Richard III- A History

"The lights burn blue. It is now dead midnight. Cold fearful drops stand on my trembling flesh. What do I fear? Myself? There’s none else by.Richard loves Richard; that is, I am I. Is there a murderer here? No. Yes, I am.Then fly! What, from myself? Great reason. Why: Lest I revenge. Myself upon myself?Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good, That I myself have done unto myself? O no, alas, I rather hate myself. For hateful deeds committed by myself. I am a villain." (V.v.134–145)

This passage is recited by Richard immediately after his visit with the ghosts of those he has murdered. This is a huge turning point in the novel because it is the first time that Richard reveals any trace of self-doubt and even self-loathing. In an attempt to calm himself after this unsettling dream, he states, "There's no one else by," to convince himself that he is alone with himself. However, it is in this passage that Richard realizes that he is the worst person he can be alone with. The grief that is invisible until this point in the novel is revealed, exposing Richard's weaknesses. Similarly to Macbeth, death meets the main characters when they become vulnerable to destructive emotions, such as guilt. For this reason, this passage can be viewed as foreshadowing for Richard's ultimate defeat. The diction in this paragraph parallels Richard's feeling of self-loathing. The lights are described as "blue," would is a color generally associated with cold. The lights are "cold" just as Richard is realizing that his heart is "cold." The sweat on his body is described as "cold" and "fearful," two words that can be used to describes Richard's feelings toward himself and the upcoming battle. "Dead" is used to describe midnight, which is foreshadowing for his near death and defeat. In this passage, Richard poses questions to himself and answers these questions. He even begins referring to himself in first-person. This signifies the complexity of Richard's character. The audience is taught from Richard's monologue at the beginning of the play that he has evil intentions but has a special talent for being able to hide his deceitful side from those involved in his plan to become king. This description of Richard remains consistent throughout the novel until this point. The questions posed to himself and the way in which he refers to himself in the first-person narration show not only Richard's insecurity, but the presence of his dual personality. A moral is also presented in this passage when Richard states: "Alack, I love myself. Wherefore? For any good, That I myself have done unto myself? O no, alas, I rather hate myself." A person cannot love themselves for solely the good that they have done for themselves. A person can only truly be happy with themselves when they have done good to others.

Shakespeare combined historical fact with literary fiction to create this history. This story is also part tragedy. In order to successfully create a historical tragedy, Shakespeare uses historical figures but exaggerates their emotions and actions, and creates his own relationships between character. For example, Shakespeare used some artistic creativity to create the deceitful Richard and the easily wooed Lady Anne. Additionally Shakespeare incorporated aspects of history that people can relate to in modern times. For example, the scenes with the townspeople expressing doubts about Richard, their new leader, is something very likely to happen today (as if no one has ever complained about President George Bush). As outrageous as Lady Anne's change in emotion toward Richard may have been, many people can relate to her today. If a person experiences loss, they are more likely to quickly find and cling to a companion, whether it be a romantic companion or not. The royal family tree that Shakespeare used to create this play becomes a vital asset to fully understanding the play. Shakespeare chose to write this story about a man who is in a position where he is very unlikely to be king. In order to become king he must first kill the king, the prince, and the prince's children. Shakespeare's choice of using Richard who is "land-locked" in his non-royal position, adds the historical element of the family tree. While the family tree was confusing, it added an interesting part of history.

I enjoyed this play, however in numerous instances I found myself being confused by the complexity of the family tree. Not knowing anything about English history, it was certainly difficult to follow the relationships. My favorite scene was the dream sequence which plants guilt in Richard. I thought the scene was cleverly done and very effective since the line of ghosts is so very long. Similarly to "Macbeth", I liked how Shakespeare uses guilt as the ultimate demise of his main characters. This shows that the human mind is capable of creating more evil than human deeds can. I found it to be comical (not laugh out loud funny, but worth a smile funny) that Richard was so flawless in deceit. From the opening monologue when he informs the audience of his plans he immediately changes his attitude to speak with other characters in the play. It is almost as though Richard and the audience have a connection that the characters on stage do not have because the audience is the only group of people who are fully aware of every bit of Richard's scheme. This connection with the audience is very effective because it is almost as though the actors and the audience have an agreement with each other that they will pretend that everything that happens on stage is real, similarly to "A Midsummer Night's Dream." This agreement makes the morals of the play more effective.

A Midsummer Night's Dream- A Comedy

"I have had a most rare vision. I have had a dream past the wit of man to say what dream it was. Man is but an ass if he go about t’expound this dream. Methought I was—there is no man can tell what. Methought I was, and methought I had—but man is but a patched fool if he will offer to say what methought I had. The eye of man hath not heard, the ear of man hath not seen, man’s hand is not able to taste, his tongue to conceive, nor his heart to report what my dream was. I will get Peter Quince to write a ballad of this dream. It shall be called ‘Bottom’s Dream’, because it hath no bottom," (IV.i.199–209).

The above quote is stated by Bottom after he wakes up from his journey with Titania. Bottom's head has been restored and Bottom is convinced that his experience with Titania is nothing more than a ridiculous dream. This passage utilizes irony to produce a comedic effect. Bottom boasts that he has had a "rare vision," one that no human could possibly understand because it is simply to complex. Ironically, Bottom suggests that Quince should write a ballad for his dream, which obviously could not be done had this dream been beyond human comprehension. These statements present not only the irony of Bottom's suggestion to turn his dream into a ballad, but they also exploit Bottom's comical, conceited nature. Irony is incorporated again when Bottom states, "Man is but an ass if he go about t’expound this dream." The reader/audience member is well aware of the fact that Bottom has just recovered from having the head of an ass, and here, he equates those who have not experienced his dream to donkeys. Just as Shakespeare likes to incorporate irony for comedic effect, he incorporates dual meanings. For example, Bottom says: "It shall be called 'Bottom's Dream,' because it hath no bottom," the name Bottom and bottom meaning "end" are used. Shakespeare incorporated this double meaning to once again show Bottom's obsessiveness towards himself. Bottom's foolishness is highlighted in this passage, particularly in his comically mixed-up association of body parts and senses: he suggests that eyes can hear, ears see, hands taste, tongues think, and hearts speak. This passage offers comedy to the theme of dreams. Shakespeare uses the theme of dreams throughout the novel as a sort of mystical tool that makes time lose its normal flow, leaving the characters confused between reality and the workings of their mind.

