Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Glass Menagerie
The Glass Menagerie was a good read, I could relate to some of the character's in the story as well as some of the events described in the story. I think it is eerie how his sister's spirit haunts Tom after he leaves his Mother and Sister behind in the apartment. It makes you wonder if his Father feels any remorse from abandoning his family. I doubt Tom will find the relief he seeks out to find, and only sense of adventure he will experience will be from writing about how he didn't do right by his Mother and find his Sister a husband. Without Tom's help Laura is sure to remain unmarried and lonesome for the rest of her life. In a way Tom follows after his Father's foot steps, which is in my opinion exactly what he should of inspired not to do. How could he have been so selfish? "Overcome selfishness! Self, self, self, is all that you ever think of!" Tom could of been a success had he over come this characteristic which defined him to his Mother. Their Family was having so much trouble getting through the troubled times they were experiencing, with his departure as well as his Father's there would be no one to provide for the family. Laura was terribly shy and his mother was reaching an elderly age where work would not be readily available and offered to her, especially at a time were the economy was suffering. With that said this play is a tragedy, and in that sense it greatly succeeds. An attempt to find Laura a male suitor was a complete failure, and can be summarized best with the dialogue of Amanda when she says, "That's right, now that you've had us make such fools of ourselves. The effort, the preparations, all the expense!...All for what? To entertain some other girl's fiance! Go to the movies, go! Don't think about us, a mother deserted, an unmarried sister who's crippled and has no job! Don't let anything interfere with your selfish pleasure! Just go, go, go--to the movies!" (95). I think the use of "the movies" was used to be comedic and I found there to be some comedy throughout the play. The movies are Tom's escape from his life at home which can sometimes be seen as a prison or as Tom puts it a nailed coffin. Tom finally got tired of looking at people live their lives on the movie screen, and decided he had to do some living of his own. Tom's adventure was his escape from his coffin however, like Houdini. Tom does not live to enjoy the triumphs of his escape however, wallows in the light of his remorse, (like the glass unicorn) Tom is crippled.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Rough-Rough Draft
Kevin Gonzalez
Instructor Stacey Knapp
English 1B
May 4, 2011
Rough-Rough Draft
I am interested in taking the formalist critical perspective in my research paper. I plan on writing about the symbols that are used in the novel and how they affect the meaning of what is implied. What the letter A stands for, and how the meaning of this symbol change throughout the novel. I want to have particular focus on the concluding passage of the novel. I plan on researching how the structure of the novel adds to the tension and ambiguity of the text. I also plan on looking for paradox, and irony. Overall I plan on focusing on close reading of the text, the structure of the text, and the context in which it was written. This first rough draft is going to serve as a compilation of my ideas and interests towards the novel, and will hopefully be a good base and give birth to my further research and focus.
Roger Chillingworth is a pseudonym made up by Roger Prynne, husband to Hester Prynne, so that he may save his good name from being tarnished by the act that Hester and her lover Dimmesdale were involved in. Chillingworth is the character that suffers the most in the novel. Although Hester wears the consequences of her infidelity on her chest, and the reverend possesses his anguish internally, Roger is the character that is tormented the most by the occurrences. This tormented soul’s anguish remains ambiguous in the novel.
Chillingworth after entering the jailhouse, beseeches to Hester by offering medicine for her baby by saying, “Here, woman! The child is yours,--she is none of mine, neither will she recognize my voice or aspect as a father’s” (51). This sentence is a part of the first cluster of words that Roger says to Hester after their two years time spent apart. This sentence shows that Chillingworth is showing remorse maybe that the child isn’t his, and wouldn’t therefore not recognize him as a father and show affection or trust towards him.
Ambiguity is something Hawthorne uses a lot to bring interest to the text, and also meaning. This ambiguity brings about further questions for the questions you may already have, thus answering a question with a question and creating a paradox. His ambiguity also gives many possible solutions to the questions a reader may ask, which may bring about frustration and may also bring about possession of the reader’s attention or curiosity of the truth. Some of these chases of knowledge end up at a dead end, perhaps purposefully created by the author as a form of ultimate ambiguity.
The symbol of the letter A in the novel has many meanings that can be interpreted in different ways. With the line at the end of the novel “ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES” (166) offering the most room for interpretation. This line translates to “On a black background, the letter A in red” (166), and is engraved on a tombstone which is mysteriously shared between buried corpses. “It was near that old and sunken grave, yet with a space between, as if the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle. Yet one tombstone served for both (166).
The answer as to whose body is buried next to Hester’s is deliberately ambiguous. We are not informed if it’s the Reverend Dimmesdale’s, Hester’s sinful lover, or if it is Hester’s husband’s body. It could be that the body is Dimmesdale’s body because the narrator notes that the space between them serves the purpose of illustrating that “the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle.” Hester was married to Roger Prynne and therefore had no right to mingle with Reverend Dimmesdale, like she did, who was certainly not her husband! The space between Dimmesdale and Hester’s body could symbolize the laws of the land and give the quote a meaning that the letter A symbolizes law which prevented the love birds from being able to fly away together, leaving behind American soil. Their bodies are buried in America and remain in America because it is the American law that was established that forbid adultery.
The other possibility as to whose body is buried next to Hester’s could be that none other than her husband’s Roger Prynne. Bethany Reid notes that, “wouldn’t Puritan Boston more likely bury Hester beside the man who—in endowing her daughter—has named himself ‘husband,’ and named himself ‘Roger Prynne’?” (575). She also notes that, “Although generations of readers have assumed that she shares the A with Dimmesdale, should we assume that Puritan Boston would lay to rest even their able, angelic adulteress beside their late, beloved pastor?” (575). No doubt Puritan Boston would have had a problem laying the two sinners bodies together. The townspeople refused to believe that their beloved pastor committed the act, even after hearing his confession! Thus they showed how much influence their religious leaders had on them, and how they were so eager to blindly follow their religion to the point of condemning someone who could not have physically been able to pull off such an act as giving birth without an earthly father. They would surely be more likely to give credit to the Black Man as being the father of Pearl before their beloved Dimmesdale.
Besides this point, it would be more natural for a husband and wife to be buried next to each other. The Prynnes must have shared the tombstone right? This way, the space between them which symbolized the statement that “the two sleepers had no right to mingle” could be stating that Hester and Roger had no right to have been in a relationship together; that their marriage shouldn’t have even happened in the first place. Hester was definitely unhappily married, and Roger didn’t pull through on his promise to be loving to his wife. Thus they were not a good couple and some force must have propelled the two souls to marry if not for love. Hester may have been promised happiness from Roger before marrying, and we all know that an intellectual man with a “considerable amount of property” could have been appealing to young Hester who could have needed or yearned for stability in her life. Hester could have also been an appealing life partner for Roger Prynne, him being regretful of the time he spent as a book worm that never experienced the joy of being with a woman. Both were wrong in going into the marriage because their reasons were not for love. Thus the space between them could be seen as the lack of love one another shared.
A third possibility, greatly contributed by my imagination, is that all three bodies were buried in the burial-ground. The space between them actually being a third body whose existence was ambiguously left out. Could Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Prynne have been buried next to one another to signify how, “ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES?” All three had their own part in the party. The answer might be who knows… all I know is that I yearn for the truth to be revealed, which might serve as applause for Nathaniel and his use of ambiguity in his masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter.
Instructor Stacey Knapp
English 1B
May 4, 2011
Rough-Rough Draft
I am interested in taking the formalist critical perspective in my research paper. I plan on writing about the symbols that are used in the novel and how they affect the meaning of what is implied. What the letter A stands for, and how the meaning of this symbol change throughout the novel. I want to have particular focus on the concluding passage of the novel. I plan on researching how the structure of the novel adds to the tension and ambiguity of the text. I also plan on looking for paradox, and irony. Overall I plan on focusing on close reading of the text, the structure of the text, and the context in which it was written. This first rough draft is going to serve as a compilation of my ideas and interests towards the novel, and will hopefully be a good base and give birth to my further research and focus.
Roger Chillingworth is a pseudonym made up by Roger Prynne, husband to Hester Prynne, so that he may save his good name from being tarnished by the act that Hester and her lover Dimmesdale were involved in. Chillingworth is the character that suffers the most in the novel. Although Hester wears the consequences of her infidelity on her chest, and the reverend possesses his anguish internally, Roger is the character that is tormented the most by the occurrences. This tormented soul’s anguish remains ambiguous in the novel.
Chillingworth after entering the jailhouse, beseeches to Hester by offering medicine for her baby by saying, “Here, woman! The child is yours,--she is none of mine, neither will she recognize my voice or aspect as a father’s” (51). This sentence is a part of the first cluster of words that Roger says to Hester after their two years time spent apart. This sentence shows that Chillingworth is showing remorse maybe that the child isn’t his, and wouldn’t therefore not recognize him as a father and show affection or trust towards him.
