Passage X - Adolescence II
In this extract, Rita Dove provides an "emergency room" feel through her discomforting imagery. This is mainly done in the way she describes the setting, the appearances of the three men, and tone.
Body 1: setting
-Venetian blinds slice up the moon
^allusion
-the tiles quiver in pale strips
In a clean bathroom, Venetian blinds and tiles seem expensive. Venetian blinds SLICE the moon, and tiles QUIVER... violence and fear.
Body 2: appearances
-...eyes as round as dinner plates and eyelashes like sharpened tines.
^similie
-They bring the scent of licorice.
-... sits in the washbowl, ... the bathtub edge, ... leans against the door.
-sleek bodies
-And they rise, Glittering like pools of ink under moonlight, and vanish.
^simile
These three men seem like doctors or aliens, "seal men" suggest soldiers, like Navy Seals. With giant round eyes and sharp eyelashes. Their fork-like eyelashes clincking every time they blink against their round white plate eyes. They sit where they want, one leans against the door so the main character cannot escape. When they get up underthe moonlight they vanish, like an alien teleporting under this celestial body.
Body 3: tone
-Night rests like a ball of fur on my tongue.
^simile
Final line. This is what is left with the reader, a feeling of discomfort, confusion.
Sunday 3 May 2009
Thursday 30 April 2009
Two Paper 2 Questions
May 2001 (a)
Compare uses and/or abuses of power as a theme in novels or short stories you have read. Say what this theme and its presentation contribute to each work you discuss.
- "How does 'power' fit into two novels."
- theme: How power, or lack of it, determines life or death.
- Darkness at Noon, The Metamorphosis
November 2003 (b)
Work and professions are one defining element for characters in fiction just as they are for people in real life. Compare how writers in your study have used one or more of the following to provide depth and interest to characters in their novels or short stories: work, professions, work environments.
- "How are characters characterized by their occupations."
- theme: How work takes away from life.
- Darkness at Noon, The Metamorphosis
Compare uses and/or abuses of power as a theme in novels or short stories you have read. Say what this theme and its presentation contribute to each work you discuss.
- "How does 'power' fit into two novels."
- theme: How power, or lack of it, determines life or death.
- Darkness at Noon, The Metamorphosis
November 2003 (b)
Work and professions are one defining element for characters in fiction just as they are for people in real life. Compare how writers in your study have used one or more of the following to provide depth and interest to characters in their novels or short stories: work, professions, work environments.
- "How are characters characterized by their occupations."
- theme: How work takes away from life.
- Darkness at Noon, The Metamorphosis
Thursday 26 March 2009
A Character Analysis: Anse
In "As I Lay Dying" by William Faulkner, Faulkner's characterization of Anse is right on tune to a gluttononous, greedy, and gross man. Anse's actions, or lack of them, show the truth behind his vile character, and his words only amplify this perception of him. Anse ruined a family.
One of the more repulsing aspects of Anse is his lack of physical fitness and "inability" to sweat. On page 17, Darl describes Anse's appearances: "The shirt across pa's hump is faded lighter than the rest of it. There is no sweat stain on his shirt. I have never seen a sweat stain on his shirt... he tells people that if he ever sweats, he will die. I suppose he believes it." From this description, we can gather that Anse isn't a very hard worker, evident in how he lies to get out of work (He'll "die" if he sweats.). Not only this, but the hump described on his back gives us a deformed image of Anse in our minds. The hump, along with the absence of teeth, make him seem not-human, and play into his character further along in the story.
Samsons description of Anse is spot-on, very much capturing the laziness in Anse's actions: "I notice ho it takes a lazy man, a man that hates moving, to get set on moving once he does get started off, the same as he was set on staying still, like it aint the moving he hates so much but the starting and the stopping" (114).
After the Bundren family fails to cross the river with wagon, and Cash is kicked in the ribs and leg by Jewel's horse, Anse shows his pity on his son, "Was there ere a such misfortunate man" (157). After recovering Cash's tools and continuing the journey, we find that Anse has purchased a team to lead them into Jefferson. When questioned as to what he bought the team with he admits to "borrowing" Cash's money and selling Jewel's horse, his most prized (and expensive) posession. One minute Anse will pity his family, the next he will steal from him.
