In class, we began to discuss whether John contributed to his wife's breaking point in "The Yellow Wallpaper," or if she would have had a mental breakdown regardless of her husband's overcontrolling demeanor. After re-reading the first few pages of the text, I have come to my own conclusion that her downfall and mental breakdown were a direct result of her husband's intense interference. There is no direct evidence that the narrator was crazy within the first half of the story, ie before and right after she moved into the upstairs room. The narrator's ability to critique the colors of the wall (33), sneakily write without her husband knowing (15), and to be aware of John's loving nature towards her (28) all demonstrate that she was not crazy before she was confined to bed rest. The only evidence of a possible mental condition is her "nervous condition" (24). Still, the narrator notes that she is frequently angry with John and that he says she lacks "proper self-control" (25). The ability of the narrator to both notice John's behavior and her own emotions illustrate that she not crazy nor unstable. Yes, she might have been a little bit uneasy-- this could be related to her baby or a previous event in her life-- but she was not crazy.
However, by the end of the story, the narrator is facing extreme hallucinations in which she sees a woman-- probably herself-- through the wallpaper. The woman behind the paper who is "crawling fast" and "trying to crawl through" (186) is clearly trying to escape from something. The narrator stresses that this woman is always creeping around can sometimes escape during the day. Her description of this unnamed woman would most logically be a description of herself. The narrator wants to escape from her room, her husband, and her restricted life in which she is not allowed to write or see anyone. She truly has gone crazy from being forced to stay in the upstairs area and stare at the yellow wallpaper all day. In addition, the wife's reluctance to open the door for her husband at the end of the story illustrate that she is trying to shut him out of her life. She notes with a seemingly relieved tone that she "got out at last in spite of [her husband] and Jane" (261). This suggests that by locking her husband out, she was able to feel free from all of the constraints in her life.
She was driven to insanity by her husband. John had no malicious intent; however, his extremely invasive technique for curing his wife proved to be fatal. The narrator's joys of writing and analyzing turned to the horror of seeing and imagining. She went insane.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Tattoos as a way to Cope
"Parker's Back" by Flannery O' Connor (begins on 383)
AP English- 2
September 17
530 words
Tattoos as a way to Cope
Much of Flannery O' Connor's work pertains to one's quest to finding grace. After reading "Revelation" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find," there seemed to be a pattern in her work in which often prejudiced and judgmental characters reach a revelation and turning point after struggling internally. Mrs. Turpin's defining moment in the pigpen as well as Grandmother's pleading for her life before Misfit demonstrate times in which G-d, grace, and religion come into play. I wanted to explore another one of O' Connor's short stories to see how she delves into the lives of more disturbed and unhappy characters who find their revelations through interesting and seemingly odd ways.
"Parker's Back" was by far my favorite of O' Connor's short stories. Her depiction of Parker in the first few pages was brilliant: the way Parker lies to his wife by saying he worked with an attractive blonde in his office, his previous understanding of why he married his wife/current confusion to why he is still with her, and his reference to her as "ugly women" all demonstrate his discontent and frustration with his marriage. Instead of merely stating that Parker was in an unhappy marriage, O' Connor jumps right into examples of why Parker is suffering with his wife. On this note, O' Connor begins "Parker's Back" by immediately narrowing in on a scene on Parker's front porch-- O' Connor's other stories have these quick starts also ie doctors office-- to demonstrate how Parker was immersed in his thoughts about why he was still married to Sarah Ruth.
After introducing the tension and internal struggle surrounding keeping his marriage to Sarah-- remember that she is pregnant-- O' Connor introduces the beginnings of Parker's coping mechanisms. His mechanism is tattoos. Tattoos of what ever he is spontaneously feeling at the moment, tattoos when he needs to act on impulse because he is upset, and tattoos when he needs a way to escape his confused lifestyle, such as when he randomly joined the Navy and married Sarah Ruth. His tattoos were his way to escape from the realities of life in order to enter the mysteriousness and comfort of his "unnamed universe." I call it an "unnamed universe" because its where Parker finds his connection with G-d. His tangible connection is evident through his religious tattoos (389); however, his tattoos allow him to transcend and connect with G-d. This "universe" can be seen as Parker's place to reflect and find his religious connection. While he may not be religious in a traditional way, his tattoos are his outlets to seemingly find his needed answers about his marriage and lifestyle.
