Destiny (and horcruxes)

Throughout Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, Victor repeatedly mentions his destiny and how it is unavoidable and soon to be fulfilled.  He tormented me by continuously hinting at it, but never truly making clear what this "destiny" is.  Finally, on page 158, I found my answer.  "But such is not my destiny; I must pursue and destroy the being to whom I gave existence; then my lot on earth will be fulfilled, and I may die."  Then I wanted to shoot myself for not having realized his destiny sooner.  I always blog about foreshadowing, but I couldn't seem to analyze this most important aspect of the novel.  Oh well! As they say in Spain, "no pasa nada."  Now I know what Victor meant, and I can finally blog about the implications of this idea.  First, I think this destiny is a central theme of the novel.  The fact that Victor can't stop mentioning it somewhat hints at this.

Also, the unavoidable destiny reflects and is a fulfillment of the unavoidable misery forced upon Victor because of the monster's creation.  As long as the creature, exists, he is haunted by the creature itself and by his dead friends and family in his daydreams.  He can't be a functioning part of society any longer.  Even if he could, the creature had killed off any real friends he had.   His life truly was hopeless, and the only thing that keep him alive was his anger.  "I dared not die, and leave my adversary in being (p 149)."  Ultimately, either he or the creature had to die before the other could be appeased...only for him to die as wiell.  (this reminds me of Harry Potter and Voldemort's horcruxes), because their mutual existence caused unending misery for both of them.  Ultimately, Victor comes to terms with this destiny, and he dies in peace, having fulfilled his destiny to die in pursuit of his creation.  In doing so, the novel's theme of unavoidable destiny is made clear.

Mount Blanc

For a while, I was puzzled when Mount Blanc kept appearing over and over again in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  Earlier I blogged about a possible theme I had discovered (read it here if you're bored), "playing God."  I noticed that this theme seemed to be supported by scenes of nature in which it's beauty was juxtaposed with the horror of Frankenstein's creature.  I think I'v found a connection between this theme and the reoccurring Mount Blanc.  While reading the latter chapter of the novel, I was overjoyed (that's a lie) when Victor again mentioned the mountain.  He said "...and at a distance, surmounting all, the beautiful Mount Blanc, and the assemblage of snowy mountains that in vain endeavour to emulate her (p142)."  I could be imaging things, but it seems to me that this mountain which Victor again and again mentions as beautiful, is a juxtaposition of the creature.  Especially in this passage, the mountain appears to be a symbol of natural perfection and beauty.  As a part of nature itself, the mountain is another example of the perfection of God's creation.  The other mountains seem to resemble the beast.  They hopelessly try to be like Mount Blanc, but physically cannot.  Likewise, things made by "playing God" cannot end well.  Ultimately, the plan of the real God is the best.  Although they are not proportional to the creature (they are small and there are many of them), I think they help to establish Mount Blanc as symbol of natural perfection.   Sure enough, it is soon juxtaposed by the creature when it appears early in the following chapter to murder Elizabeth.

Dramatic Irony in Frankenstein

Hooray for me! I found two examples of dramatic irony in Frankenstein by Mary Shelley.  The first occurs when the creature says the dreaded words "I will be with you on your wedding-night(p 123)."  Victor believes that it means to kill him on that night in order to seek its ultimate revenge on its creator.  However, the reader should realize that the monster wants to murder Elizabeth.  In doing so, he would make Victor's life hopeless and give him despair equal to what the creature experienced when Victor tore apart the body of the female creature.  Similarly, in page 126, Victor washes up on Mr. Kirwin's island during the storm and does not realize the hostility being shown to him due to his relief at being alive.   He says the people "whispered together with gestures that at any time might have produced in me a slight sensation of alarm (p 126)." Although he didn't realize it at the time, in retrospect, he tell Walton (and the reader) that the people were suspicious of him.  Later it is revealed that Clerval's body was found, and Victor is believed to be the murderer.  Poor Victor, every time he narrowly escapes ultimate peril, he is again washed (in this case, literally) into tragedy.

Chains

While reading Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, I was especially fascinated with a certain passage in Chapter XIX.  "For an instant I dared to shake off my chains, and look around me with a free and lofty spirit;  but the iron had eaten into my flesh, and I sank again, trembling and hopeless, into my miserable self (p117)."  I really liked this sentence, because it contains insightful symbolism which portrays a theme of the novel.  The sentence is both literal and symbolic, as Victor physically and emotionally fell with hopelessness.  However, what is important is the symbolic meaning.  The symbol of the chains is just one of the references in the novel to slavery.  These references point to the idea that Victor is a prisoner of his past mistake, the creation of the creature.  In this particular portion of the novel, Victor's spirits begin to be raised by the sights he sees in England.  This happens in his travels throughout the story.  Every time, however, Victor quickly returns to sadness and depression when he remembers the threat of the creature.  His life has indeed become enslaved by the creature.  The "iron eating into his flesh" symbolizes the inability to move on caused by prolonged fear of his creation.  He cannot be happy, entertain his friends and family, or conduct experiments in his current state.  All he can do is worry about the monster.  The only way he can escape is to kill his master, the creature.  Then, he could relax and finally be free of anxiety.

More Foreshadowing! (of course)

As always seems the case, Mary Shelley once again uses foreshadowing in Frankenstein.  By noticing diction in certain sections, I was able to reasonably predict the death Henry Clerval.  In one passage in particular, Shelley's use of past-tense verbs hints that Clerval has since passed.  Due to the creature's anger at his companion's destruction, Clerval's was a logical conclusion.   "He was a being formed in the 'very poetry of nature'.  His wild and enthusiastic imagination was chastened by the sensibility of his heart.  His soul overflowed with ardent affections, and his friendship was of that devoted and wondrous nature...(p 113)."  Victor then says 'And where does he now exist?  Is this gentle and lovely being lost forever (p 114)?"  At that point, it was obvious to me that Clerval would be killed by the creature.  Later in the book, I found that Elizabeth's death was foreshadowed in a similar way, with the use of past-tense verbs.  The frame story provides Victor's retrospective insights' resulting in valuable instances of foreshadowing.

Victor's encounter with "Frank" and why it made me LOL :D

As strange as it may seem, I found Victor's encounter with his creation, or as I call him, Frank, to be really amusing.  I thought that Mary Shelley's intent in writing Frankenstein was to scare people, but instead, she made me laugh.  (I'm sorry Mary Shelley!)  Anyway... I found this scene funny for multiple reasons.  First, it is so far from the Frankenstein story that modern society knows.  I hardly expected Frank to say things like "I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel (p 69)."  He's like 2 years old, but he alludes to the Bible and talks with more eloquence than I could if I tried.  This display also contradicts all that Victor thought of the creature.  Frank said "How can I move thee?  Will no intreaties cause thee to turn a favourable eye upon thy creature, who implores thy goodness and compassion (p 69)?" Again he talks like an educated human, but he also shows compassion and human desire.  He wants a friend.  That's all.  However, I found it amusing that Frank's simple view of morality contracts this sophistication and compassion.  He threatens going a murdering spree if  Victor doesn't treat him with love, and yet he says he will be "mild and docile" if he is treated with love.  As Mr. Striby would say, this is an example of a person at stage 2 of Lawrence Kohlberg's stages of moral development.  Frank treats other people kindly, but only when it benefits him.  Finally, I thought it was really funny when good ol' Frank showed a sense of humor.  Victor is ranting about how he wants Frank out of his sight.  His response was to put cover Victor's eyes.  "Thus I take from thee a sight which you abhor.  Still thou canst listen to me and grant me thy compassion.  Perhaps, this was simply an example of Frank's child-like misunderstanding of Victor's comment; nevertheless, I found myself laughing, and I can't say I expected to be doing that while reading Frankenstein.

Nature and Imagery

It seems to me that every author in the planet writes novels that contain extreme amounts of imagery whenever a scene takes place in nature.  I still remember reading the House of Mirth and writing one of my first blogs on this same topic ( here's a link (: ) .  Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is no exception.  Nature seems to be something which Victor mentions quite often in his accounts of his life.  Mount Blanc seems to be mentioned especially often.  Sadly, I don't have much of an idea why.  My closest guess would be the contrast utilized theme which I discusses in my previous blog.  On a happier note, I do know that Victor's description of nature contain many examples of imagery.  Look at this passage:

"The abrupt sides of vast mountains were before me; the icy wall of the glacier overhung me;  a few shattered pines were scattered around; and the solemn silence of this glorious presence-chamber of imperial Nature was broken only by the brawling waves or the fall of some vast fragment, the thunder sound of the avalanche or the cracking reverberating along the mountains, of the accumulated ice, which, through the silent work of immutable laws, was ever and anon rent and torn, as if it had been but a plaything of the hands (p 65-66)".

Wow! This passage uses sight (shattered, scattered, brawling, rent and torn), sound (solemn silence, thunder, cracking, reverberating, silent, immutable), and even touch (icy) to portray the beauty and destructive power of nature.  The amazing thing is that this is only a small portion of the imagery used in this particular section, not to mention the whole book.  It seems to me like there must be some sort of reason, but I suppose it could just be simple description of the setting which sets the stage for Victor's encounter with his creature.

A Possible Theme?

