Irony

I noticed a lot of irony while reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.  Although it was evident in the whole novel, I noticed it most when Amir confronts Assef for Sohrab.  First, it was ironic that Amir ended up being the one who needed rescuing.  Sohrab had to injure Assef to save Amir.  It was ironic that Sohrab felt guilty for hurting his captor.  At one point, he said "I'm so dirty and full of sin (page 319)."  Sohrab, although he was rescued and saved Amir's life, feels guilty.  Again, there is irony when Amir finds out that his lip was split in half by Assef so that it resembled Hassan's harelip.  This irony continues for much of the novel.  Ultimately, it goes to show that things never happen as expected.  Things never went well for Amir; however, as he learns to fight for love and redemption, his life begins to change for the better.  This helps to show the themes of the novel and also proves that the past, no matter how terrible, never eliminates all hope for a better future.

The Suspense is Killing Me!!!

While reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, I had trouble putting the book down.  The entire book had a certain suspense that left me wanting to know what would happen next.  This was in part caused  by Hosseini's narrative style.  His use of first person point of view allows him to present Amir as a link between the past and present.  Because Amir is telling this story from the present, he often makes comments that "tease" the reader by hinting at what is to come.  This was never more clear than when Hassan tries to commit suicide.  At that point, all Amir said was "I pushed the door open.... Suddenly I was on my knees, screaming....  Later, they said I was still screaming when the ambulance arrived (p 343)."  He leaves out all detail of Hassan's injuries until page 347.  This part of the book caused extreme suspense.  While it was much more prevalent there than any other part of the novel, suspense was still present throughout the story.

Themes

Now that I have finished reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, I have noticed certain themes.  In the novel, regret, redemption, and love are often portrayed.  Regret is manifested in Baba's affair with Sanauber and his secret son Hassan.  It is most prevalent as a theme of the novel in Amir's regret for letting Hassan get raped, as he faces this guilt for almost all of the story.  Redemption is present in Baba's many charitable works and again mostly in Amir's quest to rescue Sohrab.  Rahim Khan's phrase, "There is a way to be good again, (pg. 1) is repeated throughout the novel to emphasize this theme.  Redemption is probably the biggest theme of the novel, as the story revolves around Amir's search for redemption.  Love is the last prominent theme of the novel.  It is shown through Baba's divided love for his two sons.  It is shown in Ali and Hassan's loyal service.  It is also shown in the relationship between Amir and Soraya.  Ultimately, love is at its height in the novel when Amir risks all he has to save Sohrab.

Foreshadowing

In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, there are many instances of foreshadowing.  Amir's narration from the "future" allows him to comment on the past and give the reader insights toward the action.  On page 275, Amir says "I popped another one in, unaware that it would be the last bit of solid food I would eat for a long time."  This foreshadows the terrible injuries he receives from Assef.  On page 313, he foreshadows Sohrab's prolonged silence saying "almost a year would pass before I would hear Sohrab speak another word."  In all of these instances, Amir's insight from the "future" gives the reader hints.  There are countless other times where he does the same thing.  Amir's frequent addresses to the reader are characteristic of the novel.  This keeps the novel suspenseful and moving at a good pace.  Personally, this method of writing kept me engaged the entire time I was reading.

Similes

In The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini uses many similes to describe Amir's emotions.  I already mentioned one example, where he describes pouring rain as melting silver, in a previous blog.  Another powerful example of simile in the novel can be found on page 189.  Hosseini wrote: "And I could almost fell the emptiness in Soraya's womb, like it was a living, breathing thing....  And late at night, in the darkness of our room, I'd feel it rising from Soraya and settling between us.  Sleeping between us.  Like a newborn child."  This simile not only describes Amir's sorrow at not being able to have a child, but it also show the effect it has on their relationship.  The couple that had been so in love now seems to be drifting apart.  Both of them are finding the situation difficult to deal with.  I think this simile might also foreshadow future relationship problems.  This inability to have a child could lead to a distancing in their relationship and eventually divorce.  I'll have to keep reading to find out.

