OPTICS Art Analysis

(www.mfa.org)

Overview - Three children fishing off a small boat on a calm water. 

Parts - dark green shadow of the boat, the sailboats in the distance, the row boat, the attire of the boy, the bows in the girl's hair, the boat the children are in, the shadows of the boats in the distance, the fishing line, the different stances of the children, the dresses of the girls, wide array of colors in the water (light blue, dark blue, hints of yellow), the unusually small size of the boy's tie

Title/Subject - Calm Morning by Frank Weston Benson 

The title of this painting creates a time frame which also explains the beautifully still water pictured. 

Interrelationships - the fishing line to the children (the line is holding their focus), the focus of the children to the open water (where they are staring), the boy to the boat (his stance suggests his feeling of power and control), the boy to the girls (his feeling of dominance), the dark green shadow to the main boat, the texture/color of the open water to the boat (suggesting movement), the row boat to the other boats, the man rowing the row boat to the kids in the boat (people pictured on the open water)

Conclusion - As a whole, this painting depicts the power and strength that young boys hold and think they hold. Based on his stance, his feeling of superiority is apparent. However, by placing him in a setting controlled solely by nature that cannot be influenced by man represents the "personal fable" that many children feel. 

Hamlet 1.3 - To be or not to be

Throughout the whole play, and from the very first line of Hamlet's soliloquy in act 3 scene 1, we know that Hamlet is struggling with something internally by him saying to himself, "To be or not to be - that is the question" (III.i.64).  This contributes to the overarching theme of the novel, as well as Hamlet's hamartia (or fatal flaw) because of the concept of action vs. inaction. Will Hamlet acctually take action and use the power of his own free will? Or will he remain passive and inactive and allow fate to take over?  In this passage he is questioning life and death.  Specifically, whether he wants to continue on living his life in pain, or to end his life to end his endless conflict, "Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer/The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,/Or to take arms against a sea of troubles" (III.i.65-67).  Through these specific lines, large aspects of Hamlet's character are portrayed.  He is obviously very dark and depressed because of his serious contemplation of suicide. However, on the other hand, has not fully spiraled down to the level of pessimism that would allow him to take his own life.  Through this we learn how complex of a charcter that Hamlet is.  As the soliloquy is coming to an end, Hamlet says "Thus conscience does not make cowards (of us all,)/And thus the native hue of resolution/Is (sicklied) o'er with the pale cast of thought" (III.i.91-93), suggesting that his conscience is the main reason that he cannot seem to come to a final conclusion on whether to be or not to be.  During the whole play there are traces of uncertainty in the paths of life, linking to fate and free will.  This specific quote says that although we have free will and are able to make our own choices, fate within our consciences, telling us what is right and wrong, ends up determining a large part of how we live our lives.  Hamlet's soliloquy touches upon many overarching themes of the novel, and does a great job leading into the rest of the events to come in the tragedy.  

Fate and Free Will

1. In my opinion, exercising our free will has a lot to do with our paths in life. In life, we are constantly faced with choices, and the pathes we pick when faced with any kind of conflict determines who we are as people and where our lives will continue to go.
2. I know many religious people believe that we are almost "puppets" to God or other superior figures, however I believe that we have the abolity to control our lives into what we want it to be. Everyone has the same ability to become who they want, some just have to work harder to get it and that is your own personal choice, not a "role" you are playing in life. However I do not believe that people are always honest with eachother. I believe that people lie to keep themselves afloat and attempt to get rid of any problems that they may have.
3. Although I fully understand people's motivation for revenge, I do not believ that it makes anything better, "you can't fight fire with fire". One of my favorite shows is "Revenge" on ABCfamily. In this show, a woman is constantly trying to get revenge on the couple that killed her father. However, every step closer she gets to fulfilling her plan, she ends up getting pushed back or hurt by something else, she is never able to fully revenge her father. Similarly, I do not think suicide is justifiable. I understand the viewpoint that people who commit suicide hold that they're greatly struggling and life will never get better and everything, but the majority of people who commit suicide are only in high school, and have not even nearly hit their fullest potential. There is so much more to the world that what they're currently living and things can always get better if you don't lost faith in yourself.
4. Madness is anything that is seen as "insane" or "crazy" by other people around you. I think the context greatly affects this definition because something that can be seen as madness by a certain group of people, could be considered very normal by another group of people, deeming very different things as "madness". A label of insanity can be used as an instrument of power because people who are seen as "insane" are often seen as scary because they are "unstable and unpredictable". So in turn, the person who is considered insane has control over the "normal" person.

