Victor and the Creature: A Parallel Story

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor and the creature act as doubles. Although they are distant from each other at times, they act and feel the same. When Victor was sick after creating the creature, the creature seemed to struggle with life and felt unhappy. When Victor's health improved and his spirits rose, the same happened to the creature. When Victor destroy's the female creature, the creature vows to avenge his "bride" by killing Victor's bride. After Clerval's death, Victor hates himself. He enters a state of depression and only appears to be excited by the thought of marriage. The creature begins to abhor himself as well: "After the murder of Clerval, I returned to Switzerland, heartbroken and overcome. I pitied Frankenstein; my pity amounted to horror: I abhorred myself." (Shelley, 164). The creature then puts his mask on making himself appear that he is happy to murder Victor's friends. Furthermore, once Victor dies, the creature begins to feel his life beginning to disappear and expects himself to die soon. The story of Frankenstein is truly a story of parallel lives.

A Guilty Conscience

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor becomes plagued by guilt. After he creates the creature, he blames all of the family's misfortunes on himself. "William, Justine, and Henry--they all died by my hands." (Shelley, 136). Because of the creature. William, Justine, Henry, and then Elizabeth, all die by the hands of the creature. William and Henry were executed. Justine was framed. Elizabeth was thrown against a wall. Every time, the creature did it to make Victor suffer. Victor should feel guilty. Through his ignorance of the creature, he caused his friends and family to die. He could of avoided this if he showed affection toward the creature, or better yet, he should have never created the creature. Rather than asking if he could, he should have asked if he should.

Creature's Knowledge of Marriage?

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the creature decides to kill Elizabeth, on Victor's wedding night. But how did the creature know that Victor was going to be married: " 'I will be with you on your wedding night' " (Shelley, 123)? The creature has only had human contact with the DeLacey family and Victor. The DeLacey encounter was brief and had no connection with Victor. Victor's first spoken interaction with the creature was upon an isolated mountain. There, they discuss the creature's history and demand. There was no mention of Victor's future planned marriage. After that, they part ways and will not see each other until he threatens to kill Elizabeth. Furthermore, the creature believed William to be Victor's son. If William was Victor's son, then Victor should have already been married. There is no information explaining how the creature understands that Victor will be married.

Creation Equals Destruction

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley utilizes the technique of doubling. The scenes between the creation of the creature and the female creature are similar. Both scenes are quickly described in the novel. There is little detail concerning the processes. Most notably is the creaking door: "In a few minutes after, I heard the creaking of my door, as if some one endeavored to open it softly" (Shelley, 122). In chapter 5, Victor creates the creature and a creaking door is mentioned. The time was at night and it was fairly silent. Furthermore, Victor felt and acted as he did after the creation. He felt helpless, scared and terrified. The only differences are that Victor confronts the creature rather than running away and he is not in his dorm room. This continues to contribute to the theme of parallelism.

Justice

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley uses justice as a central theme to the novel. There are instances of legal justice. Justine and Victor both go to trial and are tried as murderers. Justine, unfortunately was found guilty, but Victor was found innocent. However, justice is more centered on the creature's understanding of it. "but beware! Your hours will pass in dread and misery, and soon the bolt will fall which must ravish from you your happiness forever. (Shelley, 122-3). The creature's understanding of justice focuses on vengeance. He teaches himself, from early on, that his emotions must be better or equal to Victor's. The creature's desire for belonging and acceptance distort the true meaning of justice: doing what is right. Furthermore, Victor's sense of justice becomes distorted when he focuses on the creature. Rather than befriending it or make amends with it, Victor scorns the creature and uses the same ideology of justice that the creature uses.

All Alone

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, there is a reoccurring theme of alienation.  Victor alienates himself through his experiment. It becomes his sole focus while he is at the university. He loses vast amounts of sleep and health while working to create his creature. Once he abandons his creature, he begins to embrace society and become healthy again. Justine becomes alienated once she becomes accused of murder. The town abandons her. Victor, Elizabeth, and Alphonse are the only people who seem to care about her. Furthermore, Victor's creation is alienated from society. "Everywhere I see bliss, from which I alone an irrevocably excluded." (Shelley, 69). The creature is hideous and terrifying to the point that he can't enjoy the bliss of the world because everyone detests him. The only thing he asks of Victor is for him to be his friend and then he will stop being terrible. Victor's ignorance of the creature led to the death of his brother William and his servant Justine.

Only the Beginning

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Mary Shelley uses foreshadowing and repetitiveness to emphasize Victor's constant descent into despair. Victor repeatedly states that destiny has led him to this terrible act. He believes that fate has deemed him to suffer for all of his life. His mother, brother, and beloved servant died. Although he had nothing to do with the mother, he believes he caused his brother and servant to die. He accuses his creation of killing his brother and planting false evidence on Justine. Furthermore, Shelley conveys this continued despairing through foreshadowing. Victor continually states that he has unleashed a terrible horror and that this is only the beginning. "I beheld those I loved spend vain sorrow upon the graves of William and Justine, the first hapless victims to my unhallowed arts." (Shelley, 60). This statement implies that more death and despairing will follow. We can hypothesize that the possible reason that Victor chased the monster into the arctic was so that he may save the lives of those around him.

What Monster?

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley has an element of irony compared to today. The discrepancies between today's version of Frankenstein and Mary Shelley's version are many. In today's version, the scientist was evil. He preformed this experiment in a secret laboratory on the outskirts of town. A lightning bolt and several large machines were used to give the monster life. The scientist was also madly happy that the monster was alive. In Mary Shelley's version, the creation process and the giving of life process is brief and somewhat plain: "With an anxiety that almost amounted to agony, I collected the instruments of life around me, that I might infuse a spark of being into the lifeless thing that lay at my feet." (Shelley, 34-35). When I read this part of the book, I didn't realize the creature was alive until Victor returned to his apartment with Clerval and the monster was gone. Victor wasn't evil. He preformed the experiment in his dorm room with a few machines and a spark. Victor happened to be afraid of the monster and ran out of his dorm room. It is very ironic how the scene from Mary Shelley is so different from today's version.

Point of View Hop Potato

In Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, there is a story within a story within a story. The frame stories serve to help the transition between points of view. In the letters, the point of view is Robert Walton. Once chapter one begins, the point of view is that of Victor Frankenstein. Within Victor's stories, he sometimes uses letters to describe the characters. Sometimes, those letters are presented in the point of view of the character, not Victor. Since the novel bounces between point of views frequently, it can be confusing as to what Victor happens to be addressing. At one point in the story, Victor abruptly stops telling the story to address Robert Walton: "I see by your eagerness and the wonder and hope which your eyes express, my friend, that you expect to be informed of the secret with which I am acquainted" (Shelley, 31). He goes from reflecting upon his knew discovery to addressing Walton to going back to telling the story. If one were to read it quickly, he would not notice Victor comes out of the story to address Walton. It can also be hard to remember that this is a frame story and that this story is being told on a ship going to the north pole. The point of view shift can be confusing to the flow of the story.

Frame Story Inception

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is a frame story. The preface of the story is set through the four stories at the beginning of the novel. In the fourth letter, we meet Victor Frankenstein, the narrator of the story within Frankenstein. "I had determined, at one time, that the memory of these evils should die with me, but you have won me to alter my determination." (Shelley, 13). Victor then begins to explain his life and the disasters awaiting him. Furthermore, there are more stories within Victor's story. Victor tells brief anecdotes about the important people he meets. Now, we have a story within a story within a story. Additionally, these anecdotes inform us about the characteristics and histories of the characters, which can be used to infer the reasoning behind characters' decisions. The frame stories serve to help the flow of the story. There is no need for the author to explain all the characters' actions. With the background given, we can infer the reasoning.

