"The Drunkard"

"'My brave little man!' she said with her eyes shining. 'It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel.'" -pg. 351

I think the most prevalent element in this story was irony. There were at least two spots where I noticed situational irony that made me chuckle. First, the man's son (who is also the narrator) is the one who gets drunk, instead of the alcoholic that the audience expects. Also, I wasn't sure if the title was meant seriously about the father, who actually was an alcoholic. Or it could be meant as a joke about the son who got drunk once.

 Anyways, the other irony I was amused by was at the very ending. The mother sees her drunken son, cut, and tends to him because he appears to be a victim. She also tells him that he saved his father, which is partially true. In a way, if the son hadn't gotten drunk and required going home, it would have been the father being drug home by the boy. The part that's ironic is that the boy was simply curious when he drank the porter; he inadvertently saved his father's life that night, but his mother gives him full credit.

The other thing I don't understand is that, even though the boy saved his father's life by getting drunk in his place, the boy still made a fool of himself. So even if that saved the father by deterring him against alcohol, it opened up the drink to the young boy, probably creating a whole other drunkard.

Once Upon A Time

"the bleeding mass of the little boy was hacked out of the security coil with saws, wire-cutters, choppers, and they carried it--the man, the wife, the hysterical trusted housemaid and the weeping gardener--into the house." -pg. 236

I think this short story was my favorite because it showed the huge discrepancy between fairy tales and reality. I also read imagery as the biggest literary device utilized. First, I got a vivid picture when the house the family bought was described as "the most honest in its suggestion of the pure concentration-camp style, no frills, all evident efficacy." This created an eerie and "hardcore" picture of a home in the story. Whereas the family saw it as the ultimate security, it showed the brutality of reality and division between upper and lower classes. That leads to my first quote, where the boy thinks he is a fairy tale prince, so he ventures outside and tries to conquer the "thicket of thorns" that is actually deadly wire fence designed to keep things out. Ultimately, this imagery reinforces one of the major themes: don't get caught up in fantasy, or you might just get caught up in barbed-wire. Ooh that was bad....

Eveline

"He rushed beyond the barrier and called to her to follow...Her eyes gave him no sign of love or farewell or recognition." -pg. 222

This was probably the most frustrating short story because of the main character. I actually found Eveline just as, if not more, annoying than Bartleby because of their similar indecisiveness. However, in a small way, Eveline's character is a sympathetic one, and relatable to som. Her abusive father, mother's, sibling's, and friends' deaths, and her yearning of a better life all make the reader feel sorry for her- or at least until the end of the story. Throughout the story, she talks about starting her new life, and at the very end, she has the decision to leave...but she doesn't. She stays with her dysfunctional family. That really aggravated me. Because she had a poor family life, she is a victim of circumstances beyond her control, but when she decides to stay in that harmful environment for her spiritual connection to her home, she becomes a victim of her character- mainly her inability to make good decisions- which also creates some disdain towards her from the reader, or at least it did with me.

Once Upon A Time

"They were warned, by that wise old witch, the husband's mother, not to take on anyone off the street." -pg. 232

One of the literary devices commonly used throughout this story is irony. First, I chuckled at the description of a mother-in-law as a witch, which I assume is how many men describe their situations. Anyways, the main irony I found was that the "wise old witch" seemed wise and helpful when advising the family to be more secure. That led to their sheltered lifestyle and the amplified division between the paradise and the worse-off minorities. Then, the witch gives the son a fairy tale book at Christmas, a seemingly harmless act on the surface. However, this book led to the son's naive idea of being a prince who saves the princess by slashing through thorns, which in this case is a barbed-wire fence. Although the story never reveals that the son dies, it is implied that the boy is at least greatly wounded by the wire (which I'm pretty sure represents the harsh reality that fairy tales trivialize). So, while the "witch" seemed to be a harmless character, I believe she was a leading role that turned out to be the villain.

Miss Brill

"On her way home she usually bought a slice of honeycake at the baker's. It was her Sunday treat.... But today she passed the baker's by," -pg. 186

One of the questions asks if Miss Brill is a dynamic character or a static character. I believe she is a dynamic character because she does in deed change in the story. Or at least the ending implies that she changed or will soon. This quote shows how she decided to break her Sunday routine. As opposed to continuing her monotonous schedule every week, she got out of the habit, showing major growth in her character. Of course, it doesn't actually show her changing her life drastically, but it's a small start to growing out of the lonely, misfit personality that she has. Being an outcast is her main trait here, shown by her occupation as an English teacher in France (let's hope some other French-speaking country) and her love of music as it is a universal language; this turn-around shows that she's taking a step to become less of an outsider, proving she isn't a static character.

Bartleby the Scrivener

" 'I think he is a little deranged,' said I, sadly. 'Deranged? deranged is it? Well now, upon my word, I thought that frind of yourn was a gentleman forger; they are always pale and genteel-like, them forgers. I can't help pity 'em--can't help it, sir.'" -(pg. 673)

This quote is really amusing to me. It is so because it shows that that some people actually have pity towards Bartleby. I find this incredibly hard to believe. In fact, Bartleby was my least favorite story. It seemed like it went on forever, thanks to 30-some pages, and really nothing interesting happened. So, I hated him because he didn't really do anything interesting in the story- even if it was something stupid like shoot another character. The other reason was that he refused to do the simplest tasks. Like in the clip we saw earlier, he said, "I prefer not to...." I mostly hated him because I didn't undestand why he didn't wanted to do the simplest things. That indirect characterization showed that he was on-edge, nervous, and strange-all which makes him a really unappealing, unlikable character.