I have discovered a possible theme!  Throughout Frankenstein by Mary Shelley, the plot seems to portray the consequences of "playing God."  This theme, which many terrible sci-fi movies have explored, condones actions which weren't meant for humans.  Often, this includes mass genocide, bringing the dead to life, or creating new life.  This is the case in Frankenstein.  In the story, Victor possess great scientific curiosity and ability.  These traits, combined with motivation in the form of his mother's death, allow him to create the creature (who I will call Frank for no specific reason).  Obviously, this doesn't turn out well for him, as he thinks it is horrible, he is scarred, and his brother ends up dying.  However, this theme seems to also be reflected in the nature that often appears in the novel.  This is especially evident when Victor is exploring the Alps and surrounding valleys after William's death.

"The sound of the the river raging among the rocks, and their dashing of the waterfalls around, spoke of a power mighty as Omnipotence - and I ceased to fear, or to bend before any being less almighty than that which had created and ruled the elements  here displayed in their most terrific guise (p 64)."

This passage clearly shows thoughts which recognize the power of God or another greater being.  I think they reveal a change in Victor's thinking.  He now realizes that he "played God" and that he went against the rules of nature.  He sees beauty in the nature around him which strongly contrasts with the figure of Frank which he describes as horrifying and dreadful.  He seems to think that "playing God" was never a good idea.

I blog about foreshadowing yet again...

Not unlike the other novels we have read this year, Frankenstein by Mary Shelley is full of foreshadowing.  Especially throughout the beginning of the novel, Victor seems to constantly remind his audience (Walton) that his life was ruined by great mistakes.  His story begins with an account of his "perfect" childhood.  He tells how great it is, but he makes it clear that his story doesn't remain bright and cheery for long.  On page 20, he says "before misfortune had tainted my mind...".  Later he says "the first misfortune of my life occurred - an omen, as it were, of my future misery (23)."  Victor also uses less direct symbols to foreshadow the future disasters of his life.  He seems to have an idea of fate or destiny which drives him toward disaster.  "Destiny was too potent, and her immutable laws had decreed my utter and terrible destruction (23)."  He later talks about "Chance - or rather the evil influence, the Angel of Destruction, which asserted omnipotent sway over me from the moment I turned my reluctant steps from my father's door -...(25)".  Clearly, the negative events of his life had a deep and lasting impact on his life.  Even before he reveals exactly what these events are, the reader knows for certain that they will occur.  Furthermore, once they begin to occur, there is always the expectation that even more will go wrong.

The "frame"work

A major literary used by Mary Shelley in Frankenstein is the frame story.  She uses this strategy effectively, beginning the novel with 4 letters which perform dual tasks.  First, they set the foundation for the rest of the novel.  Shelley does this by introducing the main character, Victor.  She begins to characterize him by reveling his appearance, speech, and some mannerisms.  In addition, he begins to reveal a small portion of his life story and how he ended up on the the ship with Walton.  The second function of the frame story is to give an early glimpse of Victor's story and the struggles that plagued his life.  Our early sighting of Frankenstein's creature, "a being which had the shape of a man, but apparently with gigantic stature (p 8),"  create mystery and suspense.  Why is Victor chasing the creature?  How is this creature intelligent enough to use a dogsled and outrun Victor?  Why are they in the Arctic in the first place?  Shelley's use of frame story is an engaging way of beginning the story.  A perfect cliffhanger, it answers some questions while leaving even more to be answered.

Bartleby and the lawyer... connection???

A question one is likely to have after reading Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melville is: Why was the lawyer so nice to Bartleby?  While there is no definite explanation in the story, the simple answer would be that the lawyer felt sorry for Bartleby.  However, this brings up the question: Why does he feel sorry for Bartleby? This a good question, considering Bartleby's behavior made life much more difficult for the lawyer.  he stopped him from entering his office early in the morning.  He angered the other employees.  He openly refused to do anything except copy for the lawyer, and he not leave the office until the police forced him out. I think the reason that the lawyer felt sorry for Bartelby is that he could relate to him.  Bartleby was lonely, without any family and isolated from the rest of society.  He was focused on his work, but rarely did anything else.  Similarly, the lawyer is isolated in his office.  In the entire story, he does not really mention doing anything other than work, and he has no acquaintances or family mentioned other than his employees.  At the beginning of the story, he says "I am a man who from his youth upwards has been filled with a profound conviction that the easiest way of life is the best....  I am one of those unambitious lawyers who never addresses a jury or in any way draws public applause...(pg 642, 43 - par. 3)."  Like Bartleby, he has little motivation and does little interaction with other people.  He sees Bartelby's situation as similar to his; therefore, he feels sorry for him.

Funerals are Sad

Honestly, I don't really understand the poem I felt a funeral, in my brain, by Emily Dickinson.  I couldn't understand what the speaker was saying.  However, I could draw some conclusions from the diction that Dickinson uses.  Words such as "Mourners," "numb," "creak," "space," "silence," "wrecked," "solitary," and "plunge," give the impression of sad, lonely, and confused emotions from the speaker.  Whatever the person is felling or thinking, he/she does not understand it and is distressed over it.  Imagery also plays a key role.  The only senses portrayed are touch and hearing.  "I felt a funeral in my brain (line 1)."  "And then I heard them lift a box (line 9).  Strangely, or so it seems, the narrator does not mention sight.  My first explanation is that the narrator is describing a chain of thought and therefore can't see the events.  Second, I think the absence of sight could represent the speaker's disorientation and/or dismay.

Don't complain about optimism

APO 96225 by Larry Rottmann is a somewhat depressing poem.  It tells the story of a conversation between a soldier and his mother through mail while he is in war.  There exchange is full of situational irony.  At first the soldier does not want to frighten his mother with the worries of war and says "Dear Mom, sure rains a lot here (line 3)."  However, she repeatedly asks for the truth about what is happening, and after several letters, her son tells her that he killed a man and bombed women and children.  However, this makes her too emotional, and the soldier's father has to write back telling him to be more pleasant.  The irony comes from the fact that the soldier's mother begged him to tell her the truth about the war; however, after hearing it, she did not want to hear it because it was too depressing.  The soldier's final repetition of the phrase "Dear Mom, sure rains here a lot" is humorous because he does change the response.  The phrase "a lot here" is changed to "here a lot."  However, the sentence is the same, even if the mother's knowledge of the situation is different.  I think that people tend to do this same kind of behavior quite often.  People act happy when they are actually sad, and people who know better still play along.  People who can recognize problems in government and society often feel like they are too difficult to fix, and so pretend that everything is fine.  I think the author is not only saying "Be careful what you wish for," but also pointing out the insanity of feigned naivety.  The mother's, or rather the father's final response to his son is ridiculous as his parents would know he is lying, but instead of facing the truth, they  pretend that everything is okay.  Optimism is great, but there is a point when its purpose is lost.

The fur and the old,odd people

I found Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield somewhat confusing.  At first I had no understanding of the story at all.  However, I think I am starting to understand the story after reading the questions at the end and taking notice of a few symbols.  The first thing I noticed is that the last paragraph of the story refers to another part of the story in paragraph five.  In paragraph 5, the speaker says: "They were odd, silent, nearly all old, and from the way they stared they look like as though they'd just come from a line of sea, and beyond the blue sky with gold-veined clouds (par. 5)."  And in the last paragraph, it says she "went into the little dark room- her room like a cupboard-...(par. 18)"  Although Miss Brill doesn't admit it, she sees herself in the other people.  She sits quietly alone watching other people.  She is old, and her behavior could definitely be classified as odd (although who doesn't like to go people watching every once in a while?).  Second, I think Miss Brill's fur is also a symbol of herself.  At the beginning of the story she shakes the dust off of it and "rubbed the life back into the dim eyes (par. 1)."  Then, at the end, she quietly places it back in its box and thinks she heard something crying.  The unpacking and return of the fur from its box represent Miss Brill's trips every Sunday.  The walk and sitting in the park (I think that's where she is) give her a chance to escape from the solitude of her cupboard-like room.  Just like the moth powder-covered fur, she is old and past her prime, separated from the people she sees.  When she returns home at the end, the cries are her own, because just like the fur, she is being place back in the loneliness of her room.

Why do I always blog about foreshadowing?

In Bartleby the Scrivener by Herman Melvillle, I found Bartelby's situation of homelessness as no surprise.  There are multiple instances of foreshadowing in the story that hint at his circumstances.  First, the lawyer's description of Bartelby's appearance carries some significance.   "I can see that figure now - pallidly neat, pitiably respectable, incurably forlorn! It was Bartleby (p648)."  The diction in this passage is key.  Pallid means lifeless.  Pitiable alludes to his dire financial situation, and forlorn refers to his loneliness without family or home.  Without the knowledge of Bartelby's situation, this description seems pretty strange.  I took notice of the description when reading; however, I didn't realize the significance until later.  The less subtle hints came later when the lawyer talks about how he never saw Bartelby leave the office and how he noticed Ginger Nut bring him cookies.  At that point in the story, I found his diet and stillness really odd, and I began to wonder if he was living in the office.

Love Never Dies... (it was not a good sequel)

Love is a dangerous thing, yet that is what makes it so amazingly beautiful.  People love others, knowing that the other must at some point die, or the people themselves will die first.  People who choose to love ensure future misery.  One cannot love another without losing him or her.  This sacrifice is what makes love so great.  The final couplet of the poem That time of year by William Shakespeare recognizes this same idea.  The initial 3 quatrains of the poem use symbols of a  bare and dying tree, fading daylight, and the glowing ashes of a fire to represent a person approaching death.  The symbol of the fire specifically portrays that death is an essential part of life.  A fire must eventually die out, and life must eventually lead to death.  Then the final couplet states: "This though perceivest; which makes thy love more strong, To love that well which though must leave ere long (lines 13,14)."  The narrator knows that the person he (or she) is addressing (his wife?...or maybe husband?) loves him, and he knows that the love is so great and powerful, because the person knows that he is approaching death and must eventually die, but is not afraid to love anyway.