Shakespeare uses ideas that often cause people confusion to create the humor in this play. For example, Shakespeare uses the confusion of dreams, love, and magic to take his audience on an enjoyable ride. People often wake from a nap or a long sleep and take a couple of minutes to become reacquainted with their surroundings. Shakespeare exaggerated this concept throughout this novel to play with his character's emotions. For example, after awakening from a long slumber, Titania falls in love with Bottom, while Lysander and Demetrius fall in love with Helena, leaving Hermia, the attractive woman, loveless. This confusion is fully understood by the audience making them anxious for the characters to resolve this confusion. In every play there is a particular emotion evoked stronger than the others, that allows the audience to be completely consumed by the action on stage. In this particular comedy Shakespeare chose to use the anxiousness, and sometimes frustration that the audience feels to draw them into the show. Shakespeare also uses absurdity to create the comedy in this play. Absurdity is most clearly shown through Bottom. The idea of a man running around in a donkey mask is so absurd that the audience has no choice but to laugh. It adds to the humor of this situation that Titania, Bottom's opposite, becomes instantly attracted to him. The chaos of Bottom's play, which is meant to represent many of the important ideas and themes of the main plot also adds to the foolishness of this show. Because the craftsmen are such bumbling actors, their performance satirizes the dramatic Athenian lovers and gives the play a joyful, comedic ending.

This is my favorite Shakespeare play we read this year. Unlike "Taming of the Shrew," which I found to be extremely confusing with the switching of roles, this play was able to incorporate confusion amongst the characters without invoking confusion in the reader. I feel as though "Richard III" and "Macbeth" are more eloquently written, however I think that is intentional. The diction in "A Midsummer Night's Dream" lends itself to the themes of absurdity and disillusionment. I liked the way in which the play opens with a bunch of sub-stories: the four lover, Bottom and the craftsmen, and Titania. I also liked the way that Shakespeare uses the love potion to represent the surreal world of love. When Puck mistakenly applies the love potion to Lysander’s eyelids, the statement is made that love is seen with the eyes, but felt with the heart. I liked how this tied in with the idea that Hermia was loved over Helena solely for her looks. I found myself being able to get past the difficulty of reading Shakespeare's language and enjoying the comedy and messages of this play.

Macbeth-A Tragedy

"Out, damned spot; out, I say. One, two,—why, then ’tis time to do’t. Hell is murky. Fie, my lord, fie, a soldier and afeard? What need we fear who knows it when none can call our power to account? Yet who would have thought the old man to have had so much blood in him?" (V.i.30-34)

The above quote of Lady Macbeth exploits her insanity that results from the overwhelming presence of guilt, which is represented in this play through blood and hallucinations. As Lady Macbeth sleepwalks through her castle it becomes clear that the driving, menacing force within her has been "stained with un-washable blood," or guilt, which leads her descent into madness. This descent is shown through the structure of Lady Macbeth's speech, which is no longer in iambic pentameter, but rather in a much less structured form, signifying her inability to control her own mind. In the line, "What need we fear who knows it when none can call our powers to account?" Lady Macbeth searches for the comfort she once found in her husband's power, but fails. Perhaps, Shakespeare is making the statement that power over others in no match for the formidable opponent of guilt. A role reversal is depicted in the above quote. While, Macbeth was distraught after the murder of Duncan he succeeded in carrying out the murders of the MacDuff family and Banquo. Meanwhile, Lady Macbeth, responsible for solely the murder of Duncan, finds herself consumed by insanity and guilt. Through this role reversal, Shakespeare presents the point that while a woman may have a tough exterior, a woman is not capable of producing evil without being overtaken by sensitive, rational emotions. Lady Macbeth describes hell as "murky" giving the impression that she is walking towards hell, unable to see clearly as though her vision is obscured by fog or smoke. Her unclear journey towards hell, mirrors the way in which her journey towards guilt is unclear. Lady Macbeth is not directly guilty for the murders in this novel, however it is her scheming and her hunger for power that forces Macbeth to commit these murders. Even though Lady Macbeth's guilt is the result of her husband's actions, her insanity is the proof that being guilty through the use of pressure is often as bad as committing the crime yourself.

Shakespeare creates this tragedy through violence, psychological twists, and whimsical characters. The ominous presence of blood, weapons, and war create the ideal Shakespeare tragedy setting. Simply by association, blood immediately allows the audience to make a connection between the story and death, which is considered by some to be the ultimate tragedy. In order for a piece of literature to be considered a tragedy a person or thing must fall from the height of pleasant emotions and plummet to the lowest of emotions. This fall creates the melancholic emotion necessary to a tragedy. The innocent hunger for power of Macbeth is transformed into the desperate need for power by Lady Macbeth. The beginning of his descent from high emotions is the death of Lady Macbeth, the driving force behind Macbeth's actions. The ever-changing main characters take the audience on an emotional roller coaster allowing the overall message of Macbeth to be understood amidst all of the violence. The themes of gender reversals that break societal standards, the destructive, irreversible effects of guilt, and the power of ambition are not lost due to the presence of complex characters and violence, but rather enhanced. In a history, the theme is enhanced by historical information that allows the reader to relate the past to the present. In a comedy, the light-hearted feel takes the audience for an enjoyable ride to present a point. In a tragedy, however, the author writes with intensity to captivate and audience and target their emotions.

