I began reading Invisible Man this past week, and I found that there are a lot of really interesting patterns. It kind of reminds me of Winesburg, Ohio in the way the author connects many different ideas throughout the novel.
One interesting pattern I noticed was the idea of dreams or nightmares. The first time the narrator discusses this is on page 4, when he talks about beating up a man who verbally attacked him. He says, “The man had not seen me, actually; that he, as far as he knew, was in the midst of a walking nightmare!” Later, on page 7, he discusses a nightmare that a beautiful girl kept having where “she lay in the center of a large dark room and felt her face expand until it filled the whole room, becoming a formless mass while her eyes ran in bilious jelly up the chimney.” Again, on page 9, the narrator descends into a dream or nightmare while listening to Louis Armstrong’s music, although this dream is drug-induced which might set it apart from the other dreams. Finally, on page 33, he dreams that he is with his grandfather and he receives a letter that reads, “Keep this nigga-boy running.”
Another pattern I noticed was the animal imagery throughout the novel. Often times, the narrator uses animals to describe human beings. He probably does this in order to highlight the worst, most primal qualities of mankind. On page 19 he describes the naked dancer as a “fair bird-girl,” and on the next page, he describes on of the white men as “an intoxicated panda.” He also compares the room full of white men to “a dark room filled with poisonous cottonmouths,” and the boxing ring full of blindfolded black men to “blind, cautious crabs” and “hypersensitive snails.” On page 26 his blood pools in the shape of a butterfly, an interesting comparison considering butterflies are usually gentle creatures and blood is a symbol of violence. Finally, one of the electrocuted boys is describes as “a circus seal,” on page 27.
Other than animals and dreams, the narrator consistently references eyes, especially as a window to the inner soul. The first page references the “inner eyes” which are “those eyes with which they look through their physical eyes upon reality.” Later, when describing the naked dancer again, he said that, while her face was fixed in a smile, “I saw the terror and disgust in her eyes.” Thus, her eyes give away her true emotions and feelings. Later again, when describing one of the fighters, he says, “his face was a black blank of a face, only his eyes her alive.” These two examples demonstrates mankind’s attempt to conceal their true feelings but their ultimate failure because their eyes give away so much. On page 28, he says the fighter was “looking at me with soberness dead in the eye,” again demonstrating the highly intimate nature of eyes. Finally, on page 33, he says his grandfather’s “eyes seemed to follow everywhere I went.”
Other patterns I noticed where darkness, juxtaposed opposites or oxymorons, boomerangs, dancing, and obviously invisibility.
Monday, January 31, 2011
Monday, January 24, 2011
A Divine Image
A Divine Image
By: William Blake
In his beautifully written poem, Blake pokes fun at the supposed “divine image of human beings.” According to the Bible, God made humans in his image. However, Blake calls the “human heart” cruel and “the human face” jealous. Furthermore, his ample use of fiery imagery suggests that humans appear more like the devil than God. This message is both an insult to God and to humans for their horrid qualities. The following are some literary devices I noticed in the poem.
Anaphora: In the second stanza, Blake begins each line with “The Human,” emphasizing the imperfect rather than “divine” qualities of humanity.
Antistrophe: Each line in the first stanza ends with a reference to “the Human” or “a Human” for a similar reason as above.
Personification: Cruelty, Jealousy, Terror, and Secrecy are all personified in the poem in order to underscore their domination of the human psyche and the problems with human nature.
Alliteration: The speaker references the “fiery Forge” and later uses alliteration by juxtaposing “Face” and “Furnace” as well as “Heart” and “Hungry.”
Homonyms: Many words throughout the poem have various meanings, many of which would fit in the context of the poem. Thus, there are a variety of ways to interpret the meaning of some lines, making areas of the poem very ambiguous. Some homonyms are forged, forge, and gorge.
Connotation: In order to understand Blake’s attack on human nature, people must contemplate the various connotations of “heart,” “Face,” “Form,” “Divine,” and “Dress.” For example, the heart symbolizes love, life, emotions morals, and the core of the human body while divine could reference the heavenly, celestial or the lovely and the excellent. Face could also refer to a façade, a physical appearance, or the five senses.