Everyday Use

"She thinks her sister has held life always in th palm of one hand, that 'no' is a word the world never learned to say to her." -(pg. 173)

I think this quote perfectly sums up Dee. This also contains the literary device of exaggeration: that she never head no-but this is so to make a point. That point is Dee's most prominent characteristic, her pompous, snotty attitude. This quality is what made her a very unlikable character. And visa versa, it also helped amplify the likability of Maggie and Mama. By showing the major, unattractive flaws of Dee, the author creates sympathy for the characters who are "victimized" over the years by Dee's actions. Her unlikability is also influenced by the other characters' traits. For example, Mama was portrayed as hard-working and somewhat old-fashioned. She also didn't have an education, so we the reader feel sympathy for her.

One more example of how Dee's flashiness and snottiness was shown was when she wore "a dress so loud it hurts my eyes." This shows her need to always be the center of attention. These basic character differences create a huge space between major characters which emphasizes the drama and distance between them. Because of this, Maggie and Mama are dramatized as helpless, evoking sympathy, and Dee is shown as snotty, showing the huge contrast of likability.

Idiots in the Snow

"Kenny looked at Tub. He smiled. 'I ahte that tree,' he said, and fired again. Tub hurried to catch up with Frank. He started to speak but just then the dog ran out of the barn and barked at them. 'Easy, boy,' Frank said." -(pg. 192
First of all, there are just so many things wrong with the characters in this story. Tub seems like a nice enough guy. Then he turns out to be lying about his glandular condition and reveals his insecurity. (By the way, his name sounds like "tubby"- is that important?) And Frank (whose name shows his personality) was very honest and kind of the "voice of reason" in this story. And then he confessed that he's going to leave his great wife and kids for the fifteen-year-old babysitter. That's just weird. I think that might be his tragic flaw. And then there is Kenny. I'm not sure if his name reveals anything about his personality, but I don't think so. If so, his name would be Jerky or something really inappropriate. Obviously, because of his foul language, constant provocative jives at Tub, and really mean attitude throughout the story, I really hated him. I think he was by far the least-likable character. Even though he didn't totally deserve to get shot by Tub, with his belittling, mean temperament, he was sort of asking for it.

Hunters in the Snow

"'I'm going to the hospital,' Kenny said. But he was wrong. They had taken a different turn a long way back." -(p. 201)

I think an important literary device here was irony. This last line of the short story throws in a final piece of irony to give extra "umph," I think. The actual irony is that Kenny thinks he is going to the hospital and will recover shortly. However, since Tub forgot the directions, and they made a wrong turn, that won't happen. Basically, Kenny is going to die because of Tub's mistake- when he shot him and now when he forgot the directions at the bar. So the way I see it, Kenny is paying the price and suffering because of Tub's idiocy and Frank's unawareness. This shows a bit of the theme which I think is that stupid things come back to haunt-either they hurt the person performing them, or they negatively impact that person's surroundings. So, for me, the main message of this story, revealed throught the final lines of irony, is to act the exact opposite way of the main characters.

Which Would You Pick?

Fantasy                                                   Reality
Chris Watters                       or                    ... Carmichael

"How I Met My Husband"...the mailman

"We saw it come over the treetops, all red and silver, the first close-up plane I ever saw. Mrs. Peebles screamed." (pg. 130)

This short story was definitely my favorite. I think it was because it was extremely relatable. Every woman can remember her earlier years, probably spent swooning on some movie star or celebrity. For my mom, Tom Selleck, for me, James Marsdon, for a billion little snot-nosed pre-teens, J-Biebs, and for Edie, Chris Watters. As the quote shows, Chris Watters coming in with a bright, shiny plane caused any girl around him to be blinded by the wonder and awe of his suavity and coolness. Because every girl has this romantic image of the ideal man, this story (as cliche as it sounds) transcends time.

My favorite part of this story was probably the ending, because of its intense irony. Although the title implies that most of the story, about Watters, would be about the speaker's husband, it is actually referencing the mailman, who doesn't even appear until the last page and doesn't receive a name other than "Carmichael." This irony, however serves more of a purpose than amusement. It shows the immaturity and naiivity of teenage girls who dream away their lives, waiting for "the letter" that is never coming. Basically, the author wants women to come to their senses and take what life really has to offer instead of implementing fantasy instead.

Interpreter of Maladies- Lahiri

"Mr. and Mrs. Das bickered about who should take Tina to the toilet. Eventually Mrs. Das relented when Mr. Das pointed out that he had given the girl her bath the night before." (pg. 147)

The literary device that came to mind in this short story was characterization. My overall opinion was that the Das's are a dysfunctional family. First of all, as this quote shows, the parents are arguing over their kids. It's not a good sign when parents don't care enough to take their kid to the bathroom anymore. Then, on page 149, Mr. Das asks Tina, his daughter, "Where's Mina?" Noticed by Mr. Kapasi, the taxi driver/ tour guide, the father speaking to his daughter while addressing his wife by her first name shows a certain lack of respect - that's what I think at least. Then we have Tina fidgeting with buttons in the car. And then we have Ronny getting attacked by a monkey for food. We also have Bobby not following his father's orders and Mr. Kapasi's observation that the parents treat their children like friends, not children. This reminded me of a quote that goes something like: "A great ruler should be feared and loved. If only one is possible, though, it is better to be feared." That i basically what I was taught growing up: parents are not supposed to be friends, they're parents.

 I was, however, somewhat relieved at the end when Mrs. Das says, "'Come here a second. Let Mommy fix your hair'" to Bobby as she brushes his hair. This direct characterization showed that deep down, Mrs. Das really did care about her children after all- even after the whole story shows her neglecting them. If that isn't ironic, I don't know what is. 

