Friday, January 25, 2013
4. February
February
Margaret Atwood
This poem approaches the idea that humans, are like cats. The poem is almost a satire of the main concerns of humans (specifically during winter): marking their territory and sex. Human's main concern is watching hockey, eating a ton, and sex. The speaker seems to imply that it is the season that elicits these actions. It seems to be saying that the dullness and death of winter is equivalent to people's love lives, as a "month of despair with a skewered heart in the middle." At the end of the poem, the speaker mentions the life and beauty of spring. I think spring is an analogy for a joyous love life, contrasted against the dullness and pathetic cattiness of love during the winter.
3. Popular Mechanics
Popular Mechanics
Raymond Carver
The first thing I thought was that this story is basically that of 1 Kings 3. Obviously, there is a huge difference in the mother's response in 1 Kings and the parent's response in Popular Mechanics. In the Bible story, the real mother of the baby the two women were fighting for was willing to give up her baby so that it would live. In this story, however, the mother and father settle the issue by splitting their baby in half. The Bible story contrasts Popular mechanics, highlighting the absence of actual love the parents had for their baby. Their fight seemed to be more of a competition than one of caring for their baby. The title, Popular Mechanics, provides an ironic insight into reality. By using the word, "popular", it implies that this kind of settlement is common. I think it serves to accuse parents who are splitting of also (figuratively) splitting their children. They are so concerned about who gets what that there is no care for the emotional consequences served by their children. Children are under the harm of their parent's fight for them.
Raymond Carver
The first thing I thought was that this story is basically that of 1 Kings 3. Obviously, there is a huge difference in the mother's response in 1 Kings and the parent's response in Popular Mechanics. In the Bible story, the real mother of the baby the two women were fighting for was willing to give up her baby so that it would live. In this story, however, the mother and father settle the issue by splitting their baby in half. The Bible story contrasts Popular mechanics, highlighting the absence of actual love the parents had for their baby. Their fight seemed to be more of a competition than one of caring for their baby. The title, Popular Mechanics, provides an ironic insight into reality. By using the word, "popular", it implies that this kind of settlement is common. I think it serves to accuse parents who are splitting of also (figuratively) splitting their children. They are so concerned about who gets what that there is no care for the emotional consequences served by their children. Children are under the harm of their parent's fight for them.
2. You're Ugly, Too
You're Ugly, Too
Lorrie Moore
I really connected with Zoe as a character through her eccentricities: her purse with all of her baggies, all of her books about career women and their grief, singing while walking into her lecture halls. She is nothing less than weird, and the best part is that she makes fun of herself. A student asked her, "what is your perfume", and her response, "room freshener" gives her a sense of unapologetic honesty. She seemingly has nothing to hide. I don't think however, that while her incongruences make her interesting, the don't elicit any sense of empathy for her being alone. I think she has such a confidence and comfort in her own skin that the audience doesn't perceive her as a woman that would need or even want a man. I think that's what I like about her. She does what she wants, she is who she is, and she doesn't rely on a man to define her. Her loopy but down-to-earth character makes it unsurprising that she doesn't end up with anyone, but she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she seems like she's better off than "finding herself in a bitter custody battle... for the kids."
Lorrie Moore
I really connected with Zoe as a character through her eccentricities: her purse with all of her baggies, all of her books about career women and their grief, singing while walking into her lecture halls. She is nothing less than weird, and the best part is that she makes fun of herself. A student asked her, "what is your perfume", and her response, "room freshener" gives her a sense of unapologetic honesty. She seemingly has nothing to hide. I don't think however, that while her incongruences make her interesting, the don't elicit any sense of empathy for her being alone. I think she has such a confidence and comfort in her own skin that the audience doesn't perceive her as a woman that would need or even want a man. I think that's what I like about her. She does what she wants, she is who she is, and she doesn't rely on a man to define her. Her loopy but down-to-earth character makes it unsurprising that she doesn't end up with anyone, but she doesn't seem to mind. In fact, she seems like she's better off than "finding herself in a bitter custody battle... for the kids."