Seeing this play performed live gave me a completely different opinion on this work. I sat in the third row, center section of the orchestra section allowing me to see every detail in the actor's faces and my close proximity to the stage intensified the show overall and made me feel as though I was in the performance. I could compare the feeling I had during the show to the way I felt when I was seven and walked through a haunted house for the first time: while I wanted to close my eyes, the intensity of the performance prevented me from doing so. I really enjoyed the stage performance, and seeing it made me realize what people mean when they say: "Shakespeare is not meant to be read. It's meant to be performed." In reading this play, I lost so much of the artist quality. While reading the play allowed me to have a greater appreciation for the language than watching the show, I found myself unable to be emotionally carried by the characters, and therefore, I feel as though I missed important aspects of the play. Shakespeare's incredible use of the English language adds an element of beauty to his tragedies, which I think is a key component that sets Shakespeare apart from other writers of tragedy. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with the witches. I think their presence in the show added to the mystical feel that is created by the hallucinations and dreams throughout the show. I loved the witches use of prophecies to foreshadow the events to come. Their presence in the play made it feel as though there was an "all-knowing" presence driving every action.

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man-Like Father, Like Son

"Once upon a time and a very good time it was there was a moocow coming down along the road and this moocow that was coming down along the road met a nicens little boy named baby tuckoo" (Joyce 3).

The above quote is the opening paragraph of the novel. This is the only time throughout the novel in which the voice is someone's other than Stephen or an outside narrator. This paragraph is spoken by his father, who throughout the course of the novel, becomes the symbol of Steven's family struggles and the choices he makes regarding his devotion to his family heritage. The above paragraph symbolizes Stephen's dependency on his mother and father to feed him stories and information to keep his mind occupied. The narration on the first page switches between an outside narrator and Stephen's father signifying that while Stephen is old enough to have some personal thoughts and emotions, his mind is not advanced enough to produce any productive acitivity. This dependency is representative of not only Stephen's emotional and mental dependency on his parents, but it is also representative of his parents' responsibility to his religious upbringing and to his education of his heritage.

The next pivotal event that concerns Stephen's father is his sudden, grave financial situation. In this instance, Stephen's father loses wealth, symbolizes the beginning of Stephen's realization that he cannot find wealth in his current life. Stephen's lack of wealth, however, is not monetary, it is a lack of friendship and self discovery that leaves him "poor." He has no friends at Clongowes and starts questioning why he blindly follows the society standards that he will eventually discover hold him back. With Stephen's father's financial loses, comes a loss of trust. Stephen find he can no longer find stability within in family, and he begins questioning if he can find stability in any form of authority, including the church and government.

Stephen's break from his father, and therefore his religion and heritage, becomes clear when Stephen and his father visit Cork where his father gets drunk and reminisces about his past. Joyce paints a picture of a man who is self-destructive and, instead of facing his problems, he masks them with alcohol and nostalgia. Stephen's inability to positively handle his sexual desires mirrors his father's inability to handle his own stresses, and in some ways, Stephen's use of prostitutes reflects his father's dependency on alcohol and memories. The lack of ability for Stephen to connect with his father, mirrors the way in which Stephen cannot connect with the Catholic Church or the government and society of Ireland.

As Stephen advances and enters his late teen years, his father is mentioned less and less. At the beginning of Chapter 5, the distance between the two is quite clear: "Is your lazy bitch of a brother gone out yet?" (189). This scene at home happens just before Stephen truly immerses himself into the study of aesthetics and art and writing. This obvious separation from his father is Stephen's symbolic break from the burdens that organized religion and his heritage have placed on him. Stephen's father represents everything that was holding Stephen back from becoming the artist he was meant to be.

"His heart trembled; his breath came faster and a wild spirit passed over his limbs as though he were soaring sunward. His heart trembled in an ecstasy of fear and his soul was in flight. His soul was soaring in an air beyond the world and the body he knew was purified in a breath and delivered of incertitude and made radiant and comingled with the element of the spirit. An ecstasy of flight made radiant with his eyes and wild his breath and tremulous and wild and radiant his windswept limbs," (183).

Before we even began reading this novel, we were instructed to research the Dedalus myth. The above passage correlates directly to the Deadalus myth, in which, Deadalus constructed his own wings to escape from his own prison toward the sun. The above paragraph is a paragraph of escape and purification. The repetition of the word "wild" symbolizes Stephen's deep connection to the purest, most primal form of himself. He becomes one with nature, untamed by religion, family, or government. The idea that his heart "trembled" instead of "beat" describes Stephen's close proximity to his passion-his passion for words. His soul is said to "comingle" with his body, which signifies the long-awaited connection between Stephen's physical being and his wants, needs, and desires. The idea that his flight, symbolic of freedom, is radiant and wild to his eyes, breath, and limbs indicates that freedom has advanced on all aspects of Stephen's being: his vision, his soul, and his body. This passage immediately precedes Stephen's viewing of the bird-like, beautiful woman in the ocean, which marks his acceptance of women as beautiful being, instead of creatures of desire. It is this flight, this freedom, that allows Stephen to view the world in a way that does not prohibit him from becoming the artist he is meant to be.

Opinion:

Well, I have to admit, this book was not very enjoyable to read alone. I often found myself confused or too wrapped up in word choice to see what exactly was going on at a given point in the story. However, the class discussions of specific passages were very enjoyable. It amazes me that someone can so acutely record thought process and the act of aging. Both are intangible ideas that Joyce was able to transform into word form. It blows my mind. It's interesting because I find myself wondering that if this story had been written from a female perspective, would I have enjoyed the novel more and been able to follow the thought process with less confusion? Possibly. But I think this is a novel that is easily applicable to some part, whether it be meaningless or important, of everyone's life. The only elements I missed from this book were the views others had toward Stephen. While it could be assumed or deduced, I feel like I could not full grasp the character of Stephen because no one else's thought were recorded. I understand that that is the idea of this book, for it to be only Stephen's thoughts, but I still missed outside views.

"The warden said to me" Etheridge Knight #250

In just a few words, Etheridge Knight effectively shows the mental toll segregation had on blacks who suffered.

