Those Winter Sundays by Robert Hayden
This poem has a very depressing and regretful mood dispersed throughout its lines. It is from the narrators hindsight of a childhood memory that the poem is told. Its main focus is the thankless role the father most always plays in the family. He speaks about how his father would dutifully wake up first to lead the family into the day and dispel the cold from the waking house. His father was a laboring man, tough and simple in nature. The narrator speaks of this, "then with cracked hands that ached from labor in the weekday weather made banked fires blaze" (Hayden 781). His father endured through much laboring and pain for his family, however, the narrator speaks that as a naive child, "No one ever thanked him." This whole poem mainly seems to be an ode to the grown up little boys father. As a child, his firm father may have seemed less of a comforting presence than his possibly caring mother, however the love his father had for his family and the amount of care still equaled that of hers. That is what is meant when he speaks of the austere offices. Although his very private and course father did not always directly show love, he still lived to his duties out of love for his family.
Thursday, September 20, 2012
The Drunkard
The Drunkard by Frank O'Connor
This is obviously a very humorous story. It gives its many humours in how wrong and abnormal the situation is of the young child becoming completely drunk but however, adds a comedic value as well with the child's innocent reaction to when the drink touches his virgin drink. One such way where the author adds innocent comedic truths would be when the boy comments on the taste of the drink, "I was astonished that he could even drink such stuff. It looked as if he had never tried lemonade" (O'Connor). What makes this line funny is not only the boy's naive reaction to the drink but how his innocent thoughts are intensified the the diction and vocabulary of a grown man. It gives the poem an ironic, humorous feel. However, this contradicting style of writing does not go only as far as being comedic. It plays a key role in the overall theme of the story. The childish thoughts coupled with the mature writing style, describe the young naive boy who now feels a heightened, but very false maturity after he has become drunk off his first beer. It is through this naive little boy, that he does a very mature act in saving his father from the drink during that night and thus from then on.
This is obviously a very humorous story. It gives its many humours in how wrong and abnormal the situation is of the young child becoming completely drunk but however, adds a comedic value as well with the child's innocent reaction to when the drink touches his virgin drink. One such way where the author adds innocent comedic truths would be when the boy comments on the taste of the drink, "I was astonished that he could even drink such stuff. It looked as if he had never tried lemonade" (O'Connor). What makes this line funny is not only the boy's naive reaction to the drink but how his innocent thoughts are intensified the the diction and vocabulary of a grown man. It gives the poem an ironic, humorous feel. However, this contradicting style of writing does not go only as far as being comedic. It plays a key role in the overall theme of the story. The childish thoughts coupled with the mature writing style, describe the young naive boy who now feels a heightened, but very false maturity after he has become drunk off his first beer. It is through this naive little boy, that he does a very mature act in saving his father from the drink during that night and thus from then on.
Once upon a Time
Once upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer
The opening section of this story gives a great foreshadow to the overall theme of the work. The narrator talks of how he is awakened in the middle of the night by creaking sounds throughout his home. He initially supposes that the producer of the noise is some thief, However the real reason for the creaking is from the tremors of the old minds located thousands of feet underneath his home. This is the real reason and it is also a much more significant and realistic reason. This has much to do with the theme of the short story that plays into how people can drive themselves mad worrying about unlikely occurrences and false intuitions rather than normal hazards. The final page of the story helps to further substantiate this theme. Due to many warnings from family friends and because of the "old witch", a reference that is mocking the grandmother for her superstitious proclamations, the family decides to set up a prison-yard like wall with barbed wire to keep out the imaginary burglars. However, instead of their supposed intruders, the razor sharp wire happens to harm their very real son. This goes in line, with the theme of watching out for the real possible scares in life.
The opening section of this story gives a great foreshadow to the overall theme of the work. The narrator talks of how he is awakened in the middle of the night by creaking sounds throughout his home. He initially supposes that the producer of the noise is some thief, However the real reason for the creaking is from the tremors of the old minds located thousands of feet underneath his home. This is the real reason and it is also a much more significant and realistic reason. This has much to do with the theme of the short story that plays into how people can drive themselves mad worrying about unlikely occurrences and false intuitions rather than normal hazards. The final page of the story helps to further substantiate this theme. Due to many warnings from family friends and because of the "old witch", a reference that is mocking the grandmother for her superstitious proclamations, the family decides to set up a prison-yard like wall with barbed wire to keep out the imaginary burglars. However, instead of their supposed intruders, the razor sharp wire happens to harm their very real son. This goes in line, with the theme of watching out for the real possible scares in life.
