Short Stories: Potpourri: 4

"I want the baby." (front)

This blog is about "Popular Mechanics" by Raymond Carver. When reading this story, I did not take it literally (which is a first for me) because a baby cannot be literally ripped apart. Instead I looked at it figuratively. Obviously, the parents are separating. In our present society, this is becoming more and more prevalent. When divorce is happening, parents become selfish and are only concerned with their own wants and needs. Often times, parents do not realize or refuse to see the pain that this can bring to children. Constantly being pulled in both directions with no real place to call home is very hard on a child and can rip them apart emotionally. In this story, both parents want the baby, but they never consider the childs wants or needs. The title is quite apppropriate for the situation; although, I didn't realize it at first. This short story describes the popular mechanics of a family going through divorce. Unfortunately, this kind of parental behavior is the norm in today's society.

Short Stories: Potpurri: 3

"This was what she'd become: a woman alone at the movies with everything in a Baggie." (363)

This blog will focus on the character of Zoe in "You're Ugly, too" by Lorrie Moore. First of all, I would like to say that this story was incredible long and drawn out, though not as long and plotless as "Bartleby." Anyways, Zoe is an extremely eccentric person. The Baggie obsession and particularity of Zoe leads me to believe that she has OCD, but I may be mistaken. I think these oddities in Zoe's personality make her more sympathetic. I feel bad for her becuase she is a lonely lady trying to stay happy. She pities herself and tells many jokes to make herself feel better. Also, people listen to her jokes, so she makes herself feel good about herself because she draws people in with her jokes because they want to listen. Zoe is an odd character and even the other characters notice this and try to stear her on a normal path by setting her up with dates and activities. Is there a significance to her secret stomach pain? I feel like it should be relevant, but I can't figure it out.

Short Stories: Potpourri: 2

"My brave little man!" she said with her eyes shining. "It was God did it you were there. You were his guardian angel." (351)

For this blog, I will be addressing the irony in the short story, "The Drunkard" by Frank O'Connor. The first irony I noticed was the title. The drunkard is the father, and he is not even the one who gets drunk. The son gets drunk while he is supposed to be making sure his father doesn't do just that. This is the other piece of irony. The son is supposed to keep his father from getting drunkbecause he needs to be able to work tomorrow and has trouble controlling himself after the first drink. The son, Larry, gets drunk on his father's alcohol. The father gets mad at his son for what he did, but in reality, his son saved. The mother would have been much more mad if her husband was drunk because he wouldn't be able to earn money for the family. With the boy drunk, he can just lay around until he recovers.

Short Stories: Potpourri: 1

"The original paraphernalia for the lottery had been lost long ago." (265)

For this blog, I will be anwsering the fourth question after the short story, "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson. The fourth question asks about the significance of original box being lost and parts of the ritual being forgotten. I think that the significance of these two things is that the lottery itself is also past its prime. The fact that all of these parts of the lottery are so outdated implies that the purpose of the lottery is also outdated. The original purpose of the lottery was probably to choose who would be sacrificed to get meat into the diet of the villagers. I gathered this purpose because the story says, "First thing you know, we'd all be eating chickweed and acorns." The tradition of sacrificing a member of the village is worn out, just as the box and actual preceedings are worn out. The old box and ritual being forgotten are long gone, and the tradition should be too.

Short Stories: Theme: 4

"Because of that stupid old thing at the end there? asked the boy. "Why does she come here at all- who wants her?" (186)

For this blog, I will be answering the sixth question on the handout about the short story "Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield. I think that the climax of the story is when the nicely dressed couple make fun of the old lady and say the above quote. This is the climax because it is really the height of the action. This is the scene that motivates Miss Brill to change things in her life. The resolution to the climax is when Miss Brill puts away the fur. The fur originally was her source of comfort, but she ends up putting it on the shelf. This also represents Miss Brill putting her old self on the shelf and moving on with the times. The putting away of the fur is resolving the point of contention between Miss Brill and the younger generation.

Short Stories: Theme: 3

"No, missy, he not dead, he just the same." (229)

For this blog I will be sharing my initial thoughts on the sixth question that follows the story, "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty. The sixth question states that when a reader asked the author if the grandson was alive, she replied, "Phoenix is alive." This made me think that Phoenix, the old lady, is mad and suffering from multiple personality disorder. I thought that the boy was really just an alter ego of the old lady. This is supported by text when Phoenix briefly forgets what she is doing. When this happens, she has become the boy and doesn't remember going on a journey. I made this connection because if they were two different people, then the author wasn't answering the question being asked. Mr. Costello told our group today that this in fact was not the case and that the grandson's presence was not relevant. The message of the story is one of great love. Whether the boy is alive or not does not affect the love that the grandma is showing for her grandson. I get where he is coming from, but our blogs are supposed to be initial reactions, so that is what I shared.

Short Stories: Theme: 2

"No! No! No! It was impossible. Her hands clutched the iron in frenzy." (222)

For this blog, I will be answering the sixth question that follows "Eveline" by James Joyce. I think that Eveline's refusal to board the ship is only partly due to her judgement and will. I think it is more indecisiveness and uncertainty that prevents her from boarding the ship. She begins to think about everything she would be leaving behind and begins to get cold feet about the future because she has been in the same place doing the same thing for so long. I don't think she is choosing not to go, I think she is choosing to give herself more time to think about everything. She doesn't have the will power to say no to Frank, so this is her way of showing her feelings and opinions about the situation. She doesn't want to pass up this opportunity to get out, but she doesn't necessarily want Frank to be her ticket out of this life she is leaving. Eveline has not decided not to go with Frank, but she hasn't chosen to stay either.

Short Stories: Theme: 1

"The little boy was fascinated by the device and used it as a walkie-talkie in cops and robbers play with his small friends." (233)

The story "Once upon a Time" by Nadne Gordimer contains foreshadowing. I did not notice the foreshadowing the first time reading it, but I noticed it when I was rereading the story in class because I had already read them and could not blog from my desk. This foreshadowing of the horrific ending and fate of the little boy is foreshadowed pretty much every time the parents get a new security system. The quote above is one instance where readers are introduced to the curiousity and interest of the little boy that ultimately leads to his demise. The wise witch is the one who warned the family about the dangers of intruders, but it was her gift to the boy that caused him to pretend "to be the Prince who braves the terrible thicket of thorns." Their is also irony in the fact that the speaker is telling herself a bedtime story because she cannot sleep because an intruder-like noise woke her up. The speaker seems to be reassuring herself that even taking precautions against intruders cannot always save you. Being too paranoid and too extreme in protective measures can also be bad.

Short Stories: Characterization: 4

"Eh!-He's asleep, ain't he?" "With kings and counselors," mumured I.

This is the fate of Bartleby in "Bartleby the Scrivener." I am answering question number three on the worksheet. I think that the physical description of Bartleby hints at this fate throughout the stoy. Bartleby is described as ghostlike, pale, passive, and poor. This description along with Bartleby's constant presence in the office gives me the impression that Bartleby is like a ghost. He is living in the background of the workers' lives. This implies his fate because the physical description also resembles a corpse. The corpselike description hints that he will die and be just as pale, cold, and poor. I think that the author hints at Bartleby's fate because he wants the readers to know what is coming to an extent and let them draw their own conclusions about how, when, where, and why.

Short Stories: Characterization: 3

"Poor fellow! thought I, he means no mischief; it is plain he intends no insolence; his aspect sufficiently evinces that his eccentricities are involuntary." (652)

For this blog, I will formally be answering question number eleven that goes with "Bartleby the Scrivener." The lawyer's attitude toward Bartleby changes a few times during the story. At first, the lawyer sees Bartleby as a valuable asset in his business because he is a quiet copier and very good at it. He works longer than anyone else. Soon, Bartleby begins prefering not to do anything. At this point, the lawyer begins to be taken aback and annoyed at his not doing anything. This only lasts a short while until the lawyer becomes curious and intrigued. He wants to know more about Bartleby and his past. He does a little snooping and discovers some things about Bartleby. He begins to understand more about what Bartleby is doing in the office. He needs a place to stay, so he lives in the office. The lawyer still remains perturbed by Bartleby's constant presence and lack of doing anything, so he forces himself to move on. However, he becomes sympathetic toward Bartleby and offers to allow him to stay with him in his home. This shows that Bartleby is growing on him, but the lawyer can only do so much to help someone who doesn't want help.

Short Stories: Characterization: 2

"I'm going to have to stop," Frank said. "I can't feel my fingers." Up ahead they saw some lights off the road. It was a tavern. (196)

In this blog, I will formally be answering the fourth question that follows "Hunters in the Snow." I think the purpose of Tub and Frank stopping at the tavern is to show that the men are all self-centered. They don't really think about each other. Also, there is a change in alliances. Frank leaves the trusted side of Kenny and opens up to Tub. Tub also opens up to Frank. This shows how easily they move on with their lives. They forget about Kenny and are only worried with their own problems, which right now are a little less urgent than bleeding and freezing to death in the back of a truck. Another purpose for the stop is for readers to gain insight into the characters and learn why they act the way they do when they are opening up to each other. Also at the tavern, they leave the directions behind. This shows that they were not very focused and dedicated to getting Kenny to the hospital for help. It is almost as if they thought he was asking for it and didn't care if he got better.