Irony: The title is ironic because it suggests that humans are in fact made in the image of God, while the body of the poem highlights human corruption. Thus, Blake uses verbal irony to say something he doesn’t truly mean.
Apocope: Blake emits the “e” in “seal’d” probably to reduce the length of the line.
Some notes on structure: The first and third line in the first stanza begin with a dactylic followed by three trochaics and finished by an elision of the unstressed vowel in the final trochaic. The second and the fourth line in the same stanza are similar except their lone, unstressed vowel occurs at the beginning, not the end of the line. All lines in the second stanza are iambic tetrameter, except for the first line which is iambic trimeter followed by a trochee.
Some structural questions:
1. Why would Blake offset the first line in the second stanza with structural oddities?
2. Why do the second and fourth lines of the second stanza rhyme whereas no other lines in the poem rhyme?
3. Why does Blake employ such a structured format? Does it illuminate his purpose in writing the poem?
These are some things I noticed while mapping the poem. If you notice anything else or can answer some of these questions, please say something.
By: William Blake
In his beautifully written poem, Blake pokes fun at the supposed “divine image of human beings.” According to the Bible, God made humans in his image. However, Blake calls the “human heart” cruel and “the human face” jealous. Furthermore, his ample use of fiery imagery suggests that humans appear more like the devil than God. This message is both an insult to God and to humans for their horrid qualities. The following are some literary devices I noticed in the poem.
Anaphora: In the second stanza, Blake begins each line with “The Human,” emphasizing the imperfect rather than “divine” qualities of humanity.
Antistrophe: Each line in the first stanza ends with a reference to “the Human” or “a Human” for a similar reason as above.
Personification: Cruelty, Jealousy, Terror, and Secrecy are all personified in the poem in order to underscore their domination of the human psyche and the problems with human nature.
Alliteration: The speaker references the “fiery Forge” and later uses alliteration by juxtaposing “Face” and “Furnace” as well as “Heart” and “Hungry.”
Homonyms: Many words throughout the poem have various meanings, many of which would fit in the context of the poem. Thus, there are a variety of ways to interpret the meaning of some lines, making areas of the poem very ambiguous. Some homonyms are forged, forge, and gorge.
Connotation: In order to understand Blake’s attack on human nature, people must contemplate the various connotations of “heart,” “Face,” “Form,” “Divine,” and “Dress.” For example, the heart symbolizes love, life, emotions morals, and the core of the human body while divine could reference the heavenly, celestial or the lovely and the excellent. Face could also refer to a façade, a physical appearance, or the five senses.
Irony: The title is ironic because it suggests that humans are in fact made in the image of God, while the body of the poem highlights human corruption. Thus, Blake uses verbal irony to say something he doesn’t truly mean.
Apocope: Blake emits the “e” in “seal’d” probably to reduce the length of the line.
Some notes on structure: The first and third line in the first stanza begin with a dactylic followed by three trochaics and finished by an elision of the unstressed vowel in the final trochaic. The second and the fourth line in the same stanza are similar except their lone, unstressed vowel occurs at the beginning, not the end of the line. All lines in the second stanza are iambic tetrameter, except for the first line which is iambic trimeter followed by a trochee.
Some structural questions:
1. Why would Blake offset the first line in the second stanza with structural oddities?
2. Why do the second and fourth lines of the second stanza rhyme whereas no other lines in the poem rhyme?
3. Why does Blake employ such a structured format? Does it illuminate his purpose in writing the poem?
These are some things I noticed while mapping the poem. If you notice anything else or can answer some of these questions, please say something.
Monday, January 17, 2011
Sylvia Plath's Morning Song
I chose Sylvia Plath’s “Morning Song” for my first poem in the poetry journal. It is an incredibly interesting, seemingly simple, but actually highly complex poem that centers around the birth of an infant and the relationship between that infant and his mother.
