In chapter five, Ruth is characterized as another Hagar: an insestuous and obsessive freak. Pilate is characterized as a headstrong, but caring individual (just caring in an extreme sort of fasion.) Both of their characterizations represent a women's situation in this story and reveals mankind's ironic misconception when it comes to women.
The scene when Milkman follows his mom to the cemetery reveals to the reader her unnatural relation with her father: Macon Dead and thus comes her negative characterization. This scene shows us the secret side of women--the side they choose to hide from the world. It also provides insight to every woman's obsessive compassion for others, not only explaining Hagar's crazy obsession with Milkman, but Pilate's violent protection of her daughter.
When Ruth tells of her childhood, she reveals her headstrong side and her compasionate side. Her compassion is shown in how she refuses to "move on" because of her brother's husband. She provides insight to how women will defy what is expected of them and do whatever it takes to get what they want. Such is the case with Hagar and her attempts to kill Milkman. This is also displayed through Ruth, when she drugs her husband so he will make love to her.
In conclusion, the women in this story are obsessive and aggressive. This is ironic because this is not how society has ever viewed women, yet it exists. Thier struggles reveal everything that they are not.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Characters' Reflections
How do the characters vary in their process of reflection?
Out of all the chapters in this book, I think the most reflective is Benjy's. Basically his whole chapter is a fragmented reflection of his past with Caddy. However, there is a method to his madness. Benjy does not just think up random moments of his life and goes with it, but instead, things in the present provoke his memories, and those memories provoke other memories. For example, at the beginning of his chapter, Benjy hears a golfer call on his caddie, which causes Benjy to reflect on past times with his sister, Caddy.
Quinten reflects on his past a little differently than Benjy. Instead of reflecting on many instances, he only focuses on one: Caddy losing her virginity. The memory keeps invading his thoughts, sometimes interrupting in the middle of sentences. Quinten can be thinking of one thing, but then in the middle of the thought jumps "Dalton Ames," which happens many times in his chapter.
Jason does not reflect on much of anything except the negative aspects of everyone around him. Whenever he has to deal with someone, he often brings up a time before when they were making an annoyance of themselves, and further explains how much it could hurt him in the future.
"Take [Benjy] on round to the back," I says. "What the hell makes you want to keep him around here where people can see him?" I made them go on, before he got started bellowing good. It's bad enough on Sundays, with that dam field full of people that haven't got a side show and six niggers to feed, knocking a dam oversize mothball around. He's going to keep on running up and down that fence and bellowing every time they come in sight until first thing I know they're going to begin charging me golf dues, then Mother and Dilsey'll have to get a couple of china door knobs and a walking stick and work it out, unless I play at night with a lantern. Then they'd send us all to Jackson, maybe. God knows, they'd hold Old Home week when that happened. "
Dilsey's chapter contains little, if any, reflection at all. In fact, it is just as much Dilsey's chapter as it is Luster's or Jason's. It is the only chapter that is presented in third person, giving it even less focus on a single character, much less their reflections.
Out of all the chapters in this book, I think the most reflective is Benjy's. Basically his whole chapter is a fragmented reflection of his past with Caddy. However, there is a method to his madness. Benjy does not just think up random moments of his life and goes with it, but instead, things in the present provoke his memories, and those memories provoke other memories. For example, at the beginning of his chapter, Benjy hears a golfer call on his caddie, which causes Benjy to reflect on past times with his sister, Caddy.
Quinten reflects on his past a little differently than Benjy. Instead of reflecting on many instances, he only focuses on one: Caddy losing her virginity. The memory keeps invading his thoughts, sometimes interrupting in the middle of sentences. Quinten can be thinking of one thing, but then in the middle of the thought jumps "Dalton Ames," which happens many times in his chapter.
Jason does not reflect on much of anything except the negative aspects of everyone around him. Whenever he has to deal with someone, he often brings up a time before when they were making an annoyance of themselves, and further explains how much it could hurt him in the future.
"Take [Benjy] on round to the back," I says. "What the hell makes you want to keep him around here where people can see him?" I made them go on, before he got started bellowing good. It's bad enough on Sundays, with that dam field full of people that haven't got a side show and six niggers to feed, knocking a dam oversize mothball around. He's going to keep on running up and down that fence and bellowing every time they come in sight until first thing I know they're going to begin charging me golf dues, then Mother and Dilsey'll have to get a couple of china door knobs and a walking stick and work it out, unless I play at night with a lantern. Then they'd send us all to Jackson, maybe. God knows, they'd hold Old Home week when that happened. "
Dilsey's chapter contains little, if any, reflection at all. In fact, it is just as much Dilsey's chapter as it is Luster's or Jason's. It is the only chapter that is presented in third person, giving it even less focus on a single character, much less their reflections.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Sound and the Fury
My opinions rarely have any value, but here I go again anyway:
The Sound and the Fury is unlike any book I have ever read. The style is extremely confusing throughout the book, jumping in and out of thoughts without warning. The author depends on the reader to determine between a character's thoughts and what is actually happening.