A Worn Path
A Worn Path by Eudora Welty
To get to the point of the theme of this short story, first the main character, Phoenix Jackson, needs to be characterized. The most important detail about her is not how she is old or black but rather how senile she is. Most the story keeps track of Phoenix's treck though the frozen nature. It is odd that a woman as old and as mentally-ill as Phoenix, would be enduring this path to begin with. She runs into many different sights and obstacles during this trip; some are actually existing while others appear to be products of her worn mind. At one point Welty writes, "a boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble-cake on it... But when she went to take it there was just her own hand in the air" (Welty 224). As well, much of the dialogue in this story all sprouts from conversations that Phoenix is having with herself. It gives the thought that perhaps the old woman is as lonely as she is senile. As odd as these incidents seem, I feel they all have much merit to the actual theme. According to the nurse, Mrs. Jackson has been making these trekes for years and all with the intent to provide the mediative medicine for her sick grandson. It is out of this love for her grandson that this weary woman continues to fight her way through the brush. The worn path does not just describe the journey, but it describes phoenix as well.
To get to the point of the theme of this short story, first the main character, Phoenix Jackson, needs to be characterized. The most important detail about her is not how she is old or black but rather how senile she is. Most the story keeps track of Phoenix's treck though the frozen nature. It is odd that a woman as old and as mentally-ill as Phoenix, would be enduring this path to begin with. She runs into many different sights and obstacles during this trip; some are actually existing while others appear to be products of her worn mind. At one point Welty writes, "a boy brought her a plate with a slice of marble-cake on it... But when she went to take it there was just her own hand in the air" (Welty 224). As well, much of the dialogue in this story all sprouts from conversations that Phoenix is having with herself. It gives the thought that perhaps the old woman is as lonely as she is senile. As odd as these incidents seem, I feel they all have much merit to the actual theme. According to the nurse, Mrs. Jackson has been making these trekes for years and all with the intent to provide the mediative medicine for her sick grandson. It is out of this love for her grandson that this weary woman continues to fight her way through the brush. The worn path does not just describe the journey, but it describes phoenix as well.
The Joy of Cooking
The Joy of Cooking by Elaine Magarrell
The overall tone of this poem is a kind of dark, sardonic humor. What gives this poem its comedic value, is how Magarrell describes her sister and brother through subtle cooking recipes, "Although beef heart serves six- my brother's heart barely feeds two."The reader is given a good idea of what the narrator's siblings are like through these comparisons to food. The author writes about preparing her sister's tongue with the use of scrubbing it and cleaning it and carving it into slices of thin meat. When Margarrell uses these words that give the sense that the is cleaning her tongue, it portrays the idiom "a dirty tongue", meaning the sister has a vulgar vocabulary. As for the brother, the narrator describes the cuisine as "firm", "dry", and "resembles a muscle more than organ meat". With this description, the brother is portrayed as a unfeeling man, who shows little emotion.
The overall tone of this poem is a kind of dark, sardonic humor. What gives this poem its comedic value, is how Magarrell describes her sister and brother through subtle cooking recipes, "Although beef heart serves six- my brother's heart barely feeds two."The reader is given a good idea of what the narrator's siblings are like through these comparisons to food. The author writes about preparing her sister's tongue with the use of scrubbing it and cleaning it and carving it into slices of thin meat. When Margarrell uses these words that give the sense that the is cleaning her tongue, it portrays the idiom "a dirty tongue", meaning the sister has a vulgar vocabulary. As for the brother, the narrator describes the cuisine as "firm", "dry", and "resembles a muscle more than organ meat". With this description, the brother is portrayed as a unfeeling man, who shows little emotion.
