"But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying." (pg. 186)
To be honest, I didn't understand this poem very well. I got that she was an avid people-watcher. She liked it so much that every Sunday she would sit and watch everyone come to this main gathering place in the park. Miss Brill came to a realization in this short story that her life is like a play. She is part of the audience who goes to watch the play, and the people at the gathering place are the performers and actors. This old woman loves Sundays because of this opportunity to come and people-watch . This Sunday was especially important because it involved many more people than last Sunday and "the Season" had begun. I'm assuming this "Season" is Christmas, but I really have no idea. The last part I didn't understand because I don't know the significance of the fur. Apparently, it must have been very special to her otherwise she wouldn't had the crying at the end.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
Once Upon A Time
"I couldn't find a position in which my mind would let go of my body - release me to sleep again. So I began to tell myself a story; a bedtime story."
First of all, why would someone tell this story to themselves when trying to go to bed? It is kind of depressing, or at least I think it was. Did the child end up dying or just severely hurt? Moving on to the questions, I think the child really has no blame in this because it was never mentioned that the parents told the kid not to go near the wire. I think there is a little bit of irony in the sign that says, "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED." The people on the outside have been warned, but not the people on the inside. The sounds at the beginning are the creaking which she thinks is a burglar in her house and a voice. The most significant cause for fear out of these two would definitely be the burglar in her house because recently she had someone in her neighborhood killed in broad daylight. Another thing I noticed was all the security that the family put up around their house. They had bars on their windows and doors and a huge wall with coiled wire on the top. This reminds me of a jail, and how ironic it is that they are the ones inside the jail-like house when the people on the outside should really be the ones in jail.
First of all, why would someone tell this story to themselves when trying to go to bed? It is kind of depressing, or at least I think it was. Did the child end up dying or just severely hurt? Moving on to the questions, I think the child really has no blame in this because it was never mentioned that the parents told the kid not to go near the wire. I think there is a little bit of irony in the sign that says, "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED." The people on the outside have been warned, but not the people on the inside. The sounds at the beginning are the creaking which she thinks is a burglar in her house and a voice. The most significant cause for fear out of these two would definitely be the burglar in her house because recently she had someone in her neighborhood killed in broad daylight. Another thing I noticed was all the security that the family put up around their house. They had bars on their windows and doors and a huge wall with coiled wire on the top. This reminds me of a jail, and how ironic it is that they are the ones inside the jail-like house when the people on the outside should really be the ones in jail.
A Worn Path
"She wore a dark striped dress reaching down to her shoe tops, and an equally long apron of bleached sugar sacks, with a full pocket: all neat and tidy, but every time she took a step she might have fallen over her shoelaces, which dragged from her unlaced shoes." (pg. 223)
This quote is an example of indirect characterization because the author is telling the reader how Phoenix dresses. Authors often use this type of characterization instead of directly telling us what the character is like.
"A Worn Path" is a short story involving this "old Negro woman" name Phoenix who is determined to get to town. This town is pretty far away as she ran into a couple of strangers along the way. Once she got to this little town, she completely forgot what she came for. Then, she remembered that she came to get some medicine for her sick grandson. In one of the questions, it asks the author if the grandson is really dead. Personally, I have no idea why someone would ask the author this because I didn't see any clues to make me think that the grandson is dead. The author avoided the question which makes me think that it is left up to an individual's perception.
This quote is an example of indirect characterization because the author is telling the reader how Phoenix dresses. Authors often use this type of characterization instead of directly telling us what the character is like.
"A Worn Path" is a short story involving this "old Negro woman" name Phoenix who is determined to get to town. This town is pretty far away as she ran into a couple of strangers along the way. Once she got to this little town, she completely forgot what she came for. Then, she remembered that she came to get some medicine for her sick grandson. In one of the questions, it asks the author if the grandson is really dead. Personally, I have no idea why someone would ask the author this because I didn't see any clues to make me think that the grandson is dead. The author avoided the question which makes me think that it is left up to an individual's perception.