However, even though Parker receives tattoos to connect with G-d, his quest to relieve his pains is not fully achieved at the end of the story. After his wife yells and beats him for idolatry, Parker is seen "leaning against the tree, crying like a baby." (394) So maybe the tattoos did not allow him to transcend into an unnamed universe and maybe his pains were not fully relieved; but in the end, it was his coping mechanism that got him through the day. His spiritual connection through his tattoo of Christ on his back truly symbolizes how he attempted to connect with G-d.
AP English- 2
September 17
530 words
Tattoos as a way to Cope
Much of Flannery O' Connor's work pertains to one's quest to finding grace. After reading "Revelation" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find," there seemed to be a pattern in her work in which often prejudiced and judgmental characters reach a revelation and turning point after struggling internally. Mrs. Turpin's defining moment in the pigpen as well as Grandmother's pleading for her life before Misfit demonstrate times in which G-d, grace, and religion come into play. I wanted to explore another one of O' Connor's short stories to see how she delves into the lives of more disturbed and unhappy characters who find their revelations through interesting and seemingly odd ways.
"Parker's Back" was by far my favorite of O' Connor's short stories. Her depiction of Parker in the first few pages was brilliant: the way Parker lies to his wife by saying he worked with an attractive blonde in his office, his previous understanding of why he married his wife/current confusion to why he is still with her, and his reference to her as "ugly women" all demonstrate his discontent and frustration with his marriage. Instead of merely stating that Parker was in an unhappy marriage, O' Connor jumps right into examples of why Parker is suffering with his wife. On this note, O' Connor begins "Parker's Back" by immediately narrowing in on a scene on Parker's front porch-- O' Connor's other stories have these quick starts also ie doctors office-- to demonstrate how Parker was immersed in his thoughts about why he was still married to Sarah Ruth.
After introducing the tension and internal struggle surrounding keeping his marriage to Sarah-- remember that she is pregnant-- O' Connor introduces the beginnings of Parker's coping mechanisms. His mechanism is tattoos. Tattoos of what ever he is spontaneously feeling at the moment, tattoos when he needs to act on impulse because he is upset, and tattoos when he needs a way to escape his confused lifestyle, such as when he randomly joined the Navy and married Sarah Ruth. His tattoos were his way to escape from the realities of life in order to enter the mysteriousness and comfort of his "unnamed universe." I call it an "unnamed universe" because its where Parker finds his connection with G-d. His tangible connection is evident through his religious tattoos (389); however, his tattoos allow him to transcend and connect with G-d. This "universe" can be seen as Parker's place to reflect and find his religious connection. While he may not be religious in a traditional way, his tattoos are his outlets to seemingly find his needed answers about his marriage and lifestyle.
However, even though Parker receives tattoos to connect with G-d, his quest to relieve his pains is not fully achieved at the end of the story. After his wife yells and beats him for idolatry, Parker is seen "leaning against the tree, crying like a baby." (394) So maybe the tattoos did not allow him to transcend into an unnamed universe and maybe his pains were not fully relieved; but in the end, it was his coping mechanism that got him through the day. His spiritual connection through his tattoo of Christ on his back truly symbolizes how he attempted to connect with G-d.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Judgments to Realizations
Jessica Gordon
AP English
Judgments to Realizations
Flannery O’ Connor begins “Revelation” by introducing Mrs. Turpin, a judgmental middle-aged woman who appears to, on the surface, “wear the pants” in her relationship with husband, Claud. Waiting with her husband in the doctors’ office, she “puts a firm hand on [his] shoulder” and tells him, “you sit in that chair there” (1).Her controlling nature turns myopic: while waiting in the doctors’ office with her husband, Mrs. Turpin is quick to label innocent bystanders who are waiting for their own appointments. The victims include: “pleasant lady,” “ugly girl,” “old lady,” and the “colored boy.” Her judgmental temperament is blatantly obvious: She does not know these people, yet provides one-word stereotypes for them. The comments turn degrading and prejudiced when Mrs. Turpin says, “There’s a heap of things worst than a nigger, it’s all kinds of them just like it’s all kinds of us.” (60). In addition to stereotyping the patients as well as controlling her husband, Mrs. Turpin goes so far as to criticize the tangible items in the doctors’ office. She is not a fan of the cluttered table with the “limp-looking magazines” and the “big green glass ash tray filled with cigarette butts” (10). It’s as if Mrs. Turpin is caught in a downward spiral, insulting every one and everything even though she has no business doing so. However, despite the surface appearance that Mrs. Turpin is controlling and prejudiced, her acts are merely reflections on her internal struggles and the battles against herself to find out who she truly is.