The first stanza:
Love set you going like a fat gold watch.
The midwife slapped your footsoles, and your bald cry
Took its place among the elements.
In this first stanza, Plath personifies life in order to depict the creation of this child. I think it is interesting that the creation of the child is compared to a “fat gold watch.” A gold watch is obviously very valuable, so it would appear that the creation of the child is a prized, memorable moment. At the same time, a watch is a simple, material object, thus how could it be compared to something so precious as a child’s birth? This discrepancy requires further analysis to sort out. Furthermore, the image of the watch similarly evokes the image of time. With time in the picture, it is almost as if, when the baby was born, the clock started clicking, and she started losing life immediately. In a less grim picture, you can view the image of time as a symbol of how much life the baby has yet to live.
Continuing into the second stanza:
Our voices echo, magnifying your arrival. New statue.
In a drafty museum, your nakedness
Shadows our safety. We stand round blankly as walls.
This stanza attempts to depict human awe at the birth of the child; however, the imagery creates a very cold, unwelcoming mood. The baby is compared to a “new statue,” something to be put onto display and admired. Yet, when you think about it, statues have no human qualities. They are forced to be perfect, given no chance to experience mistakes, emotion, or change. They are also constantly on display for anyone to critique. It appears that Plath is insinuating that the baby will live his/her life under the critical eye of the world, constantly subject to nit-picking and insults. The idea that the baby’s new home is a “drafty museum,” furthers the idea that those around the statue baby are cold, heartless people. I have difficulty comprehending, “your nakedness/ shadows our safety.” Does shadow mean to cover-up or to mimic? Also, safety in what? Maybe safety in normalcy?
Stanza 3:
I'm no more your mother
Than the cloud that distills a mirror to reflect its own slow
Effacement at the wind's hand.
This stanza continues to evoke a very distressing tone. Plath paints a very ephemeral image, a cloud being pushed away by the wind, as if the relationship between the mother and her child is constantly growing more distant.
Stanza 4/5:
All night your moth-breath
Flickers among the flat pink roses. I wake to listen:
A far sea moves in my ear.
One cry, and I stumble from bed, cow-heavy and floral
In my Victorian nightgown.
Your mouth opens clean as a cat's. The window square
For me, the mood changes dramatically in these stanzas. The speaker, instead of feeling distant from the child, now appears to be connected with it. Although, the child’s cry, when compared to a “far sea,” does appear very distant. Plath depicts a mother, laden with milk in her breast (“cow-heavy”) caring for her distressed child in the early hours of the morning. Presumably, it is this child’s cry that is the morning song.
Stanza 6:
Whitens and swallows its dull stars. And now you try
Your handful of notes;
The clear vowels rise like balloons.
It’s interesting that the only time Plath splits a sentence between two stanzas is between stanzas 5 and 6, although I am not sure the purpose of this enjambment. Here, Plath describes the sun awakening (“The window square/ Whitens and swallows its dull stars”). She describes the breaking of the dawn from the perspective of the child’s room, making the world seem incredibly small.
On a final note, I am still struggling with defining the purpose of the poem. What is Plath really trying to say? To me, it seems like a bitter-sweet message, for she describes some very sentimental moments between a mother and child, but at the same time, she sees a grim future for the child. It almost seems like a comparison between innocence and experience, as in Blake’s poetry.
The first stanza:
Love set you going like a fat gold watch.
The midwife slapped your footsoles, and your bald cry
Took its place among the elements.
In this first stanza, Plath personifies life in order to depict the creation of this child. I think it is interesting that the creation of the child is compared to a “fat gold watch.” A gold watch is obviously very valuable, so it would appear that the creation of the child is a prized, memorable moment. At the same time, a watch is a simple, material object, thus how could it be compared to something so precious as a child’s birth? This discrepancy requires further analysis to sort out. Furthermore, the image of the watch similarly evokes the image of time. With time in the picture, it is almost as if, when the baby was born, the clock started clicking, and she started losing life immediately. In a less grim picture, you can view the image of time as a symbol of how much life the baby has yet to live.