Monday, November 28, 2011
Eveline
"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." (pg. 220)
Throughout this short story, Eveline, the main character, is trying to decide whether she should stay in the situation she's in right now or move on to a new life with a man. I don't think she ever fully knew which she wanted, but she ended up choosing the life she has now. Eveline wanted to leave because she wanted to be treated with respect and did not want to play the traditional role of housekeeper. She also wanted her own money that she did not have to borrow from her father, and she wanted a break from the hard work and life mentioned in the above quote. On the flip side, she also enjoys this hard life because it's the only life she has ever known. Her father strongly disapproves of the relationship that Eveline is in because he seems to think that Frank is just like all the other sailors. Frank is described as being "kind, manly, and open-hearted," "fond of music" and sings, and is a sailor. I believe that Eveline had not really made up her mind on what choice she wanted to make as the boat was leaving. She had a feeling and decided to go with it, leaving the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with traveling on his own.
Throughout this short story, Eveline, the main character, is trying to decide whether she should stay in the situation she's in right now or move on to a new life with a man. I don't think she ever fully knew which she wanted, but she ended up choosing the life she has now. Eveline wanted to leave because she wanted to be treated with respect and did not want to play the traditional role of housekeeper. She also wanted her own money that she did not have to borrow from her father, and she wanted a break from the hard work and life mentioned in the above quote. On the flip side, she also enjoys this hard life because it's the only life she has ever known. Her father strongly disapproves of the relationship that Eveline is in because he seems to think that Frank is just like all the other sailors. Frank is described as being "kind, manly, and open-hearted," "fond of music" and sings, and is a sailor. I believe that Eveline had not really made up her mind on what choice she wanted to make as the boat was leaving. She had a feeling and decided to go with it, leaving the man she was supposed to spend the rest of her life with traveling on his own.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Everyday Use 2
"Maggie smiled; maybe at the sunglasses. But a real smile, not scared." (pg. 181)
Throughout this short story, there were three main characterizations made. Maggie is the little sister who stands in the corners, kind of to herself. She seems innocent like a child and really just sees life as it is. Mama is seen as someone who sticks up for Maggie in the story because Maggie won't stick up for herself. The reader and Mama could tell that Maggie wanted the quilts when they were arguing, but she wasn't speaking up. She was letting Dee run all over her, and she was going to let her take the quilts until Mama stepped in. Dee is a character who is very arrogant and ungrateful. She tries to get everything her way. I really did not like Dee's character because she was a brat who would not take no for an answer, even when the quilts weren't hers to begin with.
Throughout this short story, there were three main characterizations made. Maggie is the little sister who stands in the corners, kind of to herself. She seems innocent like a child and really just sees life as it is. Mama is seen as someone who sticks up for Maggie in the story because Maggie won't stick up for herself. The reader and Mama could tell that Maggie wanted the quilts when they were arguing, but she wasn't speaking up. She was letting Dee run all over her, and she was going to let her take the quilts until Mama stepped in. Dee is a character who is very arrogant and ungrateful. She tries to get everything her way. I really did not like Dee's character because she was a brat who would not take no for an answer, even when the quilts weren't hers to begin with.
Bartleby the Scrivener
"I would prefer not to."
This was Bartleby's signature phrase in this short story. Throughout this story, Bartleby is an interesting character. When his boss asks him to do something, he would always just say, "I would prefer not to." He is a very hard worker, but he likes to do what he wants and doesn't like other people telling him what to do. This didn't work very well in a job situation, as he was eventually fired. This didn't stop Bartleby as he was continually seen in the office even after he was fired. I thought this was really weird until I kept reading. Apparently, Bartleby lived there. After his old company left the office, a new company moved in and called the cops on him. He was sent to jail, and his stubborn personality stopped him from accepting food from other people. Bartleby ended up dying, and it was his fault because he didn't want to eat in jail.
This was Bartleby's signature phrase in this short story. Throughout this story, Bartleby is an interesting character. When his boss asks him to do something, he would always just say, "I would prefer not to." He is a very hard worker, but he likes to do what he wants and doesn't like other people telling him what to do. This didn't work very well in a job situation, as he was eventually fired. This didn't stop Bartleby as he was continually seen in the office even after he was fired. I thought this was really weird until I kept reading. Apparently, Bartleby lived there. After his old company left the office, a new company moved in and called the cops on him. He was sent to jail, and his stubborn personality stopped him from accepting food from other people. Bartleby ended up dying, and it was his fault because he didn't want to eat in jail.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Hunters in the Snow
"His knuckles were hairy. He wore a heavy wedding band and on his right pinky another gold ring with a flat face and an 'F' in what looked like diamonds." (pg. 189)
This is an example of indirect characterization because the author is explaining what Frank looks like. Indirect characterization often times goes into more detail than direct characterization, but it forces the reader to come up with a conclusion on their own. This short story involved three men going on a hunt. After Kenny was shot by Tub, they were forced to leave and try to make it to a hospital. Several times on their journey, they had to stop because it was so cold. When they stopped, they left Kenny in the back of the truck and went inside. I thought this was really strange because I don't know why they would leave him out there all by himself, especially after he had been shot. At one stop, Tub took his time to eat four orders of pancakes with Kenny outside the entire time. The ending was a shocker to me because I thought they would make it to a hospital. Apparently, they didn't make it so I'm guessing Kenny died.