How I Met My Husband- Munro

"So I stopped meeting the mail. If there were women all through life waiting, and women by and not waiting, I knew which I had to be." (pg. 146)

I think the most important literary term here is plot structure. Basically pages 130-145 reveal the childhood innocence and naiivity of Edie through her work as a servant for the Peebles'. The last page, then, is a complete 360 turn. The last paragraph actually explains the title- when she met her actual husband. Whereas the majority of the story talks about a chivalrous, heartthrob and pilot, Chris Watters, the ending shows who she married after all, the mailman. Now, not that I have anything against mailmen, but generally speaking, I think teenage girls would rather swoon over a handsome pilot than a postal worker. The way plot structure is important is that it ties in the theme of facing reality. By giving the majority of the story to a childlike fantasy description of a lover, the author creates irony at the end of the work by showing the main character settling or "coming to her senses" and marrying the mailman. For me, the structure emphasizes the moral of the story: don't spend your life waiting on mail that never comes = don't fantasize when you have a real mailman in front of you. :)

A Rose for Emily- Faulkner

"When she opened the package at home there was written on the box, under the skull and bones: 'For rats.'" (p.286)

This story was by far the creepiest for me. I think one of the important literary terms applied here is the narrator. Here, I viewed the story as having multiple narrators. The speaker was not a single person, but Miss Emily's community as a whole, sort of all chiming in with memories of her. That is also why the structure is confusing/out of chronological order. Because of this, the story was really difficult for me to read, but the gist was clear.

The biggest "creepiness" factor I noticed was not all that harmful inandofitself- that Miss Emily was resistant to change. However the lengths she went to to ensure this was a bit drastic. First, one of the narrators mentions that she kept her father's body for days. "She told thm that her father was not dead. She did that for threedays, with the ministers calling on her, and the doctors, trying to persuade her to let them dispose of the body." Again, at the end, it is revealed that Homer, Emily's lover, has been dead for some time - most likely by Emily's doing since she didn't want him to leave. With the detail of "a long strand of iron-gray hair," the separated structure of multiple speakers creates great suspense and an eerie tone for the reader.

What do Sean Connery and Amy Winehouse have in common?

"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night"

"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" -Thomas

"And you, my father, there on the sad height, curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray. Do not go gentle into that good night." (Lines 16-18)

I was a bit confused by this poem. I got two different messages from it. First, I believed the last sentence of this quote, repeated throughout the work, to mean that we should "go out with a bang" when we die. That, of course, reminded me of Amy Winehouse. The other message I found was at the very end, in this quote. I saw it as a son telling his sick/dying father to keep fighting and try to hold off death as long as possible. THAT made me think of Sean Connery in League of Extraordinary Gentlemen when he says,  "Old tigers are most fierce when they sense their end." To me, this second meaning is more probable and effective, because saying "Give it your all!" is a more persuasive encouragement when the person being told is on their deathbed. Anyways, right or not, I think the messages I infered are very good ones: go big or go home, and don't give up.

"Death, be not proud" -Donne

"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee migthy and dreadful, for thou art not so;" (Lines 1-2)

I really liked this poem. I thought it was less like a piece of literature and more like a pep-talk, which I found kind of funny. It seemed like a person who was "talking down" death who actually believes what they're saying. But I also envisioned a sick or scared person who was trying to convince himself that death wasn't a big deal or is not as scary as people say. Either way, it was refreshing to read someone taking an opposing view against death: rather than talking about how frightening it is, the speaker is proving that death is not such a mighty force that we associate it with. The most-used literary tool here was personification. The author uses it here to describe death as if it were a bully- or that's how I perceived it- something big and mean with a scary reputation. Anyways, I thought the message was just to stand up to fears because they're not really that bad up-close.

"Delight in Disorder" -Herrick

"Do more bewitch me than when art is too precise in every part." (Lines 13-14)

I thought this poem was pretty straightforward and simple. As a main literary element, paradoxes were used here and there in this poem. First, the title itself, "Delight in Disorder," is a paradox: normally people like things to be regular and organized. But this speaker makes it clear that he enjoys things much more when they are in complete disarray. Another example of paradox is in Line 12, "I see a wild civility." I'm not really sure what the unlikely comparison of wild and civility accomplishes, or what effect it has on the reader, but I noticed it. I also didn't understand really the point of the poem. I thought the main idea was just that things in disorder can be just as beautiful-if not moreso- than organization, but I don't see that as having a great impact on the audience. If the point was to show that the speaker is a bit abnormal or different than others in his particular views here, then I understood it. If not, I'm not. Perhaps this is to show that the author accepts people for who they are, not who society and "order" tell them they have to be like- imperfection is attractive- but then again, it could simply prove the speaker is an oddball. 

"Lonely Hearts" -Cope

"Do you live in North London? Is it you?" (Line 3)

I think this poem is my favorite. Besides the use of repetition of this quote, I found a strong sense of satire in this poem. First of all, the poem's talking about "lonely hearts," which pretty much says it all. The focus is entries of an online dating website. I think as the poem progresses, the entries get more...pathetic? or desperate. To me, I envisioned people sitting crouched over computers in little dark rooms, writing that they like long walks on the beach. Needless to say, I found this poem pretty funny. I think the poem is satirical because it's mocking how open-perhaps too open- people are online with their personal information. Or, it's plainly mocking people who are desperately looking for someone online, and not in the "real worlds." Either way, I'm pretty sure the author meant to criticize online dating in general.