Continuing into the second stanza:
Our voices echo, magnifying your arrival. New statue.
In a drafty museum, your nakedness
Shadows our safety. We stand round blankly as walls.
This stanza attempts to depict human awe at the birth of the child; however, the imagery creates a very cold, unwelcoming mood. The baby is compared to a “new statue,” something to be put onto display and admired. Yet, when you think about it, statues have no human qualities. They are forced to be perfect, given no chance to experience mistakes, emotion, or change. They are also constantly on display for anyone to critique. It appears that Plath is insinuating that the baby will live his/her life under the critical eye of the world, constantly subject to nit-picking and insults. The idea that the baby’s new home is a “drafty museum,” furthers the idea that those around the statue baby are cold, heartless people. I have difficulty comprehending, “your nakedness/ shadows our safety.” Does shadow mean to cover-up or to mimic? Also, safety in what? Maybe safety in normalcy?
Stanza 3:
I'm no more your mother
Than the cloud that distills a mirror to reflect its own slow
Effacement at the wind's hand.
This stanza continues to evoke a very distressing tone. Plath paints a very ephemeral image, a cloud being pushed away by the wind, as if the relationship between the mother and her child is constantly growing more distant.
Stanza 4/5:
All night your moth-breath
Flickers among the flat pink roses. I wake to listen:
A far sea moves in my ear.
One cry, and I stumble from bed, cow-heavy and floral
In my Victorian nightgown.
Your mouth opens clean as a cat's. The window square
For me, the mood changes dramatically in these stanzas. The speaker, instead of feeling distant from the child, now appears to be connected with it. Although, the child’s cry, when compared to a “far sea,” does appear very distant. Plath depicts a mother, laden with milk in her breast (“cow-heavy”) caring for her distressed child in the early hours of the morning. Presumably, it is this child’s cry that is the morning song.
Stanza 6:
Whitens and swallows its dull stars. And now you try
Your handful of notes;
The clear vowels rise like balloons.
It’s interesting that the only time Plath splits a sentence between two stanzas is between stanzas 5 and 6, although I am not sure the purpose of this enjambment. Here, Plath describes the sun awakening (“The window square/ Whitens and swallows its dull stars”). She describes the breaking of the dawn from the perspective of the child’s room, making the world seem incredibly small.
On a final note, I am still struggling with defining the purpose of the poem. What is Plath really trying to say? To me, it seems like a bitter-sweet message, for she describes some very sentimental moments between a mother and child, but at the same time, she sees a grim future for the child. It almost seems like a comparison between innocence and experience, as in Blake’s poetry.
Monday, January 10, 2011
AP Lit Resolutions
So begins another semester in AP Lit, and the class is already in full swing! With a final quote journal for Frankenstein, another poetry journal, an allusion project, and two books on file due, there is no shortage of work to do in AP Lit, but it is definitely not unmanageable. A new semester means better organization and more preparation, or at least that's what we can tell ourselves, and I am going to try my best to follow my new AP Lit Resolutions in order to happily accomplish my assignments painlessly and punctually.
1. One poem a week, with two weeks to do my own personal poem. (I mostly did this last semester, though I did have to finished two poems on the last weekend, and even that was a little much.) If I follow this schedule for the poetry journal, I will finish it before my birthday (March 28 if anyone cares ) and before spring break (because no offense to the poets, but I'd rather not read poetry while on the beach, no matter how handsome the poet). I have even picked out for of the poems I will due and their accompanying critical articles: Morning Song by Sylvia Plath, A Drop fell on the Apple Tree by Emily Dickinson, A Divine Image by William Blake, and Morning at the Window by T.S. Eliot. I am attempting not to show favoritism towards modernist poets, but I may be miserably failing. Please let me know. If it helps any, I plan on choosing a romantic poem for my last one.
2. Blog every week. I pretty much did that last semester, except for the last blog, I sort of lost my motivation there. Don't worry, though, I put my senioritis on the back burner considering my New Years Resolution is to graduate...