This is an example of indirect characterization because the author is explaining what Frank looks like. Indirect characterization often times goes into more detail than direct characterization, but it forces the reader to come up with a conclusion on their own. This short story involved three men going on a hunt. After Kenny was shot by Tub, they were forced to leave and try to make it to a hospital. Several times on their journey, they had to stop because it was so cold. When they stopped, they left Kenny in the back of the truck and went inside. I thought this was really strange because I don't know why they would leave him out there all by himself, especially after he had been shot. At one stop, Tub took his time to eat four orders of pancakes with Kenny outside the entire time. The ending was a shocker to me because I thought they would make it to a hospital. Apparently, they didn't make it so I'm guessing Kenny died.
Everyday Use
"When I looked at her like that something hit me in the top of my head and ran down to the soles of my feet." (pg. 181)
This is an example of an epiphany because the character experiences a light bulb moment in which she notices how much the quilts mean to Maggie. When Dee/Wangero questioned Maggie, Maggie had pretended that she didn't really care about the quilts. The truth is that Maggie very much so cared for the quotes, and this epiphany allowed the narrator to see how much she appreciated them. This whole short story was about three sisters who bickered about something or another. Right after dinner, Wangero went straight to the narrator's bed to get some quilts that were made by their grandmother. Wangero and the narrator fought about who should get to keep them, and eventually, Wangero got mad and left. What I don't understand is why she wanted the quilts so bad. If she was just going to hang up the quilts for decoration, then what the point of having them? The whole short story was a little odd to me.
This is an example of an epiphany because the character experiences a light bulb moment in which she notices how much the quilts mean to Maggie. When Dee/Wangero questioned Maggie, Maggie had pretended that she didn't really care about the quilts. The truth is that Maggie very much so cared for the quotes, and this epiphany allowed the narrator to see how much she appreciated them. This whole short story was about three sisters who bickered about something or another. Right after dinner, Wangero went straight to the narrator's bed to get some quilts that were made by their grandmother. Wangero and the narrator fought about who should get to keep them, and eventually, Wangero got mad and left. What I don't understand is why she wanted the quilts so bad. If she was just going to hang up the quilts for decoration, then what the point of having them? The whole short story was a little odd to me.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
A Rose for Emily
"The man himself lay in the bed." (pg. 289)
Who is the man in her bed, and why is he there? Did she kill him? Did the hair on the pillow next to him represent that he cheated on her? The stench in the story obviously accounts for the dead body, so I'm assuming she killed him. She did not want anyone in her house and wanted people to stay away. Why did Emily buy the arsenic? Is that how she killed the man? Or is that how she killed herself? As you can see, I have many lingering questions about this short story, and I don't really understand the point of it.
Who is the man in her bed, and why is he there? Did she kill him? Did the hair on the pillow next to him represent that he cheated on her? The stench in the story obviously accounts for the dead body, so I'm assuming she killed him. She did not want anyone in her house and wanted people to stay away. Why did Emily buy the arsenic? Is that how she killed the man? Or is that how she killed herself? As you can see, I have many lingering questions about this short story, and I don't really understand the point of it.
Interpreter of Maladies
"Mr. Kapasi was forty-six years old, with receding hair that had gone completely silver, but his butterscotch complexion and his unlined brow, which he treated in spare moments to dabs of lotus-oil balm, made it easy to imagine what he must have looked like at an earlier age." (pg. 148)
This quote is an example of indirect characterization because the narrator is explaining how the character looks. Mr. Kapasi is a tour guide and an interpreter. On this particular tour, he is guiding a family who really doesn't seem like a family to me. Mr. and Mrs. Das have a similar relationship as Mr. Kapasi and his wife have. They seem to have little in common and like to bicker. When I read this, I knew some relationship would form out of this. During the long tour, Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi seemed to be hitting it off. They each liked each other, but they were both married. Mr. Kapasi ended up hurting Mrs. Das' feelings, and the relationship seemed to end. When Mrs. Das lost the address, I believe that it showed Mr. Kapasi that in times of trouble the seemingly distant family can be very close, and he can't break that up. I think that his outlook on life has changed by being shown that family is important even though it can sometimes be overlooked because of selfishness.