Ambiguity is something Hawthorne uses a lot to bring interest to the text, and also meaning. This ambiguity brings about further questions for the questions you may already have, thus answering a question with a question and creating a paradox. His ambiguity also gives many possible solutions to the questions a reader may ask, which may bring about frustration and may also bring about possession of the reader’s attention or curiosity of the truth. Some of these chases of knowledge end up at a dead end, perhaps purposefully created by the author as a form of ultimate ambiguity.
The symbol of the letter A in the novel has many meanings that can be interpreted in different ways. With the line at the end of the novel “ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES” (166) offering the most room for interpretation. This line translates to “On a black background, the letter A in red” (166), and is engraved on a tombstone which is mysteriously shared between buried corpses. “It was near that old and sunken grave, yet with a space between, as if the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle. Yet one tombstone served for both (166).
The answer as to whose body is buried next to Hester’s is deliberately ambiguous. We are not informed if it’s the Reverend Dimmesdale’s, Hester’s sinful lover, or if it is Hester’s husband’s body. It could be that the body is Dimmesdale’s body because the narrator notes that the space between them serves the purpose of illustrating that “the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle.” Hester was married to Roger Prynne and therefore had no right to mingle with Reverend Dimmesdale, like she did, who was certainly not her husband! The space between Dimmesdale and Hester’s body could symbolize the laws of the land and give the quote a meaning that the letter A symbolizes law which prevented the love birds from being able to fly away together, leaving behind American soil. Their bodies are buried in America and remain in America because it is the American law that was established that forbid adultery.
The other possibility as to whose body is buried next to Hester’s could be that none other than her husband’s Roger Prynne. Bethany Reid notes that, “wouldn’t Puritan Boston more likely bury Hester beside the man who—in endowing her daughter—has named himself ‘husband,’ and named himself ‘Roger Prynne’?” (575). She also notes that, “Although generations of readers have assumed that she shares the A with Dimmesdale, should we assume that Puritan Boston would lay to rest even their able, angelic adulteress beside their late, beloved pastor?” (575). No doubt Puritan Boston would have had a problem laying the two sinners bodies together. The townspeople refused to believe that their beloved pastor committed the act, even after hearing his confession! Thus they showed how much influence their religious leaders had on them, and how they were so eager to blindly follow their religion to the point of condemning someone who could not have physically been able to pull off such an act as giving birth without an earthly father. They would surely be more likely to give credit to the Black Man as being the father of Pearl before their beloved Dimmesdale.
Besides this point, it would be more natural for a husband and wife to be buried next to each other. The Prynnes must have shared the tombstone right? This way, the space between them which symbolized the statement that “the two sleepers had no right to mingle” could be stating that Hester and Roger had no right to have been in a relationship together; that their marriage shouldn’t have even happened in the first place. Hester was definitely unhappily married, and Roger didn’t pull through on his promise to be loving to his wife. Thus they were not a good couple and some force must have propelled the two souls to marry if not for love. Hester may have been promised happiness from Roger before marrying, and we all know that an intellectual man with a “considerable amount of property” could have been appealing to young Hester who could have needed or yearned for stability in her life. Hester could have also been an appealing life partner for Roger Prynne, him being regretful of the time he spent as a book worm that never experienced the joy of being with a woman. Both were wrong in going into the marriage because their reasons were not for love. Thus the space between them could be seen as the lack of love one another shared.
A third possibility, greatly contributed by my imagination, is that all three bodies were buried in the burial-ground. The space between them actually being a third body whose existence was ambiguously left out. Could Hester Prynne, Reverend Dimmesdale, and Roger Prynne have been buried next to one another to signify how, “ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES?” All three had their own part in the party. The answer might be who knows… all I know is that I yearn for the truth to be revealed, which might serve as applause for Nathaniel and his use of ambiguity in his masterpiece, The Scarlet Letter.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Annotated Bibliography
Reid, Bethany. "Narrative of the Captivity and Redemption of Roger Prynne: Rereading
The Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings: Authoritative
Texts, Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. 558-576.
Print.
-This essay has to do with Roger Prynne and his decision to remain silent or reticent about his uncordial marriage with Hester Prynne, and how he remains ambivalent towards Pearl and his wife. Bethany brings up Nathaniel's relationship with his father or lack thereof, and provides an explanation as to why the novel is ambiguous. There is interesting information as to why the ending scene in the Novel is ambiguous. It has to do with Chilingsworth struggle compared to the other characters in the book, and how Nathaniel's beliefs are intertwined.
"Via this refusal to name, Hawthorne inscribes not a father so much, or fathers, as his own inconquerable ambvialence toward them" (576).
"Although generations of readers have assumed that she shares the A with Dimmesdale, should we assume that Puritan Boston would lay to rest even their able, angelic adulteress beside their late, beloved pastor?" (575)
"But wouldn't Puritan Boston more likely burry Hester beside the man who--is endowing her daughter--has named himself 'husband,' and named himself 'Roger Prynne'? The A would then symbolize the importance of the letter of the law" (575).
"Chillingworth fails to understand the nature of his own tragedy" (570).
"Chillingworth, too, is loyal: he will remain by Hester's side until death parts them" (569).
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, and Leland S. Person. The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings:
Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. First ed. New York: W.W.
Norton &, 2005. Print. A Norton Critical Edition.
Bercovitch, Sacvan. "The A-Politics of Ambiguity in the Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings:Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. First ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. 576-97. Print. A Norton Critical Edition.
The Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings: Authoritative
Texts, Contexts, Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. 558-576.
Print.
-This essay has to do with Roger Prynne and his decision to remain silent or reticent about his uncordial marriage with Hester Prynne, and how he remains ambivalent towards Pearl and his wife. Bethany brings up Nathaniel's relationship with his father or lack thereof, and provides an explanation as to why the novel is ambiguous. There is interesting information as to why the ending scene in the Novel is ambiguous. It has to do with Chilingsworth struggle compared to the other characters in the book, and how Nathaniel's beliefs are intertwined.
"Via this refusal to name, Hawthorne inscribes not a father so much, or fathers, as his own inconquerable ambvialence toward them" (576).
"Although generations of readers have assumed that she shares the A with Dimmesdale, should we assume that Puritan Boston would lay to rest even their able, angelic adulteress beside their late, beloved pastor?" (575)
"But wouldn't Puritan Boston more likely burry Hester beside the man who--is endowing her daughter--has named himself 'husband,' and named himself 'Roger Prynne'? The A would then symbolize the importance of the letter of the law" (575).
"Chillingworth fails to understand the nature of his own tragedy" (570).
"Chillingworth, too, is loyal: he will remain by Hester's side until death parts them" (569).
Hawthorne, Nathaniel, and Leland S. Person. The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings:
Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. First ed. New York: W.W.
Norton &, 2005. Print. A Norton Critical Edition.
Bercovitch, Sacvan. "The A-Politics of Ambiguity in the Scarlet Letter." The Scarlet Letter and Other Writings:Authoritative Texts, Contexts, Criticism. First ed. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2005. 576-97. Print. A Norton Critical Edition.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Difficulty Paper
I finished reading the Scarlet Letter a couple of days ago, and I already feel like I've forgotten what I've read. I had difficulty reading the whole book, so I guess I could write about anything. I'd like to focus this difficulty paper on the last chapter, XXIV. Conclusion, since it's the last thing I've read from the Scarlet Letter (aside from skimming through some of the essays). So basically the chapter starts out with Nathaniel giving a few explanations of what the interpretations of the townspeople were from the scene they witnessed on the scaffold. These interpretations or testimonies included: having seen the symbol of the scarlet letter imprinted on the ministers bare chest, in which the implication of origin of it's application were varied. One side of the stories has you to believe that the minister had inflicted, "a hideous torture on himself" by taking some of the burden of penance from Hester Prynne from the dreadful day she was sentenced to wear her ignominious badge of the scarlet letter! Others believed that the minister was haunted by remorse which gnawed away from his innermost heart outwardly onto his flesh, which is what I believe as well, by the visible presence of the scarlet letter. "ON A FIELD, SABLE, THE LETTER A, GULES." On a black background, the letter A in red. The book ends with this quote which is what is engraved on Hester's tombstone. "One ever-glowing point of light gloomier than the shadow." I believe that these quotes along with Hester being buried next to an old sunken tombstone are important aspects of the conclusion. It also says that there was a space between the two graves, "as if the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle." This quote especially leads me to believe that Hester had been buried next to the Reverend Mr. Dimmesdale. There was only one tombstone placed for both graves. The black background has to be referring to the deep dark scandal that had withered away at the hearts of the two scoundrels involved in the affair. The affair being the letter A (which stood for adultery) in red which was engraved on the chests or bosoms of those involved in the affaire d'amour. Hester having the scarlet letter sewn onto her dress, serving as a visible brand of sin whose brand burned from the exterior through the chest cavity which lead into the heart; while, Mr. Dimmesdale's affliction yearned to escape from the lurid indentation of his sin which he held captive within his edifice.