Short Stories: Characterization: 1

"I can use the churn top as a centerpiece for the alcove table," she said, sliding a plate over the churn, "and I'll think of something artistic to do with the dasher." (179)

This quote highlights the contrast between the characters of Dee and Mama in "Everyday Use." Dee sees things as valuable decorations and is only concerned with how things look. Mama uses things for their intended purpose and uses them for things she needs. This difference is evident when Dee is taking the butter churn. Her mother uses it to make butter for her and Maggie. Dee wants to use it merely as a decoration. A similar situation occurs when Dee tries to take the quilts because she wants to hang them. She sees this as the only logical thing to do with them. However, Mama and Maggie intended to use them for warmth. In this way, Maggie and Mama can be seen as practical, while Dee is a spoiled brat who is merely concerned with herself. She is more concerned with how things look than the uses of things. Mama and Maggie need those things because they will actually use them. Dee is merely wasting the things and beeing way too greedy.

Short Stories: Plot and Structure: 4

"Then we noticed that in the second pillow was the indentation of a head. One of us lifted somehting from it, and leaning forward, that faint and invisible dust dry and acrid in the nostrils, we saw a long strand of iron-gray hair."

This is the last poem in "A Rose for Emily." The effect is to give us a sense of what has been going on in the house for the past many years. It also verifies the actions many accused Miss Emily of while she was still living and locked in the house. The paragraph leads readers to change their view of Miss Emily from a scrooge type figure into one of a mourning daughter. The paragraph insinuates that Miss Emily poisoned her husband, Homer Barron, because she loved him so much that she wanted to be with him forever. I also got the feeling that she wanted to be in control, unlike when her father was taken from her. She wanted to make sure she could be with Homer forever, even if that meant killing him so he would never leave or die when she wasn't ready. I am sympathetic to Emily because she is just a mourning daughter, not ready to lose another significant man from her life, especially one that reminds her so much of her father. Miss Emily's fate was death, which is inevitably the fate for all of us. It makes it better that she was able to die after having spent a great deal of time with the one she loved. It also makes readers sad because she did not die next to her husband which is probably how she envisioned things going.

Short Stories: Plot and Structure: 3

"While Mr. Das adjusted his telephoto lens, Mrs. Das reached into her straw bag and pulled out a bottle of colorless nail polish, which she proceeded to stroke on the tip of her index finger."

For this blog entry, I will be addressing question five from the book on the "Interpreter of Maladies." The reader is encouraged to view the characters as indifferent to each other. The author begins to cast the parents as especially individualistic and preoccupied. This gives the reader the idea that the family is bored of each other and doesn't really care about the others. However, it becomes apparent that they do really care for each other when the join together to fend off the monkeys from Bobby. This is especially significant because Bobby is not even Mrs. Das's son. She protects him and cares as him all the same. This technique generates suspense because it makes readers believe that Mrs. Das is bored with her marriage and looking for an out. This leads readers to believe that Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi will get together. The thought is amplified by Mrs. Das asking for Mr. Kapasi's address. This encourages readers to believe that they will have a secret long distance relationship. In reality, it is only because she wants him to interpret her problems, so she can be happy with her life and family.

Short Stories: Plot and Structure: 2

"He always tells the children the story of how I went after him by sitting by the mailbox every day, and naturally I laugh and let him, because I like for people to think what pleases them and makes them happy."

This blog is more of a reaction/literary term blog. It again focuses on the short story, "How I Met My Husband." I find it ironic that Edie met her husband while waiting on a letter from another man whom she thought she loved. I think this is ironic because if she had not been heartbroken from not receiving a letter from Chris, she would have never met the man she is now married too. I also find the last line (typed above) particularly ironic because Carmichael thinks that she was waiting at the mailbox everyday to see him and smile at him, when, in reality, she was waiting to hear from another man. The last part about pleasing people is especially ironic because that is potentially the same thing Chris was thinking when he told her that he would write to her. He knew he wasn't going to write, but he wanted to make her happy. I also find it entertaining that Carmichael asked Edie out so quickly when she had been waiting for Chris for so long. There are definately clear differences between Edie's relationship with Chris and her relationship with Carmichael. I think that Edie fits better with Carmichael even though even meeting him was only an accident.

Short Stories: Plot and Structure: 1

"I was always smiling when the mailman got there, and continued smiling even after he gave me the mail and I saw today wasn't the day."

For this blog I will be addressing the eighth question that follows "How I Met My Husband." The question has multiple parts and I have another relevant thought to add, so bear with me. The effectiveness of the surprise ending is that it is not expected at all and it forces readers to reevaluate previous happenings. To me, I expected it to end with either Edie getting a letter or her waiting there until she was forced to relocate or until she grew old. I never thought much of Carmichael's courtesies until the end when they got together. Carmichael is different than Chris Watters because he likes Edie even though she doesn't notice him at first. To Chris, Edie was more of a convenient love and secret pleasure. Carmichael loves Edie in plain sight. Chris was afraid of commitment. Carmichael is commited to Edie before she even notices him. The surprise ending is appropriate because Chris obviously wasn't writing to her, and she deserves a reward for her time. Also, she is a nice girl who deserves someone who will appreciate her and treat her right. It is inevitable because if you wait long enough, something good will come, even if it is not the good you were hoping for.

Poetry Ch. 14 Pattern (5)

"I see myself on deck, convinced his ship's gone down."

This is a quote from the poem "Elegy for My Father, Who Is Not Dead" by Andrew Hudgins. This poem has an overall tone of pessimistic annoyance. The poem is pessimistic because the speaker is envisioning the worst. He thinks that when his father dies, he is gone forever. He even tries to negate his father who tells them they will meet again like the first time they met on this earth. The speaker is annoyed that his father is welcoming death so openly because he thinks that will be it. The speaker is not ready for this father to leave him. The poem can be regarded as an elegy because the speaker is mourning the loss of his father because he knows it is inevitable and he is losing his father. The speaker is also reflecting on both possibilities of the future. I cannot tell if he is hoping for one way or the other, but he sure seems convinced that he is right and his father is about to be gone forever.

Poetry Ch. 14 Pattern (4)

"I see a wild civility" (979).

This quote is one of many oxymorons from the poem "Delight in Disorder" by Robert Herrick. The poem consists of many oxymorons. The oxymorons include: "wild civility," "sweet disorder," and "flow confusedly." These oxymorons contribute to the meaning of the poem as a whole. The whole poem is one big contradiction of our normal frame of thought. Usually delight is found in things that are perfect, beautiful, and orderly. However, this poem describes a delight in chaos. It states that things that are off slightly are much better. The structure of the poem is one sentence with the main idea of the poem followed by an example in which this is true. The example it uses is the wardrobe of a person. Everything is just a bit off, and that is what makes it beautiful and delightful. The poem is telling readers that it is better to be a little off because no one can be or should be in perfect order all of the time. It is much better for people to show their individuality. This same message is conveyed in "Much Madness is divinest Sense." Both poems state that to be normal and delightful, you have to be a bit off and individualistic. People usually see conforming as the right thing, but in fact it is sane and delightful to be different and yourself.

Poetry Ch. 14 Pattern (3)

"And what will ye leave to your own mother dear, Edward, Edward."

The quote above is from "Edward" by an anonymous author. The quote has a unique structure that contributes to the overall message of the poem. The structure in all 7 stanzas is four lines where the speaker is the mother and four lines where the speaker is Edward. The word "O" is repeated at the end of every set of four lines as well as at the beginning of all of Edward's parts. This connects the two parts of the stanzas as well as differentiates wh othe speaker is. It is apparent that the mother knows the answers to all of the questions she asks, but she wants Edward to tell her the truth and own up to his actions. She does not feel sorry for him and does not condone what he has done. The killing of the hawk and the steed are not literal, but rather they are figurative and show that Edward viewed his father as good, fair, and free. Edward does not like his mother, or he is mad at her for some reason. He curses her and does not appreciate her.

Poetry Ch. 14 Pattern (2)

"Can someone make my simple wish come true?" (973)

This quote comes from "Lonely Hearts" by Wendy Cope. The speaker is looking for a specific type of person to meet and hopefully fall in love with. The first tercet is looking for a male biker who wants to ride with a female companion. The second one is looking for a gay guy who is into Shakespeare and the sun. The third is looking for a young, bisexual executive looking to spice up their life. The fouth one is looking for someone successful and straight, attractive, and Jewish with a son. The fifth is looking for a slim, non-smoker, who is under the age of 21. I think that although each of these are looking for a specific type of person; they all have somehting in common. The repetition of specific lines makes it seem like they are all looking for the same thing. I also think that the short lines in the poem show an urgency and desperation because this shows that they are not too specific on who they want to meet. This is all taking the poem very literally so it may not be the most accurate interpretation.

