Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness and J.M. Coetzee's Waiting for the Barbarians are extremely similar in their themes, messages, and main characters. While the two novels are different and unique, they are also suprisingly similar. They parallel each other quite perfectly.
The Africans in Heart of Darkness serve as an inferior race, a sort of enemy, or foil to the Europeans. They are "savage" animals who are uncivilized and unsophisticated. The Africans represent a common goal--one that unifies the European race within Heart of Darkness. But are they truly uncivilized and unsophisticated? Are they truly an enemy? To assume so would be to assume that the European ideal is the only correct ideal, and that all other civilizations whose communal conduct do not lie in accordance with this ideal are barbaric. In actuality, however, the Europeans' conduct while in Africa, illustrated by Marlow's observations, is inhumane and uncivilized. The Africans are the ones that are civilized. The Europeans mask their savagery and their imperialism by claiming that they were attempting to civilize other nations, when in reality this "white advantage" is merely a mask concealing the European imperialist intentions. Just like the Africans in Heart of Darkness, the barbarians in Waiting for the Barbarians serve a similar purpose. They become the victims of the Empire. They also act as a force that effectively unifies the Empire. The Barbarians represent the common goal of the empire--the ferocious enemy. But, once again, are they truly an enemy? Is this Barbarian population, composed of unthreatening families and citizens, truly a threat that must be dealt with? No it is not. Just as the Europeans used their imperialist motives and their hopes to civilize the savage African population as a means of unifying its people, the Empire needed an enemy to band against, so they chose one that seemed probable--one that its citizens would unify themselves against.
The Magistrate and Marlow are also very similar. In the beginning of both novels, each makes observations of cruelty and injustice committed by their own races. Each believes and knows that what is being done is wrong. In both novels, we see the crimes against "inferior" races take place through the eyes of one of these two men. The reader sees the perspectives and opinions of both the Marlow and the Magistrate, which are emphasized and placed above all other observations in both novels.
Each novel brings to the reader's attention, the themes of racism and the hunger for power, as well as the importance of individual opinion. Through the slight implications of the insanity of both Kurtz and Colonel Joll, the reader learns that perhaps with too much power comes a drunkness of power. (451)
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Waiting for the Barbarians
After reading the first seventy four pages of Waiting for the Barbarians, I am still waiting for the answers to the many questions I have concerning the events of the novel. This extremely interesting and intriguing novel has me wondering constantly about the barbarian girl, the Magistrate's mysterious dream, and especially the relationship between these two people. First, I will talk about the curious relationship the Magistrate and the girl seem to have. What is it that drove the Magistrate to take in the girl, bathe and sleep beside her every night, but never to indulge in a physical relationship that characterized many of the Magistrate's relationships, including the one with "The Star" at the inn. And then, when he has only a few days left with the girl before she will return to her home, he does finally "enter" her, but he adds that he does not care if he does so again, and notices that he seems to lose touch with the girl halfway through the act. What was it about the girl whom the Magistrate called ugly that captivated his mind? Second, I want to address the recurring dream the Magistrate experiences. What does the dream represent? What is its importance? Amusingly, when I read the last of the Magistrate's recountings of his dreams, I accidently combined the dream with the conversation he has with the barbarian girl in real life when he is done reflecting on his dream. For a few seconds, I believed that it was the girl in the dream giving the Magistrate the responses that were actually being given by the barbarian girl. Now, I believe that the girl in the dream might some way symbolize or represent the barbarian girl. Third, I will mention the barbarian girl and her decision to go home. Why did she choose to go home? What was she experiencing during the events described in parts two and three of the novel. While we know all about the Magistrate's thoughts and feeling about the girl, I feel that I was not given specific insights into the girl's mind. I do not know what she has been thinking. Where will she go now? What will happen to her? Will we ever find out why the Magistrate was so captivated with the "blind" barbarian girl he found begging on the street?
I am eagerly awaiting the next time I pick up Coetzee's novel and continue reading. I am hoping to find to answers to my questions as I read. I am eagerly awaiting a satisfactory conclusion to the events that have transpired in the novel thus far. (437)
I am eagerly awaiting the next time I pick up Coetzee's novel and continue reading. I am hoping to find to answers to my questions as I read. I am eagerly awaiting a satisfactory conclusion to the events that have transpired in the novel thus far. (437)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Should We Read Heart of Darkness?
-The novella has often been condemned as racist, sexist, or both.
-Four reasons for why "Heart of Darkness" should be read as literature instead of a historical account or autobiography:
1. The displacement from Conrad to two imaginary narrators, nerither of whom is identified with Conrad
2. Elaborate use of figures and rhetorical devices that make up the "texture of the text." (Most obvious includes similies)
3. "Heart of Darkness" is a "masterwork of irony." The novella is ironic throughout the whole story.
4. The personification of darkness throughout the novella.
-"Heart of Darkness" should be read as a "powerful exemplary revelation of the ideology of capitalist imperialism, including its racism and sexism."