Thursday, September 13, 2012
A Raisin in the Sun (8)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
Two character's who greatly differ in this play would easily be Walter and Mama. While Beneatha has some major differences towards Mama as well, I used a contrast between these two characters previously in an explanation of the generation gap that exits through the book. The big difference between Mama and Walter would be Mama's simple and content outlook on life and Walter's radical and impatient hopes and dreams. It is their personalities that bring out this difference in expectations. Throughout the play, it is quite evident that Mama is clearly the wisest of the family. That is why, therefore, she plays the role as the unequivocal leader. However, Walter, who is reckless, clueless, and very inappropriately drunk at various times, wishes to have more control of his family as well, being the emasculated man that he is. He is almost driven insane because of his lust for money, clearly identified here, "I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy... Mama- Look at me" (Hansberry 73). Part of the reason that he earns his disrespect from most his family is because of the fact that is very immature for his age. The man is a constant complainer, who is a hypocrite towards his wife and so greedy that he gambles with his family's livelihood. Mama, on the other hand, is witty, charming, rooted deep in her morals, very religious, and earns much respect and authority over the family's dealings.
Two character's who greatly differ in this play would easily be Walter and Mama. While Beneatha has some major differences towards Mama as well, I used a contrast between these two characters previously in an explanation of the generation gap that exits through the book. The big difference between Mama and Walter would be Mama's simple and content outlook on life and Walter's radical and impatient hopes and dreams. It is their personalities that bring out this difference in expectations. Throughout the play, it is quite evident that Mama is clearly the wisest of the family. That is why, therefore, she plays the role as the unequivocal leader. However, Walter, who is reckless, clueless, and very inappropriately drunk at various times, wishes to have more control of his family as well, being the emasculated man that he is. He is almost driven insane because of his lust for money, clearly identified here, "I want so many things that they are driving me kind of crazy... Mama- Look at me" (Hansberry 73). Part of the reason that he earns his disrespect from most his family is because of the fact that is very immature for his age. The man is a constant complainer, who is a hypocrite towards his wife and so greedy that he gambles with his family's livelihood. Mama, on the other hand, is witty, charming, rooted deep in her morals, very religious, and earns much respect and authority over the family's dealings.
A Raisin in the Sun (5)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
One big issue that resonates through this play is the generation gap that exits between Mama and the younger characters of the family, specifically Beneatha. There are many differences that exist between Mama and Beneatha that are there because of the impact of the period they live in. Mama was a little girl in a time just after the emancipation proclamation. Therefore she grew up in a time while black's were just moving to their feet and many of the adults in her life and lived through slavery. Because of this, Mama has a major proclivity to a simple life, without a craving for money and power. She says to Walter on the subject of money, "Once upon a time freedom used to be life- now it's money. I guess the world really do change..." (Hansberry 74). While she may be content with just freedom, now Beneatha has grown up with just freedom and has her own goals that she must attain, intelligence and a civil role in the new world. She differ's from Mama greatly in her own education and her worldly and philosophical approach to life. Mama believes in God, family, and morals, while Beneatha is geared toward knowledge, cosmopolitism, and revolution. As well, much of the contention that comes between the generations is the cynical outlook that often accompanies educated realists and Beneatha's disbelief of God.
One big issue that resonates through this play is the generation gap that exits between Mama and the younger characters of the family, specifically Beneatha. There are many differences that exist between Mama and Beneatha that are there because of the impact of the period they live in. Mama was a little girl in a time just after the emancipation proclamation. Therefore she grew up in a time while black's were just moving to their feet and many of the adults in her life and lived through slavery. Because of this, Mama has a major proclivity to a simple life, without a craving for money and power. She says to Walter on the subject of money, "Once upon a time freedom used to be life- now it's money. I guess the world really do change..." (Hansberry 74). While she may be content with just freedom, now Beneatha has grown up with just freedom and has her own goals that she must attain, intelligence and a civil role in the new world. She differ's from Mama greatly in her own education and her worldly and philosophical approach to life. Mama believes in God, family, and morals, while Beneatha is geared toward knowledge, cosmopolitism, and revolution. As well, much of the contention that comes between the generations is the cynical outlook that often accompanies educated realists and Beneatha's disbelief of God.