The speaker of this poem is an imprisoned African American by the name of Etheridge who is recalling a seemingly meaningless conversation with the white warden. Since Etheridge is the name of the author of this poem, it can be assumed that this poem is at least slightly a reflection of himself. It is clear that Etheridge is familiar with the assumption that whites are oblivious to the pain and suffering blacks endure from segregation and feelings of inferiority. The speaker uses some sarcasm in the line, "I lowered my jaw and scratched my head" (line 5). Through this sentence Etheridge is characterizing himself as dumb, which is a common stereotype of the African American race. Ironically, his response is full of meaning and intelligence. In saying, "we ain't got no wheres to run to," (line 8), Etheridege is metaphorically saying that a better life awaits blacks no where, and being physically imprisoned may be more favorable over being imprisoned in their own neighborhoods. This highlights the mischaracterizations of the African American race that have prevented them from advancing and running towards a better life.

There is no rhyme scheme or particular meter in this poem. The lack of both of these components gives the poem a conversational feeling, which makes the poem a personal account of a situation, instead of merely a description of a situation. In creating the poem this way, Knight is going beyond simply making a point. He is able to acutely describe the desperate situation of an entire race, without the use of sensory detail. He utilizes his personal thoughts through the parenthetical interjections, however, the last line makes this poem applicable to the African American race as a whole, not just to one person.

This entire poem is slightly ironic and utilizes sarcasm. The white warden uses improper English in the line "why come the black boys don't run off," (line 3). This characterization of the warden leads the reader to believe that the warden is not particularly intelligent. In fact, the warden's speech mirrors the speech of Etheridge, which symbolically puts the two people on the same level, and thus makes the statement that all humans are equal in that we all exist in the same physical world, but all humans are not equal based on their opportunities. The parenthetical interjection that read: "innocently, I think" are slightly sarcastic. The comma after innocently causes a natural break signifying thought. This break changes the meaning of his thought from "he's asking this innocently" to "he may seem innocent, but he's actually just ignorant." The second time Etheridge says "innocently, I think," it is in reference to his own response, which leads the reader to believe that Etheridge is not in fact being innocent, but trying to convince himself that he is. As mentioned before, when Etheridge describes himself lowering his jaw and scratching his head, he is characterizing himself as stupid. This description is clearly sarcastic after his intelligent response is read. Additionally, the warden's question, "Why come the black boys don't run off like the white boys do?" reads as a silly question, from a man who is supposed to have such high authority. Etheridge's response, on the other hand, is full of meaning and witt, even though he is regarded as the person with less authority and intelligence. This situation in itself is ironic.

Neither "etheridge" or "suh" is capitalized, which takes away from the personal feeling that the conversation format creates. The choice to not capitalize the names puts these two individuals on the same level, allowing solely their intelligence to create status, instead of their race, occupation, or opportunities. Clearly, Etheridge portrays himself as much more intelligent than the warden, so perhaps Knight is trying to say that without consideration of race, age, gender, or beliefs, those who are degraded will surpass expectations.

I really enjoyed this poem. It reminded me a lot of Invisible Man, especially the line, "Keep that n***** boy running." Both that line and this poem express the idea that blacks could try to escape segregation and harassment, but in reality, there was no safe place for them. I really enjoyed the idea that this poem was so short, and yet the meaning is so deep. The form of the poem, the personal feelings of the poem, and the simplicity of the poem made it an easy poem to read, but a meaningful poem regardless. This is my favorite type of poetry. The poetry that is easily understood on the surface, but has meaning beyond. I also loved Etheridge's response. It is so simple, and yet so complex simultaneously.

"The Snow Man"-Wallace Stevens #283

In "The Snow Man," Wallace explains the inability of humans to see the world around them without passing judgement or thinking of human condition. Through this poem, Wallace argues the differences between reality and imagination.

The speaker of this poem is given the responsibility of explaining to the reader the difference between the way a human views a scene, versus the way in which a non-living object would view a scene. I picture the speaker overlooking a scenario in which a person walks out of their home after a snow storm, miserable due to the blanket of snow making it difficult to carry out their everyday chores. A snowman stands in his yard, unaffected by the winter scene. This poem has a slight didactic feel in that the speaker is trying to preach to his readers how much beauty exists in the world that is hidden because of humans' inability to view a situation completely selflessly.

This poem is one long sentence in five tercets, put together as verse. This run-on sentence gives the poem a feeling of being surreal, as if from the confusion of one's mind. Since one cannot truly know what the world would look like through the eyes of a nonliving being, imagination is a contributing factor to Stevens' rationale. There is also no particular meter; each foot varies: the poem becomes a combination of iambs ("the frost," "and not," "the sound," "that is"), trochees ("winter," "glitter,"), anapests ("to regard," "to behold," "of the land"), dactyls ("junipers"), and spondee ("pine-trees). The lack of a uniform meter throughout this poem mirrors the way in which a given situation will vary based on a person's current condition. For example, a child may be excited by the prospect of snow due to their playful disposition. On the other hand, an adult may be worried by the prospect of snow due to the presence of a new teenage driver in the family. In both situations, snow, and thus nature, is not being viewed without the influence of one's personal situation.

Stevens utilizes multiple shifts of point-of-view. In the first stanza, the reader becomes the "we" who has "a mind of winter," in this case a snow man. Stevens gives solely visual descriptions, purposely excluding any other senses that form a negative connotation of winter (i.e. sense of touch=cold of winter). The line, "And have been cold a long time" (line 4), mirrors the first line of the poem in that both are suggesting that one must become numb to the human effects of winter, and nature in general, in order to truly see the landscape as it is. In the third stanza the reader is transitioned from the snowman to the average human who finds "misery in the sound of the wind,/In the sound of a few leaves" (lines 8-9). The sensory detail of sound is incorporated in this stanza, which emphasizes the change from snowman to human. Sound transitions the reader into the next stanza, which makes the human the land, and thus nature itself. Stevens says that the sound of wind that humans find so miserable, is the same wind "that is blowing in the same bare place" (line 12). In this line, and the line that follows, Stevens draws a direct connection between humans and nature in that they exist on the same Earth, in the same conditions, however these conditions differ due to human condition and imagination. The "one" with whom the reader has identified himself has now become "the listener, who listens in the snow" in the last stanza. He has become the snow man, and he knows winter "with a mind of winter", knows it in its strictest reality, stripped of all imagination and human feeling. But at that point when he sees the winter scene reduced to absolute fact, as the object not of the mind, but of the perfect perceptual eye that sees "nothing that is not there," then the scene, devoid of its imaginative correspondences, has become "the nothing that is." The last stanza from this point of view almost poses a paradox. At the beginning of the poem, Stevens alludes to the idea that humans cannot see the land for what it truly is because it is always marred by human condition. However, in the last stanza, Stevens alludes to the idea that nature is what it is because of human imagination. This leaves a debate open for discussion. The numerous shifts in this poem create an unbreakable bond between humans and nature, and suggests that one cannot thrive or exist without the other.

