The Stranger #3

            In the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, Mersault’s indifference towards the external world causes the reader to question if Mersault is a reliable narrator. The reader learns that Mersault is a reliable narrator when he is arrested. When the magistrate asks Mersault if Mersault has hired an attorney, Mersault explains, “I admitted that I hadn’t and inquired whether it was really necessary to have one” (63). Mersault does not see the need to hire a lawyer. In Mersault’s mind he committed the crime, and Mersault will admit to committing the crime. According to Mersault, there is no point in trying to prove that he did not shoot the Arab because, if Mersault claimed he did not commit the crime, Mersault would be lying. Mersault’s truthful, indifferent perspective on the trial can be used to infer that the rest of the novel is also told from Mersault’s truthful perspective. Mersault will tell a story exactly as the story happens without any emotions. Hence, Mersault is a reliable narrator.

Rite of Passage by Sharon Olds

Thesis: In Rite of Passage by Sharon Olds, the speaker emphasizes the young age of the arguing children at her son’s birthday party in order to satirize warfare.

            The speaker uses alliteration in order to emphasize the young age of the children: “One says to another / How old are you? Six. I’m seven. So?” (7-8). The repetition of the letter ‘s’ in ‘six’, ‘seven’, and ‘so’ draws the reader’s attention to the small age difference between the two children. However, the seven-year-old feels superior to the six-year-old simply due to the seemingly insignificant fact that the seven-year-old is older. The argument between the two children only ends when the speaker’s son says, “We could easily kill a two-year-old” (22). The children are united under the common interest of violence towards another helpless person. Throughout the poem, the speaker is comparing the battles between leaders of the war to arguments between little children. The war leaders cooperate solely when the leaders are united under the common interest of harming a virtually defenseless country. Not only is it wrong to direct violence towards a helpless victim, but the leaders are also being childish. Therefore, the poem is a satire about war that expresses the immature and cruel nature of warfare.

The Stranger #2

            In the novel The Stranger by Albert Camus, the reader is introduced to Mersault. Mersault is the protagonist of the novel who appears to have no emotions. The epitome of Mersault’s indifference towards the actions occurring in the outside world is displayed when Raymond talks to Mersault about Raymond’s girlfriend. Raymond accuses his girlfriend of cheating, and when Raymond asks Mersault his opinion, Merasault answers, “I didn't think anything but that [the situation] was interesting” (32). There is no clear evidence that Raymond’s girlfriend is cheating, and furthermore there is undeniable evidence that Raymond is abusing his girlfriend. Mersault does not take Raymond’s violent actions into account, and only assesses the situation between Raymond and his girlfriend strictly from Raymond’s point of view. Raymond easily manipulates Mersault into taking Raymond’s side because Mersault is unable to step back and see the emotions in a situation. Thus, Mersault is an extremely unemotional character. 

Crossing the Bar by Lord Tennyson

Thesis: In Crossing the Bar by Lord Tennyson, the speaker metaphorically compares pulling out of a harbor which displays the speaker’s tone of acceptance towards death.

            The speaker displays a tone of acceptance towards his inevitable death within the poem Crossing the Bar. The speaker explains the he wishes “there be no sadness of farewell / When I embark” (11-12). Although there will most likely be sadness from others once the speaker passes on, the speaker wishes his death to be as emotionally painless as possible. Since the speaker already knows that his time is up, the speaker must prepare others for the death he has already accepted. The speaker does not show any remorse for the life he has lived. Rather, the speaker appears to be content and ready to move on towards death. There is no uncertainty in the speaker’s tone, for the speaker uses the word ‘when’ instead of ‘if’ to solidify the fact that his death is near. All in all, the speaker knows that he will die in the near future, so the speaker decides to accept his death and prepare those around him.

PODG #8

            In chapter nineteen of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian talks to Lord Henry about the portrait. Lord Henry asks Dorian “what does it profit a man if he gain the whole world and lose […] his own soul?” (158). When Dorian made the request to keep his looks while the portrait grows old, Dorian essentially sold his soul to the portrait. By stabbing the picture at the end of the novel, Dorian stabs his own soul. Therefore, Dorian kills himself. Even though Dorian gained everlasting youth by selling his soul to the portrait, the trade has not profited Dorian in any other way. Rather, the trade has been rather detrimental to Dorian. The portrait has caused Dorian to commit the murder of Basil, and drove Alan Campbell to commit suicide. The deaths of Basil and Alan, along with various lies and other sins, have not only altered the portrait of Dorian, but also Dorian himself. Dorian has become an evil character. Even when Dorian attempts to make up for his awful deeds at the end of the novel, the attempts at reconciliation are seen as hypocritical and selfish. All in all, a man does not profit by selling his own soul, even if he does gain the whole world in the process. 