Poetry Ch. 14 Pattern (1)

"Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, and dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell." (972)

This quote comes from the poem, "Death, be not proud" by John Donne. The poem is an example of apostrophe. The speaker is addressing death and explaining to death that it should not be proud of what it does. The speaker addressing death in an apostrophe is effective because it shows that the speaker is addressing and confronting his fear. In addition to addressing death, the speaker is trying to convince himself that death is nothing to be afraid of. Death affects every single person, whether they are a king or desperate man. Death cannot be proud because it accompanies poison, war, and sickness, things that are sad and that we try to avoid. I think that the speaker is trying to convince himself that even though he is eventually going to die, but that does not mean that death got the best of them. Eventually everyone will wake up eternally after a short break from our current life. Therefore, we will have triumphed over death unlike what we are currently experiencing with death being the victor.

Poetry Ch. 10 Tone (5)

"How can i be a princess me a princess." (handout)

This quote comes from the poem "Hazel Tells LaVerne" by Katharyn Howd Machan. This poem lacked punctuation and capitalization just as the one from last week, but in my opinion they were eons apart in terms of level of difficulty. This one seems like a straightforward narrative and spin on the classic tale of "The Frog Prince." The diction in this poem gives me the image of a black woman in the south cleaning the bathrooms before the closing of a restaurant. (This is kind of stereotypical, but it fits the description.) The general tone of the poem is casual and lighthearted. The speaker is simply telling a story. I think the lack of punctuation can be attributed to the speakers eagerness to get to the end of her story because of the suprising ending. The poem is fun and easy to read. A theme from this poem could be that good things can come in unexpected ways.

Poetry Ch. 10 Tone (4)

"We held on tight, and let go." (896)

This quote ends the poem "Getting Out" by Cleopatra Mathis. This quote is a paradox, which describes the paradoxical meaning of the whole poem. The first two stanzas describe the problems with the marriage and the downhill plummet it was making. The final stanza contradicts the first two stanzas by implying that they still love each other, but they have to split up. The contradictory and paradoxical combination of the three stanzas gives readers a truth about their relationship. To me, this truth is that they still love each other, but they need time to grow up and out. They need to discover themselves before they can be together. The paradox of the whole poem is summed up in the last line (quoted above) because they are still holding on to each other inside, but for the good of both parties, they must go their separate ways and let go. They truly loved each other because they cried the last day they say each other. They loved each other enought to let the other go. I liked this poem because it made sense and told a story. The paradox made it interesting and kept the suspense going until the end.

Poetry Ch. 10 Tone (3)

"The Sea of Faith was once, too, at the full, and round earth's shore"

The above quote is from "Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold. The poem contains an extended metaphor. The religious world is compared to the coast the speaker is currently standing on. The first stanza talks about the coast. The third stanza contains similar images, but these images are referring to the relgious world. When the relgious faith was in its prime, it was "round earth's shore." Now it is only a long, melancholy roar. The prevalence of the faith is retreating and people are becoming thin in their beliefs and commitment. The speaker wants the religious faith to remain beautifully in front of us like the "land of dreams" that can be seen off the coast. The last few lines reveal the current sad state of the faith. These lines contain images in sharp contrast with the beauty of the coast because the author wants to show how unappealing the thought of no religious faith is. It gives readers a taste of the path the world is headed toward, away from the beauty of having faith, into a world of darkness and struggle. The metaphor is effective because it shows the beauty of strong religious faith with something that most can relate to and see the beauty upon hearing the description.

Poetry Ch. 10 Tone (2)

"And may there be no moaning of the bar when I put out into the sea." (886)

The above quote comes from "Crossing the Bar" by Lord Alfred Tennyson. Even though this is not the imagery section, the images in this poem really stuck out to me. The images conveyed the gist of the poem to me. The images are of sunset, twilight, tide, and flooding. These images all signify an end to me. The poem is about death which is also an end. Also, to me the images are peaceful and calm. This is exactly how the speaker envisions and wants his death to be. He wants to die quickly without moaning (pain). He also wants it to be quick so people are not feeling sorry for him and telling him goodbye rather than embracing his presence now. The images in the poem convey the theme of a wish for a peaceful, noneventful end to his life just as the end of the day and end of the tide come peacefully everyday and without a bunch of hoopla.

Poetry Ch. 10 Tone (1)

"And yet, by heaven, I think my love as rare as any she belied with false compare." (885)

The quote above comes from the poem, "My mistress' eyes" by William Shakespeare. The central theme of this poem is that the love between the speaker and his mistress is stronger than the love between the people who lie to themselves and each. The speaker knows his love is stronger because he does not have to validify his mistress by the way she looks. The speaker loves his mistress for who she is as a person, not because she fits the fairy tale descriptions and false comparisons like "eyes as bright as the son." The speaker knows that his mistress may not be the most beautiful on the outside, but he loves her for what is on the inside and that is what makes their bond stronger than the bonds built of false comparisons and looks alone. Part of the central theme is evident through lines 1-12 when the author is bashing on his mistress. From line 13 to the end the theme is really clear, it becomes evident as to why he was downing her and that he truly loves her for who she is. The theme is effective because readers know what message the speaker is trying to convey.

Poetry Ch. 7 POUI (5)

"next to of course god, america i"

Yes, I am tackling the intimidating poem with no punctuation or capitilization. (Go me!) Anyways, "next to of course god america i" by e.e. cummings is a very difficult poem. (i am curious as to why the periods after the e's in cummings' name required punctuation by capitalization was not necessary.) So the purpose of the lack of capitalization and punctuation seems to me to have the purpose of describing the speaker. When I read the poem, I pictured the speaker as some drunk old man at a bar slurring his sentences together and lacking emphasis in his words. The glass of water threw this theory a curve ball, but I stand by it because a) he could be sobering up after a long night, or b) it's not really water.
Another thing I noticed was that the basic ideas in the poem was the Star Spangled Banner, the beginning of America, and war. These three things fit together if it is Revolutionary War time. This also makes sense in light of the second to last line of the poem when liberty is mentioned. So I figure that the setting is around that era. I see the basic story like this: the speaker is recalling the time when men were risking their lives at war for America and all of the civilians were gung ho for America. I think that the speaker and Cummings do not admire the men for this. On the contrary, I think that they are calling the men dumb for not even thinking about what they are getting themselves into and they could all die and we will have no voice. This poem is a bit confusing without punctuation and capitalization, but once one gets over the initial shock, it is pretty easy to add one's own punctuation where one sees fit. Chances are one will get some of it right and at least somewhat understand the message. (By the way, I considered writing this whole blog with no capitalization or punctuation to better get a feel for Cummings' purpose, but I decided against it for your own best interest.

Poetry Ch. 7 POUI (4)

"Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new." (840)

I chose this quote from "Batter my heart, three-personed God" by John Donne because it was basically the only comparison in the poem I actually got. The break refers to the Son because He is broken so that we might be healed. (I feel like their is a church song that has it in it because that line keeps replaying in my mind, but I cannot recall the name of the song or the rest of the song.) The blow refers to the Holy Spirit because it is the breath of life and always associated with wind. The burn refers to God who is the light of the world, burning for all to see. (Now I have the "Go Light Your Candle" song in my head. I am not even sure if that is the title of the song, but it is in the chorus, so works for me.) Anyways, that was about the only comparison I could figure out. The other questions asked what the speaker and God were being compared to. I knew they were being compared to something, I just could not decipher what. However, despite my inability to pick out the comparisons, I think I still got the gist of the poem. I think that the speaker is asking God for forgiveness. He wants God to come into his life because the speaker is ready to admit Him. The speaker wants God to divorce him from his enemy (the devil?) and allow him to be married chastely to the church. This is taking the poem quite literally, so I may be wrong, but that's what I got.

Poetry Ch. 7 POUI (3)

"She was advised to play coy, exhorted to come on hearty, exercise, diet, smile, and wheedle." (836)

The poem "Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy was one of my favorites from this chapter. I think the central theme is: Women are too concerned with their looks and other people's approval that they forget what is important. For the girl in the poem, this was exactly the case. She wanted so badly not to have "a great big nose and fat legs." She went so far as to cut off her nose and legs. This is a bit extreme, but she was so worried about what other people thought that she forgot to consider what it would cost her, her life. I think that the theme here is important because it reminds us that we don't all have to be perfect like a Barbie Doll because they are just plastic and don't have to worry about things like eating and living. Basically, there is more to life than looks. Sometimes girls forget this and in turn forget who they really are and who they are trying to please. I don't know about you, but I want to please myself, my parents, and God, not some petty teenage girls.

Poetry Ch. 7 POUI (2)

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

The poem "Sorting Laundry" by Elisavietta Ritchie is an extended metaphor. The metaphor begins in the first stanza (the quote above). After that point, most aspects of laundry that are described can be compared to their relationship. For example, the speaker refuses to "bleach into respectability. The speaker wants their love to be true passion, not just respect for each other. The speaker wants their relationship to remain vibrant and not bleach into a friendship. Also, the "wrinkles to be smoothed, or else ignored" compare to the rifts in the relationship that will be smoothed out between the two of them or forgotten over time. The speaker wants everything to be smooth between her and her partner. The shrunken clothes that are "tough to discard even for Goodwill" compare to the memories that the speaker cannot let go of. The clothes are a sign of where they have been together. In the end, the speaker says that even "a mountain of unsorted wash" cannot replace her lover. I think that this line finishes off the metaphor (and the poem, obviously). The extended metaphor is effective because it gives readers a comparison of how the speaker sees her love. It also gives a picture of the speaker's character and role.