I now believe that the single tombstone placed for both graves bears the significance that Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale's lives were and forever will be defined by their shameful act. It's interesting to think of who they've betrayed. The reverend no doubt betrays his relationship and devotion to God by interfering with the sanctity of marriage between the Prynnes. While Hester, betrays her devotion to her husband and her vow. Roger Chillingsworth is perhaps the most perverted. He didn't make any attempt to please his wife before her affair, and after he found out about it, he still continued to follow his own ambitions. Chillingsworth betrays his wife in not working on pleasing her. He was a lot older than Hester when they married, and I believe this is were his betrayal started. It didn't say so in the book however, I believe Chillingsworth must of made some kind of promise to Hester that had to do with her being happily married to him. He didn't go through with his promise. He wanted to be happy, and sort of attempt to turn back the sands of time by marrying a young woman that would make up for the time he wasted burying his nose in books. I don't believe love ever existed in their relationship, and I would of liked to have read that Hester had run away with Dimmesdale like they had dreamed. However, in the world that the two lived in, such fancies would of been impossible or maybe highly plausible? None of the townspeople could of possessed any ability to follow or even hear of any information about the whereabouts of the two lovers. They would of been successful in their escape. The only question would be if they would of been able to live with themselves with that decision. Reverend Dimmesdale would of been unfaithful to his religion, as well as Hester because they mingled with the sanctity of her marriage vow. They might of written of their names in the book of the Black Man, if they wished to take the ferry across the sea of fire.
This is the third time I'm going over this post, which exemplifies how difficult the final passage of The Scarlet Letter is. Another interpretation of the final passage is that the grave Hester is buried next to can be that of Roger Chillingsworth aka "Master Prynne." How could the townspeople have buried Hester next to anyone but her husband? The townspeople continued to refuse to want to believe that their reverend had been involved with Hester Prynne, and I don't think they would of allowed the two love birds to be buried next to each other even though there was some separation between the two graves. The body must of been that of Roger Prynne. "Yet with a space between, as if the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle." This last passage is very ambivalent, and the argument could go both ways. It seems like all three of them had no right to mingle in the entanglement of their manage a trois. Rereading the final passage a couple times, as well as reading Bethany Reid's essay towards the back of the book, "Narrative of the Captivity and Redemption of Roger Prynne: Rereading The Scarlet Letter" I have more questions as well as multiple answers to the subject that confused me. Bethany proposes that perhaps it doesn't matter which body was buried next to Hester's and that perhaps Nathaniel purposefully left it ambivalent (after examining his biography) as to whose body it was and what that body represented. Nathaniel had his own ambivalence towards who his own Father was, and some people have suggested that Nathaniel might of symbolized away to bring his Mother and Father closer to each other through this scene. It seems that it will remain a mystery, as we all know Nathaniel is long gone and we can only speculate what his intentions were.
I now believe that the single tombstone placed for both graves bears the significance that Hester and Reverend Dimmesdale's lives were and forever will be defined by their shameful act. It's interesting to think of who they've betrayed. The reverend no doubt betrays his relationship and devotion to God by interfering with the sanctity of marriage between the Prynnes. While Hester, betrays her devotion to her husband and her vow. Roger Chillingsworth is perhaps the most perverted. He didn't make any attempt to please his wife before her affair, and after he found out about it, he still continued to follow his own ambitions. Chillingsworth betrays his wife in not working on pleasing her. He was a lot older than Hester when they married, and I believe this is were his betrayal started. It didn't say so in the book however, I believe Chillingsworth must of made some kind of promise to Hester that had to do with her being happily married to him. He didn't go through with his promise. He wanted to be happy, and sort of attempt to turn back the sands of time by marrying a young woman that would make up for the time he wasted burying his nose in books. I don't believe love ever existed in their relationship, and I would of liked to have read that Hester had run away with Dimmesdale like they had dreamed. However, in the world that the two lived in, such fancies would of been impossible or maybe highly plausible? None of the townspeople could of possessed any ability to follow or even hear of any information about the whereabouts of the two lovers. They would of been successful in their escape. The only question would be if they would of been able to live with themselves with that decision. Reverend Dimmesdale would of been unfaithful to his religion, as well as Hester because they mingled with the sanctity of her marriage vow. They might of written of their names in the book of the Black Man, if they wished to take the ferry across the sea of fire.
This is the third time I'm going over this post, which exemplifies how difficult the final passage of The Scarlet Letter is. Another interpretation of the final passage is that the grave Hester is buried next to can be that of Roger Chillingsworth aka "Master Prynne." How could the townspeople have buried Hester next to anyone but her husband? The townspeople continued to refuse to want to believe that their reverend had been involved with Hester Prynne, and I don't think they would of allowed the two love birds to be buried next to each other even though there was some separation between the two graves. The body must of been that of Roger Prynne. "Yet with a space between, as if the dust of the two sleepers had no right to mingle." This last passage is very ambivalent, and the argument could go both ways. It seems like all three of them had no right to mingle in the entanglement of their manage a trois. Rereading the final passage a couple times, as well as reading Bethany Reid's essay towards the back of the book, "Narrative of the Captivity and Redemption of Roger Prynne: Rereading The Scarlet Letter" I have more questions as well as multiple answers to the subject that confused me. Bethany proposes that perhaps it doesn't matter which body was buried next to Hester's and that perhaps Nathaniel purposefully left it ambivalent (after examining his biography) as to whose body it was and what that body represented. Nathaniel had his own ambivalence towards who his own Father was, and some people have suggested that Nathaniel might of symbolized away to bring his Mother and Father closer to each other through this scene. It seems that it will remain a mystery, as we all know Nathaniel is long gone and we can only speculate what his intentions were.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Difficulty Paper
I had difficulty understanding what was going on during the beginning of the Scarlet Letter. The language is what initially threw me off. I was having trouble understanding the meaning of what was going on, and I would often catch my mind wandering off onto other thoughts. From what I can deduce, Hester Prynne was being held imprisoned for committing adultery. That part I understood. The part I had trouble visualizing was the very first scene in which Hester's cell mates were talking. I read trough this scene, and continued to read on, and I now possess an understanding and familiarity with the way Nathaniel writes. I'm sure all I have to do is re-read this scene and I'd get a better grasp of what was going on. I still find my mind wandering off when I'm not engaged in the reading. I have to be carefully reading along and re-reading sections to understand whats going on, I also find that there is a lot of hidden meaning going on, and have found similarities with the Scarlet Letter and his short story Young Goodman Brown. I want to continue my close reading and begin annotating the text, however I'm not sure exactly what to write down. I'm on p. 92 and about to begin XI. The Interior of a Heart. I read through the first part of the book titled "The Custom-House" and I found that to be a more difficult reading than the actual story. As far as difficulty, I found Chapter II. The Market Place to be especially confusing.
Upon a second reading, I understood that there is a gathering of people waiting for Hester Prynne outside of the jail house, so that they may watch her punishment of standing at the scaffold for three hours for her act of adultery. Nathaniel notes that the Puritans were known for giving harsh punishments. I originally didn't understand what was going on with the women that were talking during this scene. I thought they were being held prisoners as well with Hester the first time I read it. On my second reading I can see that they were standing outside by the scaffold waiting for Hester's entrance. Nathaniel describes them in a negative light, saying their ugly and man-like, the contrary of Hester's appearance. One of the women says to the townspeople that Reverend Dimmesdale gave Hester a kind sentence, and says that she would of given her a harsher punishment. The ugliest of the women goes as far as saying that she should be killed for her actions. I found it interesting that one of the footnotes describes a real life person as having the name Hester Craford (1688) who was to be punished for the same crime by being "severely whipped" by none other than William Hawthorne. Hester Craford was also expecting a child which coincides with Hawthorne's character of Hester Prynne. The rest of the scene goes accordingly.
"The women who were now standing about the prison-door stood within less than half a century of the period when the man-like Elizabeth had been the altogether unsuitable representative of the sex" (p. 38). I found this line to be really funny, especially after looking up a picture of Queen Elizabeth I.