I Would Prefer Not To Do This

In Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville, Bartleby is directly characterized several times. We learn that the lawyer is generous man who always chooses the easy way. It can be inferred that the characterization of Bartleby indirectly characterizes the lawyer. Most people identify themselves with similar people. The lawyer shows sympathy for Bartleby over and over again. At one point, the lawyer invites Bartleby to live in his home: " 'will you go home with me now--not to my office, but my dwelling' "(Melville, 670). Bartleby shows the lawyer that he has no motivation. He shows that the lawyer seems to be alone. It seems that the lawyer spends most of his time at the office. The lawyer offers to help Bartleby get a new job, but Bartleby refuses. This shows the lawyers stubbornness to deal with his problems efficiently and aspire to new heights. Bartleby proves that the lawyer has alienated himself from the rest of society.

Paradoxical Madness

In Much Madness is divinest Sense by Emily Dickinson, the speaker uses a paradox to form an aphorism: "Much madness is divinest Sense-- To a discerning Eye--" (Dickinson, 830). It seems that being insane can be rational, depending on how we see it. The majority of opinion seems to decide what is sane and insane. The paradox points out this hidden truth. We all have our individual opinions on what is sane and insane, but we don't get to decide. Society decides what is sane and insane. If we agree with society, we are sane. If there is a discrepancy  the person with the difference is labeled as an outcast and insane. Even if the majority happens to be incorrect, the outcast is still treated harshly. Additionally, society aims to control those outcasts and maniacs by reducing their freedom and sometimes oppressing them. Their hope is that they will conform their views and agree with society.

Insanity, Here I Come

In I felt a Funeral, in my Brain by Emily Dickinson uses an extended metaphor for her descent into madness. The first stanza is her realization that she is becoming mad. The mourners who move to and fro and tread are her thoughts that run rampant in her head. Additionally, the mourners are sad for the eventual descent into madness. The second stanza shows her progression through madness since she no longer experiences feelings. She has become numb and can no longer feel. In the third stanzas, she loses a precious and essential part of her mind. The loss of this part of the mind becomes a burden and chaos ensues. In the fourth stanza, that chaos emerges into sounds that force the mind to lose touch with reality. Her mind is nearly gone and she is alone, left with the silence of her empty mind since she no longer can think. The final stanza shows that she has lost all reason and she descends into madness, "And I dropped down, and down-- And hit a world, at every plunge" (Dickinson, 776). At every level her madness reveals something new to the speaker that can only be revealed through madness. Once she is in complete madness, she knows everything and something happens that suggests that something exists beyond death or insanity.

I Killed a Man

In  APO 9625 by Larry Rottman, the author uses dramatic irony to communicate the attitude of the American public toward the Vietnam War. When we think of war in general, we think of gore, pain, suffering, and destruction. Death surrounds the surviving soldiers and the whole aspect of war becomes a gruesome thought. Apparently, the mother does not seem to understand this. She asks her son to tell her what it is really like. He avoids the conversation of war entirely because he knows it will upset his mother. After her persistence, he finally tells her that he killed a man and dropped napalm and women and children. The son then gets reprimanded for telling his mother what she wanted to know," 'Please don't write such depressing letters. You're upsetting your mother' " (Rottman, 846). The American public wanted to know what happening in Vietnam. They also did not want to believe the horrors that awaited the soldiers. The American public can't handle the truth.

The Deranged Woman on the Bench

In Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield, we learn about the protagonist through indirect characterization. She listens in on the conversations of others around her, without knowing that most other people seem to ignore her. It isn't until the phrase, "went into the little dark room--her room like a cupboard," (Mansfield, 186) that we understand who she really is. That phrase was repeated earlier in the text and it referenced how there were other people always on the benches. They seemed funny and odd. They were silent and nearly all old. She seems to be describing herself. She is that person that is funny and odd and always seems to be on the bench. Furthermore, she is mentally insane. At one point in the story, she talks to herself about being an actress. She places her feelings and characteristics onto others. At the end, she believes that that she hears crying. From logical reasoning, we know that Miss Brill is actually crying. Miss Brill is a deranged, old woman who is alienated from society.

A Joyous Afterlife

In Crossing the Bar by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, the speaker welcomes death. In both the first and third stanzas, the first two lines indicate a time near the end of the life of the speaker. He knows he will go eventually but he hopes that his death will not cause too much grief and sadness,"And may there be no sadness of farewell When I embark;" (Tennyson, 886). He does not want the end to be rough when he leaves: "And may there be no moaning of the bar When I put out to sea." (Tennyson, 886). He is excited to go out into the boundless deep or the great unknown of the afterlife. He does not know what is out there, but  he knows that his home lies out there somewhere. There is a certain time and place that he will arrive at once he dies. He acknowledges that the afterlife may actually be a far away place. He also hopes to see the Pilot. The Pilot is most likely Jesus because Pilot is capitalized. Furthermore, Christian literature emphasizes the "crossing over" into the after life and crossed is mentioned in the title and the last line of the poem. Specifically, crossed refers to the transition from life to death which is the bar that separates the two. The speaker is eagerly waiting to be taken into heaven with Jesus.

Death's Hidden Character

In Death, be not proud by John Donne, the speaker criticizes death. The speaker believes that death is not mighty and dreadful as some people believe. He mentions several reasons as to why death should not be proud. Death dwells with poison, war, and sickness. Those things are vile, barbaric, and uncivilized and come nowhere to close to being mighty. "Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men" (Donne, 971). Death is not even in control. Death only happens when destiny and fate determine someone to die. It happens by random chance. Kings order death. Desperate men kill others because they are willing to. Death is not glorious or magnificent because it lies with the lowest of the low and it is not master of itself. Death deserves no place of honor.

Going Down Fighting

Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night by Dylan Thomas focuses on the two phrases: "Do not go gentle into that good night" (Thomas, 968) and "Rage, rage against the dying of the light"(Thomas, 968). Each phrase is said four times, so it has major significance. Each phrase is a metaphor stating: never let death take you without a fight. The speaker mentions four images each stating why certain groups of men always fight till their last breath. Wise men fight because they have not discovered incredible truths. Good men fight because they want to make sure that their good deeds are not wasted. Wild men fight because they don't want to stop being wild. Grave men fight because they are happy and don't want to die. These four images were said to inspire the speaker's father to not give up the fight against death. The speaker wants his father to fight fierce so that if he does die, he died while trying to live.

You Feeling Lucky?

In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, point of view plays an important role on how the story seems to play out. The third person objective view point leads the reader to believe that this is a happy story. It has a tone of peace and boredom. The act of piling the stones and pebbles seems harmless since children usually like to mess with rocks. It is not until Warner says, " 'Lottery in June, corn be heavy soon' " (Jackson, 268), that the reader begins to see that this is not a normal lottery. This view continues to be supported once Mrs. Hutchinson says that it was not fair. In a normal lottery, the winner and the family would be jubilant. In this case, the tone seems to become dark. By the end of the play, it is apparent that the lottery is a drawing for a sacrifice so that the corn grows well. The point of view allows for a surprising twist in this seemingly harmless story.

Hoarder Level: 9001

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner is a rather creepy short story. Early on in the passage, we learn that she has nothing left. Her father died and her sweetheart had left her: "That was two years after her father's death and a short time after her sweetheart--the one we believed would marry her--had deserted her" (Faulkner, 283). With the disappearance of her loved ones, she decides to cling onto anything that will prevent her from becoming hurt again. She meets Homer Baron and turns him into a heterosexual male and marries him. She then murders him with arsenic and lays the body on the bed as if he had just came home from work. She even sets up the room to look like he just came home. There is a suit hungover a chair with the shoes underneath it. There are socks and a tie on the ground. There is also evidence that she sleeps in the same bed next to the decayed body. Furthermore, since the narrator is the town, there is a bit of uncertainty and there may be even more creepy things associated with Emily.