PODG #7

            In chapter sixteen of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian Gray reflects on Lord Henry’s philosophy. Lord Henry believes one must “cure the soul by means of the senses, and the senses by means of the soul” (135). Lord Henry’s philosophy is both true and untrue. A person can cure the soul be means of the senses when a person acts in a way that generates personal pleasure while keeping the soul pure; for example, donating to charity can result in personal pleasure as well as a pure soul. Conversely, the soul can be tainted be means of the senses. If a person feels pleasure when committing a murder, the soul is tainted rather than cured.  The second part of Lord Henry’s philosophy implies the true statement that senses can be cured by the soul. A person with a pure soul will perceive actions through senses that will elicit a good response from the person. However, the person must have a pure soul in order to perceive events through senses that are to cause the person to react in a good way. Thus, a person must have a pure soul in order for Lord Henry’s philosophy to be valid and universally true. 

PODG #5

            In chapter eleven of The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian ponders the aestheticism in life. Dorian even realizes that “the highest respectability is of much less value than the possession of a good chef” (104). In other words, the quality of the dinner party is more important than the character of the person who hosts the dinner party. The idea that a “good chef” is more valuable than “the highest respectability” relates back to the theme of aestheticism within the novel. Life should attempt to mirror art, and hosting a quality dinner party is an art form. In addition, the fact that a good chef is more important than a respectable host displays the hypocrisy within society. If a person with a poor personality hosts a stellar dinner, the poor personality will be forgotten. On the other hand, a person with a nice personality who hosts a poor dinner party will be less likely to be forgiven. All in all, Dorian Gray realizes the aesthetic appeal in life appears to be much more important than the people who surround that aestheticism.

My Number by Billy Collins and I had heard it's a fight by Edwin Denby

Thesis: In the poems My Number by Billy Collins and I had heard it’s a fight by Edwin Denby the two speakers display their contrasting views on death’s intentions.

1.      The speaker in My Number describes death as malevolent, while the speaker in I had heard it’s a fight describes death as a warning.

a.       The speaker in My Number questions the actions of Death as the speaker wonders if Death is “tampering with air brakes” or “scattering cancer cells like seeds” (6-7). The Death in the poem is analogous to the Grim Reaper. The Grim Reaper sets out with the sole intention to kill, just as Death is described by the speaker in the poem. The speaker fears death unlike the speaker in I had heard it’s a fight.

b.      The speaker in I had heard it’s a fight says that when death is encountered, “in agony you clutch / At a straw, you rattle, and that will fix you” (3-4). Unlike the speaker in My Number, this speaker does not fear death. Rather, the speaker welcomes death as a wake-up call. After the speaker comes in contact with death, the speaker “Cut out liquor, went to the gym” (11). In order to keep living, the speaker had to experience death’s warning.

2.      The speaker in My Number will continue to avoid death, while the speaker in I had heard it’s a fight will continue to live due to death’s warning.

a.       The first time the speaker in My Number encounters death, the speaker says he will “start talking my way out of this” (17). The speaker wants to evade death as long as possible, for the speaker does not trust death. The speaker believes that death’s intentions are solely malevolent, and that the first time the speaker encounters death, the speaker will die. The speaker tries to convince himself that death is very far away, but the speaker is aware that death could be very close by as well.

b.      The first time the speaker in I had heard it’s a fight encounters death, the speaker eventually describes it as “so crazy it gives me a kick” (13). The kick is what saves the speaker’s life, for the kick is the motivation for the speaker to change his life for the better. The speaker does not fear death, for the speaker knows that death is always lingering close by. Rather, the speaker trusts that his encounter with death is what was needed in order to kick bad habits and continue living. The main difference between the two speakers is that the speaker in My Number personifies death as a dark, plotting figure while the speaker in I had heard it’s a fight describes death as a necessary evil in order to keep for dying too young due to poor habits.  

PODG #4

     In chapter seven of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the portrait of Dorian, painted by Basil, goes through a subtle, yet shocking transformation. After Dorian’s argument with Sibyl, Dorian goes home to find the painting has been altered and now displays a cruel smile. Lord Henry comes to Dorian’s house and the two men discuss what Dorian should do about Sibyl. Dorian tells Lord Henry, “I want to be good. I can’t bear the idea of my soul being hideous” (71). Dorian’s narcissistic personality worsens throughout chapter seven. The only reason why Dorian feels remorse for the argument with Sibyl is because Dorian can physically see what the argument has done to his soul through the painting. Dorian even describes Sibyl as selfish because Sibyl’s love for Dorian has caused her acting to worsen. Dorian detests anything that is not beautiful, so once Sibyl’s acting is not beautiful Dorian finds that he does not love Sibyl anymore. It is only once Dorian sees how his treatment towards Sibyl has caused himself to become ‘hideous’ that Dorian feels remorse.

