During the discussion with my group, we initially posed any questions we had concerning the novel which led us to examine the attraction or lack thereof between characters.We transitioned into the relationship between Edna and Mr. Pontellier where Edna is beginning to show her resistance to the expectations that Mr. Pontellier has placed upon her causing her more and more to want to step out and be her own person. We also considered the significance of the Creole culture and the setting of the story.
One of the main points we constantly considered was the relationship of the Pontelliers. Edna is obviously unsatisfied with the relationship. It was never stated that she loved him, but that he loved her and because he could do anything she wanted and the marriage would be a form of rebellion against her family, she went with it. She is not ready to handle the responsibilities that come with having a family. Edna is detached from her children, takes little to no motherly role and has no interest in caring for them all together. Seeing as she is used to being alone, she is beginning to enjoy the company of a man who has a habit of being interested in married women by the name of Robert. Whether Robert is genuinely interested or just a creature of habit is yet to be determined but either way, it has become the perfect set-up for an affair
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
Saturday, April 23, 2011
The Wood Menagerie, Oops I Mean Glass
In the play, The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams (1945) he presents a story of a mother who is unable to cope with the changing of times, causing her to trap her children in a disillusioned reality. The play opens with scenes that emphasize the defiance and deception displayed by her children,Tom and Laura, in their attempt to become their own person instead of following the path that their mother had set for them. Williams continues this concept throughout the next couple scenes, then transitions to the mother's quest to find a "gentleman caller" for her daughter, who to the mother's dismay, is crippled. The play concludes once the gentleman caller, a former high school friend of the children, comes to the house and though he was not interested in being in a relationship, he did allow for Laura to open up and come out of the shy shell she had long locked herself in. The purpose of the play was to enlighten people of all races and genders of the all too common interactions that result from a mother wanting the best for her children despite being slightly old-fashioned and behind the times.
Vocabulary
moralistic, skeptical
Rhetorical Strategies
1. aside-" Across the alley from us was the Paradise Dance Hall...all the world was waiting for bombardments" (39)
2. soliloquy- "I didn't go to the moon...anything that can blow your candles out." (96-7)
3. dialogue- "Jim? Engaged " "That's what he just informed us." (95)
4. monologue- "You know what i judge to be the trouble with you?...Think of yourself as superior in some way! " (80-1)
5. stage directions- " They rise from the table and go into the kitchenette, from where their voices are heard" (68).
Discussion Questions
1. Did the mother fear Tom going to movies because of the thought that he may never come back?
2. Why does Tom frequently talk to the audience?
3. Why does Amanda struggle with accepting who her children are or becoming?
"The play is memory. Being a memory play, it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not realistic."
Vocabulary
- portiere-(n) a curtain hanging across a doorway
- mastication-(v) the grinding or crushing of food as if or with the teeth
- dismal(adj)-lacking merit, particularly bad
- martyr-(n) a person who sacrifices something of great value for the sake of principle
- decorous(adj)-marked by propriety and good taste
moralistic, skeptical
Rhetorical Strategies
1. aside-" Across the alley from us was the Paradise Dance Hall...all the world was waiting for bombardments" (39)
2. soliloquy- "I didn't go to the moon...anything that can blow your candles out." (96-7)
3. dialogue- "Jim? Engaged " "That's what he just informed us." (95)
4. monologue- "You know what i judge to be the trouble with you?...Think of yourself as superior in some way! " (80-1)
5. stage directions- " They rise from the table and go into the kitchenette, from where their voices are heard" (68).
Discussion Questions
1. Did the mother fear Tom going to movies because of the thought that he may never come back?
2. Why does Tom frequently talk to the audience?
3. Why does Amanda struggle with accepting who her children are or becoming?
"The play is memory. Being a memory play, it is dimly lighted, it is sentimental, it is not realistic."