3. As I explained in #1, don't wait to do anything until the last minute. I have already picked out my critical articles for the Books on File and started my research for the allusion project. Doing a little work everyday means a lot less AP Lit-induced stress, which may be more difficult to deal with when senioritis takes control of me.
4. Read all the books, which, for the record, I have always done. (Except I never finished Peace like a River, please don’t tell on me.) This is something that I would like to continue doing, not start doing.
5. Keep working hard on analysis, especially on time writings. I really want to get a “9” one day, if that is even possible. I will continue to work hard on my analyzing skills and attempt to improve my style in time writings, which occasionally falls apart when I am a little rushed.
I figure if I can follow all of these rules, I will do well in my 2nd semester of AP Lit, and not turn into one of Mrs. Clinch’s horror stories. Then, I can fulfill my New Year’s Resolution and Mrs. Clinch can happily watch us graduate.
1. One poem a week, with two weeks to do my own personal poem. (I mostly did this last semester, though I did have to finished two poems on the last weekend, and even that was a little much.) If I follow this schedule for the poetry journal, I will finish it before my birthday (March 28 if anyone cares ) and before spring break (because no offense to the poets, but I'd rather not read poetry while on the beach, no matter how handsome the poet). I have even picked out for of the poems I will due and their accompanying critical articles: Morning Song by Sylvia Plath, A Drop fell on the Apple Tree by Emily Dickinson, A Divine Image by William Blake, and Morning at the Window by T.S. Eliot. I am attempting not to show favoritism towards modernist poets, but I may be miserably failing. Please let me know. If it helps any, I plan on choosing a romantic poem for my last one.
2. Blog every week. I pretty much did that last semester, except for the last blog, I sort of lost my motivation there. Don't worry, though, I put my senioritis on the back burner considering my New Years Resolution is to graduate...
3. As I explained in #1, don't wait to do anything until the last minute. I have already picked out my critical articles for the Books on File and started my research for the allusion project. Doing a little work everyday means a lot less AP Lit-induced stress, which may be more difficult to deal with when senioritis takes control of me.
4. Read all the books, which, for the record, I have always done. (Except I never finished Peace like a River, please don’t tell on me.) This is something that I would like to continue doing, not start doing.
5. Keep working hard on analysis, especially on time writings. I really want to get a “9” one day, if that is even possible. I will continue to work hard on my analyzing skills and attempt to improve my style in time writings, which occasionally falls apart when I am a little rushed.
I figure if I can follow all of these rules, I will do well in my 2nd semester of AP Lit, and not turn into one of Mrs. Clinch’s horror stories. Then, I can fulfill my New Year’s Resolution and Mrs. Clinch can happily watch us graduate.
Monday, December 6, 2010
This is Just to Say
I have almost finished my poetry project and have completed 8 poems. I started working on my 9th poem –“This is Just to Say” by: William Carlos Williams; however, I am having a particularly hard time with this poem, for the simple fact that Williams usually crams tons of meaning into simple images, leaving small, subtle hints that lead to the true meaning behind his words.
This Is Just to Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
William Carlos Williams (1934)
First of all, it seems the narrator of the poem has betrayed the trust of someone close to him. He ate the plums even though he knew someone wanted to use them for breakfast. This not only shows very little respect for the desires of those around him, but also demonstrates very little willpower, almost as if the plums were so enticing he had no power to say no. Such lack of willpower almost seems sexual, although I do not necessarily see much evidence to support this assertion.
In addition, I attempted to analyze the connotation of plums in the poem. Why would Williams select this fruit over others? Plums are very soft a juicy on the outside; however, at the center, they have an impenetrable, painful-to-chew pit. This almost seems comparable to the narrator, who on the surface appears innocent and childlike –slyly eating a plumb. Yet, upon closer inspection, he appears to have a darker, more forceful, and more sexual persona. Like the shunned, hidden, and disliked pit of a peach, these qualities in the narrator are hidden from the world because few would openly condone such characteristics in a person. The dictionary also states that a plum is a highly desired position or award. By eating someone’s plums, the narrator could have almost prevented a person from achieving or receiving something they really wanted, as if he was literally taking away their plum or desired position.