A Raisin in the Sun (3)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
If there is one person in Raisin who can be labeled as a doer, it is Walter. Now that may seem a small bit exaggerative in Walter's case considering that for most of the story he is just all talk. However, in the end he does make a great active decision and although it fails, it was quite a strong attempt filled with good intentions. It is his grave mistake in trusting Willy and loosing the money that brings a main climax to the play and for that, he earns the title as the character who drives the plot the most. It is also fitting that he is the doer of the family, considering he is a feeble minded man with the temper and pride of a brute. Therefore, he rarely thinks things out and rather just attempts them.
The watcher in the play would most likely be Ruth. Although Travis offers little to the story other than filling the occupation has the Younger's kind hearted child and the motive for their decisions, the fact that he is just a naive child dismisses him from watcher. Ruth, who is a much more dynamic character, is probably the most relatable character and one of the more reasonable characters. She for most of the play, is perceiving the actions of Walter. While she mainly curses him and adds to the plot with twists such as her pregnancy, her being a more mild character makes her less of a doer and more of a watcher.
The thinker in this play inevitably goes to the college student, Beneatha. She is an obvious choice for one, because she is the most educated (Yet not the most wise) of the family and for the sake that she is always philosophizing with either her boyfriend or Asagai on life's problems and habits. All of her conversations with Asaigi, who is much more inclined to participate in her wonderings than George, all seemed as though Beneatha had conjured these ideas before, or now was swiftly making interesting points as he and she debated. It appears that she is always inside her head, contemplating and calculating risks and rewards and life, "Too many things- too many things have happened today. I must sit down and think" (Hansberry 137). Clearly the thinker.
If there is one person in Raisin who can be labeled as a doer, it is Walter. Now that may seem a small bit exaggerative in Walter's case considering that for most of the story he is just all talk. However, in the end he does make a great active decision and although it fails, it was quite a strong attempt filled with good intentions. It is his grave mistake in trusting Willy and loosing the money that brings a main climax to the play and for that, he earns the title as the character who drives the plot the most. It is also fitting that he is the doer of the family, considering he is a feeble minded man with the temper and pride of a brute. Therefore, he rarely thinks things out and rather just attempts them.
The watcher in the play would most likely be Ruth. Although Travis offers little to the story other than filling the occupation has the Younger's kind hearted child and the motive for their decisions, the fact that he is just a naive child dismisses him from watcher. Ruth, who is a much more dynamic character, is probably the most relatable character and one of the more reasonable characters. She for most of the play, is perceiving the actions of Walter. While she mainly curses him and adds to the plot with twists such as her pregnancy, her being a more mild character makes her less of a doer and more of a watcher.
The thinker in this play inevitably goes to the college student, Beneatha. She is an obvious choice for one, because she is the most educated (Yet not the most wise) of the family and for the sake that she is always philosophizing with either her boyfriend or Asagai on life's problems and habits. All of her conversations with Asaigi, who is much more inclined to participate in her wonderings than George, all seemed as though Beneatha had conjured these ideas before, or now was swiftly making interesting points as he and she debated. It appears that she is always inside her head, contemplating and calculating risks and rewards and life, "Too many things- too many things have happened today. I must sit down and think" (Hansberry 137). Clearly the thinker.
A Raisin in the Sun (1)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
In Raisin, two main character's who strive to change their current situation are Walter and Beneatha. While Walter dreams of more simple and selfish ideas of achievement, Beneatha wants to become greater in a more radical and social way.
For Walter, his greatest motive throughout the play is the most greedy one of all, money. Although he speaks of aspirations of owning yachts and heading board meetings, all these center strictly around his accumulation of cash. It is what he believes to be the biggest provider of happiness and the most satisfying end there is. What seems to drive Walter towards this goal is his great amount of pride violently mixed with the inferior life he has been living. When confronted about his job by his mom, he answers, "A job. Mama, a job? I open and close car doors all day. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say, "yes,sir; no, sir... Mama, that ain't no job"" (Hansberry 73). Instead of that chaefuer, he wishes to be the fat cat banker riding backseat.
As for Beneatha, she strives to gain an intellectual intelligence that will then propel her to make advancements and move big worlds in the oppressive time period. In this play, she completely represents the ambitious woman of this new age of civil rights, who wants to excel out in the real world. Although Beneatha's goals of making enduring changes to the culture may contain some selfish aspects, her hopes are still much less greedy than Walter, who ignorantly just wishes to gain money and power. At least Beneatha has a part in her dream in which she wishes to give back.