Death, You Just Got Owned...

I enjoyed reading Death, be not proud, by John Donne.  This poem talks about how death is not all-powerful or scary as most people think.  The poem goes against the stereotypical perception of death.  The poem states "And soonest our best men with thee do go (line 7)."  The speaker states that the best men are not conquered by death, they approach it readily and willingly.  He says that death is controlled by "fate, chance, kings, and desperate men."  Death is not omnipotent, occurrences on earth cause it; death can't simply end people's lives.  Death is even compared to peaceful sleep.  It's not even a bad thing.  Finally, he says "One short sleep passed, we wake eternally, And death shall be no more; death, thou shalt die (lines 13, 14)."  He says that death isn't even eternal.  Humans will be taken from death to live eternal life.  Death, you just got owned...

You Gotta Fight... For Your Life... (to...party??)

In Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night, Dylan Thomas uses many paradoxical expressions.  "Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight (line 13)."  "Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray (line 17)."  Theses paradoxical phrases may seem confusing at first.  However, these phrases do contribute to the meaning of the poem.  I think that the paradoxical expressions help portray the poignant nature of death.  The loss of a loved one is sad, but the realization of insights and wisdom acquired over the course of one's life are priceless.  In the poem, Thomas describes the attitudes of wise men, good men, wild men, and grave men about death.  None of the men approach death happily.  They all see how things could or should have been and are unhappy that their time is over.  I think, overall, the poem is saying through these literary strategies, that the narrator hopes his father approaches death consciously, sad about what could have been or could be.  He can accept the death, but doesn't want his father to die suddenly, unaware of what is happening.  He wants his father to fight for life.

The One Without a Title... ( a.k.a foreshadowing)

In William Faulkner's A Rose For Emily, there are many events which lead up to the discovery of a dead man in the room. The discovery is foreshadowed greatly. The reader can anticipate that Emily murdered Homer Barron. In paragraph 27, the novel describes her brief period of insanity when her father dies. "She told them that her father was not dead." This serves as a foundation for the readers suspicions. Then the story talks about how she bought arsenic without saying why. Homer's homosexuality and disappearance into her house are also described. The strange smell from her house mentioned in paragraph 16 also alerts the reader that something strange happened in her house. Although the full extent of her obsession is not evident until the town people break into the room when her gifts for him and his body are discovered, her crime can be reasonably predicted.

Stoning on a Beautiful Summer Day

In The Lottery by Shirley Jackson, imagery plays a critical role. Imagery is used throughout the novel, beginning in the first paragraph. "The morning of June 27th was clear and sunny, with the fresh warmth of full-summer day; the flowers were blossoming profusely and the grass was richly green (par. 1)." The chief effect of this imagery is to show the indifference of the villagers. To a first-time reader, the lottery seems like a fun, lighthearted social event because of their attitudes. It isn't until later in the story that there are even slight signs of fear. The cheerful imagery represents the cheerful attitudes of the people contrary to the gravity of the stoning they are about to conduct. The black box and black dots on the paper along with the distance of the people from the pile of stones represent the darkness of the lottery's true nature. Ultimately, this helps contribute to the theme of the work. The villages are disconnected with the reality of what they are doing. Instead of questioning why they are murdering people, they blindly follow the tradition of the lottery.

The End

So what's up with the end of  The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams?  I understood everything that happened up until the point that Tom started to narrate again.  Laura had finally made progress against her shyness thanks to Jim, but she still had little hope of a future husband.  Amanda frustrated and blames Tom and Laura for their failure.  Tom is still hopeful for escape from his current life.  All is good (or I guess not really).  Then Tom says "Oh Laura, Laura, I tried to leave you behind me, but I am more faithful than I intended to be! I reach for a cigarette... -anything that can blow your candles out!  ...Blow out your candles, Laura - and so goodbye... (p 1289).  Then the stage notes say that Laura blows out the candles on stage and the play ends.  I'm lost.  At first I thought that Laura had died.  Now I think that the passage simply means that Tom is constantly reminded of Laura and regrets leaving her being  extinguishing almost any chance of her future marriage and success.  What really confused me was Laura blowing out the candles.  I don't think it symbolizes the end of her struggles nor do I think it symbolizes her death, but maybe it does.  It could symbolize the fact that she is no longer dependent on Tom.  I don't know.  The only thing I know for sure is that Tom never truly escaped his "coffin" in St. Louis.  His pursuit of of happiness through freedom did not truly get him what he wanted.

The Unicorn

As we stated in class, Laura's glass collection is the chief symbol in The Glass MEnagerie  by Tennessee Williams.  It represents Laura and her extreme fragility.  With this is mind, I was intrigued when the glass was presented in a very noticeable way in scene 7.  On page 1281, Laura talks about her glass unicorn ornament, which happens to be her favorite.  She says "He stays on a shelf with some horses that don't have horns and all of them seem to get along nicely together....   I haven't heard arguments among them!(p 1281)."  The unicorn represents Laura, set apart from the people around her by her disability, which resulted in her shyness.  Her shyness is also represented by the fact that she says the horses and unicorn don't argue, implying that they are quiet and don't argue, much like Laura herself.  The metaphor is further expanded when Laura and Jim are dancing.  They bump into the shelf of glass and the unicorn falls over, breaking of its horn.  The unicorn is now just like the other horses.  Similarly, Jim taught Laura that night to be confident and not ashamed of her disability.  The question remains whether or not Laura's shyness is truly cured, but regardless, her night with Jim taught her a great lesson.

A Nailed-Up Coffin

I noticed an example of symbolism in scene 4 of The Glass Menagerie of Tennessee Williams.  In this portion of the scene, Tom talks about seeing a magic show at the movie theater.  The last trick he describes involves the magician being nailed into a coffin and then escaping.  On page 1249 Tom points out the symbolism, saying: "You know it don't take much intelligence to get yourself into a nailed-up coffin, Laura.  But who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing one nail?"  This shows Tom's frustration toward his current situation.  He wants to escape from his current life and live a life of freedom and adventure.   However, he is stuck working his current job because his father left and he must provide for his mother and sister.  He is stuck inside his own coffin without any method of escape.  On another level, the coffin is a metaphor for his father.  In the stage directions, it says that the picture of Tom's father lights up as if to answer the question.  His father managed to escape his own imprisonment by fleeing from the family completely.  When examined under that light, Tom's symbol can be seen as foreshadowing of his own departure.

Foreshadowing Tom's departure

After reading the end of The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, I realized that there were multiple occurrences of foreshadowing throughout the play.  The first example takes place when Tom walks onstage at the beginning of scene one.  "Tom enters, dressed as a merchant sailor...( p 1236)."  At first, I barely even noticed this minor detail.  However, later on in the play, Tom's dialogue explains the significance of this detail.  On page 1268, Tom reveals he has become a member of the Union of Merchant Seamen.  The nature of his uniform is then understood by the audience.  Together, both details foreshadow Tom leaving his family to be a merchant seaman.  Although he doesn't leave until after the events of the play, the reader/audience can infer that Tom will eventually leave.  Combined with his desire for adventure and his hatred of his job, Tom's departure at the end of the play is a logical fulfillment of all the earlier foreshadowing.

Tom's Narration

In The Glass Menagerie by Tennessee Williams, I noticed a lot of moments where the play switches to a direct first person perspective, narrated by Tom.  At several points during the play, Tom directly addresses the audience, filling in details about the story.  In fact, the play begins with Tom speaking to the audience.  " I am the narrator of the play and also a character in it ( p. 1236)."  With this style of narration, Williams can address the audience, and he can clarify different aspects of the play.  In some parts, Tom identifies symbolism.  In other parts, he tells the reader about events that don't occur onstage.  Without Tom's narration, the play would be more realistic, but the audience might miss out on several insights on the significance of events that take place.  I liked Tom's narration because it helped me understand what I read.  I think it is a defining characteristic of The Glass Menagerie.

Yet another strange poem...

In The Joy of Cooking, Elaine Magarrell talks about chopping up her siblings and eating them.  OR DOES SHE???  At first I was a bit puzzled by the cooking imagery used in the context of the body pars of the narrator's siblings. However, after re-reading the poem, I have a theory as to the method behind Magarrell's madness.  "I have prepared my sister's tongue, scrubbed and skinned...(lines 1 & 2)"  Did the author actually scrub her sister's tongue in preparation to cook it?  Of course not.  I think that the tongue of her sister and heart of her brother symbolize faults in their personalities.  The tongue could symbolize a dirty or cruel mouth, and the heart could represent his unkindness.  Their preparation for cooking represents how the writer wants to fix these faults.  "It resembles muscle more than organ meat and needs an apple-onion stuffing to make it interesting at (lines 12-14)."  Cooking is simply taking different ingredients and making something better.  This is what the narrator wants to do with her siblings.  She wants to make them better people

You killed your "dear" father?... I guess he wasn't THAT dear

One of the most interesting poems was Edward by Anonymous.  I enjoyed reading the poem, mostly because of the way Edward's actions are revealed over the course of the poem.  The first line, "Why does your sword so drip with blood...(line 1)," pulls the reader into the scene.  Then the poem surprises the reader(or at least surprised me) with 2 small climaxes at lines 21 and 53.  He killed his father and wants his mother to bear the curse of hell from him.  Obviously he held some hatred against his parents.  The question is why?  The poem is very vague and illustrates no clear reason for Edward's actions.  He does hint that his mother has wronged him and his mother's reaction shows that she knew what Edward had done from the start.  I also was not sure why everything is repeated in the poem.  Overall, I really didn't get any deep understanding of the poem, but I still enjoyed it for what it is.