Blowing Out the Past

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, the play ends with another symbol: Laura blowing out the candles. Literally, Tom wants to forget about Laura so he can move on with his life and have no regrets. More specifically, he is trying to forgot the old memory of her. He is trying to forget the terrible situation that he left his mother and sister in. Symbolically, Laura blowing out the candles represents a call for moving forward: "For nowadays the world is lit by lightning! Blow out your candles, Laura--and so goodbye. . ." (Williams, 1289). That quote shows that the memory of Laura is in the past and now the current time is in the present. The act of blowing the candles out represents letting go of our past and moving on into the future. It also represents letting go of our former selves and forming  a new and better person. Tom is wanting Laura to change herself for the better when he states this. He is not wishing to never see or remember her again, but rather, he wants to see her as a shining human being that she is supposed to be.

Break the Ice (Or Glass in This Case)

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, one of the blatant symbols is the glass menagerie. Williams states the symbolic meaning of the glass menagerie in the character description of Laura: "Laura's separation increases till she is like a piece of her own glass collection, too exquisitely fragile to move from the shelf." (Williams, 1234). Its meaning continues on further though. The glass collection represents the small comfort zone that every person has. Laura's comfort zone was threatened by the introduction of Jim O'Connor. While they were having fun, the horn of Laura's unicorn breaks off. This incident symbolizes Laura's slow and temporary transgression out of her comfort zone and it represents how her crippled leg has no effect on other people. For a moment, Laura was feeling happy even though she was spending time with a stranger. When she acted in a way that was outside her comfort zone, no one noticed she was a cripple. To Jim, she appeared vibrant and lively. In addition, Tom broke his glass at the end of the play and left his family. He left his comfort zone and safe habitat. He decided to brave the unknown and it seems to have been successful for him. What Williams wants to convey is that we need to break out of the glass menagerie that holds every person, so that we may have a good and successful life.

Common Family Bickering. Or is it more?

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, dissension fills the cracks of the family. The external conflicts are abundant and mainly occur between Amanda and Tom. Amanda and Tom fight over Tom's habit of late-night movie-going. They fight and the argument escalates. The argument transforms into an argument about Tom's selfishness. That argument is ironic because Tom works at a job he hates to provide for his family. The argument continues to push Tom away until he decides to leave the family. A point of instance where the conflict between Amanda and Tom becomes out of hand is when Tom breaks a part of Laura's glass menagerie, "It strikes against the shelf of Laura's glass collection, there is a tinkle of shattering glass."  (Williams, 1248). Amanda and Laura have a few conflicts, but they are focused on Laura's personality. Laura's personality coerced her to drop from business school and her personality prevents her from marrying or occupying a job to support the family. Amanda wants Laura to be successful, but Amanda struggles with Laura's personality every time. The dissension in the family causes the family to be split up and creates a sense of hopelessness for Laura's future.

Disillusioned Amanda

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, Amanda becomes very ironic from Tom's point of view. Throughout the play, she accuses Tom of being selfish. It happens that Tom forces himself to work at the mill everyday because he cares about his family, "I'll rise--but I won't shine" (Williams, 1249). He goes to the movies so that he may enjoy a little part of his day. Amanda fails to recognize this and further infuriates Tom. She bombards him with accusations that he only cares about his selfish pleasure and that he is a selfish dreamer. Amanda coerced Tom out of her life for good.  Furthermore, Amanda accuses Tom of living in dreams and manufacturing illusions. Amanda is the one who happens to living in her dreams, illusions, and fantasies. She constantly compares the amount of gentlemen callers she had to the ones that Laura had. She relives her past life as if it were today by wearing old dresses and recalls all the wonderful times she had with her husband. Amanda was the main reason that Tom left the family.

A Father Long Gone

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams the long gone father plays an important role in Tom's memory and the family's life. The father left early in the marriage so he could chase his dreams and make money. Tom decided to follow his father's footsteps and set his own path, " from then on, in my father's footsteps" (Williams, 1288). Tom chose to live a better life and fight the grasp that Amanda had over him. Amanda was affected by her husband greatly. Once he left, she was forced to sell magazines and force Tom into working at the mill. She lives in a world of disillusion. She no longer notices that Laura is crippled. She no longer sees that Laura has social problems. She accuses Tom of being selfish, which is entirely false.She lives in her own fantasy. The splitting of the family was caused by the father leaving the family.

A Lonely Love

In Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden, the father is caring, helpful, and loving. The characterization of the father is conveyed through the imagery of the poem. The poem starts off with the father waking up early in the morning, in the darkness and in the cold weather. His hands are described as being chaffed, dry, and cracked. The description reveals a hard-working father whose hands must hurt as he prepares a fire to warm the house. Moreover, he is never thanked. The father must be very selfless since he continues to warm his family even when they do not thank him. Once the house was warm, the father would wake everyone up, only for his family to start bickering and fighting like most siblings do. His children are ungrateful for the warmth and all that he does. This continues to support the father's generosity and care for his family. At the end, love is revealed to be poignant and that sometimes loving others can be harsh, "what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices?" (Hayden, 782).

Cooking Your Siblings

In The Joy of Cooking by Elaine Magarrell, the speaker characterizes her siblings. She conveys how she deals with them by comparing them to cooking a meal. Her sister has a nasty tongue. The speaker has found a way to keep her sister from saying mean comments but not forever. The sister will eventually say something mean or cruel. When that happens, the speaker will have something to keep her sister saying nice things. Her brother seems to be a brute. He seems to be all about muscle. He seems selfish and couldn't care less about the speaker. Futhermore, her brother is unwilling to help others and cannot be relied upon, "my brother's heart barely feeds two." (Magarrell). The speaker must have a tough life with her siblings.

Drunk Sacrifice

In The Drunkard by Frank O'Connor, the principal irony revolves around the son's drunkenness. The father has a drinking problem and it is harmful to the family. In order to prevent father from becoming drunk, Larry, the son, drinks the pint of beer that is behind his father's back. His father becomes disgusted. His father is disappointed in the way his son acts. The father is embarrassed by his son's actions. The Father promises to never have a another drink again. The ironic part of this story is that the father shows that he is disgusted with drunkenness. He feels the way his family feels, when he is out drunk. The mother embraces Larry because he  has prevented Father from drinking ever again, " 'My brave little man!' she said with her eyes shining. 'It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel.' " (O'Connor, 351).

Old Love

A Worn Path by Eudora Welty centers around the theme of perseverance. The old lady overcomes many obstacles to get the medicine her son needs. She has a cane which conveys that she has trouble walking. She passes by a thicket that might contain animals and yells aloud to the animals to stay out of her way. Next, she has to climb a large hill to continue on the path, "The path ran up a hill." (Eudora, 224). Furthermore, she feels like chains are pulling at her feet, preventing forward progress. A little later, a thorn bush snags her dress. She must be careful to not rip the dress. Her next trial is stepping over a log, which at her age, is quite a hard feat to accomplish. She has to climb through a barbed-wire fence and pass through the maze, a field of dead corn with no path. She encounters a scarecrow, which at first, appears to be a ghost. Then, she is approached by hunter. The hunter points the gun at the old lady and she does not even flinch. She is not scared of anything. She reaches the city, and it is revealed what her motivation is. Her love for her grandson is what drives her perseverance.