-Four reasons for why "Heart of Darkness" should be read as literature instead of a historical account or autobiography:
1. The displacement from Conrad to two imaginary narrators, nerither of whom is identified with Conrad
2. Elaborate use of figures and rhetorical devices that make up the "texture of the text." (Most obvious includes similies)
3. "Heart of Darkness" is a "masterwork of irony." The novella is ironic throughout the whole story.
4. The personification of darkness throughout the novella.
-"Heart of Darkness" should be read as a "powerful exemplary revelation of the ideology of capitalist imperialism, including its racism and sexism."
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
A Perspective on Time
The last section of the Sound and the Fury does a lot to wrap up the novel, but it does so in a way many are not accustomed to. I feel that the novel does not in any way wrap up the plot; in fact, I am still left with many unanswered questions that were not addressed before the conclusion of the story, but I feel that the last section does act as a suitable conclusion in terms of the theme of time, and how it affects the characters of the novel. In the first three sections of the novel, we are led through events through either, Benji, Quentin, or Jason. Each sections allows to see how each character views time. All of the Compson sons view time in a way that makes it difficult for them to live in the world. This is what brings each of them to their eventual downfall. The last section puts the other three sections into perspective. As we compare time as portrayed in each of the first three sections to time as portrayed in the last section, we realize that it is because of time that the Compson family died down. Dilsey, the only character we see who seems to view time correctly, is the one who has stood strong, from the past to the present, even when the Compson family has fallen. The last section concludes the novel because, as Faulker presented it, it gives us a new concept of time that we have not yet seen. It explains to us why the Compson family met its eventual downfall. (267)
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Concepts of Time in The Sound and the Fury
In Faulkner's The Sound and the Fury, time is explored, disassembled, mixed up, exploited, and rearranged. Faulkner's portrayal of time in The Sound and the Fury is extremely unique, and sometimes confusing. While the chronology of the book seems to be completely random and chaotic, a close examination and detailed cross-referencing of the book and its events will show that Faulkner carefully presented each section and event of the novel in a deliberate manner. In each section of the book, the idea of time changes, to represent the perspectives and opinions the characters of the book have toward time.
"Each of [the major characters] holds an idea of time which is appropriate to the theme Faulkner wishes to express and which serves the total structure he has created as well...In the final structure the characters' time concepts are correlated artistically with the various time devices which serve the telling of the story."
Faulkner presents time in each section of his novel differently; time is presented according to the concept of time held by the narrator of each section. In the first section, Benji narrates the story. If one examines the portrayal of time in this section, one would note that time seems jumbled up, and chaotic. While certain passages and thoughts trigger thoughts and passages that occur in the past, the portrayal of time in this section is unlike any other I've seen in any novel. The section shows that one can learn a lot about a person and family by following their actions for only a short period of time. Everything is connected. For Benji, the present triggers thoughts and memories of the past. He has a completely different concept of time. Faulkner's rearrangement of time mirrors Benji's idea of time. He does not view time in a linear fashion. Instead, Benji views time as a collection of memories and thoughts that are all connected in one way or another.
In contrast to Benji, Quentin has an obsession with time. In Quentin's section of the novel, we see many references to time, and watches, and clocks. His father even addresses Quentin's obsession with time. The sections of the novel Quentin narrates is much less chaotic than the first when it comes to the presentation of time and events. Quentin struggles throughout the novel to get out of time. Death is a means by which he thinks he can get out of time.
"When we begin to examine the concepts of time which Ben, Jason, and Quentin hold, some of the difficulty with motivation disappears. Each of the Compson sons has a concept of time which makes it difficult for him to live in his world. And these concepts of time are essentially signs to the reader, symptoms of something within the Compsons which brings each of them to final ruin. Only one person in the novel--Dilsey--escapes the wreckage of the crumbling house, and it is Dilsey who holds a proper notion of time, who understands that time is a continuum."
Benji cannot grasp the concept of time. In his mind, time does not exist as it does in the mind of any other character. He is unable to distinguish between the past and present. His thoughts are jumbled together. "If the circumstances surrounding any two acts are similar, the two acts tend to merge in [Benji's] mind into one act."
Faulkner manages to show that in a three-day period, he can present thirty years of history and events. In The Sound and the Fury, "it is apparent that there are two actions, which have different time spans. Once action takes place on April 6, 7, 8 of the year 1928...This action is minor, though it is climactic and stems directly from the major action. But more important, the three-day action serves as a framework about which Faulkner can hang a larger--and much more complex--action; and action which embraces thirty years' time. The large action begins in 1898, when the Compson children were small, and end on April 8, 1928."
One moment in time tells a lot more about the past than it does the present. By looking at small periods of time, we can learn about large peiods of the past.
Faulkner uses a very interesting method of portraying time to express exactly how he feels each character views times. The differences between each of the sections allow for time to be portrayed in different way; in the end, both Benji's and Quentin's concepts of time are wrong or misled. (616, w/o quotations)
Lowrey, Perrin. "Concepts of Time in The Sound and the Fury." Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Sound and the Fury. Ed. Michael H. Cowan. Prentice-Hall. (1968):
53-62.
"Each of [the major characters] holds an idea of time which is appropriate to the theme Faulkner wishes to express and which serves the total structure he has created as well...In the final structure the characters' time concepts are correlated artistically with the various time devices which serve the telling of the story."
