Popular Mechanics

"He looked at her and she wiped her eyes and stared at him before turning and going back to the living room. Bring that back, he said." - Raymond Carver

I don't understand why there are no quotation marks in this story! It's so annoying. Also, I feel like the baby may have gotten ripped in half at the end of the story. The ending is so open for interpretation. Did the woman get the baby? The man? No one? I think the man only wanted the baby to anger his ex-wife/girlfriend. He didn't even remember that baby was there until she picked up the picture. He realized how precious the baby was to the woman, so he decided to take that before leaving for good. He seemed so entitled. He simply stated that he wanted the baby; he expected his wish to be granted immediately. Personally, I think fighting over a baby is just about one of the most unsafe things a couple could do. They seem like one big happy family, don't they?! 

The Lottery

"It isn't fair," she said. A stone hit her on the side of the head. - Shirley Jackson

Is this real life?! I was waiting the entire story to figure out what the lottery would be for. I figured money, a new house, anything positive. Nope, I was wrong. I'm just a little bit in shock. I don't know what culture or time period this takes place in, but it seems to be from way back in the day. I understand that this town loves their traditions, but seriously? Mrs. Hutchinson is also very annoying, but definitely not annoying enough to stone to death! If there was supposed to be a funny or ironic part to the story I totally missed it. Then again, the chapter theme is point of view, so I'm assuming this story is just as somber and suspenseful as it sounds. 

This is partially because of the first line of my blog/partially because it's a guaranteed day maker!

You're Ugly, Too - Theme

"Later they would worry together, and he would sink a cheek to her belly and ask whether she was late, was she late, was she pregnant, they took to quarreling and drifted apart." - Lorrie Moore

I personally think Zoe is a sarcastically funny character. Although sometimes she does cross a line. I think she does this because of her constant comparison to her sister and a general lack of self esteem. To me, the theme of this story is: People's insecurities cause them to self-sabotage their relationships. There are multiple times in the story when Zoe is happy and seemingly confident around people, but then she says something offensive. She says "I'm just kidding" a lot; however, she's never really kidding. When Zoe isn't being unintentionally rude to people, she's cracking jokes. This I understand, because I think we all do it every once and a while. When things get awkward, uncomfortable, or just boring, we tend to say anything to lighten the mood. That's how Zoe starts out. Then, she becomes more and more offensive as the story goes on. I think she grows more self conscious as she grows older, which causes her to become hostile. It's a shame, because she was really funny for a majority of the story.

Zoe kind of reminds me of Kristen Wiig's character in Bridesmaids. She is in such a bad mood after being treated awfully from everyone in her life, so she takes it out on everyone else around her. If you've seen the movie, this picture and quote make total sense.

"Oh, I feel bad for your parents." 

"I feel bad for your face."

The Drunkard - Irony

"My brave little man!" she said with her eyes shining. "It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel." - Frank O'Connor

The ironic situations that happen in this story all surround the strange incident of a 12 year old boy being drunk. First, there's a total role reversal. The father is embarrassed for having to drag his drunk, 12 year old son home from the bar. People would not think it extremely abnormal if it were the other way around. Then, his mother praises him. She calls him a guardian angel?! That's not normal! She does so because she thinks her son drank in order to stop his father from drinking. His father, the real drunkard, was forced to stay sober and watch over his son at the bar that night. Although that was not the son's intention at all, his mother viewed it that way and praised him for it. The title itself is the final irony. Calling a curious boy who drank his dad's alcohol one time a drunkard is a bit drastic. His father on the other hand, is a drunkard. This 12 year old boy has been a little victimized by the title of the story. Granted, it's Ireland so pretty much anything goes.

Eveline

"She knew the air Strange that it should come that very night to remind her of the promise to her mother, her promise to keep the home together as long as she could."

My small group decided that the theme for this story could be: "Irish people are afraid of the unknown and don't like change". It makes total sense, right? Well, I think it does. Eveline lives in a basically terrible home. Her mother and favorite brother are dead. Her other brother never visits. Her dad is abusive. I know that she promised her mother to keep the house together, but I think it's already broken up. Not that I'd advise to go to Buenos Aires with this random man. I think she should move out first of all. She needs a place of her own. Somewhere that doesn't evoke painful memories with every glance. She's torturing herself by finding excuses to stay at home, but I also don't think she'd be happy in Buenos Aires. I think Eveline should slowly begin to make her own life for herself. If I were to put myself in her shoes, I would want to leave. Maybe not to a far away, foreign land, but to somewhere new. I think that would be the smartest decision for Eveline to begin a road to happiness.

A Worn Path

"Then Phoenix was like an old woman begging a dignified forgiveness for waking up frightened in the night." -Eudora Welty

My first guess as to why Phoenix was a little on the strange side was that she was blind. She seemed to be struggling to walk and she spoke to her surroundings. I figured I'd give her the benefit of the doubt before I just wrote her off as crazy. But she wasn't blind, because she could see certain landmarks during her journey, according to the narrator. I do think Phoenix was a little bit crazy, just because of the way she talked and acted. However, I think she was senile possibly due to Alzheimer's?  Also, she was being driven by a love for her sick grandson. That motive was not revealed until the end; she didn't even remember why she was going into town until she was reminded. Phoenix reminds me of Mama Odie from Princess and the Frog. Mama Odie is blind (yes, I know that Phoenix isn't) and she is a little bit crazy at first glance. After a while we learn that she has great intentions to help the Prince and Tiana that are revealed after a wonderful, typical Disney musical number. 