PODG #3

     In chapter five of The Picture of Dorian Gray, the reader is introduced to Sibyl Vane and her family. The reader learns of the engagement between Dorian and Sibyl through Sibyl’s point of view. Sibyl tells her brother, James Vane, that Dorian “is called Prince Charming” and asks “Don’t you like the name?” (49). Sibyl calls Dorian Prince Charming because she loves to have drama in her life. Sibyl treats her life as if her life is a scene from a play, and Sibyl expects Dorian to take on the role of Prince Charming. The engagement is all a fairytale to Sibyl Vane, for Sibyl is more infatuated with what Dorian outwardly appears to be than actually getting to know Dorian. Sibyl’s infatuation with Dorian is very similar to Dorian’s fixation with the characters Sibyl acts out in her plays. All in all, the engagement between Dorian and Sibyl is based on love for the characters the two people perceive to be rather than the love between Dorian and Sibyl themselves. 

PODG #2

     As The Picture of Dorian Gray progresses, the reader is introduced to Sibyl Vane. Sibyl Vane is an actress at a local theater, and Dorian Gray falls in love with her. However, Dorian is infatuated with Sibyl’s stage presence rather than Sibyl herself. While conversing with Lord Henry, Dorian explains that Sibyl Cane “has personality also; and you have often told me that it is personalities, not principles, that move the age” (40). Dorian has barely spoken to Sibyl Vane, so Dorian could not possibly have fallen in love with her personality. Dorian knows Sibyl best through the characters she plays, and Dorian’s description of Sibyl to Lord Henry only shows Lord Henry’s increasing influence on Dorian. Dorian takes Lord Henry’s words as the absolute truth, and applies that truth to the way Dorian feels when watching Sibyl perform. Hence, Dorian is not in love with Sibyl Vane, for he is only becoming increasingly influenced by Lord Henry. 

Yet Do I Marvel by Countee Cullen poetry outline

Thesis: In Yet Do I Marvel by Countee Cullen, the poet uses allusions in order to emphasize an ironic situation.

1.      The speaker juxtaposes his faith in God with acts that cause God’s intentions to appear malevolent.

a.       The speaker opens the poem with “I doubt not God is good, well-meaning, kind” (1). The speaker affirms his faith in God, but the opening line is defense in that faith. The speaker needs to defend his faith because the speaker immediately starts stating seemingly malevolent acts of God in the following lines.

b.      The speaker states “tortured Tantalus / is baited by the fickle fruit” (5). Tantalus is being tortured horrifically, but this torture does not sway the speaker’s faith in God. Tantalus’s torture should cause a person to question the kindness of God, but the speaker has a reason for his unwavering faith.

2.      The speaker continues the poem with another allusion to God’s torture, and defends God once again.

a.       The speaker explains “brute caprice dooms Sisyphus” (7). If it is only caprice dooms Sisyphus, then Sisyphus should not have the sentence of pushing a boulder up a hill for eternity. The line about Sisyphus causes the reader to question if the punishments sentenced by God are fit for the crime.

b.      The speaker follows the line about Sisyphus with “Inscrutable His ways are” (9). God’s actions cannot be judged, for His reasons cannot be understood by everyday people. The people can only accept God’s actions for what they are, and must keep faith that His actions are always correct.  

3.      The speaker ends the poem with an ironic situation.

a.       The speaker ends the poem with “Yet do I marvel at this curious thing: / To make a poet black and bid him sing!” (13-14). This poem was written before the Civil Rights Movement. The last two lines display irony within the poem because it highlights the contrast between the torture of Sisyphus and Tantalus, and the ability for a ‘poet black’. The last two lines also explain the speaker’s unwavering faith in God. It is implied that the speaker is the ‘poet black’, and, therefore, God has been good to the speaker.

PODG #1

     In the opening chapters of the novel The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, the reader witnesses the strong influence Lord Henry has over Dorian Gray. Gray is a youthful character who is deeply revered by Basil, a painter. Lord Henry talks to Gray about Gray’s youth and explains “Now, wherever you go, you charm the world. Will it always be so?” (16). Lord Henry goes on to explain that Dorian Gray’s youth and beauty will ultimately fade away, causing Gray to be troubled by the thought of losing his good looks. Lord Henry is a very pretentious character, for he speaks as if his words hold absolute truth. Gray falls for these truths, as is shown in the strong negative reaction Gray has towards Basil’s painting of Gray. Dorian Gray is jealous that the painting will stay young forever as he wishes to do. In this moment, the reader sees Gray switch from a youthful character to a superficial character who is solely concerned with preserving his good looks. Through the change in Gray’s attitude, the strong influence Lord Henry has over Dorian Gray becomes evident.