1. The Story of an Hour
The Story of an Hour
Kate Chopin
One thing I noticed in particular about the story was the speaker's diction. "Pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul."I think this beautifully described how she responded to the death of her husband. Though, as the audience comes to find out, doesn't last long. Soon after the initial tears she begins to whisper the words: "Free! Body and soul free!" It is shocking to see Mrs. Bentley respond to the death of her husband by feeling a sense of freedom. She doesn't even wait an hour before she starts praying that she might have a long life to enjoy this freedom. She feels even a sense of victory as she looks forward to being defined by her own wants and desires and not by the will (or seemingly oppression) of a man by her side. When Mr. Bentley comes home, it becomes completely clear how strongly she felt about being alone that she dies right then of heart disease. What is most ironic, is that the speaker said that she died of joy! All I can think is that she would have rather died than face years more of oppression.
Kate Chopin
One thing I noticed in particular about the story was the speaker's diction. "Pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul."I think this beautifully described how she responded to the death of her husband. Though, as the audience comes to find out, doesn't last long. Soon after the initial tears she begins to whisper the words: "Free! Body and soul free!" It is shocking to see Mrs. Bentley respond to the death of her husband by feeling a sense of freedom. She doesn't even wait an hour before she starts praying that she might have a long life to enjoy this freedom. She feels even a sense of victory as she looks forward to being defined by her own wants and desires and not by the will (or seemingly oppression) of a man by her side. When Mr. Bentley comes home, it becomes completely clear how strongly she felt about being alone that she dies right then of heart disease. What is most ironic, is that the speaker said that she died of joy! All I can think is that she would have rather died than face years more of oppression.
Wednesday, January 9, 2013
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning (4/4)
A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning
John Donne
What I noticed in this poem was a sense of spiritual love. When the speaker acknowledges that they will be forcibly going away, they say that this departure should not be of sadness and tears, because this makes "a virtuous man weak", but instead, of trust during their "expansion" (Donne, 801-802). The speaker also made the point that they and their love are entered into a love "much refined", that it is assured and affirmed by more that "eyes, lips, and hands to miss" (Donne, 802). The couple's love is defined by more than the love they share in the same space, but by the love between them that is "inter-assured of the mind." The entirety of the poem is centered around the couple's love that extends beyond the physical, that their connection is made up of much more that that of "dull sublunary lovers' love", and that they as a couple are stronger because of their ability to withstand physical absense. Their long-distance relationship is only distant in the sense that they're geographically apart. I think the speaker was trying to encourage their love that they would return and all would be as it was left, "thy firmness makes my circle just, and makes me end, where I begun."
John Donne
What I noticed in this poem was a sense of spiritual love. When the speaker acknowledges that they will be forcibly going away, they say that this departure should not be of sadness and tears, because this makes "a virtuous man weak", but instead, of trust during their "expansion" (Donne, 801-802). The speaker also made the point that they and their love are entered into a love "much refined", that it is assured and affirmed by more that "eyes, lips, and hands to miss" (Donne, 802). The couple's love is defined by more than the love they share in the same space, but by the love between them that is "inter-assured of the mind." The entirety of the poem is centered around the couple's love that extends beyond the physical, that their connection is made up of much more that that of "dull sublunary lovers' love", and that they as a couple are stronger because of their ability to withstand physical absense. Their long-distance relationship is only distant in the sense that they're geographically apart. I think the speaker was trying to encourage their love that they would return and all would be as it was left, "thy firmness makes my circle just, and makes me end, where I begun."
Eveline (3/4)
Eveline
James Joyce
This story first made me think of Eveline's psychological state. After a time of her father's abuse, her mother's death, and her hard life, she still finds her home hard to leave. "It was hard work- a hard life- but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life" (Joyce, 220). Eveline finds it hard to leave her rough life for her love, Frank! What is interesting is how she is so dependent on her home life that is so destructive. I think this story was made to address humanity's problems with change. In fact, Eveline justifies staying by saying her father could be nice- sometimes. She convinces herself that life is better the way it always has been. When she's about to go off with Frank to Buenos Aires, she is not overjoyed to be changing her life so that she can live a better one with her love, but she thinks to herself that she would be "drowned" in the "seas of the world" (Joyce, 222). Her fear restrains her from having the beautiful life that she could.
