Frankenstein

There was a motif in this story of master and slave. Both the monster and Victor believed that they were slaves. Victor was the slave of despair, which was created by the monster. With each death, he fell further into depression. He felt the shackles upon his wrists and his mind. Also, the monster felt that he was a slave. At one point, he convinced Victor that although "You [Victor] are my creator, I am your master" (122). However, after Victor's death, the creature bitterly realized that he still had his shackles. His master was man. Because he was ill formed, the creature spent his time trying to be accepted somewhere within society. Each time he attempted, the people detested him. He could not live with society and function as a normal person. He was always alone in the world. These shackles remained with him as he will live his days on the North Pole.

Frankenstein

The creature kills almost every loved one in Victor's life; yet, the creature has a soul and conscious like a human. It has the same feelings as any other human being. Killing another human being can hurt the psyche of the creature as it would any human. It is not natural to kill someone who has done nothing to cause them bodily harm. In his revenge, the creature murdered Victor's family. His mind was not unharmed while doing so: "I recollected my threat, and resolved that it should be accomplished. I knew that I was preparing for myself a deadly torture" (164). He felt guilt, and these deaths did not give him any satisfaction. He still wanted a wife and to find love. Since Victor impeded this, his desire for revenge dimmed his guilt of killing his loved ones. After Victor's death, the beast was remorseful and vowed to live on the North Pole until his death.

Frankenstein

When the monster leaves Victor at the shack where he was building the monster, the creature leaves him with a promise, "I shall be with you on your wedding night" (123). Victor believes that he will be murdered on this night. However, the monster and the audience knows differently. Victor is alive and recounting the story with Walton. Therefore, the monster targets Elizabeth. There seems to be a poetic justice to this. Victor barred the creature's way to love, and so it shall be with Victor. He lost the love of his life when he refused to create the female. After his wife's death, his perspective about the monster changed. He no longer wanted to be the hunted but the hunter. He desired revenge of his wife, his brother, his father, and his best friend. This dramatically changed his motive. He no longer had people to love except his brother Ernest, so he wanted to vanquish his foe. He had no love left in his life, so he was consumed again by an obsession. He obsessed over his revenge. No matter the hunger, thirst, or exhaustion, Victor would travel with the monster until his last breath.

Frankenstein

Victor's character blinds him from seeing the truth about the second creature until he begins to make its body. He commences building it so that both creatures will leave in exile. Victor demands a "solemn oath to quit Europe forever, and every other place in the neighbourhood of man" (107). However, he does not think of the consequences of his actions. His idealistic ways force his mind to narrow. He believes he is doing the correct action by making the monster leave forever. Yet, he does not make the connection that he creates another being with a sharp mind and a strong body. Many possibilities could unfold like the monsters reproducing or they desire a child. He does not think of these until late at night when she is almost complete. This lack of a sense of realism blocked him at least twice from the necessary actions. He should have never agreed to create another monster; likewise, he should not have made the first. He wanted to create it to stop disease and possibly death; however, he created a humongous monster, who was more powerful and intelligent than a man. His idealistic attitude prevented him from seeing all the more likely outcomes to the situations.

Frankenstein

In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, the monster finds a hovel. It becomes his home and his sanctuary while he learns the language slowly without the eyes of man to scorn him . When Safie comes to the family, the creature acquired a partner to learn the language of the DeLacey family. He begins to compare himself to her. He acknowledges her affect upon the family's morale. Their faces brightened when she arrived at the cottage. Soon, they learn the language, but the monster learns at a faster rate. Priding himself on this, he relayed it to Victor: "I may boast that I improved more rapidly than the Arabian, who understood very little and conversed in broken accents, whilst I comprehended and could imitate almost every word that was spoken. (84)" He hopes that since the DeLaceys accepted a foreigner from a distant land and who did not understand the language, they will accept him too. He has done things for the family like collecting wood while he learned the language. He believed that he had more to offer them than the Arabian, yet they treated him differently. Once he presented his gruesome exterior to the family, the parallels diverge. Where they loved and adored Safie, they screamed and fainted at the sight of the creature. His hope crushed; he realized that he would never be accepted by man.

Frankenstein, Mary Shelly

In regard to the monster that Frankenstein created, it is more intelligent than a person may suppose. It became intelligent like any other child tries to be. When he was made, the creature did not do many things. He could not speak unless it was gibberish. As time grew on, he learned through his experience. Like a child, he had many experiences that taught him to behave a certain way. On one occasion,  he found a fire and "In my joy I thrust my hand into the live embers, but quickly drew it out again with a cry of pain" (Shelly, 72). This shows that he could feel pain and learned not to redo the action because of the pain that he suffered. Still, he could not speak in a fashion like any human. He found a family that he observed throughout the day. Like many children, he learned certain words with his study. Soon, he knew basic words. As the monster recounts its story, it speaks eloquently, which shows that he has a firm grasp upon the language.

Frankenstein, Mary Shelly

Within Frankenstein by Mary Shelly, Frankenstein cannot elude death's horrible reach when he comes home in Geneva. He receives a letter beforehand that states the murder of his youngest brother. Elizabeth, Ernest, and his father were all distressed by the occurrence. Victor believes that the monster killed his brother although Justine Mortiz was accused. She was put on trial, condemned, and died, but she was innocent. Frankenstein knew who had done the murder but did not reveal his secret because he felt it was too far fetched. No one would believe him. He remained silent, and after the execution, his guilt evaded every thought that he had. Eventually, he contemplated death: "... often, I say, I was tempted to plunge into the silent lake, that the waters might close over me and my calamities forever" (Shelly, 62). He was on the verge of suicide to try to remove himself from his guilt and despair; however, he felt that he had a duty to kill the beast and avenge William and Justine.

Frankenstein, Mary Shelly

Within chapter five, Frankenstein completed the monster. Terror, which was his first reaction, erupted from his mind. He stated, "I had gazed on him while unfinished; he was ugly then; but when those muscles and joints were rendered capable of motion, it became a thing such as even Dante could not have conceived (Shelly, 36)." He alludes to Dante, who was an author of Dante's Inferno. Dante fashioned a new, detailed hell through which his character traveled. Because Frankenstein constructed a monster, he thought he was going through hell. He believed that his situation is worse than anything that the author could imagine. Frankenstein ran away from his creation. Eventually, the creature left the dormitory, and Frankenstein was relived not to see him. However, Frankenstein formed a foundation for a new hell even worse than his wildest imagination.

Frankenstein, Mary Shelly

In Mary Shelly's Frankenstein, Walton and the stranger upon the boat has many commonalities. Both are driven by their dreams to the point of ignoring familial bonds. Mrs. Saville and Frankenstein's family, especially Elizabeth, write to them to correspond with them. Also, Walton and Frankenstein have educated themselves upon their topic. As a result, their dreams are of different topics but the same essence. They wanted to do something that has never been done before in terms of their career fields. Because of these commonalities, they bonded quickly. Frankenstein pleas with Walton, " I had determined, at one time, that the memory of these evils should die with me, but you have won me to alter my determination. You seek for knowledge and wisdom, as I once did; and I ardently hope that the gratification of your wishes may not be a serpent to sting you, as mine has been (Shelly, 13)." He does not wish that Walton's dreams ends as his did. He hopes to deter Walton from making the same mistakes as he did.