It is also interesting to note that the narrator demands forgiveness; he does not ask for it, but rather asserts, “Forgive me.” I think this furthers my above observations that the narrator is an extremely forceful, possible violent person. He first takes away something useful from someone close to him, both literally and figuratively, and then does not apologize but rather demands forgiveness. This assertion seems rather abusive, suggesting a highly dangerous relationship.
Finally, the last two lines seem to confirm the above sentiment. At first, Williams says the plums are very “sweet,” as is true for many beginning relationships during the first few weeks. However, he ends with saying that the plums are very “cold,” which is what his relationship with the unspoken person has turned into –cold, violent, and abusive. By not ending the poem with punctuation, Williams suggest that this violence and abuse will not come to an end anytime soon and that the narrator will continue to take his beloved’s plums.
If you see any more important aspects of the poem, please tell me. Many of my assertions are conjectures, and I need more evidence to back them up. I am also unsure as to how to approach the title.
This Is Just to Say
I have eaten
the plums
that were in
the icebox
and which
you were probably
saving
for breakfast
Forgive me
they were delicious
so sweet
and so cold
William Carlos Williams (1934)
First of all, it seems the narrator of the poem has betrayed the trust of someone close to him. He ate the plums even though he knew someone wanted to use them for breakfast. This not only shows very little respect for the desires of those around him, but also demonstrates very little willpower, almost as if the plums were so enticing he had no power to say no. Such lack of willpower almost seems sexual, although I do not necessarily see much evidence to support this assertion.
In addition, I attempted to analyze the connotation of plums in the poem. Why would Williams select this fruit over others? Plums are very soft a juicy on the outside; however, at the center, they have an impenetrable, painful-to-chew pit. This almost seems comparable to the narrator, who on the surface appears innocent and childlike –slyly eating a plumb. Yet, upon closer inspection, he appears to have a darker, more forceful, and more sexual persona. Like the shunned, hidden, and disliked pit of a peach, these qualities in the narrator are hidden from the world because few would openly condone such characteristics in a person. The dictionary also states that a plum is a highly desired position or award. By eating someone’s plums, the narrator could have almost prevented a person from achieving or receiving something they really wanted, as if he was literally taking away their plum or desired position.
It is also interesting to note that the narrator demands forgiveness; he does not ask for it, but rather asserts, “Forgive me.” I think this furthers my above observations that the narrator is an extremely forceful, possible violent person. He first takes away something useful from someone close to him, both literally and figuratively, and then does not apologize but rather demands forgiveness. This assertion seems rather abusive, suggesting a highly dangerous relationship.
Finally, the last two lines seem to confirm the above sentiment. At first, Williams says the plums are very “sweet,” as is true for many beginning relationships during the first few weeks. However, he ends with saying that the plums are very “cold,” which is what his relationship with the unspoken person has turned into –cold, violent, and abusive. By not ending the poem with punctuation, Williams suggest that this violence and abuse will not come to an end anytime soon and that the narrator will continue to take his beloved’s plums.
If you see any more important aspects of the poem, please tell me. Many of my assertions are conjectures, and I need more evidence to back them up. I am also unsure as to how to approach the title.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Turkey Time! Last blog before break
I guess I will start by talking about the timed writing we did today. It was a very interesting piece we read, and I really enjoyed it. I thought that Sylvia’s climb to the top of the tree had a lot to do with her loss of innocence, although I am not sure there is enough evidence in the passage to really make a solid conclusion on this topic. What I did focus on was the various extended metaphors in the passage. For one, the author draws a comparison between the strength of the tree and the strength of Sylvia. The comparison demonstrates Sylvia’s ability to not only overcome this feat, but many others in the future. Furthermore, as is demonstrated by her metaphorical ability to fly at the end of the passage, the journey allows Sylvia to discover her own strength, transition away from the weak, dependent child she had previously been.