Plain Old Irony

Irony is prevalent in Once Upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer. The first irony I noticed was that the author was creating a children's story when she said she would not do so. She clearly said that she does not write them and that she ought to not write them, "I don't accept that I 'ought' to write anything." (Gordimer, 231). Another irony I noticed was that the family's attempt to protect themselves caused harm. Rather than their walls protecting their family, it only caused the death of their son. Another irony I noticed was the sign "YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED". The family used the sign to warn others of danger, but they never accepted the warning themselves. The last irony I noticed was that the neighborhood was causing its own downfall. The alarm systems the neighborhood installed were triggered by their pets. Soon, no one paid attention to the alarms. Soon, thieves started to steal items while the alarms were going off because no one realized their foolishness. Irony is an essential part of Nadine's not so great children's story.

Way Too Far

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Act 2, Scenes 2 and 3

When Walter decided to invest all of the $6500 into Willy Harris, he passed a point of no return. He told his son, "your daddy's gonna make a transaction. . . a business transaction that's going to change our lives." (Hansberry, 502). Walter was right about his decision changing his life forever. Willy Harris took Walter's money and disappeared. Walter has nothing left now. He finally realized that his family was right all along. His decision was completely foolish and Walter has learned that. At one point, he realizes that he wasted all of his father's money. This realization strikes Walter's heart and changes him. Throughout the play, Mama wanted Walter to become a man. This is the start of Walter's transformation into a man. Walter understands what he must do to atone for his mistake. He must make his Mama proud by becoming the person his father always wanted to be.

The Plant of Life

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

Act 3, Scene 1

One of the reoccurring images that appears in the play is the plant. The plant is mentioned periodically and I see its true significance at the end of the play in the state directions: "she comes back in, grabs her plant, and goes out for the last time" (Hansberry, 535). The plant symbolizes the family. From the beginning of the play, the plant seems to be dying. It struggles to get light and warmth from the sun. This corresponds to the situation of the family. The family is dying and falling apart. Everyone is furious with each other and nothing seems to improve. At the end of the play, the family moves out of their apartment and moves on to a better life. Mama takes the plant with them showing us that the plant is moving on and will heal and grow in a better life. The family will heal and grow closer together once they live on 406 Clybourne Street, Clybourne Park.

My Epiphany

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry

One thing I noticed during today's discussion was that there are a total of six scenes in the play. There are also six images in the poem A Dream Deferred. Each image corresponds with a scene and those images are revealed through the deferment of Walter's dream. The first image of the poem states that a dream deferred might dry up like a raisin in the sun. When a raisin dries up, it becomes bitter and nasty. In the first scene, Walter's dream of becoming wealthy has made him bitter and nasty towards his family. The second image states that a dream deferred might fester like a sore, and then run. When a sore festers and runs, it has become infected and begins to ooze pus out. In the second scene, Walter has become restless. His dream has adulterated his mind and he is angry at his family. Walter results to drinking in the hope that all his problems will melt away. The third image states that a dream deferred might stink like rotten meat. If fresh cut meat remains unused for a while, it rots and emits horrendous  odors. In the third scene, Walter's dream has caused the family to fall apart. It is as if Walter is releasing a feeling, attitude, or air that drives the family apart. Furthermore, Mama sees this and tries to fix the problem. This only causes Walter to make a reference to meat: "So you butchered up a dream of mine" (Hansberry, 492). The fourth image states that a dream deferred might crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet. When something crust and sugars over, it becomes unusable. In the fourth scene, it is evident that Walter's dream has waited long enough and it has hardened. Rather than the dream forming goals so that it might be attained, the hardened dream forms destructive thoughts that will  only create a wake of destruction. Walter becomes filled with the destructive thought of spending the rest of the insurance amount on investment. He decides to make the foolish decision because his dream had crusted over so much. The fifth image states that a deferred dream might sag like a heavy load. That heavy load becomes a burden and slows the person down. The person's mind becomes lethargic and they might become depressed. In the fifth scene, Walter has realized that his invested money is gone. All his hopes and dreams have disappeared. The emptiness of an unfulfilled dream weighs upon him. He sees no hope in life and just goes off to his room. The sixth and final image states that a dream deferred might explode. An explosion creates devastation all around it. An exploding dream might cause a person to do something they have never done before. It might drastically alter the personality of the dreamer. Walter changes. He decides to take Mr. Lindner's money. Walter has changed so much that avarice has transcended to be the sole focus of his life. Although Walter becomes himself at the end of the play, the deferment of Walter's dream significantly impacts everything that Walter had held true.

1 is the Loneliest Number

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Act 2, Scenes 1 and 2.

With a new house on the way, everybody in Walter's family seems happy, except for Walter. He feels sad and betrayed. The money, which stood for everything that he dreamed about was gone: "So you  butchered up a dream of mine--you--who always talking 'bout your children's dreams. . . " (Hansberry, 492). No one seems to be supporting Walter. His idea was completely abandoned. Moreover, his family still mocks his idea of investment when he is already at a low point. He is completely alone, even if his family is all around him. The loneliness soon gets to Walter's head and he decides to miss three days of work. His family tries to console him, but with no avail. It is only at the end of act two, scene two where mama reveals that there is a little money for Walter to invest in his idea. It seems that money creates Walter's happiness as it was the only thing that seemed to lift Walter out of his loneliness.

Keep on Searching

A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Act 1, Scenes 1 and 2

From the beginning, the play conveys a sense of tension. The family is edgy and everything seems to be revolving around the ten thousand dollar check. Both Walter and Beneatha dream about a better life and it all depends on that ten thousand dollar check. Walter wants to invest the payment into a liquor business. He expects to receive money back from his investment and become richer. He hopes to live nicer, buy a new home, and afford to send Beneatha to medical school. Walter attempts to sell this idea to Ruth and his mama, but they disregard it entirely. They think that it's a scam and that it is foolish. Walter's only hurdle is convincing them of his plan. Beneatha wants to be a doctor, "I'm interested in you. Something wrong with that? Ain't many girls who decide--'to be a doctor.' " (Hansberry, 445). Beneatha's dream of becoming a doctor is admirable because she is a woman and she is black. She hopes that by becoming a doctor, she will make money, set herself apart from her family, and provide for herself. She is studying in school and that seems to going really well for her. Her real troubles arrive when she ponders how she will pay for it. The ten thousand dollars would really help with the expenses. Furthermore, it would be safer to just use the money for medical school rather than gamble it on the liquor business. Beneatha continues to study and learn in hopes of gaining entrance to medical school. She tries to not be a pain toward her family so that they will give her the money for school.

Kapasi and selfishness

        Interpreter of Maladies by Lahiri displays the inner feelings of selfishness of Mr. Kapasi. Mr. Kapasi is a tour guide in India and is currently offering a tour for an American family. He sees the poor relationship between Mr. and Mrs. Das. As he is driving them across India, he envisions himself with Mrs. Das. He imagines being with her and making her feel happy unlike the way she is with Raj. He plans his affair out. He believes that once they leave for America in ten days, "he would hear from Mrs. Das in approximately six weeks' time." (Lahiri, 159). His situation becomes worse as he learns that Mrs. Das has already had an affair and that Bobby is not Raj's son. Now, he is tied between trying to end the marriage between the Das's or doing the right thing and trying to get them back together. He is not given the chance, however, because he infuriates Mrs. Das with a question about guilt. In the end, Kapasi sees that his selfishness got the best of him and he needs to let it go. With the symbolism of the paper leaving Mrs. Das's purse, Kapasi needs to let go of his selfishness and move on with his happy life.