Frankenstein, Mary Shelly

Within Robert Walton's letters to his sister, he speaks of his adventure to the north pole. He is confident in his endeavors, yet he cannot escape his doubts. At the end of his first letter, he writes, "If I fail, you will see me again soon, or never (Shelly, 3)." He is afraid of failing. Dreaming of reaching land to which has never been traveled has been his aspiration since he was a young child. Although he deferred his dream to learn poetry, Walton still had an inclination towards learning of the sea. When his cousin died and left him a small fortune, Walton aspired again his dream to the north pole. He has spent time and money on his dream, and soon, he will be completing it. Finally, he has chartered a boat and hired a crew. However, he fears that his anxiety will become a reality upon the sea.

Miss Brill

In the short story, "Miss Brill" by Mansfield, the people at the part alienates her. As she sits, she begins to think of life being a stage. She sees herself as a valueable asset to the play. She thinks, "no doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn't been there; she was part of teh perfomance after all (Mansfield, 185)." Bundled in her fur coat, she came every Sunday to the park. She thought that she was essential to the scene on Sundays. However, she realized that she deterred most of the action from occurring. A couple would not start speaking to each other until she left. They knew that she was attempting to listen into their conversation. Eventually, Miss Brill left without going to the bakery. She returned to her room and cried because she felt alienated from the others. Miss Bart's feeling of unity shatters her previous feeling of unity.

I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain

In Emily Dickinson's poem, "I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain," the speaker has become crazy. She repeats "treading" and "beating" to expound her lunacy (Dickinson, 776). When a person has a terrible headache, every sound seems to be intensified. The sounds pound inside of her head. She focuses on the sounds, which increases her feeling of craziness. Also, she states that the "Plank of Reason" broke. As it breaks, she finds herself randomly in the world, but then, she plunges back into her insanity. Eventually, she has lost all reasons for her actions. She finishes life without a true grasp on reality. With the last line, "Finished knowing-then- (776)", she has gone crazy.

Much Madness is divinist Sense

In the poem, "Much Madness is divinist Sense", Dickinson declares that the crazy people have a "discerning Eye" (Dickinson, 830). They can see the world in which others cannot. Yet, they are persecuted by the populous for their differences. Their ideas are discredited. Due to their opinions, they are separated from the community. In certain cases, they are punished for thinking in a way that is not like the majority. She states that a person must have a sense of madness to voice his opinion. The person acknowledges that the opinion of the masses is not the only belief. Instead of being sane and withholding his opinion, he declares it. As a result, he is treated differently and persecuted.

APO 96225

In the poem, APO 96225 by Rottmann, a soldier writes to his mother. At first, he writes about the superficial events in the Vietnam War. He begins, "sure rains a lot here (Rottmann, 846)." The mother awaits for the letter and desires more information. She asks for specific events. However, the son knows that the war is not something for fragile ears. He keeps giving small, fun statements about the monkies and the sunset. Eventually, the mother demands actual information about what is occurring in the other country. The son explicitly states, " Today I killed a man. Yesterday, I helped drop napalm on women and children (846)." Afterwards, it creates a sense of situational irony because she no longer wanted to know what actually occurred during the war.

Bartleby, the Scivener

The character Bartelby from Herman Melville's short story "Bartleby, the Scrivener" parallels many men who work on Wall Street. A strange fellow, Bartleby does not attempt to connect socially with other people even his collegues in the law firm. They know nothing about him outside of the firm. They do not know if Bartleby has a family or anything of the sort. Furthermore, he does not leave the office at all while refusing any work that he prefers not to do. Although he avoids normalcy, he is similar to the lawyer and narrator of the story. The narrator says that he feels sympathy for him because "both I and Bartleby were sons of Adam (657).", yet they had more in common than he would want to admit. The narrator exemplified many of Bartleby's qualities: passive, unwilling to leave the workplace, and the lack of familial bonds. Presently, Bartleby's state is more drastic because he is like a body without a soul. He is a drastic example of Wall Street's businessmen, who live to work and prefer not to live a life outside the workplace.

Do Not Go Gentle into the Good Night~Dylan Thomas

The refrains in "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas are "Rage, rage against the dying of the light" and do not go gentle into that good night (Thomas, 968)." The speaker describes various types of men to fight against the light of heaven. He says that death will come; however, everyone should live life with the hopes to live longer. Telling them to fight for their lives, he urges to the good men. To his father, he says to start fighting because death is near. To the wild men, he warns them not to waste their lives by chasing after life. In the other three stanzas, he depicts wise men as an example because they fight against death until it overtakes them. Finally, grave men are paradigms to the rest. Because they live life, accept death, and are happy, they exemplify fighting against death. At the end of each stanza, one of the refrains is utilized.

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Death, be not proud~ John Donne

The poem "Death, be not proud" by John Donne personifies death. Donne commands death to become humble. Because death cannot keep humans from reaching heaven or hell, Donne names death "one short sleep (Donne, 972)". By demoting death from a scary event to a simple sleep, Donne humbles him. It seems less petrifying. Also, Donne encourages death to take him if death would cease to exist. He believes that by dying, people can live again. In the end, death dies because it cannot terminate a person's life fully. Death may capture the lives of men, but he cannot stop them from waking. Death only stops life for a quick time before God opens the person's eyes in heaven.

Crossing the Bar~ Alfred, Lord Tennyson

Within Alfred, Lord Tennyson's poem, "Crossing the Bar", the allegory describes a person crossing from death to life. On a superficial level, a man goes to the sea. The sea is tranquil until God calls him home. However, the man symbolizes the soul. Also, the home that is desired by the man is his desire for his ultimate goal of heaven. The sea is Purgatory because he must embark. The man is there until his God, the Pilot, calls him home. He says "may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark (Lord Tennyson 886)" because he wants to go to God. He desires to be in his final resting place in heaven. When he crosses the bar, God permits him into heaven.

The Lottery ~Jackson

The townspeople held the tradition of "The Lottery" for generations. Since its inauguration, each denizen would come to the center of town to choose a sacrifice. One person with a dot would be stoned due to the  saying: "lottery in June, corn be heavy soon (Jackson268)." However, because of the many generations of sacrifices, the reason loses its meaning. It does not hold any significance, yet no one questions it. Jackson makes a point with Lettie's final words: "It isn't fair, it isn't right (271)." Although she was a friend to the people, she was stoned. To make matters worse, they allowed her youngest son to have pebbles to throw at her. No one made exceptions like the northern town, who quit the lottery. It illustrates the theme that people should sometimes question tradition.

A Rose for Emily ~ Faulkner

 The structure, which is broken into five distinct sections, plays a key role in the short story "A Rose for Emily" by Faulkner. First, the townspeople form the narration. For example, in the second segment, the townspeople said, "We did not say she was crazy then (Faulkner, 285)." This statement implies that now they know that she is crazy. Then, in the final section, the townspeople reveal why. They find a dead body, which is suspected to be Homer Barron, in her dusty bed. To further Emily's mental instability, they find a piece of her hair beside him. Lonely, Emily drugged and killed him with arsenic and slept with Mr. Barron. Secondly, each section alludes to a bigger climax, which acts as the paradigm of Emily's insanity. When they finally find the body, the other pieces of details from the first four accounts fall into order. They imply that the arsenic that she bought was to drug Barron. Also, the denial of her father's death suggests that she is mentally unstable. Even smaller details, such as the hair, finds a place in the story: "Up to the day of her death at seventy-four it was still that vigorous iron-gray like the hair of an active man (288)." The story concludes with a piece of hair on the bed next to Barron. Finally, the sections are not chronological. It demonstrates that the townspeople's gossip is the story instead of a definitive narrator. It leaves a level of uncertainty because they will never know if Emily killed the young man.