POINT OF VIEW!!!! HOORAY!

In The Drunkard by Frank O'Conner, there are many sources of humor.  After discussing this humor in class, I came to the opinion that the primary source was the author's point of view.  O'Conner uses a third person omniscient point of view .  Using this technique, the author illustrates the thoughts of multiple characters.  Their clashing opinions cause the humor.  For example: " 'Ah Jasus,' I said crossly, 'what do I want to go home for? Why the hell can't you leave me alone?'  For some reason the gang of old wopmen at the other side of the road thought his was very funny.  They nearly split their sides over it.  A gassy fury began to expand in me.... (paragraph 66)."  In this passage the boy, in his drunken outrage, causes the nearby women to laugh, making him even more furious.  All the while, his father tries to convince him to be quiet.  He is thoroughly embarrassed by his son.  In the end we witness the opinion of yet another character. The mother is overjoyed by the event.  The child had stopped his father's drinking without even trying.

Obstacles

When I first started reading A Worn Path by Eudora Welty, the most prominent element of the story that I noticed was the obstacles that Phoenix faces on her journey.  Of course, I had no idea if they were symbols and if so, what they could symbolize.  Now that I have finished, I think I have a better idea, but I am still unsure.  I think the obstacles that Phoenix faces are simply symbols of the obstacles that any person faces in life as they pursue a goal.  One key characteristic is that some things she ignored turned out to be obstacles, and some objects she saw as obstacles turned out to be simple objects.  "Old eyes thought you was a pretty green bush (paragraph 9)." I think this reflects the fact that in real life, one cannot clearly see the obstacles ahead of him.  When pursuing a goal, obstacles often go unnoticed until they prevent progress.  Likewise, anticipated obstacles may never show up at all, and all precautions can go unrewarded.  Still some obstacles in the story were familiar to Phoenix, such as the log over the creek, and she easily overcomes them.  Similarly, some obstacles can be anticipated and overcome in reality, especially after personal experience.  I think the whole story could be an allegory of sorts, supporting the story's theme, but I could be way off.  Oh well...

Irony < Steely ?... I'm hilarious

After reading Once Upon a Time by Nadine Gordimer, I was shocked by the gruesome ending of the story.  However, I couldn't help but notice that there was a lot of situational irony caused by this ending.  I noticed many different sources of this irony.  First was Gordimer's presentation of the story as a children's story.  It uses simple diction and syntax as well as a simple and seemingly happy/ideal setting.   This clashes with the bloody conclusion of the story.  Another level was the caused by the means of the boy's death.  The "DRAGON TEETH" metal coils were meant to protect the family and the house.  However, the coils only effect is to kill the boy.  They never prevented any intruders from entering the house.  This irony is drawn further by the last line of the poem.  "And they carried it [the bleeding mass of the boy]- the man, the wife, the hysterical trusted housemaid, and the weeping gardener - into the house (p236)."  The same people who supported the defenses are injured by their installation, and to finish the novel, they carry the boy into the one place they felt was unsafe, their home.  All of this irony seems to serve a dual purpose in the short story.  Primarily, the irony makes evident the foolishness and childishness of the characters' precautions.  Also, it shows how nobody can run from misfortune.  Disaster strikes everyone, and can come in unforeseen ways.   Nobody can live a perfect life.

The Plant

While reading A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, I noticed that there is significant symbolism behind Mama's plant.  When she is introduced in the play, the first thing she does is go to water the plant.  She continues to check on it multiple times throughout the story.  In fact, the play ends with her dashing back in to the apartment to grab the plant off the windowsill.  It seems funny that Hansberry would spend so much time detailing a little plant, but if one examines its symbolism, much can be learned about the Younger family. Mama even talks about the symbolism on page 458 saying "Got to admit they have spirit-Bennie and Walter. Like this little old plant that ain't never had enough sunshine or nothing-and look at it..."  The plant is a symbol of the struggling family.  Just as the plant stubbornly grows despite the lack of sunlight, the Younger family struggles through their own life filled with poverty, bills, and racism.  I think the plant is also a symbol of Mama's dreams and love for her family.  She cares for the plant continuously throughout the play, always doing her best to help it thrive.  It represents her dream of a house where she can plant a garden, a dream which grows closer toward the end of the story.  Once I realized the symbolism of the plant, I started to better understand the play as a whole.  It is about living life through adverse conditions and struggling to fulfill one's dreams in such a situation.  In the end, the only way to thrive is through love.  Just as the Younger family came close to falling apart, in a life without lover, all things begin to fall part.

Under Pressure

While reading A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, I noticed that all of the characters are under tremendous pressure.  The differing values and dreams in the Younger family lead to many tough decisions for each member.  One of the examples I noticed was Ruth's considering of an abortion.  When she realizes that she is pregnant at the end of Act I Scene 1, I'm sure she did not know what to do.  Bennie comments on the fact that there is no room for the baby in their apartment, saying "Where is he going to live, on the roof?"  Walter was guaranteed to be unsure about it, since it would put financial stress on the family.  In addition, Ruth needs to work in order to help pay for the family, which she can't do if she is pregnant or caring for a baby.  It makes sense that she would consider getting an abortion.  Ironically, her family pressures her out of killing the baby.  Mama argues vigorously against the abortion, telling about her husband's love of children and how she can't abandon her family, even the unborn part of it.  Ultimately, Ruth decides against the abortion, but the fact that she considered it, despite her strong moral standings, prove that she was under tremendous pressure.  Sadly, she was not the only one.

Evolution of Walter

I think that the character who changes the most over the course of A Raisin in the Sun in Walter.  Although his fundamental values stay constant over the course of the story, Lorraine Hansberry shows his attitudes and opinions changing drastically.  At the beginning of the story, he argues with everyone in his family, but still works hard to earn the money he vales so highly.  He begins to engage in heavy drinking, trying to escape the stress at home and realize how to fulfill his dreams.  Later it is revealed that he has been skipping work.  Eventually he begins to treat Ruth more kindly, even though he is still drunk and pursuing his dream of buying the liquor store.  When he loses his money to Willy, he in turn loses all hope and pride, deciding that the family must beg MR. Lindner to purchase their house.  Finally, at the climax of the play, Walter overcomes his need for money and chooses to move into the house.  He says "And we have decided to move into our house because my father-my father-he earned it for us brick by brick(p 532).  "In the end, he has an attitude very different than that which he had at the beginning of the play.

Past the Point of no Return

The plot of A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry slowly picks up pace, until the beginning of the climax, when Bobo tells Walter that their money was stolen by Willy.  I think that this is the ulitmate turning point of the story.  It is the "point of no return" for the family.  The hopes of the family seem to be completely gone.  They no longer have excess money.  Bennie is short on money for medical school and Walter can't invest in his liquor store.  Walter's dependence on money seems to have betrayed him for good, making him mad.  He had focused all his desire and energy on earning respect and wealth through a new career, and his hope was torn away.  Bennie's dream to help other people as a doctor seems hopeless because she will struggle to pay for school.  Ruth might not be able to leave the apartment which she hates.  Everyone has given up hope, which crushes Mama.  She said "Yes-death done come into this here house (p 529)."  After being so close to achieving their dreams, Willy's threat seems to uproot the pride and hope of the Younger family.  Walter goes as far as too deciding they must resort to begging.  They were so happy to finally reach their dreams and leaving the prison of the apartment that they could not dare to go back to their previous way of life.  The shock of their loss only solidifies the barrier between their past and present.  They must find something to cling on to and celebrate, or risk losing the family to the "death" that Mama spoke of.  If they don't move forward, the family and its values will fall apart.

Walter vs. Bennie

In A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, Mama's two children are portrayed as opposites of each other.  They could even be considered different enough to be foil characters for each other.  This contrast is set up beginning in scene one of act 1 when Beneatha enters the kitchen and immediately begins to argue with Walter.  There are many great differences between the two.  Beneatha values knowledge, sophistication, and culture, while Walter values money above all else.  This difference is emphasized by Bennie's love of Agasai, despite Walter's approval of the wealthy George Murchison.  She could not stand to marry the shallow Murchison, but she loved Agasai's wisdom and African culture.  Another difference between the two is their careers.  Bennie is studying to become a doctor while Walter is a limo driver who wants to purchase a liquor store.  In terms of their philosophies, Bennie is more of an idealist.  She believes she can become a successful doctor, looks for different ways to express herself, and wants to make a difference in the world.  On the other hand, Walter confesses that he believes life is ruled by people who take from others and that money is the ultimate measure of success.  While he seems, to retract this belief eventually, it does not change the fact that he stubbornly spends his time trying to find ways to reach the top of society.  An example of this is on page 534: "Walter: Girl, if you don't get all them silly ideas out of your head!  You better marry yourself a man with some loot..."  The two characters always contrast each other, even after the story's climax.

Gone with the wind...