Moreover, the climb enlightens Sylvia, and by the end, she sees the world in an entirely different light than she had before. Like the rising sun, a light bulb in Sylvia goes off. She goes from being on the ground, limited in her line of sight and by comparison, her amount of knowledge. However, her adventure through the tree branches makes Sylvia privy to a brand new universe. She sees new parts of the world and expands her horizons, showing that she has awoken from her sleep and has begun to see the great, limitless nature of the world.
Moving on, I personally love Grendel (A LOT more than I liked Beowulf). First of all, Grendel’s snarky, humorous attitude is without-a-doubt entertaining and to some, perversely endearing. As a reader, I can’t help but associate with Grendel as he attempts to grasp the concepts of the world. Like a misguided teenager, he is trapped between the meaningless depths of atheism and the seemingly more poetic, purposeful call of Christianity. He has difficulty compromising his hopes and desires with his observations, knowing that his heart will lead him away from his brain’s warnings. He wants to believe the glorious words of the humans. He wants to believe he has a purpose, but he knows what they say is all a lie and that their version of history is completely skewed. Thus, he remains trapped, as he was in the beginning in the tree, waiting for someone to pull him out and direct him along. Unfortunately, he has grown too old for his mother to be his knight in shining armor. In a possibly misguided light of hope, he visits the dragon hoping that he will dig him out of the hole of confusion. However, there he finds, as was the case in other places, that the answer can only come from within. In the end, the book is a journey, possibly of a hero making sacrifices not only for himself, but also for the good of human kind that craves the good/evil structure.
I am very excited to see what the story holds. Hopefully the humans won’t destroy Grendel’s sarcasm.
Moreover, the climb enlightens Sylvia, and by the end, she sees the world in an entirely different light than she had before. Like the rising sun, a light bulb in Sylvia goes off. She goes from being on the ground, limited in her line of sight and by comparison, her amount of knowledge. However, her adventure through the tree branches makes Sylvia privy to a brand new universe. She sees new parts of the world and expands her horizons, showing that she has awoken from her sleep and has begun to see the great, limitless nature of the world.
Moving on, I personally love Grendel (A LOT more than I liked Beowulf). First of all, Grendel’s snarky, humorous attitude is without-a-doubt entertaining and to some, perversely endearing. As a reader, I can’t help but associate with Grendel as he attempts to grasp the concepts of the world. Like a misguided teenager, he is trapped between the meaningless depths of atheism and the seemingly more poetic, purposeful call of Christianity. He has difficulty compromising his hopes and desires with his observations, knowing that his heart will lead him away from his brain’s warnings. He wants to believe the glorious words of the humans. He wants to believe he has a purpose, but he knows what they say is all a lie and that their version of history is completely skewed. Thus, he remains trapped, as he was in the beginning in the tree, waiting for someone to pull him out and direct him along. Unfortunately, he has grown too old for his mother to be his knight in shining armor. In a possibly misguided light of hope, he visits the dragon hoping that he will dig him out of the hole of confusion. However, there he finds, as was the case in other places, that the answer can only come from within. In the end, the book is a journey, possibly of a hero making sacrifices not only for himself, but also for the good of human kind that craves the good/evil structure.
I am very excited to see what the story holds. Hopefully the humans won’t destroy Grendel’s sarcasm.
Monday, November 15, 2010
Reflections on Week's Work
I want to start by saying that I am very excited about the grade I received on my The Picture of Dorian Gray essay. I worked very hard on it, and I am really glad Mrs. Clinch enjoyed reading it.
Also, I would like to add one more observation about Beowulf that, because we are now reading John Gardner’s Grendel, is still pertinent. During the discussion, I pointed out the lack of strong women in the poem. The only truly powerful female character was the sinister, outcast Grendel’s mom. What readers should also notice is that women are rarely given names in this novel. The poem often lists out the names the sons in a family and then refers to the daughters simply by the title “daughter” or as possessions of their husbands, for example “Othella’s queen.” Not only that, but the most feared creatures in the novel –Grendel and his mom –are termed “fatherless creatures.” This suggests that the Anglo-Saxons believed a child needed a father, not just a mother, to be well-bred and respected. Supposedly we will be hearing more of this in Grendel so I am very excited!