When first reading this novel, I though the reasoning for Addie wanting to be buried in Jefferson was to burden her family by forcing them to carry her coffin that distance. I thought Addie to be incredibly wise, foreseeing the trouble in which the family would go through in carrying her to her final resting place; with the intent of showing the family how much she did for them, and ultimately attempting to try and re-unite the family broken over her death. But after completing the work, I realized why Addie was carried all the way to Jefferson, for a new pair of teeth. Paging through the novel, I cannot find any supporting evidence that Addie actually wanted to be buried in Jefferson, except that of Anse. I'm led to believe that Anse simply fabricated this dying wish knowing there was no other way to get his family to come along With him to pick up his new fake teeth. To top it off, Anse finds a woman in Jefferson to take back home, a replacement for Addie, because he knows what life would be like without a wife to do all the work for him. Anse is a cheat, a liar, and an overall repulsive character.
One of the more repulsing aspects of Anse is his lack of physical fitness and "inability" to sweat. On page 17, Darl describes Anse's appearances: "The shirt across pa's hump is faded lighter than the rest of it. There is no sweat stain on his shirt. I have never seen a sweat stain on his shirt... he tells people that if he ever sweats, he will die. I suppose he believes it." From this description, we can gather that Anse isn't a very hard worker, evident in how he lies to get out of work (He'll "die" if he sweats.). Not only this, but the hump described on his back gives us a deformed image of Anse in our minds. The hump, along with the absence of teeth, make him seem not-human, and play into his character further along in the story.
Samsons description of Anse is spot-on, very much capturing the laziness in Anse's actions: "I notice ho it takes a lazy man, a man that hates moving, to get set on moving once he does get started off, the same as he was set on staying still, like it aint the moving he hates so much but the starting and the stopping" (114).
After the Bundren family fails to cross the river with wagon, and Cash is kicked in the ribs and leg by Jewel's horse, Anse shows his pity on his son, "Was there ere a such misfortunate man" (157). After recovering Cash's tools and continuing the journey, we find that Anse has purchased a team to lead them into Jefferson. When questioned as to what he bought the team with he admits to "borrowing" Cash's money and selling Jewel's horse, his most prized (and expensive) posession. One minute Anse will pity his family, the next he will steal from him.
When first reading this novel, I though the reasoning for Addie wanting to be buried in Jefferson was to burden her family by forcing them to carry her coffin that distance. I thought Addie to be incredibly wise, foreseeing the trouble in which the family would go through in carrying her to her final resting place; with the intent of showing the family how much she did for them, and ultimately attempting to try and re-unite the family broken over her death. But after completing the work, I realized why Addie was carried all the way to Jefferson, for a new pair of teeth. Paging through the novel, I cannot find any supporting evidence that Addie actually wanted to be buried in Jefferson, except that of Anse. I'm led to believe that Anse simply fabricated this dying wish knowing there was no other way to get his family to come along With him to pick up his new fake teeth. To top it off, Anse finds a woman in Jefferson to take back home, a replacement for Addie, because he knows what life would be like without a wife to do all the work for him. Anse is a cheat, a liar, and an overall repulsive character.
Monday 23 February 2009
A Sad Child
In Margaret Atwood's poem, "A Sad Child," Atwood contributes to the theme that society influences emotion. Throughout the first two stanzas, excuses are made as to why a child is sad, and how to "cure" the sadness. This leads into panic, but eventually resolve.
In the first two stanzas, extensive catalogging of excuses is seen in explanation of a young girl's sadness. The list includes: "you're sad because you're sad. It's psychic. It's the age. It's chemical." Even though these excuses (as said to the girl by another) are meant to comfort the girl through her sadness, they only increase her sadness by suggesting something is wrong with her, and that she needs to do something about it. Here are listed "cures" to her sadness: "hug your sadness, get over it, count your blessings, go shopping, dance." Among these "cures" many stand out, specifically ones stereotyping females. Suggestions like hugging dolls, shopping, and dancing are generally viewed as feminine. The basic message here is : "Don't cry, we don't like seeing a sad young lady. Try doing something girly to get over it."