The Picture of Dorian Gray post #1: preface

            In the preface of The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde, Wilde discusses aesthetic philosophy. Wilde declares that “they are the elect to whom beautiful things mean only Beauty” (vii). Aesthetic philosophy deals with the nature of art and beauty, claiming that art is beautiful for the sole sake of being beautiful. In aesthetic philosophy there is no search for a deeper meaning, for there is only an appreciation for the aesthetic appeal of a work of art. A viewer should only seek to appreciate art through his or her senses. The viewers who recognize art solely for its aesthetic appeal are considered ‘the elect’. The elect appreciates art for art’s beauty, and does not go on to search for a deeper meaning.

            In addition to discussing aesthetic philosophy in the preface, Wilde has a playful tone towards his audience. After explaining art should exist solely to appeal to the senses according to aesthetic philosophy, Wilde ends the preface with “all art is quite useless” (viii). Of course Wilde does not actually believe that art is completely useless, for Wilde believes that art exists to be beautiful. The preface gives the reader insight into Wilde’s personality, and the reader is able to see the playful attitude Wilde had towards life. Wilde’s playful attitude translates into a playful tone towards the audience. From the preface, the reader is able to anticipate the beauty and playful manner of the novel that is to come.

The History Teacher by Billy Collins poetry outline

Thesis: In The History Teacher by Billy Collins, an ironic situation emphasizes the importance of learning historical events and to make sure history does not repeat itself.

1.      In the poem, the history teacher understates events of the past, ironically emphasizing the important significance of the events to history.

a.       The history teacher teaches the Ice Age as the “Chilly Age, a period of a million years / when everyone had to wear sweaters” (3-4). The speaker emphasizes the importance of the Ice Age with this understatement. The Ice Age was much colder and significant than the ‘Chilly Age’ the teacher describes.

b.      Also, the history teacher teaches that the “Spanish Inquisition was nothing more / than an outbreak of questions” (7-8). This is concerning, so it causes the reader to question the education that the children are receiving. The Spanish Inquisition was much more than questions.

2.      Also, the speaker uses verbal irony to describe the bullies in the history teacher’s class.

a.       At recess the children would torment “the smart” (16). Since the author separates ‘and the smart’ syntactically from the rest of the stanza, it is meant to stand out. The children in the history teacher’s class are not smart since they do not learn correct information. This distinction highlights the ignorance of the children.

b.      The speaker explains the history teacher is “Trying to protect his students’ innocence” (1) by teaching incorrect historical information. This is ironic because the children are not innocent, for they bully the children on the playground who know the correct historical information. By not learning history, the children are beginning to perform acts that could later on lead to the repetition of historical events.

3.      In addition, the speaker supports the argument by overstating the naivety of the teacher.

a.       The history teacher goes home “past flower beds and white picket fences” (19). This imagery emphasizes that the teacher is completely unaware that the students are bullies. The teacher truly does believe the innocence of the children is being protected.

b.      The poet ends the poem explaining that the history teacher is going to teach “that soldiers / in the Boer War told long, rambling stories” (20-21). This is to alarm the reader because surely history will be repeated in the children if the history teacher does not start teaching historical events correctly. 

1984 #9 notes

1.      War is Peace

-“It is for the possession of these thickly populated regions, and of the northern ice cap, that the three powers are constantly struggling” (187).

            Oceania, Eastasia, and Eurasia are constantly at war with each other, but the motive for the war is more geographical than economic. The countries try to gain control of regions with supposedly lesser populations that serve as a labor force for the country.

-“Goods must be produced, but they need not be distributed. And in practice the only way of achieving this was by continuous warfare” (191).

            The countries needed to determine a way to keep their citizens from attaining too much wealth without having the citizens turn against their country. After all, wealth precedes knowledge and power. With the three countries in constant warfare, the citizens remain loyal to their countries even when they do not have a sufficient amount of goods.

-“What is more remarkable is that all three powers already possess, in the atomic bomb, a weapon far more powerful than any that their present researchers are likely to discover” (194).

            The atomic bomb destroyed the need for science, and thus the need for researchers and scientific intellectuals. The destructive power of the atomic bomb also means each country has the power to destroy the others, but they will not. The war is literally never ending.

-“The war is waged by each ruling group against its own subjects, and the object of war is not to make or prevent conquests of territory, but to keep the structure of society in tact” (199).

            The above quotation summarizes the entire objective of the war. War keeps society as a

whole angry at the enemy; therefore, the anger is directed away from the Party. This collective anger keeps the Party safe from overthrow and the society together. Thus, war is peace.

2.      Ignorance is Strength

-“But the purpose of [perpetuating unfreedom and inequality] was to arrest progress and freeze history at a chosen moment” (203).