James Joyce
This story first made me think of Eveline's psychological state. After a time of her father's abuse, her mother's death, and her hard life, she still finds her home hard to leave. "It was hard work- a hard life- but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life" (Joyce, 220). Eveline finds it hard to leave her rough life for her love, Frank! What is interesting is how she is so dependent on her home life that is so destructive. I think this story was made to address humanity's problems with change. In fact, Eveline justifies staying by saying her father could be nice- sometimes. She convinces herself that life is better the way it always has been. When she's about to go off with Frank to Buenos Aires, she is not overjoyed to be changing her life so that she can live a better one with her love, but she thinks to herself that she would be "drowned" in the "seas of the world" (Joyce, 222). Her fear restrains her from having the beautiful life that she could.
Lonely Hearts (2/4)
Lonely Hearts
Wendy Cope
In this poem, I think there are multiple speakers that communicate through what seem like newspaper ads.
Each of these individuals is searching for someone to love and for someone to love them. They describe themselves as "gay vegetarian", or "male biker", or "executive". Then, they mention what kind of person they would be interested in, "female for touring fun", or "bisexual woman, arty, young" (Cope, 973). They are very concerned with labels and identifying themselves with typical societal definitions. It is ironic, however, that all of these lonely individuals are all writing in North London. They are all searching for a specific person with specific labels to be with, but meanwhile, there are others seaching just like them. I think the theme of the poem is to satirize the quest of love. I think the point of the poem is to highlight the absurdity of people's standards in looking for someone to love. Love is not about a "picture", as one asked for, or a label, but about an actual bond- a bond that was not advertized for in newspaper ads.
Wendy Cope
In this poem, I think there are multiple speakers that communicate through what seem like newspaper ads.
Each of these individuals is searching for someone to love and for someone to love them. They describe themselves as "gay vegetarian", or "male biker", or "executive". Then, they mention what kind of person they would be interested in, "female for touring fun", or "bisexual woman, arty, young" (Cope, 973). They are very concerned with labels and identifying themselves with typical societal definitions. It is ironic, however, that all of these lonely individuals are all writing in North London. They are all searching for a specific person with specific labels to be with, but meanwhile, there are others seaching just like them. I think the theme of the poem is to satirize the quest of love. I think the point of the poem is to highlight the absurdity of people's standards in looking for someone to love. Love is not about a "picture", as one asked for, or a label, but about an actual bond- a bond that was not advertized for in newspaper ads.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
How I Met My Husband (1/4)
How I Met My Husband
Alice Munro
I think the structure is interesting in the story in the sense that Edie's husband isn't actually introduced to her until the end. Initially, Chris Watters seems like he is Edie's husband-to-be. His kind words, his understanding nature, and his acceptance of Edie's shyness make him a prime candidate for Edie. He becomes less likely, however, when Allison, Chris' fiance, shows up. Nonetheless, the audience naturally expects that true love will prevail and that the two will be together. Unfortunately though, it makes sense that Chris leaves Edie behind and never gets back to her with a letter. It is very typical of his "fleeting" character that he would leave, after all, he did it to Allison too. I think it can be inferred that Allison was left in the dust as Edie was by the way she showed up chasing after Chris. When the mailman shows up in the story, he simply seems like a background character. As Edie's hopes for a letter from Chris fades, a new light is shone on the mailman, who is never given a name. This strange entrance into a background character makes is surprising when the speaker reveals that it is the mailman who she marries.
Alice Munro
I think the structure is interesting in the story in the sense that Edie's husband isn't actually introduced to her until the end. Initially, Chris Watters seems like he is Edie's husband-to-be. His kind words, his understanding nature, and his acceptance of Edie's shyness make him a prime candidate for Edie. He becomes less likely, however, when Allison, Chris' fiance, shows up. Nonetheless, the audience naturally expects that true love will prevail and that the two will be together. Unfortunately though, it makes sense that Chris leaves Edie behind and never gets back to her with a letter. It is very typical of his "fleeting" character that he would leave, after all, he did it to Allison too. I think it can be inferred that Allison was left in the dust as Edie was by the way she showed up chasing after Chris. When the mailman shows up in the story, he simply seems like a background character. As Edie's hopes for a letter from Chris fades, a new light is shone on the mailman, who is never given a name. This strange entrance into a background character makes is surprising when the speaker reveals that it is the mailman who she marries.
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