In "The Interpreter of Maladies" by Jhumpa Lahiri, I noticed two main literary devices: parallelism and irony. The parallelism is quite simple.  Both Mr. Kapasi and  Mrs. Das are revealed to have had major problems in their life.  Mr. Kapasi devoted his life to a career he didn't enjoy, which failed him and left him with a wife he loves even less.  Mrs. Das had an affair, resulting in the birth of her son Bobby.  The irony comes into play when Mrs. Das appeals to Mr. Kapasi and asks him to give her advice.  She thinks that he can sort out her problems, even though he has his own.  There is some possibilty since the two seem to get along well and Mr. Kapasi has fantasies of marrying her.  The piece of paper with Mr. Kapasi's address is a symbol of that connection, the only way for Mr. Kapasi to start a new life.  Mr. kapasi's inability to help Mrs. Das results in an end to her hopes.When the scrap of paper is blown away after the fiasco caused by the monkeys, all hope is eliminated.  "He watched as it rose, carried higher and higher by the breeze.... (p166)."  How ironic, that she appeals to him for help even as he is hoping that she can end his troubles, when in the end, their dreams are blown away, lost amidst the chaos of their lives, just like the slip of paper.

"She doesn't even go here."

In "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, I found significance in Walker's use of imagery and synesthesia.  On page 176, line 20, the speaker says "A dress so loud it hurts my eyes.  There are enough yellows and oranges to throw back the light of the sun.  I feel my whole face warming from the heat waves it throws out.  This use of imagery and synesthesia applies to the senses of touch and sight, but also describes the feelings in terms of sound, using the adjective "loud."  This description seems to characterize Dee, showing her love of fashion and desire to stand out.  The "loudness" of the dress is also made to seem unnatural and unfitting in her current environment.  It is an early indication that Dee has abandoned her family and her past, and has no desire to return to it.  The speaker goes on to describe "bracelets dangling and making noises," a loose and flowy dress, and Dee's hair, "straight up like the wool on a sheep (p 176, line 27)."  These lines also appeal to the senses.  Only taste and smell are left out. The speaker's eventual admission of liking the dress shows Dee's beauty, but still, the "loud" qualities of the dress stand out.  There is nothing inherently wrong with the person of Dee, but the dress of her new society and lifestyle that she has placed upon her shoulders hides her  natural, inherited beauty.  She doesn't belong.

Oh, what a beautiful toad you have there!

In "Toads" by Philip Larkin, I think the toads carry a special symbolism.  When I think of toads I think of an ugly and slimy animal.  I think if disgusting croaking noises and warts.  Do I need to go on?  Toads are not seen as pretty, delightful animals.  The symbol of a toad shows disdain for the things they represent.  Clearly Larkin does not admire these things.  This is slightly ironic, given that he admits to one of the toads living inside of him.  If you examine the poem, the first toad is clearly stated to be work.  The other is not as clear.  I found my interpretation of the second toad in line 35 "But I do say it's hard to lose either, When you have both."  Based on this contradiction and the knowledge that the second toad is an internal problem of his, I believe that the other is laziness.  While Larkin doesn't like to work, seeing it as a boring, painful task that he endures only to pay his bills, he also despises his own laziness that causes him to hate the work.  His own sense of honor in his work contradicts his laziness.  Work and laziness are both ugly toads, but unfortunately, Larkin seems to be stuck with both of them.

EXPLOSION!!!

The organization of "A Dream Deferred" by Langston Hughes consists of 5 similes and 1 metaphor.  These analogies are set up in a way that the 5 similes, featured first, support the ending metaphor.  All of the 5 similes include negative imagery.  They appeal to the reader's senses, giving the impression that deferring a dream is not the wisest decision.  "Does it stink like rotten meat? (line 6)."  The author doesn't ask if it blooms into a beautiful flower.  These 5 similes all lead up to the final metaphor in all its italicized glory.  "Or does it explode? (11)."  I think that this line is stressed by the italics for a reason.  It shows that a dream deferred, while left forgotten, at first only "begins to stink."  It causes maybe minor problems, as the glory of the dream is not realized.  Ultimately, however, the dream must reach its potential, because it still exists.  This causes the "explosion."  If you apply this poem to segregation or slavery in the U.S.  The deferred dream of ending these cruel establishments resulted in the clashes of the Civil War and violence in the Civil Rights Movement.  These sorts of violent crashes are the explosions that Hughes is talking about.

Me? a princess? ...when frogs talk

The trait of "Hazel Tells Laverne" by Kathryn Howd Machan that I took most notice of was the irony in the poem.  Two different situations stuck out to me as being very ironic.  First, I noticed dramatic irony in Hazels actions.  Most readers of the poem are familiar with the story of " The Frog Prince."  We know that the frog is actually a cursed prince that promises marriage for a kiss.  The irony is present in the fact that Hazel does not know this, and therefore doesn't believe the promises of the frog.  I found the second example in the fact that Hazel is more surprised by the frog's offer to make her a prince than by the fact that he is speaking to her.  "me a princess (24,25)." The fact that frogs don't talk doesn't seem to register at all.

I think that these examples of irony give important meaning to the story.  Hazel's mistrust of the frog shows a past of mistrust and manipulation.  She is not used to being given kind offers.  Similarly, her complete disbelief of the notion of being a princess shows that poverty is the only thing she knows.  Her ancestors before her were probably uneducated and possessed lower-class jobs.  Hazel herself cleans hotel bathrooms.  Becoming a princess seems to go against her identity and against logic, even more so than a talking frog.

After reading the article by Laurence Perrine, I set down the paper, let out a sigh of relief, and said "Finally.. It all makes sense now!"  Before reading the article, I had a slight idea that there were correct and incorrect interpretations of poems, but I wasn't sure how to explain this belief.  Perrine could not have expressed my feelings more closely.   I agree with him completely.  I don't think that there is only one right interpretation of each poem, but I know there are wrong ones.  Being a science-minded person, when he stated that "These two criteria are not different from those we bring to the judgement of a new scientific hypothesis, it made sense to me.   Why would the writer of a poem put in details that contradict its meaning?  The presence of those contradicting details would have to be explained by some other purpose or other meaning, which makes no sense.  And I agree that there are seemingly infinite ways to explain any scenario, but that doesn't make all of them good explanations.  The most plausible explanation is the best in my mind as well as Perrine.
Just because I say that I completely agree with Perrine doesn't mean that I am a great interpreter of poetry.  That couldn't be further from the truth.  I actually am pretty terrible at interpreting it.  Perrine put me to shame with his explanations of the meanings of the four poems.  I interpreted all of them wrong.  For some of them I wasn't even close to the meaning.  In the future I plan to pay more attention to details, so that I can better understand the author's intended meaning or at least something close.  I don't think that my interpretations were worthless.  When I read the poems, my interpretation is what came to mind, and it was real to me.  However, after seeing the "real" meanings provided by Perrine, I was more pleased by the poems and my mind could see a more full picture.  Where before I saw a vague canvas with the edges unpainted, coated with only a few colors and details; I now see a full canvas, covered edge-to-edge with countless beautiful colors of paint and brimming with crisp details.  The portrait comes alive, and I know that I am seeing what the writer saw in his mind when he wrote the poem.  For this reason, I agree with Perrine.

Summer Reading Pic

While at King's Island,  I was chase by aliens who wanted to steal my copy of The Great Gatsby.  Of course, Kylie Schreiber and I were so absorbed in the book that we never even noticed that the aliens were pursuing us...Or that we were travelling 54 mph...on a spaceship...that looked suspiciously like a rollercoaster.  Anyway, thank God I found this picture!  Now I have a great story to tell at parties.

Here is the end... Where is the Theme?

Reading the last chapter of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I can't help but notice a lot of irony.  Most of it is in the fact that Nick, who at the beginning of the story said that Gatsby represented all that he resented, is the one who worries about him after his death.  He says "I found myself on Gatsby's side, and alone (164)."  He even claims to have been close friends with Gatsby when talking to Mr. Gatz.  While Gatsby's death was truly tragic, the only things that Gatsby gave Nick were problems.  Why should Nick spend even more time arranging Gatsby's funeral and trying to find non-existent friends to attend.  Again I see Nick as a bit of a pushover, for he didn't truly have to do anything for Gatsby.   On a completely different note, I'm not entirely sure what the theme is.  Randomly at the end of the novel, Nick relates Gatsby to "us" saying "Gatsby believed in the green light, the orgastic future that year by year recedes before us.  It eluded us then, but that's no matter.... So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back carelessly into the past (180)."  I guess Fitzgerald is trying to warn people against spending life pursuing an unlikely goal, what would for most people be fame or wealth.  In that sense, Gatsby and his pursuit of wealth and social standing through Daisy would symbolize all people who strive for something unlikely or unnecessary.  However, because Fitzgerald uses the word "we," I wonder if he is referring to a whole group of people,  most likely American citizens of the 1920's.  In the "Roaring 20's," a time of great economic prosperity, technological advancement, and material wealth, Fitzgerald could be warning Americans not to become too caught up in the American Dream.  He wants them to rethink their priorities, placing less importance on pleasure, fame, and money.  If this is true, his warning was very smart, for America soon plunged into the Great Depression, and the period of glamour and wealth vanished.