Amir & Soraya

In The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, Amir and his wife Soraya are very similar.  They share many circumstances which double as themes of the novel.  The first of these similarities is that they both love to read.  While this is more superficial, it does explain one of the reasons they make a great couple.  On a deeper level, they share regret for past mistakes.  Soraya ran off with a man in Virginia and Amir let Hassan get raped.  In this instance, the difference is that Amir doesn't ever tell anyone his secret. This explains why he is never truly happy while Soraya can move on with her life.  "But I think a big part of the reason I didn't care about Soray's oast was that I had one of my own.  I knew all about regret (p180)."  Additionally, the two are both very proud of their career aspirations.  Soraya and Amir both faced criticism from their parents but continued their studies.  Most recently in the novel, they are joined by their mourning for not being able to have a child.  I think these three similarities, regret, pride, and sorrow, are all themes of the novel stressed by Amir and Soraya's relationship.

Baba and Amir: foil characters?

While reading The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, many parts of the story seem to set up Amir and his father Baba as foil characters.  While I'm not quite sure if they are, they certainly differ greatly in their behaviors and opinions.  First, Baba is very successful   As a child, he was very successful, winning at everything and working his way to the top of the social ladder.  We also know that he loves to throw big parties.  Amir, on the other hand, is shy and is not popular at all.  In fact, he is often picked on by other kids.  Baba loves sports while Amir has no interest in them whatsoever.  Amir is a pushover, while Baba is very set and strong in his beliefs.  For instance, he refuses to receive welfare in America saying "In Afghanistan I work, in America I work.  Thank you very much Mrs. Dobbins, but I don't like it free money (p 129)." At many times in America, Amir and Baba see things differently, like when Baba refuses chemotherapy.  In the end, however, they are happy with each other, and I think Baba becomes a role model for Amir.

Irony & Imagery

There was a lot going on from a literary standpoint at the part of the The Kite Runner (by Khaled Hosseini) when Ali decides that he and Hassan needed to leave.  First, there is irony in the fact that Amir set up Hassan to be kicked out of the house by planting his gifts in their hut.  Instead, the opposite happens when Baba forgives them and asks them to stay, almost favoring Hassan over Amir.  When they insist on leaving and the Amir begins to describe their departure, Hosseini uses imagery to describe the sorrowful season.  "Slithering beads of rain sluiced down my window....  I stepped back and all I saw was rain through windowpanes that looked like melting silver (p 108, 109)."  This imagery makes good use of darkness and rain, archetypal symbols for sadness and mourning.  Similarly, Amir's likening the rain to melting silver recognizes the value of Hassan's friendship that is being lost.  The ultimate effect is that the reader senses how much this memory disturbs Amir.  It also points out the great friendship that Amir is losing.  It is one of the saddest scenes in the book so far.

Repeat after me...

Acquainted with the Night by Robert Frost is a poem filled with repetition.  Upon first reading the poem, I didn't really realize the repetition and therefore had no understanding of it.  However, after re-reading the poem, I realized Frost's use of repetition and the insight that it provided me on the meaning of the work.  The first repetition he uses is most obvious.  Frost use the word "I" to start half of the lines.  "I have been one acquainted with the night (line 1, 14)."  "I have looked down the saddest city lane (line 4)."  Other lines use the pronoun as well.  The main importance of this repetition is that it separates the speaker from other people in the story.  In fact the only other person mentioned, the watchman, he avoids.  This repetition makes the reader realize that the speaker is alone.  He has no home and is isolated from other people.  The final repetition is that of the first and last lines, quoted above.  This line simply introduces and later reinforces the topic of the poem: the speaker is familiar with night.  And because night and darkness are a symbol of evil, perhaps this means he has not led a good life.   Otherwise, it could simply mean that he has no home and wanders the streets at night with nowhere to stay.   Either way, the repetition of the first line helps reach that conclusion.

Metaphors Aplenty

Sorting Laundry by Elisavietta Ritchie consists of an extended metaphor which characterizes the relationship between the speaker and her lover.  The poem starts by saying "Folding clothes, / I think of folding you / into my life (lines 1-3)."  What follows are 13 stanzas describing the material that is in the laundry.  Her description of shirts, skirts, and pants "head over heels"  shows that she is still very much in love with her love, despite the length of their relationship.  The wrinkles that she mentions, needing to be smoothed or ignored, symbolize the mistakes and flaws in the relationship.  At the end, the speaker mentions a shirt left by her former lover.  This then makes her realize how lonely she would be without her current love.  She then stops describing the laundry and says that a mountain of wash would not be able to replace him.  This final phrase emphasizes her feelings toward her love while also referring back to the original metaphor of folding clothes to remind her of her love.