Miss Brill - Climax

"But to-day she passed the baker's by, climbed the stairs, went into the little dark room–her room like a cupboard–and sat down on the red eiderdown. She sat there for a long time. The box that the fur came out of was on the bed. She unclasped the necklet quickly; quickly, without looking, laid it inside." - Katherine Mansfield 

This passage is the climax of the short story, Miss Brill. During the story, Miss Brill just wants to be accepted by her community. It's clear that she is not originally from the  town she's currently living in. After her weekly trip to the park to listen to music and attempt to socialize, she usually gets a pastry and hopes for an almond. After hearing a couple who was obviously young and in love make fun of her, which was what she desperately wanted to avoid, she was heartbroken. That's why she skipped her trip to the baker's. The resolution - which I've learned does not mean everything is solved or happy - comes shortly after. Miss Brill takes off her fur; the fur was the only thing connecting her to her peers in the park. When she took of the fur, she came to the realization that she would never fit into that community. No matter what she wore or where she went, she would be the English teacher living in a foreign land.

Once Upon A Time - Situational Irony

"For when they began to live happily ever after they were warned, by that wise old witch, the husband’s mother, not to take on anyone off the street." - Nadine Gordimer

The family in this story was warned again the dangers of strangers. They head the witch's (mother-in-law's) advice to never take anyone in off the streets. They are scared to death of robbers and other any other bad thing that could happen to their home. Throughout the whole story they add on more and more things; since they have never personally been robbed, I think they are doing this to follow their neighbors. They are somewhat paranoid when it comes to protecting their house. In all of this protection, they get too caught up to realize it could harm their family members. It's to be expected that the "concentration camp" style barbed wire would ultimately keep the family safe; however, their son gets tangled up in the wire and dies. This ends a children's story that is not really a children's story at all. This is a depressing, morbid story written by a stubborn, scared writer. 

Hunter's In The Snow - Kenny

"'Now look, Kenny,' Frank said, 'it's no use whining about being cold if you're not going to try and keep warm. You've got to do your share.'" - Frank, Hunter's in the Snow pg. 197

I absolutely hated Kenny in the beginning of this story. He was being arrogant and rude. When he shot the farmer's dog, I thought I was going to throw my book. You can't just shot dogs?!? Then things began to unfold and my opinion changed - mainly due to sympathy. He was doing the old farmer a favor by shooting the dog. Granted, he should have told his friends to avoid confusion and the whole ordeal, but still Tub overreacted. He was then left in the bed of a truck to die! That's not okay; no matter what a person has done. Frank and Tub spend time complaining about issues that are completely self-made and could be avoided, while their friend is at risk of losing his life. Then they took a "different turn". Not a wrong turn, a different turn. I think they knew Kenny was going to die, and they just didn't care. It's safe to say that my opinion changed. At the end, I felt sorry for Kenny having to be friends with such huge idiots who have no regard for their friend's life.

Everyday Use - Dee's Contradiction

"'She'd probably be backward enough to put them to everyday use.'" - Dee, Everyday Use pg. 180

Dee returns home as a walking contradiction. She changed her name to be more authentic African, since she's trying to get in touch with her heritage. However, she completely disowns her family's African American heritage. She thinks her sister will put to good use the quilts that her ancestors have made. It's almost a metaphor for her life. She wants to embrace her heritage in her own way, but she doesn't accept other people's views. She is also only doing all of that at her convenience. She only cares about her family when she feels like it. That is why I am not a huge fan of her character. No one truly embrace who they are unless they know about their past- true. BUT, they also have to take into consideration their childhood, family, home, and simply their experience of growing up. For that reason, Dee is being hypocritical. Her mother has a right to be fed up with her after listening to her disown her family name, but then act as though she's supreme because of her "authentic African-ness".

Bartleby - Allusion

" 'Eh!- He's asleep, ain't he?' 'With kings and counselors,' murmured I." - Bartleby the Scrivener

“For now I would have lain down and been quiet; 

I would have slept then, I would have been at rest, 

With kings and with counselors of the earth, 

Who rebuilt ruins for themselves;" - Job 3:13-14

That is the verse that the narrator was alluding to. I think the narrator was saying that Bartleby did this to himself, but he didn't know why. The narrator believed that he was being hard on himself, just as Job was in the Bible. Death was the happiest place that Bartleby could have been, which is why he starved himself. The narrator had an odd sympathy for Bartleby which I still don't understand. This sympathy caused the narrator to feel a sense of peace when Bartleby dies. It's as if he were a very sick (which in the mind, he was) person whose family is waiting for them to be out of their misery. This allusion to the Bible would make more sense to someone who was familiar with the story, but it still is understandable to people who have no knowledge of the Bible.

Turkey and Nippers - Direct Characterization

"In truth they were nicknames mutually conferred upon each other by my three clerks, and were deemed expressive of their respective persons or characters." - Bartleby the Scrivener pg. 644

Turkey is described by the narrator, his boss, as a short and somewhat older man. He somewhat resembled a turkey. Halfway through the day, he would get drunk after working diligently through the morning. The narrator says how he was "a most valuable person" in the office. Turkey was a sloppy drunk with a bad temper in the afternoon, but Nippers made up for that. Nippers is ambitious, but he he only works hard during the later half of the day. Nippers is almost too ambitious; he sulks all morning about having to work for the lawyer. I think the narrator doesn't fire the 2 workers because he really enjoys settling for average, actually, I think he settles for below average. Anything goes with him as long as the work is done. Turkey and Nippers are unprofessional, but since they do a minimal amount of work the lawyer doesn't fire them. Don't even get me started on his attitude toward Bartleby. 

I think it's a little strange that when you google the word turkey this (the national flag of Turkey) is what the first image is. You learn something new every day.

A Rose For Emily

"So the next day we all said, 'She will kill herself'; and we said it would be the best thing" - narrator, A Rose For Emily

The narrator of this story is simply telling the town gossip about Emily. I feel sorry for her. She sits in her house, trying to stay away from the cruel people, and yet they say awful things like that. What makes them think that everything she does have some psychotic ulterior motive. Maybe she does, but they can't go around telling people unless they know for sure. Maybe she just wants to be weird all by herself; she never asked them to read in to every move she makes. If I were her I would feel disrespected and very angry. She probably could not care less, but I still don't think that gives them any right to say things about her personal life. This story may as well be told in a hair salon while nosy middle aged women sip lemonade.