"Edward" -Anonymous

"'O I have killed my father dear, Mother, Mother," (Lines 21-22)

Ok, I have to say I didn't understand this poem at all. Basically, repetition was the most reoccuring literary device used in this poem. The speaker keeps saying, "I have killed my..." I'm thinking the author is anonymous because the poem's just talking about killing things. I'm not sure whether it's literal or figurative, but if it's figurative I don't understand what it't symbolizing. Anyways, the thing that I think I mostly understand is the last line: "'the curse of hell from me shall ye bear, such counselsyou gave to me,O.'" I just interpreted this to mean that the son will go to hell once he dies/feel extreme guilt because that's what he put his mother through, emotionally, during his life. And to emphasize the "hell" the mother's been through, the author uses repetition throughout. One more thing: is Edward an allusion to a historical figure, or could he be a vampire from Twilight? I have no idea.

From Disney's "The Princess and the Frog"
-the film's a bit similar to Machan's "Hazel Tells LaVerne"
-mainly just good music :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84FTVsckrN8

"Hazel Tells LaVerne" -Machan

"Kiss me just kiss me once on the nose well i screams ya little green pervert" -Lines 17-20

I think this poem was also very relatable because it has been shown numerous times in the media, most recently in a Disney film. This story, however, has a more unfortunate and frankly, more realistic ending. It's the story of a frog asking a princess to kiss him in order for him to become a prince. I must say I enjoyed the spinoff- it gave a fantasy idea a more realistic situation. The author's style of no punctuation is meant to show that the speaker is uneducated. Besides that, I felt like the vernacular was the greatest literary term used here. For example, "Well i screams ya little green pervert an i hism with my mop" shows exactly how the author conveys the speaker's status, education level, and description. I believ the author intended for the reader to assume that the speaker is an African- American. Perhaps a deeper meaning is that the author is criticizing racism. Because of the woman's attitude towards herself, "me a princess," (probably sarcasm/obvious disbelief) and her uneducated status, society would not consider her a princess. I also don't know the significance of flushing the frog down the toilet three times. It could just be another fairy tale, though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqB3ybtYQXI&feature=relmfu

"Getting Out" -Mathis

"That year we hardly slept,..." -Line 1 "Heaving words like furniture." -Line 14 "The lawyer's bewilderment when we cried, the last day." -Lines 20-21

I also liked this poem because it was easy to understand. I'm pretty sure this focuses on the cycles of the speaker's relationship with a spouse. The first quote shows the early, crazy days of purely physical emotion. The second shows the fighting-verbal and possibly also physical. And the last stanza goes through the divorce of the couple. When, "We held on tight, and let go," sums up the poem's content: two lovers were "in love" but it didn't last. The tone presented is mostly reminiscent of memories in the past, probably the ones in the first quote and in lines 8-10, "FM and full-blast blues, hours of guitar 'you gonna miss me when I'm gone.'" That last quote is actually ironic, because it means before the couple divorced they spoke of sadness of their break-up. This poem was also easy to read because it is relatable. Not personally for me, but for many others, and almost this exact content is often portrayed in movies and on TV shows. Because of its constant occurence in the real world and the imminent depiction in the media, relating to this poem was simple, making it more fun for me to read.

"The Apparition" -Donne

"I had rather thou shouldst painfully repent, than by my threatenings rest still innocent." -Lines 16-17

This poem was a my favorite because it was easy and clear to understand. I took the poem's setting as a dead (figurative?) ex-boyfriend watching and thinking about his former lover and her replacement for him. To me, the tone here was of a very emotional, bitter, vengeful, and perhaps immature ex. Especially evident in these last lines is the fact that the speaker is intend on psychologically getting revenge on his lover and/or making her feel guilty. The speaker also says, "What will I say, I will not tell thee now," revealing a sort of sick pleasure of the man keeping the woman in suspense of his "payback." He also says, "My love is spent," so he's definitely beyond taking her back. Another reason for the woman to feel guilty is that she killed him (probably figurative for breaking up with him) and then dating another man or cheating on the first man. Either way, this poem would make a really good drama series.

"Crossing the Bar" -Tennyson

"And may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark;" -Lines 11-12

Besides tone, I think this poem's strongest device was a metaphor. For me, I took this quote as referencing the speaker's death, or "crossing the bar." Sadness is obviously associated with death, and when we die, we are embarking-either on a journey to the afterlife, or as some believe, just leaving. I also thought the "flood" in line 14 was a symbol for our journey in life. Just like unpredictable waters, life brings up new challenges for us to face. I also think when the author writes, "I hope to se my Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar," he means he wants to go to heaven and see God after he dies. Although the poem is majorly addressing death, because of this quote, the author creates a worry-free tone that encourages the reader to view death positively. Lastly, the "no mourning of the bar" could either mean the author wants a painless, fast death, or that he simply wants people to celebrate his life rather than mourning his passing.

"My mistress' eyes" -Shakespeare

"And in some perfumes is there more delight than in the breath that from my mistress reeks." -Lines 7-8

First of all, I don't think Shakespeare is giving a great first-impression. This poem, until the very last two lines, is basically insulting every aspect of his mistress. Saying things like her breath is not as pleasing as perfume, "her breasts are dun," and that "she treads on the ground" just sound like Shakespeare is working against himself. After reading these lines, I was sure it wasn't a love poem. The last lines, however, change it up; he states, "and yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare." Basically, I interpreted this as his lover being mediocre, but rare and still special to him. I don't quite understand if he is criticizing or praising his lover. Overall I think the tone shifts from a bitter, criticism to a more polite, honest, complimenting attitude-showing Shakespeare is a romantic at heart.