Gatsby's Hubris

Well...Gatsby is dead.  I've reached page 162 of The Great Gatsby  by F. Scott Fitzgerald, and the character who give the book it's name has died.  Now, I know this is certainly a tragic event, but I can't say that I didn't see it coming.  Fitzgerald included enough foreshadowing (which I mentioned in earlier blogs) to hint at a tragic ending, and near the end, Gatsby's death seems to be one of the only solutions that would make sense.  Therefore, I'm focusing on the character of Gatsby in this blog, primarily on his hubris, the one tragic flaw that caused him to reach such an end.  In my opinion, Gatsby's hubris is his love for Daisy.  Because of this obsession, he gave up his dreams of working his way to the top of the social pyramid, a feat which he certainly could have accomplished with his good looks, manners, logic, and reassuring smile.  Even after he gave up these dreams, he had the chance to return to them when Daisy married Tom.  However, he chose to spend five years chasing after her and plotting how to bring her back into his life.  As a result, he became involved in Tom's life, caused strife with him and was present at Myrtle's death as an indirect result.  Then, due to his love for Daisy, he decided to take the blame for Myrtle's death, forfeiting any chance if marrying her, making it impossible for him to be happy.  Mick said "He was clutching at some last hope and I couldn't bear to shake him free (148)."  Then, Wilson killed him because he thought that he had killed Myrtle.  If Gatsby hadn't been in love with Daisy, none of this would have happened.  I suppose you could also argue that Gatsby's hubris was actually his desire for riches and the social status that comes with them, since that is what caused his love for Daisy.  Either way, as Nick said on page 161, "He paid a high price for living too long with a single dream."

Out with the Old and in with the...Older??

As The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald progresses, I couldn't help but notice that through all the struggles and hardships going, things seem to be reverting back to how they were at the beginning of the novel in terms of the overall situation.  When Tom says "It was a yellow car (p140)" we can assume that Gatsby was the one who hit Myrtle.  Later, Gatsby reveals to Nick that Daisy was the one driving and that he will take the blame.  While this is admirable and in a way the ultimate sign of his love, in the end it simply means that Gatsby will either have to flee New York or risk imprisonment.  Like before he met up with Daisy at Nick's house, Gatsby will ultimately be out of the picture.  This opinion is strengthened by the fact that Tom and Daisy are becoming closer again.  With Myrtle out of the picture, Tom is again bonding with Daisy.  Nick said "There was an unmistakable air of natural intimacy about the picture (145)" when talking about Tom and Daisy talking after Myrtle's death.  Their relationship might even return to how it was when they were married. They could fall in love again.  Lastly, Nick seems to be losing his attraction toward Jordan.  He won't talk to her after Myrtle's death, and when talking on the phone, one of them hung up on the other, and he doesn't seem to care.  So overall, like before the events of the novel began, Tom and Daisy are living together with no affairs somewhat happily, Nick is single, and Gatsby has little to no hope of reuniting with Daisy.  While the death of Myrtle was certainly tragic, this ending seems to be more convenient than I expected.  On the other hand, Gatsby still has yet to escape his situation as the supposed killer of Myrtle.  Maybe his story will be more tragic.

Juxtaposition-ception!

I was reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, when I realized that I found two examples of juxtaposition, one inside of another.  I have coined it... JUXTAPOSITION-CEPTION!!!

The first example was found in Nick's thoughts.  "Thirty - the promise of a decade of loneliness....  But there was Jordan beside me (135)."  Nick had realized that he was thirty, and ironically, he finds time to pity himself while the struggles of Gatsby, Tom, and Daisy rage around him.  The relationship problems that are abundant in this novel make me wonder whether the relationship between Nick and Jordan will work out.  I think not, since they are of different social classes, and they have different personalities.  Second, the novel jumps straight from the description of Jordan and Nick being close to Wilson locking Myrtle in his office.  Obviously, with Tom & Myrtle's affair, their relationship isn't going well.  This emphasizes the desperation of Wilson and Myrtle's situation.  Then, suddenly Myrtle is killed by a speeding car.  Things just keep getting worse.  I can't say I didn't see something like this coming, but it is surprising all the same.  All of a sudden, Nick's situation seems very, very good compared to everyone else (perhaps because he has no desire for money...?).

Could this be the climax?

In the last section I have read of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, the action is continuously increasing.  I think that it is the climax because the action is now very intense, and it can't be resolved without some sort of big change.  Plus I'm running out of pages.  That's always a good climax indicator....  Anyways, something important happens ever page, and I find myself reminded of me earlier thought that the novel would have an unhappy ending.  Tom has found out that Gatsby is in love with his wife, and he must figure out what to do.  In the meantime, Myrtle sees Jordan at her husband's shop and assumes she is Daisy, causing her to think that Tom is done with her.  Wilson has found out that Myrtle is hiding a secret life from him, and is considering moving away.  Then Gatsby and Tom finally confront each other openly.  Tom question's Gatsby's past and Gatsby questions Daisy's love for Tom.  To top it all off, Daisy tells Gatsby "i did love him once-but I loved you too (132)."  This really hurts Gatsby, but he still insists that Daisy will leave Tom to be with him.  The question is, now that Tom's relationship with Myrtle is in jeopardy, he is less likely to let Daisy leave.  And it is now seeming that Daisy might not be willing to leave Tom herself.  One thing is clear, now that things are out in the open, things can't go back to the way they were.  The problem must be resolved somehow, and not everyone can be happy.  What will happen?  Which side will Daisy choose?  Once again, I have to read to find out.  At least I'm close to finishing.

Gatsby, Daisy, and Money

"Her voice is full of money (120)."  This line in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald made me realize why Gatsby fell in love with Daisy.  To Gatsby, Daisy represents money and the fine elegant things it could be.  Somewhere in the book (I can't remember where), it says that when Gatsby met Daisy, it was his first exposition to their kind of wealth, with their big house and their nice clothes.  Before he had only been exposed to the pleasure-fueled weilding of money by Dan Cody.  This new wealth fascinated him, and so he was also fascinated by Daisy.  To him, she was the symbol of all the wealth and fame he aspired to achieve.  And Daisy's money did have a certain charm, but I think the money is what really got Gatsby's attention, not Daisy herself.  When he first fell in love with her, he gave up his previous ability to plan his future ascent to riches and glory.  But I think he didn't really give up money, he just gave up his own power to earn it through work.  He would instead gain it from Daisy.  Unfortunately, she is just looking for a man to love her, and Gatsby's obsession with wealth isn't going to win her over.  It might actually be an obstacle for her, as witnessed at the party.  It will be interesting to see how their relationship turns out.

Complications

The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald is becoming more interesting.  In the last section I have read, Tom and Daisy attend one of Gatsby's parties, and the plot becomes more complicated.  Nick describes the party as "oppressive" and "unpleasant," partly because of Tom's presence.  Tom even starts to question Gatsby's identity during the party and forms the impression that he is a bottlegger.  I think it is also because Gatsby attempts to flaunt his wealth for Daisy.  Surprisingly, Daisy isn't impressed.  Nick says: "I knew that for the half-hour she'd been alone with Gatsby she wasn't having a good time (105)."  Gatsby might have to change his ways if he wants her to leave Tom.  After the party, Gatsby said "And she doesn't understand... She used to be more able to understand (109)."  Will things work out between Daisy and Gatsby.   Things have changed since the last time they saw each other.  It might be that Lily isn't as interested in him now.  Now he wants her to tell Tom that she never loved him.  Will she do this, and if she does, how will he react?  No matter what, Gatsby will continue to be in love with her, and if he can't marry her in the end, he will be absolutely ruined.

The Real Gatsby

In the last section I have read of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Nick reveals new information about Gatsby that begins to really shape his character.  First, we learn the extent of his love/obsession for Daisy.  Before Daisy visited him at Nick's house, Nick said "He was pale, and there were dark signs of sleeplessness beneath his eyes (84)."  He was so nervous about seeing Daisy again and about her reaction that he couldn't sleep.  Daisy is obviously one of, if not the most important thing in his life.  He know exactly how long it has been since he last saw her.  "He literally glowed... a new well-being radiated from him and filled the little room (89)."  Then, in the next chapter, Nick tells the real story of Gatsby's past.  His real name is actually James Gatz.  He spent years cruising with Dan Cody, where he became accustomed to excesses which fueled his imagination and aspiration for success.  This name change symbolizes the change in lifestyle from his previous life of hard labor to the excesses of Dan Cody's yacht.  Overall, the two main characteristics of Gatsby that are made clear are his obsession with Daisy and his desire for wealth.

Foreshadowing... Again

I've found yet another example of foreshadowing in The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.  On page 79, Nick says: "A phrase began to beat in my ears with a sort of heady excitement:  "There are only the pursues, the pursuing, the busy, and the tired (p79)."  I think this thought foreshadows an unhappy ending to the novel.  The thought itself seems to reflect a pessimistic "there is no such thing as a happy ending" attitude.  "The pursued and the pursuing" could represent Gatsby's pursuit of Daisy and Tom's pursuit of Myrtle.  It could possibly reflect the relationship between Jordan and Nick as well.  As far as I can see, "the busy" doesn't symbolize any main characters, but could possibly represent the people in the working class, somewhat like Nick, who don't possess the riches displayed in the novel, and have to work hard all the time.  "The tired" most likely is the biggest part of foreshadowing, possibly suggesting that at the end of the book, all the characters will be tired and unhappy because they will not find happiness.  They may instead find disaster as the result of their pursuits.  I now think that Gatsby might die at the end of the book.  I looked back at the first few pages and realized that Nick uses past tense when talking about Gatsby, as if he doesn't exist anymore.  This could be because Gatsby dies.  That would certainly be a tragic ending that would make the other characters tired at least.  Once again, I'm probably in for another sad ending.

Can Nick Trust Gatsby?