A Rose For Emily = Bathilda Bagshot

"When we saw Emily next, she had grown fat and her hair was turning grey." - narrator, A Rose For Emily

Emily immediately reminded me of Bathilda Bagshot from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (when she's actually a cover up for Voldemort's snake, Nagini) by the creepy way she acted. She seemed to evade people, just as Bathilda did when she wasn't actually herself. The real Bathilda was dead, and I think the real Emily partially died when her father died. She had a terrible time letting people go, which is why she held on to Homer's dead body until her death. She just crept around town and around her house. Granted, she never had a giant snake jump out of her body as Bathilda did. Other than that, the two are strikingly similar in my mind. 


I sincerely hope you all watch this clip. If you didn't scroll back up and click play. Much appreciated.

How I Met My Husband - Suspense

"So I said yes, and I went out with him for two years and he asked me to marry him, and we were engaged a year more while I got my things together, and then we did marry."- Edie Carmichael 

This story builds on the fact that you don't know who Alice marries. The whole story seems like she is being sort of courted - although I thought it was kind of creepy and pedophile-y - by Chris Watters. Then the suspense of whether or not he would write began to build. I didn't think he would, but I was waiting to be proved wrong. I wasn't. Then this other man comes in to the picture and all of the sudden the long, drawn out explanations are gone. It happens quickly without any real suspense. The story thrives on the suspense of the relationships present, but then it abruptly ends. Edie describes the whole Chris incident very detailed, as if it were a very important moment in her life. Yet when she talks about her marriage, she tells it nonchalantly. This leads me to believe she isn't too enthralled with married life, or her husband. I think she was still hung up on Chris.

Interpreter of Maladies - Irony

 "And so the doctor asked me to work in his office, interpreting what the patients say." - Mr. Kapasi

The irony leads to the conflict in this story. Mrs. Das thinks the tour guide's job as an interpreter means he can solve people's problems. Truthfully, he's just a translator. This leads to Mrs. Das being very friendly with Mr. Kapasi, because she wants her problem solved. This made Mr. Kapasi think falsey of her actions; he thought she had feelings for him. I think it was a mistake on both accounts. Mrs. Das was being rude to her husband, which didn't help her attitude, and made a stupid mistake, but Mr. Kapasi also let his mind wander too much. The irony in the story amplifies a small misunderstanding. 

Edward

"The world is large, let them beg throw life, For them never more will I see, O." - Anonymous

I decided to blog about this poem since it kind of confused me, but I ended up laughing for about 10 minutes before doing this. I didn't want to get my book off the table so I could quote the poem, so I googled Edward poem. It was only after reading the first page of sources that I realized how many Twilight obsessed people there are in the world. One of the comments on a poem I clicked on read "HA!!!!!! i LOVE this! edward...is the BOMB-SHIZ! lol. that is an amazing poem babe." High quality writing, right there.

Now on to my actual analysis/confusion with the poem. I realize that Edward killed his father and is now preparing to flee, but I'm not sure about the last stanza. The whole condemning-his-mother thing caught me off guard. For some reason I read this thinking that Edward was a prince and his parents were the king and queen. His mom wants him to stay with his "towers and... halls". I think she realizes that he committed a crime, but their kingdom needs them. He has a family to think about. She also wants him to stay to inherit the throne.

Elegy for My Father, Who Is Not Dead - Metaphor

"I see myself on deck, convinced his ship’s gone down, while he’s convinces I’ll see him standing on the dock and waving, shouting, Welcome back." - Andrew Hudgins

I saw the title of this poem and thought, "Score! The word elegy is in the title. That's one lit. term I don't have to worry about finding to blog about." WRONG. I don't really consider this an elegy. Although I already wrote 3 literary analysis blogs, I figured one more won't do any harm. This poem ends with a metaphor that's really quite profound and touching. The son doesn't feel ready to die, but his father is looking forward to the newest adventure of eternity. The speaker's father is convinced that there is eternal life that is perfect. The son thinks "he’ll wrap me in his arms and laugh, the way he did when I arrived on earth". This is support for how much this father loves and wants to be with his son after death. He firmly believes they will meet again, and that is why he is not afraid of death. This metaphor solidifies that belief as well. The comparison of the sinking ship to death really helps to illustrate the different views being presented.

Delight in Disorder - Paradox

"A sweet disorder in the dress Kindles in clothes a wantonness; A lawn about the shoulders thrown Into a fine distraction" - Robert Herrick

This poem is full of paradoxes. The title of the poem is the first one, Delight in Disorder. Disorder is not usually something that people are overjoyed about. I guess if you look at entropy in the universe it's a good thing (excuse my nerdy chemistry reference), but other than that disorder is somewhat frowned upon. It's also called "sweet" in the first line. The clothing that is being discussed is what is so disheveled and crazy, but I think this is an extended metaphor for life. Check that out - 2 lit. terms in 1 blog! The "fine distraction" caused by the disarray of clothes shows a "wild civility". These paradoxes are all representative of not only of the costume in the poem, but our crazy journey through life. Life may get confusing and topsyturvy (I swear it's a word, I looked it up) sometimes, but that's what makes it so amazing. We never know what will happen next, so that element of surprise keeps us on our feet. That's the delightfulness in all of the disorder.

Lonely Hearts - Repetition (#15)

"Can someone make my simple wish come true? Do you live in North London? Is it you?" - Wendy Cope

These two lines are repeated separately at the end of every other stanza. They are mimicking the Personals section in a newspaper. This repetitions shows the longing and desperation that exudes from the people writing the adds. The personalities represented are all so different. It furthers the idea that everyone is different, and all people have unique traits that they are hoping others share. The repetition of asking for "my simple wish" to come true shows that the speaker, or I guess writer in this case, doesn't think they are asking much. They simply wish to find someone who shares similar interest. This repetition makes the reader wonder if there really is a soul mate out there for everyone. Although I do think that's true, I don't know if they're all found in North London. 

