The Chrysanthemums by John Steinbeck is a story filled with gender specific ideas, as well as the main character, Elisa Allen, desire to break down these gender related roles. Right away she is described as “handsome” and “over-powerful” (632). These are two words I would not generally associate with women. Later on while the traveling potsmith was talking about sleeping in his wagon as he worked up and down the pacific coast Elisha said “It must be nice, it must be very nice. I wish women could do such things” (637). I believe that Elisha is expressing her contempt for the socially acceptable role for a woman should be. She has been stuck in a rut for a long time and is beginning to wonder if maybe she has missed out on all that life has to offer. To me the most glaring of the gender issues was before Elisa and her husband Henry went into town for dinner he said that she looked “strong” (638) when he first saw her all cleaned up and wearing her dress. Strong is an interesting choice of word. I would not usually think of a female in her best dress as strong.
Gender specific ideas were a constant theme throughout this story and show a lot about the characters.
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
A rose for emily
A rose for Emily was a pretty interesting story. It was kind of confusing since not everything goes in chronological order. I thought the characters in the story were also really interesting. Over all the story was okay, but it really was kind of disgusting.
Obviously the main character Emily is suffering from some sort of mental illness. She doesn't want to believe her father died, and then kills Homer Baron because she does not want anybody else to have him. To me she seems lonely and will do almost anything to have a companion. What really grossed me out was in the end of the story the last lines that said, "We noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, the faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair"(212). This proves that she did not only kill him so he would stay with her forever, but she also laid by his dead body which to me is really sick.
Besides some of the bizarre things going on in the story, A Rose for Emily did give me a good idea of how times were in the deep south in a small town. Everybody seemed gossipy, and everybody wanted to know each others business. On Emily's behalf i can understand why she probably felt crazy, everyone wanted to know what was going on with her,and in her business. Not only was this town gossipy but it seemed to be very racist and full of bigots.
Overall the story was a good read and having the discussion in class really helps me look deeper into the story and really understand in depth what is going on. It makes the story a lot more enjoyable.
Obviously the main character Emily is suffering from some sort of mental illness. She doesn't want to believe her father died, and then kills Homer Baron because she does not want anybody else to have him. To me she seems lonely and will do almost anything to have a companion. What really grossed me out was in the end of the story the last lines that said, "We noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted something from it, and leaning forward, the faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair"(212). This proves that she did not only kill him so he would stay with her forever, but she also laid by his dead body which to me is really sick.
Besides some of the bizarre things going on in the story, A Rose for Emily did give me a good idea of how times were in the deep south in a small town. Everybody seemed gossipy, and everybody wanted to know each others business. On Emily's behalf i can understand why she probably felt crazy, everyone wanted to know what was going on with her,and in her business. Not only was this town gossipy but it seemed to be very racist and full of bigots.
Overall the story was a good read and having the discussion in class really helps me look deeper into the story and really understand in depth what is going on. It makes the story a lot more enjoyable.
A Rose for Emily
"A Rose for Emily", may be one of the most intersting stories I have read in a long time. When I read it at home for the first time, I really didn't even know what to think about it. I was confused and had no idea what I just read. Although after doing some in class projects I really enjoyed it and have since reread it to get a better understanding. Emily is a soft hearted women who you think is just a mean person, but she isn't. She is almost lost in time she is a very traditional woman. When she finally passes away and they find the hair around her neck. I was very disturbed, until I finally realized that it was from her lover. Who had passed away before her. Although the story is one of my favorites so far you may not like it, but give it a more in depth look and they you may understand more. Definately worth reading "A Rose for Emily" and get your won feelings bout the short story.
"The yellow wallpaper"
I found this story to be quite interesting, The tale of a young woman's journey into seclusion and partial insanity. It seems that the woman is suffering form post partum depression hence the anxiety and nervousness. But i assume in those days(Victorian) people didn't have a real grasp on mental health. They tended to belive like John, the woman's husband, that anything none physical could be cured with rest and a healthy diet. But instead the solitude and constant restrainment to the room pushed her closer and closer to the edge. She had no one to relate to or no way of expressing her thoughts and feelings. John just wanted her to sleep and eat secluding her to room she didn't like and not taking her feelings legitimately. I feel John disregard with emotins and lack of encouragement added to her insanity. Thats how she got to the point she did her only escape was her own mind turning her own emotions and feelings into a head game, a head game that involved the wallpaper and the room and the only two other people. Thats why she started to get antsy with jennie and John she didn't have anything to focus on but the wallpaper the wallpaer was hers and they couldn't have it. I didn't really see this as ghost story but i do believe that because of the bars and the lingering energy left over by the children had a great deal to do with the ending of her journey. the room had negative energy reflecting on the woman negatively in return. Good story shows how woman were treated in victorina days, like trophies like something to have not to be equal to.