Time means absolutely nothing--Faulkner cares not for chronological order. This is most noticeable in Benjy's chapter when Benjy jumps from reality to his memories of Caddy long ago. It is very similar Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five and Billy's state of being stuck in time to revisit instances of his life.
Quinten, however, is "stuck in time" in a different sense than that of Billy. Instead of revisiting many instances in his life, he is stuck in one particular moment: Caddy's pregnancy. Although he is physically in the now, his mind is permanently left behind in that moment. The chapter constantly jumps back and forth from reality (the now) and Quinten's mind (the then).
The Sound and the Fury is unlike any book I have ever read. The style is extremely confusing throughout the book, jumping in and out of thoughts without warning. The author depends on the reader to determine between a character's thoughts and what is actually happening.
Time means absolutely nothing--Faulkner cares not for chronological order. This is most noticeable in Benjy's chapter when Benjy jumps from reality to his memories of Caddy long ago. It is very similar Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five and Billy's state of being stuck in time to revisit instances of his life.
Quinten, however, is "stuck in time" in a different sense than that of Billy. Instead of revisiting many instances in his life, he is stuck in one particular moment: Caddy's pregnancy. Although he is physically in the now, his mind is permanently left behind in that moment. The chapter constantly jumps back and forth from reality (the now) and Quinten's mind (the then).
Monday, March 10, 2008
Civilized Savagery
"It was unearthly, and the men were—No, they were not inhuman. Well, you know, that was the worst of it—the suspicion of their not being inhuman. It would come slowly to one. They howled and leaped, and spun, and made horrid faces; but what thrilled you was just the thought of their humanity—like yours—the thought of your remote kinship with this wild and passionate uproar. Ugly. Yes, it was ugly enough; but if you were man enough you would admit to yourself that there was in you just the faintest trace of a response to the terrible frankness of that noise, a dim suspicion of there being a meaning in it which you—you so remote from the night of first ages—could comprehend. And why not?" -Heart of Darkness
In both the novella "Heart of Darkness" and the movie "Apocalypse Now," the violent coexistence of a savage world versus a civilized world is stressed. However as each story goes on, the ability to distinguish between the civilized characters and the savage becomes more difficult. In the Heart of Darkness, likewise in Apocalypse Now, Kurtz was a very respectable man. In the movie, he was an excellent general who graduated from Harvard. The officer even remarked that he was raised perfect for the job. In the book, Kurtz was the Cheif of Marlow's Company. Only civilized beings could hold such positions, right? Apparently not. This respectable character, whether it was through his search for power or ivory, transforms to be the head figure of the savages, with heads of his followers speared outside his chambers.
Kurtz is not the only one. The main character, Marlow, also undergoes a similar transformation. In the Novella, Marlow explains how the war cries of the natives felt almost natural to him to the point that there was "a dim suspicion of there being a meaning in it." In Apocalypse now, Marlow is covered in darkness during and after the killing of Kurtz--which was brutally carried out with an axe. When he stands in front of all the natives, they bow. Now Marlow has transformed from a fighter from a civilized society to an idle of the savages.
In both the novella "Heart of Darkness" and the movie "Apocalypse Now," the violent coexistence of a savage world versus a civilized world is stressed. However as each story goes on, the ability to distinguish between the civilized characters and the savage becomes more difficult. In the Heart of Darkness, likewise in Apocalypse Now, Kurtz was a very respectable man. In the movie, he was an excellent general who graduated from Harvard. The officer even remarked that he was raised perfect for the job. In the book, Kurtz was the Cheif of Marlow's Company. Only civilized beings could hold such positions, right? Apparently not. This respectable character, whether it was through his search for power or ivory, transforms to be the head figure of the savages, with heads of his followers speared outside his chambers.
Kurtz is not the only one. The main character, Marlow, also undergoes a similar transformation. In the Novella, Marlow explains how the war cries of the natives felt almost natural to him to the point that there was "a dim suspicion of there being a meaning in it." In Apocalypse now, Marlow is covered in darkness during and after the killing of Kurtz--which was brutally carried out with an axe. When he stands in front of all the natives, they bow. Now Marlow has transformed from a fighter from a civilized society to an idle of the savages.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Art of Lore
If these stories are "art" what makes them a creative activity both for the reader and the writer? Choose a story and discuss its creative aspects and what is available for interpretation.
First off, if stories were not art, I would have absolutely no idea what they would be. Art is the expression of your creativity, no matter how you do it. It can be through painting, dance, singing, building, and yes, writing. By writing, the writer can put whatever creative thought that comes into their head on paper. Their stories are only limited to their imagination. For the reader, reading can be seen as a creative activity, just in a much more limited sense. The author is giving you information that you can use however you want. However, the more information the author gives, the less creative the reader can be. For example, at the start of the story "Metamorphosis," the author gives you one piece of information: The main character transformed into a bug. He doesn't say how, he doesn't say why, he doesn't say anything except the fact itself. By doing so, the reader can use his or her creativity to answer the questions to those questions. If the author had given reason, there would be much less to think about--much less "wiggle room" one might say.