Steven's word choice, or diction, add to the image of the winter landscape he is trying to portray. The words "crusted," "shagged," and "rough," give the vision of a very bare nature, and provide the sharpest, clearest image of nature, as seen through the eyes of the snowman. The reader is then exposed to phrases that allow them to hear with the acutest ear the cold images evoking the sense of barrenness and monotony: "sound of the wind," "sound of a few leaves," "sound of the land," "same wind," "same bare place," "For the listener, who listens in the snow." Even the word "few" before leaves signals that little life exists. These descriptions relate to humans, and the common feeling that winter is a time representative of death, monotony, and loneliness. The repetition of the word "nothing" in the last stanza accentuates not only the idea of emptiness, but the idea that perhaps one can never truly grasp the world around them, for with imagination, the landscape is morphed, and without imagination, the scene does not exist.

Once I got into the analysis of this poem, I found myself having a great deal of difficulty. Some wording is complex and the overall message of this poem is a tad obscure. What I like in this poem is the way that the landscape is placed inside of the person. ("Full of the same wind/That is blowing in the same bare place" (lines 10-11)). The wind is blowing inside the watcher as well as outside so it is understood more easily why this person who is 'nothing' can behold the 'nothing that is not there and the nothing that is'. I liked the point made that humans cannot view a situation without thinking of the immediate effects it will have on them. This poem poses an interesting debate. Does human condition and imagination scar nature or create it? Personally, I think human condition scars nature. I think human condition and imagination twists any situation, which is how the saying, "There's three sides to every story: their side, your side, and the truth," came to be. Subconsciously, an individual will take any situation and view its effects differently based on their situation. I also found it interesting that typically snowman is one word, not two like in the title. This suggests that the poem is not solely about a snowman, but a man and how he views the snow.

"On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High"-D.C. Berry #203

While some may seem to be oblivious and ignorant to the potential of impacts of poetry, the sharing of literature can yield surprising results, as shown through "On Reading Poems to a Senior Class at South High."

Just by reading the title of the poem, much can be assumed about the speaker. The speaker of the poem is someone reading poems to a senior class. The word "a" in the title as opposed to "the" or "my" implies that the speaker does not belong to the class. It can also be inferred that the speaker is a guest to the school, as opposed to a teacher from the lines: "They went to another class/ I suppose and I home" (lines 24-25). A teacher would most likely have another class to teach and would not go home in the middle of a school day. Sine the speaker is a guest, it can be assumed that this person is an expert regarding poetry.

By referring to the class as "frozen fish" in the first stanza, the speaker uses simile to highlight what he assumes is there disinterest in poetry. The speaker is forming opinions of them and anticipating their lack of enthusiasm ( "Before / I open my mouth" (lines 1-2)). By saying the word "Before," the speaker is giving a time frame in relation to when he began to speak, indicating that a change will occur once he opened his mouth.

There is no rhyme scheme in this poem, making the poem seem very conversational, as though the speaker is speaking casually to the reader. This mood makes it seem as though the speaker is trying to teach a lesson, while retelling a particular scenario. This poem is in free verse, however the stanzas increase in fluidity (the number of syllables per line), until the fifth stanza when the climax of the poem ( stanza 4) is over and the fluidity begins to decrease. This increase and decrease mirrors the water, and thus the inspiration, that flows in and out of the room.

This poem itself is an analogy. The water is symbolic of the inspiration and understanding that results frompoetry. One can immerse themselves in water, just as they can immerse themselves into the "depths ofpoetry." If one simply looks at the ocean, they cannot fully grasp the wonders that lie below the surface. However, even looking below the surface does not even give one the true experience of the ocean-one must become part of the ocean, as the class does in stanzas three and four. (Water was an interesting choice to compare the class to, since a group of fish is also known as a "class"). The speaker says that he does not notice the water "til it reached/my ears" (lines 7-8), indicating that the impact the poetry has on the students is not apparent until discussion is facilitated. The gills that the speaker mentions ("with my words/that they had only opened up/ like gills for them/ and let me in" (lines 14-17)), represent the disguised ability the students have to comprehand and analyze poetry. The line, "Together we swam around the room" (line 18), represents the way in which the students and the speaker immersed themselves in the language of poetry, thereby exploring a new world. The hole "punctured" in the door represents the literal world where everyday obligations exist.

Berry uses shift to create the transformation and changing feelings of the speaker and the students. The first stanza places the speaker in an ordinary classroom, with a condescending attitude regarding the way students will react to poetry. In the next stanza, the speaker has begun to read and notices water filling the room only once "it reached / my ears." Possibilities are arising with such a strange occurrence. The poem moves the speaker from a literal classroom, people simply resembling fish, to a figurative classroom where the reader seems to be more comfortable. With the continuation of the aquatic imagery, the speaker is more able to anticipate the positive reactions of the students. The next stanza rids the classroom completely. I still sense condescention, especially when the speaker says that the bell punctures a hole in the wall. While the students may have been immersed in the poetry temporarily, the speaker believes that the students are still ruled by the ringing of the bell, and the "real" world outside of the written word. In the final shift of the poem, from the classroom to his home, the speaker even admits to being ruled by responsibility when he speaks of his cat "Queen Elizabeth." His cat represents household responsibility, while the name "Queen Elizabeth" alludes to society's obsession with status and fame, which has distracted many people from the written word.