Sunday, April 17, 2011
The Glass Menagerie
After sampling the play and from what I read in the beginning, I was automatically drawn to it. The first scene was something that I could relate to which also peaked my interest. It was about a mother that wanted the best for her children despite their defiance and unwilling nature to comply with her expectations. An interaction that I know all too well. It also highlights the normal fussing and arguing that usually occurs between teens and their parents since it seems that one of the characters, Tom, is trying to come into his own. Yet, his ways go against how his mother raised him and what she believed in. Since I could very well relate to the interactions that I read, I figured it would be the best play for me to read that would hold my interest.During this time, the United States was in the middle of World War II as well as dealing with the discrimination and injustice of African-Americans in the south which gave Tennessee Williams the inspiration for his play including the violent aspects of it.
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Only Kings Wear Crowns. Nahhh So Do Fish !
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Chapter 15: Where Fish Wear Crowns
In Chapter Fifteen, "Where Fish Wear Crowns" from the novel Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (2007) Kingsolver articulates how essential food is to the lives of people from other cultures and explains how those people have the tendency to stray away from the fast and processed foods that have become the center of American life. Kingsolver opens the article by illustrating how difficult it is to remove herself from her garden, whether physically or emotionally, for some of the most significant events of her life. She then describes the extremely rare occasion of finding a restaurant in Italy that doesn't focus on the food, making good food something that is easy to find and not something that has to be searched for, a drastic difference from the food industry of the United States. Kingsolver uses the rest of the article to detail the foods and dishes that she and her husband experienced while on their vacation, continuing to compliment the Italian respect for food. Kingsolver continues upon her theme that homemade food and cooking in her opinion is better than that of processed food by tying in the traditions of Italian culture. The chapter was once again aimed at parents, adults, and food experts.
Vocabulary
scrupulously- acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper
ludicrous- amusing or laughable through obvious absurdity
succinctly- marked by precise expression without a waste of words
purported- having the appearance of being, intending, or claiming
gastronomic- the science or art of good eating
colander- a perforated utensil for washing or draining food
Tone
Admiration, Pride
Rhetorical Strategies
Personification- "It's a culture that sweeps you in, sits you down in the kitchen, and feeds you so well you really don't want to leave" (243).
Telegraphic(syntax)- "His face fell"(242). "Too square, I guess"(245).
Rhetorical Questions- "Would this trip be everything we'd waited for?" (243)
Colloquialism- "...named Margherita, Capricciosa, or Quattro Stagioni" (244).
Metaphor- "With all this under the belt, the diner comes into the home stretch with the salad..." (246).
Discussion Questions
1. How does Kingsolver initially adapt to the Italian food culture?
2. By using her sarcasm and anecdotes, how does that change the effect of the novel on the reader?
3. How does the importance of homemade food translate among different cultures?
"An Italian meal is like a play with many acts, except if you don't watch it you'll be stuffed to the gills before intermission" (246).
Chapter 15: Where Fish Wear Crowns
In Chapter Fifteen, "Where Fish Wear Crowns" from the novel Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver (2007) Kingsolver articulates how essential food is to the lives of people from other cultures and explains how those people have the tendency to stray away from the fast and processed foods that have become the center of American life. Kingsolver opens the article by illustrating how difficult it is to remove herself from her garden, whether physically or emotionally, for some of the most significant events of her life. She then describes the extremely rare occasion of finding a restaurant in Italy that doesn't focus on the food, making good food something that is easy to find and not something that has to be searched for, a drastic difference from the food industry of the United States. Kingsolver uses the rest of the article to detail the foods and dishes that she and her husband experienced while on their vacation, continuing to compliment the Italian respect for food. Kingsolver continues upon her theme that homemade food and cooking in her opinion is better than that of processed food by tying in the traditions of Italian culture. The chapter was once again aimed at parents, adults, and food experts.
Vocabulary
scrupulously- acting in strict regard for what is considered right or proper
ludicrous- amusing or laughable through obvious absurdity
succinctly- marked by precise expression without a waste of words
purported- having the appearance of being, intending, or claiming
gastronomic- the science or art of good eating
colander- a perforated utensil for washing or draining food
Tone
Admiration, Pride
Rhetorical Strategies
Personification- "It's a culture that sweeps you in, sits you down in the kitchen, and feeds you so well you really don't want to leave" (243).