Poetry Ch. 7 POUI (1)

"And the father wrote right back, 'Please don't write such depressing letters.'" (846)

The poem APO 96225 by Larry Rottmann contains situational irony. The poem has situational irony because the soldier is trying to protect his mother. He does not want his mother to know the horrid details of what is really going on over seas. He tries to make her think that everything is fine and it is just time away from home, when in reality he is killing people everyday. The mother thinks that she wants to know exactly what is going on in Vietnam. Ironically, she is too overcome with the truth and gets upset. I think that the irony of the poem is important because it basically describes the attitude of the American public during the war. No one wanted to admit to or recognize what was going on in Vietnam. The irony's purpose is to show the difference in sentiments from one perspective to another. I liked this poem because I understood its theme and what it was trying to get across. Also, it was more of a story than random words put into stanzas.

Poetry Ch. 5 Figurative Language (5)

"Winter. Time to eat fat and watch hockey."

I think the poem "February" by Margaret Atwood is a very strange poem from line twelve on. I think that the basic idea is that sex is the way to stay alive and well during the winter months. The hockey, cat, and eating analogies are present throughout. Sex is compared to hockey when the speaker says "He shoots, he scores!" The poem also mentions the conquest of a cat marking his territory. The eating analogy is also related to sex when their is famine in the bedsheets. All of these analogies work together to make sex seem like a conquest to score, quench hunger, and mark territory. I think that this poem is kind of bizarre and has a weird theme. One of the questions from the book asks if this is what I associate with winter. I can assure you that I have never even considered these things with winter or any time of the year. This poem has an interesting theme to say the least, but it is very well portrayed through analogies and imagery.

Poetry Ch. 5 Figurative Language (4)

"Dull sublunary lovers' love
(Whose sould is sense) cannot admit
Absence, because it doth remove
Those things which elemented it." (802)

This quote is from the poem "A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne. The central theme of this poem is that true love, once refined, is so strong that even when one lover dies or leaves for a while, the bond cannot be broken. This is apparent when the whole message of the poem is taken into consideration. I think that the message that true love will never die is timeless and evident in this poem. The poem really reveals the bond between lovers and recognizes that they become one after time. I think that this poem shows the significance of love and how it influences people. The poem also shows that lovers depart in different ways, but that does not make their love any less. Some lovers (laity) part with no noise, no tears, and no sighs, rather, they give a profanation of their joys. Other lovers are fixed footed and do not move without their other half. This poem stays true to its theme and describes how true love can be shown in different ways, but is so strong that the bond never falters.

Poetry Ch. 5 Figurative Language (3)

"Inebriate of Air-am I-And Debauchee of Dew" (797)

The poem "I taste a liquor never brewed" by Emily Dickinson contains an extended metaphor to which the speaker compares alcoholic intoxication to intoxication with the beauty of nature. The comparison to nature has many instances throughout to support it: "yield," "Debauchee of Dew," "Butterflies-renounce their 'dreams,'" "leaning against the-Sun." I think that the comparison is effective because everyone understands the feeling of being overcome with the beauty of nature and God's creation. The speaker describes alcoholic intoxication using the extended metaphor of intoxication of nature because people experience the same feeling of being on top of the world and happy when they are alcoholicly intoxicated and naturally intoxicated. Some of the descriptions of the beauty seen in alcoholic intoxication are beautiful occurences in nature that one can't help but see as beautiful. Some of these images are: "Tankards scooped in Pearl," "inns of Molten Blue," and "snowy Hats." I think that the figurative language of an extended metaphor is effective in this poem because it not the typical way we see drunks until the last stanza. It is almost letting us see the drunks from a new perspective.

Poetry Ch. 5 Figurative Language (2)

"Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" (805)

The poem "Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes uses many similies. The similes propose different options about what could happen to a dream that is deferred. The deferred dream is compared to a raisin in the sun, rotten meat, a syrupy sweet crusting over, a sore, and a heavy load. These are all things that have the connotation of being lost and forgotten. This similes are effective because it shows that the speaker thinks that his/her dreams will be forgotten like meat and rot away somewhere. The speaker thinks that the dreams that are not realized will be forgotten by all involved and become some rotten thing just sitting somewhere without a purpose or hope. The similes are followed by one metaphor that concludes the poem. This metaphor is strategically placed at the end because it introduces another idea entirely. All of the similes dealt with something being forgotten and becoming old and gross. The metaphor "or does it explode" at the end compares the deferred dream to something that blows up and leaves nothing behind. I think that this ending metaphor may be what the speaker is hoping happens to the dreams that are deferred because he/she doesn't want his/her old dreams hanging over his/her head for the rest of his/her life. The speaker wants to be able to move on and forget about it.

Poetry Ch. 5 Figurative Language (1)

"I have prepared my sister's tongue."

The poem "The Joy of Cooking" by Elaine Magarrell uses metonymy. The speaker uses metonymy to describe the shortcomings of his siblings. In the first stanza, the speaker prepares his sister's tongue. The tongue's description allows readers to infer things about his sister. One thing the metonymy hints at is that his sister uses foul language. I gathered this because he prepared it and scrubbed it. Usually, children get their tongues washed with soap to teach them not to curse. The fact that the tongue needed to be "scrubbed and skinned" implies that it was dirty. The speaker uses metonymy to describe his sister's bad habit of using foul language. The speaker also uses metonymy in the second stanza when he has his brother's tongue. I think that the metonymy hear is describing his brother when he describes the heart. The heart is "firm and rather dry, slow cooked." This implies that according to the speaker, his brother's heart is not used often and isn't very appealing. Also, the heart only serves two, unlike the beef heart that serves six. This implies that the speaker's brother's heart is small. By the speaker's metonymy, we can gather that the speaker has some background in food and has some pent-up feelings about his siblings.

Poetry Ch. 4 Imagery (5)

"It seems to him there are a thousand bars; and behind the bars, no world." (The Panther)

This is the first poem that I can use Perrine's logic and account for every detail in the poem with my interpretation. For this reason, I am going to take this post to offer up my interpretation of the poem with all of the details and what they stand for. First of all, the panther is a prisoner on death row. The author chooses a panther instead of a lion becuase lions have more of a powerful connotation because they are the kings of the jungle. The constantly passing bars are the bars of the jail cells. His vision is weary and can see no world because he has been in prison so long that he does not remember anything beyond the bars. He paces in cramped circles because he is trapped in a tiny cell with nothing else to do. His movement is powerful soft strides because he wants to appear confident, strong, and calm even though he is really freaking out. The mighty will standing paralyzed is the prisoners belief that their might still be a way out. He has to keep this will strong and steady because otherwise he will go insane. The curtain of people lifting is the inmate being alone for a little while and being able to think, and he is left alone. The image that enters in is the end. The injection has tensed and arrested the muscles, so the end is left to rush through them and into the heart where the heart stops and everything is over. This may not be the most correct interpretation, but I feel that it is valid because I followed Perrine's guide and accounted for every detail in a not outlandish way.

Poetry Ch. 4 Imagery (4)

"Speaking indifferently to him,
who had driven out the cold
and polished my good shoes as well." Pg. 782

The poem "Those Winter Sundays" has a nostalgic tone to it. I believe that the tone is established throughout the poem because the speaker is reflecting back on a previous time in his/her life. I think that the author is longing to return to the past to thank the father who warmed the house and polished shoes even on Sundays when he was tired and ached from labor. The speaker wants to go back to this time to thank his/her father. I think the nostalgic tone is achieved with the flashback to the past and through the question at the end: "What did I know, what did I know of love's austere and lonely offices?" This question is the speaker calling upon his/herself to think about the past and how it made him/her feel then and now. The speaker is also a bit resentful about the way he/she treated his/her father. This is evident when the speaker mentions the way the father was treated even after he drove out the cold and polished shoes. I think that the tone may be nostalgic because the father might have recently passed away and now their is no apologizing or making up for the past now that he is gone.

Poetry Ch. 4 Imagery (3)

"And as the smart ship grew
In stature, grace, and hue,
In shadowy silent distance grew the Iceberg too." Pg. 779

The poem "The Convergence of the Twain" has an interesting form and pattern to it. The stanzas consist of two short lines followed by one longer line. I think that the author does this to demonstrate the way things can happen with little expectancy. The two shorter lines preclude the longer line and give little warning to what is really happening. The sinking of the Titanic also sunk with little warning. All three lines in each stanza rhyme. To me this helps the flow of the poem going forward. It also shows that the three lines are a set.

Also, the first five stanzas focus on just the Titanic, her previous beauty, and her situation now. The sixth stanza focuses on the iceberg. And the last five stanzas focus on the meeting of the two. I think that author fashions the stanzas in a reverse chronological order. I think it makes sense though because usually readers know what happened in the past and move forward with a work to find out what happens next. In this situation, I feel that the author starts with the Titanic's fate because nearly everybody already knows how the tale ends. The author then goes back in time to that fateful point when the ship and Iceberg collide because that is the point that most people overlook because they just focus on the end tragedy.