            The Party chooses to take away freedom from its citizens for the safety of the Party. Without freedom and free thought, the citizens are unable to rebel against the Party.

-“The possibility of enforcing not only complete obedience to the will of the State, but complete uniformity of opinion on all subjects, now existed for the first time” (206).

            Technology and media lead to the Party’s ability to control the thoughts of its citizens. It is through print and television that the Party is able to alter the past. The thoughts of the citizens are no longer their own, and they are forced to believe whatever the Party tells them.

-“Admission to either branch of the Party is by examination, taken at the age of sixteen” (208).

            This examination determines the intelligence of the person who takes the test. Those who lack intelligence become Proles and are granted free thought. However, granting free thought to the Proles is not dangerous to the Party because the Proles are not intelligent enough to do anything to rebel against the Party. Those who are intelligent are admitted into the Inner Party where they are not given free thought. The Inner Party is most greatly influenced by the Party because the Party is only safe if they keep the Inner Party seemingly ignorant to the Party’s lies.

-“Ultimately it is by means of doublethink that the Party has been able-and may, for all we know, continue to be able to thousands of years-to arrest the course of history” (215).

            The illusion of ignorance by the members of the Inner and Outer Party is what keeps the Party in power. This ignorance is achieved through doublethink for the citizens know a concrete truth, but choose to believe the Party’s lies instead because the Party must always be right. Doublethink takes away freedom of individual thought from the citizens, which is the ultimate goal of the Party.

1984 #3

            Within this reading of 1984 by George Orwell, Winston is on his lunch break with his co-workers. Winston observes one of the co-workers speaking while the narrator explains “As [Winston] watched the eyeless face with the jaw moving rapidly up and down, Winston had a curious feeling that this was not a real human being but some kind of dummy” (54). There appears to be a motif of eyes within 1984. Those with large eyes, such as Winston’s mother and sister, see the truth within the world. They are not tainted by the lies of the Party. However, the eyeless characters believe everything the Party tells them. They praise Big Brother because they do not see that Big Brother is attempting to take away their free thinking. In a sense, the eyeless characters are blind to the unjust world around them.

1984 #1

     In the novel 1984 by George Orwell, the main character Winston goes to the Two Minutes Hate and “[a]s usual, the face of Emmanuel Goldstein, the Enemy of the People, had flashed onto the screen” (11). Emmanuel Goldstein is to Winston Smith what Kurtz is to Marlow in Heart of Darkness. For starters, Emmanuel Goldstein stood up against the injustice of the Party for which Winston respects him, but Winston is unable to do so because he fears the inevitable punishment. In the same respect, Kurtz stands up for what he believes in and Marlow respects Kurtz for that. In both of these scenarios, Goldstein and Kurtz act as warnings for Winston and Marlow, respectively. If Winston follows in Goldstein’s footsteps, Winston will end up like Goldstein, and the same goes for Marlow and Kurtz.  All in all, Goldstein and Kurtz both serve as a warning to the people who respect them.

Heart of Darkness post 5 (pages 145-end)

At the end of Heart of Darkness Marlow goes to the house of Kurtz’s Intended. Even though it has been a year since Kurtz’s death, the Intended is still dressed head to toe in black in mourning. She wants to know what Kurtz’s last words were, but Marlow cannot bring himself to tell the Intended the truth. Instead, Marlow lies to the Intended and tells her, “The last words he pronounced was-your name” (164). Marlow detests liars more than anything, but in that false confession he deliberately put himself in the same category as liars. However, there was reasoning behind the lie. One detail Marlow and the Intended agree upon about Kurtz are that his words will never die. When Marlow does not tell the Intended Kurtz’s real dying words, he is putting the uncivilized Kurtz to rest in the process. Kurtz, to the Intended, will be remembered as an incredibly intelligent, but also loving husband to the very end. She will remember Kurtz as he once was before he travelled into the Congo, for her perception of him will not be skewed by accounts of the monster he became at the inner station. Kurtz’s words are remembered from the powerful reports Kurtz wrote from the company, not from the insanity that overcame him in the Congo.

Heart of Darkness post 4 (pages 116-142)

            The characterization of Kurtz by Marlow displays the tragic results of isolation on a previously respectable individual. Marlow explains that the “original” Kurtz had sympathies that “were in the right place” (92). From this quotation, the reader can infer that Kurtz was not always the ivory-obsessed man he has become. However, Kurtz has been assigned to report on his views and actions in the heart of the Congo. He ends this report with “Exterminate all the brutes!” (92). Kurtz gives this order to all those who read his report, and he believes that many people will eventually read it as well. Since Kurtz has been in isolation, he has lost touch with the world outside of the Congo. Nobody is around to shut down Kurtz’s ideas, so he believes his word must be taken with the utmost regard. Kurtz faces no opposing opinions of others, and this proves to be dangerous to his sanity. The fact that Kurtz has been given enough time in isolation to make himself believe his word is divine word displays the disastrous effects isolation can have on an individual. Isolation, due to its large allotment of time for self-reflection, is enough to make a sane man believe he is a god.

