A Reflection

The semester's end took me by total surprise. Although I am happy to be finished I cannot believe that it is already over and the sheer volume of literary works we have covered in class. To know that I stuck through it is rewarding and I look back once more in a final blog to reflects by thoughts.
I believe that there was a purpose behind all this madness. I really did learn quite a lot and feel as though I have read stories that I otherwise would not have. Although some of the pieces I have read before, mostly poems, in my Honors British Literature class in high school I found was glad to brush up on the meanings behind each. The short stories that we had read at the beginning of the year made the largest impact of all. They were memorable as well as fun reads, well not including Ivan Ilych. Although they were of scholarly nature these stories were interesting and entertaining. This pattern continued in the Dramas and made the readings as pleasant as they could be while piled on with other class' homework as well. A Doll's House was interesting and will forever remind me why not to date a 'Torvald' as remember that these types of relationships still occur to this day. Furthermore Yellow Wallpaper will stay as an important reference in my mind. I feel as though it will be an important literary work to revert to. The only criticism I have is that I feel that there are other works that are just was good that could replace The Death of Ivan Ilych. Although no one will admit it I know not many students enjoyed that story. Another proposal is that the class makes enough room to finish the last literary work. By doing so it also signals the end and draws the class to a finish. It also does not hurt that I believe the stories are the best part of the course.
Overall I enjoyed the class. I finished it feeling more enlightened than when I had arrived. Although there was a lot of work it was worth it and the readings were interesting. It was worthwhile taking and I think can enthrall upcoming students as well.

Fallacy #2

On another note:



I was watching this YouTube clip online after a friend had forwarded it to me and I just realized it is a perfect example of Ad Hominem. This fallacy attacks the person instead of the issue. As you can notice in the clip above the journalist attacks McCain for cheating on his wife and then leaving her while she is in the hospital for his current wife Cindy. Although what he has done is despicable and insensitive on various levels it in no way supports that he will be a terrible president. His personal actions and his character in no way represent his foreign policy or his plan as president. When one sees smear campaigns during the election it is necessary to stay unbiased and search for the facts that are truly relevant.

Invisible Man

While reading Ellison's "Invisible Man" I noticed that the narrator viewed himself as insignificant (invisible) throughout the story. Although the people around him cannot appreciate his potential the narrator knows that he more complex than he appears and he want to be noticed by those around him. Throughout the story the narrator journey through the difficulties that being African American in a very racist era will present. He quickly comes to understand that he has to play certain roles around certain people and by being around a specific group of people means that he must change his demeanor to suit them. Playing these roles to fit in does not come naturally and he feels trapped. His experiences paint a clear picture of how he is treated and how he is expected to act. When recalling his job experience the reader can better understand what type of subservient role the narrator had to play solely due to the fact that he was black. The narrator tries to find solace by joining a group called The Brotherhood. He hopes that this will ultimately help him overcome the oppression he feels. Sadly his membership in The Brotherhood yields no rewards and he realized that by staying within it he would further shackle himself down and prevent himself from fully achieving fulfillment. He realizes that by striving to be something that other want and he is not he draws from ever becoming his true self and stays in this limbo causing the constant feeling of invisibility in society. Ultimately the narrator understands that only by being proactive and striving to be all he can be can he achieve self-fulfillment. Only then can he make something of himself, when he truly makes an impact on his surrounding.

I believe that Ellison is commenting on every humans desire to be remembered and to feel important. The invisibility that is central to the story actually symbolizes how the narrator feels. As incomplete, unnoticed and overlooked. Ellison also uses this to identify that everyone feels this emptiness but that one can change the situation they are in by being proactive. Then and only then will the invisibility subside.

This is an interesting YouTube video I saw that is user created but draws on Ellison's general idea.

Oedipus

Oedipus is a tragic figure. He is a great model of a tragic hero and fits most of the characteristics. His downfall like that of other tragic heroes is due to his own actions and an error on his part. His downfall draws pity from the audience and he is wounded by his experience both physically and mentally. Oedipus also is a leader and his tragic flaw affects his family and kingdom. Like other tragic heroes Oedipus does learn something from his mistake exclaiming "Listen to me, and do not be afraid/for this disease infects no one but me"(1671-1672) and the whole experience seems almost as though by divine intervention. To look at characteristics of a tragic hero you can check out the link.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tragic_hero#Common_traits

Fallacy #1

A very common fallacy I have seen recently is the 'Appeal to Fear' fallacy. Recently while I was watching the election I noticed that interestingly enough out of the blue Barak Obama was being linked to terrorist and called a terrorist himself. I was dumbfounded. This ad was what first attracted my attention.