Paradoxes are Cool

To me, Batter my heart, three-personed God by John Donne is a very ironic poem.  The speaker talks to God as if he wants nothing more than to love him and be with him, but he refuses him at the same time.  He says "Yet dearly I love you and would be loved fain, But I am betrothed unto your enemy (lines 9,10)."  This poem is the story of all people who want to be holy, but are to used to their old ways.  This sonnet uses paradoxes to illustrate this.  In the last three lines, the speaker says he will never be free unless God imprisons him or chaste unless God ravishes him.  Both seem like impossibilities, but he is saying that God is his only chance at holiness as he can't become so on his own.  I suppose it is up to the reader to decided whether this is out of pure laziness or simple inability.  Is the speaker really incapable of accepting God, or is he simply dumping all the work on His shoulders.

Trying to make a statement...

To me, the poem The Convergence of the Twain by Thomas Hardy is pretty insensitive.  It talks about the sinking of the Titanic and was actually published shortly after the event.  The poem talks about the ship, saying that its vanity was of little value and contrasting it with the indifferent ocean.  Obviously the luxurious ship focused too much on appearance, as the fate of its passengers are well known.  However, the Hardy doesn't stop there.   He says, "Till the Spinner of the Years / Said 'Now!' And each one hears. / And consummation comes, and jars two hemispheres (lines 31-33)."  He basically is saying that it was the ship's destiny to sink.  They should have seen it coming, and the focus on appearance was at fault.  Now, the jewels  "lie lifeless" on the ocean floor, having given no comfort to the families of those who lost their lives.  I agree with Hardy, I think he has a point, but did he really have to publish this days after the incident?

societal views ---> death

Barbie Doll by Marge Piercy is a poem which satirizes society's expectations of women.  It presents a young lady who was "ordinary" before puberty.  Then she became less attractive.  "Everyone saw a fat nose on thick legs (line 11)."  The speaker acts as if people couldn't see the rest of her body.  Her intelligence, strength, healthiness, and other good qualities were ignored.  Only her good qualities mattered.  Society told her to avoid people and to try to become more attractive.   They wanted her to be attractive.  The irony comes when she does exactly that.  She cuts off her arms and legs and dies.  Her new "pretty" body is set in the casket and everyone is happy.  This, of course, is terrible and unrealistic, but the situation makes Piercy's point clear.  Society should not solely value beauty in a woman.  Not all women should be "Barbie Dolls."  Doing so ignores the other beautifulk girls in the world and those who try to conform to society often end up hurt.

eternity vs now

To His Coy Mistress by Andrew Marvell uses juxtaposition in order to emphasize the speaker's point.  He thinks his love should show love for him immediately and not wait to get caught up in love.  He starts off by saying, if we had infinite time, we could stay apart forever and I could take thousands of years to adore your body.  His coy mistress obviously is shying away from his current affection.  He talks about the distance between the Ganges and Humber Rivers as well as the great period of time from the Great Flood to the conversion of the Jews.  These great time spans and distances are then turned around.  The speaker says "But at my back I always hear / Time's winged chariot hurrying near. ( lines21,22)"  He is saying that there is no time for her coyness.  He then describes their death and dust at eternity instead of the ageless love he previously described.  He concludes by clearly stating his point.  He says that while they are still young, they should flirt, sport, and get caught up in love.  They can't stop time, but they can enjoy it.