To love or to hate Dee

          Everyday Use by Alice Walker displays the harsh relationship between Dee, her mother and Maggie. Dee seems to be unsympathetic to her family. She seems to have hostile feelings for them and only wants to go away. However, Dee shows a more apologetic attitude once she realizes that the quilts cannot be hers and mean more to Maggie. Dee's character seemed to change with the mother's victory. The mother never had been harsh to Dee and this radical behavior changed Dee. Dee became shocked and learned that she is not the only person that matters. The mother and Maggie share both feelings of love and hate toward Dee. They both love her as she is a member of their family. She is wanted and she does not visit often. She is hated because of her actions and attitude toward their family. Dee does not like her family that much. She always wanted to go away. She wants her family to change to the way she wants it: modern and normal. Maggie and the mother love Dee for herself but also wish that she would be a part of the family.

Pity Z Fool

          Mr. Z by M. Carl Holman is a sad poem. Holman's attitude toward Mr. Z was one of sadness. It is sadness because Mr. Z was tricked by society to become the person he was. Mr. Z was black and this conveys that the poem is satirizing society. Society believes that people should abandon their past so that they move on to bigger things. Society taught that being wealthy and successful was the only true happiness and fulfillment of life. Mr. Z was convinced of this and motivated himself to become wealthy and successful. At the same time, society condemned the color black. Essentially, Mr. Z became white so he could live out this false dream. In the end, he forsake his culture and heritage only to become: " 'One of the most distinguished members of his race.' " (Holman, 848). Furthermore, the ironies in the poem contribute to this loss of identity that society encourages. the last statement shows that he had tried to escape his past only to become a part of it once again. Additionally, Mr. Z is a general name as it refers to the many people that become confused by society's trickery.

Frog Prince? Yeah. Right.

          Hazel Tells LaVerne by Katharyn Howd Machan is written entirely in colloquial text. This aspect of colloquialism contributes to the meaning of this poem. From the poem, we can tell that the speaker is most likely a maid: "howard johnsons ladies room" (Machan). We can also tell that she is most likely of lower class and has not received much of a formal education. The colloquialism also contributes to the poem's humor. Imagining her speaking in this way creates a funny and happy mood in the poem. I find it very ironic and humorous that the speaker is more surprised that she could be princess rather than the fact that a frog is talking. Furthermore, the colloquialism contributes to the realism of this revision of the fairy tale "Frog Prince". In most cases, I would think that a woman would not kiss a frog in real life. I also believe that a frog would not magically transform into a handsome prince. The colloquialism conveys a sense of realism that we can all picture in our heads.

Exploding Dreams?

          Dream Deferred by Langston Hughes has five similes and one metaphor. The metaphor, "Or does it explode?" (Hughes, 805), is placed at the end of the poem by itself. Its placement and italics suggest that it has a different tone than the rest of the poem. It seems to have a positive connotation, contradicting the beginning of the poem. The five similes describe the deference as harmful towards the dream. The dream may become unrealistic to people. It may become repulsive. It might disappear from the people's minds. It may become a nightmare. It may seem to become better than it really is. It may become a burden to people's minds. What the metaphor explains that if a dream is delayed long enough, no one can prevent it from becoming a reality.

Perrine's View on Interpretation

          At first, I believed that a poem had abundant interpretations. I believed that an interpretation could almost never be wrong. As I read the first paragraph, I thought that Perrine was wrong. As I finished the article, I realized that Perrine was right. I realized that a poem can only have, at the most, a few correct interpretations. Perrine's argument and logic make complete sense. His criteria for interpreting a poem were simple and few. All the interpretation relied upon was that it must account for any detail and that it must make the fewest assumptions. I found it very interesting how these two criteria are very similar to the criteria for judging a scientific hypothesis.
          As I read the article, it was interesting to see the correct interpretations of the poems that were given to us in class. I was surprised and shocked that Dickinson's poem was about a sunset. I never would have thought of that. I never would have thought that Melville was referencing stars in his poem. When I read the interpretation of The Sick Rose, I felt awesome because I interpreted the poem correctly. An idea that I agree with is that "A poem- in fact, any pattern of words- defines an area of meaning, no more." (Perrine, 4). Even before this article, I believed that a poem had a range of meanings. I knew that some interpretations were right and others were dead wrong. I know now that as the poem becomes longer, the possibilities of meanings shrinks. My hope is that this article has helped me see how to correctly interpret poems or at the very least, help me to get on the right track.

GG Chapter 9, p. 170-180

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

          “So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past” (Fitzgerald, 180). The Great Gatsby was a much better book than The House of Mirth. It was easier to follow the story. It was much shorter. The story did not jump from one character to another. Rather, it concentrated on Nick Carraway and his actions. Moreover, the book was easier to comprehend than The House of Mirth. I found it sad that Jay Gatsby died. It dampened my spirits and sort of ruined the ending. However, I found the ending, specifically the last sentence of the book, to be truly profound and enlightening. It reminds me that we need to move on, continue life, and let go of past feelings. This will stick through my head as I conclude my final year of high school and as I head off to college. 

GG Chapter 9, p. 163-170

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

          “After two years, I remember the rest of that day, and that night and the next day. . .” (Fitzgerald, 163). Gatsby and Wilson had just died. Nick Carraway was in charge of planning Gatsby’s funeral and it seems that he can only get his father, a couple of servants, and himself to go. This seems to apply to the theme that money cannot buy happiness. Gatsby seemed happy on the outside. He had plenty of money. He had an amazing car. His house was huge. Everyone wanted to be at his parties. However, Gatsby was not really happy. The one love of his life was with Tom Buchannan.  He knew that they loved each other but they really could not be together. The one thing that Gatsby really wanted was the one thing he could not obtain through money: Daisy. Before he died, it appeared that Daisy was going to run off with Gatsby, but it did not happen. When he died, we see that his money remained. His estate remained intact. We observe that our material possessions cannot go with us when we die. All Gatsby’s money could not even prevent his death either. 

GG Chapter 8, p. 147-162

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

           “I couldn’t sleep all night” (Fitzgerald, 147). The night before, Mrs. Wilson was hit by a car and died on impact. Earlier, we had Gatsby declare his love for Daisy. Then he declared that Daisy never loved Buchanan. This is the climax of the story. Before this, we had Gatsby trying to reconnect with Daisy. He was trying to see if she still loved him. This sequence of events is a part of the rising action that led to the climax. The beginning of the book was exposition. It fed us background information so we would understand the climax. I believe that the death of Mrs. Wilson was a major turning point in the book. It foreshadows Gatsby’s demise. Fitzgerald’s narrative hooks are not as good as Wharton’s hooks but he does end each chapter with a small mysterious element that suggests that the answer might be in the next chapter. 

GG Chapter 7, p. 129-145

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                
           “I tried to make her stop, but she couldn’t, so I pulled the emergency brake” (Fitzgerald, 144).This death came as a complete surprise to me. I never really expected it. As I was reading, I remember a very frightening incident I saw as a child. My younger brother was about three. We just got back from a trip. My family left the car, but my brother was still in the car. Our driveway is on a massive hill and we parked the car on its crest. Somehow, the car shifted out of park, went down a small part of the driveway, into our lawn, and hit a tree. My brother was fine. In fact, he was laughing when we opened one of the two undamaged doors. My parents were freaking out. Who would not be freaking out? The car was totaled but everyone was okay. Even though the situations were completely different, the aspect of the crash reminded me of that scary day

GG Chapter 7, p. 113-128

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

         “. . . I realized that so far his suspicions hadn’t aligned on Tom. He had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world. . .” (Fitzgerald, 124). Tom Buchanan and George Wilson are interesting characters. They are very similar, yet very different. They are very similar since they are in the same predicament. They both have wives who are having an affair. Ironically, Tom is having an affair with Myrtle Wilson. Both Wilson and Buchanan are wising up to the affair but are not quite sure yet. They are also very different. Buchanan is wealthy and in the upper class of society. George Wilson is lower class and struggling to get by. George wants to move west and start over, but ironically, Buchanan has the car that Wilson needs. 