Death, be not Proud - Personification

"Death, be not proud, though some have called thee Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so" - John Donne

This poem personifies death in order to degrade it. The speaker is basically yelling at death; telling it how weak and powerless it is in his life. Death is not something to be feared. It is a "slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men". There are so many things in life, according to the speaker, that are more important and worthwhile than death. The personification of death throughout the poem helps the speaker to deal with the inevitability of dying. Since the man has faith, he doesn't feel the need to debate with death. It will "be no more; death, thou shalt die". It's basically a threat to death. The title itself is warning death to not be proud, because it really has nothing to be proud about. After hearing this, death should have little to no self confidence; it was pretty harsh.

The Apparation

"I rather thou shouldst painfully repent, Than by my threatenings rest still innocent." - John Donne

I don't have any idea if I know what this poem is actually saying, but the questions in the book helped a little. I'm going to do my best; I may be wrong, but I'll find that out later. The speaker seems to be imagining if he were to die. He would leave the earth and his lover would be alone. I think he wishes that if this were to happen she would mourn his death and not move on. He wishes that if he came back he would not see her in another man's arms. I think this is pretty selfish of the speaker. He basically wants her to live her life as if he were alive, but never get to see him. That's unfair to her. But it's a possibility he suspects that she is cheating on him, which is what brings about this wish to be a ghost in the first place. If that's the case, then he wants her to just confess and ask for forgiveness instead of him going through trouble to prove her unfaithfulness. 

Hazel Tells LaVerne

"well I screams ya little green pervert an i hitsm with my mop an has ta flush the toilet down three times" - Katharyn Howd Machan

I think this picture pretty much sums up the poem. Up until Princess Tiana actually gave in a kissed the frog, this poem was spot on with The Princess and the Frog! Hazel hits the frog with a mop; Tiana hits the frog with a book. They're very similar. I honestly thought she was going to kiss the frog and something miraculous and royal was going to happen. It was such a letdown to keep reading to find out she wasn't going to be a princess. I guess I watch too many Disney movies. I feel like I can't analyze this poem though. It seems just like a normal story that one lady is telling to another while they get their hair done at the salon. Maybe the ending can be analyzed? She seems to reconsider the whole crazy idea when she says "me a princess". Maybe she looked back and wished she would have at least tried. Who knows, maybe Hazel could've been the next Princess Tiana.

My Mistress' Eyes - Satire

"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare."

The first time I read the poem I was kind of offended on behalf of whoever Shakespeare was speaking to. I then realized it was mocking the typical lovey-dovey poems we're used to hearing about. I honestly didn't expect this out of Shakespeare, but I enjoyed it nonetheless. He is basically telling the truth while shooting down sappy, romantic similes and metaphors other poets had used. No one can honestly say their lover's eyes are "like the sun", because they are just eyes. Their lover cannot be a goddess, because she is clearly human. All of these are lies that have been told to women in the past as flattery - that works. Shakespeare continues on and makes a great point at the end of the poem. He says that his love is unique and true, but it does not need to be represented by these cliches. Shakespeare hints that women do not need to look like flowers or the sun in order to be beautiful, because that is impossible. He simply wants to let his lover know how he truly feels without having to make up ridiculous comparisons that really make no sense. 

Just in case you didn't want to reread the poem, you can listen to Daniel Radcliffe read it instead!

Dover Beach - Imagery

"Ah, love, let us be true to one another! for the world, which seems to lie before us like a land of dreams, so various, so beautiful, so new, hath really neither joy, nor love, nor light, nor certitude, nor peace, nor help for pain" - Matthew Arnold

The questions in the booked helped me tremendously with this poem. The imagery clearly suggests the speaker is near a beach right around dusk. I can picture the tide rolling in and out and the mist flowing through the air. The aspect of faith that enters the poem around line 21 dominates the last 2 stanzas. The speaker is referencing the problems in the world and how faith seems to not be as important. It was once a top priority, but now it's just faded into the distance. The speaker has no remedy for the world's problems. Nothing could possibly solve everything that's gone wrong. The poem began with such a calm tone, but it soon became somewhat depressing and dark. The mention of "the eternal note of sadness" really just puts a damper on the beautiful beach images that were entering my mind.

Getting Out - simile

"Finally locked into blame, we paced that short hall, heaving words like furniture." - Cleopatra Mathis

This simile is comparing words thrown out in the heat of an argument to furniture being heaved. Just as furniture is heavy and bothersome to move (trust me, my mom is obsessed with rearranging), the words the fighting couple says to each other are sometimes tough to say. I think this couple tries to work things out, but they are just not meant to be. They have "matching eyes and hair" which I believe means that they are far too similar to have a working marriage. I pictured this couple as one that is blissfully in love for the beginning of the relationship, but then it takes a drastic turn where fighting seems constant. The poem starts off talking about getting out of the house during a fight, but it ends with getting out of the relationship. Although their breakup seemed messy and angry, I think the couple tries to regain some semblance of a friendship. The woman speaking still has feelings for the man since she's "startled by men who look like [him]". This poem was very realistic of so many relationships today when they couple is in love until things get tough, then they realize that friendship is much easier.

Mr. Z

"Disclaimed kinship with jazz and spirituals; chose prudent, raceless views of each situation." - M. Carl Holman

The last question about this poem in the book reads "What is Mr. Z's color?". I think Mr. Z is African American. The text supports this in multiple places, beginning with the first line. The speaker references how Mr. Z was taught that his mother's skin was wrong. After learning about the civil rights movement during my entire school career, African American was the first race that popped into my mind. Saying that Mr. Z didn't want associated with "jazz and spirituals" didn't really disconnect him with his heritage in my mind; it simply meant that he wanted to be more than just an African American. He didn't want to be labelled. The reference to "cornbread, yams, and collards" also hinted at the African American culture. The poem's 4th stanza is about Mr. Z's success, but it's not always positive. He defied stereotypes and became "one of the most distinguished members of his race". That ironic statement contrasted everything the poem had said up until the end. Mr. Z didn't want to be defined by his race, but in the end that's exactly what happened.