gender roles

In a way, A Jury of Her Peers by Susan Glaspell is a story revolving around stock characters.  The story clearly separates the  men from women.  The men are stereotypical, sexist and cocky. The women also fit the stereotype of quiet, obedient wives who only cook, clean, and sew.  Even the sheriff's wife is kept apart from the men as they search the Wright house.  However, the "unusualness" of the story comes from the fact that the women are actually the ones who solve the mystery of the crime, and are therefore the focus of the story.  At one point, after talking with Mrs. Hale, the county attorney said " 'I'd like to talk to you about that a little later, Mrs. Hale,' he said.  'I'm anxious to get the lay of things upstairs now (par. 96).' "  This is his way of saying, "Whatever, I've got important manly things to do."  This kind of attitude is shown by all the men.  Even once the women discover Mrs. Wright's motivation for the murder, they don't prove their intelligence to the men by revealing the evidence.  Instead, they make their own judgement, deciding she was not guilty for the loneliness and depression she faced.  It is ironic that even after the stereotypes and gender roles are broken apart, the characters seem content to leave them as they are.

characterization in the snow

In Hunters in the Snow by Tobias Wolf, characterization of the three characters is very prominent.  Throughout the story, their actions and conversations reveal their personalities.  This begins at the commencement of the story. Kenny's first line is "He looks just like a beach ball with a hat on, doesn't he?  Doesn't he, Frank? (par. 4)"   This introduces Kenny and Frank's endless criticism of Tub.  The food falling out of his coat when he runs from the truck also hint at his problems with over-eating, even when he later lies about being on a diet.  Tub's actions; complaining about his friends' criticisms, lying about his problems, and and shooting Kenny; show his insecurities.  Similarly, Frank talks about his marriage problems and his new love, revealing his unhappiness.  Kenny's constant jokes and insults characterize his attitude while also leading to his (supposed) death.  All three characters are characterized by their slang and unsophisticated speech.  Ultimately, their problems and personalities are revealed, but it is ironic that the one with the real problem, Kenny, is not helped at all in the end.

THE END

Act V of Othello, the Moor of Venice surprised me a lot.  After reading it, I realized that I had wrongly analyzed Shakespeare's foreshadowing in earlier parts of the play.  I had expected Iago to die and Emilia to live.  I also suspected that Roderigo would kill Iago.  Of course, none of these things happened.  I also did not expect Othello to commit suicide, but once I read it, I realized that an earlier speech had predicted it.  Othello had previously talked about his grief and inability to cope with what he had done.  He said "Here is my journey's end, here is my butt / And very sea mark of my utmost sail (IV.ii.266-267)."  In this speech, he is admitting that he could live no longer.  He even talks about death being his last chance to see Desdemona before being snatched into hell.  The implication of his death in this passage combined with the fact that he is holding a sword should have made it clear that he would kill himself.  In the end, Shakespeare masterfully ends the story.  There is enough action to keep all of the audience on their toes, and Iago's arrest at the end makes it more satisfying.  As sad as it is, I liked the ending.

Climax

In Act V of Othello the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, we finally reach the climax of the play.  Until this point, nobody has died, and the work is a tragedy, so we knew that deaths were coming.  They definitely did.  Iago's plan is going smoothly until Roderigo fails to kill Cassio.  Iago tries to do the job, but is only able to wound his leg.  Iago himself later kills Roderigo and claims that Cassio did it.  For a while, I thought he would be able to get away with his plot.  However, Bianca came to tell Othello the news and saw Desdemona dead on their bed.  After speaking with Othello, she pieces together what her husband had done and yells for help.  She says "Oh, murderous coxcomb! What should such a fool/ Do with so good a wife! (IV.ii.232-233)"  Iago stabs her and almost gets away.  However he is arrested and Othello kills himself out of grief.  The play ends on this note.  Although there is not much falling action, the climax tells how Desdemona, Roderigo, Emilia, and Othello end up dead and reveals how Iago's plan quickly falls apart.  It all happens very quickly, in true Shakespearean fashion.  Like many of his other plays, the climax happens, a bunch of main characters die, and the play ends.

More foreshadowing!!!

Yet again, I have found another example of foreshadowing.  In Act IV of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, the death of Desdemona is foreshadowed in many ways.  First, Iago and Othello discuss how Othello should kill Desdemona.  Othello thinks of all kinds of cruel ways to kill her in his hatred, but Iago urges him to instead strangle her in bed.  This bed is referred to later in act IV.  Emilia is talking to Desdemona who says "If I do die before thee, prithee shroud me / In one of those same sheets (IV. ii. 22-23)."  This makes sense, as we know Othello is planning to strangle Desdemona in their bed.  I think this line foreshadows that Othello will indeed kill Desdemona, and she might be buried in those bedsheets, just as she requested.  This quote might also imply that Emilia will not die.  Perhaps Emilia will not die.  Maybe she will kill her evil husband?  Only Act V can tell.