GG Chapter 6, p. 97-111

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

          “His heart beat faster and faster as Daisy’s white face came up to his own” (Fitzgerald, 110). Gatsby is now reveling since he and Daisy appear to be getting back together. He embraces her when they kiss and is always excited to see her. Gatsby is preparing to repeat the past and set things straight. He plans to marry Daisy as soon as he gets the chance. One of the important symbols that led to this part of Gatsby’s life is the green light. The green light at the end of Daisy’s dock represents a fleeting hope. It is a hope that is slowly disappearing and with every passing day, the chance may be lost. It has kept Gatsby hopeful that Daisy could be his again. He also realized that he would also need to find her love again because he could easily lose the chance to be with her forever. That green light inspires us to do what we can today because tomorrow could be one day too late. 

          I also feel that the song One Day Too Late by Skillet would be perfect here. 

GG Chapter 5, p. 88-96

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

         “Then I went out of the room and down the marble steps into the rain, leaving them there together” (Fitzgerald, 96). This scene is full of love. At first, Gatsby thinks it is a terrible mistake. Nick convinces him that it is all right and that they are both embarrassed. Gatsby continues to talk to Daisy and the two become hypnotized by each other. It is apparent that they love each other greatly. This scene reminds me of a song by Red: Start Again. The speaker in the song is asking for another chance at love. He acknowledges that mistakes have been made. He asks innocently if he could start again. He continues to mention that he is nothing without her. This song effectively describes the feeling that both Gatsby and Daisy are feeling. 

GG Chapter 5, p. 81-87

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

          “When I came home to West Egg that night I was afraid for a moment that my house was on fire” (Fitzgerald, 81). As I have read The Great Gatsby, I have noticed that Fitzgerald’s writing style appears friendly and easy-going. Those descriptions also happen to match the narrator: Nick Carraway. Fitzgerald’s diction is simple and understandable. It does contain a sense of sophistication, though. His imagery, the words that create a picture in the mind, is also simple. It allows the reader to come up with a more personal image rather than Wharton’s imagery. Wharton’s imagery was very descriptive and was concise. There was a set image and the reader could not venture far from it. Fitzgerald allows the reader to open his mind and create more than what he describes. Most of the sentences are long, but they flow very well. The dialogue seems to use more common words and phrases than Wharton’s dialogue. Fitzgerald’s dialogue and diction was simple and could be easily read and understood by people with a little education. 

GG Chapter 4, p. 72- 80

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

          “ ‘ He’s the man who fixed the World’s Series back in 1919’ ”(Fitzgerald, 73). I am astounded that a man like Gatsby is friends with the man who fixed the World Series. Mr. Wolfsheim now shows an even darker element to himself. This also plays on the stereotype that all Jews are greedy. Gatsby had gotten himself into a rotten crowd. As surprised as I am about the wrongdoings of Mr.  Wolfsheim, I am more surprised by the people Gatsby is friends with. I thought that Gatsby was a different. I thought he might me a rich outcast with loads of money and a sad past. Sadly, Gatsby is no different from the rest of the wealthy people. I found it even more tragic that later in the book, Mr. Wolfsheim did not even go to Gatsby funeral. I found that cruel. I truly believe that Mr. Wolfsheim is one of the worst people that Gatsby befriended. 

GG Chapter 4, p. 61-72

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

          “ ‘Mr. Carraway, this is my friend Mr. Wolfsheim’ ” (Fitzgerald, 69). Here we are introduced to Mr. Wolfsheim, Gatsby’ s Jewish business partner. Mr. Wolfsheim raised Gatsby from a poor soldier to what he is now. Mr. Wolfsheim plays a corrupted aspect of Gatsby. Gatsby became rich because of Mr. Wolfsheim’s bootlegging schemes. Bootlegging was the illegal selling of alcohol during prohibition. Mr. Wolfsheim still supplies and connects Gatsby to other potential business partners around the U.S. At the time, Gatsby most likely believed that the only way to get Daisy back was by being rich. The shady dealings clouded Gatsby’s mind about being an honest person. He ended up using his acquaintance Nick to get to Daisy and became arrogant around Tom. Although Mr. Wolfsheim was a friend of Gatsby, he led Gatsby down a not so great path. 

GG Chapter 3, p. 53-59

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

          “ ‘You don’t understand, ‘explained the criminal. ‘I wasn’t driving. There’s another man in the car’ ” (Fitzgerald, 54). I do not understand the significance of the accident. I am rather confused as to the point of its inclusion into the story. It does not contribute anything to the plot. It seems very random. There are two drunken fools driving near Gatsby’s house and they crash in a ditch. The driver is so drunk that he cannot comprehend that one of his wheels is missing. He tries to back out of the ditch by going in reverse. He keeps thinking that he needs gas. Admittedly, it is hilarious. Other than the situation being funny, I do not see any other purpose for it. 

GG Chapter 3, p. 39-52

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

                

        “There was music from my neighbor’s house through the summer nights.” The setting at Gatsby’s parties sets him up to blend in perfectly in the crowd. His house is very large with a beautiful garden in the back and the ocean even farther behind the house. He has a large jazz group playing and large amounts of food. Several groups of people attend, most of which are people who are attending uninvited. Several people are drunk. It is close to midnight and people have already gotten into their social groups. Since many people do not know what Gatsby looks like, he is able to blend in with the crowd. This allows him to approach Nick Carraway unnoticed and inconspicuous. He knows that Nick’s second cousin is Daisy and wants Nick to help him get Daisy back in his life. First, though, he introduces himself and makes sure they are at least acquaintances by the time the party is done. This setting allows Gatsby to hope that he will be with Daisy again.

GG Chapter 2, p. 23-38

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

               
          “Making a short deft movement, Tom Buchanan broke her nose with his open hand” (Fitzgerald, 37). The previous quote surprised me. I never thought Buchanan would get this angry and hit a woman. I would think he would have a lot more self-control. He knows he is strong. He knows he has a temper. He should have had more self-control. To make matters worse, he hit the nose of Mrs. Wilson, his mistress. I was also surprised that this was not a widespread rumor. I am even more shocked that Daisy did not hear it. Tom needs to be more careful. Otherwise, he will cause major problems for himself. 

GG Chapter 1 p. 13-21

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

               
          “I said lightly that I heard nothing at all, and a few minutes later I got up to go home” (Fitzgerald, 19). The narrator of this book is Nick Carraway. It is told from his point of view in first person. Since the narration is in first person, it also makes it limited. He does not know what other people think. He only knows what he thinks and what others say aloud. I think it would be interesting to see this novel told in third person omniscient point of view. It would be interesting to see the thoughts of the other characters. I would especially like to know what Gatsby was thinking when he was at the pond next to Nick. Nick mentioned that he seemed to be trembling. I can imagine that he was looking at the green light and thinking about Daisy.

GG Chapter 1, p. 1-13

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

“ ‘What are you doing Nick?’ ” (Fitzgerald, 10). It is not until page ten that we learn the protagonist’s first name. He also happens to be the narrator of the book. Daisy is Nick’s second cousin and Jay Gatsby is a neighbor of Nick. Nick is a static character. His personality and character remain constant. He is always a kind, caring, and honest man. Nick is also a flat character. He is an easy-going person and stays that way through the book. His main point of confliction is with Jay Gatsby. Nick, on the inside, seems to dislike Gatsby. On the outside, he seems fine being around him. There is something about Gatsby that caused Nick to dislike him: “No—Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby . . .” (Fitzgerald, 2). 