Upon a second reading, I understood that there is a gathering of people waiting for Hester Prynne outside of the jail house, so that they may watch her punishment of standing at the scaffold for three hours for her act of adultery. Nathaniel notes that the Puritans were known for giving harsh punishments. I originally didn't understand what was going on with the women that were talking during this scene. I thought they were being held prisoners as well with Hester the first time I read it. On my second reading I can see that they were standing outside by the scaffold waiting for Hester's entrance. Nathaniel describes them in a negative light, saying their ugly and man-like, the contrary of Hester's appearance. One of the women says to the townspeople that Reverend Dimmesdale gave Hester a kind sentence, and says that she would of given her a harsher punishment. The ugliest of the women goes as far as saying that she should be killed for her actions. I found it interesting that one of the footnotes describes a real life person as having the name Hester Craford (1688) who was to be punished for the same crime by being "severely whipped" by none other than William Hawthorne. Hester Craford was also expecting a child which coincides with Hawthorne's character of Hester Prynne. The rest of the scene goes accordingly.
"The women who were now standing about the prison-door stood within less than half a century of the period when the man-like Elizabeth had been the altogether unsuitable representative of the sex" (p. 38). I found this line to be really funny, especially after looking up a picture of Queen Elizabeth I.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
Analysis of The Yellow Wallpaper, Revised
I have chosen to do my analysis on The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I am going to be using the readers response critical lens in my analysis of this short story. I am going to start out by saying that this story is very creepy, however it is beautifully written, and I was very much drawn into the story, close to becoming possessed by it. The protagonist of the story is a woman who is married to a physician named John. Her name is not stated, neither is Johns last name, however they are indeed married and have a maid named Jennie, who is Johns sister. I believe the protagonist name in this short story is intentionally left anonymous to allow the reader to believe that it could be anyone. The name John is also a very common name, and might serve in the same sense of anonymity to represent any physician.
The rising action of the short story is the protagonist's growing curiosity of the yellow wallpaper she is surrounded by in her room. It seems that the more time she is left to her thoughts, the closer she gets to reaching a breaking point of insanity. The story starts out innocently enough, where John believes she is suffering from nervous depression, and rents out a colonial mansion for her to receive rest and to not be distracted. He advices her not to think about her condition, and so she begins to think about the house. This is what gives root to her insanity. She is stuck in this room with yellow wallpaper that she hates, and becomes obsessed by the task of trying to figure out its pattern. This story sort of terrified me, I too spend a lot of time alone, and feel like I become obsessed by a repetitive notions at times. However, I luckily don't have any wallpaper in my room. I realized she was really going nuts when she believed she discovered that there was a woman shaking the pattern behind the wall, and that the pattern held her in the wall. She believes the woman gets out in the daytime, and is then confined to the wall at night behind the pattern.
I believe every aspect of this story was methodically calculated. I find that even the color of the wallpaper should be analyzed when trying decipher it's meaning. The color yellow is often used in medical terms to signify a quarantine. I believe this to be the reason Charlotte chose this color for the room. The physician does try to quarantine her from other's into the wallpapered room. It is also significant because she starts to see the yellow wallpaper as something that is used to quarantine the strange shadow of a woman behind the wall. The color yellow is sometimes used as a warning sign, as in the street sign yield or the yellow in stop lights, maybe she used the color yellow as a foreshadow that something dangerous would be lying ahead. A third connotation of meaning would be yellows association with insanity. I believe yellow is sometimes associated with insanity, some prisons use yellow attire for those who are mentally unstable, as in those who might want to commit to suicide. Yellow's association with insanity is not something that is widely regarded as being true. I want to put forth the thought that people might of started associating the color yellow with insanity after reading The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. Although I did not do any research, I could see this short story having a great effect on people, especially when you take into account that it was written over a hundred years ago. It's certainly had enough time to create a following for this connotation, however I have no facts to back up my thesis.
The climactic moment of the story has to be when John opens the door to the room and sees that she has torn down the wallpaper, and is creeping on the across the floor. The resolution of this story has to be after she says, "I kept on creeping just the same, but I looked at him over my shoulder. 'I've got out at last,' said I, 'in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!'" John passes out, and she continues to creep along a path over him. The way she uses the word creep is fantastic. Upon first reading her use of the word creeping, I imagined the woman she described seeing outside as merely walking around with hunched shoulders. I imagined creeping to mean that she was walking around mysteriously as if she knew she was somewhere she wasn't allowed to be. However I looked up the word and realized its meaning was much more horrifying. Creeping means to move around on the ground slowly using your hands and knees, like an animal or creature. This made the story even more terrifying for me. I think my imagination of what the protagonist is seeing is more frightful than any horror movie I've seen in the past. The human imagination is much more terrifying that anything that could be manipulated on film. It kind of reminded me of the movie The Ring.
I read the authors reason to writing this story, and she confessed to going through a similar episode! She said that there was a physician that advised her to remain unproductive, and un-stimulated until she got better. She however, felt that she was going mad, and took the advice of a friend to go back to being productive. Having something to do is what ended up saving her from losing it, this is what inspired her to write The Yellow Wallpaper. I think it'd be interesting to put up some yellow wallpaper in my room after reading this story, and seeing the effect it has on me.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Imitation
Pick your clothes off of the floor.
My parents never really gave me any directions...
Estas tomado otra ves?
Donde vas?
Conquien andas?
Porque gueles asi?
No le pegues a tu hermano.
Go walk the dog.
Take your brothers for a walk.
Why are you hanging out so much with your uncle?
Why are you so friendly with the neighbors?
Are you in a gang?
Where did we go wrong?
What did I do?
Is it me?
What do you want me to change?
My parents never really gave me any directions...
Estas tomado otra ves?
Donde vas?
Conquien andas?
Porque gueles asi?
No le pegues a tu hermano.
Go walk the dog.
Take your brothers for a walk.
Why are you hanging out so much with your uncle?
Why are you so friendly with the neighbors?
Are you in a gang?
Where did we go wrong?
What did I do?
Is it me?
What do you want me to change?
Critical Analysis: The Yellow Wallpaper
I have chosen to do my analysis on The Yellow Wallpaper, by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I am going to be using the readers response critical lens in my analysis of this short story. I am going to start out by saying that this story is very creepy, however it is beautifully written, and I was very much drawn into the story, close to becoming possessed by it. The protagonist of the story is a woman who is married to a physician named John. Her name is not stated, neither is Johns last name, however they are indeed married and have a maid named Jennie. I believe the protagonist name in this short story is intentionally left anonymous to allow the reader to believe that it could be anyone. The name John is also a very common name, and might serve in the same sense of anonymity to represent any physician.
The rising action of the short story is the protagonists growing curiosity of the yellow wallpaper she is surrounded by in her room. It seems that the more time she is left to her thoughts, the closer she gets to reaching a breaking point of insanity. The story starts out innocently enough, where John believes she is suffering from nervous depression, and rents out a colonial mansion for her to receive rest and to not be distracted. He advices her not to think about her condition, and so she begins to think about the house. This is what gives root to her insanity. She is stuck in this room with yellow wallpaper that she hates, and becomes obsessed by the task of trying to figure out its pattern. This story sort of terrified me, I too spend a lot of time alone, and feel like I become obsessed by a repetitive notions at times. I luckily don't have any wallpaper in my room. I realized she was really going nuts when she believed she discovered that there was a woman shaking the pattern behind the wall, and that the pattern held her in the wall. She believes the woman gets out in the daytime, and is then confined to the wall at night behind the pattern.
The climatic moment of the story has to be when John opens the door to the room and sees that she has torn down the wallpaper, and is creeping on the across the floor. "I kept on creeping just the same, but I looked at him over my shoulder. 'I've got out at last,' said I, 'in spite of you and Jane. And I've pulled off most of the paper, so you can't put me back!'" The way she uses the word creep is fantastic. Upon first reading her use of the word creeping, I imagined the woman she described seeing outside as walking around with hunched shoulders. I imagined creeping to mean that she was walking around mysteriously as if she knew she was somewhere she wasn't allowed to be. However I looked up the word and realized its meaning was much more horrifying. Creeping means to move around on the ground slowly using your hands and knees, like an animal or creature. This made the story even more terrifying for me. I think my imagination of what the protagonist is seeing is more terrifying than any horror movie I've seen in the past. The human imagination is much more terrifying that anything that could be captured on film. It kind of reminded me of the movie The Ring.
I read the authors reason to writing this story, and she confessed to going through a similar episode! She said that there was a physician that advised her to remain unproductive, and un-stimulated until she got better. She however, felt that she was going mad, and took the advice of a friend to go back to being productive, so she started writing. Having something to do is what ended up saving her from losing it, this is what inspired her to write The Yellow Wallpaper.
Formal Paper One: Rough Draft Revision
I've made some revisions to my origional rough draft and wanted to post these revisions. If anyone has the time to read this I'd greatly appreciate some feedback. All comments and criticism is highly welcomed. Let me know what you think, and I'd like to thank you for visting my blog.