In stanza three, we are given insight into what has caused the girl's sadness. Throughout this stanza, and the following two stanzas, it is hinted at that the girl has had her first period through words like; "flushed, bathroom, and red flame seeping out of you." This contributes to what seems to be a panicked feeling in the girl. Not only this, but we discover she feels meaningless due to her belief that she's not the favorite child. The ending of the poem gives the only encouraging words of the piece, to sum up: "We're either all the favorite child or none of us are."
In conclusion, the girl in the poem must be in a very confused stage of her life, and Atwood emphasizes this through her enhancement on what "they" are telling us to do to feel better.
In the first two stanzas, extensive catalogging of excuses is seen in explanation of a young girl's sadness. The list includes: "you're sad because you're sad. It's psychic. It's the age. It's chemical." Even though these excuses (as said to the girl by another) are meant to comfort the girl through her sadness, they only increase her sadness by suggesting something is wrong with her, and that she needs to do something about it. Here are listed "cures" to her sadness: "hug your sadness, get over it, count your blessings, go shopping, dance." Among these "cures" many stand out, specifically ones stereotyping females. Suggestions like hugging dolls, shopping, and dancing are generally viewed as feminine. The basic message here is : "Don't cry, we don't like seeing a sad young lady. Try doing something girly to get over it."
In stanza three, we are given insight into what has caused the girl's sadness. Throughout this stanza, and the following two stanzas, it is hinted at that the girl has had her first period through words like; "flushed, bathroom, and red flame seeping out of you." This contributes to what seems to be a panicked feeling in the girl. Not only this, but we discover she feels meaningless due to her belief that she's not the favorite child. The ending of the poem gives the only encouraging words of the piece, to sum up: "We're either all the favorite child or none of us are."
In conclusion, the girl in the poem must be in a very confused stage of her life, and Atwood emphasizes this through her enhancement on what "they" are telling us to do to feel better.
Thursday 12 February 2009
The Frontier of Writing
In Seamus Heaney's poem, "The Frontier of Writing," Heaney uses war imagery to convey the theme that writing is an uphill fight; a difficult process involving lengthy procedures, guidelines, and people trying to butcher your work.
The setting of the poem is stated in the first stanza - the "nilness" of the space, sorrounded by troops with guns taking your car's "make and number." All of this contributes to the dominant effect of the piece, that writing is like passing through a war-zone, everyone wants to make sure your not the "enemy," or more figuratively, that you fit to the "social norm," following the general procedure to writing that authors commonly use in the current era. This is made most evident in the line descirbing the process of analyzation of the person passing through to the "frontier of writing," in which the troops are said to be taking the "make and number" of the person, and to an extent the person behind the wheel. Typically, taking the "make and number" refers to recognizing the model/type and license plate number of a vehicle. Here, figuratively, one may think that the soldier is actually refering to the "make and number" of the person passing through, as in "where is this person coming from?" This suggests that he has to be the "right" make and number to pass through, showing that writing/editing process should conform to the social norm.
In the conclusion of the poem we find the writer passing through the frontier of writing, in which he'she feels as though passing through a waterfall, which ultimately suggests how relieving getting through the process feels. Even further, he'she feels free in the way the "open tarmac" lies in front of him/her. He/she is free to the open roads of writing.
Overall, the peom emits an effect that places the reader in the writer's position through it's vivid war imagery.
The setting of the poem is stated in the first stanza - the "nilness" of the space, sorrounded by troops with guns taking your car's "make and number." All of this contributes to the dominant effect of the piece, that writing is like passing through a war-zone, everyone wants to make sure your not the "enemy," or more figuratively, that you fit to the "social norm," following the general procedure to writing that authors commonly use in the current era. This is made most evident in the line descirbing the process of analyzation of the person passing through to the "frontier of writing," in which the troops are said to be taking the "make and number" of the person, and to an extent the person behind the wheel. Typically, taking the "make and number" refers to recognizing the model/type and license plate number of a vehicle. Here, figuratively, one may think that the soldier is actually refering to the "make and number" of the person passing through, as in "where is this person coming from?" This suggests that he has to be the "right" make and number to pass through, showing that writing/editing process should conform to the social norm.
In the conclusion of the poem we find the writer passing through the frontier of writing, in which he'she feels as though passing through a waterfall, which ultimately suggests how relieving getting through the process feels. Even further, he'she feels free in the way the "open tarmac" lies in front of him/her. He/she is free to the open roads of writing.
