I read a very interesting short story last night so I decided I would like to write a blog on it.
"The Fat Man's Race" by Louise Erdrich
New Yorker- November 3, 2008
I originally picked this short story because the title intrigued me. A fat man's race? What is that suppose to mean? As I began reading, I thought I had figured out the whole story. Here was a grandma who was telling the story of how she wanted to marry one man but ended up having to marry another because of a series of unfortunate events. The first man believed that this woman was trying to steal his money and was cheating on him. The woman admits that she "plays" with the Devil, what ever that is suppose to mean. She notes that she has a good angel and a devil that try to influence her.
With this background information, I came to a conclusion that the grandma was teaching her grandchildren a story about how to not fall in to temptation and how one must not be too influenced by the negative/evil forces in life. I could not have been more wrong. This seemingly innocent story almost turns graphic, profane, and odd as the grandma retells her stories through her dream. It is unclear as to whether the unusual and scary events actually happened or if they were merely in her dreams. The man she claimed she cheated with was in her dream and wore everything blue; however, she claims that she saw this man in the fat man's race. Wait, was the fat man's race even true? The plot becomes more twisted as the grandma had wanted to kill the blue man so that she could be with the other man; in the end, the blue man and the other man were dead at this fat man's race. So of course, I am confused. However, the ending is very interesting. The grandma notes that she ended up marrying some perfect man who was not blue, not wild, raised his children well, and loved pets.
I guess I will never really understand this story; however, I do think the grandma's basic message of human imperfections, the crazy human imagination, and marital practicality are all part of our world today. This lady's imagination and her inability to be able to control her emotions and wild ideas are parts of human nature that each person has- No one is perfect, controlled, and sane all of the time... there always comes a time when one's emotions are "let loose." Likewise, despite all of this craziness that went on with the blue man and the almost-husband, the grandma married a seemingly boring man with not that much excitement. I think she realized that maybe that was a more practical choice for her desire to become a mother, etc.
I feel like I am missing something with this story, but nonetheless it was an interesting one to read and to ponder!
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Saturday, February 21, 2009
First Impressions: sometimes accurate and sometimes not at all.
From Act I, Question I
After reading the first few pages of A Doll's House, I had strong first impressions of Nora and Torvald. Nora appeared to be carefree, seemingly impulsive, bound to her husband, and obsessed with status. She could be seen humming and smiling about her husband's words on how she spent money as well as cheerfully planning for her guests, as if she did not have a care in the world. On the other hand, Torvald appeared controlling, stiff, and cautious. As Nora rejoiced that her family finally had a large amount of money, Torvald firmly responded with, "Ah, but that does not mean we can afford to be extravagant, you know" (1681). His controlling demeanor was apparent in countless remarks in which he told Nora what to do and subsequently treated her like a young child. Torvald's way of communicating with Nora as if she was a delicate and fragile child was evident when he said, "And you don't have to strain your dear little eyes and work those dainty little fingers to the bone...." (1684). Even though Torvald loved his wife, the way in which he treated her appeared odd and even saddening; Nora really had no control, no say, and no true authoritative role in their relationship.
However, as I kept reading, some of my first impressions seemed drastically incorrect while others seemed accurate to the text. My impression of Nora continued to change as her personality, motives, and character became more evident. While I first viewed her as a carefree, spontaneous wife, I now view her as a courageous, strong, and intelligent woman. The first time I saw that she was a complex character with much depth was when she was offended by Mrs. Linde’s comment about her being similar to a child. Nora, who was clearly upset by this remark, responded with, “You’re just like the rest of them. You all think I’m useless when it comes to anything really serious….” (1688). Likewise, as the plot continued to unravel, the audience saw Nora as a strong woman who engaged in her own business deal to save her husband’s life. Although her business deal was not legal, her intentions were good. And through these good intentions, we are able to see her character and personality. Nora’s ability to stand up to Krogstad and to say, “I’m not frightened of you any more. After New Year’s I will soon be finished with the whole business” (1696) shows that she is most than just a cheerful, pleasant housewife.
On the other hand, I view Torvald the exact same way as I did at the beginning of the play. He continues to treat Nora as if she is inferior to him and continues to try to control her life. Torvald’s lack of true respect for his wife is seen when he is insulted that she offered an opinion about the job situation between Krogstad and Mrs. Linde, saying “My dear Nora, I forgive you this anxiety of yours, although it is actually a bit of an insult” (1707). Likewise, their marriage seemingly appears the same throughout the first two acts. It is hard to tell whether Torvald and Nora really love each other. I found myself wondering why they even got married in the first place. While it does appear that their marriage does have some love and affection, it sometimes does not seem genuine. And if they were truly in love, then why did Nora “escape” to flirt with Dr. Rank?
A Doll’s House is a fascinating play to read because something new is revealed on each page. The non-predictable nature and our ever-changing reactions towards the characters make this play intriguing and keep us engaged.
(620 words)
After reading the first few pages of A Doll's House, I had strong first impressions of Nora and Torvald. Nora appeared to be carefree, seemingly impulsive, bound to her husband, and obsessed with status. She could be seen humming and smiling about her husband's words on how she spent money as well as cheerfully planning for her guests, as if she did not have a care in the world. On the other hand, Torvald appeared controlling, stiff, and cautious. As Nora rejoiced that her family finally had a large amount of money, Torvald firmly responded with, "Ah, but that does not mean we can afford to be extravagant, you know" (1681). His controlling demeanor was apparent in countless remarks in which he told Nora what to do and subsequently treated her like a young child. Torvald's way of communicating with Nora as if she was a delicate and fragile child was evident when he said, "And you don't have to strain your dear little eyes and work those dainty little fingers to the bone...." (1684). Even though Torvald loved his wife, the way in which he treated her appeared odd and even saddening; Nora really had no control, no say, and no true authoritative role in their relationship.
However, as I kept reading, some of my first impressions seemed drastically incorrect while others seemed accurate to the text. My impression of Nora continued to change as her personality, motives, and character became more evident. While I first viewed her as a carefree, spontaneous wife, I now view her as a courageous, strong, and intelligent woman. The first time I saw that she was a complex character with much depth was when she was offended by Mrs. Linde’s comment about her being similar to a child. Nora, who was clearly upset by this remark, responded with, “You’re just like the rest of them. You all think I’m useless when it comes to anything really serious….” (1688). Likewise, as the plot continued to unravel, the audience saw Nora as a strong woman who engaged in her own business deal to save her husband’s life. Although her business deal was not legal, her intentions were good. And through these good intentions, we are able to see her character and personality. Nora’s ability to stand up to Krogstad and to say, “I’m not frightened of you any more. After New Year’s I will soon be finished with the whole business” (1696) shows that she is most than just a cheerful, pleasant housewife.
On the other hand, I view Torvald the exact same way as I did at the beginning of the play. He continues to treat Nora as if she is inferior to him and continues to try to control her life. Torvald’s lack of true respect for his wife is seen when he is insulted that she offered an opinion about the job situation between Krogstad and Mrs. Linde, saying “My dear Nora, I forgive you this anxiety of yours, although it is actually a bit of an insult” (1707). Likewise, their marriage seemingly appears the same throughout the first two acts. It is hard to tell whether Torvald and Nora really love each other. I found myself wondering why they even got married in the first place. While it does appear that their marriage does have some love and affection, it sometimes does not seem genuine. And if they were truly in love, then why did Nora “escape” to flirt with Dr. Rank?
A Doll’s House is a fascinating play to read because something new is revealed on each page. The non-predictable nature and our ever-changing reactions towards the characters make this play intriguing and keep us engaged.
(620 words)
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