Sonny's Rise to Maturity
Sonny Bravo is the protagonist character in the novel, The Flower by Dagoberto Gilb. His character grows exceptionally throughout the short course of the novel, serving as an example of the struggle boys undergo in adolescence to assert themselves as mature adults. Sonny's character is infatuated with the pursuit of money, this infatuation is inevitably replaced with the discovery of love. It is this discovery that catapults Sonny's character to learn to be selfless, which is a trait that I consider to come with maturity. I have decided to use the reader's response theory in my response to the novel, to explain how Sonny's character has grown throughout the course of the text, and has lived up to my expectations of how a young gentleman should act.
The relationship Sonny has with money changes throughout the course of the novel. During the beginning, Sonny uses the money he's gathered to buy things for himself to fulfill his desires, or to escape undesirable situations. When Sonny first confesses to stealing money he is selfishly interested in its immediate advantages. Sonny confesses, "At first, yeah, I spent it. That's what I thought I took it for" (49). Although Sonny likes spending his money at first, he soon becomes reluctant to spend as much, and tries to save what he has. He realizes that he'd been spending a considerable amount of money after on of the times he goes into his stash and says to himself, "I spent it at the bowling alley on Mrs. Zuniga's food at Alley Cats so I didn't have to eat deer meat or whatever, but now that I might need more, I needed to start getting it somehow, somewhere" (96). Figuring out how to get more, seems to be something Sonny worries about constantly, it seems to me that the cause of this worry might be that he sees having money as something that allows independence. Without the almighty dollar, Sonny would have a hard time developing his autonomy. Up until this point, Sonny only considers money for selfish gain and his own independence; however after encountering Nica, the young girl living in apartment number four, he begins to see how money can be used to help others as well.
I find it interesting that Sonny had actually day dreamed about being in Mexico with Nica in what seems like paradise while he was overhearing Margarito yelling at her for unknowingly babysitting the neighbor's "baby" cat. I find Nica's situation to be truly despairing, and can feel what must of propelled Sonny to make his decision to help Nica run away in this scene where he daydreams, saying: "I could taste the tears like they were in a foggy morning. Maybe because she told me about Veracruz, when she was living near a beach, in a light blue house... wind blowing inside and over her and we were on the soft fuzzy gold couch and she was crying" (217). This seen is very descriptive to me, and resonates powerfully in my mind. This scene is exceptionally beautiful, because it is accentuated by the horrible situation Nica finds herself in apartment number four. Sonny is no doubt in love with Nica, and she changes the way Sonny is for the better.
Nica influences Sonny's life in a positive way, without this positive influence Sonny could of easily gone the other route in terms of his moral development. Sonny ends up giving all of his money to Nica, and buys her a ticket to be reunited with her family in Mexico. This decision is what makes me believe Sonny's life is ultimately moving in a positive direction, and allowed me to see the growth Sonny has made. After Nica and Sonny make it through the riot decimated city, and arrive at the bus depot Nica asks Sonny if he is going with her, and Sonny replies, "Me? With you?" (247). This is the first time Sonny actually considers leaving with Nica as a possibility, which shows that Sonny hadn't been thinking of himself. His decision in helping Nica escape had been an altruistic decision. In helping Nica reunite with her family Sonny succeeds in putting others before himself, even though it could potentially put him in a disadvantage. I considered Sonny's decision at the end of the novel to be a truly selfless act. He used all of the money he had accumulated to help Nica, however he could of easily been egotistical in his decision.
Sonny could of just as easily boarded the bus with Nica. Although I believe Sonny would of been acting selfishly, had he decided to accompany her. If Sonny got on the bus and had gone to Mexico, Sonny would of been escaping his own problems. Going away with Nica would of meant that he would not of had to face the consequences of stealing Cloyd's money, thus he would of been escaping the terms of his actions. He would have also found a way to escape the home he wasn't very fond of. Leaving his home would of meant he'd be leaving Sylvia to face the reactions of Cloyd, which would not have been a responsible or fair course of action for Sonny to place such a burden on his mother. For Nica, the negative effects she was experiencing in living with her step-dad outweighed the positive, and it seemed like she was powerless to change her situation, so the natural transition for her was escape. However it would of been extremely hard for her to escape her situation without Sonny's help. Helping Nica escape her situation, is in my opinion, the greatest act Sonny could of done to grow out of being a selfish adolescent to develop into a responsible adult.
Sonny Bravo has shown tremendous improvement in character throughout the course of The Flowers. Sonny knew the value money had on peoples lives, and choose to use this value to help another attain a better life. Sonny had a compulsive need to steal, however I don't believe he'd been shallow minded to want it. Every child, as well as adult in our society values the significance of money, and Sonny chose to give his away to someone he might never see again. It is this selfless act that shows me how Sonny's character has learned to appreciate the value of a dollar, as well as the value of his own actions. It is this appreciation of value that empowers Sonny to form his own identity, ultimately becoming the person he is meant to become: a gentleman, a good friend, and a good son.
Monday, March 14, 2011
Transitions
Addition - again, also, and, and then, besides, equally important, finally, first, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, last, moreoever, next, second, still, too
Comparison - also, in the same way, likewise, similarly
Concession - granted, naturally, of course
Contrast - although, and yet, at the same time, but at the same time, despite that, even so, event though, for all that, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, nevertheless, notwitstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, regardless, still, though, yet
Emphasis - certainly, indeed, in fact, of course
Example or Illustration - after all, as an illustration, even, for example, for instance, in conclusion, indeed, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true, of course, namely, specifically, that is, illustrate, thus, truly
Summary - all in all, altogether, as has been said, finally, in brieft, in conclusion, in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the whole, that is therefore, to put it differently, to summarise
Time Sequence - after a while, afterward, again, also, and then, as long as, at last, at lenght, at that time, before, besides, earlier, eventually, finally, formerly, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, in the past, last lately, meanwhile, moreover, next, now, presently, second, shortly, simultaneously, since, so, far, soon, still, subsequently, then, therefore, too, until, until now, when
Comparison - also, in the same way, likewise, similarly
Concession - granted, naturally, of course
Contrast - although, and yet, at the same time, but at the same time, despite that, even so, event though, for all that, however, in contrast, in spite of, instead, nevertheless, notwitstanding, on the contrary, on the other hand, otherwise, regardless, still, though, yet
Emphasis - certainly, indeed, in fact, of course
Example or Illustration - after all, as an illustration, even, for example, for instance, in conclusion, indeed, in fact, in other words, in short, it is true, of course, namely, specifically, that is, illustrate, thus, truly
Summary - all in all, altogether, as has been said, finally, in brieft, in conclusion, in other words, in particular, in short, in simpler terms, in summary, on the whole, that is therefore, to put it differently, to summarise
Time Sequence - after a while, afterward, again, also, and then, as long as, at last, at lenght, at that time, before, besides, earlier, eventually, finally, formerly, further, furthermore, in addition, in the first place, in the past, last lately, meanwhile, moreover, next, now, presently, second, shortly, simultaneously, since, so, far, soon, still, subsequently, then, therefore, too, until, until now, when
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Paradox
If found this example of a paradox while reading the book, "You get it right over there. Can't miss it. It's as big and noisy as a bus." (249) The uniformed bus dispatcher says this quote when he describes the bus Nica is supposed to board.
Formal Paper One: Rough Draft
I believe Sonny’s decision to help his Nica escape the confinement of her cell in apartment #4 was truly a selfless act. The first time I read through the ending of the book, I felt angry with Dagoberto Gilb for not ending The Flowers the way I would of liked. I couldn’t believe that Sonny had let Nica go to Mexico all by herself and didn’t want to accompany her on the trip. My feelings of betrayal soon subsided, and I was able to consider whether or not his decision had been warranted. I came to the conclusion that it indeed was, and felt like it was a selfless act of love and the perfect ending to the novel. If Sonny had boarded on the noisy bus with Nica, and ridden off into the sunset, it would have been too cheesy and not selfless. Sonny’s character has grown throughout the course of the novel, and has lived up to my expectations of how a young gentleman should be. I have decided to use the reader's response theory in my response to the novel.
Sonny’s intentions of helping Nica had solely been to help her escape whatever Margarito was going to do to her. The thought of leaving with her hadn’t even gone into his mind. As Sonny explains to Nica what she has to do she asks if he is going with her and sonny replies, “Me? With you?”(247) This is the first time that Sonny thinks about leaving, and I believe shows that Sonny hadn’t been thinking of himself until this point. Sonny’s mind had been too occupied before with the struggle he went through to get the money and get Nica to the bus terminal. Sonny kisses Nica for the first time while helping her escape, which is something he’d longed to do ever since he’d first set his eyes on her. “She wanted me to touch her everywhere and in every way. I didn’t want her like that, as much as I did.” (249) Sonny didn’t let his emotions get the better of him, and decided to make their goodbyes as quick and painless as possible. Sonny’s maturity in this last scene is commendable.