APO 96225 - Situational Irony

"So after a while, the young man wrote, 'Dear Mom, sure rains here a lot.'" - Larry Rottmann

I literally laughed out loud when I read this poem. Well...actually, I chuckled to myself, because it was silent in class and it would've been awkward if I laughed out loud. I really did enjoy this poem. The situational irony in it was priceless. I'm sure the mother of the soldier in Vietnam did want to know some details, but she couldn't handle the truth. It's not that the son was lying to his mother, he simply left out all the gory details that no one really knew about. I can just imagine the son trying to avoid the topic in his letters, but eventually he gave in. I think his mother was waiting for a letter that gave a few details about the war or the people he was facing, but his comments were unexpected. This relates to how the American public felt about the war. They wanted to know everything that was happening in Vietnam, but when they found out they wished they had never asked. 

Sorting Laundry - Metaphor

"Folding clothes, I think of folding you into my life." -Elisavietta Ritchie

The speaker is comparing the love of her life to laundry. Romantic, right? This metaphor sort of explains the entire poem. The speaker clearly has many memories with this man. I'm not exactly sure if he left or if he died, but I do know that the speaker misses him. As she physically folds clothes, she is thinking of this man and the impact he had on her life. This relates to the metaphor used at the end of the poem that says "a mountain of unsorted wash could not fill the empty side of the bed". No matter how much she reminisces, she will never have anything that could fill the void left by this person. That comparison of a mountain to a pile of clothes is also an overstatement, or hyperbole. I think the speaker is kind of blowing everything out of proportion; she might have finally gone a little insane. I didn't know someone could make so many comparisons between clothing and relationships.

Batter my heart, three-personed God - Symbol

"Yet dearly I love you and would be loved fain, But am betrothed unto your enemy" - John Donne

I can't tell if this poem is being serious or sarcastic. I'm going to take it as if it was written seriously; I think it was written as a prayer. The symbolism in the poem mainly represents sin and forgiveness. The "heart" that's being battered and the "enemy" the speaker is fighting both represent sin. The speaker is asking God to lead him away from sin, but he/she knows how difficult that is going to be. The verbs "breathe", "shine", and "burn", mentioned in the beginning of the poem, represent the Holy Spirit. I'm not sure how people who aren't religious are supposed to understand the poem. It's obvious to me that the Holy Spirit breathed life into the apostles and then appeared to them as burning fire, but not everyone knows that. Maybe that means I'm completely wrong? 

Barbie Doll - Satire

"Then in the magic of puberty, a classmate said: You have a great big nose and fat legs."- Marge Piercy

This poem is satirical in a way that isn't ridiculously difficult to understand, which I appreciate. The excerpt above is very ironic. It's clear that no one thinks that puberty is magical, especially not when they're going through it. The problems the girl in the poem deals with isn't uncommon by any means, however, the way she handled the situation was a bit drastic. I think the poem is saying that she committed suicide, which furthers the satire by showing the extreme lengths that people go to in order to fit the "perfect Barbie" mold that society wants. The girl is most like a Barbie Doll when she is lying in her casket. This really forces readers to see the negative effects of our society's obsession with perfection. I think this poem makes people rethink how they view perfection or just self confidence in general.

Aren't these Barbie Dolls awesome?!?!

I taste a liquor never brewed

"When Butterflies-renounce their "drams"- I shall but drink the more!" - Emily Dickinson

I would love to start by directing your attention back to the picture above. It is totally awesome, especially because this poem specifically talks about a "drunken Bee". Granted, none of the things in this poem should be taken literally. Which brings me to my actual point. This extended metaphor compares alcoholic intoxication with the intoxication of nature's beauty. The speaker feels that the air, dew, bees, butterflies, and nature in general give off a comparable thrill and excitement as alcohol. The more the speaker sees in the beautiful land surrounding him/her, the more enthralled they become. This drunkenness stems from beauty, but  is set to the extreme of liquor. Dickinson seems to enjoy giving hints on how to analyze her poems in the titles. From the beginning, the speaker say the liquor they're speaking about has never been brewed. That's because no one can brew nature; it's not alcohol. Nature is something almost magical that can intoxicate one's soul.

The Joy of Cooking

"I will have my brother's heart, which is firm and rather dry" - Elaine Magarrell

Soooo far from what this poem is about.

I understand certain aspects of this poem better than others. The first stanza is referencing the speaker's sister, but not in the way mention. Which I guess makes this an ironic poem - saying one this and meaning another, right? I think the speaker was envious of their sister's personality, because they are not as outgoing and well-spoken. And judging by this poem, they also seem a little bitter toward their relatives. 

The second stanza clearly refers to the brother, and even more specifically this time, his heart. I think is is less ironic and more symbolic than the first stanza. The speaker states that her brother's heart is "firm and rather dry", and that it would "need[s] an apple-onion stuffing to make it interesting at all". I'm sensing a little jealousy here. 

Toads - Metaphor

"Why should I let the toad work Squat on my life?" - Philip Larkin

At some point in our lives we've all had this negative outlook about work at some point in our lives. Just as we all do, the speaker realizes that work is inevitable at indeed is what "dreams are made on". Now scroll down to the bottom of this paragraph and watch the video for the song "Hey Now" from the Lizzie McGuire movie. It'll make sense if you listen. Now back to toads. This negativity the author has toward this toad of work pushes him as far as to contemplate the lives of the homeless. There's irony in the statement "no on actually starves", because I think the speaker knows fully that people do starve. The speaker soon realizes how lucky they are to have work.

The attitude toward this toad changes abruptly into something that seems almost positive. I believe the idea of work almost nags at the speaker's thoughts. "And will never allow me to blarney my way to getting the fame and the girl and the money all at one sitting." This toad won't allow him/her to get to materialistic, but only to work hard to get what is needed. I think we all need a little of the second toad in our lives.