Othello and Iago are similar???

While reading Act IV of  Othello, the Moor of Venice William Shakespeare, I realized that the situation that Othellos has found himself in is very similar to that of Iago.  At this point in the play, Othello is miserable.  He is at the point of hating his wife Desdemona who he believes cheated on him.  On the other hand, Iago was in a similar situation at the beginning of the play.  There was a rumor that his wife Emilia had slept with Othello, and Iago began to treat his wife even worse.  Emilia says "Oh, fie upon them!  Some such squire he was / That turned your wit the seamy side without, / And made you to suspect me with the Moor (IV. ii. 145-47)."  Emilia and Desdemona are in similar situations as well, accused of infidelity that they did not commit.  The only difference was that Desdemona was set up by Iago.  I think this speaks to Iago's motivation.  He had to go through the pain of being told his wife slept with Othello, so he wanted Othello to feel the same pain.  So far, he's done a good job.

Jealousy

After reading Act III of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, I am really beginning to notice jealousy is a recurring theme in the play.  Almost every character seems to have some sort of jealousy toward another character.  In some occasions, the characters talk openly about their jealousy or that of others.  This ever-present jealousy is the force that pushes the story onward.  In part of act III, this is made clear when Iago talks of his plan to frame Cassio.  He says "I will in Cassio's lodging lose this napkin, And let him find it.  Trifles light as air Are to the jealous confirmations strong As proofs of Holy Writ.  This may do something (III.iii. 322-325)."   This passage is a great example of how jealousy is the force behind the play's conflict.  Iago's motivation to frame Cassio with Desdemona's handkerchief is his jealousy of Othello's position in the military.  Ironically, the only reason his trick will work is that he has fooled Othello into thinking Cassio is Desdemona's lover.  This causes Othello to be jealous of Cassio, causing Iago's simple trick to be sound evidence in Othello's mind.  If no jealousy had existed in the first place, none of this conflict or deception would be going on.

Foreshadowing is my favorite literary technique!

Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare is full of foreshadowing.  Much like the irony that I have already blogged about, this foreshadowing is most often caused by Iago's narration.  Because the reader is given insight into Iago's plans for revenge against Othello, he often knows what is going to happen before it actually does.  Passages such as "I'll have Michael Cassio on the hip, / Abuse him to the Moor in the rank garb -... (II.i.284-5)" tell the reader exactly what Iago wants to do.  In this example, he is saying that he plans to manipulate Cassio and later accuse him of being Desdemona's lover.  In the next few scenes, the reader can then understand why Iago persuades Cassio to drink, has Roderigo anger him, and then draw others to witness the event.  Because of this foreshadowing, I was not surprised by Iago's actions.  On the contrary, I expected them, and better understood Iago's motivation.  These actions are part of his plan to manipulate Cassio and ultimately earn revenge on Othello.As Iago nears his goal, his plans will surely continue to warn the audience of future misfortune.

Irony is cool

In Act II of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, I noticed multiple examples of irony.  Most of this irony stems from the fact that the play is told mostly from the point of view of Iago, the villain of the story.  Because Iago has evil plans which he shares with the audience, the reader of the play knows many details which other characters do not.  In fact, because Iago is cunning, many other characters think he is honest.  "Honest Iago" is an epithet used throughout the play.  An example of this dramatic iron is in Act II, scene 3.  Cassio says "Good night, honest Iago (II.iii.300)."  This is so ironic because Iago has just tricked him into getting drunk, fighting, and losing his reputation, but Cassio is clueless.  He thinks Iago is on his side.  I'm sure this sort of deception will cause dramatic irony in the rest of the play.

