Thursday, September 20, 2012
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 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
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.
"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.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
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.
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.
(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.
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.
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