In Raisin, two main character's who strive to change their current situation are Walter and Beneatha. While Walter dreams of more simple and selfish ideas of achievement, Beneatha wants to become greater in a more radical and social way.
For Walter, his greatest motive throughout the play is the most greedy one of all, money. Although he speaks of aspirations of owning yachts and heading board meetings, all these center strictly around his accumulation of cash. It is what he believes to be the biggest provider of happiness and the most satisfying end there is. What seems to drive Walter towards this goal is his great amount of pride violently mixed with the inferior life he has been living. When confronted about his job by his mom, he answers, "A job. Mama, a job? I open and close car doors all day. I drive a man around in his limousine and I say, "yes,sir; no, sir... Mama, that ain't no job"" (Hansberry 73). Instead of that chaefuer, he wishes to be the fat cat banker riding backseat.
As for Beneatha, she strives to gain an intellectual intelligence that will then propel her to make advancements and move big worlds in the oppressive time period. In this play, she completely represents the ambitious woman of this new age of civil rights, who wants to excel out in the real world. Although Beneatha's goals of making enduring changes to the culture may contain some selfish aspects, her hopes are still much less greedy than Walter, who ignorantly just wishes to gain money and power. At least Beneatha has a part in her dream in which she wishes to give back.
A Raisin in the Sun (7)
A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry
One initially small gesture that takes place in Raisin that transforms to have a very large impact is Mama's handing over of the financial power from herself onto Walter. By this point, throughout the book, Walter has been constantly complaining about the lack of respect and worth he feels. Mama, sensing this misunderstood discourse in his life, decides to go out on a limb and trust him with the money elicited by Big Walter's death. A portion of the conversation goes like this, "And from now on any penny that come out of it or that go in it is for you to look after. For you to decide" (Hansberry 107). Though it is a very compassionate and understanding gesture for Mama to hand the reigns to Walter, it also fairs to be a great mistake as Walter looses the fortune in an unfortunate, ill-conceived investment.
One of the immediate outcomes of this exchange between Mama and Walter is the obvious one, Walter managing to loose all of the family's security money which contained a large portion of Bennie's Medical School money. This in turn sends the family into a whirlwind of uneasy emotions. However, the more important outcome is how it leads into the eventual maturity of Walter. Walter, by making this great blunder and decreasing himself to his all-time low, is somehow able to bounce back and in a very proud moment, inform the stingy Mr. Linder that his family intends to move into their desired home whether he likes it or not. I believe that after Walter made the great mistake of loosing the money, he stepped back and looked solidly at his life and contemplated his father's life. It was then, that he realized that he was, at that point, not even half the man his father was. He saw how low he had fallen and decided it was time to grow mature and be the man that his family was in need for.
One initially small gesture that takes place in Raisin that transforms to have a very large impact is Mama's handing over of the financial power from herself onto Walter. By this point, throughout the book, Walter has been constantly complaining about the lack of respect and worth he feels. Mama, sensing this misunderstood discourse in his life, decides to go out on a limb and trust him with the money elicited by Big Walter's death. A portion of the conversation goes like this, "And from now on any penny that come out of it or that go in it is for you to look after. For you to decide" (Hansberry 107). Though it is a very compassionate and understanding gesture for Mama to hand the reigns to Walter, it also fairs to be a great mistake as Walter looses the fortune in an unfortunate, ill-conceived investment.
One of the immediate outcomes of this exchange between Mama and Walter is the obvious one, Walter managing to loose all of the family's security money which contained a large portion of Bennie's Medical School money. This in turn sends the family into a whirlwind of uneasy emotions. However, the more important outcome is how it leads into the eventual maturity of Walter. Walter, by making this great blunder and decreasing himself to his all-time low, is somehow able to bounce back and in a very proud moment, inform the stingy Mr. Linder that his family intends to move into their desired home whether he likes it or not. I believe that after Walter made the great mistake of loosing the money, he stepped back and looked solidly at his life and contemplated his father's life. It was then, that he realized that he was, at that point, not even half the man his father was. He saw how low he had fallen and decided it was time to grow mature and be the man that his family was in need for.
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