We see Mrs. Turpin in her own struggle after Ugly Girl attempts to attack her in the waiting room. When Ugly Girl both physically lunges at her as well as says, “Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog,” (110) Mrs. Turpin is hit with a ton of bricks. Losing her appetite that night and tearfully defending herself to her husband, Mrs. Turpin is both hurt and defensive surrounding this comment. However, her revelation begins to take place when she realizes who the comment was directed to. While she wants it to be aimed at the hopefully flawed patients in the room, she knows it is directed at her other half: “the respectable, hard-working, church-going woman.” Despite this newfound understanding, Mrs. Turpin is not fully relieved from her internal pain and struggles at this point. In fact, she falls back into her previously characteristic mold by criticizing once again: “it’s too late for me to be a nigger, but I could act like one.” (180) The comment from Ugly Girl appeared to have taken a small emotional toll on this struggling woman, who remembers when she was the well-liked, pious woman.
Mrs. Turpin begins to symbolically find a way to communicate with G-d as her next step to find answers. After being described as going into battle (the hog pen) weaponless, the “mysterious hue” and “visionary lights” began to set in. The moment hits her when she notes, “the gaze bent to [me] as if [I] was absorbing some abysmal life-giving knowledge.” (190). Her intense realization of her human place in society is further shown when the souls—these were the people she was judging before—were marching towards heaven. A religious woman at some point in her life, Mrs. Turpin appears to now, through the powerful imagery and signs of G-d, understand that she is no better than other humans. The truth has finally reached her after she remained motionless in the pig-pen as the fates of those she had judged flashed before her eyes. Seeing those she had criticize “climbing upward into the starry field and shouting hallelujah (190)” proved to affect her because she sees the people she judged going to heaven. Her communication with G-d in the pig pen proved to be her turning point and moment of realization that she is part of human kind too, no better and no worse.
G-d’s communication with Mrs. Turpin through the visions and flashing lights demonstrated her needed “reality check” of who she appears to be and who she used to be. While we still do not know why she reverted from being a respectable, church-going woman, it is clear that Mrs. Turpin needed outside influences to remind her who she is in society.
(721)
Questions:
1. Does Mrs. Turpin actually reach a turning point/revelation, or is she just in the moment of the gaze and will probably go back to her old ways?
2. Why is this story set in the waiting room of the doctors’ office?
3. Why is Ugly Girl the only one who O’ Connor gives a real name/identity?
AP English
Judgments to Realizations
Flannery O’ Connor begins “Revelation” by introducing Mrs. Turpin, a judgmental middle-aged woman who appears to, on the surface, “wear the pants” in her relationship with husband, Claud. Waiting with her husband in the doctors’ office, she “puts a firm hand on [his] shoulder” and tells him, “you sit in that chair there” (1).Her controlling nature turns myopic: while waiting in the doctors’ office with her husband, Mrs. Turpin is quick to label innocent bystanders who are waiting for their own appointments. The victims include: “pleasant lady,” “ugly girl,” “old lady,” and the “colored boy.” Her judgmental temperament is blatantly obvious: She does not know these people, yet provides one-word stereotypes for them. The comments turn degrading and prejudiced when Mrs. Turpin says, “There’s a heap of things worst than a nigger, it’s all kinds of them just like it’s all kinds of us.” (60). In addition to stereotyping the patients as well as controlling her husband, Mrs. Turpin goes so far as to criticize the tangible items in the doctors’ office. She is not a fan of the cluttered table with the “limp-looking magazines” and the “big green glass ash tray filled with cigarette butts” (10). It’s as if Mrs. Turpin is caught in a downward spiral, insulting every one and everything even though she has no business doing so. However, despite the surface appearance that Mrs. Turpin is controlling and prejudiced, her acts are merely reflections on her internal struggles and the battles against herself to find out who she truly is.