Foil Characters...fun

After reading Act 1 of Othello, the Moor of Venice by William Shakespeare, it seems pretty clear that Iago and Othello are set up as foil characters.  Othello, the title character and (I think) protagonist of the story, is trustworthy, honest, and an honorable servant of Venice.  On the other hand, Iago is cunning, deceptive, and vengeful.  He says himself "The Moor is of a free and open nature / That thinks men honest that but seem to be so (I.iii.379-80)."  He is admitting that he is not honest and plans to fool Othello.  Meanwhile, Othello calls Iago honest and leaves his wife under his care.  These two characters obviously do not think alike.  My only confusion is as to which one is the protagonist.  My first thought is that Othello is the protagonist.  He is the stereotypical "hero" and the namesake of the play.  However, the play is told mostly from Iago's point of view.  I suppose the later action of the story will determine who the true protagonist is.

Selfishness Causes Problems

I found Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver to be a disturbing poem which shows the consequences of unchecked anger.  When the picture of the baby was first mentioned, I thought that it wold be a source of unity between the clearly divided couple.  It should be, as both parents clearly show desire to keep the baby.  However, I was disturbed to find them treat this baby like an object that they wanted to keep and not as the child that they love.  Instead of deciding what is best for the baby, they argue over the baby, pulling on it to try to gain control.  "The baby was red-faced and screaming.  In the scuffle they knocked down a flowerpot that hung behind the stove (par. 26)."  While fighting over the baby, they were so absorbed in their selfish desires that they were oblivious to the destruction they were causing.  I think this destruction and selfishness exhibited in their argument over the baby can be used to predict why their marriage was unsuccessful in the first place.  They probably only thought about themselves and never tried to do anything for each other.  Inevitably, they would argue, and their marriage would fall apart around them.  Ultimately, they bring the ultimate consequence upon themselves which the author does no detail.  He says that they both pulled on the baby and "In this manner, the issue was decided (36).  It can be assumed that the baby was killed.  In the end, their selfishness not only ruined the marriage but destroyed what they fond most valuable.

Heart Troubles..kinda ironic

The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin contains several examples of irony and foreshadowing.  The first sentence foreshadows the end of the story.  "Knowing that Mrs. Mallard was afflicted with a heart trouble, great care was taken to break to her as gently as possible the news of her husband's death (par. 1)."  At first, this mention of Mrs. Mallard's heart trouble seems unnecessary  but in the end it makes sense.  Her death at the end of the story is understood to be caused by a heart attack thanks to the opening hint.  This untimely death at the end of the story is also an example irony.  During the entire story, Mrs. Mallard expresses extreme excitement that she is free of her husband.  She says many times that she hopes she has a long life so that she can enjoy this time as  a free woman.  "Free! Body and soul free (par. 15)!"  Ironically, it is this same excitement that cause her to have a heart attack and die without ever having lived out this new freedom.  In the end, she does gain freedom from her previous life.   However, this freedom is gained through her death and not a new life.

Deteriorating Marriage

Getting Out is a fairly simple poem about a divorced couple and their relationship.  In the poem, figurative language is used to describe the emotions between the two "ex-lovers".  The wife who narrates the poem describes their year of marriage as a prison.  "That year we hardly slept, walking like inmates / who beat the walls (lines 1,2)."  She later describes every nights as another refusal.  Ultimately, this figurative language reveals why the marriage was unsuccessful.  The two couldn't live together.  They felt imprisoned living together and began to argue with each other.  Eventually, their feelings for each other wore out to the point where they divorced.  The final image of them joining hands while walking apart shows that although they couldn't be happily married, they still feel connected and missed the days when they were happy together.

Inside Joke

You're Ugly, Too by Lorrie Moore is a story that receives its title from an element of the story itself.  In this case, the title comes from a joke that the main character, Zoe, says during the story.  It's about a guy who goes to a doctor and is told he has six weeks to live. When he asks for a second opinion, he says "you're ugly too".  "She liked that joke.  She though it terribly, terribly funny  (p360)."  I think the use of this joke as the title points out that it has special significance in the story.  It is ironic, as the joke refers about a person given a negative diagnosis by a doctor, and Zoe herself is suffering from a growth in her abdomen and waiting on a diagnosis.  The joke also points to her disbelief in love.  Its blatant statement of ugliness is another factor she can relate to, as she has had relationship problems in the past and is not a beautiful woman.  To put it simply, I think the joke appeals to Zoe and her sarcastic sense of humor because it relates to her life.  The joke is about a person in a sad position being further insulted, a situation which describes the entire life of Zoe.