Mirth; Book 2, Section XIII and XIV

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

                

           “. . . and in the silence there passed between them the word which made all clear” (Wharton, 268). The book is finally over and I have to say that it was a good book. I was surprised because I am used to thinking that every book used for homework sucks. Normally, if I read a book at all, it tends to be an action packed thriller, but this book was exceptionally good, except for the ending. I was disappointed in the ending. I am happy that she finally found peace, but she did not have to die yet. Wharton should have written about her death after Selden proposed to her. That way, there is the traditional happy ending and not this “death is the only safe place” ending. Honestly, I would like to read this book again, without annotating everything. Since this book was good, I am kind of looking forward to reading The Great Gatsby. Anyways, for the next couple of days, the only thing I will be thinking about is what was that word?

Mirth; Book 2, Section XI and XII

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

               

           “She went up to him and laid her hands on his shoulders. ‘Goodbye,’ she said, and he bent over she touched his forehead with her lips” (Wharton, 252). Sometimes it is hard to change a part of ourselves. This quote refers to Lily trying to leave her old self and form something new. She understood that she had to change herself for the better. The one aspect of my life that I have changed is my view of “trying”. The last thing I wanted to do, as a freshman, was come home and do homework. I put it off and barely completed it late at night. Most of the time, I would complete the bare minimum of the assignment and when I saw that it was not, I shrugged it off saying it was not important. That has changed now. I now understand that everything matters and unfortunately, that means trying on homework. Additionally, homework was not the only thing that I slacked off on. I would not help around the house much and when I did, I did a poor job of helping. I would rush through things so I could be done with them quicker. I could not have cared less about the quality of the work done. As Lily said goodbye to the old Lily and welcomed a more peaceful future, I have also said goodbye to some part of my past and am glad that I changed. 

Mirth; Book 2, Sections IX and X

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

                

           “When, the afternoon before, she had presented herself to the lady to whom Carry Fisher had directed her, she had been conscious of entering a new world” (Wharton, 221). Now, Lily is beginning to work at a hat factory. This is extremely ironic for Lily. Lily, used to growing up with everything handed to her, must now actually work for a measly amount of money. The irony serves a good purpose though. The irony conveys how much Lily has fallen from glory and how she may never attain that glory again. Her friends used to love the way she trimmed hats. Now, the rest of the workers look down on her. Furthermore, the inclusion of foreshadowing indicates that Lily’s end is soon near, “ ‘That’s all right: it’s a queer-acting drug. A drop or two more, and off you go—the doctors don’t know why.’ “(Wharton, 234). Another fact that contributes to the foreshadowing is her trouble sleeping. If she becomes desperate enough, she will increase the dosage and die. Throughout this section, it is easy to tell that she has lost much sleep. 

Mirth; Book 2, Sections VII and VIII

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

          “I do believe what you say Mr. Rosedale,’ she said quietly; ‘and I am ready to marry you whenever you wish’ ” (Wharton, 205). The previous quote sets the scene for an interesting conversation between Lily Bart and Rosedale. When Rosedale denied Lily’s acceptance of marriage, I was quite shocked.  I was quite sure that he would say yes as it is still apparent that he loves her still. Moreover, he asked her to marry him only a year ago. Furthermore, I was surprised to learn had selfish Rosedale had become. His movement to a much higher place in the elite society has made him feel empowered. He feels that he can always do better. In a way, the personalities of Lily and Rosedale have switched. Lily seems to be more reserved and careful. Rosedale feels the way that Lily used to: over confident in one’s abilities.

                Additionally, I felt that Rosedale’s scheme to reduce Bertha’s popularity so he could marry Lily was narcissistic. At this point, he still wants Lily but he refuses to lose his reputation. This continues to prove the brutality lying beneath the shining surface of the upper class. 

Mirth; Book 2, Sections V and VI

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

                

          “Either? Are there actually two?” (Wharton, 193). At the current time, Lily is in dire need of help as Bertha Dorset’s false rumors convince everyone that Lily should no longer live amongst the upper class. What is even worse is that Lily’s monetary situation is worsening and she has little money left. Her only solution is to marry and Carry Fisher, her friend, has chosen two candidates: George Dorset and Sim Rosedale. Although George Dorset is already married to Bertha, he has taken a liking to Lily very recently. Sim Rosedale is single and already proposed to Lily but she said no. George Dorset and Sim Rosedale are foil characters. Sim Rosedale is one of the highest members of the upper class and has a great deal of wealth but his personal self is repulsive to Lily. George Dorset has money but is not as high in the food chain as Rosedale, but Lily is agreeable to George’s personal self. In addition, marrying George would be delayed since he would first have to get a divorce. Marrying Rosedale would be quicker. In either case, both marriages would ruin Bertha Dorset. Rosedale has money and money is power. A divorce would shame Bertha but it could potentially hurt George and Lily as well. In my opinion, Rosedale would be better as it is a safer route and she could marry him quicker as her time is of the essence. 

Mirth; Book 2, Section III and IV

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

                

          “Then she heard her own name—‘for my niece Lily Bart ten thousand dollars—‘ ” (Wharton, 180). Mrs. Peniston, Lily’s assumed guardian when her parents died, recently passed away. The lawyer was reading the will and to everyone’s surprise, Lily was disowned. This is where I am confused: Why had Mrs. Peniston decided to disown Lily? I understand that Mrs. Peniston was willing to pay some of Lily’s debts. I know that Mrs. Peniston wanted Lily to be responsible for her gambling debts. I believe that the previous reasoning does not merit Mrs. Peniston’s disowning of Lily. Furthermore, Mrs. Peniston led everyone to believe that Lily would inherit the estate. Everyone understood that Lily was going to be responsible for the house once the attorney’s office released Lily’s legacy. In addition, many people believed that Mrs. Peniston wanted to help Lily out of her situation. I believe that if Mrs. Peniston really disowned Lily based on rumors and gambling debts, then her judgment was wrong and Lily should have received the estate. 

Mirth; Book 2, Sections I and II

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

                 

               “Miss Bart, emerging late the next morning from her cabin, found herself alone on the deck of the Sabrina” (Wharton, 157). This is the start of Lily’s demise in the plot. So far, we know that she is twenty-nine and is single. She needs to marry soon but always believes that she can do better. Her passion for bridge has left her gambling debts and her small income makes her situation more desperate. She has recently joined the Sabrina as a way for her to get away from all her troubles. I feel that she has only made them worse.

                

                The novel’s first lengthy exposition occurs in book 1 in section III. It explains why Lily thinks she can do better and why she has to do better. Edith Wharton does an excellent job in creating her narrative hooks. Almost every section has one since most of the sections seem to be unrelated to the previous section. So far, I believe that all of the events are a part of the rising action. I do not believe the climax has occurred but I feel that it is fast approaching. 

Mirth; Book 1, Section XV

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

                

               “She remembered Gerty’s words:  ‘I know him—he will help you’; and her mind clung to them as a sick person might cling to a healing relic” (Wharton, 141). At this point in the novel, two reoccurring themes appear to me: forbidden marriage and the wretchedness of money. The forbidden marriage is forbidden not in the sense that obstacles and forces preventing the marriage, but that Lily’s mindset refuses to let her marry Selden. The way that they talk and the way they think about each other proves that, they love each other. Although Lily clearly loves Selden, her overwhelming appetite for wealth keeps her searching for better husbands. Moreover, her irrational thinking that she can always do better prevents her from marrying anybody.

                The wretchedness of money is the other evident theme. Lily’s monetary affairs have almost destroyed her life. Her lack of money has left her powerless to fix her situation. Any money she acquired only hurt her. She would use that money to gamble with the hope that she would make more but she would just lose it all. Furthermore, money has corrupted the minds of her friends. Her friends only listen to Bertha Dorset, the richest of all of the women, with the hope that they may receive a gift. Money has not been kind to Lily throughout this novel. 