Telegraphic(syntax)- "His face fell"(242). "Too square, I guess"(245).
Rhetorical Questions- "Would this trip be everything we'd waited for?" (243)
Colloquialism- "...named Margherita, Capricciosa, or Quattro Stagioni" (244).
Metaphor- "With all this under the belt, the diner comes into the home stretch with the salad..." (246).
Discussion Questions
1. How does Kingsolver initially adapt to the Italian food culture?
2. By using her sarcasm and anecdotes, how does that change the effect of the novel on the reader?
3. How does the importance of homemade food translate among different cultures?
"An Italian meal is like a play with many acts, except if you don't watch it you'll be stuffed to the gills before intermission" (246).
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Seven impossible things before breakfast, or is it six?
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Chapter 9: Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast
In Chapter Nine, "Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast" in Barbara Kingsolver's novel Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (2007), Kingsolver articulates the significance of cooking to the daily life of humans and connects it to being able to perform difficult tasks or the impossible. The chapter begins with examples expressing how Kingsolver chooses to spend her time in comparison to that of other Americans by depicting the lack of time that most spend cooking or in the kitchen in contrast to the central role that it plays not in only in her life, but in that of her family as well. Kingsolver then transitions to the need to understand food as more that just a product but also a process which leads to an anecdote about the making of cheese, an unusual occurrence in majority of households because it can been seen as more trouble than it's worth. She concludes by continuing the theme that things that are homemade, which may take more time and initially seem like a waste of time, are the ones that are better in the end. Kingsolver continues to differentiate between fast, processed foods and the affect that they have on human life specifically family interactions and food that comes from the kitchen. The audience is people that have any type of interest in organic homemade food instead of food from factories.
Vocabulary:
sublime- to elevate or exalt especially in dignity or honor
quotidian- occurring every day
legions- a very large number
symbiosis- a cooperative relationship
remuneration-payment equivalent for a service, loss, or expense
Tone:
Concerned, Sarcastic
Rhetorical Strategies:
Analogy: " But kitchens where food is cooked and eaten, those were really a good idea. We threw that baby out with the bathwater"(128).
Syntax (telegraphic) - "It really is" (129).
Rhetorical Question :"By taking the faster drive, what did we save?" (130)
Anecdote- "When I went to see Ricki, it was equal parts admiration and curiosity" (132).
Statistical Facts- "Only about 10 percent of Asian Americans can digest milk as adults..."(137).
Discussion Questions:
1. Does Kingsolver believe that homecooking will assist in solving family issues and values?
2. How does Kingsolver's use of sarcasm or satire affect the novel?
3. What could society gain and lose by switching to more organic, healthy foods?
"It's easy for any of us to claim no time for cooking; harder to look at what we're doing instead and why every bit of it is presumed more worthy" (128).
Chapter 9: Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast
In Chapter Nine, "Six Impossible Things Before Breakfast" in Barbara Kingsolver's novel Animal, Vegetable, Miracle (2007), Kingsolver articulates the significance of cooking to the daily life of humans and connects it to being able to perform difficult tasks or the impossible. The chapter begins with examples expressing how Kingsolver chooses to spend her time in comparison to that of other Americans by depicting the lack of time that most spend cooking or in the kitchen in contrast to the central role that it plays not in only in her life, but in that of her family as well. Kingsolver then transitions to the need to understand food as more that just a product but also a process which leads to an anecdote about the making of cheese, an unusual occurrence in majority of households because it can been seen as more trouble than it's worth. She concludes by continuing the theme that things that are homemade, which may take more time and initially seem like a waste of time, are the ones that are better in the end. Kingsolver continues to differentiate between fast, processed foods and the affect that they have on human life specifically family interactions and food that comes from the kitchen. The audience is people that have any type of interest in organic homemade food instead of food from factories.