Poetry Ch. 4 Imagery (2)

"And then I heard them lift a Box
And creak across my Soul." Pg 776

The poem "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" by Emily Dickinson is an allegory. There are many symbols throughout the poem that contribute to the overall allegory. The overall allegory is that the speaker's funeral is a symbol for the speaker losing her mind and going crazy. The funeral is not a literal funeral because if the speaker was actually dead, he/she could not hear; it is symbolic of the burial of her current state of mind. A symbol in the poem that helped me arrive at this conclusion is the "Funeral, in my Brain." This explicitly tells readers that the funeral is not real. I concluded from this that the funeral was for her brain in her brain. Also, "Sense was breaking through" suggests that something is breaking into her mind and it was not going well. "My Mind was going numb" explains that the speaker's mind is not longer working properly; it is almost as if it is not their because the speaker cannot feel it the way he/she once could. The "strange Race Wrecked" symbolizes the beginning of the end. This point identifies the breaking point for the speaker. After that, everything goes down hill, or is "dropped down, and down." The last thought concludes the allegory of the poem with a symbol that is very relevant to the idea the speaker losing her mind: "And Finished knowing."

Poetry Ch. 4 Imagery (1)

"A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning
In Eden garden. -Have, get, before it cloy," Pg. 774

"Spring" by Gerald Manley Hopkins contains an alliteration to the Garden of Eden. I believe that this allusion also connects to the girl and boy mentioned in later lines. From the allusion to the Garden of Eden, readers can deduce that the girl and boy are Eve and Adam. The allusion to the Garden of Eden creates a comparison between the innocence of Adam and Eve at the beginning before they ate from the tree of knowledge and the innocence of springtime. Both are beautiful and uncorrupted. I think that the allusion helps us make a connection to how the author views spring because he alludes to an event that most people are familiar with. "Long and lovely and lush; Thrush's eggs look little low heavens." This quote is an alliteration that focuses the reader to the harmonious sounds and sights of spring. The alliteration and allusion work together to emphasize the harmonious innocence of spring.

Perrine Poetry

"More than one meaning may be valid, but not just any meaning can be."

Before reading Perrine's article, I was one of those students who believed that any interpretation of a poem was just as good as any other. However, after reading this article, I realized I was 100% wrong. After being completely wrong about all four poems that we were originally assigned, I figure that Perrine's criteria for interpreting a poem could be a huge help. I think that Perrine's approach to determining the "correct" interpretations of poetry are valid and have the potential to be very helpful. However, I think it is more easily said than done. It seems like one of those skills that requires a great deal of practice to become reasonably good at. For instance, when Perrine was describing they correct interpretations for the poems that we read to introduce us to poetry, his interpretations made total sense, and much more sense than my ideas. Hoever, I would have never come up with those things on my own.

Perrine also states that words in poetry have richer meaning and purposeful ambiguities, but the meanings are still confined to a certain area. I agree with Perrine on this because I believe that the amibuities are meant to call readers to a deeper thinking that will allow them to truly enjoy the work. I disagree with the comparison to a scientific hypothesis. For one, I find it totally irrelevant to the topic and an invalid comparison. To me, scientific hypotheses are based on a large amount of research and scientific knowledge. The hypothesis is formed by the most likely possibility based on the research, not the simplest or most economical way to interpret the facts without contradicting any known facts. This article will help me study poetry in this class because now I know to look beyond the literal meaning and search for something deeper. It will help me discover the meaning behind symbols because now I have any idea of the types of things to look for like similarities between nouns and adjectives and the usage of plurals. I think that overall Perrine's article is very helpful in teaching people how to correctly interpret poetry.

Brave New World: 20

"Just under the crown of the arch dangled a pair of feet."
"Slowly, very slowly like two unhurried compass needles, the feet turned towards the right; north, north-east, east, south-east, south, south-south-west; then paused and after a few seconds, turned as unhurriedly back towards the left. South-south-west, south, south-east, east...." (259)

The above quote is an example of an explication. I had to read the last six paragraphs of the book multiple times before I actually understood what the author was implying. When I first read through it, I ended the book wondering how it mattered that he was sitting on the balcony moving his feet in circles and giving everybody the silent treatment. That did not seem anything like John, nor did it seem like a fitting way to end the book. Upon slow and careful reading of the passage, I finally understood what happened. John had finally had enough; he hung himself and died. This is not really a pleasant ending of the book unless you see it as a way for John to finally escape the contamination of civilized life. John believed that after he died he would be with God and finally be happy. I think that Huxley included this explication at the end of the novel to keep readers in deep thought all the way to the end. It is effective because it really does make readers stop and think about the book, rather than just reading through it quickly. Also, for me it makes me wonder if their are more of these explications throughout the book that I missed. I am sure I didn't because I read the book very carefully, but everybody makes mistakes.

Brave New World: 19

" 'Call it the fault of civilization. God isn't compatible with machinery and scientific medicine and universal happitnees. You must make your choice. Our civilization has chose machinery and medicine and happiness' " (234).

After reading this chapter, I am confident that the Controller has given serious thought to the question of religion. He seems to have a vast knowledge of the subject, but still thinks that God is not relevant in their modern society. I do not agree with him on this because if he really wanted God in his life and the lives of the people in the society, he could have made it work. God is a very flexible man. He can work with machinery and medicine and happieness; he just needs to be let into the hearts of the people.

While I do not agree with the above aspect of the Controller's reasoning, I do partially agree with something he said a little later. "People believe in God because they've been conditioned to believe in God." I think to some extent, Mond has a point here. In our society today, many children believe in God just because their parents have taught them to do so. From birth to probably the teenage years, children believe in God because their parents make them pray before meals and before bed and go to church on the weekends. Until people are able to make decisions for themselves, the decision concerning faith is up to the conditioning of the parents.

Brave New World: 18

" 'They're well off; they're safe; they're never ill; they're not afraid of death; they're blissfully ignorant of passion and old age; they're plagued with no mothers or fathers; they've got no wives, or children or lovers to feel strongly about; they're so conditioned that they practically can't help behaving as they ought to behave' " (220).

This quote in chapter sixteen is an anaphora. The word "they're" is repeated multiple lines in a row. Huxley's purpose in using an anaphora here is to emphasize the number of things that are going well for the people in the society. Mustapha Mond is explaining why their is nothing wrong with the way they do things because of all of these wonderful things that are a result of what they are doing. In a way, these things are Mustapha Mond's way of confirming (to himself and the three prisoners in front of him) that what they are doing is for the best interests of the people. The anaphora is effective because it draws the readers into this list and urges the readers to approve of what they are doing for the stability of the society. I think that the anaphora is also used because the quote sounds more impressive with the "they're" in front of the effects than just a plain list of the good effects of the society. When listed in this manner, they really do seem like characteristics of a stable society.

Brave New World: 17

" 'But as I make the laws here, I can also break them' " (219).

In this chapter I realized that Mustapha Mond is a round character. He speaks with authority to the people in his society about the importance of stability and doing everything as it is supposed to be done. In front of his people, he finds change and individualism as a threat to the stability of the society, so he has to squelch any signs of it before it gets too out of hand. In reality, we see from this quote that he is not just a dictator controlling all of these people for his own good. He actually breaks the rules and has his own individual spirit. In fact, at one point he was in jeopardy of being relocated to an island where the free spirits are sent to prevent corruption among the people. Rather than punishing the three men for their attempts disturbing the peace, he is in a way rewarding them. He is setting them free to an island to live as individuals where their own ideas can flourish. Surprisingly, Mond envies the men and their relocation to the islands of unorthodoxy. I think the purpose of having Mond as a round character is Huxley's way of giving the readers multiple interpretations of the way things are done at the Centre. It is effective because Mond is able to give the readers and the characters explanations of why things are done certain ways from an all-knowing perspective because he has experienced both sides of the spectrum (from science, "the public danger," to the Controllership).

Brave New World: 16

" 'They're done for,' said Bernard and, urged by a sudden impulse, ran forward to help them; then thought better of it and halted; then, ashamed, stepped forward again; then again thought better of it, and was standing in an agony of humiliated indecision-thinking that they might be killed if he did" (214).

Bernard is stuck with a very difficult decision when the Savage begins to throw out the Soma rations after a workday. The Savage is joined by Helmholtz. Bernard has an internal confict and cannot decide what to do. He could go support his friends (and really his belief about freedom). He could also stay back and blend in to the crowd because he is already seen as a corrupt man. He has a conflict in his mind and is stricked with indecision when trying to act on either one of his options. The purpose of the internal conflict within Bernard is to show that he is not as big of a jerk as he as seemed up to this point. He really does care about his friends, but apparently not enough to risk is life and reputation for them. The internal conflict is effective because readers get to see another more welcome side of Bernard. In the end, all three men are taken away by the police and readers are left wondering if or how they will be punished for their attempt at corruption.

Brave New World: 15

"Five khaki twins, each with the stump of a long eclair in his right hand, and their identical faces variously smeared with liquid chocolate, were standing in a row, puggily goggling at him" (207).