In this ad Obama's former friendship with William Ayers is questioned. Ayers is viewed a terrorist to many in the United States. Since Barak Obama has been linked to him and has associated with him in the past the ad assumes that Barak Obama must also be too 'risky' for the United States. Sadly this is an 'Appeal to Fear' fallacy. Because Ayers is a terrorist then Obama but also be one by association.

A Doll"s House Prolouge

Earlier we were asked if we thought that Torvald ever figured out what Nora wanted and if so would they get back together? From what I read in A Doll's House it seemed highly unlikely that Torvald would ever change. When Nora admitted to him about the loan he was very worried about his own reputation being tarnished and felt as though she was nothing to him but a disgrace. In the end I kept wondering if he actually was sincere about wanting Nora to stay or was he only begging her to do so because he was once again worried about how he would be viewed by those around him. I think it is unlikely that he would change for anyone but himself and that Nora mattered only to him as a trophy. Even if he did change for her I highly doubt that they would get back together their relationship would have any real substance. In the end they would likely have to revisit the same arguments and the "happily ever after" that they both believed in would never manifest.

Doll's House Themes

A patriarchal social structure has been a theme in another of our readings "The Yellow Wallpaper". Both John and Torvald feel as though they are their wives keeper mostly due to the fact that both of them believe that their wives are incapable of taking care of themselves. In both instances the men assume the roles set for them socially acceptable of their time. I believe that in "Yellow Wallpaper" John only assumes the role of a controlling husband because he genuinely believes that by taking charge and acting as the "parent" he believes he can cure his wife. There is no reason for the reader to believe that John acts this way as a symbol of his vanity or because he believes in his superiority. Ultimately his well meaning actions lead to his wife's breakdown. On the other hand Torvald really does believe that he and only he is intelligent enough to run the household and assumes that his wife only possesses the mind of a child. He never converses with her or tries to address her as an equal. He insists of calling her pet names and setting rules for her and when there is a treat to his good name he abandons her . Nora truly becomes his wife. He thinks and speaks for her and discards her when he no longer wants her(upon discovering about the loan). Truthfully Nora does very little to break from her role and enjoys it. This sort of reminds me of Chicago when they illustrate how the lawyer manipulates what his clients says as a way to change how she will be portrayed. Below you can see for yourself. Tell me what you think.

Plays

I found that making our own Goodstudent plays was more difficult than it first looked. One needs to have a solid plot that will grab the viewer's attention and keep it throughout the play. Since neither I nor my group members were playwrights it was difficult to get into that mindset. It also was a challenge acting it out. I feel that no one in our class was particularly thrilled to act in front of their peers. By being up there I really appreciated good acting ability. It seems almost like an actor is a finely tuned puppet that has very precise actions. It is also very hard to change how we think and make all of our ideas into pure narrative . Plays contain many benefits including instant feedback. When one performs they can look to the audience to see is the story is favored and they can mold their actions immediately or for the next play to excite the audience. Meanwhile, when writing a novel the writer can never change the original story for a new one to please the reader and feedback is difficult since sales rarely indicate what is to come. Many great novels only gain fame after the author's death and once the reader's can truly scrutinize the political satire or moral that is present.

Troubling Poem

I actually felt as though I understood the basic meaning of all the poems. The poem that did present the most difficulty to understand was "To his Coy Mistress". While reading it I grasped that this was in essence like a letter written to this man's mistress in which he professes his love. He starts out by explaining that they're love is everlasting and nothing can break it. Then Andre Marvell writes in his second stanza that while love is everlasting he can hear time passing and they should take advantage and not wait but I am very confused what the last stanza means and what meaning it has overall. Does anyone have any ideas? It seems like it's written in code and I don't know what he could mean by "Thus, though we cannot make our sun/Stand still, yet we will make him run "(ln 45-46)or "Now let us sport us while we may;/
And now, like am'rous birds of prey".

Respice Finem

Respice Finem translated means "look to the end" something that Ivan seldom if at all does throughout his life. Ivan is very caught up in his work and believes that his accomplishments and advancements at his job are what will define his life. He does look to the end concerning his career and the peak of what he can accomplish but he does not consider what will come at the end of his life. I believe that on his death bed is when he finally realizes what is going to happen and that the end is truly near. To me it this seems to define a certain turning point in Ivan. This is when he finally worries about what is to come and takes inventory of his life. Although medallions are awarded for accomplishments I believe that by getting this medal it is very ironic. The one thing he cannot seem to achieve is what he is awarded for.