Vocabulary:
sublime- to elevate or exalt especially in dignity or honor
quotidian- occurring every day
legions- a very large number
symbiosis- a cooperative relationship
remuneration-payment equivalent for a service, loss, or expense
Tone:
Concerned, Sarcastic
Rhetorical Strategies:
Analogy: " But kitchens where food is cooked and eaten, those were really a good idea. We threw that baby out with the bathwater"(128).
Syntax (telegraphic) - "It really is" (129).
Rhetorical Question :"By taking the faster drive, what did we save?" (130)
Anecdote- "When I went to see Ricki, it was equal parts admiration and curiosity" (132).
Statistical Facts- "Only about 10 percent of Asian Americans can digest milk as adults..."(137).
Discussion Questions:
1. Does Kingsolver believe that homecooking will assist in solving family issues and values?
2. How does Kingsolver's use of sarcasm or satire affect the novel?
3. What could society gain and lose by switching to more organic, healthy foods?
"It's easy for any of us to claim no time for cooking; harder to look at what we're doing instead and why every bit of it is presumed more worthy" (128).
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Stop Mooching ! It's Annoying.
In Chapter five, "Molly Mooching" of the novel Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver, Kingsolver articulates the importance of tobacco to the South and while it may be unhealthy for the human body, it plays a significant role in the lives of farmers of that area. Kingsolver begans the chapter by providing a description of the southern dependance on the crop, leading up to the concept that many people believe that its production should be slowly eradicated, failing to realize the affect that that could potentially have on tobacco farmers. She then gives facts and examples of the pros and cons as to whether experiments attempting to rule out tobacco are effective and aren't going greatly affect the tobacco farmers. Kingsolver concludes with anecdotes that explain how her family's patience and tender care when growing vegetables that can last in cold weather. Kingsolver's purpose was to illustrate that while many southern farmers can't see past tobacco, her family is producing organic vegetables that may not seem as profitable initially but with the proper upkeep payoff eventually. Her audience is primarily adults, organic eaters, farmers, and even chefs.
Vocabulary:
Concerned, Ironic
Rhetorical Strategies:
Analogy- "...farmer was widely presumed synonymous with hee-haw, and tobacco was the new smallpox"(74).
Listing- "We have the Garden Road, the Woods Road, the Paw-Paw Cemetery, and the New Orchard"(72).
Anecdote- "On our farm, we could have walked the woods for the rest of our lives without finding one, because they don't grow near our roads or trails..." (78).
Syntax(telegraphic)- "Don't blink. You'll miss us"(82).
Humor- "Give me this deprivation, any old day of the week" (80).
Discussion Questions:
1. When Kingsolver refers to Old Charley's Lot is tobacco or mushrooms grown there?
2. At the end of almost every break, why does she use a humorous yet sarcastic remark?
3. How could the erradication of tobacco positively affect the nation and could it lead to people accepting organic vegetables more?
"Tobacco is slowly going extinct as a U.S. crop, and that is probably a sign of good civic sense , but it's also a cultural death when all those who grew it must pack up , go find an apartment somewhere, and work in a factory" (74).
Vocabulary:
- trifoliate-having three leaflets
- balmy- mild or pleasant
- commodity-an agricultural item or good that is in high demand
- indelible-can not be removed or erased
- infrastructure- the basic structure of features of a system or organization
- paradigm-a general belief of how the world works; common sense
- elicit-to evoke, generate, educe or obtain an answer or response
- morel-any of various edible mushrooms of the genus Morchella having a brownish spongelike cap
Tone:
Concerned, Ironic
Rhetorical Strategies:
Analogy- "...farmer was widely presumed synonymous with hee-haw, and tobacco was the new smallpox"(74).
Listing- "We have the Garden Road, the Woods Road, the Paw-Paw Cemetery, and the New Orchard"(72).
Anecdote- "On our farm, we could have walked the woods for the rest of our lives without finding one, because they don't grow near our roads or trails..." (78).