TGM 5

Amanda finally asked him to leave in anger. She did not realize that Tom would actually flee the house that night and never return. Like his father, he escapes his coffin. In contrast, a nail nicks Tom again and again. Tom narrates, "The window is filled with pieces of colored glass, tiny transparent bottles in delicate colors, like bits of a shattered rainbow. Then all at once my sister touches my shoulder (1289)." He cannot release his memories of his sister. He unconsciously reminds himself of his sister. He asks for the Laura's intercession to "blow your [her] candles out(1289)!" He desires to remove all memories of his past life to explore the future, yet he cannot let go of the past.

TGM 4

Finally, the gentleman caller awaits at the door; Amanda prepares everything from new furniture to the food that they will eat. However, Laura realizes Mr. Jim O'Connor is the same as her high school crush. She makes herself sick with her shyness when Amanda makes Laura answer the door. "Why Laura, you are sick, darling( 1271)!" exclaims her mother. Laura is fragile like her glass collection. One false move, and she breaks like her menagerie. She retracts from society due to her timid behavior. Her family has placed her upon a shelf by cradling her throughout her life. Allowing Laura to quit school without consequence, Amanda disregards this behavior. Also, Tom excuses Laura from normalcy due to her handicap. As a result, she never takes action. She stays on her safe shelf until someone comes to break it.

TGM 3

After his dispute with his mother, Tom returns to the apartment drunk. He went to the movies and watched a magician perform various tricks of which the best was nailing a coffin shut. Tom discusses it with Laura, "We nailed him into a coffin and he got out of the coffin without removing one nail. There is a trick that would come in handy for me- get me out of this 2 by 4 situation(1249)!" Astounded, Tom relates his family to the closely-compact coffin. The house constricts him from reaching any of his potential as an adventurer or writer. Afterwards, a light gleams against the portrait of his father. Like the magician, he cleanly left the house for another life. He was able to remove himself from the witch of a wife, and Tom admired his father. He hatched an idea to relive his father's steps and leave his family forever.

TGM 2

Through one of their worst arguments, Tom yells, "You'll go up, up on a broomstick, over Blue Mountain with seventeen gentlemen callers! You ugly- babbling old - witch... (1247)" This metaphor categorizes  Amanda as babbling, ugly, and old. Most importantly, it states that she is a witch. Without potions and spells, she has drained all of Tom's aspirations. He cannot travel the world because she traps him with responsibility. Also, he cannot write poetry freely because of his job at the warehouse. He feels trapped by her incessant talk of the Blue Mountain and her gentlemen callers. Amanda is ugly within her mind because she coerces others to do her bidding. She forces Tom to work a job that he loathes and Laura to charm a man into marriage although she is drastically timid. Overall, the metaphor demonstrates the tension between Tom and his mother. He cannot bear to live with her and eludes to her living even after the house explodes. He thinks she would save herself and fly away while she allowed the others within the house to die.

The Glass Menagerie 1

Scene 2

Within the second scene of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Amanda defines her relationship between Laura and  her. After she learns of Laura's lack of attendance in class, Amanda inquires, "What are we going to do, what is going to become of us, what is the future (1241)?" In Amanda's mind, she connects her daughter's success to her security. If Laura fails to acquire a suitable job or charm a man, Amanda and Laura will become beggars, who live off of Tom's meager salary. She will do everything in her power to stop this from occurring. She reprimands Laura for quitting college classes asking, "Is that the future that we've mapped out for ourselves(1243)?" She always utilizes second person plural instead of allowing Laura's fate become her own. As a result, Amanda's and Laura's fates entwine completely, and Amanda views her as a way to succeed in life. Later, she becomes determined to seek a gentleman caller because "some girls do marry (1243)". Amanda sees marriage as the last resort to stabilize her family's security. 

Joy of Cooking

In the poem, "The Joy of Cooking", the speaker elucidate to her siblings character traits through their eating habits. The cook likes to prepare her sister's tongue with horseradish, a dish with a bitter, harsh taste. If prepared another time, the chef would prepare it with "a creole sauce or a mold of aspic (Magarrell, line 8)". The spicy sauce reveals that the sister has a blunt, almost brutal personality. The chef has "scrubbed and skinned it (line 2)", which means she has reprimanded her sister for her biting personality. Each time that it returns, she will remove it again with another wonderful dish. On the other hand, the chef desires her brother's heart for her next entree. She recommends a apple-onion stuffing, which would make it sweeter and hopefully less dry. The brother's heart is tiny, alluding to the lack of love and compassion. She expounds his personality, calling it heartless and boring. To make it better, he would need something sweet or sour to give him an extra hint of excitement.

"Those Winter Sundays"

"Those Winter Days" ~ Robert Hayden

The love of this father endures forever, yet the relationship between the speaker and the father suffers from the lack of conversation. The speaker is "fearing the chronic angers of that house (Hayden, 781)." Indifferent to his father's attempts to help the relationship, the speaker ignores his father. He does not realize the father's efforts with the fire and the shoe polishing. In the dead of winter, the father would rise and tend to the fire. Only calling to his child when the house warmed, the act demonstrated his love. He suffered through the hypothermic cold to heat the house for his son. Although the father may have a short temper, he strives to make the child happy. Nevertheless, the speaker states definitively that no one ever thanked him. He takes his love for granted.

The Drunkard

At the beginning of "The Drunkard", Larry tried to impede his father's drinking: "I was being attached to the party to act as a brake on Father (O'Connor, 344)." This extended metaphor leads the audience to think of a car. A brake stops the car from moving as the child prohibits the father from drinking. Instead of applying the emergency brake and finally stopping his father's drinking, the boy pushes on the break only for brief periods of time. He attempts to make the father leave early from the pub by asking if they can go home now. Larry releases the brake when Father promises him lemonade. Again, he implements the brake when he requests to leave a second time. The father refuses, and the brake weakens. Finally, the boy administers the long-lasting emergency brake slowly. He drinks the alcohol, and his head whirs. Making a fool of himself and his father, the boy slurs his words and vomits. The commotion that he creates spreads throughout the town's gossip. The father now realizes his mistake in whiskey because he sees his flaw within his own son.

Once Upon a Time

Miffed because someone asked her to write a child's story, Gordimer created an allegory in "Once upon a Time" to an old children's tale with dragons, towers, and an evil witch. It was exactly what the person wanted; nevertheless, the story took on newer setting. The sinister witch, who is described as the husband's mother, persistently pushed for the wife and husband to blockade their home from the world. When the wife wanted a bigger wall, the mother-in-law "paid for the extra bricks as her Christmas present (Gordimer, 234)." Like magic, the construction workers built a wall, trapping the family inside. Also, the mother gifted a book of fairy tales to her grandson, which translates to the apple in Snow White or the spindle in Sleeping Beauty. The grandson falls for the trick and reads the book, which ultimately leads to his demise. The dragon, another vital aspect of many classic stories, visits this allegory. "DRAGON'S TEETH The People For Total Security (235)" creates a barbed wire dragon that protects the family or traps them even further. The fairy tale defers. Instead of the Prince vanquishing the dragon, the dragon devours the little boy Price. That is the fairy tale that Gordimer spun. 