Heart of Darkness post 3 (pages 103-116)

In an article written by Chinua Achebe about Heart of Darkness, Achebe expresses his belief that Conrad is an extreme racist, a statement which proves to be untrue within the novel. While Marlow directs his steamship down the river towards Kurtz’s location, he tells the reader that there are twenty cannibals on board. There cannibals are actually native Africans, and Marlow claims they are “Fine fellows-cannibals-in their place” (107). From this statement, it can be inferred that Marlow believes Africans are a lesser civilization than the Europeans. Of course, Marlow attempts to sound accepting of these natives while telling this story to his fellow shipmates, but  he only accepts these natives ‘in their place’. That is, Marlow believes the native Africans are civilized when they are under European control. However, by choosing the word ‘cannibal’ to describe the natives Conrad displays the irony of the situation. The native Africans are by no means cannibals because even in extreme hunger, they have not attempted to eat any humans on board. The natives control their hunger, which can bring out animalistic tendencies in humans, by eating a small portion of seemingly unappetizing food each day. Conrad displays Marlow’s naivety through the extreme diction of ‘cannibal’, and shows that Europeans are unaware of just of civilized the African people are by describing the way they control their hunger. Finally, by distancing himself from Marlow’s narrative voice, Conrad does not display his racist impulses through Marlow, but rather shows the reader the misguided notions the Europeans had about the Africans during this time period.

Heart of Darkness post 2 (pages 86-103)

The moonlight in the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad can be compared to the Belgian imperialism in the Congo. One night, Marlow is outside observing the land around him. He describes the scene and explains, “The moon ha[s] spread over everything a thin layer of silver” (96). Marlow further describes the unappealing grass and vegetation that surrounds his location. In the quotation, the moonlight has gilded the land so that it looks much nicer than it really is. This scene is analogous to the Belgian imperialism in the Congo. On the outside, it appears to be a grand operation. The Belgian people are going into the Congo in order to civilize the Congolese and educate the ‘savages’. However, this is only a façade. Underneath the initial benevolent intent of the mission there are the ugly inner workings of the imperialists. They force the Congolese to do hard labor for them and take advantage of the Congolese civilization’s inferior technology. All in all, the moonlight hides the ugly appearance of the land just like the grandeur of the Belgian empire hides its ugly inner workings in the Congo.

Heart of Darkness post 1 (pg 65-86)

In the beginning of the novel Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad, the reader is introduced to a man named Marlow who is telling his fellow sailors the story of the time he sailed into the Congo. In his story, right before Marlow is about to start his journey into the heart of the country, he stays with a man who appears to be an accountant for the Belgian imperialists. This man likes silence while he works so that he can concentrate on managing his records, so much so that he tells Marlow, “When one has got to make correct entries, one comes to hate those savages-hate them to the death” (86). The savages refer to the enslaved native Congolese, and the quotation displays the lack of regard the Belgians have towards the people of the Congo. Even this early in the novel, the reader can infer that the imperialists are obsessed with gaining riches for their country, for they will not help the natives that are dying literally right outside their doorstep because the sick natives are of no use to the imperialists. The Congolese are seen as replaceable work animals, not as humans with rights. Also, when the man claims that he hates the natives ‘to the death’, it must be considered that the accountant’s hatred of these people is actually killing them. He will not lift a finger to help then natives, and he routinely lets the sick ones die even when they are living in the same room as him. The sick Congolese are especially a nuisance to him, for all he cares about is how much money he can make off of the healthy workers. This man epitomizes the disregard the Belgian imperialists have for the people they are supposed to justly rule over.

Ghost of a Chance figurative language body paragraph

     In Ghost of a Chance, the poet utilizes an extended simile to emphasize the discomfort of a man who allows himself to think outside of his comfort zone. In the poem, the speaker is watching a man deep in thoughts which may go against what society deems to be ‘right’. Suddenly, the man stops his independent thoughts as he slips back into his “old consolations” (8) which are compared to “a fish / half-dead from flopping” (10-11). This simile is extended further into the poem as the poet describes the fish, or the man’s thought, in the “agonizing / air” (15-16). However, this thought finally finds relief in the “triumphant / sea” (18-19). Air and sea are both personified within this poem. Air connotes freedom, and the fact that the air causes the ‘fish’ pain figuratively means these independent thoughts the man is happening are not comfortable in their particular setting. They may go against what society believes in, and therefore the man is scared that he is having these thoughts. These thoughts eventually end up in the ‘triumphant sea’. The sea represents society and the thoughts and ideas held by the general public. Since the sea is triumphant, it feels accomplished for keeping one of its own from achieving a higher state of intellect. A fish belongs in the sea, just like a man’s thoughts should belong to the ideals held by the society he lives in, or so the society believes. All in all, the figurative language used within the poem displays that no matter how hard a man tries to attain ideals greater than society he will always go back to his old ways where he is most comfortable.