"The Storm"
When I first read “The Storm” I came away with a feeling of sadness. After having our class discussion, I now have some new insights. Despite these new insights, I still find the short story to be a sad one.
On the surface this story just seemed like a tale of suppressed passions coming to fruition. It’s hard not to despise Calixta and Alcee for what they do. They are both married and whether or not they harbored these feelings from long ago, they still have no excuse for committing adultery.
After having the class discussion, I really see how well Chopin was able to use the storm as a symbol of the sin that is committed. In the beginning I love how the clouds “were rolling with sinister intention” (Chopin 255). What great use of foreshadowing for what’s about to happen.
Later we see how the rain came “down in sheets obscuring the view of far-off cabins” (Chopin 257) really illustrating how there was a feeling of isolation in that cabin. They felt that they could get away with what they were about to do. Then, as the atrocious act is about to happen, “they did not heed the crashing torrents” (Chopin 257) showing their lack of moral fiber to resist their own lusts.
With all of this in mind, I really still feel sad. These are two people who knew full well what they were doing; yet they still do it. Even worse, after all is said and done “everyone was happy” (Chopin 259). How could Calixta and Alcee just go on and pretend as if nothing had happened when they had committed the ultimate betrayal against their spouses? Sad.
On the surface this story just seemed like a tale of suppressed passions coming to fruition. It’s hard not to despise Calixta and Alcee for what they do. They are both married and whether or not they harbored these feelings from long ago, they still have no excuse for committing adultery.
After having the class discussion, I really see how well Chopin was able to use the storm as a symbol of the sin that is committed. In the beginning I love how the clouds “were rolling with sinister intention” (Chopin 255). What great use of foreshadowing for what’s about to happen.
Later we see how the rain came “down in sheets obscuring the view of far-off cabins” (Chopin 257) really illustrating how there was a feeling of isolation in that cabin. They felt that they could get away with what they were about to do. Then, as the atrocious act is about to happen, “they did not heed the crashing torrents” (Chopin 257) showing their lack of moral fiber to resist their own lusts.
With all of this in mind, I really still feel sad. These are two people who knew full well what they were doing; yet they still do it. Even worse, after all is said and done “everyone was happy” (Chopin 259). How could Calixta and Alcee just go on and pretend as if nothing had happened when they had committed the ultimate betrayal against their spouses? Sad.
Tuesday, January 29, 2008
"The Yellow Wallpaper"
My initial reaction after reading this story was one of dissatisfaction. I did not particularly enjoy reading it even after class discussion. However, I did get a better understanding of the story after class discussion. It this story we basically watch, through her own hand, a woman go insane. What is driving her to be this way is the yellow wallpaper that lines the walls of the room she's in. She goes from hatting the paper, "I'm really getting quite fond of the big room, all but the horrid paper" (Gilman 369), to growing to be a part of the paper, "I'm getting really fond of the room spite of the wallpaper. Perhaps because of the wallpaper" (Gilman 371). The main character despite the wallpaper in the beginning of the story becomes quite fond and protective of the wallpaper. There is even a passage that reads: " I caught Jennie with her hand on it once....she turned around as if she had been caught stealing, and looked quite angry --- asked me why I should frighten her so!!" (Gilman 374). She, in her mind, had become a part of the wallpaper and the wallpaper a part of her. She didn't want anyone else to know if it or to be a part of it. She also claims of a person who is trying to come out of the paper and is trapped behind it, or is it her who she is referring to?? "I always lock the door when I creep by daylight I can't do it at night, for I know John would suspect something at once" (Gilman 376). I believe that she is in fact the person behind that wallpaper and she, being herself, is out during the day, and her other personality comes out at night....
Jason Brown
Jason Brown
Saturday, January 26, 2008
A Rose for Emily
The story “A Rose for Emily” was at first confusing to me because of the fact that the events don’t happen in chronological order. It also doesn’t tell the reader when things actually happen in an effective way. This story to me is a classic lover scorned story. Emily is in love with Homer Barron, but he does not love her. He enjoys her company and probably the appearance of being a straight man. I think Homer Barron was a homosexual because of the line “because Homer himself had remarked - he liked men,” this is why he doesn’t love her. She buys arsenic and people think she is going to kill herself, but they don’t try to stop her. Ultimately she did not use the arsenic to kill herself, but to kill Homer instead. Her murdering of Homer is her way of saying if I can’t have you nobody will. Although in the end she did have him, well at least his rotting corpse.