A Worn Path

"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty

"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty describes the undying love of Phoenix Jackson to her grandson. This crazy, old lady treks miles throughout the day to get medication for him, yet throughout the short story, many indications elude that the grandson is no longer alive. Welty describes a scene, "Down in the hollow was the mourning dove- it was not too late for him (Welty, 224)." Within context, the mourning dove flew into the sunlight like a soul would fly to heaven. The utilization of a pun she recites mourning to not only indicate the type of bird. It signifies a death, not a simple sunrise. Also, Phoenix hallucinates twice during her excursion. While she rested, her grandson  "brought her a plate with a slice of marble-cake on it (224)..." She reaches up to receive the cake yet obtains nothing. Further on, she imagines a person helping her up when she falls. The little boy in her dreams tried to help her up, yet when she reached her hand remains empty. Her mind gives her someone that Phoenix cannot keep in real life. It offers her her grandson, which relays to the theme. She will do anything to keep his memory alive in her mind.

Post 5

Divided into three groups, people make things happen, watch things happen, or wonder what happens. In A Raisin in the Sun, the characters fall within these categories. Although he never appeared physically within the book, Walter's father made things happen. Through his death, he made things possible to his children and wife to move out of the small, dingy apartment. Also, mama forces things to happen; she moves the family. In a broader sense, she forces her new neighbors to either accept her or deny her when she moves into her new house. It creates more assimilation or a push for civil rights. On the other hand, Ruth permitted things to happen. She let Walter drink every night because she did not know what to do. Stuck, she could not move or breathe, yet she had no motivation to move herself out of her despair.Finally, Travis wonders what happens. Primarily because of his age, Travis does not fully comprehend why Lindner arrived at his family's apartment. His family holds his life in their decisions, and Mama manipulates Walter to see that he is wrong. She says, "No. Travis, you stay right here. And you make him understand what you doing, Walter Lee. You teach him good (147)." Walter could not permit a pay off while his son was looking because of his pride and background.

Post 4

Vernacular demonstrates the differences between the various classes. Prevalent within A Raisin in the Sun, the characters speak by shortening some of their words. Beneatha articulates her words and out of all the people, she assimilates herself an educated audience. Mama, Ruth, and Walter Lee are decently educated. They talk without slurring many words together, yet they still have a certain dialect that makes them distinguishable. Before Walter Lee reveals his plans to his family about allowing Lindner give money, he alters his voice, "Captain, Mistuh, Bossman, Great White, Father, just gi' ussen de money, fo' God's sake, and we's - we's ain't gwine come out deh and dirty up yo' white folks neighborhood (144)..." This mode of speaking demonstrates the uneducated slave. Walter demotes himself and his family back by his dialect. He allows the white men to have dominance over him by calling him Captain and Bossman. The manner in which a person speaks exhibits the class and the education that which a slave had. By reverting to the habit, it reveals the helplessness that Walter feels within himself.

Post 3

Raisin in the Sun

Before her play commences, Hansberry presents the poem "A Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes. This epigraph divulges the major theme of the play before the reader turns the first page. The dreams realized, deferred, or laid off creates the topic of discussion. Each character considers his or her dreams; nevertheless, the way in which they act upon those drives differ completely. Ruth desires Walter's love and affections. Her dreams of family were ignored. She realizes that she could not be enough for him because his dreams deprived him of happiness. Walter's desire for monetary wealth and other yearnings. He tells his mother, "I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy...(73)" He cannot wait to have what he wants, and his impatience coerces him to alienate his family. Also, Mama desires a house; she realizes her dream but at a cost of possible bodily harm. Finally, Beneatha demands medical excellence by going to college. However, these single dreams do not compare to their combined dream. They covet freedom. They want to be able to live like the white people do and be treated equally. They wait and wait for this to happen until Walter explodes. He redeems himself and moves into the house to become an equal.

Post 2

Raisin in the Sun

(last page)

The door opens and she [Mama] comes back in, grabs her plant, and goes out for the last time (151).

Mama retrieves the plant from her old home and leaves forever. This last action signifies hope because the plant, which was never able to grow, can flourish under Mama's hand. In the book, Hansberry comments on this withering plant constantly. Symbolizing the external conflicts within the house, the plant almost dies. The plant cannot survive well because it is not properly nourished with sunlight. As the plant cannot thrive without sunlight, the family cannot prosper without love. As the plant cannot grow without proper soil, the family cannot excel without a proper house. Fianlly, the plant wilts, and so the family bonds wither when Walter loses the money. However, all this can change with the change of scenery. The new house promises hope and revival of the family.

Raisin in the Sun 1

Raisin in the Sun

Hansberry utilizes an allusion of Prometheus to Walter. First, it angers Walter because he never acquired an education to acknowledge the insult. He even goes on to discredit Murchison: "Prometheus! I bet there ain't even no such thing! I bet that simple-minded clown (86)-" Thinking it was a hoax to make him feel stupid, he disregards the encounter without many qualms; however, the allusion still rings true. Prometheus from a Greek legend stole fire from the gods without permission. He went to earth and gave it to the humans. In regards to the situation, Walter Lee transforms into Prometheus. He withheld his familial duties to place half the money in the bank for Beneatha's schooling and stole it for a gamble. The gods smite Prometheus by cursing him; he can no longer eat or drink. Whenever he tries to reach for food, it magically flies from his hand. Just like the gods, Mama struck Walter for losing the money. Finally, their similar punishments round out the allusion. Coerced to live without their desires met, they die internally. Both Walter with his dreams unrealized and Prometheus become depressed and without real urgency to deal with the past.

Identity Unit Post 5

"Interpreter of Maladies"
Jhumpa Lahiri

Number 7

In the beginning of the story, Mr. Kapasi began to admire Mrs. Das. He imagined them having a relationship after she returned to the United States through letters. They felt comfortable around each other. Mrs. Das reveals a deep, guilt-ridden secret to Mr. Kapasi because of the confidence. Although it must have felt good to tell someone her secret, it shoves a barrier between the two. This function is supposed to create  a cultural barrier in between the heritage of America and that of India. Although they are both unhappy in their marriages, Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi provide different solutions to their predicament. Mr. Kapasi realizes the horrors of American marriages. Having an affair, Mrs. Das's son is not her husband's son: "Raj's. He's not Raj's son (Lahiri, 161)". In the United States, affairs occur many times over affairs in India although they have the right to choose whomever they marry instead of having it arranged. It baffles Kapasi that this event could occur since he has never seen his wife nude. Hitherto, Kapasi wanted a relationship, but now, he wants to create a barrier. He like the readers do not feel sympathy because they see it mostly from the Indian perspective. 

Identity Unit Post 4

"Everyday Use"
Alice Walker
Round Character

In this short story, the most striking details were the names that were used for Dee, Asalamalakim, Wangero or Miss Wangero- the round character. These three different names describe three different perspectives in the same person. Ac costumed to obtaining every desire, Dee lived with everything at her disposal. She knew that if she asked and if it was in the mother's power, she would acquire said piece. In this case, Dee demanded something close to Maggie's heart, the quilts of her grandmother. Dee once".. told me they were old-fashioned, out of style (Walker, 180)"; however, they were not too antique for Asalamalakim or Wangero, the two culturally proud perspectives. They wanted the quilts because they were "priceless"- hand stitched and full of beauty. The quilts demonstrated the beauty of their heritage, and the Dee perspective simply must have them. When her mother denied Dee the quilt, she named her "Miss Wangero (180)". This formal name denotes that the mother saw a barrier between her daughter and her. She could not say Dee anymore because she was lost in the fad of the importance of culture.