Syntax(telegraphic)- "Don't blink. You'll miss us"(82).
Humor- "Give me this deprivation, any old day of the week" (80).
Discussion Questions:
1. When Kingsolver refers to Old Charley's Lot is tobacco or mushrooms grown there?
2. At the end of almost every break, why does she use a humorous yet sarcastic remark?
3. How could the erradication of tobacco positively affect the nation and could it lead to people accepting organic vegetables more?
"Tobacco is slowly going extinct as a U.S. crop, and that is probably a sign of good civic sense , but it's also a cultural death when all those who grew it must pack up , go find an apartment somewhere, and work in a factory" (74).
Friday, January 7, 2011
Fatherly Love
"Pearl, that wild and flighty little elf stole softly towards him, and taking his hand in the grasp of both her own, laid her cheek against it; a caress so tender, and withal so unobtrusive, that her mother, who was looking on, asked herself―"Is that my Pearl?"
Passage taken from The Scarlet Letter, Chapter 8
Pearl and her mother are at the home of Governor Bellingham and are accompanied by Mr. Chillingworth and Rev. Dimmesdale. The governor is attempting to persuade Hester that Pearl would be better off being raised by someone with a more wholesome lifestyle, in order for her to have the ability to fit into Puritan society. They feel that Hester is a poor example and is restricting her from the normal life of a child. Dimmesdale sides with Hester and explains that God brought Pearl to Hester to be both her sunshine and rain. He understands that Pearl is all Hester has and the thing held closest to her heart. Dimmesdale believes that Hester has the capabilities to be a decent mother to a child that is her joy yet can bring her great sorrow. Pearl is in some ways another one of Hester's consequences because no matter what, Pearl is a consistent reminder of her downfall. After Dimmesdale expressed his opinion, it was agreed that Pearl would remain in the custody of her mother. Pearl then has an interaction with Dimmesdale that expresses the love and maybe even passion that resides in her heart. Hester has never witnessed such gentleness come from her child. Pearl seems to have some kind of instinctive knowledge that Dimmesdale is in some way connected to her. This passage signifies the first meeting between Pearl and her father and the love contrary to her angry nature that Pearl evokes.
1. What significance does Hester's conversation with Mistress Hibbins at the end of chapter 8 have?
2. How is the relationship between Dimmesdale and Chillingworth best described?
3. What is the reason the townspeople believe Chillingworth is helping Dimmesdale versus the real reason?
Passage taken from The Scarlet Letter, Chapter 8
Pearl and her mother are at the home of Governor Bellingham and are accompanied by Mr. Chillingworth and Rev. Dimmesdale. The governor is attempting to persuade Hester that Pearl would be better off being raised by someone with a more wholesome lifestyle, in order for her to have the ability to fit into Puritan society. They feel that Hester is a poor example and is restricting her from the normal life of a child. Dimmesdale sides with Hester and explains that God brought Pearl to Hester to be both her sunshine and rain. He understands that Pearl is all Hester has and the thing held closest to her heart. Dimmesdale believes that Hester has the capabilities to be a decent mother to a child that is her joy yet can bring her great sorrow. Pearl is in some ways another one of Hester's consequences because no matter what, Pearl is a consistent reminder of her downfall. After Dimmesdale expressed his opinion, it was agreed that Pearl would remain in the custody of her mother. Pearl then has an interaction with Dimmesdale that expresses the love and maybe even passion that resides in her heart. Hester has never witnessed such gentleness come from her child. Pearl seems to have some kind of instinctive knowledge that Dimmesdale is in some way connected to her. This passage signifies the first meeting between Pearl and her father and the love contrary to her angry nature that Pearl evokes.
1. What significance does Hester's conversation with Mistress Hibbins at the end of chapter 8 have?
2. How is the relationship between Dimmesdale and Chillingworth best described?
3. What is the reason the townspeople believe Chillingworth is helping Dimmesdale versus the real reason?
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