"Dream Deferred" - Langston Hughes

I really enjoyed this poem because it was short and sweet. The diction wasn't difficult, so that's good: it's always more fun reading a poem that I can understand. Additionally, the theme of the poem is stated at the very beginning of the poem: "What happens to a dream deferred?" Hughes then goes on about possible outcomes of a dream that is deferred.  If this poem were to be taken literaly, it would be interesting bcause no one thinks about what happens to dreams after you wake up. Here, however, the poem is talking about peoples' dreams or ambitions in life. I think all the "dreams deferred," or forgotton dreams or ones that never came true, here are all negative outcomes. Some "dry up," "fester like a sore," and "stink like rotten meat." Needless to say, imagery and senses are used heavily in this piece. I'm not sure how each deferred dream differs, but I'm guessing the common thread is that they were dreams that fell short, giving this poem a sad, bitter tone.

"Toads" - Philip Larkin

I thought this poem's tone was kind of dreary, saddened, and negative overall. That's also what I think of when I think of a toad, so maybe that's another thing meant by the author. I think the central theme of this is something like, "Don't let something hold you back or get in the way of your dreams." I think this because lines 25-26 say, "For something sufficiently toad-like squats in me, too." This just means that the author has something holding him back, or a negative toad-like quality that is keeing his from "getting the girl and the money all at one sitting." This guy sounds like a real optimist.... I took he next lines, "Bud I do say it's hard to lose either, when you have both" as kind of the "kicker." He makes the positive or negative point (depending on how you look at it) that it's difficult to get the fame, the girl, and the money, but once you have all three, it's hard to lose one component. In a way, he's expressing hard wok pays off.

"February" - Margaret Atwood

I thought this poem was rally funny because it was really relatable. The part where the cat is described as a "black fur sausage" really made me laugh because I make that comparison all the time with small animals. Then, the cat "jumps up on the bed and tries to get onto m head." I'm positive that anyone reading this who has a small pet knows exactly what this is talking about. Because I felt the poem was really relatable to everyone with a pet-which is most people- reading this was actually fun. Also, the author's diction in this porm was really odd but amusing. The parts where Atwood says, "Some cat owners around here should nip a few testicles" and , "Cat, enouh of your greedy whining and your small pink bumhole" makes me visualize an old, crazy lady shouting things at cats all the time. Lastly, this poem is like the opposite of "Autumn" because the last line says, "Get rid of death. Celebrate increase. Make it be spring." Basically, the author means that winter is a dreary, terrible time of dath, and we should look forward to the hope and light of spring.

This is what I envisioned the speaker to look like.

"The Joy of Cooking" - Elaine Magarrell

I am so happy this is the figurative language chapter, because otherwise I would take this poem as repulsive. So the problem with this poem is that I have no idea what the "sister's tongue" or "brother's heart" resemble, since they are obviously not literally those things. I'm especially unsure of what to make of lines 15-16:"Although beef heart serves six my brother's heart barely feeds two."Ithought this was a bit of juxtaposition, because the siblings' parts are described in detail in (quite disgusting, if I do say so myself) cooking methods, and the essay says "beef heart," not "cow heart," - it seemed to me that the author was trying to create a barbaric, cannibalistic effect there, because why would she go into detail describing how to cook ehr family and not an animal?

 I also interpreted the parts that were being cooked as to the characters' personalities. he sister's tongue "will probably grow back" probably means that she is talkative, a bit fresh, or has a problem with authority. The brother's heart "needs an appel-onion stuffing to make it interesting at all" probably means that he is a mean, cold, or unthoughtful person.

"Pink Dog" -Elizabeh Bishop

There is a lot of smbolism in this poem. From seeing the title I knew the dog probably wasn't a dog. I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I'm thinking the social outcasts.And the water these outcasts are thrown into is shame. One more thought I had was that in 32, the author mentions Carnicval. I don't think this is really just a fair or something like that. I interpreted it as the second coming of Jesus. The author asks, "What sambas can you dance? What will you wear? I thought that was referencing how Catholics are always being told, "Ready yourself for the kindgom of God:" giving a good impression.

In a more literal sense, I thought the "Canival" in line 32 could be the Karneval, which is the last day before Lent, "Fat Tuesday,"  in German. It could be this because the author also mentions Ash Wednesday, the day after. It could also be referring to the Germans' celebration, because in lines 34-35, the author says that "Carnival's degenerating --radios, Americans, or something, have ruined it completely." When she says Americans, that sort of implies that she is a foreigner.

Robert Hayden vs Grease

"Those Winter Sundays" and "Summer Nights"

If only we listened to Thomas Hardy....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpJUrt0O7uY

Also, this could be used as a counterargument for "To Autumn" by John Keats.

"Those Winter Sundays" - Robert Hayden

The first thing I thought of when I saw this title was the song "Summer Nights" from the musical Grease. The poem's theme, however, was pretty much the opposite. And I don't think this would make a very good musical, considering the central idea is about a father, or a worker, works constantly and is not appreciated.that  The son is the villain here, in the sense that he is not thanking his father. The son's part could also be interpreted as the worker's company or boss, who doesn't pay him enough or at all. To me, I felt like this poem addressed the issue of taking things for granted. And because every person takes something for granted, this poem is universally relevant. It rang true for me because nowadays, younger children are being taught to be thankful for what they have and help others who have little. It was refreshing to see that idea in story-/poem-form without being blatantly told, "Be thankful!"

"To Autumn" - John Keats

In this work, the author heavily utilizes sensual imagery. For me, that makes literature like this more relatable, fun to read, and easier to understand. For example, lines 19-22: "And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep steady thy laden head across a brook; or by a cider-press, with patient look, thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours." This imagery contributes to the central theme: autumn can be beautiful and peaceful.