Sonny decides to take all of the money he’s been saving up and give it to Nina. He didn’t have to do this. He could of just driven her to the bus terminal, and paid for her ticket home. This is a selfless act, and shows maturity. All throughout the novel money has been a recurring influence. Sonny spends a lot of his time stealing, and figuring out how he is going to accumulate more money, and even stresses when he begins to run low. It’s noble of him to give this girl his savings, and not ask for anything in return.
For Sonny’s act to be a selfless one, he was required to stay behind and face the wake of his actions. By taking off to Mexico Sonny would have been escaping the reaction of Cloyd upon the moment he realizes his money is gone. This would have been an escape route for Sonny. He would no longer have to tiptoe around Cloyd. However I believe it would of put Silvia in a horrible position. She would have had to deal with Cloyd all by herself, instead Sonny has decided to stay back and man up. In escaping, he would have been the only person who’d benefit, thus creating a selfless act. Him leaving would have been bad news for the rest of the tenants in Los Flores as well. Sonny is a sort of buffer between Cloyd and the rest of the tenants. Without the presence of Sonny the rest of the tenants have to deal with Cloyd directly, which I could imagine would be a very bad situation after the chaos of the riots had subsided. Who knows, maybe Sonny will eventually be able to get along with Cloyd. I believe their relationship has made some progress towards the end of the book.
All things considered, it would have been a cheesy ending if he just boarded the bus and left the United States, for good old Mexico. I thought it was ironic that Nica was trying to escape from the United States and seek a better life in Mexico, or any other part of the world; which is sort of the contrary to what most of us Americans are raised to believe. I can relate with Nica, when it comes to the need for freedom and the hopes of a better life. It’s like they say, “The grass is always greener on the other side.”Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Idea Paper
I plan to write using the reader response criticism theory. One idea I had while reading the book is who the "sicko" following Sonny throughout the novel might be, or what significance he could have in being included in the story. There has to be a greater reason for his character to be included by Dagoberto in the novel, other than adding suspense and providing a few moments for one to make predictions upon the outcome. I got the feeling that the creep was Sonny's biological Father, though this information is never revealed, he did call Sonny "son." The creep being Sonny's Father might explain why he would follow Sonny around the neighborhood. His Dad might of wanted to see how Sonny and Silvia were doing, and might of wanted to speak to Sonny. Sonny was too pumped up with adrenaline to determine what was really going on. As much as Sonny tries to shoo-away the creep, he is somehow strangely attracted to him. I believe this attraction or curiosity might have to do with finding out who the guy is or at least find out what he is thinking. I'd imagine if I never met my Father, I'd want or tend to associate the possibility of a stranger being my father.
A second idea I had about writing my paper on would be whether or not Sonny made the right decision in not accompanying Nica on her escape to Mexico. The first time I read through the novel I felt like he made the wrong decision. I was sort of disappointed that he didn't go, and was sort of angry at Dagoberto for not giving the book the happy ending I wanted. However, the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with Dagoberto's decision of ending the book like he did. I thought it was the perfect ending. Sonny wasn't ready to leave, he had unfinished business in his apartment building here in America. Sonny needs to finish high school, and he needs to be there for his Mother. In running away to a foreign country with Nica, he would of been abandoning his responsibilities. If he did go it would be the perfect fairy tale ending, and although the novel is a fiction, the events and outcomes that happened are very real, and him leaving would of been plausible however in the end I don't think life works out that way. Sonny needs to stay in America finish high school, help out his Mother, and man up to taking Cloyd's money. Who knows what Cloyd will do when he finds out his money is gone. I believe it'd be best if Sonny sticks around and sees things through, and in four years when he graduates, he'd be able to reunite with Nica.
If I choose the second topic I'd support my main idea by writing about why it wouldn't be a wise desicion for Sonny to leave with Nica. My main argument would be that he isn't ready to leave. I'd support this by explaining how him and nica are still very young. I'd also write about what he'd be leaving behind if he would of gone with her. I could support my argument by writing about how Silvia needs Sonny. In my opinion Sonny doesn't have it real bad, his main problem is Cloyd. Maybe he'd be able to convince his mother to get a divorce, if he leaves Silvia will most likely remain with Cloyd. Sonny serves as a protective barrier for various opposing forces, once he leaves that barrier is gone and will leave behind chaos. Sonny's life isn't as bad as Nica's. He has freedom, whereas she does not. I could write about how different Nica and Sonny's lives are, and how they'd benefit and suffer from leaving.
A second idea I had about writing my paper on would be whether or not Sonny made the right decision in not accompanying Nica on her escape to Mexico. The first time I read through the novel I felt like he made the wrong decision. I was sort of disappointed that he didn't go, and was sort of angry at Dagoberto for not giving the book the happy ending I wanted. However, the more I thought about it, the more I agreed with Dagoberto's decision of ending the book like he did. I thought it was the perfect ending. Sonny wasn't ready to leave, he had unfinished business in his apartment building here in America. Sonny needs to finish high school, and he needs to be there for his Mother. In running away to a foreign country with Nica, he would of been abandoning his responsibilities. If he did go it would be the perfect fairy tale ending, and although the novel is a fiction, the events and outcomes that happened are very real, and him leaving would of been plausible however in the end I don't think life works out that way. Sonny needs to stay in America finish high school, help out his Mother, and man up to taking Cloyd's money. Who knows what Cloyd will do when he finds out his money is gone. I believe it'd be best if Sonny sticks around and sees things through, and in four years when he graduates, he'd be able to reunite with Nica.
If I choose the second topic I'd support my main idea by writing about why it wouldn't be a wise desicion for Sonny to leave with Nica. My main argument would be that he isn't ready to leave. I'd support this by explaining how him and nica are still very young. I'd also write about what he'd be leaving behind if he would of gone with her. I could support my argument by writing about how Silvia needs Sonny. In my opinion Sonny doesn't have it real bad, his main problem is Cloyd. Maybe he'd be able to convince his mother to get a divorce, if he leaves Silvia will most likely remain with Cloyd. Sonny serves as a protective barrier for various opposing forces, once he leaves that barrier is gone and will leave behind chaos. Sonny's life isn't as bad as Nica's. He has freedom, whereas she does not. I could write about how different Nica and Sonny's lives are, and how they'd benefit and suffer from leaving.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Feminist Perspective - Week Four
I believe The Flowers by Dagoberto Gilb questions the traditional view of gender. There are three main female characters in the novel. One of those characters is Cindy, the 19 year old girl that lives in an upstairs apartment, practically alone. She strips to pay rent, and has a husband who deals dope, and is seldom home except to eat or use Cindy for sex. Next to her apartment there is Nica aka Veronica aka Guadalupe aka Lupe aka Cathy aka Carmen aka I want to be anywhere else other than where I'm at because my father deprives me of an education, and makes me iron his clothes make him lunch, and do everything that he should be doing himself including taking care of his child. He is Nica's step-dad and is always yelling at her for not living up to his standards. I think Margarito is exploiting his daughter. By making her stay home and tend to the house, he is already molding her from a young age to believe that she is worthless and her place is in the home. I don't believe it's a coincidence that her sibling is a male. This further goes with their family theme, of the female having to tend to the men. It's unfortunate that the Mexican culture still holds this belief. Most Mexican women are raised to believe that they must give up their dreams, sometime having to sacrifice education and career goals, to take care of the men and always put their family before their own happiness. This holds especially true for those Mexican girls who's family has a strong traditional upbringing, like Nicas. She is treated like a slave by her father. Her father is always belittling her, asking things like why can't she iron right, and if its too hard for her to use starch on his pants? etc. etc. Her father is running her life in a patriarchal form. By denying her an education, making her stay in the house to take care of her brother and do the chores, he is asserting his power as a male.
I believe the female character Silvia plays tries to break away from the traditional role that females play in American homes, as well as the traditional values held for women in the Mexican culture. Silvia doesn't stay home to clean and cook for her husband. Instead she spends her time doing things that she wants to do. She goes out with her friends and does her shopping and other feminine things like spending time at the beauty parlor. She is envied by other women like Mary, who believes that "Beautiful women can do no wrong." (186) This is a value that can transcend different cultures. Mary is always fighting with her husband, and tends to believe that if she was pretty like Silvia, she'd get in less arguments and be able to get away with more things.
Nica is also troubled about her appearance, she believes if she lived in Spain that she'd ,"Have pretty white skin and straight black hair, and I'd listen to music and dance beautifully." It's sad that she has to wishes she were someone else so much, and isn't comfortable or happy being who she is. Her dance doesn't allow her to listen to music, and she is self conscious about her image. I believe this self-consciousness and low value she has of herself is derived from her dad always punishing her and scolding her. Nica should be allowed to go to school, and shouldn't be forced to stay home and take care of her younger brother, she is too young and it's unfair for her to have such a responsibility. Margarito should figure out a way to pay the rent and all his expenses without forcing his daughter to take a mother role as a young teenager. He spills his inadequacies as a Man onto his daughter, displacing his anger onto someone else.