February - Paradox

"But it's love that does us in." - Margaret Atwood

Saying that this poem was strange is the understatement of this unit. However, despite the oddities in this poem, I  found truth in this paradox stated above. The speaker is saying how easy life would be if love had never entered the picture, when almost everyone else on earth feels that love is the greatest attribute we possess. People complain about their love lives all of the time, but in the end they know it's all worth it. Finding that perfect someone is what life's all about right? This paradox functions to reverse the common thought about love and all of its grandeur, which in turn makes readers realize how truly wonderful love can be. It sets us apart from the cats and sharks in our world. But it love's not really your thing, this poem is sure to have something that is! The last lines, "Get ride of death. Celebrate increase. Make it be spring." should surely put a smile on your face. 


I can't even post a picture to go with this blog, because it would be disturbing no matter what part of the poem I focused on.

Dream Deferred - Simile

"What happens to a dream deferred? Does it dry up like a raisin?" - Langston Hughes

It's raisin man!

This poem is bursting with similes. There are 6 similes in an 11 line poem - that's impressive. I think the main point the speaker is trying to get across is that dreams are on the verge of being indescribable. The speaker tries their best to put a dream into words, but all the have is questions. I think the speaker is talking about past experiences, or dreams, that he/she had. Maybe a dream that faded away, or a bitter dream that was never reached, were the meaning behind the harsh comparisons. When the speaker says "does it explode?", I think there could very well be two meanings behind that. On one hand, it could be positive; the dream became a reality. On the other hand, it could very well be negative; the dream absorbed the speaker's entire life to a point where it was overwhelming. I guess that's why the first question is "what happens to a dream deferred?", because no one truly knows.

The Panther

"As he paces in cramped circles, over and over, 

the movement of his powerful soft strides 

is like a ritual dance around a center 

in which a mighty will stands paralyzed." 

- Rainer Maria Rilke

This poem confused me, as is the norm for me with a lot of literature at first. At first glance I thought this poem was about a panther in captivity. After discussing with my small group, we all decided that the poem must have meant a little something more than just simply a panther. Our best analysis ended up being that Rilke was telling the story of a prisoner on death row. It makes sense if you think about it. The "panther" starts out behind bars, shut out from the world. The powerful yet vulnerable creature paces in circles trying to accept its fate. After calmly awaiting his/her fate, the prisoner's muscles go tense and he/she dies. Honestly, that makes a  lot of sense in my mind because I was a part of the thought process that came up with the group explanation, but I don't know if it will make sense to other people. Does it?

The Convergence of the Twain

"...Or sign that they were bent By paths coincident On being anon twin halves of one august event," - Thomas Hardy

I think the "twin halves" the speaker focus on are symbolic of a few different things, some of which are probably not right.

• The most obvious- the actual halves of the sinking ship. The Titanic hit an iceberg and literally was split in two halves. One half sank slowly until the other half was basically 90 degrees from the water. It then plummeted under the water following the other half of the boat.
• It could mean the iceberg that the Titanic struck. The whole crisis could have been averted if the captain of the ship would have realized the iceberg he saw had a "twin half" underneath the water. That's what the ship really hit, and that's the real reason the ship sank. 
• It could also refer to the night of the sinking. The beginning of the night was bustling and people were having a grand time, just like any other night. Then drastically, the night turned into disorder. The second half of the night was still busy, but in an unexpectedly terrible way. 

Those Winter Sundays

"No one ever thanked him." - Robert Hayden

Question #6 on the handout states: "What is the central purpose of the poem, the poet's fictional point?" This poem is about misunderstanding and later regretting that. The speaker was always timid about their father, thinking he was angry and scary. Looking back, they realized he was simply tired from working so hard to provide for his family. While reminiscing, the author realized they did not treat their father with the respect he deserved. I think the dark and bleak imagery relates back to the purpose that the speaker feels bad for how they mistreated their father. The speaker's words echo the idea that they are filled with regret as they look back on their past. They seem almost ashamed of the way they treated their father, who worked so hard to provide for his family.

I felt a Funeral, in my Brain

"And then a Plank in Reason, broke, And I dropped down, and down" - Emily Dickinson

I interpreted this poem as and extended metaphor. I think it clearly shows the stages of a funeral, but not how I'd expect. It begins with the mourners getting seating and the service beginning, then the casket is carried out, and finally it is lowered into the ground. All of this happens without any mention of sight. This poem relies heavily on sound words, which leads me to believe that it's not really physically happening. I believe the speaker is internally conflicted to the point where they are literally going insane. They are not imagining their own physical funeral, but instead the death of their sanity and reason. The quote I began this blog entry with is the final breaking point in the speaker's mind. After he/she was "buried" there was no way to regain what had been lost. I think the title of the poem is the first indicator that this funeral is internal; it clearly states "in my Brain". 

"Spring" - allusion

"A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning In Eden garden. - Have, get, before it cloy." - Gerard Manley Hopkins

Hopkins relates the innocence and new beginning of Spring to the garden of Eden. This reference immediately grabbed my attention, probably because I've known for the story of Adam and Eve basically my whole life. The descriptions Hopkins uses do indeed represent Spring very well, but the image of the garden of Eden bursting with life and lush green plants was most effective in my mind. I think he used this allusion for that reason exactly. There's nothing more pure and beautiful than the perfect oasis of Eden, which is exactly the point he was trying to prove. I think Hopkins might be comparing the innocence of children to this garden and springtime as well. I'm not 100% sure, but that's what I am getting from this.  Just as the garden was once perfect, the minds of boys and girls begin untainted by real life. Only after they begin to learn and adapt to their new environment are they no longer able to be considered innocent or untouched, just as Adam and Eve were no longer allowed in paradise after they sinned.

Perrine article

"Some interpretations do make more sense than others. More than one meaning may be valid, but not just any meaning can be."