Faulkner presents time in each section of his novel differently; time is presented according to the concept of time held by the narrator of each section. In the first section, Benji narrates the story. If one examines the portrayal of time in this section, one would note that time seems jumbled up, and chaotic. While certain passages and thoughts trigger thoughts and passages that occur in the past, the portrayal of time in this section is unlike any other I've seen in any novel. The section shows that one can learn a lot about a person and family by following their actions for only a short period of time. Everything is connected. For Benji, the present triggers thoughts and memories of the past. He has a completely different concept of time. Faulkner's rearrangement of time mirrors Benji's idea of time. He does not view time in a linear fashion. Instead, Benji views time as a collection of memories and thoughts that are all connected in one way or another.
In contrast to Benji, Quentin has an obsession with time. In Quentin's section of the novel, we see many references to time, and watches, and clocks. His father even addresses Quentin's obsession with time. The sections of the novel Quentin narrates is much less chaotic than the first when it comes to the presentation of time and events. Quentin struggles throughout the novel to get out of time. Death is a means by which he thinks he can get out of time.
"When we begin to examine the concepts of time which Ben, Jason, and Quentin hold, some of the difficulty with motivation disappears. Each of the Compson sons has a concept of time which makes it difficult for him to live in his world. And these concepts of time are essentially signs to the reader, symptoms of something within the Compsons which brings each of them to final ruin. Only one person in the novel--Dilsey--escapes the wreckage of the crumbling house, and it is Dilsey who holds a proper notion of time, who understands that time is a continuum."
Benji cannot grasp the concept of time. In his mind, time does not exist as it does in the mind of any other character. He is unable to distinguish between the past and present. His thoughts are jumbled together. "If the circumstances surrounding any two acts are similar, the two acts tend to merge in [Benji's] mind into one act."
Faulkner manages to show that in a three-day period, he can present thirty years of history and events. In The Sound and the Fury, "it is apparent that there are two actions, which have different time spans. Once action takes place on April 6, 7, 8 of the year 1928...This action is minor, though it is climactic and stems directly from the major action. But more important, the three-day action serves as a framework about which Faulkner can hang a larger--and much more complex--action; and action which embraces thirty years' time. The large action begins in 1898, when the Compson children were small, and end on April 8, 1928."
One moment in time tells a lot more about the past than it does the present. By looking at small periods of time, we can learn about large peiods of the past.
Faulkner uses a very interesting method of portraying time to express exactly how he feels each character views times. The differences between each of the sections allow for time to be portrayed in different way; in the end, both Benji's and Quentin's concepts of time are wrong or misled. (616, w/o quotations)
Lowrey, Perrin. "Concepts of Time in The Sound and the Fury." Twentieth Century Interpretations of The Sound and the Fury. Ed. Michael H. Cowan. Prentice-Hall. (1968):
53-62.
Monday, September 29, 2008
An Old Fiend
Varun Mokhashi
AP 1
666
The Lure of an Old Fiend
At first, the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, written by Joyce Carol Oates, seems to be about a young, insecure, and vain teenage girl, Connie, living her summer vacation joyfully, and without any cares; but as one reads on, themes of death, the devil, and evil make themselves apparent. The story details Connie’s encounter with Arnold Friend, a sexual predator, who entices Connie into leaving her house and safe haven, so that he may abduct her. While early on in the story, Arnold Friend seems to be a normal kid around Connie’s age, she soon discovers that he is actually much older than she is. She realizes that he is not what he seems, and her curiosity of Arnold begins to turn into a terrible fear of him. He threatens her and tries to get her to leave the safety of her house and come outside into his outstretched arms. Arnold Friend comes to represent death and the devil in the story; in contrast, Connie—a young girl who seeks to jump into adulthood before she is ready—represents an innocent maiden turned victim to her insecurity, vanity, and curiosity.
An article Joyce Oates read in Life Magazine, about a young man who “enticed” and then killed several young women in Tucson, Arizona, acted as the inspiration for the story (Answers Corp.). In fact, it seems that Connie faces a similar fate. Before she exits the door through which Arnold stands, she thinks to herself, “I’m not going to see my mother again…I’m not going to sleep in my bed again.” While the conclusion of the story and Connie’s eventual fate is left ambiguous by the author, these hints are a clear foreshadowing of Connie’s death. Also, the story was originally titled, “Death and the Maiden” until Oates changed the story, making it more realistic and subtle.
More hints toward death and the devil are shown when Arnold first introduces himself to Connie. In response to Connie’s question, “What’s all that stuff painted on your car?” Arnold responds by telling her that his name is painted on the car. Then he continues on about other parts of the car including numbers that represent “a secret code.” “He read[s] off the numbers 33, 19, 17.” Surprisingly, in the 33rd book from the end of the Old Testament, 19th chapter, and 17th verse, the title of Oates’s story can be found as the quote “Whither goest thou? And whence comest thou?” Also, after the r’s are removed from the name Arnold Friend, the name spells An old Fiend.
