Nato

In a post of about 150 words, please tell which of the semester’s readings had the most meaning for you and why.   Firstly, I would like to point out that all reading materials in this class were very interesting, informative and deep. Each and every reading would make me see things differently. After reading the weekly materials, my point of view would get broader and broader. Personally, my favourite article is the one I chose for the research paper “Araby” by James Joice. “Araby” is my favourite reading due to various reasons. The most interesting part of the story is how the meaning of it is really deep and hidden behind the words. “Araby” is one of the articles you cannot analyze after reading it once, but you have to at least go through it twice to understand the main idea. I love how the author uses the ligh and darkness to show us the difference between real world and the fantasy. I love how the author describes each moment in details and puts the meaning behind every sentence. I would highly recommend this article to any of my friends!

The chapter “Rafaela Who Drinks Coconut & Papaya Juice on Tuesdays” describes a young neighbor whose husband locks her in their apartment when he goes out to play dominoes on Tuesday nights. Rafaela wishes she could dance in the bar where she hears the music wafting up to her window. She asks the children to buy her sweet drinks at the store as a treat, so she drops down a dollar, and they send up a bottle of juice on a paper bag pulley. Then “Sally” is about a neighbor girl who also feels trapped inside her house by her father who worries because she is too beautiful. People spread rumors about her, which are untrue, so she stands alone by the fence pretending she was invisible, dreaming about a life where she felt loved.   “Minerva Writes Poems” is about another neighbor who has two children, and her husband keeps leaving and coming back. Minerva struggles to feed her children and writes poems in her free time. It’s hard to say if it’s worse when her husband is there and beats her or worse when he’s away. In “Bums in the Attic” Esperanza wishes she could live in a house on a hill, so she could be closer to the stars. She would let homeless men sleep in her attic, and she would be happy. Even though Esperanza knows she is the ugly daughter, in “Beautiful & Cruel” she thinks about how she will someday escape her parents’ house. She knows she can’t use her sexuality to attract a man, so instead she tries to act like a man.

Perhaps the book’s most important theme is Esperanza’ s progress from childhood to adulthood. It is no accident that the book takes place in approximately her twelfth year when she is too old for children’s games but not old enough to be a confident adult.  She thinks about what kind of power womanhood will bring but does not understand the responsibilities that accompany that power. She searches for role models in her mother and her older friends but finds none. Her mother and aunts are too domestic, with ambitions for their children and husbands and none of their own. Older girls like Sally and Marin seem more in control, but Esperanza quickly realizes that their power comes from their sensuality, and is fleeting and too dependent on men. From the start of the book, Esperanza realizes that men and women live in “separate worlds,” and that women are nearly powerless in her society. There is a constant conflict between being a sexual being and keeping one’s freedom, as most of the book’s female characters are trapped both by abusive husbands and needy children. Esperanza comes to recognize this dichotomy as she is caught between her own budding sexuality and her desire for freedom.

Renown psychologist Bruno Bettelheim has implied that Disney’s work is nothing more than, “empty minded entertainment” , and fully expresses that “children now meet fairy tales only in prettified and simplified versions which subdue their meaning and rob them of deeper significance”. Bettelheim is very adamant that fairy tales are nothing short of quintessential for a child’s development. However, despite Disney’s vast array of fairy tale interpretations, Bettelheim argues that the only way for these stories to truly inspire a child’s imagination it must be told from the direct source: “The true meaning and impact of a fairy tale can be appreciated, its enchantment can be experienced, only from the story in its original form”.   In Bettleheim’s psychologically oriented reading of the story and “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” By Joyce Carol Oates both stories have the similarities which is quite noticeable. For example in both stories the authors empathize on parental complexes and how it affects the main characters. One of the most interesting thing I noticed between those stories is how the role of father is entirely cut from the story and they don’t hold any power.