Let No Charitable Hope poetry outline

Blog Post 5: Let No Charitable Hope by Elinor Wylie

Thesis: In Let No Charitable Hope by Elinor Wylie, the poet uses specific diction to describe the speaker’s character and personality to the audience.

1.      Wylie chooses animals that connote freedom within the poem in order to contrast their connotations to the lifestyle of the speaker.

a.       The speaker explains that she is not “Of eagle and of antelope” in nature (3). Eagles and antelopes connote freedom, for the bald eagle is the symbol of American freedom and an antelope roams freely through the wilderness. The speaker expresses to the audience that she lacks this freedom in her life.

b.      Additionally, the speaker states “I live by squeezing from a stone / The little nourishment I get” (7-8). The alliteration between ‘squeezing’ and ‘stone’ makes this section stand out. It is impossible to squeeze anything from a stone, let alone nourishment. This shows that the speaker lives a life full of hardships.

2.      Also, the poet uses specific word choice to describe the life the speaker is living, emphasizing the hardships she encounters.

a.       The speaker explains “I am, being woman, hard beset” (6). She claims that she has a difficult personality and does not form close relationships with other people. All in all, the speaker’s life does not appeal to the audience at this time in the poem.

b.      The speaker also explains that the years in her life go by “In masks outrageous and austere” (9). ‘Outrageous’ describes something that is wrong and ‘austere’ means to be without ease. These adjectives also add emphasis to these definitions, adding an even more negative tone to the poem; these years that go by in the speaker’s life are harsh.

3.      The tone shift in the last two lines of the poem contrast the speaker’s character to the life she lives.

a.       The second to last line of the poem states “But none has merited my fear” (11). ‘None’ refers to ‘the years’ found in line 10. The use of the coordinating conjunction ‘but’ emphasizes the tone shift that occurs in the second to last line, for the speaker expresses that she is not afraid of the harsh life she lives.

b.      The poem ends with the line “And none has quite escaped my smile” (12). Again, ‘none’ refers back to ‘the years’ of the speaker’s life. The word ‘smile’ not only denotes happiness, but also connotes carefree outlook on life. It gives the illusion that the speaker sees the hardships of her life, but smiles anyway because she will not let anything bring her down. Overall, these last two lines display the strength and resilience in the speaker’s personality and character.

There's been a Death, in the Opposite House poetry outline

Thesis: In There’s been a Death, in the Opposite House by Emily Dickinson, the poet uses choppy syntax, capitalization, and descriptive language to show the reader the rapid nature that news spreads, and the speaker’s indifferent attitude towards death.

1.      Long dashes in between phrases and a line of poetry that stands alone illustrate the manner in which townspeople gossip about news that occurs within the county.

a.       “And then the Milliner—and the Man” is just one example of the dashes frequently used throughout the poem (17). These dashes make the syntax choppy and give the illusion of the speaker of the poem listening in on the townspeople’s conversations. She obtains facts from the situation in bits and pieces, but none are complete thoughts.

b.      There is only one line within the poem that stands by itself; “There’ll be that Dark Parade—” (20). As the townspeople talk about the death of this person, they appear to all come to this realization at the same time. Throughout the poem this death appears to be routine to the people, and everyone knowing there will be a “Dark Parade” emphasizes the predictability of events that occur within the town.

2.      Capitalization of seemingly unimportant words emphasize the small size of the town; the townspeople do not need to clarify certain people and places with each other, for they simply already know who or what their neighbor is talking about.

a.       As mentioned above, “the Milliner—and the Man” displays the lack of privacy within the town (17). The reader is unaware of who “the Man” is, but everyone in town knows this person. He needs no name because since the town is so small, everyone knows who he is anyway.

b.      Also, the poet never explicitly states that the “Dark Parade” is a funeral procession (20). Although it can be implied, the “Dark Parade” also displays the routine of death within the town. Death may be common, because describing a funeral procession as a parade, even a dark one, gives a slightly more positive connotation, displaying the speaker’s indifference to the subject.