Besides loads of imagery, Keats includes a peaceful, calm, and happy tone throughout. That ties into the other central theme: autumn is just as good as summer or spring, if not better. This is stated in lines 23-24, "Where are the songs of spring? Ay, where are they? Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--." I believe "thou" in this sentence is speaking directly to autumn. This quote is then saying that, although people only praise the warmer seasons, autumn has numerous good qualities such as rejuvination: Lines 9-11 show downfall of summer: over-working the land and, thus, killing the vegetation: "And still more, later flowers for the bees, until they think arm days will never cease, for summer has o'er-brimmed their clammy cells." Lastly, the situation of summer over-working the land, killing plant life could be an analogy for how humans are refreshed at the beginning of autumn; for example, the start of school or work for some people occurs in fall: it is a new, fresh start.

"The Convergence of the Twain" - Thomas Hardy

I really liked this poem because it had allusions to the "Titanic" throughout. First of all, writing a poem about the Titanic is highly relatable because a vast majority of people have seen the movie or at least are familiar with the history, including myself, so it was easy to understand. :) Secondly, the central purpose of this poem, as well as the theme, is revealed in line 15: "And query: 'What does this vaingloriousness down here?'...." I find this theme also a bit ironic because it's pointing out how everyone thought this magnificent, glamorous ship could never sink, but it happened anyways.

Hardy also references a higher power in lines 18-21 when he says, "The Immanent Will that stirs and urges everything prepared  sinister mate for her--so gaily great--a Shape of Ice, for the time far and dissociate." It makes it seem as though God planned the demise of this vessel as well as the passengers aboard, which is contrary to what most people think of God's temperament towards humanity. Maybe that is the author's way of proving the theme of our vanity as humans and belief that we are most important. By showing, through situational irony, that God premeditated this event, and that one of our biggest, best creations was taken in one fell swoop by an outside party, the author urges our insignificance, thus revealing the poem's main idea.

"I Felt a Funeral, in my Brain" - Emily Dickinson

This poem's structure is one big symbol. That is that the funeral which the speaker feels is really the "death" of her sanity, or her normality. The author also uses repetition and an analogy in lines 5-8 when she describes the feeling: "And when they all were seated, a service, like a drum--kept beating--beating--till I thought my mind was going numb--." Then, in the last stanza, the author says, "And then a Plank in Reason, broke, and I dropped down, and down--and hit a World, at every plunge, and finished knowing--then--." I believe that is symbolism for either when it "hit her" that she was not sane or when she died from her illness. By using these analogies, she creates imagery for the reader. That makes her concept visually conceivable. It also makes the piece more interesting, I think, whereas some authors might just tell the audience straight out that the speaker is sick. Emily Dickinson's analogy is much more entertaining and makes the reader think.

"London" - William Blake

I found this poem to be the most interesting and also the most depressing. The first thing I noticed was the tone: sadness, hopelessness, and chaos, which is how Blake creates imagery and pathos. In lines 11-12, the author states, "And the hapless Soldier's sigh runs in blood down Palace walls." This idea of soldiers being sent out to die while the royals stand by, aware but unmoved, creates the bitter resentment of the hierarchy by London citizens. I really felt that this is a common theme in literature: the common people are up against "the man." So naturally, being someone not in a position of power, I often envy and resent those who have power but make poor decisions as to how to use it. In this way, the poem seems more universally relatable.

The author also evokes pity/disappointment in the reader when he says, "How the youthful Harlot's curse blasts the new-born Infant's tear, and blights with plagues the Marriage hearse." At first, I didn't know what that meant, but here Blake is depicting how, because of prostitues' behavior, the institution of marriage is devalued, probably because one, or maybe both, spouses are visiting the prostitute. Effectually, the children in these cases are raised in unstable households. Everyone suffers. Just like the image in the opening stanza, the tone of "marks of weakness, marks of woe" in this society sure makes London seem appealing.

Perrine on Poetry

I found most of what Perrine said in "The Nature of Proof in the Interpretation of Poetry" to be true. Knowing these things will make me a better reader and better author. Having said that, there were a few pieces of the work that I did not agree with. First, he says that all interpretations of a poem are not equally valid. Secondly, he states that there is only one "right answer." I disagreed at first with that because the interpretation from the reading should depend on the reader. And if different readers come up with different variations of meanings, they should be valid. But then it could be said that a crazy person who thinks Shakespeare is talking about Al Quaida still has a valid interpretation, so he does have a point. The main idea is that the audience can have different perceptions of a poem, and all are correct if they are within a certain boundary.

The next area that I thought was a bit farfetched was when Perrine addressed the "right" meaning of the Melville poem. First, I believed that the text, seemingly about an army marching at night, is actually about the stars, not war. The thing that I found completely outlandish was when he says, "As I read it, the poem poses the question of the existence of God." I just sat there and thought, "Is this guy for real?" It's a poem about twinkling things. Anyways, because he explained that statement afterwards with sufficient logic, it doesn't sound too far-out. I still don't understand how people can pick up deep content like that from a short poem. I also wonder why some authors put so many symbols and metaphors in their works only to realize that no one but other authors, like Perrine, understands them. If the common man can't understand their writing, or interpret the wrong meaning from it, why do they make it so complex? I do think believe, though, that Perrine's logic as to how to interpret the words as something more (especially this example because without explanation it would sound completely absurd) will help me in the future to be a more perceptive reader and to be more open to possible meanings.