As with much of Oates’s fiction, “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” uses the technique of psychological realism, funneling the narrative through Connie’s consciousness, along with elements of gothic horror, to chilling effect. The story has been subject to differing interpretations by various critics. It has been seen as an inverted fairy tale in which Connie is joined not with Prince Charming but with the Prince of Darkness.  These readers have pointed out similarities between Arnold Friend and the devil: his disguise, his supernatural knowledge of the whereabouts of Connie’s family, his ability to lure Connie to him against her will, even his very name, which is by no coincidence close to ”Arch Fiend.” Others see it as a tale of initiation into evil, with the end depicting Connie’s acceptance of the depraved American culture. Here Connie inhabits a world of moral impoverishment in which only the false and tawdry are revered. The loss of Connie to Arnold Friend is thus not only the story of one girl’s fatal misperception of appearances but also a representation of a loss of innocence.  There are still others who read the story as a feminist allegory which suggests that young women of today, like the generations that have come before them, are headed into sexual bondage.  In addition to reading ”Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” for its critical interpretation, it can also be enjoyed as a finely crafted story. Oates’s control over her narrative is clearly evident as she introduces a protagonist who is familiar enough to earn the reader’s empathy, yet still able to surprise.

In my opinion, poems speak to us in many ways. Though their forms may not always be direct or narrative. Sometimes the job of the poem is to come closer to saying what cannot be said in other forms of writing, to suggest an experience, idea, or feeling that you can know but not entirely express in any direct or literal way.  Williams admits that poetry is often difficult. the poem “January Morning,”: All this— was for you, old woman. I wanted to write a poem that you would understand. For what good is it to me if you can’t understand it? But you got to try hard— He also suggests that a poet depends on the effort of a reader, somehow, a reader must “complete” what the poet has begun. This act of completion begins when you enter the imaginative play of a poem, bringing to it your experience and point of view. If a poem is “play” in the sense of a game or a sport, then you enjoy that it makes you work a little, that it makes you sweat a bit. Reading poetry is a challenge, but like so many other things, it takes practice, and your skills and insight improve as you progress.

Personally, I have never been a fan of poetry, however, I do agree that it helps people understand and appreciate the world around us. Petry can offer people a way to empathize with one another. In its immediacy, poetry is a counsellor helping people to understand one another and leading us away from hate to love, from violence to mercy and pity. Since I have never been deeply interested in Poetry, all the activities in Week 11, helped me view it differently. The reading materials and the videos helped me deepen my knowledge of Poetry and showed me the importance of it in people’s lives. For example, I really liked “Sonnet 18” by  William Shakespeare. In this sonnet, Shakespeare also claims to have the power to preserve his love’s beauty through poetry. Shakespeare uses Sonnet 18 to praise his beloved’s beauty and describe how their beauty is preferable to a summer day. The stability of love and its power to immortalize someone is the overarching theme of this poem. It deals with the theme of beauty and how it can be affected by prolonged lapses of time.

For my research essay, I have chosen “Araby” by James Joyce. My thesis statement is – “The author uses light and darkness to demonstrate the narrator’s battle between the fantasy and brutality of reality”. I have decided to use literary critique as a secondary source to support my research essay and to better describe Joyce’s use of dark and light imagery. I found several literary databases in the BMCC library, such as JSTOR, Literature Resource Center, however, I have not made my final decision yet.

The first thing we notice is how Women are debilitated by adjusting to social jobs. We realize that Louise Mallard opposed her longing for opportunity through a functioning restraint of musings that disregarded the particulars of female family life. Sarah Penn likewise opposed normal driving forces by devoting herself to the perfection of household womanhood. This prompts a significant split between the outward life and the inward experience that is ruinous to oneself and to the encompassing society. In the Story of an Hour,” she utilizes various types of abstract components to unmistakably characterize her story and to demonstrate the majority of the implications behind what occurs in the story. There is a wide range of sorts of abstract components utilized in this short story however I accept the most significant one is incongruity. Incongruity is the thing that she used the most throughout the story right into the end which was by far what gave the story a grievous and unexpected completion. The unpredictable, uncertain tone of this segment of the story is inferred by the blended symbolism of “patches of blue sky appearing to a great extent through the mists”. Louise’s life is immediately dim, yet new alternatives are starting to first light (Evans). It’s the shrouded imagery like this in this story that uncovers the implications of everything and how she is truly feeling. Now perusers are confounded about whether he was a decent spouse or now however it unmistakably demonstrates that he was not an awful one since she is miserable. She simply doesn’t feel a similar route about him any longer so that is the reason she has an entirely different “free” life in front of her.