The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, author Samuel Taylor Coleridge tells the story of a ship traveling towards the South Pole, and an old mariner aboard.  Through religious connections, figurative language, and characterization, Coleridge reveals the deeper meaning that man does not have the equal respect for nature that nature feels for man.
Throughout the piece, Coleridge makes religious connections to all the different aspects of struggle occurring in the story.  One example of this is in the second part of the piece, ¨Instead of the cross, the Albatross/About my neck was hung" (Coleridge).  This emphasizes mans disrespect for nature because by using dark images connecting to such a horrible, gory time in Christian history  shows how little man acknowledges the pain they cause involving nature. Another place we see religion involved in the story is when the crew and mariner beg and pled for forgiveness from their horrible sin of killing the bird and are now being punished for it, "To Mary Queen the praise be given!/She sent the gentle sleep from Heaven,/That slid into my mind." In this quote, Coleridge emphasizes how little man understands the effect their actions have on the rest of the world, and believe that a simple apology will fix everything.  This connects to the overall conflict of man versus nature. 
Another big piece in the poem that really added to the message was the involvement of figurative language to emphasize the importance of the message.  One of the most predominant devices used was the personification of many different aspects from the story.  Towards the beginning of the story, when we first hear of the struggles the ship is enduring, ¨It cracked and growled, and roared and howled,/Like noises in a swound!¨ we see the ship personified. This adds to the overall message of the piece that men doesn't respect nature because although internally, man believes that he treats the world around him with respect, even though we know that this is not true.  The only reason that man was able to make it through this journey was because of the ship, but the only way for it to see and earn respect is by being seen as a human in its description. 
Thirdly, in the piece there is a lot of characterization. One big example of this is the characterization of the main character and storyteller, the mariner.  He is depicted as old, with a "grey-beard" and "bright-eyed." By showing the man like this, we see him in a humane setting.  Although the author's point was the negativity man has on nature, he depicts man as equal with the ship, and the Albatross and everything else that he lacks respect for to show that although man thinks he is much higher above the rest of the world, in reality everything is equal. 
In Samuel Taylor Coleridge's piece The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, he very successfully emphasizes the message and conflict of man versus evil through religious aspects, figurative language and characterization. 

The Individual in Society Pre-Reflection

1. When humans are in isolation, they go crazy.  We need people around us to share our feelings, emotions, opinions, and everything in between with.  One example of this from our readings so far this year is in Twelfth Night  by Shakespeare when Malvolio is isolated in a cell for being crazy even though he knows that he is sane.  However after a short amount of time alone, he begins to question if he really is crazy like everyone seems to believe.
2. In order to feel human,  individuals need relationships, connections, feelings/emotions,  happiness, a "fulfilling life," and a purpose in life (can be self-determined).  This question reminds me of the whole unit from freshman year "What do we need in order to live a fulfilling life?" and one of my all time favorite projects that I've done in school was my dream board.  The dream board demonstrates what we need in order to feel human because it shows everything that we desire in life to feel "normal" and live life (as a human).
3. When we don't take responsibility for our actions, we face all kinds of consequences.  A big consequence that many people face is internal guilt, which can continuously eat away at a person until their weak and can't do anything anymore.  A real life example of this that many teenagers face is when their parents get mad at them for doing something wrong and instead of punishing the teen, the parent says they are simply "disappointed" with whatever the problem seemed to be.  This is worse than physically facing your actions because you cant really make up for or fix whatever you did wrong, you are just left feeling bad about yourself.
4. A lack of compassion and understanding leads to prejudice and stereotyping.  A perfect example of this is from the book To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee, "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view - until you climb inside of his skin and walk around in it."  You need compassion and understanding to comprehend the different things that different people may be going through to avoid stereotyping and prejudices when you dont really even know what is going on.