Imperfection

At first, after reading Delight and Disorder by Robert Herrick, I couldn't find any meaning in the poem beyond the obvious.  The narrator talks about different ways that clothing can be worn carelessly or imperfectly.  However, lines like "A careless shoestring, in whose tie I see a wild civility (lines 11,12)", pointing out that the speaker likes such imperfections.  In fact, he (or she) says so outright in the last two lines, saying that extreme precision or perfections is not bewitching.  Initially, this superficial analysis was all I could come up with.  It seemed too simple.  Eventually, I thought that the poem could possibly be a way of saying that nobody is perfect.  Completely perfect appearance is fake and unnatural.  By saying that he likes people who show imperfection, the narrator is saying that he appreciates people who are real and down-to-earth.  Imperfection is not something to be ashamed of.  According to the poem, it is normal and something that is desirable and even attractive.

Twinkle, Twinkle

I'm a bit puzzled by Bright Star, a poem by John Keats.  Throughout the poem, the speaker talks about wanting to be steadfast like a star.  This simile is the focus of the entire poem.  Reading the poem, it is not too difficult to figure out that this desire is based on the speaker's wanting to be always with his loved one.  However, the poem is more puzzling when it talks about wanting to be different than a star.  Based on the text, I can assume he doesn't want to be watching from a distance like a star.  Then it talks about hermits and snow and I kind of lose all insight.  Also the final line "And so live ever - or else swoon to death (line 14)."  I think it means that "swooning to death" is the alternative to being steadfast like the star.  But it is written in a way where it might be saying the star-like qualities are causing the death.  I'm a bit confused, but at least I know the main point.  The narrator wants to be like a star and always be with his love.

Letting Go of the Past

Eveline by James Joyce was a relaxing contrast from the short stories we normally read in AP Lit.  It was relatively short, and not extremely descriptive or complex.  Thanks to its simplicity, I think I was able to realize the theme of the story.  Throughout the story, Eveline's life is explained to the reader.  Her mother and  one of her brothers had died.  She has a father who abused her mother and now takes his anger out on her.  She is not a happy person.  Due to all of the problems in Eveline's life, I expected her to try to find some escape.  Eveline somewhat confirms that she is looking for a solution in paragraph 9.  "But in her new home, in a distant unknown country, it would not be like that.  Then she would be married - she, Eveline (par. 9)."  The story goes on to talk about her boyfriend Frank, a sailor, who promises to take her to Buenos Aires with him.  I expected this to be hear means of escape.  However, at the end of the novel, she cannot leave.  She is reminded of her home by music she hears playing, and she is afraid of the unknown and a new start with Frank. I think this shows that the theme is about holding onto the past.   Through Frank, Eveline is given a chance to start a new life, but she is reluctant to leave what is familiar to her.  I think the author frowns on this behavior, as he describes Eveline at the end of the story as being unemotional and like a helpless animal. I think the author is trying to say that holding on to one's past does no good, when the future holds a better life.

Turning Point

In How I Met My Husband by Alice Munro, I noticed a definite turning point near the end of the story.  The story, for the most part, is about Edie (the main character) and her interaction with Chris Watters, the pilot who stops near the home she is working at.  As Edie has several complicated meetings and interactions with him, the reader (in this case, me) expects to see the two get married.  Based on the title of the short story, this is a logical conclusion.  Especially after Chris promises to send her a letter and maybe see her again, this sort of "happily ever after" ending doesn't seem too far-fetched.  However, I realized that this was not to be on page 145 in paragraph 196.  A young mailman with the last name of Carmichael says "You've got that smile I've been waiting on all day (paragraph 196)!"  This compliment somewhat contrasts with the compliment that Chris gives Edie earlier in the chapter when he sees her in Mrs. Peeble's dress. At that point, I started to think that Carmichael may actually become her husband, as he seems to be interested in her.  Later on that page, Edie comes to the same conclusion, and on the next page, they get married.  What a quick change!