In “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor explores the conflict between appearance and reality. The grandmother appears to be a lady-like Christian woman, yet her encounter with The Misfit reveals that she does not believe in the central tenet of Christianity that Christ can raise the dead. In the story, there are two kinds of people. Those who know they are bad people and those who are bad people yet persist in believing they are good. The story depicts the impact of Christ on the lives of two seemingly disparate characters. One is a grandmother joining her son’s family on a trip to Florida. The grandmother makes the mistake of thinking that her own moral qualities are self-evident. At the end of the story, it is the grandmother who is seen as attaining grace. She attains it at her moment of death. She reaches out and recognizes the Misfit as her child. It is noted that throughout the story, it is the grandmother who advocates for the Christian faith. Both the grandmother and the Misfit are portrayed as stereotypes throughout the story, but their final encounter changes them. The grandmother’s journey from spiritual blindness to the realization of her own sins allows her to affect hopeful change in even the most despicable, unrepentant character, the Misfit. The author of this short story purposefully uses the two character types represented by the grandmother and the Misfit to show that anyone can change, as both characters, to varying degrees, represent humanity in all of its sinfulness. Looking carefully at the final encounter in the story, grace, an incredibly important concept for Flannery O’Connor, is shown to operate in both of these characters, presenting them with the possibility of change. Change through the delivery of grace is possible in anyone, as […]

What timeless human experiences or behaviors do you find in your reading of Oedipus the King? We all agree that Oedipus’ most admirable traits are his determination, commitment to truth and justice, and his desire to be a good king to Thebes’ people. When he hears that the devastating plague Thebes is a result of Laius’ murder being unpunished, Oedipus stops at nothing to discover the truth about Laius’ murder.  He seeks to enforce justice for the murder of Laius. Despite being warned by the blind prophet Tiresias that Oedipus will be upset by the true identity of Laius’ murderer, Oedipus still stays committed to his search for the truth. We can definitely say that  Oedipus’ determined search for the truth on behalf of his people ultimately leads to his downfall and tragic end.  Even when Oedipus discovers the horrifying truth that he is, in fact, the perpetrator of the crime, he does not deny it or attempt to hide the truth. Instead, he acts as a great and loyal king to the people of Thebes because he sacrifices himself for the higher cause of his people’s wellbeing. he is strong and determined in his search for the truth at any cost, he bravely faces and accepts his guilt.

“it is not right to think good men, without reason, bad or bad men good.” (Line 609) “time alone can make it clear a man is just while you can know a traitor in a day.” (Line 613) In “Oedipus the King,” I chose the scene which describes my feelings of unfairness for me.  I have selected the scene where Oedipus accuses Creon of conspiracy because he betrayed him. In the scene, Creon asks the elders what was said about him, for he is concerned about the rumours that have started spreading. He claims that he has never caused any harm to Oedipus that he knows of, and asks why this accusation was directed at him. As Oedipus enters, he asks Creon how he could come there and accuses him of trying to steal the crown and of murdering Laios. Furthermore, he questions why Tiresias didn’t come forward at the time of the murder and says that he refuses to be convicted of murder. Oedipus is free to judge him, Creon says, but not without some proof, as it is “not right to think good men, without reason, bad or bad men good.” Creon believes it takes time to judge for: “time alone can make it clear a man is just while you can know a traitor in a day.” Creon, her brother, swears on his death that he has done nothing of what Oedipus has charged him of. At the same time, the elders agree, asking Oedipus to calm down and believe Creon, for they do not believe he is a fool.  We can say that Creon simply defends himself against Oedipus’s accusation by saying that Oedipus is not wise by being stubborn and forgetting common sense.