The above quote has detailed imagery to accurately describe the situation. The imagery places five innocent children dumbfounded at the way John is acting in response to his mother's death. This image is very disturbing because it shows that these children really are conditioned to not see death as a sad and tragic end. The imagery helps readers understand how the children are conditioned to see death as something that happens. They are reacting to the death as they would react to someone going to the bathroom. They except that it is something that happens to everyone so it is no big deal. They watch John like they are watching an animal at the zoo, enamored at his wailing and muttering of the word God. I think the imagery is effective because it shows another way in which John is different from everyone else at the Centre. The purpose of the image is to show that John's behavior is unexceptable and odd given the situation that seems totally normal to the children thanks to their training.

Brave New World: 14

" 'But what is it, John?' she whispered. He did not answer, but only stared into her face with those mad eyes" (194).

The above quote is the beginning of a good situation turning sour. Everything was going great between John and Lenina who finally expressed their feelings for each other. At the point of the above quote, the different backgrounds of the two people becomes extremely evident. Lenina has always gone for whoever she wants. The whole process goes really fast and happens on a whim. For John, he was brought up on Catholic values that save sex for after marriage. He is aghast at Lenina's actions and does not want to be a part of it. John wanted Lenina to marry him, but marriage does not exist in the society they are in. One of the two will have to submit to the others wishes so that they can be happy and love each other.

The chapter also ends in suspense. It ends with a phone call to John and phrases like "I'll go at once" and "Oh, my God!" This leaves readers in suspense, wondering what has happened and what will happen in the coming chapters. The phrase "Oh, my God!" also demonstrates the different backgrounds because Lenina and all others use the phrase "Oh, my Ford!" when expressing astonishment. I personally think that "Oh, my Ford" sounds completely ridiculous, but that just be because I grew up hearing "Oh, my God(gosh)."

Brave New World: 13

" 'I shall be seeing him, talking to him, telling him' (for she had come with her mind made up) 'that I like him-more than anybody I've ever known' " (174).

"The Savage was reading Romeo and Juliet aloud-reading (for all the time he was seeing himself as Romeo and Lenina as Juliet) with an intense and quivering passion" (184).

The above set of quotes from chapter twelve is an example of dramatic irony. Both characters like each other. John likes Lenina but is not sure if he could like a Savage so he is always shying away from Lenina. Lenina likes John but is convinced he does not like her back because he avoids her. Readers; however, are aware that the feelings are mutual because of these two quotes that are not spoken to the other character. It is ironic because readers know that John and Lenina like each other and are rooting them on to just tell each other already. The purpose of the dramatic irony is to let readers into the mind of each character. The dramatic irony is effective because readers know something that the characters don't, so the readers are drawn to see how everything will turn out when everything is said and done. It leaves us with suspense going into the next chapter.

Brave New World: 12

"Lenina was lucky; lucky in having shared with Bernard a generous portion of the Savage's immense celebrity, lucky in reflecting from her insignificant person the moment's supremely fashionable glory" (165).

Chapter eleven is where we read about John's introduction to the Centre in London and his resulting fame. John becomes somewhat of a celebrity around the Centre. He is the person that everyone wants to meet and hang out with. I think this is partly because he is a novelty around the Centre. This idea of John being a novelty is further established because he is not referred to by his name. John has gotten the name Savage and is referred to as the Savage by everyone around him. I do not think that John realizes the things he is being associated with; however, I find it rather rude. By calling him the Savage, the people see him as different and do not take the time to get to know him beyond the fact that he does not fit in with everyone else. The purpose of the metonymy is to highlight the idea that John is not like the others, he stands out and is an oddity that is not often experienced in the Centre. It is effective because readers know that the Savage is John and are able to recognize the association.

Brave New World: 11

" 'What's in those' (remembering The Merchant of Venice) 'those caskets?' the Savage enquired when Bernard had rejoined him.
'The day's soma ration,' Bernard answered rather indistinctly" (164).

This above passage is basically foreshadowing every one's death as a result of this soma stuff. I am not exactly sure what it is, but I think its effects are comparable to those of drugs and alcohol without all of the bad stuff that usually follows drug and alcohol consumption. Anyways, Bernard is able to be oblivious or ignorant of the irony right in front of him. This irony is further confirmed earlier in the chapter when Dr. Shaw says that the soma will "finish off" Linda in a month or two. Apparently this soma that is used pretty much daily by nearly everyone to cope with the days afflictions is not as safe as I originally thought. Apparently this soma is so powerful that it must be rationed out and if taken in excessive amounts can leave someone in a vegetative state until they eventually die. The purpose of the foreshadowing is to discreetly warn the readers of what is to come. The foreshadowing also starts to explain the risks of the soma that up until this point has seemed like just a way to forget and avoid all of the troubles. The foreshadowing technique used here is effective because it foreshadows the people's fate through an ironic situation rather than a straight prophesy.

Brave New World: 10

" 'It is better that one should suffer than that many should be corrupted' " (148).

As soon as I read this sentence, I knew it sounded familiar; however, I could not place it. Luckily Google came to my rescue and I was able to find the similar phrase I was looking for. John 11:50 states: "It is better for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish." This allusion to the biblical passage can be interpretted in many ways. I myself have attributed this similarity to a couple of different things. First off, I believe that the biblical passage is referring to the death of Jesus that would happen later. I am in no way saying that Bernard Marx has any connection with Jesus. This is one time when the subjects in the alliteration are not the points of similarity. I do, however, believe that the similarity in the passages does show the religious background of the people in London. Also, I believe that the similarities connect the two into one meaning. The quote from the book ends with many being corrupted. The biblical quote ends with the perishing of the whole nation. I believe that the Director sees the two as generally the same thing. If their people are corrupted by Bernard or whoever else tries to tinker with the system, it will result in the perishing of their society and the end of their reign as the superior people. The Director sees Bernard as the expendable person that could prevent the masses from being corrupted and ultimately prevent the society from perishing.

Brave New World: 9

" 'Yes, I do find it of sufficient scientific interest,' said the deep voice. 'Bring these two individuals back to London with you' " (141).

The above quote is the part of the discussion Bernard has with Mustapha Mond concerning bringing Linda and John back to London. I believe that this decision could be part of the rising action in the novel. I have a feeling that something big will happen because of this decision. This decision could potentially change many things about the secure society that have been in place for a very long time. Bernard and Lenina are about to return to London with two savages as their souvenirs. Judging from Bernard and Lenina's first reactions to Linda and John, I am guessing many people back home will have similar thoughts. I think that this decision also has the capability of producing a break through in the scientific world in London. This could be a great opportunity for the people in London to study new things like how having a child effects their own kind, how living with the savages alters the brain, and how a child of one of them is effected by being raised among the savages. I think that Linda and John (after everyone gets over the initial shock of their appearance and background) could provide significant information to the scientists behind the whole operation.

Brave New World: 8

" 'From the beginning. As far back as you can remember' " (123).

Pretty much the entirety of chapter eight is John's flashback to tell Bernard everything he can remember about his past with the Indians. The purpose of the flashback is to give readers a sense of how the Indians lived. It highlights the many differences and very few similarities between the two lifestyles. The flashback is effective because it gives the information from the point of view of someone who has lived one of the ways of life and has been exposed to information and stories about the other lifestyle. This two-sided knowledge gives John a unique point of view when telling the story of his childhood.

Also in chapter eight, we are introduced to the title of the book. John repeats "O brave new world" (139) multiple times to Bernard when Bernard offers to try to take John and Linda back to the civilized world in London. This is a peculiar choice of words because John has never been to the "Other Place" and has no idea if it is a brave new world. He has never experienced it for himself and only has his mother's interpretation to go off of. I am excited to see if his vision of a "brave new world" is really what John will find if he does get to go to London.

Brave New World: 7

"Linda had come from the Other Place long ago, before he was born with a man who was his father. She had gone walking alone in those mountains over there to the North, had fallen down a steep place and hurt her head. Some hunters from Malpais had found her and brough her to the pueblo" (118).

The above quote is the anecdote that John tells to Lenina and Bernard. The purpose of the anecdote is for John to explain his origins. The anecdote relates to the Director's anecdote in chapter six. It is basically telling the same anecdote from the perspective of the person who knows what happened in the end. The anecdote is effective because it explains the end of the story that the Director started. It is an interesting anecdote because it continues to explain that John is the son of Linda and Thomas (the Director). This is strictly against the rules when it comes to the civilized society that Linda grew up in. It begs the question, Did Linda know she was pregnant when she wandered off into the unknown? Also, the anecdotes that are further in the chapter have the purpose of showing that the conditioning in the "Other Place" (116) is effective and life-long because Linda still sees the Indians as lunatics despite having lived in their culture for some time. She still believes in the things that were embedded into her mind as she slept and has tried to condition John to believe the same.

Brave New World: 6

" 'You can't teach a rhinoceros tricks,' he had explained in his brief and vigorous stule. 'Some men are almost rhinocerouses; they don't respond properly to conditioning" (88).