Even Arnold’s physical description seems similar to that of the devil. In his frustration at Connie’s refusal to give in to her “temptations” and go along with his plans, Arnold’s smile momentarily drops from his face, but almost instantly, Connie once again “watche[s] his smile come, awkward as if he were smiling from inside a mask. His whole face was a mask.” Once Arnold is on the porch, Connie notices that “One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot wasn’t in it. It pointed out to the left, bent at the ankle.” This fits the description of the devil, being that the devil is supposed to have hooves for feet.
Throughout the story, Arnold tries to force Connie to give in to her temptations. Connie’s fantasies about escaping her life, and her daydreams of alternate lifestyles serve as the pathway Arnold uses to gain control of Connie’s mind. Arnold successfully entrances Connie. Her wishes to hang out with the older guys and her desires to jump into an early adulthood leave her vulnerable to Arnold’s deceitful mind tricks. Arnold capitalizes upon Connie’s insecurities and innocence to lure her from her safe haven and into the devil’s clutches. (666)
"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? (Style)." Notes on Short Stories. Answers Corporation, 2006. Answers.com 30 Sep. 2008. http://www.answers.com/topic/where-are-you-going-where-have-you-been-story-5.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think Connie walked out to Arnold at the end of the story?
2. Paragraph 135.
3. What is the role of Ellie, Arnold's friend?
4. Why do you think the author left out Connie's eventual fate?
5. What was the role of music in the story?
AP 1
666
The Lure of an Old Fiend
At first, the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”, written by Joyce Carol Oates, seems to be about a young, insecure, and vain teenage girl, Connie, living her summer vacation joyfully, and without any cares; but as one reads on, themes of death, the devil, and evil make themselves apparent. The story details Connie’s encounter with Arnold Friend, a sexual predator, who entices Connie into leaving her house and safe haven, so that he may abduct her. While early on in the story, Arnold Friend seems to be a normal kid around Connie’s age, she soon discovers that he is actually much older than she is. She realizes that he is not what he seems, and her curiosity of Arnold begins to turn into a terrible fear of him. He threatens her and tries to get her to leave the safety of her house and come outside into his outstretched arms. Arnold Friend comes to represent death and the devil in the story; in contrast, Connie—a young girl who seeks to jump into adulthood before she is ready—represents an innocent maiden turned victim to her insecurity, vanity, and curiosity.
An article Joyce Oates read in Life Magazine, about a young man who “enticed” and then killed several young women in Tucson, Arizona, acted as the inspiration for the story (Answers Corp.). In fact, it seems that Connie faces a similar fate. Before she exits the door through which Arnold stands, she thinks to herself, “I’m not going to see my mother again…I’m not going to sleep in my bed again.” While the conclusion of the story and Connie’s eventual fate is left ambiguous by the author, these hints are a clear foreshadowing of Connie’s death. Also, the story was originally titled, “Death and the Maiden” until Oates changed the story, making it more realistic and subtle.
More hints toward death and the devil are shown when Arnold first introduces himself to Connie. In response to Connie’s question, “What’s all that stuff painted on your car?” Arnold responds by telling her that his name is painted on the car. Then he continues on about other parts of the car including numbers that represent “a secret code.” “He read[s] off the numbers 33, 19, 17.” Surprisingly, in the 33rd book from the end of the Old Testament, 19th chapter, and 17th verse, the title of Oates’s story can be found as the quote “Whither goest thou? And whence comest thou?” Also, after the r’s are removed from the name Arnold Friend, the name spells An old Fiend.
Even Arnold’s physical description seems similar to that of the devil. In his frustration at Connie’s refusal to give in to her “temptations” and go along with his plans, Arnold’s smile momentarily drops from his face, but almost instantly, Connie once again “watche[s] his smile come, awkward as if he were smiling from inside a mask. His whole face was a mask.” Once Arnold is on the porch, Connie notices that “One of his boots was at a strange angle, as if his foot wasn’t in it. It pointed out to the left, bent at the ankle.” This fits the description of the devil, being that the devil is supposed to have hooves for feet.
Throughout the story, Arnold tries to force Connie to give in to her temptations. Connie’s fantasies about escaping her life, and her daydreams of alternate lifestyles serve as the pathway Arnold uses to gain control of Connie’s mind. Arnold successfully entrances Connie. Her wishes to hang out with the older guys and her desires to jump into an early adulthood leave her vulnerable to Arnold’s deceitful mind tricks. Arnold capitalizes upon Connie’s insecurities and innocence to lure her from her safe haven and into the devil’s clutches. (666)
"Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? (Style)." Notes on Short Stories. Answers Corporation, 2006. Answers.com 30 Sep. 2008. http://www.answers.com/topic/where-are-you-going-where-have-you-been-story-5.