We see Mrs. Turpin in her own struggle after Ugly Girl attempts to attack her in the waiting room. When Ugly Girl both physically lunges at her as well as says, “Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog,” (110) Mrs. Turpin is hit with a ton of bricks. Losing her appetite that night and tearfully defending herself to her husband, Mrs. Turpin is both hurt and defensive surrounding this comment. However, her revelation begins to take place when she realizes who the comment was directed to. While she wants it to be aimed at the hopefully flawed patients in the room, she knows it is directed at her other half: “the respectable, hard-working, church-going woman.” Despite this newfound understanding, Mrs. Turpin is not fully relieved from her internal pain and struggles at this point. In fact, she falls back into her previously characteristic mold by criticizing once again: “it’s too late for me to be a nigger, but I could act like one.” (180) The comment from Ugly Girl appeared to have taken a small emotional toll on this struggling woman, who remembers when she was the well-liked, pious woman.
Mrs. Turpin begins to symbolically find a way to communicate with G-d as her next step to find answers. After being described as going into battle (the hog pen) weaponless, the “mysterious hue” and “visionary lights” began to set in. The moment hits her when she notes, “the gaze bent to [me] as if [I] was absorbing some abysmal life-giving knowledge.” (190). Her intense realization of her human place in society is further shown when the souls—these were the people she was judging before—were marching towards heaven. A religious woman at some point in her life, Mrs. Turpin appears to now, through the powerful imagery and signs of G-d, understand that she is no better than other humans. The truth has finally reached her after she remained motionless in the pig-pen as the fates of those she had judged flashed before her eyes. Seeing those she had criticize “climbing upward into the starry field and shouting hallelujah (190)” proved to affect her because she sees the people she judged going to heaven. Her communication with G-d in the pig pen proved to be her turning point and moment of realization that she is part of human kind too, no better and no worse.
G-d’s communication with Mrs. Turpin through the visions and flashing lights demonstrated her needed “reality check” of who she appears to be and who she used to be. While we still do not know why she reverted from being a respectable, church-going woman, it is clear that Mrs. Turpin needed outside influences to remind her who she is in society.
(721)
Questions:
1. Does Mrs. Turpin actually reach a turning point/revelation, or is she just in the moment of the gaze and will probably go back to her old ways?
2. Why is this story set in the waiting room of the doctors’ office?
3. Why is Ugly Girl the only one who O’ Connor gives a real name/identity?
Sunday, September 14, 2008
"A Rose For Emily"
If the beginning had started off with the ending, she would have seemed crazy. No reader would have sympathized with a woman who killed her lover and then slept next to his decomposing body. And no one would be content with the fact that [he] was "rotten beneath what was left of a night shirt." Readers would begin to think, "What IS this?"
"A Rose for Emily" is brilliantly written in that such an eerie and disturbing story is introduced in such generic and "make-your-own-conclusion" terms. Faulkner starts off by having the narrator speak on the town's behalf to honor the mysterious death of an apparently aloof neighbor. We see Miss Emily Grierson as a "fallen monument" and the owner of a house that is curiously inspected by the town women. As her story had yet to be unfolded and understood, I began to draw my own conclusions about who this woman was. I decided that she was famous and wealthy, yet private about her life; the town was dying to see what her closed-off life entailed. I then learned that she had been "a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town." I thought I was right: she was respected and famous in this seemingly small town.The inferences I drew were a result of Faulkner's attempt to slowly bring the reader into the mysterious, disturbing life of Emily. His organization and ability to start with a broad idea and then provide subtle hints before presenting the big finale allows the reader to want to find out about Emily's mysterious demeanor.