Identity Unit 3: Post 3

Literary Technique:
"Dream Deferred"
Langston Hughes

Hughes writes many similes and one metaphor within his poem. Each object that he utilizes as a reference is familiar and has an ideal opposite. He likens his deferred dreams to raisins, sores, rotten meat, a crusty sweet, and a load, which all have negative connotations. People would rather eat grapes than raisins typically, fresh meat instead of rotten, and a sugary sweet rather than a crusty one. These images create vivid imagery, which is not very pleasant. When unrealized dreams come to the forefront of a person's brain, he may acknowledge the better opportunities. However, like in this poem, the person excessively ponders his misfortune. He had an idea in the beginning, which in the context is civil rights for African Americans, yet they procrastinated in receiving their rights fully. Their dreams kept being deferred by compromises until the Civil Rights Movement. "Or does it explode" demonstrates that they did explode.  They are the dynamite in the situation, finally acquiring the rights they were promised.

Identity Unit Post 2

Literary Technique: structure and syntax

"Mr. Z"
M. Carl Holman

In this poem, the structure attributes greatly to the aspect of culture for whites. They tend to have long, convoluted sentences and syntactical structures. So too, in "Mr.Z", this formation occurs. He attempts to elude his race his entire life. Mr. Z tried assiduously accept the white culture. For example, he marries an Episcopalian woman, ate the right foods of "vintage wines, sauces and salads", and agreed "Whatever ground was Anglo Saxonized.(Holman)." He was very educated due to his utilization of punctuation. This coalition of structure and syntax relays the idea that he determined at a young age to change who he was. However, after his death, he could not stop the writers from saying he was distinguished in his race. Although his education and qualities exhibit the white culture, they would not own him within their community.

Identity Unit Post 1

Literary Technique: repetition ("Hazel Tells Laverne")
Katharyn Howd Machan

Within the poem, "Hazel Tells Laverne", Hazel weaves a story very similar to the legend The Princess and the Frog although Hazel recants the story a tad bit differently. Instead of kissing the frog, she shoves him back into the toilet from which he came. Afterwards, she repeats this line "Me a princess (Machan)". Hazel cannot believe that she could change her life so dramatically and quickly. She shunned away from the change because it was too ridiculous to even consider. Her means of speaking depict a woman with an uneducated background. Coupled with her job at a howard johnsons demonstrates the hardships with money that Hazel faced during her life. She was accustomed to working for her food. She could not accept the fact that kissing a frog, even if it was in a toilet, could alter her world forevermore. This connection of repetition denotes the theme. Sometimes, an opportunity to change one's life rears its head, yet a person denies the chance because it seems too far-fetched to believe or even consider it as an option.

Perrine article

           As I read this article by Perrine, I realized what I already knew. My interpretations of the poems differed drastically from what the poets tried to interpose into my mind. I totally missed the Whitman’s piece about the stars. Although in retrospect, my mind acknowledges the poem’s significance, and it seems to be smacking me in the face. I realized two intertwined concepts in every single poem listed along with Whitman’s: detail and word choice. They play a key role in the interpretations. For example, Whitman’s poem, coupled with Melville’s, forces the reader to think predominately of actual war. However, they are completely different through their detail. Melville explains actual war: a loud, confused battle; whereas, Whitman describes the army with their “clarions mute”. This striking characteristic should have lead to alarms because an army could not be mute; there must be some other significance.  

            Always having trouble with poetry, I find Perrine’s article insightful and helpful. He states plethora things to consider while reading poetry. Firstly, if all of the details do not fit an image or brings in assumptions, the significance created is not the proper meaning. That helps me a lot. I usually assumed details in each poem, such as, the wind in Dickinson’s. Secondly, Perrine maintains that sometimes poetry has one meaning like for Dickinson or many like for Blake. When symbols are utilized, the significance broadens. There are still some definite lines that cannot be crossed, but there is room for movement. In Dickinson’s piece, restricted by the word choice, the image viewed is that of clouds at sunset because all the puzzle pieces fit. Conversely, Blake ambiguously describes a rose and worm. They mean so many concepts, but the worm is always bad and the rose signifies a good idea.  

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

Before and while I read this book, my classmates told me the stupidity of Lily Bart, the horrible ending, and the ludicrous situations Lily placed herself. I agree mostly with their comments, especially as I started reading. Then, I started to relate with Miss Lily. Sometimes, I follow the path that is placed in front of me instead of what I wanted. She felt pressured into marrying rich; however, she could not find it in herself to accept the various offers. It was not what she wanted. Every time that she got close to marriage, she realized that the proposer who wanted her hand was not in reality who she wanted. I am not trying to vindicate Lily’s actions because she has made so many mistakes. She consciously made bad decisions, but she could not have predicted the harsh repercussions. Sometimes, life runs away from us, and we stay doubled over until we catch our breath.

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“I have kept her [the old Lily Bart] with me all this time, but now we are going to part, and I have brought her back to you (Wharton, 251)…”

So many things could have occurred during this conversation between Lily and Selden. He could have professed his love. Lily could have asked Selden what he thought of her. Instead, she thought the romance extinguished with the rise of the rumors. Sometimes, an opportunity stares a person straight in the face, yet he is too afraid or foolish to take advantage of it. He saw the self-loathing and destructive state that Lily was in, yet he did not tell her anything. He stood there, allowing her to leave him forever. Although she ultimately dies, Lily made some very important progress. She denied her fancy lifestyle that she could no longer afford. She consented willingly to her new life. It is a good resolution but the price of the decision weighed heavily on her heart. She overdosed completing the resolution of the story.

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“I won’t go into what’s happened. I don’t believe the stories about you - I don’t want to believe them. But they’re there, and my not believing them ain’t gong to alter the situation (Wharton, 207).”

Gossiping is always a factor in high society. It demolished Lily’s reputation with the aid of Bertha Dorset. It’s a reoccurring theme. Because of the rumors, Lily finds herself in a dramatic turn for the worst. She cannot live in high society anymore, and her last hope to stay there refused her. Rumors can kill a person’s status. Lily could not defend herself when her friends deserted her and her economic standing deteriorated. In real life, gossip still flies in the schools, neighborhoods, and work offices. These rumors can alienate people or make them heroes without the person ever doing such a thing in the first place. People find ways to bend an action out of proportion, and the rumored person finds it difficult to regain his credibility.   

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“I won’t go into what’s happened. I don’t believe the stories about you - I don’t want to believe them. But they’re there, and my not believing them ain’t gong to alter the situation (Wharton, 207).”

Gossiping is always a factor in high society. It demolished Lily’s reputation with the aid of Bertha Dorset. It’s a reoccurring theme. Because of the rumors, Lily finds herself in a dramatic turn for the worst. She cannot live in high society anymore, and her last hope to stay there refused her. Rumors can kill a person’s status. Lily could not defend herself when her friends deserted her and her economic standing deteriorated. In real life, gossip still flies in the schools, neighborhoods, and work offices. These rumors can alienate people or make them heroes without the person ever doing such a thing in the first place. People find ways to bend an action out of proportion, and the rumored person finds it difficult to regain his credibility.   

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“She [Lily] had paled a little under the shock of the insult, but the discomposure of the surrounding faces was not reflected in her own (Wharton, 176).”