Twelfth Night: Option 3 Act 4 Reflection

Although Act IV, scene iii was not particularly lengthy, nor full of important information, if I were the playwright, I would keep it in.  By keeping this scene in the play, it becomes more apparent to the audience Olivia's deep rooted love for Cesario, so much that she desires to marry him.  It also exemplifies how well Viola has been at deceiving the whole cast throughout the play, because even Olivia, who has fallen deeply in love with Cesario, cannot tell him apart from his(her) twin brother. Lastly, I would keep this scene in the play because it ties up some of the loose ends from Act IV scene  i when Feste the Fool and Sir Andrew bring Sebastian to Lady Olivia as Cesario.  Although this scene is not as important as some of the other scenes in the play, I find it very important and continuing the storyline of the play as a whole.

Shakespeare's Messages About Gender

In many of Shakespeare's plays, he expresses very interesting ideas about the roles the different genders hold in society, and more specifically in romantic settings.  Shakespeare's messages about gender roles through his play Twelfth Night  are still very necessary for society to consider today because there is still a constant battle for power among genders in the world today.
One big concept that Shakespeare focuses on in his play Twelfth Night, connecting genders and love/relationships is who holds the dominant power in the relationship.  When talking to Cesario about his romantic feelings for Olivia, he says "There is no woman's sides/Can bide the beating of so strong a passion/As doth give my heart; no woman's heart/So big, to hold so much" (II.iv.103-106).  In this quote, Orsino is projecting his idea that females just aren't able to love or express their love as predominantly as men, and as a result are simply weak.  On the opposing side of Orsino's argument, Viola, as Cesario says "We men say more, swear more, but indeed/Our shows are more than will; for still we prove/Much in our vows but little in our love" (II.iv.128-130).  This quote gives an interesting perspective on the topic at hand because she is standing up for females, while being seen as a guy by the world, solidifying the importance of her argument that although men are determined in the proclamation of their love, all it truly is is a proclamation and nothing more.    
These arguments are very important today because in society, males and females are seen through very stereotypical eyes that males are the dominant ones in relationships.  In one example from class today, "Happily Ever After: Perpetuating Stereotypical Gender Ideals" we see that even from very young ages, children are being taught how relationships should be, forcing them into the mold right from the get go.  Also, in "Shakespeare Gender Swap!" is is being exemplified how strongly the female and male stereotypes are held true in society, because even people who are on the "gender movement" still bash on women for doing the same actions that men are praised for.  The lessons about gender identity that Shakespeare is portraying in his plays are very important to society today.  

Diving Into the Wreck SPOTTTS Analysis

S - The subject of this poem is scuba diving and exploring sunken ships in the ocean.
P -
I got ready to go scuba diving.
Unlike others who go exploring together, I am alone.

There is a ladder on the side of the ship
Scubadivers use it to get on the ship
Everyone else thinks its just for looks

I get into the water
Walking in flippers is a struggle
The ocean is never ending

The deeper I go, the darker it is
I have to get used to it all alone

The ocean is overwhelming and distracting
Breathing is different under water

I came to explore the wreck
And what happened to it and what it holds

I came to see the wreck itself

This is where mermaids and mermen live

The ship has sank but it is still teeming with life and interesting things

We are discovering the story of the shipwreck

O - The occasion of this poem is a scuba diving trip where the scuba diver is exploring a sunken ship
T -  The title of the poem is "Diving Into the Wreck," the significance of this title is that it explains and sets the tone for what the whole poem is about
T - The tone of this poem is fearful in the beginning because the scuba diver is exploring the ocean and the wreck all alone, and then towards the end of the poem the tone becomes more interested as the scuba diver is submerged in the ocean and exploring the wreck
T - The theme of the poem is that there is a lot more to things than people see on the surface.  I believe that this is the theme because the speaker knows that there is more inside the shipwreck itself, and there is a whole story behind how the ship got to where it is now.
S - The speaker is a scuba diver who is interested in exploring a sunken ship.