Overall, the peom emits an effect that places the reader in the writer's position through it's vivid war imagery.
Thursday 5 February 2009
Mid-Term Break
In Seamus Heaney's poem, "Midterm Break," Heaney contributes to the depressing/saddening tone through his straight-forward diction. Plain, simple, and concise words are used to give the serious efect Heaney is reaching for.
Mid-Term Break is about a college student who is disconnected with his family. The death of his baby brother/sister puts him in an awkward situatuiion in which the author feels out of place, not knowing whether he should act like a crying baby or resreved old man. n This is amplified through the absnce of descriptive words.
Throughout the poem, it is evident that adjectives and descriptors are not commonly used; adjectives are rarely used to boost the saddening effect, like "angry tearless sighs," or gaudy scars." The lack of description, reinforces how awkward the situation it is for the author, and also puts him into contrast of the crying/laughing baby and old men.
In conclusion, the overall tone of the poem is that of grief, but the grief is not felt through all, specifically the author, do to the disconnect between him/her and their family. The author does not know how to react, so he/she simply describes the situation as is, without heavy description and focus on mood.
Mid-Term Break is about a college student who is disconnected with his family. The death of his baby brother/sister puts him in an awkward situatuiion in which the author feels out of place, not knowing whether he should act like a crying baby or resreved old man. n This is amplified through the absnce of descriptive words.
Throughout the poem, it is evident that adjectives and descriptors are not commonly used; adjectives are rarely used to boost the saddening effect, like "angry tearless sighs," or gaudy scars." The lack of description, reinforces how awkward the situation it is for the author, and also puts him into contrast of the crying/laughing baby and old men.
In conclusion, the overall tone of the poem is that of grief, but the grief is not felt through all, specifically the author, do to the disconnect between him/her and their family. The author does not know how to react, so he/she simply describes the situation as is, without heavy description and focus on mood.
Thursday 22 January 2009
The Good-Morrow
In John Donne's poem, "The Good-Morrow," Donne uses conceit to convey the image that love is a "new world." He compares his life to an endless sleeper, who when awoken, is shown a bright new world of love and happiness. This imagery is evident throughout the poem.
In the first stanza, Donne tells of his engagement to his lover. Further on, he explains how his life was "childish," how all lovers previuos to his current were because of his immaturity, and how his entire love-life before finding "true love" was simply a long slumber.
In stanze two, Donne explains how his love with his lover is like a sunrise in the morning; fresh, new, and invigorating. He uses the visual imagery of sea-men, maps, and treasures to show his great feelings of love and compassion. Not only does he experience great love, but he wishes this love unto other in line 13, hoping others may find "maps" tleading to great "treasures," love. At the end of this stanza, reference is given to the belief that every human being is their own little "world." This, taken into context with the previous few lines, suggest that the aforementioned maps and treasures lie within, and like a navigator, one must discover the true feelings of love.
In the final stanza, Donne explains how the combination of the love from himself and the love from his lover are mixed equally together, suggesting that their love will never die for each other.
In conclusion, the use of heavenly body imagery produces a "sweet" effect, which causes the reader to recognize that love in life is important; and hope that they may find the compass to someone's heart.
In the first stanza, Donne tells of his engagement to his lover. Further on, he explains how his life was "childish," how all lovers previuos to his current were because of his immaturity, and how his entire love-life before finding "true love" was simply a long slumber.
In stanze two, Donne explains how his love with his lover is like a sunrise in the morning; fresh, new, and invigorating. He uses the visual imagery of sea-men, maps, and treasures to show his great feelings of love and compassion. Not only does he experience great love, but he wishes this love unto other in line 13, hoping others may find "maps" tleading to great "treasures," love. At the end of this stanza, reference is given to the belief that every human being is their own little "world." This, taken into context with the previous few lines, suggest that the aforementioned maps and treasures lie within, and like a navigator, one must discover the true feelings of love.
In the final stanza, Donne explains how the combination of the love from himself and the love from his lover are mixed equally together, suggesting that their love will never die for each other.
In conclusion, the use of heavenly body imagery produces a "sweet" effect, which causes the reader to recognize that love in life is important; and hope that they may find the compass to someone's heart.
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