Discussion Questions:
1. Why do you think Connie walked out to Arnold at the end of the story?
2. Paragraph 135.
3. What is the role of Ellie, Arnold's friend?
4. Why do you think the author left out Connie's eventual fate?
5. What was the role of music in the story?
Sunday, September 28, 2008
Trusting Insanity
When I read "The Five-Forty Eight earlier this week, I had trouble deciding to which character I should give my trust. Who should I like and trust more, the cruel man who doesn't talk to his wife for up to two weeks at a time because she didn't cook him dinner and often finds weak women to prey on, or the literally insane woman with a gun who follows the main character, trying to somehow make herself feel better for the things he has done? Of course, I trusted the narrator at the beginning of the story, because we see the events and happenings of the story from his own perspective. It's not hard to trust a narrator who is running from a woman who might be trying to kill him, but as the reader learns soon enough, it's really much more complicated than that.
The story starts out with a seemingly normal, everyday man--Blake--walking to the train station after work to get home, but it quickly turns into a sort of twisted adventure in which the narrator is followed by a woman who we know nothing about. All the reader is told about the woman is that "she might be meaning to do [Blake] harm--she might be meaning to kill him." At this point, the reader instantly roots for the narrator. The reader hopes he can get away from the woman, even though it seems unlikely. Blake, pondering an escape, even thinks, "He could run--although he was afraid that if he did run, it might precipitate the violence he now felt sure she had planned." Finally, the reader is given more information on the situation. We learn what relationship Ms. Dent, the woman following him, and Blake share.
At this point, Blake, the narrator, begins to lose the readers trust. Six months ago, when Blake hired Ms. Dent, he believed her to be "oversensitive, and as a consequence, lonely." He even "recognized a particular feeling of deprivation" in Ms. Dent. Despite all of this, he threw away the rose she had given him, telling her that he didn't like roses. What's worse is that Blake even had the "feeling that she had been the victim of some inner--some emotional--conflict." Even though Blake knew about the delicate state of his employee, he chose to sleep with her and then fire her the next day. The reader is then informed of the true nature of Blake, a cruel man who searches for vulnerable woman to prey upon. Ms. Dent is not the first one he has done this to, and as the reader finds out later in the story, she is probably not the last either. Before Blake sleeps with Ms. Dent, he even says, "Her diffidence, the feeling of deprivation in her point of view, promised to protect him from any consequences. Most of the many women he had known had been picked for their lack of self-esteem." Here, Blake is portrayed as an extremely dishonorable man who hunts women who are lacking confidence and stable emotional states. At this point the reader does not know who to trust.
We follow Blake, as he walks from work to the train, aware that Ms. Dent is following him closely. Soon after Blake sits down in the train, Ms. Dent appears and sits down beside him. Here, the reader learns about Ms. Dent's insanity, and her stay at the hospital. She discourages him from trying to escape with a pistol held in her pocketbook. Then, she asks him to read the letter she wrote to him. The letter, which addresses Blake as husband, shows the reader the extent of Ms. Dent's insanity, but this is where the reader begins to side with and trust Ms. Dent over Blake.
With a gun pointed at his belly, Blake has some time for reflection, but instead of feeling regret for the less noble things he has done, he only "regrets his lack of suspicion when she first mentioned her months in the hospital." The reader also learns about Blake's cruel nature. When his wife failed to prepare supper for him one night, he cold heartedly told her that he would not speak to her for two weeks. Once all of this is put into perspective, the reader sees Blake as the antagonist and wrongdoer of the story, not Ms. Dent. Ms. Dent gains more credibility with the reader.
So, does Ms. Dent's insanity affect how the reader feels about her in the story? In the end, no, her insanity does not discredit her in the eyes of the reader. The reader sees that Blake is the one who is wrong. He is the one who needs to change, even though his cold hearted indifference prevents him from doing so at the end of the story. In fact, Ms. Dent's insanity tells us something about Blake. Blake, in comparison to Ms. Dent, seems to be the insane one. He is the one with the flaw. Ms. Dent's insanity allows the reader to see this, and fully understand Blake's character. (849)
The story starts out with a seemingly normal, everyday man--Blake--walking to the train station after work to get home, but it quickly turns into a sort of twisted adventure in which the narrator is followed by a woman who we know nothing about. All the reader is told about the woman is that "she might be meaning to do [Blake] harm--she might be meaning to kill him." At this point, the reader instantly roots for the narrator. The reader hopes he can get away from the woman, even though it seems unlikely. Blake, pondering an escape, even thinks, "He could run--although he was afraid that if he did run, it might precipitate the violence he now felt sure she had planned." Finally, the reader is given more information on the situation. We learn what relationship Ms. Dent, the woman following him, and Blake share.
At this point, Blake, the narrator, begins to lose the readers trust. Six months ago, when Blake hired Ms. Dent, he believed her to be "oversensitive, and as a consequence, lonely." He even "recognized a particular feeling of deprivation" in Ms. Dent. Despite all of this, he threw away the rose she had given him, telling her that he didn't like roses. What's worse is that Blake even had the "feeling that she had been the victim of some inner--some emotional--conflict." Even though Blake knew about the delicate state of his employee, he chose to sleep with her and then fire her the next day. The reader is then informed of the true nature of Blake, a cruel man who searches for vulnerable woman to prey upon. Ms. Dent is not the first one he has done this to, and as the reader finds out later in the story, she is probably not the last either. Before Blake sleeps with Ms. Dent, he even says, "Her diffidence, the feeling of deprivation in her point of view, promised to protect him from any consequences. Most of the many women he had known had been picked for their lack of self-esteem." Here, Blake is portrayed as an extremely dishonorable man who hunts women who are lacking confidence and stable emotional states. At this point the reader does not know who to trust.