                The antagonist, Bertha, has foiled Lily one too many times. Both have similar qualities; they want to stay in the high class world. They flirt with men. However, they have many different qualities. Beautiful and outgoing, Lily is the center of attention in Europe; whereas, everyone views Bertha as dull and unappealing. One quality sets Bertha apart. She has what Lily wants, a comfortable home with a rich husband. Bertha uses Lily when she sees the time fit; however, now is one of those times where she has had enough. Jealousy of Lily’s success in Europe and her failing marriage pushed Bertha Dorset off the edge. Her life was unraveling as Dorset started to demand a divorce. However, Mrs. Dorset, clever and conniving, threw all the guilt onto Miss Bart. She blamed her for getting in between her husband and her. George Dorset always liked jealousy, and knowing this, Bertha tried to save her marriage. To do so, she exiled Lily, who could not return to the yacht. Although this curve ball was thrown, Lily held her composure. Both knew how to play the game of manipulation well. In this case, Lily lost horribly. Afterwards, the news that Lily tried to break the bond of marriage spread. Her friends separated from her, and Mrs. Peniston took her out of the will. 

I am a little confused with the situation in which Miss Bart finds herself. Leaving her niece out of the main portion of the will, Mrs. Peniston died and left her estate to Grace. I realize that the family does not see eye to eye on most situations, but they are family. They should take care of Lily until she finds a way to help herself. Instead, they kicked her out of her house. She lives with Gerty for a short time. Now, she aids the Gormers in Alaska because her family “have unanimously washed their hands” of Lily (Wharton 191). How can a family kick out a family member in a time of need? They could have disallowed her from going out or made her take flirters anonymous. However, they kicked her out without a second thought.  

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Why, the beginning was in my cradle, I suppose- in the way I was brought up, and the things I was taught to care for (Wharton, 183).”

            The effect of setting ties into the truth of this quote from Miss Lily Bart. Her mother and her society taught her from a young age the path to material happiness. She needed to marry young while she still had her beauty and marry rich. New York has superfluous showings of their riches, and tied with the good terms of the stock market, the rich gained more money than ever. They loved to flout their wealth through gambling and travelling abroad for months at a time. A respectable woman fell into suit with the others in this respect. They played bridge and married for money. As in today’s society, Americans have a social future that we fall into line. We find going to college, marrying, and having a family as the way to sublime happiness, but is it the way for everyone? No, it is not. Miss Bart suffers from the inflexibility of her time period as most people do of this era.

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Hold me, Gerty, hold me, or I shall think of things,” she moaned, and Gerty silently slipped an arm under her, pillowing her head in its hollow as a mother makes a nest for a tossing child.”

            Wharton has made many references about Lily in this chapter. She equates her to a child. I find that this is to gain support of the readers. Children gain sympathy easily. Their innocence cloaks any wrong that they incurred. Through the similes of a child, the author tries to gain sympathy for Miss Bart. Lily Bart has created an abyss of misery and woe for herself because of the flirtatious encounters with Trenor. Now, Trenor feels she needs to fill certain obligations. She realizes her mistakes too late. The situation terrifies her that she cannot breathe. She feels her small world crumbling once again on top of her.   

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

"...and her mind clung to them as a sick person might cling to a healing relic (Wharton, 141)."

When I was younger, I read Sadako and the 1000 Paper Cranes for school. A doctor diagnoses a Japanese girl with cancer due to the atom bomb dropping more than thirty years ago. Only fourteen, she believes that she has much more life to live. She hears of a story of the 1000 paper cranes, an old Japanese legend that states if a person makes 1000 origami cranes, she will acquire one wish. As her health deteriorates, she makes these cranes in hopes to save herself; however, she dies beforehand. I relate this novel to the predicament of Lily. Instead of physical sickness, she has mental instability. She needs a miracle like the 1000 cranes to save her from her depression. Her thousand cranes is Selden. Just as the Japanese girl could not complete her thousand, neither did Lily find respite in Selden. They were futile hopes, but it helped them stay above the waters of despair. In the end, both succumb to the depths of despair and die (“spoiler”). 

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“A-hem- nothing of this, eh, Selden? As one of the family, I know I may count on you- appearances are deceptive- and Fifth avenue is so imperfectly lighted (Wharton, 131)"

                In the words of Sherlock Holmes, the plot thickens. Seeing his beloved Lily leaving Trenor’s when his wife isn’t present, Selden concluded the worst. He believes that there is a romance between the two. He is disgusted because first of all, Trenor married Judy. Also, Lily fraternizes with a married man without the wife nearby. This escalates the action. Now, Selden encounters the other side of Lily Bart that he always forced out of his mind. Beforehand, he listened to the demeaning gossip at the house of Mrs. Fisher. Coupled with the the implications of Lily departing the house, the significance of the evening is too much to handle for Selden. He leaves without saying goodbye to Lily and goes to Havana. 

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Lily was acutely aware of her own part in this drama of innuendo: she knew the exact quality of the amusement the situation evoked (Wharton, 80).”

                At the wedding, Lily notes the heckling and stares of her fellow comrades. Gryce proposed to another woman, and everyone gossips about comedy of the transient romance of Gryce and Lily only months before. Reminding me of Mean Girls, I equate Miss Lily Bart to Cady Heron. Both are beautiful and manipulated. The society transformed them into horrid creatures, which they do not aspire to become as they attempt to fit into the rich, popular life. Resulting from conformation to the social norms, they lose their benevolent essence.Other characters of The House of Mirth appear in the movie Mean Girls. The bright, shiny “Plastics” identify closely with the Dorsets, the Trenors, and the others in high society. The teacher Mrs. Norbury simulates Mrs. Peniston because both cripples the life of the protagonist. Mrs. Peniston disagreed to repay Lily’s debts, and Mrs. Norbury failed Cady and forced her to acquire extra credit through participating in the Math-letes. Finally, I regard Miss Grace to the girl who doesn’t even go to the school. Miss Grace was so hurt by not receiving an invitation once for a dinner party that she squealed to her aunt about Lily. In this regard, both just “have a lot of feelings.” 

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Ah,” she [Lily] cried, “for all your fine phrases you’re really as great a coward as I am, for you wouldn’t have made one of them [sayings] if you hadn’t been so sure of my answer (Wharton, 58).”

Not unlike Selden, we all want to be certain of our crush’s feelings. If we put ourselves on the line, we want to reap the rewards of a long, wonderful relationship. Whether it is a high school romance or a marriage, we are mortified of putting our feelings because there is a greater possibility of being hurt beyond repair. Rejection is a part of all of life’s aspects; however, if we can, we avoid the damage of refusal. For example, Lily blatantly asks if Selden would marry her albeit in a joking fashion, but he replies, “No, I don’t want to- but perhaps I should if you did!” The latter acknowledges that he cannot give Lily the riches and life that she demands from society. She would have rejected his invitation to spend their lives in unity, and so, he rejected it first. She knows the fierce fire in the heart of Selden and recognizes the returning love for him. Nevertheless, she does not consider him for marriage because he works to sustain his belongings. We, like Selden, deem ourselves to be in a position that we cannot easily break free. The stakes appear so high in either case, but so are the rewards. 

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“She [Lily] began to cut the pages of a novel, tranquilly studying her prey through downcast lashes while she organized a method of attack (Wharton, 13).” The idea of Lily being the hunter juxtaposed with this idea of her being caged like the hunted- “How alluring the world outside the cage appeared to Lily, as she heard its door clang on her (43)!”