I believe the female character Silvia plays tries to break away from the traditional role that females play in American homes, as well as the traditional values held for women in the Mexican culture. Silvia doesn't stay home to clean and cook for her husband. Instead she spends her time doing things that she wants to do. She goes out with her friends and does her shopping and other feminine things like spending time at the beauty parlor. She is envied by other women like Mary, who believes that "Beautiful women can do no wrong." (186) This is a value that can transcend different cultures. Mary is always fighting with her husband, and tends to believe that if she was pretty like Silvia, she'd get in less arguments and be able to get away with more things.
Nica is also troubled about her appearance, she believes if she lived in Spain that she'd ,"Have pretty white skin and straight black hair, and I'd listen to music and dance beautifully." It's sad that she has to wishes she were someone else so much, and isn't comfortable or happy being who she is. Her dance doesn't allow her to listen to music, and she is self conscious about her image. I believe this self-consciousness and low value she has of herself is derived from her dad always punishing her and scolding her. Nica should be allowed to go to school, and shouldn't be forced to stay home and take care of her younger brother, she is too young and it's unfair for her to have such a responsibility. Margarito should figure out a way to pay the rent and all his expenses without forcing his daughter to take a mother role as a young teenager. He spills his inadequacies as a Man onto his daughter, displacing his anger onto someone else.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Journal Prompt #1 - Week Three: Theme
I believe people having prejudice of minority groups is a reoccurring theme in the novel, The Flowers. Cloyd is a character in the book that exemplifies the racism that exists in present day America. This racism affects the lives of all the tenants living in The Flowers apartment complex. "You know what they say? They say they don't like black folk living in their nice apartment complexes, like they got some kind of right black folk don't. But they ain't got no right. They are blue-eyed-devil motherfuckers and fuck 'em." (190) Racism obviously impacts the life of Pink, a character that is an albino African American. Cloyd expresses his distaste of black people throughout the novel. He doesn't like the fact that Pink sells his cars exclusively to black people, thinking Pink is "working some angle" but doesn't figure out what that angle is. I found it very ironic that Cloyd openly dislikes black people so much and would never allow one to live in his apartment building, and is oblivious of the fact that Pink is African American. "'You wouldn't let them move in here, would you?' I didn't say I would,' Cloyd said. 'Fact I wouldn't'" (110) Pinkston knows Cloyd wouldn't allow him to continue living in The Flores if he found out about his albinism. I believe Pink is sort of sticking it to Cloyd by living in the apartments, and selling cars to African Americans, all while Cloyd believes he's just a really pale weird looking white male.
Sonny is impacted by racism as well. I believe Cloyd is racist against Mexicans as well. Even though Cloyd is married to a Mexican woman, I believe he still has an underlying hate towards Mexicans and all other races. I think he is married to Silvia because she is a really attractive woman, and he likes her cooking, and the idea of being married to a Mexican must be sort of comical for him. "'Don't you love Mexican food?!' said Cloyd. 'Here I thought you only married her for her looks,' said Bud."(pg. 54) I think he feels like he is superior to people of other races, including Mexicans. He yells at Sonny on page 126 about addressing him as "man", and demands to be talked to in a more respectful manner. I don't think this has to do with Sonny showing disrespect to his elder or step-dad or whatever, but has to do with the underlying distaste Cloyd has of non-whites. "Don't ever talk to me like that again!" (pg. 126) He goes on to punching a hole through the wall like The Incredible Hulk. I believe Cloyd's true feelings come out when he's drunk. Cloyd owning an apartment building gives him the power to segregate whatever races he dislikes.
There exists a lot of tension between Sonny and the other people he encounters on the streets. When Sonny and his friends are eating at a fast food place, there are two black dudes that pull up on them and stare them down. The twins don't realize whats going on, but Sonny is aware and prepared. Tension exists during this event, and later on when another two black males make fun of the twins about being Mexican. I believe this tension is presented as a foreshadow of the events that happen later on in the novel and in history. I can identify this theme in the novel to symbolize the tension that had come about in Los Angeles and other cities across America during the early 90s. Tension that existed between African-Americans, Mexican-American,Whites, and Asian-Americans, and still exist till this day. I believe racial tension to be a central theme that is present in the novel.
Sonny is impacted by racism as well. I believe Cloyd is racist against Mexicans as well. Even though Cloyd is married to a Mexican woman, I believe he still has an underlying hate towards Mexicans and all other races. I think he is married to Silvia because she is a really attractive woman, and he likes her cooking, and the idea of being married to a Mexican must be sort of comical for him. "'Don't you love Mexican food?!' said Cloyd. 'Here I thought you only married her for her looks,' said Bud."(pg. 54) I think he feels like he is superior to people of other races, including Mexicans. He yells at Sonny on page 126 about addressing him as "man", and demands to be talked to in a more respectful manner. I don't think this has to do with Sonny showing disrespect to his elder or step-dad or whatever, but has to do with the underlying distaste Cloyd has of non-whites. "Don't ever talk to me like that again!" (pg. 126) He goes on to punching a hole through the wall like The Incredible Hulk. I believe Cloyd's true feelings come out when he's drunk. Cloyd owning an apartment building gives him the power to segregate whatever races he dislikes.
There exists a lot of tension between Sonny and the other people he encounters on the streets. When Sonny and his friends are eating at a fast food place, there are two black dudes that pull up on them and stare them down. The twins don't realize whats going on, but Sonny is aware and prepared. Tension exists during this event, and later on when another two black males make fun of the twins about being Mexican. I believe this tension is presented as a foreshadow of the events that happen later on in the novel and in history. I can identify this theme in the novel to symbolize the tension that had come about in Los Angeles and other cities across America during the early 90s. Tension that existed between African-Americans, Mexican-American,Whites, and Asian-Americans, and still exist till this day. I believe racial tension to be a central theme that is present in the novel.
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
Free Writing
My Father always... knows the wrong thing to say at the right time. I haven't been getting along much with him lately, and have been finding it hard to be in the house at the same time as him. I hope this is some kind of phase I'm going through, but I'm not sure. Things have been getting more and more awkward as tension has grown. I hope I don't act like he does when I get older, and become a dad myself.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Character Description
Sonny's mother, Silvia, can be described as neglectful.. "It was that my mom, if she wasn't at her job, was out on dates, and whatever."(5) Silvia was never home to make Sonny dinner, and would often complain to her son about the mess he'd make. Sonny would say, "She could yell at me how she couldn't afford a maid to clean up after me..."(5) This can be seen as a neglectful characteristic because she neglects her responsibilities as a mother to look after her son and tend to her home.
I think she'd also display teenage behavior that you'd expect from Sonny's older sister. "My mom would be around for maybe an hour or two, and she'd either change clothes and leave or be so tired she went into her bedroom and went to sleep."(6) I know when I was a teenager, I'd often do the same thing. I'd only come home to eat, change clothes, and sleep, before I'd be out the door again to hangout with friends and party. This is not behavior you'd expect from a mother, especially one a child at home and no father to look after him.
It seemed like Silvia would always have a new dress and her hair and nails done each time Sonny would see her. She liked looking good, and being out, which I don't believe to be a problem, except that she invested more time in her own appearance and happiness and not much on anyone else. She didn't like the fact that Cloyd was tight with his money. It also seems like she would of liked to marry someone who was rich. "'Didn't she marry some really rich guy?' I asked. My mom made a face. Obviously she didn't want to talk about that, and she snapped at me."(82)
Silvia was admired by other women, for her beauty. "It seemed like she was always going to a beauty parlor to try a new hairstyle, which everyone complimented her on... no matter what style."(18)
I think she recognized her faults, and felt disappointed in herself as a mother. "I'm going to get to be a mother for you. I know I haven't been. I haven't had any time for you, have I?"(18) I think she may have chosen to get married and move in with Cloyd because he owned an apartment building, and she might of been promised not to have to work if they were to get married. Because she would not have to work all the time, she'd have more time to spend with Sonny. She'd even given Sonny an anonymous apology, "I'm sorry."(74) during one of the silent moments in their conversation while they were in front of the television. I felt like she might of been apologizing for making him go through the adjustment of having a new step-dad, and moving them out of their home. She may have also been apologizing because she wasn't always around to spend time with him, and now found it difficult to have a conversation with her son. "'Buenas, m'ijo,' she said. I swear there was disappointment in her voice. I'd never heard that in her before."(74) Prior to their conversation, Sonny had been spending time with Cindy, and came home weeded. The disappointment in her voice can be interpreted in many ways. One way would be that she noticed he was high, and was disappointed that her son had gone out to smoke weed, however I don't believe this to be the case. She had said that she had tried calling everyone of her friends and due to he fact that she was now trying watch television, it can be concluded that she was bored, and might of wanted to have been out like Sonny. I think she may have been bored and was disappointed that her son wanted to go to sleep instead.