We follow Blake, as he walks from work to the train, aware that Ms. Dent is following him closely. Soon after Blake sits down in the train, Ms. Dent appears and sits down beside him. Here, the reader learns about Ms. Dent's insanity, and her stay at the hospital. She discourages him from trying to escape with a pistol held in her pocketbook. Then, she asks him to read the letter she wrote to him. The letter, which addresses Blake as husband, shows the reader the extent of Ms. Dent's insanity, but this is where the reader begins to side with and trust Ms. Dent over Blake.
With a gun pointed at his belly, Blake has some time for reflection, but instead of feeling regret for the less noble things he has done, he only "regrets his lack of suspicion when she first mentioned her months in the hospital." The reader also learns about Blake's cruel nature. When his wife failed to prepare supper for him one night, he cold heartedly told her that he would not speak to her for two weeks. Once all of this is put into perspective, the reader sees Blake as the antagonist and wrongdoer of the story, not Ms. Dent. Ms. Dent gains more credibility with the reader.
So, does Ms. Dent's insanity affect how the reader feels about her in the story? In the end, no, her insanity does not discredit her in the eyes of the reader. The reader sees that Blake is the one who is wrong. He is the one who needs to change, even though his cold hearted indifference prevents him from doing so at the end of the story. In fact, Ms. Dent's insanity tells us something about Blake. Blake, in comparison to Ms. Dent, seems to be the insane one. He is the one with the flaw. Ms. Dent's insanity allows the reader to see this, and fully understand Blake's character. (849)
Monday, September 22, 2008
Revelations of a Wart Hog
Last week, I was posed with a curious question about "Revelation, by Flannery O'Connor": Did Mrs. Turpin, the wart hog from hell, truly experience a genuine revelation that evening beside the pig parlor, or was it just a superficial moment that would remain in Mrs. Turpin's mind only temporarily? While the reader could take it either way, I strongly believe that Mrs. Turpin really did change permanently after God sent her an answer in her echo. What would be the point of the story if she didn't experience a revelation? But, Mrs. Turpin, the big, looming, and commanding woman who feels a sense of superiority, does change into a woman who understands that all human beings were created equal.
There is no evidence in the story to support the idea that Mrs. Turpin does not experience a genuine revelation. In fact, everything points toward the idea that she was awestruck by the vision she saw and the answer she received from God. Beside the pig parlor, she screams, "Who do you think you are?" This same question is then "returned to her like an answer from beyond the wood." It is this delicate moment in which Mrs. Turpin shows change. It is at this point, where she holds a new perspective on life. When she hears the answer to her question, "She open[s] her mouth, but no sound [comes] out of it." Mrs. Turpin takes this moment and reflects upon her "virtous" life, and then she realizes that she is not the commanding, superior woman she once thought she was. In fact, right after this moment, she acknowledges that Claud's truck looked like a "child's toy" in the distance. She then thinks to herself, "At any moment a bigger truck might smash into it and scatter Claud's and the niggers' brains all over the road." Her sense of helplessness here leads to her ultimate revelation.
All of the evidence leads to this ultimate revelation. The author is very clear in her language. "Mrs. Turpin remained [beside the pig pen] with her gaze bent as if she were absorbing some abysmal life-giving knowledge." If that's not enough, all doubt should be quenched when "a visionary light settle[s] in her eyes."
It doesn't matter how extreme and inhumane her views and thoughts were in the doctor's waiting room--she can still experience a revelation and change. In the words of one of my classmates, "Change has to start somewhere. " This is where the change starts for Mrs. Turpin. The author gives us no reason to think that the change Mrs. Turping undergoes is only temporary. We know the vision impacts her when she remains completely immobile for a long period of time. Only after a length of time does she start to make her "slow way on the darkening path" to her house.
So, in answer to the question, yes, Mrs. Turpin, the mean old wart hog from hell does experience a genuine revelation that forces her to change. Her revelation from God shows her that anyone, regardless of class or social status, can climb "upward into the starry field."
(518)
There is no evidence in the story to support the idea that Mrs. Turpin does not experience a genuine revelation. In fact, everything points toward the idea that she was awestruck by the vision she saw and the answer she received from God. Beside the pig parlor, she screams, "Who do you think you are?" This same question is then "returned to her like an answer from beyond the wood." It is this delicate moment in which Mrs. Turpin shows change. It is at this point, where she holds a new perspective on life. When she hears the answer to her question, "She open[s] her mouth, but no sound [comes] out of it." Mrs. Turpin takes this moment and reflects upon her "virtous" life, and then she realizes that she is not the commanding, superior woman she once thought she was. In fact, right after this moment, she acknowledges that Claud's truck looked like a "child's toy" in the distance. She then thinks to herself, "At any moment a bigger truck might smash into it and scatter Claud's and the niggers' brains all over the road." Her sense of helplessness here leads to her ultimate revelation.