In class, we discussed Faulkner's organization of the story. I began to realize that if he had began his story with Emily's murdering her lover and then sleeping next to his decomposing body, we-- as the readers-- would have been scared off. Uncomfortable with grotesque imagery and chilling ideals, we would have sided against Emily because she would have seemed weird. However, almost the exact opposite happened. Faulkner introduced Emily as a ghost-like figure and then began to explain her respected role in society-- she continued to argue against paying taxes that she was originally exempt from-- to allow the reader to begin to identify with this woman. After Faulkner allows the reader to begin to like Emily's strong and well-respected character, he dropped hints about Emily's eerie nature. We read that she wanted to by arsenic from a druggist, she had a falling out with her family, and a stench developed from her house. However, we still take her side and even sympathize with a woman who appeared to be going through some rough times because we want to see the best in a respectable woman. When Faulkner eventually hits the reader with the ending of what Emily had done to her lover, we don't immediately think she is a crazy, cold-blooded murderer. Her sad struggles allow us to see her acts as ways to be loved in a society that repeated, "Poor Emily."
Overall, Faulkner's organization of "A Rose for Emily" was beneficial to his writing of such a shocking short story-- I was definitely wrong in my original interpretation of Emily-- because he was able to describe Emily as an outcast in society who needed sympathy before announcing her disturbing act. We, as readers, unite with Emily because we see that she had struggled and just wanted to be with the man she loved.
(578)
"A Rose for Emily" is brilliantly written in that such an eerie and disturbing story is introduced in such generic and "make-your-own-conclusion" terms. Faulkner starts off by having the narrator speak on the town's behalf to honor the mysterious death of an apparently aloof neighbor. We see Miss Emily Grierson as a "fallen monument" and the owner of a house that is curiously inspected by the town women. As her story had yet to be unfolded and understood, I began to draw my own conclusions about who this woman was. I decided that she was famous and wealthy, yet private about her life; the town was dying to see what her closed-off life entailed. I then learned that she had been "a tradition, a duty, and a care; a sort of hereditary obligation upon the town." I thought I was right: she was respected and famous in this seemingly small town.The inferences I drew were a result of Faulkner's attempt to slowly bring the reader into the mysterious, disturbing life of Emily. His organization and ability to start with a broad idea and then provide subtle hints before presenting the big finale allows the reader to want to find out about Emily's mysterious demeanor.
In class, we discussed Faulkner's organization of the story. I began to realize that if he had began his story with Emily's murdering her lover and then sleeping next to his decomposing body, we-- as the readers-- would have been scared off. Uncomfortable with grotesque imagery and chilling ideals, we would have sided against Emily because she would have seemed weird. However, almost the exact opposite happened. Faulkner introduced Emily as a ghost-like figure and then began to explain her respected role in society-- she continued to argue against paying taxes that she was originally exempt from-- to allow the reader to begin to identify with this woman. After Faulkner allows the reader to begin to like Emily's strong and well-respected character, he dropped hints about Emily's eerie nature. We read that she wanted to by arsenic from a druggist, she had a falling out with her family, and a stench developed from her house. However, we still take her side and even sympathize with a woman who appeared to be going through some rough times because we want to see the best in a respectable woman. When Faulkner eventually hits the reader with the ending of what Emily had done to her lover, we don't immediately think she is a crazy, cold-blooded murderer. Her sad struggles allow us to see her acts as ways to be loved in a society that repeated, "Poor Emily."
Overall, Faulkner's organization of "A Rose for Emily" was beneficial to his writing of such a shocking short story-- I was definitely wrong in my original interpretation of Emily-- because he was able to describe Emily as an outcast in society who needed sympathy before announcing her disturbing act. We, as readers, unite with Emily because we see that she had struggled and just wanted to be with the man she loved.
(578)
Monday, September 8, 2008
"Stop Testing Fate"
Jessica Gordon
AP English
Short Stories:
“The Lie” by T. Coraghessan Boyle: Published April 14, 2008: The New Yorker
“Stop testing fate”
He was unfulfilled with his life and possibly not ready for the responsibility of being a father. She was tired; the baby kept her up each night, yet rationale was still part of her daily routine. His boss assumed again, “are you sick today?” He was still unfilled with his life: he missed his pre-baby days and the days where responsibility was minimal.