I really enjoyed this poem. The title is what originally drew me to this poem because I felt as though I could relate to the senior class mentioned in the title. I really enjoyed the slow transformation from classroom to sea and then the transformation back to real life. I still have mixed feelings about whether or not the speaker is condescending and elitist the entire poem. I think that at the beginning of the poem, when the speaker describes the students as "frozen fish," and at the end of the poem, the speaker is condescending. However, I think the air of condescention disappears when the speaker and the students allow themselves to be taken away from the written word. This poem uses shift and analogies to symbolically show the effects poetry and the written word have.

"I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud" -William Wordsworth #295

This work is an ode to the importance of nature and the close bond between mankind and nature. Through characterization of the speaker, meter, personification, and diction, Wordsworth creates a feeling a solitary bliss with nature.

The plot of this poem, on the surface, is simple, depicting the poet's aimless wandering and his discovery of a field of daffodils by a lake, the memory of which pleases him and comforts him when he is lonely or bored. The first line of the poem, metaphorically compares the speaker to a cloud: "I wandered lonely as a cloud" (line 1). The idea that the cloud is described as "lonely" implies that aspects of nature are solitary beings, and therefore it is suggested that the speaker is alone. The comparison to a cloud gives the reader the impression that the speaker's spirit is unbounded and light-hearted, just as a cloud is a light-weight, free-flowing image. The gender of the speaker is never clearly identified, however, the poem is written in the first-person, which puts the author in the place of the speaker, indicating that the speaker is a man. The images of solitude, and the idea that the speaker/author has made this poem personal through the use of the personal pronoun "I," alludes to the idea that man's experience with nature is a personal phenomena, that differs depending on the individual.

The four six-line stanzas of this poem follow a quatrain-couplet rhyme scheme: ABABCC. Each line is metered in iambic tetrameter. This particular rhyme scheme, with the two last lines of each stanza rhyming, gives the poem a joyful rhythm, which mirrors the feeling of the speaker. The rhyme scheme and structured rhythm also gives the poem a sing-song sound, like a nursery rhyme that a mother would recite to her children to comfort them, indicating that the speaker's experience with nature is an experience of comfort and bliss.

Wordsworth uses reverse personification to create the idea of inherent unity between man and nature. The speaker is compared to a natural object, a cloud ("I wandered lonely as a cloud/ That floats on high o'er vales and hills" (lines 1-2)), while the daffodils are personified as humans: "When all at once I saw a crowd/ A host of golden daffodils" (lines 3-4). The words "crowd" and "host" are typically used to describe a group of people, not flowers, which are usually described with a word like "bundle." These descriptions contrast with the descriptions of solitude that describe the speaker. This reverse personification indicates that while a person may feel alone and isolated, one can find unity and companionship with the beauty of nature.

Diction is a valuable component to the meaning of this poem. Clearly, the speaker values the rewards of nature above material possessions. "What wealth the show to me had brought" (line 18). The word "wealth" in this instance, is not a measure of material gain, but rather a measure of positive emotion that results from simply the memory of the daffodils.

Through specific word choice, Wordsworth gives the reader a sense of fulfillment, alluding to the fact that nature is an essential aspect of a person's life. "In vacant or in pensive mood/ They flash upon that inward eye [...]And then my heart with pleasure fills" (lines 19-22). Typically a person's mood is not describes as "vacant." The use of this word, meaning empty, empasizes the fulfillment that the speaker finds in nature.

Wordsworth also emphasizes the power of vision, over the power of thought. The "flash upon the inward eye" is Wordsworth's way of describing a memory. Typically, memory is associated with the mind, not with vision. This description places more value on natural beauty over human creations that result from complex thought processes. This idea is shown previously in the line, "I gazed-and gazed-but little thought" (line 17). The dashes slightly break the rhythm of the poem to emphasis the healing powers of the sight of natural beauty.

Wordsworth uses an exaggeration in the second stanza to imply the accessibility of nature to everyone, not just to himself. "Continuous as the stars that shine/ And twinkle on the milky way/They stretched in a never-ending line" (lines 7-9). Here, the field of daffodils is compared to ideas of infinity to express the ubiquitous presence of the beauty and healing effects of nature if one chooses to embrace them.

Through the use of literary techniques, characterization of the speaker, and rhyme scheme, Wordsworth creates a work to honor the healing powers of nature.

This poem made me feel very calm and subdued. There were no auditory details mentioned, which helped to create a serene picture. In fact, all sensory details, other than visual details, are omitted from this poem, causing the reader to pay attention to the visual aspects of nature. I think that through this poem, Wordsworth was trying to translate to the readers of this poem his discovery that more joy can be found in the simple, untouched aspects of nature over the material gains that come with money and material wants. I also think that Wordsworth is implying that people have become blind to the beauty found just outside the door, which is why he focused so intently on visual details. I actually went outside after reading this poem, which shows, to some extent, the power this poem had over me to enjoy fulfillment away from the technical, electronic based world in which we live.

Invisible Man-Keep your coins, I want change!

"[...] the cast-iron figure of a very black, red-lipped and wide-mouthed Negro, whose white eyes stared up at me from the floor, his face an enormous grin, his single large black hand held palm up before his chest. It was a bank, a piece of early Americana, the kind of bank which, if a coin is placed in the hand and a lever pressed upon the back, will raise its arm and flop the coin into the grinning mouth" (Ellison 319).