The Awakening Literary Criticism

Article 2: Feminist or Naturalist? By Nancy Walker

The main point of Nancy Walker's literaty critique of The Awakening is that Kate Chopin purposely made Edna Pontellier completly unaware of what she was doing and what was occurring in her life. One example of this is in the very beginning of the book, Edna is completly against Creole society, "A characteristic which distinguished them and which impressed Mrs. Pontellier most forcibly was their entire absence of prudery. Their freedom of expression was at first incomprehensible to her, though she had no difficulty in reconciling it with a lofty chastity which in the Creole woman seems to be inborn and unmistakable" (Chopin 12). But gradually as the novel goes on, Edna begins to transform into the sensual aspect of the society without realizing it.  Her whole "awakening" appears to be in connection to her sexuality, and the Creole people are described by Walker as "openly sensual."  A second example of Edna's oblivion is at the very end of the book. She tells Victor and Mariequita that she will be back to have a meal with them, and although we don't know if she really meant it, she still became unaware of her surroundings and abilities while swimming out in the ocean. Greatly supporting the idea of Nancy Walker that Edna was oblivious and completly unaware of her life when searching for her true "awakening."

The Awakening Chapter 31-39 Dialectical Journal

“I always feel so sorry for women who don’t like to walk; they miss so much-so many rare little glimpses of life; and we women learn so little of life on the whole” (Chopin 144).	In this quote, Edna is comparing her love for walking to her love of freedom and desire to escape the restraints of society.  She does this by discussing a topic that majority of women tend not to like, but she particularly enjoys, and adds in unique descriptions that very accurately describe both aspects; taking walks and living freely.  Also, the topic of walking alone represents Edna’s awakening because in the society, women were expected to always be accompanied by men, and not walk for enjoyment.  However, Edna embraces every aspect of the activity.
"The years that are gone seem like dreams - if one might go on sleeping and dreaming - but to wake up and find - oh! well! perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life" (Chopin 151).	In this quote, Edna is talking to Doctor Mandelet indirectly about her awakening. By bringing up sleep and dreaming versus being awake in this quote, Chopin is comparing Edna's awakening to being awake, and all the time before this in her life as her sleeping or dreaming about life, not actually living it.  Also, in the second half of the quote, Edna is overcome with this realization about her life and how she has been living it up to this point, and how unhappy she is.  The significance of this is that Edna finds herself no longer scared of being shut out from society, but rather scared of being stuck in the oppressed society for the rest of her life, unable to do what she really wants to do.
“She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again” (Chopin 157).	This quote is in the last few lines of the book, while Edna is out in the water for her death.  In the whole book leading up to this point has been Edna’s increasing desire to escape from and not have to deal with the life that she is currently living.  She has gotten to the point where she feels that this is her only choice left.  Another reoccurring factor that has been foreshadowed throughout the book has been the involvement of water, which has now lead up to her death by water.

The Awakening Chapter 21-30 Dialectical Journal

"That's what I want her to do.  She won't go to the marriage.  She says a wedding is one of the most lamentable spectacles on earth.  Nice thing for a woman to say to her husband!" (Chopin 89).
In this quote, we see Mr. Pontellier's attitude towards his wife, as well as another perspective of her negative view of marriages and relationships now since she has lived for so long in the Creole society.  By openly telling other people Mrs. Pontellier's actions against wedlock, Mr. Pontellier is opening up to the town that his wife is falling out of traditional expectations.  Also, this shows Edna's personality because she has become so against the idea of marriage that she won't even go to or support a marriage of her "own people".