Bernard Marx is a character that has been described in many ways by many people thus far in the book. In general, he is seen as an odd man who doesn't seem to gel with the rest of society. In this particular quote, an extended metaphor is used to describe Bernard as a rhinocerous through a couple of sentences of explanation after the initial comparison. The purpose of this extended metaphor is to explain why Henry Foster is like a rhinocerous. It is effective because without the additional explanation in the extended metaphor, many readers would not see the resemblance between Bernard Marx and a rhinocerous. Henry Fosters revelation about the similarities between Bernard and a rhinocerous has a great deal of truth to it from what I can tell so far. Bernard's attitude and thought process is very different from the rest of the people we have been introduced to. For example, he is the only one who thinks that it would be better to be free from the society and to be able to act, think, and live individually. He has not taken well to the conditioning and sees it more as an enslavement than a useful method of teaching. Like a rhinocerous, he has not responded to the training. Rhinocerouses can't learn tricks. Bernard Marx can't let himself be happy in a society that tries to condition his mind and body.

Brave New World: 5

" 'Ford, we are twelve; oh, make us one, Like drops within the Social River; Oh, make us now together run, As swiftly as thy shining Flivver' " (81).

A group of twelve people join to become one. They above quote is one of four apostrophes to Ford. Ford is being addressed in these apostrophes even though he is not physically at the meetings. This worship and calling upon Ford seems to be their version of religion. In many ways, this is similar to Catholicism. For example, we make the sign of the cross on ourselves to signify the Holy Trinity. These people make the sign of the T on themselves. These people pass "the loving cup of strawberry ice-cream soma" (80-81) from hand to hand as Catholics drink from the same cup of wine at church. They gather in small groups to become one with each other and call upon Ford. This is similar to a small celebration of the mass in which we become one with the Lord and one with each other. Another similarity is that their "greater being" (83) is named Ford while our greater being is Our Lord. The discrepancy between the first letter in each could just be a coincidence or a deeper connection, at this point I am not sure which. Another possible connection could be the phrase "Thank Ford" (79) that Bernard used to express thankfulness in not being the last to arrive at the meaning. This is similar to the phrase "Thank the Lord" that is sometimes used in our culture.

Brave New World: 4

"But what? What is there more important to say? And how can one be violent about the sort of things one's expected to write about?" (70)

Rhetorical questions are used by Helmholtz Watson a few times through the course of the chapter. He is interested in something else, something more to say, but he doesn't know what. He asks questions during his discussion with Henry Foster, but they are more rhetorical than actual questions because there is no way that Henry can answer these questions for him. They are questions that Helmholtz has to answer himself because he is the only one who knows (or apparently right now, doesn't know) what he needs to satisfy himself. I think the purpose of the rhetorical questions is to give the reader the opportunity to think for themselves and try to determine what Helmholtz should do or say. The rhetorical questions are effective because they give insight into the mind of Helmholtz and reveal the things he is struggling with internally. Also, the rhetorical questions show that he is unsure about these things. This is uncharacteristic of the "Escalator-Squash champion, this indefatigable lover, this admirable committee man and best mixer" (67). The rhetorical questions show that even amongst the genetically engineered, everyone has their flaws.

Brave New World: 3

"The world was full of fathers-was therefore full of misery; full of mothers-therefore of every kind of perversion from sadism to chastity; full of brothers, sisters, uncles, aunts-full of madness and suicide" (39).

Chapter three includes a satirical aspect when the Controller, Mustapha Mond is describing to the boys our lives today. He is ridiculing our way of life from our familial structure to being viviparous to our governments. By ridiculing our way of life and the madness it brought, Mond is trying to confirm the superiority he believes their type of society has. This satire is effective because we are also able to read a little bit about how their society functions with the weaving of multiple points of view into one cohesive chapter. The interactions surrounding Lenina Crowne and Henry Foster and their co-workers offer readers some idea of how they think and act now as opposed to when we are living. The satire is also effective because we are able to compare the two societies in the areas that Mond believes we have madness and they have stability. The satire is also effective at making readers wonder if their society really is better than ours. If we should change the way we do things because this is all we have known and there could be a better way to do things. The satirical speech given by Mond highlights our shortcomings and insinuates that we should have changed earlier when their way of doing things was just beginning.

Brave New World: 2

"INFANT NURSERIES. NEO-PAVLOVIAN CONDITIONING ROOMS" (19)

The above quote in chapter two features an allusion to Ivan Pavlov, the Russian physiologist, who used dogs to study the associations that our minds create. The purpose of this allusion is to be able to describe the process the nurses are using on the babies without going into extreme detail because most people know of Pavlov and his experiments. The allusion is effective because it gives readers a comparison for what is happening to the babies. The allusion to Pavlov is important because it is less confusing and more relatable to the readers than all of this other information about adding things at certain meters and testing for this and preventing that in chapter one. Even though the allusion to Pavlov helps readers understand the process, the auther effectively demonstrates how it is used in this particular instance. The author also explains why it is used to attain certain associations for certain groups like how the Deltas are bred to associate "books and loud noises, flowers and electric shocks" (21). The chapter also goes on to describe another unconventional method of teaching the children certain things, including Elementary Class Consciousness which gives children "words without reason" (28).

Brave New World: 1

" 'Just to give you a general idea,' he would explain to them. For of course some sort of general idea they must have, if they were to do their work intelligently-though as little of one, if they were to be good and happy mempers of society, as possible" (4).

Now that I have completed Never Let Me Go, I begin the journey through Brave New World. I am already able to already realize a similarity between the two. It seems that like Never Let Me Go, Brave New World is a novel with genetically enginerred beings as the main subjects. Brave New World seems to start at the beginning of the whole process rather than just jumping into the plot and filling in the gaps as the story progresses like Never Let Me Go. This first chapter begins with a tour of the facilities with explanation of the process for the new students. I think that this is also (if not more) to give readers an idea of what goes on at the Central London Hatchery and Conditioning Centre. The purpose of this introduction to the new students and the readers of the 21st century is to give general information about the happenings in the Hatchery so that we will be able to better understand what the coming chapters have to offer. Also, the confusing introduction to all of the unfamiliar processes is a way to lead into the action where we will discover more about these things, the purposes, and what is really going on here.

Never Let Me Go: 20

"It's like with my memories of Tommy and of Ruth. Once I'm able to have a quieter life, in whichever centre they send me to, I'll have Hailsham with me, safely in my head, and that'll be something no one can take away" (286-287).

Chapter 22 and 23 wrap up Never Let Me Go. The novel finishes with more curve balls in the action. We find out that the deferrals were nothing but rumors. Also, we find out that everything about Hailsham was just to shelter the kids from what the world really saw them as. It is bad enough that Kathy and Tommy were faced with these facts, but at least Ruth had completed and was not devastated by all of the answers Kathy and Tommy received. Also, we are again confronted with the fact that because Kathy is not a donor, she doesn't fully understand everything she thinks she does. I think Kathy longs to understand and be able to relate to Tommy as he needs, but she cannot bring herself to stop being a carer. Tommy eventually completes during his fourth donation and Kathy is left with just memories of Tommy, Ruth, and Hailsham. She will continue on in her life knowing that she has those memories and will not lose them until she too completes. I wonder how long Kathy is going to remain a carer before she finally begins donations. I wonder if watching her friends and countless strangers go through the process of donations will alter her in any way when it is her turn.

I enjoyed the novel as a whole. It was full of twists and turns. The general plot was different than anything I have ever read. The whole idea of cloning became more relevant and I learned a great deal about cloning and what it would be like to have been a clone. I think the characters throughout represent characters that everyone can identify with. Also, the plot was thrilling and the new aspects were continually revealed keeping the novel exciting. The combination of the two really drew me into the book and kept me yearning to read on and learn more.

Never Let Me Go: 19

" 'You speak to them. It's you they've come to speak to.'
'I suppose it is' " (255).

Once again, the author leaves readers in suspense going into chapter 22. Throughout the talk of deferrals, it has been implied that Madame was the person with the power. However, we are now confronted with the fact that it is not Madame but Miss Emily. The author has Madame let the children explain their reason for coming to her and their theories about the Gallery before Miss Emily emerges because he wanted to build up the suspense. The suspense is also effective because it throws yet another curve ball into this world that we keep learning more about. This is also and example of situational irony because the children and readers are led to believe that Madame created the Gallery to grant deferrals when, in reality, Miss Emily seems to be the one to grant deferrals. The suspense and situational irony work well together to produce a feeling of unknown going into the next chapter. They are both effective because readers are drawn into the action even more and are anxious to see what comes next.

Never Let Me Go: 18

"With us there for support, she seemed to lose her fear of the fence" (223).

Chapter nineteen focuses on the reunion of Kathy, Ruth, and Tommy during their journey to the boat. I think that the three of them, despite their separation, realize what they meant to each other so many years ago. Journeying together has reminded them of their friendship that they experienced so many years before. I think that for Ruth, the journey to the boat was really just an excuse to tell the others what she really wanted to say. It was very big of her to apologize for keeping Kathy and Tommy apart. She was very considerate and genuinely wanted them to be together. I think this reveals a characteristic of Ruth that readers may have over looked to this point. Ruth truly cares about her friends and wants them to be happy. We see that she truly trusts her friends and, despite their difference, wants nothing more than for them to be happy. We see in the above quote that Ruth knows her friends love her and she loves them. We see the return of the bond that the three of them had at Hailsham.

