The Story of an Hour was very interesting to read. It was by far the most interesting and I think it is relatable in some sort away. I think we can see that although Mrs. Mallard received the tragic news of her husband dying. She took it well unlike others. In the poem, The Wife, it says “ …dropped the playthings of her life to take the honorable role of woman and of wife” it seems like she chose to become a wife and left things that she liked behind. Just like Mrs. Mallard said “There would be no one to live for during those coming years; she would live for herself.” I feel like she felt like she was tied down. Then in the second verse it says “If aught she missed in her new day of amplitude, or awe, Or first prospective, or the gold In using wore away” from what I understand is that they wondered what they were missing out on. I feel like they both describe being stuck in this position they chose to which was being a wife. She wasn’t happy.
Angelica Romero
The story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” was such an interesting read. It had a twist. I found myself pretty much on the edge of my seat. I think this story’s interior is how someone is portraying someone they aren’t. They are deceiving others to get what they want. People can be selfish. For example, the grandma didn’t want to travel to Florida but wanted to go to Tennessee. She took every opportunity to convince her son not to travel to Florida. She even mentioned that the Misfit escaped jail and wouldn’t risk her family with him being out there. Ironically, they bumped into him. She also bought her cat without mentioning it to her son. She lied about a secret panel and then realized that the house was in. The grandmother portrayed being a nice person. She said, “…oh look at the cute little Pickaninny!”. She had a double meaning by calling the child cute but used an offensive term in the same sentence. By deceiving her family to get what she wanted, tragically got them killed by the Misfit and he killed her at the end in the dress she wore in case she was found dead. It was very ironic story, but this is chef’s kiss.
This play of Oedipus the King was an interesting play to read. It showed the King’s character development in many ways. The King was soaring high. The timeless experience that stood out to me of how he was this loved King who had it all. The citizen’s admiration, a family. He found out that he killed his father and married to his mother. His whole behavior changed, and everything came crumbling down. Tragically, this ripple effect caused his mother to hang herself. It is tough when you’re in a situation like that and sometimes you feel like you’re not able to get yourself out of this hole you’ve dug yourself in. The mother couldn’t face the fact that this has come to light, and she found this as her only way out. I think that it showed that no matter how high you are, there is no such thing as perfection.
580 but amongst men there is no distinct judgment, between the prophetand me—which of us is right. One man may pass another in wisdom but I would never agree 585 with those that find fault with the king till I should see the word proved right beyond doubt. For once in visible form the Sphinx came on him and all of us 590 saw his wisdom and in that test he saved the city. So he will not be condemned by my mind. I chose this passage because it shows how they praised the king and I feel like they see him as this great man. You can see that also in the beginning the priest along with the children came to beg him for help. They are suffering and say he is their savior as he saved the city once. The old men said that “One man may pass another in wisdom”, but they will never defy and doubt the king. They need to actually see evidence of the faults in the king before condemning him. It is like Innocent until proven guilty. They are united and will stand by the king. I think we can see the old men are very loyal to the king Oedipus. It shows that they are tight knit, and they are supportive of the King Oeidupus. I think that is what is needed to have someone that has your back.
“Ararby” is certainly not a love story in my opinion. The narrator saw Mangan’s sister as this beautiful girl by the way he described her. But he seemed like he was obsessed with her. He would watch her every morning so he can leave at the same time she did. He mentioned that he’s never spoken to her before just a few casual words. I feel like you can’t be in love with someone who you have never gotten to know. She had this control over him. When she mentioned that she wanted to go to Araby but couldn’t he jumped on it and told her that he would get her something from there. It was a long way, but he eventually got there. At some point he saw a girl talking to two other guys at the shop while he was looking for something for his crush. At the end, he didn’t get anything. It seemed like something switched in his head and felt like he let his unhealthy obsession go out of his way to get something for the girl that he doesn’t know. He was angry in the end.
The two characters I chose are Mercedes and Sylvia who visited the FAO Schwarz store and seemed to have different reactions. They both saw that toys were so expensive. They both realized that a sailboat toy cost was the same as the cost of rent, but it seemed like Mercedes really wasn’t surprised. She mentioned that she would like to go back on her birthday when she gets money. She seemed to come from a family who didn’t struggle. I felt like this isn’t something new to her and she is okay with it. As opposed to Sylvia, was upset and angry about it. She was surprised that there are people who are okay with buying these toys when that same amount of money can be used for bills and rent. Sylvia seemed like she was interested at the store but didn’t want to show it to Miss Moore. I think was Mercedes was nonchalant about it. On the other hand, Sylvia was processing her thoughts. I think Sylvia didn’t find it fair that she wasn’t part of that life.
I think the narrator was different by the way he was in the beginning was very excited about going through this “salvation”. When his aunt was explaining to him on how he was going to see this light and feel it in him, you can tell that this was something he was looking forward too. He was anxiously waiting and yet didn’t feel anything or see anything. He was waiting and nothing. He was really trying to wait and actually feel it. Yet he still got up because he felt like he didn’t want to waste their time. At the end he was crying, and he said that he didn’t find it in him to tell his aunt that he lied. I feel like he was disappointed that he lied and really didn’t feel like he was actually saved. I think the narrator’s faith was broken because now he didn’t believe in Jesus.
I think the professor assigned this read as the first story to open our own imagination. This story allowed me to actually feel that I was part of their village. I felt their sadness when they mentioned that his life was probably hard because of his stature and size. The villagers started thinking of ways to change their village in order for someone like Esteban to be okay in. Creating doorways big enough. We see how they evolved and there was this influence created by Esteban. Even in my personal life there have been events that have influenced changes in my life. I didn’t think about college too much, but I have 3 daughters who look up to me and I want them to be proud of me and hopefully motivate them to become a responsible person. It’s good that literature can be so relatable and maybe even put into perspective of what is going on our personal lives.