The above quote describes the coin bank our narrator finds, and destroys, as he is leaving Mary's house to join the Brotherhood. This coin bank, similarly to the Sambo dolls, represents the stereotypical views that our narrator and all blacks must endure as they attempt to make a place for themselves in a hostile society. The stereotype represented here, is a slave acting in a demeaning manner, desperately trying to be rewarded with a trivial gift from his or her master. Our narrator, enraged by this reminder of his unhappy heritage, finds himself having trouble destroying the iron coin bank. "I hammered back with the iron naps, seeing the silver fly, striking like driven sand against my face" (Ellison 319). Even after leaving Mary's the narrator find himself struggling to rid himself of the thoughts of this bank, which shows the stubborness that characterizes a stereotype. Our narrator makes a note of this coin bank when leaving to assist the Brotherhood, foreshadowing our narrator's inability to escape harassment and sterotyping, even in an organization that is supposed to be fighting for minority rights.

Ellison's careful word choice speaks to specific traits of African Americans. The coin bank is described as "very black," but then Ellison contrasts this statement with "red-lipped." Whites and African Americans, alike, share a red mouth, symbolizing the ability of African Americans to speak, feel, and comprehend just as well as whites can. Additionally, white eyes are a trait that characterize all human, showing that all people can see a situation and process it in a way that reflects their background, beliefs, and heritage. The "enormous grin" gives this face a goofy, unintelligent look, which again, represents a common stereotypical view of African Americans. The verb choice of flop indicates a careless way of giving something to another person. A slave was not rewarded by his master in a noble or honorable light, but rather in a perfunctory, demeaning manner.

"I seemed to go away; the lights receded like a tail-light racing down a dark country road. I couldn't follow. A sharp pain stabbed my shoulder. I twisted about on my back, fighting something I couldn't see. Then after a while, my vision cleared" (233).

Chapter Eleven describes a symbolic rebirth of our narrator. While in surgery, our narrator describes a moment's emotion with the above quote, which has immense importance to his journey told throughout this novel. The "tail-light racing down a dark country road" is symbolic of the same empty promises that our narrator's empty suitcase carry. A car is not described in that statement, but simply the headlights. Our narrator finds himself chasing dreams, such as being a successful and powerful speaker in the Brotherhood, but in actuality, there is no hope attached to such aspirations, just as there is no car attached to the tail-light.

Hollywood often plants images in our minds. I picture our narrator running after a car that races around a turn and out of site. Our narrator halts and it starts to pour rain. Now, of course this does not happen in the novel, but the idea that this statement allowed my mind to wander to such a visual shows its power and legitimacy to our narrator's state of desperation.

The sharp pain in the back of his should that he cannot see, is foreshadowing of the Brotherhood's betrayal, Bledsoe's betrayl, and others. The idea that our narrator could not see the pain is indicative of his naivete that characterizes him at the beginning of the novel, however as he grows and learns betrayal and pain, our narrator's vision is cleared, and he assesses human nature in a negative light. This idea parallels the theme of blindness and invisibility.

Amazingly deep novel. This novel was one of my favorites of the year, possibly my number one favorite. It amazes me that a single person can come up with the words to convey hidden meaning and it makes me appreciate the time and dedication that must go into writing a novel like this. I realize that this is not a book to bring to the beach for light reading. Without our class discussions I would not have forced myself to examine to text as closely as we did. Even without knowing the name of our protagonist, I grew to feel a connection to him and found myself feeling his emotion along with him. I particularly liked the fact that our narrator was not making himself out to be the victim, and was not trying to gain sympathy. Instead, the narrator analyzes human nature and the stereotypes that society tends to follow and believe. Although the Battle Royal scene did not make a lot of logical sense in my mind, I thought it was a very powerful opening to a deep novel.

Heart of Darkness-Dream Alone

The Role of Women- Through some research I learned that Joseph Conrad was a supporter of the suffragist movement. This little known fact changed my perspective on Conrad's portrayal of women in Heart of Darkness. I had previously thought that Conrad's depiction of women was one of ignorance and simplicity. While this may still remain true, Conrad was portraying the thoughts of others, not his own. After examining the text closer I found that despite Heart of Darkness being a tale of men, women form the basis of Marlow's growth throughout the novel.

The European men in the Congo are the ones who stage colonization, while the European women are the behind-the-scenes crew. They are the modest strategists. Thisis evident through Marlow's aunt and her references to the people of prestige that she is acquainted with. Though Marlo is apparent when Marlow tries to obtain a position in the Congo on his own and fails. Marlow comments: "Then-would you believe it-I tried the women. I, Charlie Marlow, set the women to work-to get a job! Heavens!" (Conrad 83). There is a certain amount of embarrassment and shame in his comment, yet even Marlow would have to admit that women form a crucial part of Europe's development. Their ability to influence the male-dominated business world w may be ashamed of seeking assistance from his aunt, he recognizes her efficiency. "I got my appointment-of course; and I got it very quick." (85).

The women at the company's main office are the next women mentioned. When Marlow arrives at the office, he encounters two women knitting black wool. This black wool could symbolize the women's grasp on colonization and the black natives that reside in conquered lands. These women seem to know everything about Marlow and are described by him as "guarding the door of darkness." This statement represents the admission these women present to Marlow. These women mark the beginning of Marlow's descent into the heart of darkness.

Kurtz's fiance (his "Intended") is another significant woman. It is suggested that she is the reason Kurtz initially traveled to the region. Marlow learns that their engagement wasn't approved of by her relatives, and it "was his impatience of comparative poverty that drove him out there "(164). Thus, the Congo was a land where Kurtz could prove himself financially. This suggests that women are often the driving force behind men's motives. Being in love with a woman can clearly inspire a man to prove himself, and indirectly, it was his Intended's view of Kurtz as unsuitable that led Kurtz on the path to his inner evil.

There is one woman who stands apart from the others: the native woman who emerges from the forest. She is described by Marlow as "savage and superb, wild-eyed and magnificent." The text leads the reader to believe that this is Kurtz's mistress. Regardless of her physical relationship with Kurtz, she is the opposite of his Intended. Whereas the Intended is at home, sitting safetly in her home, the native woman is there, with Kurtz, experiencing the darkness of the lush wilderness. While his Intended mourns his absence quietly, the native woman shouts and physically moves to ensure Kurtz's safety. This women represents temptation that is often associated with evil because of Eve's temptation to eat the apple in the Bible. Her primitive behavior is representative of Kurtz after his transformation, while the Intended represents suppression of inner evil.