"'You are too lenient, too lenient by far, Leonce,' asserted the Colonel. 'Authority, coercion are what is needed.  Put your foot down good and hard; the only way to manage a wife.  Take my ford for it.'  The Colonel was perhaps unaware that he had coerced his own wife into her grave" (Chopin 96).
In this quote, we see a slight flashback to the way in which Edna was raised.  Throughout her whole childhood, she saw her mother treated in the "traditional" way, harshly, unfairly, and without any freedoms.  And the idea that this treatment eventually led to her death, must create very strong opinions in her head about this extremely unfair of wives by their husbands.  Also, the beginning part of this quote could be foreshadowing for harsh treatment put upon Edna by Mr. Pontellier because he was influenced by her father to treat her more strictly.

“It was his being, his existence, which dominated her though, fading sometimes as if it would melt into the mist of the forgotten, reviving again with an intensity which filled her with an incomprehensible longing”(Chopin73).

In this quote we see how greatly Robert's departure is effecting Edna in her day to day life. This concept of Robert leaving is a reoccurring theme that has been seen since when he first left. This demonstrates how badly Edna wants to break away from the social norms because she desires what she is expected not to do, and longs to be with Robert. 

The Awakening Chapter 31-39 Dialectical Journal

“I always feel so sorry for women who don’t like to walk; they miss so much-so many rare little glimpses of life; and we women learn so little of life on the whole” (Chopin 144).	In this quote, Edna is comparing her love for walking to her love of freedom and desire to escape the restraints of society.  She does this by discussing a topic that majority of women tend not to like, but she particularly enjoys, and adds in unique descriptions that very accurately describe both aspects; taking walks and living freely.  Also, the topic of walking alone represents Edna’s awakening because in the society, women were expected to always be accompanied by men, and not walk for enjoyment.  However, Edna embraces every aspect of the activity.
"The years that are gone seem like dreams - if one might go on sleeping and dreaming - but to wake up and find - oh! well! perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one's life" (Chopin 151).	In this quote, Edna is talking to Doctor Mandelet indirectly about her awakening. By bringing up sleep and dreaming versus being awake in this quote, Chopin is comparing Edna's awakening to being awake, and all the time before this in her life as her sleeping or dreaming about life, not actually living it.  Also, in the second half of the quote, Edna is overcome with this realization about her life and how she has been living it up to this point, and how unhappy she is.  The significance of this is that Edna finds herself no longer scared of being shut out from society, but rather scared of being stuck in the oppressed society for the rest of her life, unable to do what she really wants to do.
“She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again” (Chopin 157).	This quote is in the last few lines of the book, while Edna is out in the water for her death.  In the whole book leading up to this point has been Edna’s increasing desire to escape from and not have to deal with the life that she is currently living.  She has gotten to the point where she feels that this is her only choice left for her life.  Another reoccurring factor that has been foreshadowed throughout the book has been the involvement of water, which has now lead up to her death by water.

The Awakening Chapter 11-20 Dialectical Journal

“Edna took him in her arms, and seating herself in the rocker began to coddle and caress him, calling him all manner of tender names, soothing him to sleep” (Chopin 53).

This quote very greatly characterizes the internal character of Edna that the rest of the Creole society does not see. Everyone in the town characterizes her as "bad mother" because she does not fit the typical Creole persona. One specific example of this is when her two little boys play around the town with the rest of the kids and when they get hurt, Edna doesn't tend to them, she leaves them be. So because of this everyone sees her as an unfit mother. However, this quote shows another side of Edna because she is loving and caring towards her child, and shows them a lot of affection. 

“The conditions of her life were in no way changed, but her whole existence was dulled, like a faded garment which seems to be no longer worth wearing” (Chopin 62)."