All of the evidence leads to this ultimate revelation. The author is very clear in her language. "Mrs. Turpin remained [beside the pig pen] with her gaze bent as if she were absorbing some abysmal life-giving knowledge." If that's not enough, all doubt should be quenched when "a visionary light settle[s] in her eyes."
It doesn't matter how extreme and inhumane her views and thoughts were in the doctor's waiting room--she can still experience a revelation and change. In the words of one of my classmates, "Change has to start somewhere. " This is where the change starts for Mrs. Turpin. The author gives us no reason to think that the change Mrs. Turping undergoes is only temporary. We know the vision impacts her when she remains completely immobile for a long period of time. Only after a length of time does she start to make her "slow way on the darkening path" to her house.
So, in answer to the question, yes, Mrs. Turpin, the mean old wart hog from hell does experience a genuine revelation that forces her to change. Her revelation from God shows her that anyone, regardless of class or social status, can climb "upward into the starry field."
(518)
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Vicarious Liberations of a "Mentor"
The story, "A Teenage Wasteland," by Anne Tyler presents the reader with a very unusual and illogical, yet interesting situation: Donny, a misbehaving trouble child who gets bad grades is sent to a counselor/mentor who is similar to Donny himself--an irresponsible teen who will not obey rules or restrictions. The role of Donny's counselor Cal is one of subtle duplicity and selfishness. Daisy, Donny's mom, is having trouble controlling Donny, after she finds that he has been underperforming in school. She is given the recommedation to send Donny to a counselor named Cal in order to improve Donny's behavior and school performance. Instead of bringing about a solution, Cal manages to do the opposite, while still seeming to be the key to a solution.
When Daisy first meets Cal, she notices Cal's loud music playing in the house, his faded jeans, his "long and stringy" hair--similar to Donny's--and even his unprofessional office transformed from a dining room. Her gut feelings tell her that something about Cal is not right. Something about Cal and his house makes Daisy feel apprehensive, but she decides to try Cal out, willing to do almost anything to help her son.
At first, Cal seems to have a purely positive influence on Donny. His principal even telephoned Daisy to tell her how Donny had improved his attitude at school; surely his grades would follow suit. After successfully gaining Daisy's trust, Cal convinces Donny's parents to trust Donny more and give him more freedom. Again, while apprehensive at first, Daisy is convinced by Cal's cool, calm, and convincing nature. Unfortunately, Daisy soon receives a call from one of Donny's school teachers, who informes Daisy that Donny's grades have actually dropped significantly. Still, after being confronted, Cal convinces Daisy that everything will be okay, and that better grades will come with time, but as we soon learn, they never do.
Since Daisy is referred to Cal by a professional, and since Donny seems to be making slight progress in the beginning, the reader trusts Cal, but soon Cal begins to encourage distrust in the reader. Then we find out about Cal's ex-wife--a "really controlling lady" who "didn't understand Cal a bit." Cal had previously been married, but felt as though his wife controlled him too much, similar to the way Donny and mamy of the other teens Cal helps feel about their parents. About Cal, Donny even says, "you'd think he was our own age." To the reader, it becomes clear that Cal is just a grown teenager seeking to vicariously live through his tutees by liberating them from their "controlling" and "misunderstanding" parents.
All doubts about Cal's inabilities to help Donny perform well in school are erased when Donny gets expelled from school. And then, when Daisy is talking to Donny with Cal present, we see a mysteriously dark side of Cal. Cal, in response to Donny's request to apply at Brantly, shows actions that are a little disconcerting to the reader. Daisy finally notices Cal's darker side here. "She didn't like Cal's smile, which struck her now as feverish and acid--a smile of hunger."
In the end, Cal doesn't help Donny at all, who runs away from home eventually. Still, Daisy has trouble blaming Cal for anything, and wonders if Cal had helped or hurt the situation after all. (559)
When Daisy first meets Cal, she notices Cal's loud music playing in the house, his faded jeans, his "long and stringy" hair--similar to Donny's--and even his unprofessional office transformed from a dining room. Her gut feelings tell her that something about Cal is not right. Something about Cal and his house makes Daisy feel apprehensive, but she decides to try Cal out, willing to do almost anything to help her son.
At first, Cal seems to have a purely positive influence on Donny. His principal even telephoned Daisy to tell her how Donny had improved his attitude at school; surely his grades would follow suit. After successfully gaining Daisy's trust, Cal convinces Donny's parents to trust Donny more and give him more freedom. Again, while apprehensive at first, Daisy is convinced by Cal's cool, calm, and convincing nature. Unfortunately, Daisy soon receives a call from one of Donny's school teachers, who informes Daisy that Donny's grades have actually dropped significantly. Still, after being confronted, Cal convinces Daisy that everything will be okay, and that better grades will come with time, but as we soon learn, they never do.
Since Daisy is referred to Cal by a professional, and since Donny seems to be making slight progress in the beginning, the reader trusts Cal, but soon Cal begins to encourage distrust in the reader. Then we find out about Cal's ex-wife--a "really controlling lady" who "didn't understand Cal a bit." Cal had previously been married, but felt as though his wife controlled him too much, similar to the way Donny and mamy of the other teens Cal helps feel about their parents. About Cal, Donny even says, "you'd think he was our own age." To the reader, it becomes clear that Cal is just a grown teenager seeking to vicariously live through his tutees by liberating them from their "controlling" and "misunderstanding" parents.