After the first few pages of chapter 4 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, Gatsby begins to tell Nick more about himself.  The question is, can he be trusted?  "He looked at me sideways-and I knew why Jordan had believed he was lying...He hurried the phrase "educated at Oxford," or swallowed it, or choked on it, as though it had bothered him before....  I wondered if there wasn't something a little sinister about him after all (p 65)."  After this thought by Nick, I also wonder if Gatsby is telling the truth.  He tells Nick "I am the son of some wealthy people in the Middle West-all dead now (65)."  This seems to good to be true.  Gatsby offers no explanation as to how his family died, and the assumption that he has no family makes it easy for him to excuse the mystery of his past and makes it hard for Nick to inquire about it.  I'm sure Gatsby is hiding something, and Nick's intuition hear is merely foreshadowing the later reveal of these secrets.  Furthermore, Gatsby later mentions a "sad thing" that happened to him.  Could this be the reason he was staring out over the lake early in the book?  And why is he making Jordan tell Nick about it?   Then we find out he is friends with Mr. Wolfsheim, a gambler who fixed the World Series.  Gatsby claims to be and acts like a gentleman, but it is starting to seem like there is more than meets the eye when it comes to Gatsby.

Honesty: Nick is not in Good Company

At the end of Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I found something that Nick said rather ironic.  He stated "I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known (p. 59)."  This doesn't surprise me, taking into account the kind of people that Nick has been around in the last 3 chapters.  Tom is having an affair, Jordan cheated in a golf tournament, and Myrtle also lies to her husband.  Myrtle's friends and the guests at Gatsby's party were just as dishonest.   Even Gatsby has innumerable rumors floating around about him.  Could he be hiding something as well?  I found it ironic that a person who is so honest associates with people with such different personalities.  He even seems to be in love with Jordan, whom he describes as "incurably dishonest (p 58)."  Maybe Nick wasn't in such company before the beginning of the story, and his new associations will ultimately end up causing him trouble, and he will revert to people more like himself.  Overall, this strong contrast seems to set up Nick as a hero, struggling against the corrupt ways of upper-class society.  Again I am reminded of The House of Mirth.  I am curious to see how Nick's friendships with dishonest people will turn out.

Could there be a theme developing?

I was reading The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald when I reached the part where Nick goes to his first party at Gatsby's house.  At the end of the party, I started to notice that there might be a theme developing.  As the party ended, the book read "Most of the remaining women were now having fights with men said to be their husbands (p. 51)".  Fitzgerald mentions several other instances of fighting, dissension, and even a car accident in the following pages.  These instances seem to point to the major theme of The House of Mirth, that money and material possessions don't guarantee happiness.  Most of the people at the party were either celebrities or wealthy people.  At the party, they were treated to luxurious food, drink, and activities.  However, by the time they all left, most of them were angry and/or ridiculously drunk.  This theme also applies to the fact that Nick did not enjoy the party until he started to drink.  Because Fitzgerald makes no suggestion that the party is beautiful, I think that this will continue to be a theme throughout the novel.

Nick is a Pushover

In my latest portion of The Great Gatsby,  the author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, uses an exchange between Nick, Tom, and Myrtle to indirectly characterize Nick.  He says "Hold on... I have to leave you here" when Tom tries drag him to the apartment with Myrtle.  However, Tom says "No you don't," and Myrtle says "Come on, I'll telephone my sister Catherine.  She's said to be very beautiful (p. 28)."  Nick doesn't have the courage to say no.  He could have easily made up an excuse about having to work or visit a friend, but he chose to go with Tom.  This was after he went with Tom to meet Myrtle even though he didn't want to.  Nick isn't even good friends with Tom.  They are really just acquaintances from college.  I think that Nick's inability to stand up to others might get him into trouble later in the book.  He might get mixed up with Tom's affair, or he might be involved with Gatsby somehow where he will do something that he doesn't want to do. This quality could even be a potential hubris.  For now, I haven't read far enough to know for sure, but I'm sure the rest of the story will reveal the answer.

Now that I know Nick, who is Gatsby?

After finishing chapter 1 of The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, I still don't really know who Gatsby is.  The narrator keeps mentioning Gatsby, but he doesn't explain how he knows him or what he is like.  At the end of chapter two, I think Fitzgerald provides the first real example of Gatsby's personality or personal story.  He wrote: "...he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. (p. 21).   Until now, the story has only characterized Gatsby by mentioning his giant house.  Finally, we are given more insight into how he might play into the story.  Gatsby's actions here make it seem like he is longing for something.  Is he longing for meaning in a material-focused life?  Is there a person that he misses that is no longer in his life?  Furthermore, why is he looking out over the water, or is there even any significance at all?  If this book is anything like The House of Mirth, I would place my bets on the money/material theory, especially given the obvious riches represented by his house.  Based on what the narrator has said so far, he will get to know Gatsby more personally soon.  I'm looking forward to learning more about this elusive character.

Who is this Nick Character? - Start of Great Gatsby

Having recently started The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald, a certain sentence sort of made me stumble.  "What you doing, Nick? (p. 10) I stopped and did a double-take, which is somewhat embarrassing because the sentence was quite simple.  At first I was thinking "Who is this Nick person?" but after taking advantage of the insane power of context clues, I quickly realized that Nick was the narrator.  I was simply confused as to why Fitzgerald waited 10 pages to reveal Nick's name, and only his first name at that.  I suppose it might be because Fitzgerald doesn't want us to have an attachment to the narrator and wants us to question the morality or logic of actions later in the book.  Although this somewhat seems to conflict with the advantages of  first-person narration.  Perhaps he just didn't think Nick's name was important.  I suppose his name has hardly value, if any, compared to his personality.  Overall I guess I am still confused.  I guess I will have to read on and see if the story explains Fitzgerald's delay.

The Final Post! (for this book)

Huzzah!  I've finished Edith Wharton's tragic tale, The House of Mirth.   The end of the story was sad and somewhat unsatisfying, but I think I'm ultimately satisfied with the book.  I had to say that I saw the end coming.  I think Wharton led up to it and didn't try to conceal the tragic end in Lily's future.  It started with her social decline and became more clear when the chemist warned her of the dangers of overdosing her prescription.  Near the end, she made it dreadfully clear when she wrote  "If only life could end now"(p261) and "The little bottle was at her bed-side, waiting to lay its spell upon her"(p261).  At that point I knew she would overdose and die, but ultimately the end did satisfy her last desires.  She was able to pay off her debts to Trenor.  She and Selden were finally on the same page in terms of understanding and friendship.  And before she dies, she was able to find peace and rest in the medication.  I would have preferred a happy ending, but the ending Wharton chose drives in the lessons taught in the story and heeds a warning to anyone hoping to gain happiness from the excesses of wealth and societal gain.  It shows that living life to gain status and money cannot lead to happiness and can often lead to worse.  Even if the conclusion was not to my liking, I did enjoy the book from the climax on.  It became a bit of a page-turner.  Wharton showed potential in all of Lily's relationships while also showing the steady decline of her wealth, health, and happiness.  I was anxious to find out how things would end.  I hoped that things would end well, but I became gradually more sure that Lily's fate was sealed for an unhappy life.  Despite the slow beginning, the book did became pretty enjoyable.  All in all, The House of Mirth has held up over time.  It is still a good book with a valuable lesson, and ultimately, I did enjoy it

A Choice Worth Making?

Now approaching the end of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I think I've reached the climax of the plot.  Lily's life has declined to standards of living which she is not happy with, she has few friends left, and she still has yet to find a husband.  She has received minimal money in her aunt's will.  She has no secure source of income and no guaranteed place to live in the distant future.  The only true way for her to fix the situation is to get married.  Luckily for her, tow men, Mr. Dorset and Mr. Rosedale have made it clear that they are willing to marry her if she meets certain requirements.  I believe this is the climax of the story because her choice now will effect the rest of her life and the end of the novel.  Her problem is that neither choices are ideal.  Will she make the choice between Dorset and Rosedale or will she simply not choose between the two at all and try to pave her own path through life?  Based on her past decisions, I think that she will not be able to marry either of them.  In order to marry either men, she will have to choose adapt to live with a husband who she ultimately does not like and definitely doesn't love.  "The situation, however, was not agreeable enough to lull her to complete unconsciousness of its insecurity" (p200).The time has passed where she is only looking for wealth in a marriage.   If she has doubts about her future happiness, I don't think she will choose a husband.  Also, choosing either husband would require her to make a move which could be interpreted as socially unacceptable by some, which goes against her attitude completely.  I'll have to keep reading to truly find out, but I think she has gone too far for the book to end with a happy marriage.

Bertha and the Bart: The Break

The break between Lily and the Dorset's during their European voyage is a major turning point in the plot of the story. Up until now, Lily has remained with her friends in the upper class, able to "stay afloat" without spending all of her money.  Even as disagreements have arisen between he and some of her friends, she has managed to keep a high status as her public reputation had yet to sink too low.  However, I believe that from this point, Miss Bart will have trouble maintaining her status.  Her relationship with Mr. Dorset had already been a reason for others to talk about her behind her back.  This turn of events will only intensify the talk and make for more harsh rumors.  In addition, she no longer has her friendship with the Dorsets to support her status.  Her association with their wealth had kept her in the public eye before, but now that she won't be with them ever, things could change and she could lose any "popularity" she was still hanging onto.  And lastly, now that Mrs. Dorset's dislike for her has been made so obvious in public, it is doubtful that she will keep her disdain a secret in private.  The combination of her loathing and high status could lead to many high-status figures turning away from Lily.  I think many of her friends will leave her in the near future, and she could be left not knowing what to do with her life.