In this quote, Chopin uses a simile to compare the dulling of her life to old, worn clothing to signify the degree at which her life could go down because of her desire and feelings to escape the Creole lifestyle that she is living. When I read this, I thought that the significance of comparing her life to horrible clothing was also to demonstrate that if she really were to leave her rich, luxurious life as she knows it now, she would be left poor, helpless and without any material objects, also known as the worn clothing her life is currently being compared to. This also can be seen as foreshadowing, because before anything happens to make her life go down, her life is already seen as "old and worn."

"The Ratignolles understood each other perfectly. If ever the fusion of two human beings into one has been accomplished on this sphere it was surely in their union" (Chopin 75).

This quote demonstrates the moral viewpoint of the Ratignolles, and how strictly they follow the Creole lifestyle structure. In class today, we discussed how Adele Ratignolle is a foil for Edna Pontellier, but throughout the whole novel it becomes apparent that the Ratignolle family as a whole is a foil for the Pontellier family. This quote directly references the strong dynamic of their family and how well they, and more specifically Adele by worshiping and always tending to her husband, work together and their compatibility. 

The Awakening Chapters 1-10 Dialectical Journal

"Robert talked a good deal about himself.  He was very young, and did not know any better.  Mrs. Pontellier talked a little about herself for the same reason.  Each was interested in what the other said" (Chopin 5).	In this quote, the author is giving a brief description of Robert Lebrun and Mrs. Pontellier, as well as a small summation of their relationship.  By describing them by their ages, the audience is able to make judgments about who they are as well as what they stand for.  Similarly, focusing on something as simple as how both of them feel about their conversation with the other, suggests and foreshadows that the two of them have an intimate relationship, or will develop a relationship.
"The sun was low in the west, and the breeze soft and languorous that came up from the south, charged with the seductive order of the sea.  Children freshly befurbelowed, were gathering for their games under the oaks.  Their voices were high and penetrating" ( Chopin 16).	During this passage in the text, Chopin uses a great deal of imagery and describes the whole atmosphere of the setting.  By using specific diction, the author very accurately and descriptively describes how upbeat, and welcoming the ambiance is. Also, by talking very in-depth about the children of the society, we are given a perspective of not just their town and the world they live in, but also who the people are and what they stand for.
"The Pontelliers and Ratignolles walked ahead; the woman leaning upon the arms of their husbands" (Chopin 36).	This short, simple quote suggests the whole essence of the book: the relationship between men and women, and more specifically between husbands and wives.  Here, Chopin is showing a small nugget example of woman's apparent reliance on men, and how even on a day-to-day basis, when simply walking through town, women are expected to be dependent on men and always walk arm in arm with her husband.

Happy Ending Structure and Style

"John and Mary meet." - simple sentence

"What happens next?" - interrogative sentence 

"Mary falls in love with John but John doesn't fall in love with Mary" - compound sentence 

"Mary is hurt" - declarative sentence 

"Mary collects all the sleeping pills and asprins she can find, and takes them and a half a bottle of sherry" - compound-complex sentence 

"John tells Mary how important she is to him, but of course he can't leave his wife because a commitment is a commitment" - compound sentence 

"Fred and Madge have no problems" - declarative sentence 

"Yes, but Fred had a bad heart" - compound sentence 

"John and Mary die. John and Mary die. John and Mary die." - repition 

"... Everything continues as in A, but under different names" throughout the end of each section - repition 