This short story by Boyle surrounds the life of a new father, Lonnie, and his internal struggle to balance the multiple responsibilities in his life as well as keep sane with all of the things he is counted on to complete. His wife, despite her tired, wornout nature, has it together: she cares for baby Xana and still manages to find time to drink margaritas with friends and relax.
Boyle, instead of merely stating that Lonnie is overwhelmed, takes the reader on this father’s emotional rollercoaster to show that sometimes people aren’t ready to take on life. The short story encompasses Lonnie’s lie after lie about why he can not go into work on a given day. He had already used up his sick and personal days; however, he could just not get himself to go to work. The lies started innocent: his daughter was sick. Then they take a convoluted path from his daughter is in the hospital, has Leukemia, and finally…. Died. I stop reading for a minute because I live by a very strict rule: you cannot test fate. I spend the rest of the 5 pages in the short story worrying that something bad will happen to the father or the baby. Although it is fictional, it makes me cringe when I read about the myriad of lies. What guilt would this innocent dad, who clearly doesn’t mean to hurt anyone or ruin anything, have if something happened to his baby? Boyle describes Lonnie’s compulsive lies as similar to “bile leaking out of a liver gone bad.” This figurative language depicts Lonnie’s uncontrollable problem: he didn’t mean to test the fate of his newborn child; he just needs an escape, an escape from this new life, and an escape from the stresses of having a wife, child, and a demanding job.
As I finished this short story, I came to the conclusion that is was one of my favorite short stories. Boyle’s ability to depict the life of a stressed-out, scared father through innocent lies that turned dangerous and corrupt demonstrates that sometimes people are not ready for life; however, embracing that life to the best of one’s ability is the best way to get through. I want to tell Lonnie something, “Promise you will never test fate again.”
462 words
AP English
Short Stories:
“The Lie” by T. Coraghessan Boyle: Published April 14, 2008: The New Yorker
“Stop testing fate”
He was unfulfilled with his life and possibly not ready for the responsibility of being a father. She was tired; the baby kept her up each night, yet rationale was still part of her daily routine. His boss assumed again, “are you sick today?” He was still unfilled with his life: he missed his pre-baby days and the days where responsibility was minimal.
This short story by Boyle surrounds the life of a new father, Lonnie, and his internal struggle to balance the multiple responsibilities in his life as well as keep sane with all of the things he is counted on to complete. His wife, despite her tired, wornout nature, has it together: she cares for baby Xana and still manages to find time to drink margaritas with friends and relax.
Boyle, instead of merely stating that Lonnie is overwhelmed, takes the reader on this father’s emotional rollercoaster to show that sometimes people aren’t ready to take on life. The short story encompasses Lonnie’s lie after lie about why he can not go into work on a given day. He had already used up his sick and personal days; however, he could just not get himself to go to work. The lies started innocent: his daughter was sick. Then they take a convoluted path from his daughter is in the hospital, has Leukemia, and finally…. Died. I stop reading for a minute because I live by a very strict rule: you cannot test fate. I spend the rest of the 5 pages in the short story worrying that something bad will happen to the father or the baby. Although it is fictional, it makes me cringe when I read about the myriad of lies. What guilt would this innocent dad, who clearly doesn’t mean to hurt anyone or ruin anything, have if something happened to his baby? Boyle describes Lonnie’s compulsive lies as similar to “bile leaking out of a liver gone bad.” This figurative language depicts Lonnie’s uncontrollable problem: he didn’t mean to test the fate of his newborn child; he just needs an escape, an escape from this new life, and an escape from the stresses of having a wife, child, and a demanding job.
As I finished this short story, I came to the conclusion that is was one of my favorite short stories. Boyle’s ability to depict the life of a stressed-out, scared father through innocent lies that turned dangerous and corrupt demonstrates that sometimes people are not ready for life; however, embracing that life to the best of one’s ability is the best way to get through. I want to tell Lonnie something, “Promise you will never test fate again.”
462 words
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