"We live as we dream--alone" (Conrad 131).
Marlow expresses this feeling en route to Kurtz. Aside from learning the horrors of inner evil, Marlow learns the solitude that each person lives in because no one will ever feel the exact same way another does. Even before Marlow has a complete grasp on his inner evil, Kurtz dies, leaving Marlow stranded on the verge of his primitive instinct . This quote compresses life into the capacity of a dream. While dreaming, one is often taken into a world of absurdity that can be felt by the dreamer alone. Conrad frequently uses words that typically describe an intangible idea, such as a dream, to describe the wilderness that surrounds Marlow.

This quote also leads the reader to believe that we live in a hostile world where a solitary life is the only option. From this quote, we realize that Marlow views the world as a lonely and desolate place. The choices he makes throughout the novel reflect his need to express his feelings to others. He needs to find Kurtz to prove to himself that he is not alone in the world. The quote emphasizes the tests of strength that Marlow must go through to survive in an absurd world where he is isolated. The whole novel depicts his struggle with isolation, confinement, and absurdity.

In the end, the main characters end up living alone. Kurtz leaves his Intended to a life a solitude, while he himself dies alone. Marlow narrowly escapes the heart of darkness and does on to lead a life without anyone to understand his experience. The natives are left to fend for themselves in a world taken over by useless conquerors.

Hmmm....the first read-through of this novel was nothing short of painful. Three-page long paragraphs left me frustrated and my head jammed with descriptions and an overload of visual images. However, the second time I read through, I found myself enjoying Conrad's word choice and character development. I particularly enjoyed Conrad's vagueness in his personal views. Does he portray women in a positive or negative light? Is Conrad a racist or is he simply expressing the views around him? This unanswerable questions led to lively class discussion that allowed me to grasp a better understanding of the book as a whole. I would have enjoyed knowing a bit more about Marlow's life after this encounter with darkness, but I liked the frame format of this novel.

Mechanized Heart-Player Piano

"As Paul dropped up once more, he murmured an automatic reply. 'And i love you Anita'" (Vonnegut 258).
The excessive mechanism of Paul Proteus's life wedges its way past his job and into his personal life and emotions. The above quote represents the part of Paul's brain that previously felt love that has been taken over by computer programming and mechanized repetition. The verb "murmured" can typically be equated with a lack of emotion, or gibberish. Instead of a word like "whispered" that implies speaking softly, but with integrity, Vonnegut chose the word "murmured" to portray a lack of emotion. Paul may not even realize that he said "I love you." It has become simply what he is supposed to say. Just as someone may murmur a useful piece of information to themselves while taking a test, Paul murmurs his feelings of affection (or lack of affection) for Anita.
This quote is also indicative of how Paul does not love Anita, but rather the idea of her. Anita is reminiscent of a typical 1950s housewife who can find happiness buried within her household, and catering to the every need of her husband. I think that it is Anita's lack of education that allows her to be content taking care of Paul and representing his status in society by attending functions and driving reputable vehicles. Her lack of education has built a wall that separated her from her true beliefs and sense of self. Anita becomes representative of Paul's confinement to the world of engineering. Their relationship that becomes strained is representative of Paul's escape from the world that he pretended to love for so long. Although the word "you" in the above quote is italicised, it should not be because Paul is not in the love with Anita but rather the idea of her. Anita becomes the object of Paul's life in mechanized conformity.

Paul's car- "The engine wasn't working properly [...] His other cars, a new station wagon and a very expensive Sedan were at home [...] for Anita. Nor was it logical that a man with so special a car would be put off an put off having the broken left headlamp fixed" (23-24).
Paul's car is a symbol of close-mindedness and conformity. "The engine wasn't working properly" symbolizes Paul's initial inability to fulling embrace the "non-engineers" that live on the other side of the river. His job, Anita, his money, and his intelligence hold him back from seeing a different, artistic kind of intelligence that lives outside of his world. Paul's first taste of the other side of the river is when a man fixes Paul's car using a rubber band and paper clips. The ability to spontaneously fix a car represents the opposite of intelligence regarding conformity, like engineering in this world. The fact that Paul's two other cars are expensive and primarily for Anita show that ironically, the engineers are not nearly as interested in the human mind as they are in conformity. Meanwhile, Paul uses his old, decrepit car, which foreshadows his eventual escape from the conformity of his world.
The broken headlamp represents obstructed vision. Anita and Paul can only understand life on one side of the river. Paul's lack of interest in fixing the headlamp shows his ability to force comfort on himself in his mechanized lifestyle. Paradoxically, it is the left headlamp that is out. Left-brained people tend to be the logical mathematical thinkers. The fact that it is Paul's left headlamp is out is used as foreshadowing of Paul's eventual part in the revolution and the Ghost Shirts, and it is representative of the lack of deep analytical thinking that is needed in Paul's workplace. Deep thinking leads to a machine, that makes the work of humans obsolete.

I enjoyed the character development in this novel, but not the theme development. I particularly enjoyed the development of Anita. I think that Vonnegut perfectly combined feelings of humor, frustration, and pity to form Anita's character. I found myself feeling sorry for her, but at the same time I found myself pitying her lifestyle and her inability to accept people of different economic backgrounds. Paul became rather frustrating at times, as I found him to be rather inconsistent. His inability to decide what he really wanted for a good portion of the novel left me hoping for him, but at the same time I was impatient waiting for him to finally break free of his life of engineering. However I enjoyed Paul's questioning of his own motives, suspecting that he may be going through a period of personal uncertainty rather than a real revaluation of his social and professional environment. I loved Haycox. His bluntness contrasting very well with the conformity and hidden emotions that characterize Paul and Anita and others that work at the Ilium Works.
As far as theme is concerned, I enjoyed the Utopian theme but found that the theme became monotonous rather quickly. I found myself waiting for the revolution that did not happen until the last two or three chapters. A found that descriptions of technological devices overshadowed some crucial themes.