Throughout the novel, I thought of Miss Lily Bart as a skilled hunter. Wharton discussed Lily’s techniques and motivations as she manipulates the people around her. She possesses an uncanny ability of manipulation, which is coupled with beauty. It makes her a strong contender for the single men, especially Gryce and Seldon. She enchants them; however, the tactics that she utilizes for the two vary dramatically. When Lily accompanies Seldon, they banter and have a good time; yet, when Gryce graces Lily’s presence, she compliments him and feigns interest in his most prized possession, his Britannica collection. This idea that Miss Bart controls every situation links to another idea that the society traps her. The rich, high class culture hounds her and forces her into a confinement. Within the prison, she hunts to survive.

As Elmer Fud searches to find Bugs, so does Lily for high society.

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“The precious minutes were flying, however; the big chestnuts pawed the ground and flecked their impatient sides with foam; the coachman seemed to be slowly petrifying on the box, and the groom on the doorstep; and still the lady did not come (Wharton, 41).”  ~Foreshadowing

This word “groom” within this sentence screams foreshadowing to me. It is fairly small, but unfortunately, I acquired the final occurrences of the novel. However, without the knowledge, the word groom would have just confused me. Now, I have better understanding of the end. Although Lily craves the financial security that Gryce offers, she deems him too lackluster and safe to be her husband. He goes to church and find his Britannica as his crown jewel. He only divulges money to his collection. Nevertheless, the lure of a stable, large income strengthens her desire to marry. Now, she chases him with resolve. I know that Lily Bart declines the romance between Gryce and her. From the word groom, I divine that he will ask, she says yes, but leaves him at the altar because the strict path of being his wife inhibits Lily’s will for money. 

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“She [Lily] knew that she hated dinginess as much as her mother had hated it, and to her last breath she meant to fight against it, dragging herself up again and again above its flood till she gained the bright pinnacles of success which presented such a slippery surface to her clutch (30).”

                The apple does not fall far from the tree. This cliché rings genuine in the instance between Lily Bart and her mother, who loved to host parties and spend money. She absolutely loved the finer things in life and despised anyone who did not value frivolity and happiness. The mother would often ask if her husband expected her to “live like a pig (23)” when he denied her something expensive. Often, there were parties in the Bart household, and Lily and she travelled to Europe for the entire summer. These memories of the luxurious life plague Lily. She desires to be rich again without the care of managing money. The influence of childhood and her maternal role model created grand expectations for the rest of Lily’s life. Before Mr. Bart died, Mrs. Bart realized the consequences. Afterwards, she exiled herself in disgrace due to the lack of money. Her last wish before she died was that Lily would fight to escape the clutches of poverty to live among the wealthy. 

House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“We are expected to be pretty and well-dressed till we drop-and if we can’t keep it up alone, we have to go into partnership (8).”

                Despite that I read only two chapters, I have gained an interestingly vivid image of Miss Lily Bart. Confident, intelligent, and beautiful, she casts a spell over the hearts of men. She manipulates her conversations to peak a man’s interest, so that even a timid man like Mr. Percy Gryce feels comfortable. She plays men just as easily as Mozart manipulates a piano. She loves her life of manipulation; however, she ages quickly. Being thirty years old, she begins to succumb to the pressures of social order. She must marry in order to keep her way of living, but she cannot choose working man like Seldon. He adores her albeit from a distance without telling her because he acknowledges the economic distinction between them. At the end of chapter two, she sets her sights on Gryce, but he is dreadfully dull. She has an internal conflict since she desires true love, but she demands that her future husband acquire the ability to sustain Lily Bart’s dreadful spending habits. This standard comes at a high price; does she marry for love or money? Time can only tell. 

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

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

When I realized that The Great Gatsby was a love triangle, I figured I would not like this book because it would end the same way that all of them end. It would be another repetitive, boy-likes-girl situation with a twist. As a reader, I try to steer away from those types of books because the plot line seems redundant. There is not much action to keep my attention; however, since it is for school, I tried to read it with an open mind. Each book does give some new insight even I find it almost insignificant. It astounded me that marriages were not taken seriously. They flouted them by cheating. Call me old fashioned but I am not a big fan. It showed the flaws of the American system in the 1920s. It reminds me that almost a hundred years later, Americans still have trouble with a monogamous relationship. I found that the same problems ring true today as they did back then. Gossip and cheating run rampant, yet the way we handle the situation changed. For example, Daisy knew that her husband had another woman and ignored it to the best of her ability. Nowadays, I find that people are more confrontational about cheating. Many people are more likely to divorce than to work out the situation. Although Tom and Daisy Buchannan had their share of problems, they dealt with them, and for that, I give them the respect that they deserve. 

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

The minister glanced several times at his watch, so I took him aside and asked him to wait for half an hour. But it wasn’t any use. Nobody came (174).

A theme from Gatsby’s funeral is that the people are fickle. They went to Gatsby’s parties, talked to him, and had fun. However, they only used him for their amusement. They did not have the decency to come to his funeral. No one felt the need to do so. Gatsby had so many acquaintances at these parties, yet none came except three men. The people did not want to arrive at the funeral because it was not fun thing. They chase the parties, not funerals. Even Gatsby’s friends did not to associate themselves with a murder. It’s sad but true. The only reason they flocked to him was due to the massive parties that he threw.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

He had intended, probably, to take what he could and go-but now he found that he had committed himself to the following of a grail. He knew that Daisy was extraordinary, but he didn’t realize just how extraordinary a “nice” girl could be (149).

Through the novel, Fitzgerald utilizes figurative language multiple occasions, especially symbolism and analogies. For example, he equates Daisy to a “grail”.  The lost grail is a futile. Many men search for the grail. None succeed. Here, he implies that success is out of Gatsby’s reach. He will fail in obtaining his desired woman. Also, within the chapter, he speaks of a holocaust. This analogy describes the deaths of Myrtle and Gatsby in the same day. Through the analogies, Fitzgerald assumes his audience to be more educated. 

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

It was after we started with Gatsby toward the house that the gardener saw Wilson’s body a little way off in the grass, and the holocaust was complete (162).

So… I was a little confused here, especially when Fitzgerald says holocaust. I know he means death, but who died exactly? From the way I read it at first, it seemed to me that Wilson killed himself because of the death of his wife. Why was he at Gatsby’s house to commit suicide? Then, I realized that he did not want to kill himself but avenge his wife. He killed Gatsby because of Myrtle. His death completed the holocaust. Gatsby and Myrtle interest me; they died because of love. Myrtle died trying to get Tom’s attention when she thought he was driving the car. Gatsby died because of her death. That is one heck of a day.   

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

He [Gatsby] put his hands in his coat pockets and turned back eagerly to his scrutiny of the house, as though my presence marred the sacredness of the vigil (145).

Gatsby awaits his fairy tale ending that will never occur. He wants it so badly, but it is just out of his reach. When I first began to read this book and saw the love triangle, I thought that Gatsby would begin a new life together. That is what typically happens in a novel nowadays. Everything that ends just perfectly and the way it should; however, in The Great Gatsby that was not the case. Gatsby failed in regaining the love of his life. It demonstrates that life is a little messy. We cannot place it in a little box and keep it there. People change and with them, so do their thoughts. Since Daisy’s thoughts changed, she remained with her husband. She no longer felt the need to leave because of the occurrences of that strange, dramatic day. She wanted stability instead of a past love; those five years apart killed the chance between Daisy and Gatsby. It seems there will be no happily ever after for the two.