First off, if stories were not art, I would have absolutely no idea what they would be. Art is the expression of your creativity, no matter how you do it. It can be through painting, dance, singing, building, and yes, writing. By writing, the writer can put whatever creative thought that comes into their head on paper. Their stories are only limited to their imagination. For the reader, reading can be seen as a creative activity, just in a much more limited sense. The author is giving you information that you can use however you want. However, the more information the author gives, the less creative the reader can be. For example, at the start of the story "Metamorphosis," the author gives you one piece of information: The main character transformed into a bug. He doesn't say how, he doesn't say why, he doesn't say anything except the fact itself. By doing so, the reader can use his or her creativity to answer the questions to those questions. If the author had given reason, there would be much less to think about--much less "wiggle room" one might say.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Rough Draft!
Over the centuries, many texts include the struggle of fate over free will, including the notable Greek play, Oedipus Rex. Although many people tend to focus on the main tragic figure, Oedipus, when analyzing this principle, much of this theme can be seen in a lesser character: Oedipus’s wife, Jocasta. In some cases, this character can be seen as a more valuable resource to support the theme than her unfortunate husband. Throughout the play, Jocasta battles with the will of Apollo, unwilling to accept the fate that he bestowed upon her.
The first instance of this is seen when Jocasta tells of her history. She explained that and oracle predicted that Laios, Jocasta’s previous husband, would die by his son’s hands and would go on to marry his mother. In reaction to this look into her fate, her son was ordered to be killed before this terrible happening could occur. This is a clear indication of Jocasta’s unwillingness to accept her fate—for she was attempting to defy the prophecy by eliminating the main element to the tragedy.
When discussing with Oedipus about this prophecy, Jocasta’s language hints the existence of a sense of denial. It hints that she knows that her fate has become reality, but she refuses to acknowledge it. She tries to halt Oedipus’s detective like eagerness with lines such as “this talk is a waste of time,” and “For God’s love, let us have no more questioning!” However, Oedipus continues on, and Jocasta responds with the key line “May you never learn who you are!” Why is this line key? It clearly reveals Jocasta’s awareness of the reality of her fate despite how much she tried to play ignorant.
Shortly after, her awareness leads to her suicide, further proving her unwillingness to accept her fate. Through Jocasta, the reader witnesses the struggle humans have with their fate, more so than even Oedipus does.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Blog #3 - Morality Just Got Burn'd!
In the beginning it was all about the battlefield. Iago complained of Cassio's appointment despite all of the recommendations that supported this so called "moral pyromaniac." The paradoxical title does not seem to fit Iago, however, for all his actions were most definitely immoral--simply, evil in fact. But of course, I guess the manipulation of others to further your desires of revenge is obviously something the judges look for in a Miss America.
As for the pyromaniac bit, Iago fits nicely into the description. Iago's actions not only effect the main target, Othello, but also effect the people around him. In comparison, not only does a fire completely destroy the space it originated from, but it also spreads out to burn down other targets. It is in this pyromaniac stage when Iago starts to drift from a religion of war, to the game of war.
Thus, it seems foolish to me that one would call Iago a "moral pyromaniac", for that implies that he is committing Shakespearean arson at the same time he is performing in a morally right fashion. Rather, it should be recognized that Iago transitions from a moral stage of honoring Othello as the god of war, to a pyromaniac who burns the other characters' lives to a crisp.
As for the pyromaniac bit, Iago fits nicely into the description. Iago's actions not only effect the main target, Othello, but also effect the people around him. In comparison, not only does a fire completely destroy the space it originated from, but it also spreads out to burn down other targets. It is in this pyromaniac stage when Iago starts to drift from a religion of war, to the game of war.
Thus, it seems foolish to me that one would call Iago a "moral pyromaniac", for that implies that he is committing Shakespearean arson at the same time he is performing in a morally right fashion. Rather, it should be recognized that Iago transitions from a moral stage of honoring Othello as the god of war, to a pyromaniac who burns the other characters' lives to a crisp.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Blog #1 - Quotes
"I'm going to live forever or die trying!" - unknown
"The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." -Jon Hammond
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." -Albert Einstein
"He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money." - Benjamin Franklin
"The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese." -Jon Hammond
"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and all science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." -Albert Einstein
"He that is of the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money." - Benjamin Franklin
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Posting is Fun
This is my first post in my blog... I feel so proud. I shall add actual posts soon. This is just a test to see how my blogs looks.
Make sure to try out my new cereal. Spazzy McGee sure loves 'em; you will too!
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