I guess I'll start with the things I fully agree with (the 2 sentences above being one of those things). Perrine stated multiple times how poetry is more than just what the reader thinks is happening, although that does account for something. He talks about how "interpretation is acceptable which lies within that area", which makes perfect sense to me. I know that some people will adamantly say that poetry is 100% open to interpretation and that the reader's opinion is really all that matters, and I used to think like that simply because I'd never read real poetry. After reading 4 poems and being completely wrong about all of them, I realized that being guided in the correct direction of thinking is probably better than just going with the obvious. People who think that every interpretation of poetry is valid can continue to think that, but I disagree. A highly educated English professor or an actual published poet has a lot more knowledge and experience to back up their opinions than me, a 17 year old who's just trying to understand a simply Emily Dickinson poem. 

Although Perrine brings up a few points I agree with, there's also quite a few that I disagree with. His 2 criteria for interpreting poetry make sense, but I don't think they're always valid. He says that the best interpretation is the most logical one; I think that's completely false. Some poems are meant to be riddles, they're supposed to make you think. That's what makes poetry so difficult. He also compares poetry to science, which I think is very irrelevant and doesn't really make any sense to me. There's not much else I completely disagree with, it is more that I didn't realize how "wrong" I was. The 4 poems we were assigned to interpret made sense, I thought. I have a whole new perspective on poetry after reading this article. Perrine helped me to understand that there are multiple interpretations sometimes, but there are also limits to those interpretations. I think with a little guidance and a lot of hints, I will learn to actually enjoy reading/deciphering poetry.

Final Reaction

"I lost Ruth, then I lost Tommy, but I won't lose my memories of them." - pg. 286

I figured you can listen to this song while you read my blog.

First I'm going to attempt to answer all of the questions I had at the beginning of the book.

1. What is a carer, recovery center, and donor (in relation to the book). The carers take care of the donors at the recovery center. That was common sense, I don't know why I didn't know.
2. What is so important about creativity in this society? It proved that they had souls.
3. Is Hailsham simply a school, or is it more than that? It's more. It's a place that basically raised clones that would be used for donation of organs.
4. Does Tommy have something wrong with him other than the fact that he doesn't have to be creative if he doesn't want to? No. Tommy is awesome.
5. Did Kathy realize there was something strange about their school, kind of how Bernard realized there was something strange about the World State in Brave New World? Yes and no. She knew more than some people, but she didn't have everything figured out. No one did.
6. What do they have against last names? They're not really coming from a family, so I think the last initial is just kind of there.

Now to my reaction. I genuinely like this book a lot! It had more of an actual, relatable plot to it than Brave New World. I also really enjoyed that it was a love story. I'm just all around happy with this book. The ending was somewhat sad, but most good books are sad at times. It makes it so much better!

Tommy = my favorite

"'Maybe I did know, somewhere deep down. Something the rest of you didn't.' " - pg. 275

Tommy is seriously my favorite character. He is so in love with Kathy and I think he knows that things aren't ever going to be perfect. It sort of breaks my heart. When it comes down to it, they're clones that will never get to live a full and happy life. I can see how the entire argument that's basically Team Emily or Team Lucy is very tough to pick a side for, but I am strongly going to agree with Miss Lucy. I know that Miss Emily and Madame were trying their hardest to give the students normal lives, but they did nothing to prepare them for the time when they left school. They were simply left alone to be used by other people. It would be nice to actually be aware of that before it happens in my opinion. Personally, I think cloning is a topic that I'm not even sure I can take a stance on yet. I realize it's creepy and very unfair to the actual clones, but if there was a way to make just the actual organs, not full humans, I'd be less hesitant. People's opinions change when they are affected personally by a disease that could've possible been cured. There are multiple different views in this novel, and I think I'll stick with Miss Lucy although I don't agree 100% at all. 

Kathy the Protagonist and... Miss Emily?!

"But now she was there in front of me, most of what I'd prepared seemed either unnecessary or completely wrong." - pg. 252

I needed to blog about one more literary term, so I'll briefly discuss how Kathy is the clear protagonist in this novel. She is the driving force behind everything that happens. Whether it is a quarrel with Ruth, an in depth talk with Tommy, or just standing up for someone at Hailsham, Kathy is the center of this entire novel. She even keeps Tommy in line when they go to visit Madame in this chapter. Ishiguro's writing leading up to the end of chapter 21 is incredible. I was trying to read and comprehend so quickly so I could figure out what was going on. I practically felt like I was sitting in a dark room with that nagging feeling that someone is watching me. I am still in shock a little that Miss Emily is the one in the shadows. I have no idea why she's there, but I don't think it's good, because Madame seems to feel awful for whatever is going to unfold. 

Kathy and Tommy

"We'd been thinking about the deferrals, the theory about the Gallery, all of it, for so long - and now, suddenly, here we were." - pg. 244

I called it! Not really called, I guess, more just hope for it! Kathy and Tommy are finally together. There's still 3 chapters left in this book, and if anything depressing happens I will be very upset. They've literally waited their entire lives to be together. They're best friends, and now they finally get the chance to be a couple. As much as I love the 2 of them together, I understand where Kathy is coming from when she talks about the feeling that it's too late. Most of these situations happened at Hailsham or the Cottages, but now they're out in the real world. I think I'll choose to ignore that feeling right now and hope for the best. Kathy seems to be doing the same. She is so excited right now to visit Madame, and I sincerely hope everything works out. 

Rising Action

"'The main thing is, I kept you and Tommy apart.'" - pg. 232

Ruth finally saw the light! I don't know what made her want to make up for everything she'd done, but she finally redeemed herself. It makes me really happy to know that she died at peace with her and Kathy and Tommy's friendship. All of chapter 19 (it was a very long chapter) seemed like rising action. New developments kept coming up and lots of unexpected things happened. I didn't think. Ruth actually apologized for everything and she also found Madame's address. She turned out to be a truly great friend to Kathy, even though it took quite a few years. Kathy seemed so at peace with Ruth's "completion". I feel like the three of them have grown up so much since the beginning of the novel; their friendship was so much stronger than I expected.