"Now try How and Why" - compound sentence 

The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas Literary Analysis

In "The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas," Ursula Le Guin tells the story of a corrupt society. Through setting, symbolism and situational irony Guin demolishes any kind of rational behind such a debauched community.
In the very beginning of the story, Guin eloquently describes the setting, "In the silence of the broad green meadows one could hear music winding through the city streets, farther and nearer and ever approaching, a cheerful faint sweetness of the air that from time to time trembled and gathered together and broke out into the great joyous clanging of the bells" (Guin).  By using such vivid, upbeat language and description, the author really shows the reader the beauty of Omelas.  This also helps Guin to prove her point of how appalling the society is because when contrasted with the sourness of the child, the true evil of what is being done is revealed.  Similarly, there is much symbolism within the piece, which also foreshadows the end.  When describing the people of Omelas, she said "We can no longer describe a happy man, nor make any celebration of joy... [the people] were not naive and happy children--though their children were, in fact, happy" (Guin).  In this passage, age is symbolic, meaning knowledge.  When children are young, they are oblivious to the suffering child, and are therefore still light, happy kids.  But when they reach a certain age, they are informed of the horror of the society, and therefore loose their happiness.   Finally, this also demonstrates Guin's use of situational irony in the piece to emphasize the horror of what they are doing.  Children run around ignorant to the town they live in, making the audience feel greater remorse and pain for the suffering child because the happiest people in the town do not even know why they are truly happy at that point in time.
Through setting, symbolism and situational irony, Guin uncovers the true horror behind the irrational community of Omelas.

Hills Like White Elephants Literary Analysis

In the short story "Hills Like White Elephants," Earnest Hemingway tells the vague story of a man and a young woman, their relationship, and conflicts.  Through symbolism, setting and a dialectical structure, Hemingway characterizes the relationship between the two main characters as dysfunctional and uncommunicative.  

One of the big symbols from this piece is the name "Jig" of the girl.  We first learn her name when the man is trying to convince her to go forward with her upcoming operation, "It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig.  It’s not really an operation at all" (Hemingway).  A jig is a kind of dance, so by naming her this, Hemingway is suggesting that the two characters are almost "dancing" around the subject at hand, and almost avoiding it.  This is essential to the characterization of their relationship, because through symbols such as this, we are able to see that they are greatly lacking in communication.  Similar to this, the setting, and more specifically the weather, of the piece plays a very important role in describing the dynamic of the two main characters.  When Hemingway first begins to describe where the story takes place, he talks about the warm, sunny area, but when describing the location of the two, they "sat at a table in the shade, outside of the building" (Hemingway).  This shows that the main characters are in a cold and dark place; however since they could easily step into the warm and happy place (the sun), by making the final call on the operation shows that they do not work well together, and are unable to communicate.  Lastly, the overall dialectical structure of the piece suggests that they almost fake communication, and pretend everything is okay so they do not have to deal with the real problems at hand. 

Through all aspects of the short story, it is apparent that the two main characters do not function well together, and have a serious lack in communication.  

I Stand Here Ironing Literary Analysis

In "I Stand Here Ironing," Tillie Olsen tells the story of a woman who greatly struggles as a young and inexperienced mother.  Through a stream of consciousness point of view, a pessimistic tone, and an unstructured construction, Olsen solidifies how unsuccessful she feels her performance as a mother is.
Right from the beginning of the story, Olsen does not seem to focus on what specific event or occurrence, but seems to just simply ramble on about her struggle as a new mother.  This exemplifies her concept that she was not a good mother because it demonstrates a lack of focus as well as attentiveness, which are both key traits required to raise a young child.  Also, throughout the whole story, she says very few positive things, putting great emphasis on her failures as a parent.  For example, when Emily was first getting sick, and she would call for her mother in the middle of the night, she would call back, "now go to sleep, Emily, there's nothing to hurt you," (268) greatly showing her lack of maturity when dealing with children.  Lastly, on the topic of the construction of the piece, there is very little organization, which also goes along with her interior monologue point of view. However, the syntax itself remains consistent in its assembly, but the fluidity from paragraph to paragraph, and thought to thought is almost non-existent.  Olsen is jumping around in a form that does not seem to make sense to the reader, which finally illustrates her own views on her struggle parenting because she saw herself parenting in a way that no one could follow, therefore making Emily's life unstable.
Through all aspect of, "I Stand Here Ironing," it is apparent that Olsen saw herself as an unsuccessful parent.