Mirth; Book 1, Sections XIII and XIV

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Lily had to heart to lean on” (Wharton, 121). During this section of the novel, Gus Trenor tricked Lily into talking to him alone at his house. He was mad at Lily that she had used him to get money and was becoming increasingly angry, as he believed that she was going to use more people for her benefit. Lily also learns that Gus did not invest her money but actually had been giving her checks from his own wealth. Now, she has a nine thousand dollar debt. She goes to Gerty Farish’s place with the hope of comfort and peace.

                

             This situation reminds me of a song by one of my favorite artists: “Give me a sign” by Breaking Benjamin. The verses of the song convey a sense of hopeless and despair, what Lily is thinking as she is talking with Gus and as she is leaving his home. The refrain reminds me of Lily’s frantic thinking of where she could go to release her anguish. The end of the song, where it repeats, “give me a sign”, is her epiphany that she should go to Gerty Farish’s for the night. In the end, Lily found her sign and was able to escape, temporarily, the horrors of her tragic life. 

Mirth; Book 1, Sections XI and XII

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Such details did not fall within the range of Mrs. Peniston’s vision. Like many minds of panoramic sweep, hers was apt to overlook the minutiæ of the foreground, and she was much more likely to know where Carry Fisher had found the Welly Bry’s chef for them, than what was happening to her own niece” (Wharton, 98-99). This quote shows that the narrator of this book is third person and omniscient. The narrator is not a character in the novel, nor does the narrator focus on Lily’s or any other character’s point of view. Every character helps form part of the elaborate story. All characters contribute their own decisions and actions. The narrator also knows the thoughts and feelings of every character. Furthermore, I believe that this narrator is also objective. He does not take sides in arguments, and he tells the story just as it is. The narrator passes no judgment upon any characters or situation. In addition, the narrator does not interject his opinion at any time throughout the story. 

Mirth; Book 1, Section IX and X

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“It’s Mrs. Haffen, Miss; she won’t say what she wants” (Wharton, 82). This quote introduces Mrs. Haffen to Lily for the second time and presents Mrs. Haffen as a poignant opportunity for Lily. Mrs. Haffen, when Lily Bart first sees her, is nothing. She just happens to be on the stairs when Lily is leaving Selden’s room early in the novel. Later, Mrs. Haffen seeks out Lily Bart with the hope that Lily will purchase some letters from Bertha to Selden with the hopes that she will receive enough money to pay her rent. When Lily and Mrs. Haffen first engage in conversation, Lily views Mrs. Haffen as just another mere nuisance. That thought changes once Mrs. Haffen presents the letters. Mrs. Haffen’s role of a nuisance changes to a way for Lily to escape and a way to ruin Selden’s life. Mrs. Haffen provides a way for Lily to reestablish herself upon a pedestal by blackmailing Bertha. At the same time, releasing the letters would also mean that Selden’s reputation would be ruined. Since he is already on the lower standard of life, ruining his reputation would prevent any chance of him meeting with the upper class again. Lily purchases the letters and Mrs. Haffen returns to being nobody. 

Mirth; Book 1, Sections VII and VIII

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“To prove to her that, if she would only trust him, he could make a handsome for her. . .” (Wharton, 68). It is apparent to me that in the story so far, money is a major symbol. Money is essentially the life of the upper class. Money is power. Money is reputation. Money is living. Unfortunately, Lily has none. Without it, she has no power to quell the wild rumors that surround her and she cannot create rumors to lower the reputation of others. Lily’s reputation has been ruined by Bertha and all of Lily’s friends ignore her since Bertha is richer than Lily. For Lily to continue living with the elites, she must acquire money to sustain their standard of living. Moreover, Lily will not be able to live with herself if she does not have any money.

                 

             In addition, the lily flower symbolizes Lily Bart. Lily is a very special and delicate lily. The lily must be tended with care, water, and sunshine. To the real Lily, her water is wealth. Her sunshine is a wealthy husband. Her reputation is the delicate caring she needs. All of these things come with a rich husband, whom she does not have. If Lily does marry soon, I suspect a rather sad ending for Lily. 

Mirth; Book 1, Sections V and VI

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“The observance of Sunday at Bellomont was chiefly marked by the punctual appearance of the smart omnibus destined to convey the household to the little church at the gates” (Wharton, 40). As the quote implies, it is the weekend at Bellomont and it is very typical of people to go to church. Lily, normally, does not attend church. In this case, however, Peter Gryce will be attending and she feels that she must attend so that she may seal the deal between their assumed marriage. Unfortunately, Lily decides to oversleep as a way to make Peter Gryce want to have an afternoon walk with Lily. The morning, described as pleasant and beautiful, is perfect for Lily and she decides it would be an excellent opportunity for her and Lawrence Selden to talk. As they walk through the surrounding landscape, Lily becomes mesmerized with its beauty and is almost late to the church to pick up Peter Gryce for an afternoon walk. Surprisingly, Peter Gryce left early to go back home. The afternoon was also considered perfect. Interestingly, the entire day would have been set up almost perfectly for Lily and Peter to set up their engagement. Ironically, she spent the day with Selden, someone she will never marry since he does not earn enough money. The effect of this setting would have convinced Peter to marry Lily; however, the only thing it affects is the love between Selden and Lily. 

Mirth; Book 1, Sections III and IV

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Her beauty itself was not the mere ephemeral possession it might have been in the hands of inexperience. . .” (Wharton, 39). The structure of this quote complements the novel on its focus of high-society. The diction throughout these sections, with words such as ephemeral, emanation, and pliancy, show a sense of higher learning and understanding. Only the wealthy could afford the higher learning suggested by the diction and sentence structure. To show off their higher learning, the wealthy spoke with elevated diction to convey their elite status to others. In addition, Wharton’s sentence presents evidence of higher-class society. The average sentence length is longer than twenty words and almost every sentence contains multiple clauses.

                Wharton’s imagery is very descriptive and well crafted. For example, “The hall was arcaded, with a gallery supported on columns of pale yellow marble. Tall clumps of flowering plants were grouped against a background of dark foliage in the angles of the walls. On the crimson carpet a deer-hound and two or three spaniels dozed luxuriously before the fire, and the light from the great central lantern overhead shed a brightness on the women’s hair and struck sparks from their jewels as they moved” (Wharton, 19). This quote shows her well-crafted imagery and serves as an example of her imagery throughout the novel. Moreover, her imagery contributes to the sense of an upper class society. Her descriptions contain elegant diction and the images themselves seem to be very luxurious. 

Mirth; Book 1, Sections I and II

The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton

“Was it possible she belonged to the same race?” (Wharton, 2). This statement characterizes the protagonist Lily Bart as self-absorbed and selfish. Her only concerns are her wealth and her placement in upper class society. The narrator describes her as beautiful and stunning. She seems to have the power to capture the heart of any man she desires. Her main problem, though, seems to be that she has not married yet, and every time she comes close to marriage, she seems to think she can do better and finds someone else to flirt with. She happens to meet Peter Gryce, an extremely wealthy man who is near the upper echelon of high-class society. As usual, Lily takes an interest in him and as soon as she has him in a trance, Lily abandons him and talks with her old friend, Lawrence Selden. When she is with Selden, Lily becomes a different person and seems to be nicer, friendlier, and more concerned with Selden than she is which proves her character round. This also reveals her internal conflict. She wants to be with Selden, yet she wants to live a luxurious life to satisfy her insatiable desire for wealth. She also appears to be a static character; however, if she wishes to become wealthy, she must shift to a dynamic character and change her personality to capture a husband. Her external conflict seems to be with another wealthy woman: Bertha Dorset. The last sentence of section II suggests a sort of resentment from Lily toward Bertha and I believe that it will be a major part of the plot.