Extended Metaphor

"I though about Hailsham closing, and how it was like someone coming along with a pair of shears and snipping the balloon strings just where they entwined above the man's fist."

This metaphor was awesome! I don't know how people think of things like this! It makes it so much more understandable when something is stated like this. The Hailsham kids had grown up together and they seemed bonded in a way that was very special, but then they're just thrown out into the world to fend for themselves. It really is just like balloons. They have no allegiance to each other after they are released, so the wind takes them in different directions. It doesn't mean some won't end up in the same place, but it also doesn't ensure that some won't end up stranded or get popped. The same thing happens when the Hailsham kids leave the actual school, and it happens on a larger scale when they leave to begin training. Most of them seem fine with this parting, but Kathy doesn't exactly know how to let go. Relating this with the title? Yes, of course!

Symbolism

"'You know, Ruth, we should try and sort it out, what happened the other day." - pg. 199

I think the bus shelters and barns that seem to surround the Cottages are very symbolic. The only problem is that I can't quite decide what exactly they symbolize. They just strike me as a safe place where they go to think and talk, a place where no one gets judged. It's certainty not an oasis or anything like that, because it isn't unreal nor does it guarantee happiness. It's just more of an honest place. Everyone seems to not be afraid to speak their mind there, no matter what the consequences may be. It's kind of like the sacrament of Reconciliation now that I think of it. It's just a place to escape to when you need to talk it out or think about things. With all the judging and petty drama that goes on at the Cottages, Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy need a place like those barns and shelters to get away and be alone. Of course, that's also the place where their friendship virtually broke off, but I think it's just a minor roadblock on their journey.

More Random Thoughts!

"Thats something that came to me years later, and probably wasn't a real option at the time, give the person I was, and they way the three of us were with each other." - pg. 195

Time for more bullet points!

• Ruth has been getting on my nerves lately, and I found yet another thing about her that irks me. She called Tommy sweet boy, sweety gums, and sweety all within about 4 lines of each other. My first thought was "she's so creative with her pet names..." , but then I remember the Jenna Marbles video that's all about awesome pet names. So now I'm just annoyed that Ruth couldn't think of something as wonderful as sparkly cupcake mouse or fluffy marshmallow kitten to call Tommy. He would have been flattered & wowed by her creativity. Double compliment! (I really hope someone who has seen this video reads this blog so it makes a little sense to someone). 
• I find it very odd that Ruth avoided talking about the cassette tape with Kathy. I really hope she doesn't bring it up later and suddenly become very offended. Although, judging by how she's acted thus far, I wouldn't put it past her.
• I think there's a specific hierarchy between the three friends. Ruth is definitely at the top of this a majority of the time. Kathy is a little bit to meek to be in charge, and she knows that. Tommy basically answers to the both of them. They all have unwritten rules with each other and I feel like I'm outside the loop a lot of the time. There friendship confuses me.

Dialect and another AHA! moment

"For the first weeks after we arrived, she made a big deal of it, always putting her arm around Tommy, sometimes snogging him in the corner of a room while other people were still about." - pg. 120

Snogging, rubbish, cottage, "dogs on leads", car parks, and lots of other words and phrases have been used multiple times by the author. If it wasn't clear enough on the first page, where it says "England, late 1990's", then the dialect would give the setting away. The only reason I know what snogging is, is because of Harry Potter (when Ron talks about Ginny and Dean) and the British movie Angus, Thongs, and Perfect Snogging that is on Nickelodeon sometimes. All of these British terms make this book all the more enjoyable, because everything is better when it's foreign! 


Now to my AHA! moment. I didn't think any of this talk about deferrals was true, but apparently it is. Tommy had a stroke of genius when he figured out that Madame's gallery is what reveals people's true soul. I am in shock that he could think of something so deep; he's a lot more intellectual than I thought. The scene when Kathy was dancing with her pillow must have really touched Madame. Too bad she's not in love with anyone. :( I hope there's still time for Tommy to realize he belongs with Kathy!

I don't like where this is going...

"But he had a smile on his face like he didn't expect for one moment to be blamed for anything." - pg. 165

I remember reading this and thinking "wow, Rodney is such a jerk". I don't know if that's what the author intended or not though. He makes Rodney and Chrissie out to be somewhat nice people who are just a little overbearing and annoying sometimes, but other times they are downright rude. They're like the Regina George from Mean Girls. 

She forces people to change their personality and basically controls their social life. That's what  Rodney and Chrissie seem to be doing to Ruth. It's quite aggravating, because Ruth is STILL with Tommy right now. She doesn't strike me as the kind of girl who deserves him. I think Tommy staying in town with Kathy at the end of chapter 14 might be the last straw in the relationship though. I guess I should keep reading and figure it out.

Mood

"A look had appeared in Tommy's eyes that made me catch my breath. It was one I hadn't seem for a long time and that belonged to the Tommy who'd had to be barricaded inside a classroom while he kicked over desks." - p. 155

The general mood from the trip to Norfolk, to my understanding, is an uncomfortable atmosphere where no one is truly acting like themselves. Chrissie and Rodney lied to Ruth about seeing her possible. Ruth is trying so hard to impress them, that she totally disregards Tommy and Kathy's feelings. The entire trip just sounded awkward. It seems like Ruth is that typical girl who wants so badly to be popular that she's willing to treat her real friends like dirt. I don't know why Tommy and Kathy put up with her. She doesn't sound like a good friend at all. 


The whole scene at the restaurant where Ruth basically makes fun of Tommy and Kathy reminds me of a Full House episode. I knew watching that show every day for years would come in handy some day! In the episode, Kimmy Gibbler befriends two older girls who seem so mature. She ditches DJ for them and realizes eventually that they were just using her. I think that's probably what is going to happen to Ruth eventually, if it's not already happening now.