Simple Ivan

Leo Tolstoy author of "The Death of Ivan Ilych, has written that "Ivan Ilych's life had been most simple and most ordinary and therefore most terrible". He quickly categorizes Ilych's life with only one simplistic quotation although the lawyer's life was everything but simplistic. In the second part of the quotation he goes on to say that because Ivan's life was so ordinary it was most terrible. In the novel Ivan is a workaholic he focuses most of his life constantly striving for a new level in society.Much of his life passes him by because he is unable to enjoy life. He views all aspects of his life much like his job. Ivan believes everything should be done and then moved on from like tasks to be checked off. Much of his time was committed to pleasing others around him and at the end of his life he had nothing to show for it. I believe that his fear of death is rooted in the fact that he would not matter anymore and his legacy would be forgotten.

Unreliable Narrator

The narrator of Yellow Wallpaper is an unrealizable narrator because she is of deteriorating mental health. At first I felt that she was being ganged up on by her husband and sister. Then as her mental stability faltered it was apparent that her account of the story may be unreliable. Throughout the story I found it hard to tell if what was said by the narrator had any true value. Since at the beginning of the story the narrator is a reliable source to the reader and presents an honest account of the events I found that it was hard to break the habit of believing what she said later. I kept thinking that maybe I could be wrong and these people in the wallpaper were actual. It seemed plausible after reading many novels with science fictional elements. Ultimately the reader cannot rely on what they are reading to be a true account. I needed to research a bit about the purpose of the short story and what the author had in mind when writing it just as a way to draw a final conclusion as to what had truly happened in "Yellow Wallpaper". Such a narrator can many times provide the reader with more valuable information. Since the character is supposed to be of ill mental state they are not concerned with what other characters view them as. This freedom from peer pressure makes the narrator more honest.

1st Person in Yellow Wallpaper

The point of view Yellow Wallpaper is told from makes quite an impact on how it is perceived. Yellow Wallpaper is told to the reader through the wife's perspective. Although she is convinced that nothing seems to be the matter with her the people around here keep assuring her that she's mentally unstable. Throughout the story the reader is witness to a firsthand account of the mental demise of the narrator. Her fragile mental state and her family's abandonment cause her detachment from reality to snowballs and she loses all normality. Since the story is narrated in the 1st person perspective the reader becomes the only outlet for her feelings and shares a special bond with the narrator. It is possible that by feeling so connected to the narrator the reader keeps wishing that everything would work out in the end. The author deliberately does this to evoke the pathos within the reader and make the narrator's role as the protagonist definite. Throughout the story I kept waiting for a happy ending . The point of view also made this story hard for me to put down and ultimately it made the story memorable in my mind.

Chrysanthemums

The chrysanthemums play a very significant role throughout the story. As Elisa's character changes, so do the flowers. They share a lot of similarities with Elisa. The strong bitter smell that the flowers emit, mimic Elisa's demeanor towards others. Although she doesn't seem to be unfriendly, when she speaks with the salesman she remains reserved and uninterested. Also like the flowers she is protected and sheltered at her ranch. Yet, when her guard is let down and she lets a stranger cross her gate and enter her personal space both she and the flowers suffer greatly. She has very little contact with those around her and protects herself underneath layers of clothing. As the story progresses the chrysanthemums parallel Elisa's experiences. When the peddler breaks down Elisa's tough shell, she sheds her unnecessary layers of clothing. As she gains trust in the peddler she gifts him her prized possession (the chrysanthemums) just like she had "given" him her excess clothing. The peddler manages to make a profit and deceive Elisa. When she realizes her mistake, it is too late and she cannot undo the damage. While she showers she tries to scrub the incident from her memory, but to no success. Later, she discovers the discarded chrysanthemums and feels used. They, much like her, are stripped of their protection (inside the pot) and are left to on their own like useless items at the side of the peddler's route.

A Clean, Well-Lighted Place

A Clean Well-Lighted Place like many of John Steinbeck stories comment on human, and social behavior. The two waiters each have their own opinion about the old man in the bar. While the older waiter is more understanding of the old man's desire to spend his time drinking at the bar instead of alone at home the young waiter is only concerned with going home. The old waiter understands that everyone at one point in their lives will be in the same position as the old man and tries to be patient. When one is able to find themselves in another they can more easily understand that other persons actions . On the other hand, the young waiter is restless and arrogantly assumes that because the old man is past his prime, his life is not as important. Just like many teens and young adults the young waiter is only concerned with his own problems and instant gratification. Steinbeck uses this character to convey how many young men and women are so wrapped up in their lives that little matters to them. Steinbeck also comments on the human need to interfere, just as the old man's niece's does when cutting down the old man. People many times interfere with others decisions or beliefs because they themselves are ethically uneasy with the choice they have made. Throughout the story the reader is subtly encouraged to place themselves in the place of each of the characters and to understand the different insecurities and challenges a person faces in different stages of their life. The young waiter is easily offended when his masculinity is challenged, the old waiter worries about becoming unneeded and losing his job, while the old man craves human companionship and a real social life.