Never Let Me Go: 17

"But we were both of us by then acutely aware of something we'd not yet mentioned, and I think we both sensed there'd be something wrong about us parting like that. In fact, I'm pretty sure now, at that moment, our minds were running along exactly the same lines" (211).

Chapter eighteen is still a flashback of Kathy's experiences, but we are much closer to the present. Kathy begins her job as a carer and is able to cope quite well with all of the stipulations like loneliness, working with "whitecoats (metonymy)," and dealing with the donors. The above quote seems to have relevance in multiple scenarios in Kathy's life. When this quote is actually used, it explains that Laura and Kathy were about to part without mentioning the closing of Hailsham, a place that was a major part of their lives. I; however, find that this quote could also be used in reference to the way Kathy and Ruth met again. Neither mentioned their prior falling out at the Cottages. I think that the above quote is cleverly used by the author to show the commonality of the things not said, but known inside by both parties.

I think that Kathy makes a good carer and has been successful for so long because she enjoys the peacefulness and solitude, and she knows how to stand up for her donors. Kathy enjoys her work and does it quite well. She heard rumors that traveled from centre to centre and kept her in the know. She eventual began Ruth's carer, but she could not shake the feeling that Ruth still did not trust her. Readers are left in suspense as the chapter ends with plans for Kathy and Ruth to pick up Tommy and go see the boat. This is important because it leads into the next chapter and the action to come.

Never Let Me Go: 16

"We didn't really talk properly again at the Cottages, and before I knew it, I was saying my goodbyes" (203).

Chapter seventeen leads readers in suspense. Kathy has suddenly decided to begin her training and has to say goodbye to the Cottages and everyone there. Kathy's decision was a surprise, yet understandable given the separation of the three good friends (Kathy, Tommy, and Ruth) over the past few chapters. Kathy is growing apart and unable to connect with them as she could before. The suspense's purpose is to leave readers wondering what the future will bring for all of the characters. It is effective because it follows many small arguments amongst the group, but readers already know that Kathy will see both Tommy and Ruth again during her job as a carer. The suspenseful final sentence leaves readers with unanswered questions and theories about what will follow. Will anyone follow Kathy in her decision? Will Ruth and Tommy stay together? Will Kathy be satisfied with her choice? Part Three will begin with many changes and hopefully some answers to the questions floating in readers' minds.

Never Let Me Go: 15

"It was like suddenly every cloud had blown away, and we had nothing but fun and laughter before us" (171).

Chapter fifteen brings a mood change after Tommy and Kathy separate from Ruth, Chrissie, and Rodney. Chapter fifteen follows Tommy and Kathy after the split. The mood seems to change into one of frolic, friendship, and a general good time. Kathy and Tommy seem to really be enjoying their time together and their adventure. Neither one wants the feeling to end. The purpose of this new mood is to foreshadow the transition that the group as a whole will experience on the way home. This mood is a sharp contrast to the tension and disappointment that was prevalent in the middle of the trip. The mood is effective because it is shown through actions, thoughts, and dialogue rather than a direct statement. The mood is much more enjoyable for the characters as well as the reader. The new atmosphere is welcomed by all. The new mood's purpose is foreshadow that more positive things are to come.

Never Let Me Go: 14

"There were the potted palms, the shiny machines and swooping desk lamps. People were moving about between desks, or leaning on a partition, chatting and sharing jokes, while others had pulled their swivel chairs close to each other and were enjoying a coffee and sandwich" (158).

The above quote utilizes parallelism in the description of the office in which Ruth's "possible" works. The parallelism is effective in this position because it demonstrates that the office is just right (just as Ruth has pictured for years). The parallelism shows that everthing was just right because everything fits well in the flow of the sentence. The parallelism that describes the office leads into the children finding the "possible." The "possible" seems to fit the profile in both her surroundings and her view from afar. However, despite these promising beginnings, the "possible" turns out to be a dud. Once the children follow her and listen to her, they realize that this could not be her. Everyone has their own reasons why, but the general realization is that this is not Ruth's possible. The parallelism that begins their journey shows promise, but the quest ultimately ends in defeat on more than one level, They did not find Ruth's possible, but Kathy and Tommy are losing Ruth even more. The group splits up in a strong contrast to the togetherness of the parallelism at the beginning.

Never Let Me Go: 13

"I could see that Ruth was making a big effort to present not just herself, but all of us, in the right way to Chrissie and Rodney" (148).

In chapter thirteen, readers are exposed to Ruth as a round character. She is beginning to really show that she has multiple dimensions to her character. Ever since arriving at the Cottages, she has begun to stray from her usual self. She is trying to fit in amongst the veterans, specifically Chrissie and Rodney. She is forgetting about Kathy and Tommy's feeling because she is trying to prove that she fits in with the veterans. Sometimes she tries to bring Kathy and Tommy into it too, but they think she has just changed. One dimension of Ruth's character is that she cares about Kathy and Tommy and their future as good friends. Another dimension of Ruth's character is trying to present herself as worthy to the veterans. We see Ruth caring about Kathy and Tommy when they were admiring the eyes drawn in the o's of look and laughed together. However, we see Ruth presenting herself to Chrissie and Rodney when she bashes Tommy and reminds everyone of how he used to be the school tease. We see both dimensions together in the above quote when Ruth is trying to present herself, as well as Kathy and Tommy, to the veterans. She still cares about her friends, but wants to be accepted and liked by everybody. I think Ruth is acting both ways because she wants to fit in and feel important in the Cottages, but she doesn't want to loose her friends from Hailsham. Ruth as a round character is important to the story because it allows readers to realize the hardships and struggles the Hailsham students experience when they move on. Also, Ruth's character getting close to the veterans allows readers to learn more about Chrissie and Rodney and their thoughts and ideas.

Never Let Me Go: 12

"That's why she often looked more like the Wicked Witch than a movie star- an impression reinforced by her irritating way of jabbing you with a finger the second before she said something to you" (141).

The author uses an allusion in this instance to add to the characterization of Chrissie. Chrissie has been mentioned throughout Part Two, but she is finally characterized on page 141. When Kathy is describing Chrissie, she uses the allusion to the Wicked Witch from the Wizard of Oz to describe how Chrissie crouches to be the same height as everyone else. The author uses the allusion without much explanation because he assumes that everyone will understand the comparison and be able to get a visual of Chrissie without the explanation. Also in the description of Chrissis, the author insinuates that Chrissie did not go to Hailsham by just saying that she asked many questions about Hailsham. The author also includes a description of what Chrissie wears to allow readers to infer things about her personality because people can associate the characteristics of people that they know who dress like Chrissie to Chrissie. The allusion adds variety to the characterization of Chrissie.

Never Let Me Go: 11

"I suppose, in gerneral, I never appreciated in those days the sheer effort Ruth was making to move on, to grow up and leave Hailsham behind" (130).

I think this is another good time for another reaction posting. The time has come when all of the students in Kathy's year have left Hailsham and are adjusting to their new locations and their next step. Some are obviously doing better than others, like in a year when the class of 2012 graduates, some people will have a much easier transition to the college lifestyle than others. The extent to which we want to and will move on will be unique to everyone. The "graduation" from Hailsham that Kathy, Ruth, Tommy, and the others in their year have recently experienced has brought on a whole new world for each of them. Some are welcoming the changes, while others are hesitant to let go of the past and are holding on to everything they can. As Kathy put it, "we were all of us struggling to adjust to our new life" (131). Ruth is trying to move on and be a new person amongst the veterans at the Cottages. Kathy is not yet ready to completely give up Hailsham, even though she too is changing. I think that they all need to move on from Hailsham and get used to where they are in their lives now. All of the Hailshams need to stick up for each other and help each other out. They need to not partake in the petty arguments and disagreements to look at the bigger picture and what lies ahead. Not everyone was changing in the same way and the same rate. Everyone is adapting in their own way to their new surroundings and new way of life. Kathy has picked up on porn magazines. Ruth is living a double life in trying to be nice to Kathy and still imitate the veterans. Tommy is looking out for everyone and doing his best to get by and keep everybody happy.

Never Let Me Go: 10

"It was like when you make a move in chess and just as you take your finger off the piece, you see the mistake you've made, and ther's this panic because you don't know yet the scale of disaster you've left yourself open to" (124).

Kathy uses many analogies throughout her flashbacks to her time and Hailsham and beyond. This analogy is particularly significant in the message of the novel. This analogy effectively reveals something about Kathy's character. It effectively shows that she is analytical and strategical. It also shows that she really knows her best friend and realizes she has just made a huge mistake. She has left herself vulnerable to Ruth's next "move." The purpose of the analogy is not only to reveal something about Kathy's character, but also to show how well Ruth and Kathy relate to each other and can basically understand each other's thoughts because they have been so close for a long time. The analogy is effective because 99% of readers know exactly the feeling that Kathy is referring to, whether this feeling was experienced in chess, football, a conversation, or another circumstance. The analogy gives readers the opportunity to identify with Kathy and what she is feeling at that particular instance. The analogy can also foreshadow more feelings similar to this to come because the Hailsham students are all beginning a new chapter in their lives and are bound to make mistakes that they hope are not as disastrous as they have the potential to be; however, all of them will probably experience the anxious feeling that Kathy has just described.