As much as an audience loves to watch the romantic comedies, how often do people achieve total happiness? In movies, we see glimpses of how we want to live; a knight in shining armor comes to sweep the distressed girl off her feet. It may not happen in reality, but it does send us the message that as a human race, we are worth an endearing relationship. As often as people dream about the happily ever after fantasy, sometimes they aren’t in the cards. Sometimes, we do not get it. Sometimes, we feel like Gatsby or Jack from the Titanic.  

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

He [Wilson] had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world, and the shock had made him physically sick. I stared at him and then at Tom, who had made a parallel discovery less than an hour before (124)…

When I read this quote, I thought of a movie, Stick It. The main character, a gymnast with some parental problems that kept her away from Worlds, said, “My world was disintegrating, and.” She walked out on Worlds because she could not cope with the pressure of her family separating. Betrayed, Graham left the life of gymnastics until the justice system forced her back into training. Tom Buchanan must have felt the same feelings of betrayal and fear that Haley Graham felt when she realized that her mother cheating on her father. Understanding that he might lose Daisy, he did the opposite of what Haley did. She ran away from her Olympic dreams due to her parents’ affairs; whereas, Buchanan fought for Daisy. He succeeded, making Gatsby look unscrupulous in Daisy’s eyes. Before his intervention, Daisy loved Gatsby, and she planned to run from her present life. He realized that he could not live without her. He discredited Gatsby as a criminal, and when they openly argued about Daisy’s love, it opened Daisy’s eyes to what she was doing. From all the confusion, Daisy realized her need to stay with Tom although she does not love him anymore. He won, but at what price? 

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Afterward he kept looking at the child with surprise. I don’t think he had ever really believed in its existence before (117).

She may be the reason to keep together
because she epitomizes their love.

Daisy’s and Tom’s daughter is a real example of their marriage. Small, sweet, and innocent, the child looks like her mother; however, through what she says, she seems to be a daddy’s little girl. Both parents love their child while they have no feelings for each other. Many have witnessed Buchanan with Myrtle and Daisy with Gatsby. Although they both deemed their love to another significant other, their child demonstrates the bond shared between her parents. It shocks Gatsby to see her because he probably blocked her out of his mind. It brings a sense of reality that there was a love between Daisy and Tom. If there was something between the two, it will be more difficult for Gatsby to convince Daisy that they were meant for each other. He sees the task in front of him in the form of a small child. Even though she may be young, she reminds Daisy and Tom of what they once had while reminding Gatsby that she had someone else’s child. He may even be a little jealous.

Just like the animals, there is a price to pay
for gambling.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

“I’m going to fix everything just the way it was before,” he said, nodding determinedly. “She’ll see (110).”

As Gatsby says this, the action rises. He voices his determination to Nick, and he knows he cannot live without Daisy. He wants everything to go back to the way it was before he went to war. He will do anything to remind Daisy of what they once had. With such high stakes comes an awful price. To bridge the gap between the past and the present, he would have to go to extensive lengths. Daisy married Tom and had a child. Reversing the years that they spent together would take serious convincing on Gatsby’s end. He will pay the price to persuade Daisy away from her husband. If he succeeds, he will feel like the king of the world; however, if he does not, he loses the love of his life. With high stakes and high rewards, what will Gatsby do?

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

He had thrown himself into it with a creative passion, adding to it all the time, decking it out with every bright feather that drifted his way (96).

When I want something so badly and I plan every detail, it typically works out. As Gatsby has planned every detail about his reunion with Daisy, I have prepared myself to leave America behind for six weeks. Although I will be in Mexico, I have planned the trip with meticulous detail. I have done everything in my power to make sure that I have an enriching trip. I will learn the language and see another culture that the world has to offer. At first, my experience might be like Gatsby. He has thought about this day since he bought his house across from Daisy. Now that it is actually here, he feels nervous and clung to Nick’s help. Soon, he gained confidence, which I hope will be the same with me. I will become comfortable with the foreign culture, people, and language until it becomes my own. Gatsby probably felt confidence when Daisy and he became closer and began to reopen their old fire.  

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

Compared to the great distance that had separated him from Daisy it had seemed very near to her, almost touching her. It had seemed as close as a star to the moon. Now it was again a green light on a dock (93).

Green means go. Yellow means maybe slow down. Red always means stop. We learn this from a young age by a game. Then it’s enforced when we learn to drive. This green light on Daisy’s dock signifies Gatsby’s hope. He wants to go to her and rehash the relationship that they had before he left. As long as the light burns, he still has a hope that he can steal her from Tom Buchanan. The chance may be infinitesimally small like when the Sound has fog. However, he knows that the light is still burning.

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

“He’s a bootlegger,” said the young ladies, moving somewhere between his cocktails and his flowers. “One time he killed a man who had found out that he was nephew to Von Hindenburg and second cousin to the devil (61)…”

Gatsby shrouds himself in mystery at this point. Although his estate neighbors the Caraway house, Nick has only seen him once looking across the Sound. However, rumors of his neighbor run rampant. Without ever meeting the man, how could Caraway believe or disprove this gossip. At the party, he meets a man that is entirely different from what he expected. He anticipates a quasi-sinister, bootlegging partier. Contrary to the expectations, Gatsby seemed to defy the rumors. He did not partake in the merriment and drink but watched his guests. While he may not compare to the hefty stories, Gatsby’s ambiguity leaves some questions. He still seems like a shifty character with a mysterious past filled with devious acquaintances. As Nick hears Gatsby’s background from Jordan Baker, he agrees to entangle himself into a bad romance. He allows his house to be used so that Gatsby can see his love of his life Daisy. 

The Great Gatsby

F. Scott Fitzgerald

…I was standing beside his bed and he was sitting up between the sheets, clad in his underwear, with a great portfolio in his hands (38).

This sentence onto the end of the chapter feels disjointed from the rest of the chapter. The ellipsis suggests that he did not include the ride to Mr. McKee’s house. The sentence before it presents the two men in an elevator together. Then, the next reveals that Nick went into McKee’s house to see his portfolio. Why Mr. McKee has to be only in his underwear is a mystery. When I first read this, I thought that Nick Caraway was too drunk to remember, but then I thought differently. He told the story coherently up to this point. I think that Mr. McKee’s little fiasco is not important to the main purpose of the novel. He did not need find it necessary to place a minute detail into the work if Mr. McKee was not going to make another appearance, especially if the man ended up only clad in his underwear. Nick left him his dignity by not giving detail about the walk down to McKee’s house. 

The Great Gatsby
F. Scott Fitzgerald

 "The idea is if we don't look out the white race will be - will be utterly submerged (Fitzgerald, 13)."

When Tom Buchanan spoke this quote, he epitomizes a portion of the novel setting. During the 1920s, Americans separated the African Americans and the whites. Inter-marriage was out of the question because whites deemed themselves superior. Through this quote, I obtain my first glimpse of the expectations enforced upon the society, especially the white upper class. They lived in a culture where social connections were a must have in life. For example, Nick was Daisy's "second cousin once removed (5)." Today, I am lucky to remember all of my cousins' names, much less my second cousin once removed although I do not think I have any of those. Also, in the 1920s, the United States government denied its citizens the right for alcohol consumption. I found it interesting that the denizens still partook in drinking over the simplest event.

Family tree confusion:

Oh honey no..