All doubts about Cal's inabilities to help Donny perform well in school are erased when Donny gets expelled from school. And then, when Daisy is talking to Donny with Cal present, we see a mysteriously dark side of Cal. Cal, in response to Donny's request to apply at Brantly, shows actions that are a little disconcerting to the reader. Daisy finally notices Cal's darker side here. "She didn't like Cal's smile, which struck her now as feverish and acid--a smile of hunger."
In the end, Cal doesn't help Donny at all, who runs away from home eventually. Still, Daisy has trouble blaming Cal for anything, and wonders if Cal had helped or hurt the situation after all. (559)
Monday, August 25, 2008
Summer Reading
Over the summer, I read a novel called The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon. For a few reasons, I truly enjoyed reading this novel, even though the writing was not complex or complicated, and the plot was not intriguing or suspenseful. The novel is written in the first-person, narrated by Christopher Boone, a fifteen year old autistic boy who lives with his dad in a town called Swindon. The actual story did not interest me much--it is about Christopher finding out the truth about a secret his dad has kept from him for a long time, and his journey to London, which he takes alone. Also, the novel was not a complex one with plot twists or suspense filled scenes. It was basic in the sense of plot. I liked it for something I had never before encountered.
This novel is one I will remember reading far into the future because of its narrator. Christopher Boone narrates the novel through his own eyes, therefore giving the reader an inside look at the mind of this autistic child. This is what truly made the book unique. The novel allowed me to see the world through the mind of an autistic child. Never before, had I ever had the slightest clue about what Autism really meant, or how it affected the way a person looks at the world.
I enjoyed the new perspective I saw in the novel. The way Christopher told things in the novel kept me reading. Sometimes, it even made me chuckle, because of some of the more humorous things Christopher did. But mainly, this new perspective sparked a new interest in my mind. I had never before thought about Autism, but this novel has brought it to my attention. It has done more than that--it is the reason I am now so interested in the subject. It is the reason I want to learn more about Autism and what exactly it means.
What I found most interesting was the way in which Christopher interacted with the people around him. Also, I found his other actions and thoughts to be very interesting, mainly because they were completely different from what I am used to. To me, his thoughts were unique and intriguing. For example: he used math problems to calm himself down and clear his head. If anything, this would only frustrate and work up me or any of my friends. The way Christopher dealt with stress interested me. How could someone not be able to take in only part of the information they see at any given moment? How can someone use their memory like a video recorder--one which he could rewind to any specific moment in the past? This is what I liked reading about. I enjoyed watching a fifteen year old kid who doesn't like to be touched solve a fairly difficult math operation in seconds.
The relationship between Christopher and his parents also intrigued me. I found it interesting that Christopher didn't understand the notion of love. He didn't feel emotion like his parents did. His father fought for Christopher's trust, because he loved his son, but Christopher didn't understand any of this. These unique perspectives kept me reading. This is what made me feel emotional towards scenes in the book. This is why a novel with a plot that did not interest me, and situations that I did not care about, fully captured my mind in a way that no other novel can.
This novel is one I will remember reading far into the future because of its narrator. Christopher Boone narrates the novel through his own eyes, therefore giving the reader an inside look at the mind of this autistic child. This is what truly made the book unique. The novel allowed me to see the world through the mind of an autistic child. Never before, had I ever had the slightest clue about what Autism really meant, or how it affected the way a person looks at the world.
I enjoyed the new perspective I saw in the novel. The way Christopher told things in the novel kept me reading. Sometimes, it even made me chuckle, because of some of the more humorous things Christopher did. But mainly, this new perspective sparked a new interest in my mind. I had never before thought about Autism, but this novel has brought it to my attention. It has done more than that--it is the reason I am now so interested in the subject. It is the reason I want to learn more about Autism and what exactly it means.
What I found most interesting was the way in which Christopher interacted with the people around him. Also, I found his other actions and thoughts to be very interesting, mainly because they were completely different from what I am used to. To me, his thoughts were unique and intriguing. For example: he used math problems to calm himself down and clear his head. If anything, this would only frustrate and work up me or any of my friends. The way Christopher dealt with stress interested me. How could someone not be able to take in only part of the information they see at any given moment? How can someone use their memory like a video recorder--one which he could rewind to any specific moment in the past? This is what I liked reading about. I enjoyed watching a fifteen year old kid who doesn't like to be touched solve a fairly difficult math operation in seconds.
The relationship between Christopher and his parents also intrigued me. I found it interesting that Christopher didn't understand the notion of love. He didn't feel emotion like his parents did. His father fought for Christopher's trust, because he loved his son, but Christopher didn't understand any of this. These unique perspectives kept me reading. This is what made me feel emotional towards scenes in the book. This is why a novel with a plot that did not interest me, and situations that I did not care about, fully captured my mind in a way that no other novel can.
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