I also did some research on the zodiac signs to help learn more about how the author is using them in Grendel. According to astrology.com, aries is ruled by Mars, the Roman God of War. This enhances Grendel’s battle with the Danish people. Furthermore, I think it’s ironic that Grendel initiates such a war and causes such death in the middle of spring, a season devoted to the creation of life. Gardner may use this to add irony to the story. Furthermore, the sign aries is heavily associated with the element fire. This association foreshadows the introduction of the dragon into the story. Readers already know the unpleasant nature of said dragon for Grendel said he “was not a friend.”
I want to conclude with some things I noticed while analyzing more poetry. I began looking at W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”. The title of the poem alludes to “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” suggesting that the citizen has faceless and nameless. By undermining the necessity of personalizing the subject of the poem, Auden begins to demonstrate the cookie-cutter people his government is creating. He further underscores this idea through his reference to Ford Motors Inc. when he talks about “Fudge Motors Inc.” Ford Motors Inc. invented the assembly line, mass-producing parts. Similarly, in the society Auden is criticizing, the government mass-produces people so that they are all alike and so that they all conform to the government. You can see that Auden is being sarcastic and crude through his many hyperboles. For example, he says that “everything necessary to the modern man” is “a phonograph, a radio, a car and a Frigidaire.” Clearly, this is an overexageration of man’s true necessity; however the affect creates irony and underlines Auden’s critical tone.
This is all for this week. I look forward to our upcoming timed writing and lit circles.
Also, I would like to add one more observation about Beowulf that, because we are now reading John Gardner’s Grendel, is still pertinent. During the discussion, I pointed out the lack of strong women in the poem. The only truly powerful female character was the sinister, outcast Grendel’s mom. What readers should also notice is that women are rarely given names in this novel. The poem often lists out the names the sons in a family and then refers to the daughters simply by the title “daughter” or as possessions of their husbands, for example “Othella’s queen.” Not only that, but the most feared creatures in the novel –Grendel and his mom –are termed “fatherless creatures.” This suggests that the Anglo-Saxons believed a child needed a father, not just a mother, to be well-bred and respected. Supposedly we will be hearing more of this in Grendel so I am very excited!
I also did some research on the zodiac signs to help learn more about how the author is using them in Grendel. According to astrology.com, aries is ruled by Mars, the Roman God of War. This enhances Grendel’s battle with the Danish people. Furthermore, I think it’s ironic that Grendel initiates such a war and causes such death in the middle of spring, a season devoted to the creation of life. Gardner may use this to add irony to the story. Furthermore, the sign aries is heavily associated with the element fire. This association foreshadows the introduction of the dragon into the story. Readers already know the unpleasant nature of said dragon for Grendel said he “was not a friend.”
I want to conclude with some things I noticed while analyzing more poetry. I began looking at W. H. Auden’s “The Unknown Citizen”. The title of the poem alludes to “The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier,” suggesting that the citizen has faceless and nameless. By undermining the necessity of personalizing the subject of the poem, Auden begins to demonstrate the cookie-cutter people his government is creating. He further underscores this idea through his reference to Ford Motors Inc. when he talks about “Fudge Motors Inc.” Ford Motors Inc. invented the assembly line, mass-producing parts. Similarly, in the society Auden is criticizing, the government mass-produces people so that they are all alike and so that they all conform to the government. You can see that Auden is being sarcastic and crude through his many hyperboles. For example, he says that “everything necessary to the modern man” is “a phonograph, a radio, a car and a Frigidaire.” Clearly, this is an overexageration of man’s true necessity; however the affect creates irony and underlines Auden’s critical tone.
This is all for this week. I look forward to our upcoming timed writing and lit circles.
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