Sarcastic

Cathedral Questions

1. The first person narrator of "Cathedral" reveals little about himself to the reader.  Throughout the story, he chooses the different aspects of his personality, as well as his wife's that he wants his audience to know about himself.  He uses very little direct characterization other than things such as when he turns on the TV when they are all sitting in the living room; "My wife looked at me with irritation. She was heading toward a boil" (1084). More commonly throughout the piece, he leaves the reader to infer things about his and his wife's personalities through their actions.  First off, the main focus of the book is the wife overwhelming the blind man into their house after he has gone through something traumatizing, which demonstrates her friendly, welcoming personality. Also, throughout the text the narrator is continuously getting himself more drinks, and said things such as "every night I smoked dope, and stayed up as long as I could before I fell asleep" (1086).  This shows his addictive, and harmful personality that seems to be contributing to his lack of interest and friendliness to the blind man.  His tone is very straightforward throughout the whole text, and almost informational as if it is from a textbook.
2. Carver's narrator sets the reader up for meeting the blind man by disliking him right off the bat.  He says things very straightforward such as, "I wasn't enthusiastic about his visit" (1079), and other things not as straightforward in relationship to the blind man and the narrator's wife, suggesting them to be closer than the narrator was comfortable with them being.  My first response to Robert is very different from the narrators, because aside from being lead to dislike him based on what the narrator says about him, I was influenced to like and care for him because of what he has gone through during the past year of his life, as well as how strongly the wife feels about and cares for Robert.  In paragraphs 18-44, Carver uses conversation as well as the narrator's private thoughts to show the blind man character and develop the narrator's character.  When Robert and the narrator first meet each other, Robert said "I Feel like we've already met," and the narrator replies, "'Likewise'... I didn't know what else to say" (1082).  By showing the interaction by the two, it is apparent that Robert is excited to finally meet the narrator in person after having heard so much about him on the tapes, but the narrator does not share the same thrill considering he replies rather half-heartedly.  Following that, the narrator's private thoughts develops his character by representing his lack of interest in meeting the blind man.  It also reveals a lot about the blind man himself as well because although he can easily infer that he is not really welcomed by the husband, he does not let it get him down.
3. Throughout the story, blindness is seen in many different ways.  In the beginning of the story, the narrator is "bothered by his blindness" (1079), which portrays blindness as something that one chooses, simply to inconvenience other people.  Then, as the story goes on, when the narrator and Robert are sitting in the living room watching TV together and the wife is sleeping on the sofa, "she'd turned to that her robe had slipped away from her legs, exposing a juicy thigh. I reached to draw her robe back over her, and it was then that I glanced at the blind man. What the hell! I flipped the robe open again" (1086).  Although either way the blind man could not see the wife's leg, it shows a lack of respect people who can see have for people who are blind. The proper thing to do, no matter who is in the room, is to cover up the wife's thigh.  Finally, at the end of the selection, the narrator is learning and amazed by the blind man, and begins to understand the life of being blind by becoming more knowledgeable as a result of communicating with the blind man.
5. I think that Carver withholds the specific information of what the narrator's epiphany at the end of the story to let the reader think and conclude their own personal opinions of what they think a blind man can teach a man who can seen. The other information that is withheld from the reader is what the narrator does with his life after finally meeting the blind man, is he changed for good? Does he have a new respective on life? Is he changed for the better?
6. Based on the characterization of the relationship between the narrator and his wife, I believe that Carver does judge them.  He adds many excerpts specifically to describe their relationship, but does not describe it/them in positive ways.  For example, when describing their dinner, it is very boring and uncommunicative, "We didn't talk, we ate" (1084), then excess number of drinks they had throughout the night and neither of them seemed to realize how much they were drinking, and her casual reaction to him smoking dope in the living room, and then proceeding to smoke with him.  I do judge them, because they are unaware of the life their living, their relationship, and their spouse, which I believe is destructive to not only themselves and their own environments, but to their respective other and their way of life as well.