Never Let Me Go: 20

Never Let Me Go: 19

Never Let Me Go: 18

Never Let Me Go: 17

Never Let Me Go: 16

Never Let Me Go: 15

Never Let Me Go: 14

Never Let Me Go: 13

Never Let Me Go: 12

Never Let Me Go: 11

Never Let Me Go: 10

Never Let Me Go: 9

Never Let Me Go: 7

Never Let Me Go: 6

Never Let Me Go: 5

Never Let Me Go: 4

Never Let Me Go: 3

Never Let Me Go: 1

“My name is Kathy H. I’m thirty-one years old, and I’ve been a carer now for over eleven years." -pg. 6

I immediately took to this book more than the other. Firstly because I noticed the narrator is a character in the story. This makes it a lot more personal and emotion-filled. The first-person narration maks the story seem more real and coming from a reliable source. However it also means that what she's saying is probably a bit biased.

The diction is also less confusing: whereas Brave New World was talking about injecting with chemicals and all these procedures, this novel started with simple word choice. I also liked the start of this novel because it laid the setting for the whole novel, whereas parts in the other were brought different aspects, like characters and setting, at different periods of time. It was also kind of odd that the character here spent time talking about all the things she did in the past; normally, the point of the story is to go forward, but she's just talking about what's already happened. One benefit of this, though, is that she tells the events how she saw them, but now she also has insight on what really happened and how she learned from her experiences-that's something that everyone can relate to.

Never Let Me Go: 2

Brave New World: 6

"The mosten stone poured out in a stream of dazzling incandescence across the road; the asbestos rollers came and went; at the tail of an insulated watering cart the steam rose in white clouds." -pg. 62

Probably my favorite aspect of this book is the diction. Although sometimes the words are too complicated for me to comprehend, it makes reading a lot more interesting and challenging. Early on, in the factory, Huxley described the medical procedures applied to the embryos. Because of his usage of scientific "mumbo jumbo," he gains credibilty for talking about the medical realm. That subconsciously makes his idea of this utopia less far-fetched and more realistic to the reader.

Here, however, he's describing the city around London. This takes place when Lenina and Henry Foster fly to play Obstacle Golf. The colorful diction and creative use of words throughout the book adds imagery to the book (which always isn't about rosy subjects) and makes the book much moer enjoyable to read. It was also refreshing to read some prettier language than children playing erotic games and babies being tortured.

Brave New World: 5

'It only remained to conquer old age.' 'Damn you, damn you!' shouted Bernard Marx. 'Hoity-toity.'" -pg. 54

Coming to the part of the book that is three-way conversations, I really had to pay close attention, so as to not match up words with the wrong speaker. It makes an entirely different, illogical story when you read the lines together. =P One conversation is between Lenina and Fanny, in which they discuss Lenina's love life, particularly that she has been going out with Henry Foster for four months now- and only him. I thought it was really odd that, while words like "parents" or "mother" make citizens in this time cringe or blush, it is socially correct to "have" more than one person at a time.

And the one with Mustapha Mond, the controller, and the students. I thought this was really interesting to read. That entails a listing of all the world's problems before the utopia arose. Of course, having never achieved a utopia, we can't say whether those issues are really what we need to change, and whether or not a utopia would be the real outcome if we eliminated those issues.

I found the conversation with Bernard Marx, Henry Foster, and another man also very interesting and in a way, ironic. Henry Foster and another man are discussing "having" women, such as Lenina and Fanny. Disgusted by that, Bernard is mumbling his strong feelings of resentment and disapproval of their insensitive language. I think (whether or not the author meant it to be) the fact that Bernard "stood up" for Lenina, or at least is a decently respectful guy when it comes to women (thusfar, anyways) is extremely ironic since the conversation in the women's locker room is predominantly negative aspects about Bernard's character. So we think that, because of what Lenina and Fanny say earlier, Bernard will be an unsuitable, undesirable person. In reality, he's better than the guy Lenina's already with. I have to say this back-and-forth between the girls reminded me of "The Bachelor" or some other dramatic reality show.

Brave New World: 15

"'Benard's an Alpha Plus....' 'But his reputation?... They say he doesn't like Obstacle Golf... And then he spends most of his time by himself-- alone....They say soebdy made a mistake when he was still in the bottle--thought he was a Gamma and put alcohol into his blood-surrogate. That's why he's so stunted.'" -pg. 44-46

This sequence of quotes is an example of characterization. In this case, the author reveals the qualities, personality, and values of a character by using dialogue of two other characters. This quote is specifically describing Bernard Marx, a man that Lenina is interested in. Fanny, a close friend, tries to talk her out of pursuing him. By showcasing what other people say about Bernard and how others react to him, the author indirectly characterizes Bernard. In this way, the reader already knows background information on a character before they have spoken or appeared in a scene. Huxley is actively choosing to present a figure through others rather than just telling the audience outright. Doing so adds flavor to the book and creates a variety of ways to present new characters as they are being introduced.

 I find this choice of characterization refreshing, because it's sort of in the style of gossip, which is always appealing and relevant, regardless of the reader's age, status, or personal life. So I guess one could say teens gossipping is just preparation for becoming great novelists.

Brave New World: 10

"Old men in the bad old days used to renounce, retire, take to religion, spend their time reading, thinking--thinking!" -pg. 55

Once again, Huxley makes use of alliteration. Here, in this quote from the Controller, Mustapha Mond, he is describing what life was like before this new age. Because the author uses this device, he gains credibility in the mind of the reader and emphasizes the point he's trying to make.

I find it amusing that everyone in this society is so against the idea of free thought- or free anything actually. The Controller was appalled that men used to think before this system of embryos being "decanted" rather than born, and everything is regulated in a factory setting, rather than by chance in real life. In a way, the thought of humans not having the right to think for themselves is insulting and dehumanizing. On the other hand, I think a society without free thought- or maybe even restricted thought- has the potential to have a positive impact. As the D.H.C. brags, there is no war or unrest in the utopia. Whether that could or would happen in real life remains unknown until we try something new.