Enduring Pain

While reading the start of Book II in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I found an analogy that caught my attention.  It was talking about Selden and his attitude after leaving on his cruise.  It reads: "He was like a traveler so grateful for rescue from a dangerous accident that at first he is hardly conscious of his bruises.  Now he suddenly felt the latent ache, and realized that after all he had not come off unhurt" (p150).  This sort of attitude seems to be frequent enough in the novel to be a possible theme.  Throughout the book, characters, especially Lily, have run off from their problems, often by travelling to another location.  One example is when Lily left Bellomont early in the story after her romantic encounter with Selden.  Consistently,  the characters have again and again come to the realization that they still feel the repercussions of their previous problems.  They can't run.  This analogy was great in my opinion because it explains the temporary satisfaction provided by the change in scenery, but continues to prove the inevitable pain to be felt later on.  This analogy also serves to foreshadow the events forthcoming in the novel.  Lily's break with the Dorset's and lack of understanding with Selden before the end of the cruise show that the travels of both Lily and Selden did nothing to shield them from their troubles at home in the long run.

Contrast and Imagery and Symbolism...OH MY!!!

I've made it to the end of Book I of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.  A lot has happened in the last several chapters.  In particular, there have been many twists and turns in Selden's relationship with Lily.  One particular passage, when they meet at the Brys' party, caught my attention. In the passage, Wharton creatively uses nature to reflect many aspects of her story. "She hardly noticed where Selden was leading her, till they passed through a glass doorway at the end of the long suite of rooms and stood suddenly in the fragrant hush of a garden.  Gravel grated beneath their feet, and about them was the trasparent dimness of a midsummer night.  Hanging lights made emerald caverns in the depths of foliage, and whitened the spray of a fountain falling among lilies.  The magic place was deserted: there was no sound but the plash of the water on the lily-pads..." (p 111).  I noticed several important things in this passage.  First, the words in bold are Wharton's uses of imagery in the passage.  Her use of imagery makes her use of nature very engaging and pulls the reader into the story, letting him no that something significant is about to happen and letting them vicariously experience to a certain extent the romantic setting of the scene.  Second, I noticed that nature is a stark contrast against the ornate, and sometimes flamboyant or fake aspects of the upper class settings Lily normally inhabits.  This is made especially clear by the sudden transition from the scene of the Bry's party in this passage.  This use of nature seems to come up frequently when the paths of Selden and Lily cross (remember their walk near the beginning of the story)I believe this is because Wharton uses nature as a symbol of Selden and his influence on Lily.  While the upper class society portrayed in much of the book is fake, flamboyant, and full of controversy, nature is simple, completely real, yet beautiful and satisfying.  In the same way Selden's ideals of  happiness, knowledge, and a simple unstressed life are satisfying and important, yet Lily's values of wealth and social standing are relative, and ultimately unsatisfying as well as unimportant.    In these ways, Lily fits in with the luxurious upper class setting and Selden fits in with nature.  By understanding these literary tools, one receives insights into Lily and Selden's relationship and could begin to see the difference between what Lily chooses and what she loses by denying Selden.

Descent from the Upper Class

So far I've read up to about page 106 in The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton.  I've stopped to write a blog because I've realized that there has been a significant change in the general course of the story.  In the last few chapters, things have not been going in Lily's favor.  It seems that her lack of money has started to catch up with her and her descent from the upper class has begun.  Multiple characters (for example: Bertha Dorset, Grace Stepney, and Mrs. Peniston) have all become angry at Lily.    On page 106, there was a sentence that read "She knew, moreover, that if the ladies at Bellomont permitted themselves to criticize her friends openly, it was a proof that they were not afraid of subjecting her to the same treatment behind her back."  This line shows how the whole of the upper class has begun to side against Miss Bart.  This change seems to mark the development of the theme for the story.  Because of Lily's desire for wealth, she has made certain friendships and decisions that would aid her in that quest.  However, these same relationships and decisions are causing her to lose popularity among the upper class, and she is beginning to fall out of her circle of friends.  She may never be able to get the riches she desires.  I believe this may mean that the theme is that the values of society, mainly wealth, can cause a person to lose what is important in life, in this case, Lily's friendships.  I think this theme will continue to be developed in the rest of the story and Lily's life will progressively get worse.

The Plot Thickens...

In Chapter 9 of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, many twists occur in the plot of the novel. First, Lily discovers that Gryce is engaged.  Secondly, she receives a bundle of letters from Mrs. Dorset to Selden and decides not to destroy them.  These signify a great turning point in the story.  Now that Lily can't marry Gryce, it is uncertain if she will find a husband.  Previously in the story, she devoted much of her time toward Gryce.  Now that he is out of the picture, it can be questioned whether Lily will turn her attention back toward Selden or if she will find another man, possibly the wealthy Mr. Rosedale.  Her decision to keep the letters was a bad one.  Wharton stated: "She felt herself in the presence of something vile, as yet but dimly conjectured (p 84)."  The letters are indeed vile.  Because Bertha is married, giving the letters away has difficult implications for her.  It could hurt her, as well as Selden, if the letters were brought to light.  It is unclear what Lily will use the letters for.  She could use them as blackmail or simply as a means of revenge at Bertha.  Either way, revealing the letters is dangerous for Lilly.  By deciding against burning them, Lily is risking her friends and her reputation.  If she plays her cards wrong, she could lose any hope of marriage.  I'm anxious to see what happens.

The Irony of Lily's Thoughts

In chapter 8 of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, I noticed the irony of Lily's thoughts and actions.  It was most obvious during the Van Osburgh wedding when she sees Selden.  Wharton wrote: "She did not wish to see him again...because his presence always had the effect of cheapening her aspirations, of throwing her whole world out of focus (p 71)."  This is so ironic because she is always happy when she is with Selden.  It would make sense for her to be happy to see him.  Additionally, rather than cause her to lose focus on what is important, Selden actually causes Lily to focus on what IS important.  He teaches her to place less emphasis on belongings and money and more on intelligence, wit, and happiness.  Making this more ironic is the fact that she could marry him and solve her problem of needing a husband if she were to abandon those desires.  However, because she sticks to her old hunger for materialism, she loses her chance at marrying Selden and living a happier life.  The situation becomes even more ironic when she chooses to talk to the rich Mr. Rosedale whom she loathes instead of Selden.  Her focus on riches has finally gone too far.

A New Enemy

In The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton, there are many scenes of great emotion or importance.  I was struck by a particular section of chapter 7 while reading. The scene took place while all the character were seated around the table eating lunch.  Bertha Dorset gave some statements with very biting sarcasm directed at Miss Bart.  One of the things she said was "Do you know, Lily, he [Mr Gryce] told me he had never seen a girl play cards for money till he say you doing it the other night?"  This comes right after Mrs. Dorset had told Gryce many things to lower his opinion of Lily.  Dorset did this because she was jealous that Selden had come to see Lily and not her.  I found the extreme sarcasm of her words quite striking.  What was even more important though was Lily's reaction.  Although she wants to marry Gryce, Wharton wrote "no one could hurt her as much as she was hurting herself."  She had become very unhappy that day because she was  reconsidering her values.  The day before she had listened to Selden and decided that she could possibly live without wealth.  Now, she was rethinking those thoughts, and was angry at herself for losing sight of her goal.    Despite this inner anger was stronger than Bertha's insults, this exchange provided a new plot turn.  Bertha Dorset is now an enemy of Lily.

Mr. Selden vs Miss Bart

Chapter 6 of The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton makes clear the similarities and differences between Selden and Lily.  They have many similarities.  They both have the same sense of sarcastic humor.  They also are both highly intelligent people who enjoy being the presence of similar people.  They both have low income, and additionally, they both have some sort of interest in each other.  Despite these similarities, Selden is still a foil character for Lily.  This is because his values are strongly contrasting with hers.  This is particularly evident in a certain exchange they have during their walk.  Wharton wrote: " 'What is success?'... She hesitated.  'Why, to get as much as one can out of life, I suppose.'...  'My idea of success,' he said, 'is personal freedom.' "  Selden elaborates to explain how people use up their talents and individuality in the pursuit of wealth.  He believes that life is best spent trying to get away from the stress of money, poverty, anxiety, and all material things.  His beliefs challenge Lily's determination to live a luxurious and rich lifestyle.  Again, it becomes obvious that if she could move past these desires, she could live a happy life with Selden as her husband.  Their similarities in personality are there, but there differences in values keep their relationship from becoming overly emotional.

The People of Bellomont

While reading chapter 5 of The House of Mirth, I realized that Lily's friends at Bellomont represent her ambitions and desires.  In a rare change of opinion about halfway through the chapter, Lily realizes "Then they had symbolized what she was gaining, now they stood for what she was giving up."  I believe that this discovery is very much true.  The people of Bellomont, in their carefree, simple, and expensive lifestyle represent the life that Lily desires.  She wants to marry a rich man so that she can share in this lifestyle.  However, being with these people does not make her happy, and ultimately this lifestyle would not make her happy either.  The only character at Bellomont who differs from this pattern is Selden.  Although he is still a symbol of an aspect of Lily's desire, he is not a symbol of desire of money, but of desire for life in the pursuit of happiness.  And just as Lily is happy when she is with Selden, she would be happy with this sort of lifestyle.  Furthermore, the fact that she cannot afford to stay at Bellomont could be interpreted as a symbol that her character is not compatible with the lifestyle of its inhabitants.  If Lily is to live a happy life, she will have to overcome her desire for luxury.