasp a sense of how Miss Bart is accustomed to a luxurious and wealthy lifestyle.

The House of Mirth: Book I, Chapters I and II

Edith Wharton's novel The House of Mirth begins by dropping the reader into the aristocratic lifestyle of  Miss Lily Bart. Interacting with acquaintances she runs into, Miss Bart has to preserve her image through perfectly devised lies and false facts. Through these lies, the reader capture a sense of what the society of the 17th century expected of women. First Miss Bart shows the reader a little glimpse society while she is conversing with an old friend, Mr. Selden, about marriage when she claims, "'A girl must, a man may if he chooses'" (Wharton, 8). When Miss Bart declared this belief of society, she is able to convey to the reader that women were expected to make decisions that may not have been in their best interest. Later in this section, Miss Bart begins her web of lies when she has a brief dialogue with Mr. Rosedale. Instead of being truthful with Mr. Rosedale, she invents a lie of why she is in the Benedick. Although this lie ends up causing her to look worse, the reader may observe that Miss Bart created this lie in order to keep her reputation in public affairs. Finally, at the very end of the section Miss Bart acts as though she has never smoked before in order to gain favor with Mr. Gryce, whom she wishes to marry. She is so consumed with how she is viewed by her peers that she lacks the ability to even be honest with the man she hopes to be someday be wed. Through the comments and distortion of truth in this first section, Wharton shows the reader that society is obsessed with social status and acceptance.