I think she'd also display teenage behavior that you'd expect from Sonny's older sister. "My mom would be around for maybe an hour or two, and she'd either change clothes and leave or be so tired she went into her bedroom and went to sleep."(6) I know when I was a teenager, I'd often do the same thing. I'd only come home to eat, change clothes, and sleep, before I'd be out the door again to hangout with friends and party. This is not behavior you'd expect from a mother, especially one a child at home and no father to look after him.
It seemed like Silvia would always have a new dress and her hair and nails done each time Sonny would see her. She liked looking good, and being out, which I don't believe to be a problem, except that she invested more time in her own appearance and happiness and not much on anyone else. She didn't like the fact that Cloyd was tight with his money. It also seems like she would of liked to marry someone who was rich. "'Didn't she marry some really rich guy?' I asked. My mom made a face. Obviously she didn't want to talk about that, and she snapped at me."(82)
Silvia was admired by other women, for her beauty. "It seemed like she was always going to a beauty parlor to try a new hairstyle, which everyone complimented her on... no matter what style."(18)
I think she recognized her faults, and felt disappointed in herself as a mother. "I'm going to get to be a mother for you. I know I haven't been. I haven't had any time for you, have I?"(18) I think she may have chosen to get married and move in with Cloyd because he owned an apartment building, and she might of been promised not to have to work if they were to get married. Because she would not have to work all the time, she'd have more time to spend with Sonny. She'd even given Sonny an anonymous apology, "I'm sorry."(74) during one of the silent moments in their conversation while they were in front of the television. I felt like she might of been apologizing for making him go through the adjustment of having a new step-dad, and moving them out of their home. She may have also been apologizing because she wasn't always around to spend time with him, and now found it difficult to have a conversation with her son. "'Buenas, m'ijo,' she said. I swear there was disappointment in her voice. I'd never heard that in her before."(74) Prior to their conversation, Sonny had been spending time with Cindy, and came home weeded. The disappointment in her voice can be interpreted in many ways. One way would be that she noticed he was high, and was disappointed that her son had gone out to smoke weed, however I don't believe this to be the case. She had said that she had tried calling everyone of her friends and due to he fact that she was now trying watch television, it can be concluded that she was bored, and might of wanted to have been out like Sonny. I think she may have been bored and was disappointed that her son wanted to go to sleep instead.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Week One Reading Journal
1. I predict Sonny is going to get in a lot of trouble by the end of the book. The book starts of with Sonny describing the times when he'd sneak into peoples homes and look around and sort of lose himself in his thoughts. He started stealing money and once stopped his scrummaging to allow himself to feel a girls underwear. Now that Sonny is living in the apartment complex owned by Cloyd, he is going to have a lot of urges to steal and break into the residents apartments. His curiosity is going to draw him to want to know what the residents lives are like by looking through their belongings to get a better sense of who they are. He might want to steal some of their stuff too including money. Sonny might have a mild case of kleptomania. Although he says he doesn't enjoy stealing, he likes the feeling he gets when he counts his money, and likes going out and buying his own lunch. Cloyd seems to be really attached to his money, and tries to minimize his spending. I don't think It'd be wise for Sonny to steal any money from Cloyd.
I also believe Sonny is going to have some arguments with his step dad, Cloyd. His step dad seems to be getting drunk a lot, almost everyday. It's obvious that Sonny doesn't like Cloyd. On page 19 Sonny says, "All you had to do was look around the apartment to know this Cloyd wasn't right for either of us."(19) I agree with what Sonny says, there is a big cultural difference between them. I don't think there is anything wrong with having an interracial relationship, however it seems like Cloyd is racist, and may not be right for the family. He doesn't like the fact that Pinkston is selling his cars to Black people. Sonny seems to really like Pinkston, and I think they're going to become good friends. I'm sure Cloyd is going to have a problem with Sonny hanging around Pinkston, and will create an argument between them. In the beginning of the book one of Silvia's ex-boyfriend, breaks into her home and attacks Sonny. Sonny was young and failed to defend himself with the kitchen knife he held in his hand. I believe Sonny and Cloyd will have some kind of fight similar to this one. Sonny might try and defend himself again with a knife, but this time I think he'll be able to fend of his step dad's attack.
3. One passage from the book I found interesting was the one where Sonny is cleaning the window screen from apartment number 3. This passage begins on page forty with Cindy saying, "Hey, cutie boy! You trying to sneak in on me while I'm in the shower?"(40) I found this conversation to be interesting, especially the part were Cindy starts talking about her husband and her marriage. Her story is that she is eighteen now, and got pregnant sometime while she was in high school, which forced her to drop out. She married the dude, but unfortunately had a miscarriage. She later got pregnant again, but got an abortion. Now she lives in an apartment practically by herself because her husband is never around, and longs to go back to school.
The part I found the most interesting about this passage would be how she acted when Sonny says, "maybe your husband was glad too." At first she didn't really understand what Sonny meant by her husband. It was like she hadn't realized that she was married until that moment. She'd been impregnated twice by the same guy, and has been living with him for some time, but hadn't associated him as a "husband." I believe she still thinks of Tino as a boyfriend, and not a husband because he is never around. She must not be emotionally attached to Tino to want to flirt with Sonny, or maybe she's just bored of being alone in her apartment all day. Even though Cindy is married to Tino, I believe she will continue to invite Sonny into her apartment. Some sort of conflict has to arise between the three, and it will be exciting to find out what that is.
I also believe Sonny is going to have some arguments with his step dad, Cloyd. His step dad seems to be getting drunk a lot, almost everyday. It's obvious that Sonny doesn't like Cloyd. On page 19 Sonny says, "All you had to do was look around the apartment to know this Cloyd wasn't right for either of us."(19) I agree with what Sonny says, there is a big cultural difference between them. I don't think there is anything wrong with having an interracial relationship, however it seems like Cloyd is racist, and may not be right for the family. He doesn't like the fact that Pinkston is selling his cars to Black people. Sonny seems to really like Pinkston, and I think they're going to become good friends. I'm sure Cloyd is going to have a problem with Sonny hanging around Pinkston, and will create an argument between them. In the beginning of the book one of Silvia's ex-boyfriend, breaks into her home and attacks Sonny. Sonny was young and failed to defend himself with the kitchen knife he held in his hand. I believe Sonny and Cloyd will have some kind of fight similar to this one. Sonny might try and defend himself again with a knife, but this time I think he'll be able to fend of his step dad's attack.
3. One passage from the book I found interesting was the one where Sonny is cleaning the window screen from apartment number 3. This passage begins on page forty with Cindy saying, "Hey, cutie boy! You trying to sneak in on me while I'm in the shower?"(40) I found this conversation to be interesting, especially the part were Cindy starts talking about her husband and her marriage. Her story is that she is eighteen now, and got pregnant sometime while she was in high school, which forced her to drop out. She married the dude, but unfortunately had a miscarriage. She later got pregnant again, but got an abortion. Now she lives in an apartment practically by herself because her husband is never around, and longs to go back to school.
The part I found the most interesting about this passage would be how she acted when Sonny says, "maybe your husband was glad too." At first she didn't really understand what Sonny meant by her husband. It was like she hadn't realized that she was married until that moment. She'd been impregnated twice by the same guy, and has been living with him for some time, but hadn't associated him as a "husband." I believe she still thinks of Tino as a boyfriend, and not a husband because he is never around. She must not be emotionally attached to Tino to want to flirt with Sonny, or maybe she's just bored of being alone in her apartment all day. Even though Cindy is married to Tino, I believe she will continue to invite Sonny into her apartment. Some sort of conflict has to arise between the three, and it will be exciting to find out what that is.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Introducing Myself
I am... a 22 year old student going to Gavilan College this Spring Semester. I'm really excited to be back in school, and hope to make it through and ace all of my classes. My academic goal is to attain a Bachelor's degree, however I'm not sure what I will be majoring in yet. I'm planning on taking the classes that interest me, and hoping I figure out what I want to do along the way. I am very much interested in literature. I love reading fiction, not so much textbooks though. I also enjoy writing, although I must admit I need more practice and could use some improvement. Some hobbies and interests of mine include running, biking, listening to music, reading, and playing my PS3. I have two younger brothers which I care about very much, and hope that I am influencing them in the right ways. I would say I'm passionate about Art and Music, but wouldn't consider myself an artist or musician. If I had to describe myself in one sentence I'd say that I am a thoughtful individual who enjoys seeing and experiencing beautiful things.
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