3.      The use of descriptive language expresses the indifference towards death in this small town.

a.       The author explains the scene by the house; “The Children hurry by— / They wonder if it died” (10-11). ‘It’ in this quotation refers to the person in the Opposite House who has just passed on. He or she is not even referred to as human; the speaker seems unshaken by the death which displays the unconcern possessed towards the subject.

b.      Also, the poet writes that the window in the opposite house opens “mechanically” (9). Mechanical can be used as an antonym to emotional. There are no emotions behind this death in regard to the speaker’s perspective of the subject, for everything is very cold, unemotional, and mechanic. The speaker is unaffected by death, and may in fact be too used to it.

Ballad of Birmingham poetry outline

Thesis: The poet uses deliberate language to emphasize the injustice of bombing of a church in Birmingham, Alabama and evoke emotion from the audience.

1.      Dialogue

-The little girl asks her mother if she can, instead of going outside to play, “‘march the streets of Birmingham / In a Freedom March’” (3-4).

This quotation displays the maturity of the little girl in the poem. Most little girls want to play outside with their friends, but this one prefers to participate in marches to fight for her freedom. The reader is able to gain respect for the child and see she has goals to change the world she lives in for the better.

-At the end of the poem the mother cries out “‘baby, where are you?’” (32).

            The audience knows that the little girl has died in the bombing, but this quotation takes us into the mother’s perspective. She does not want to believe that her little girl has passed on which evokes an emotional response from the reader. Hopefully the emotional response is strong enough that the audience will take a stand against the injustice.

2.      Visual Imagery

-The little girl “bathed rose petal sweet” (18).

            Although this little girl displays maturity within the poem, this quotation reminds the reader that she is still an innocent, little girl. She is delicate and defenseless against the evils that lie outside her door.

-She also has “drawn white gloves on her small brown hands” (19).

This quotation also displays the innocence of the little girl to the audience. The fact that she is a little girl adds emotion to the poem because she is perceived as much more defenseless than a grown man or woman.

3.      Irony

-The mother has her little girl go to the “sacred place” (22).

            The ‘sacred place’ is church, which should be a safe haven away from all violence. This causes the audience to question where they can be safe if not in their place of worship.

-The little girl was not allowed to “march the streets of Birmingham” (3).

            The streets were thought to be dangerous, but on that particular day they were safer than church. This evokes more emotion from the reader because the little girl’s life could have been saved with one simple decision, if only she had gone to the Freedom March instead of church. 

Analysis of Prospero (I.ii.70-200) - The Tempest

            In act one scene two of The Tempest, Prospero talks with his daughter about the injustice they have been subjected to in the past. He generates sympathy from the audience by explaining, “As my trust was [in Antonio], which had indeed no limit / A confidence sans bounds” (I.ii.116-117). In these lines, Prospero paints himself as the victim. He trusted his brother with his kingly records and life, so he rightfully feels betrayed by the usurpation of his dukedom. He deserves to get revenge on Antonio, or so the audience is led to believe up to this point. In the closing lines of the passage, Prospero mentions that Gonzalo “furnished me / From mine own library with volumes that / I prize above my dukedom” (I.ii.198-200). These books allow Prospero to attain his magical powers, and they distract him from his duties as the duke. This neglect causes Antonio to sweep in and usurp the dukedom from Prospero whose character now generates less sympathy from the audience because those lines give reason to Antonio for taking control of the land. Although it was a harsh move to exile Prospero and Miranda to a deserted island, at least it was done with a reason. Prospero’s character is both sympathetic and unsympathetic due to the fact he lost everything from a brother he once trusted, but his obsession with magic and neglect of his power suggest that he had the usurpation coming to him all along.

The Tempest and Shakespearean Comedy

           The Tempest by William Shakespeare is a play that follows the structure of a Shakespearean comedy. Prospero is the comic individual who has his power taken from him. At first, the reader is lead to believe that this power was taken by his brother Alonso without reason, but this is not the case. Prospero tells Miranda “[Gonzalo] furnished me / From mine own library with volumes that / I prize above my dukedom” (I.ii.198-200). These books give Prospero his magical powers, and he obsesses over these books and this power. It can be implied that he neglects his duties as the king on order to learn new powers from these books. This allows Alonso to swoop in and usurp Prospero’s power. Thus through this self-destruction and obsession, Prospero fits the structure of the comic individual.

            Prospero is also a key contributor to the comic solution, which is another element in the structure of a Shakespearean comedy. In this solution, Prospero claims that he will “drown my book” (V.i.66), and in this action he gives up his magical powers. This is a very symbolic moment because all of Prospero’s troubles have stemmed from his obsession with magic. By giving up this power, he becomes a rational character who realizes he cannot spend his time planning to seek revenge on those who usurped his power. In the ultimate act of rationality, Prospero frees Ariel from his bondage. Prospero’s deception is destroyed when he gives up his power and his servants, displaying The Tempest’s comic solution.