Brave New World: 18

"'Think of water under pressure in a pipe.' They thought of it. 'I pierce it once' said the Controller. 'What a jet!' He pierced it twenty times. There were twenty piddling little fountains." -pg. 41

In this quote, Aldous Huxley utilizes the rhetorical strategies of metaphor and imagery. The Controller, one of ten world leaders, is explaining the faults of the old family system before the utopia that is the "brave new world." This statement is used to compare a pipe with built-up water pressure and the previous system of society.

"'My baby. My baby...!' 'Mother!' The madness is infectious." -pg. 41

It expresses that the overwhelming need of affection and dependency creates a "domino effect" that quickly spirals out of control, creating an unstable society that falls greatly inferior to the utopia of modern London.

This further persuades the reader to "side" with the author, to realize that this new society is a great improvement compared to past generations that have failed miserably to create a harmonious environment.

Brave New World: 12

"'No civilization without social stability. No social stability without individual stability.'" -pg. 42

Here we see a triple-whammy of rhetorical devices: metaphor, alliteration, and repetition. First, the author presents this theme, or motto, at the factory-actually of this utopian society. He reinforces this theme multiple times throughout the book, as well as using words and phrases beginning with the same sounds.

Huxley also throws in a few metaphors. "His voice was a trumpet." -pg. 42

"The machine turns, turns and must keep on turning--for ever. It is death if it stands still." -pg. 42

By doing this, Huxley emphasizes his point, subconsciously persuading the reader to agree with him.

And altogether, the author gains credibility by utilizing countless rhetorical strategies throughout the novel.

Brave New World: 4

"Our Ford--or Our Freud, as, for some inscrutable reason, he chose to call himself whenver he spoke of psychologicl matters--Our Freud had been the first to reveal the appalling dangers of family life." -pg. 39

Here we have an allusion to the Austrian-born Sigmund Freud. Among many other things, Freud was known to have established sexual drives as the primary motivational force of human life. How perfect that the man who is the central inspiration for this utopia (a.k.a. Ford) was a master of psychology, a very important role in "prepping" these humans for society. Because Freud and his extraordinary contributions to science are world-renowned, this allusion persuades the audience to agree with Aldous Huxley's abnormal idea of a utopia and giving it more credibility (while implying that it is based on Freud's research).

The author also does this in order to strengthen his argument for a society against family: "the world was full of fathers--was therfore full of misery; full of mothers--therefore of every kind of perversion from sadism to chastityl full of brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts--full of madness and suicide."

Brave New World: 19

Brave New World: 17

Brave New World: 16

Brave New World: 14

Brave New World: 3

"He let out the amazing truth. For a very long period before the time of Our Ford, and even for some generations afterwards, erotic play between children had been regarded as abnormal (there was a roar of laughter); and not only abnormal, actually immoral (no!): and had therefore ben rigorously suppressed." -pg. 32

Awkward! As this quote shows, we see here one of the many bizarre differences between this new world and ours today: sexuality. Because of the advanced technology available in this time, men and women aren't obligated- or permitted (from what I've read so far)- to have children on their own- that is what the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre is for. Despite that, experimentation is practiced, in fact, encouraged, at the factory. And not just between adults, "a little boy of about seven and a little girl who might have been a year older, were playing, very gravely and with all the focussed attention of scientists intent on a labour of discovery, a rudimentary sexual game." Naturally, I found this chapter incredibly foreign and I thought for a second I had purchased the wrong book.

And then there was the word "parents" that embarassed the students. Ironic, isn't it, that people of this society are openly encouraging sexual freedom and yet are "grossed out" by words like "mother" and "father."

Brave New World: 2

"'The principle of sleep-teaching, or hypnopaedia, had been discovered.' The D. H. C. made an impressive pause." -pg 25

Last chapter I found myself wondering, "How can this book get any weirder?" Well, I found what I was looking for. First, I was astounded to see the experiments on the Delta babies. While the idea of teaching children to avoid negative things by scaring or harming them is affective, this procedure of sounding a deafening alarm in order to brainwash toddlers seems more like a brutal torture rather than a utopia to me.

As for my quote, I thought Reuben Rabinovitch's story was very intruiging. The idea of hypnopaedia, or teaching kids while they sleep by reciting quotes or facts, sounds like it could be a real practice in our world today. Another aspect of his story that was peculiar: in this time, the word "Polish" seems to be little-known, because it is now "a dead language. Like French and German..." (No German? How terrible!).

Brave New World: 1

"'The lower the caste,' said Mr. Foster, 'the shorter the oxygen.' The first organ affected was the brain. After that the skeleton. At seventy per cent of normal oxygen you got dwarfs. At less than seventy eyeless monsters."  -pg. 14

Ok, so this is definitely an interesting beginning to a book. We open on a factory with one purpose: artificially creating, fertilizing, and "prepping" embryos for their pre-destined caste in life. This concept of heating/cooling, depriving oxygen, transmitting diseases, or inflicting other conditions on these creatures is very creative and makes me wonder if this technology would actually be possible in the future-or tolerated. It is also a bit disturbing to me- which I think the author intended it to be. It's that kind of edgy, quirky start that makes the audience want to keep on reading. The idea that these embryos, before they are born- or "decanted"- are subjected to all kinds of conditioning in order to be properly suited for their environment as a human is a bit unsettling for me. Nevertheless, Huxley's medical termology and odd-yet-interesting thinking intrigues me.