Friday, January 25, 2008
A Rose for Emily
Initially my reaction to A Rose for Emily lacked depth. My opinion was the story was simply a tale of an of an elderly woman who spent her most of her years in her home, secluded from her neighbors, and potential loved ones. Aside from the effective imagery, A Rose for Emily just didn't accomplish to catch my interest. Although, once I began to look at the story more closely, through the help of the worksheet and classmates, I started to notice a wide variety of symbolism in the story. In particular the words "dust" and "rose" became very much connected to Emily herself, and the house as well. Along with noticing the symbolism, I realized the order of events, and the point of view served to not only make the story engaging throughout, but also provided different perspectives. I also gained an appreciation for the values of the characters and how they affected themselves, the towns folk, and the events in the story itself. All together the class discussion really helped be open my eyes to the depth of the story, and without the worksheet I would still be blind to most of the symbolism.
"A Rose for Emily"
When I read "A Rose for Emily" my first impression was Emily appeared lonely and depressed.Why would anyone allow their house to be dark and dusty. "Blinds opened from one window"by the Negro. "dust on the thighs of the alderman" after sitting on the cracked leather furniture.
Emily showed total disregard to her surrondings. It was her butler who took care of her.
"The Negro man went in and out wiht the market basket, but the front dooor remained closed.
After classroom group discussion I came to the realization that Emily was lonely. "After her father's death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away,people hardly saw her at all.
Questions that arised during discussion, where is Emily's family? With her father being dead
who else could there be. "Emily had some kin in Alabama:but years ago her father had a fallen out with them over the estate and there was no communication between the two families."
Emily had a beau once, but he left Emily. It came to be around the same time as her father's death. Poor Emily no one in her life. So when Homer Barron fixed the streets by Emily's house.
Emily swarmed in on Homer, like a vulture to a dead carcus. Emilys' lonely no more.
At story's end, town people pried into the only room not on display during viewing the house. "In the bed lay a man. Next to the man a pillow with a indentation to which a long strand of grey hair was found."
Emily showed total disregard to her surrondings. It was her butler who took care of her.
"The Negro man went in and out wiht the market basket, but the front dooor remained closed.
After classroom group discussion I came to the realization that Emily was lonely. "After her father's death she went out very little; after her sweetheart went away,people hardly saw her at all.
Questions that arised during discussion, where is Emily's family? With her father being dead
who else could there be. "Emily had some kin in Alabama:but years ago her father had a fallen out with them over the estate and there was no communication between the two families."
Emily had a beau once, but he left Emily. It came to be around the same time as her father's death. Poor Emily no one in her life. So when Homer Barron fixed the streets by Emily's house.
Emily swarmed in on Homer, like a vulture to a dead carcus. Emilys' lonely no more.
At story's end, town people pried into the only room not on display during viewing the house. "In the bed lay a man. Next to the man a pillow with a indentation to which a long strand of grey hair was found."
"The Storm"
I find the storm a interesting story. The really interesting part about the story was the can on Shrimp, In the beginning i didn't know what the can of Shrimp really meant but to read later on in the story I found out that he was for the family that he was suppose to return to right after he got the can of Shrimp so that they can eat. During the storm these two people became closer then they have before the storm or maybe they had something before but broke it off and now want to be together. The reason why they want to together because the thought of death scares them and they don't want to leave this beautiful place alone. In the story in says "Do you remember---in Assumption, Calixta?" that tells you that they were into each other and something happened. At the end of the story his family or mom seems to get mad at him because he is all dirty, shortly after he shows them the can of Shrimp and everything is alright... I really didn't get the ending, all around I liked this story!
I find the storm a interesting story. The really interesting part about the story was the can on Shrimp, In the beginning i didn't know what the can of Shrimp really meant but to read later on in the story I found out that he was for the family that he was suppose to return to right after he got the can of Shrimp so that they can eat. During the storm these two people became closer then they have before the storm or maybe they had something before but broke it off and now want to be together. The reason why they want to together because the thought of death scares them and they don't want to leave this beautiful place alone. In the story in says "Do you remember---in Assumption, Calixta?" that tells you that they were into each other and something happened. At the end of the story his family or mom seems to get mad at him because he is all dirty, shortly after he shows them the can of Shrimp and everything is alright... I really didn't get the ending, all around I liked this story!
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