“Araby” by James Joyce is not a love story. What is “Araby” really about? “Araby” is a short story written by James Joyce. This story revolves around a boy and recounts his disillusionment. The boy develops a big crush on his friend’s older sister. The narrator at first describes his mundane life. Then, Mangan’s sister becomes a mental escape for the narrator. All thoughts strike him as an escape from the real filthy world to the ideal world not only physically but mentally. Mangan’s sister provides him mental escape and the thoughts regarding Araby bazaar also provide him with an escape. He thinks of her every time. At some points, he could be seen daydreaming about that girl. He explains her in religious terms. Moreover, he thinks his studies are useless after falling in love with the girl. However, in the end, all his beliefs proved wrong and Araby market brought the understanding of epiphany to the narrator. The narrator thinks of something foreign in the Araby market. However, he found out that nothing in the Araby market matches the description he made in his mind. He observes people speaking English. He noticed things there are not so special. He realizes his illusion of love. At that time, all his delusions turn into disappointments.

The story “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara focuses on equality, class, appearance, and education. The story raises the issue of unfairness in society and the way children learn about it.  While we read the story, we come across with multiple characters. Miss Moore is  a school teacher who constantly plans different  activities for the kids. One day she decides to take kids to the FAO Schwartz on the fifth avenue. As soon as kids arrive to the location, everyone seems very intimidated by the prices and the toys. I would like to discuss and compare behavior of two characters, Mercedes and Sylvia. Sylvia has always had a very negative attitude towards Miss Moore. She did not like the way Miss Moore would speak or dress. She hated her for her college degree. Sylvia and her friend Sugar mock the woman because of her “nappy hair” and “proper speech.” Once they arrive at the FAO Schwartz, Sylvia realizes that they’re on Fifth Avenue, where everyone is dressed in expensive clothing. It immediately makes her feel upset and irritated. When they enter the store she did not understand what was the point of seeing all those fancy expensive toys without any money.  She imagines how ridiculous it would be to ask her mother to spend that much on a toy clown. Sylvia thinks about all the things that much money could pay for in her family. On the other hand, how see a different reaction from Mercedes who was very excited and happy to see the place. She even says that she wants to go there with her birthday money. She truly appreciated everything she was and felt motivated at the end. She felt that she could do so much more in life regardless of the circumstances. Seeing all the amazing […]

“Salvation” is one of the greatest short stories written by Langston Hughes. Langston Hughes is both the narrator and the protagonist of the story which is about losing his faith. While reading the story, we see the entire transformation of protagonist which gives us the main idea of the reading. We read about the entire experience Hughes goes through from his childhood till revival meeting. At the beginning, he is full of faith and confidence which entirely changes at the end of the story. Throughout the story, we see how Langston’s beliefs change once he realizes that there is no physical human being standing in front of him. He realizes that he is not feeling anything at the church, when he is supposed to feel enlightened and saved as taught in the childhood. All those unexpected emotions made Langston feel lost and confused. He was losing his faith which was so deeply written in his mind. He felt weird for not exactly experiencing what he thought he would experience. Hughes decided to make others feel like he had in fact seen Jesus which made him feel horribly guilty. Langston was a kid who once believed in Jesus and had a deep faith, which entirely changed at the end of the story.  From my point of view, deep inside, Langston always knew that there was something else, unanswered but because of how he was raised, he did not have much choice in life, but to saved by Jesus.

Prompt: Why do you think I might have assigned this as the first story of the course? Based on my experience, I find the stories interesting when the author puts a lot of hidden messages in it which might not be obvious when we first read it. In my opinion, both external and internal information gives us a full deep image of the story. The story “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” written by Gabriel Garcia Marquez is one of the best examples of presenting both character’s internal and external journey. The story is about a village that finds a dead man on its shore. The author perfectly describes dead man’s physical features and emphasized on how big and masculine he was. We see the internal journey when women start taking care of the protagonist, which step by step lead us to the conclusion of the story. In my opinion, the reason why we were assigned this as the first story of the course is to make us first questions and second realize the details we read in the stories. How each detail makes the story as one whole. How character’s physical or inner world are connected with each other and how all of it leads us to conclusion.