This quote is an example of indirect characterization because the narrator is explaining how the character looks. Mr. Kapasi is a tour guide and an interpreter. On this particular tour, he is guiding a family who really doesn't seem like a family to me. Mr. and Mrs. Das have a similar relationship as Mr. Kapasi and his wife have. They seem to have little in common and like to bicker. When I read this, I knew some relationship would form out of this. During the long tour, Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi seemed to be hitting it off. They each liked each other, but they were both married. Mr. Kapasi ended up hurting Mrs. Das' feelings, and the relationship seemed to end. When Mrs. Das lost the address, I believe that it showed Mr. Kapasi that in times of trouble the seemingly distant family can be very close, and he can't break that up. I think that his outlook on life has changed by being shown that family is important even though it can sometimes be overlooked because of selfishness.
Monday, November 7, 2011
How I Met My Husband 2
"He said he missed me.... I went out with him for two years and he asked me to marry him, and we were engaged a year more while I got my things together, and then we did marry." (pg. 146)
Now that I've talked about the structure in the last blog, I want to talk about my feelings of the short story in this blog. First off, this is not like any love story I have ever read. I was fully expecting the letter to come and Chris and her to get back together, but the mailman? Who would have thought? The entire time that she was sitting by the mailbox just chilling and waiting for the letter, he was just waiting for the right time to ask her. I'm sure the mailman thought that she was there to greet him everyday because she like him, but man, was he wrong. One thing I noticed was that Carmichael, the mailman, liked her for her personality. Chris, the pilot, only liked her for her looks, but she felt more comfortable with him because he may have been her first love.
Moving on to the questions, I believe that Edie is a sympathetic character because she makes the reader feel her emotions through her role of the narrator. Her status as the "hired girl" made me feel sorry for her because she is treated inhumanely in her role.
Now that I've talked about the structure in the last blog, I want to talk about my feelings of the short story in this blog. First off, this is not like any love story I have ever read. I was fully expecting the letter to come and Chris and her to get back together, but the mailman? Who would have thought? The entire time that she was sitting by the mailbox just chilling and waiting for the letter, he was just waiting for the right time to ask her. I'm sure the mailman thought that she was there to greet him everyday because she like him, but man, was he wrong. One thing I noticed was that Carmichael, the mailman, liked her for her personality. Chris, the pilot, only liked her for her looks, but she felt more comfortable with him because he may have been her first love.
Moving on to the questions, I believe that Edie is a sympathetic character because she makes the reader feel her emotions through her role of the narrator. Her status as the "hired girl" made me feel sorry for her because she is treated inhumanely in her role.
How I Met Your Mother... I Mean My Husband
"He always tells the children the story of how I went after him by sitting by the mailbox every day, and naturally I laugh and let him, because I like for people to think what pleases them and makes them happy." (pg. 146)
The plot structure of this story was similar to many mysterious stories. I believe the climax was at the end of the short story with the narrator marrying the mailman. This was also where my expectations as a reader were overturned. The entire story lead up to this event even though this was not what was expected. A case of situational irony occurs at this point because when I read it, I kept thinking that she was going to get back with Chris, the pilot. The story generated much suspense by explaining how she sat by the mailbox and waited to receive a letter from the pilot. It seemed as though she was waiting forever, and finally, she states that she knew Chris was not going to send her the letter so she stopped going. The funny part about this was that after she stopped going, the mailman called her because he missed seeing her wait at the mailbox. He thought she was waiting for him every day when really she was waiting for a letter from Chris like he promised.
The plot structure of this story was similar to many mysterious stories. I believe the climax was at the end of the short story with the narrator marrying the mailman. This was also where my expectations as a reader were overturned. The entire story lead up to this event even though this was not what was expected. A case of situational irony occurs at this point because when I read it, I kept thinking that she was going to get back with Chris, the pilot. The story generated much suspense by explaining how she sat by the mailbox and waited to receive a letter from the pilot. It seemed as though she was waiting forever, and finally, she states that she knew Chris was not going to send her the letter so she stopped going. The funny part about this was that after she stopped going, the mailman called her because he missed seeing her wait at the mailbox. He thought she was waiting for him every day when really she was waiting for a letter from Chris like he promised.
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