Viridiana Rivera

What was surprising about “The house on mango street” was the way in which it challenged traditional notions of gender and sexuality. Esperanza is a strong and independent female protagonist, and the novel offers a nuanced portrayal of the ways in which gender roles and expectations shape our experiences and perceptions of the world. The novel also explores themes of sexuality and sexual identity, with several vignettes exploring the ways in which women are objectified and oppressed by male-dominated societal norms. “The family of little feet” The image of the girls walking around in oversized high-heeled shoes is both humorous and poignant, and it speaks to larger themes of identity, self-expression, and the desire to break free from societal expectations and constraints. Through their shared experience of wearing the high-heeled shoes, the girls are able to bond with each other and explore their individual identities in a way that feels liberating and empowering. I was puzzled by Esperanza’s fascination with the trees and her insistence that they are somehow connected to her own identity and sense of self. However, as the vignette unfolds, it becomes clear that the trees are a powerful symbol of Esperanza’s resilience and determination in the face of adversity.

Bruno Bettelheim’s psychologically oriented reading of fairy tales emphasizes the symbolic and metaphorical meanings of the stories, rather than their literal plot details. He argues that these tales serve a therapeutic function for children, helping them to work through their unconscious fears and anxieties. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” Bettelheim observes that the story reflects the anxieties of adolescent girls as they navigate the transition from childhood to adulthood. The character of Arnold Friend represents the dangers of sexual awakening and the threat of male aggression, while the protagonist Connie represents the vulnerability and confusion of adolescence. The story can be seen as a cautionary tale about the risks of exploring one’s own desires and the need for parental guidance and protection. In “Little Snow White,” Bettelheim notes that the stepmother represents the child’s own mother, and that her envy and attempts to kill Snow White reflect the child’s fear of losing the mother’s love and attention to a rival sibling. The dwarfs, on the other hand, represent a nurturing and protective father figure who helps Snow White survive and ultimately triumph over her jealous stepmother. In “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by Anne Sexton, Bettelheim’s ideas about the symbolism of the fairy tale are also relevant. Sexton’s version of the story explores themes of female identity and empowerment, as Snow White must navigate a world in which she is constantly objectified and threatened by male figures.  

In my understanding of the story, Oates is exploring the dangers of adolescence and the loss of innocence. Connie is portrayed as a typical teenage girl, concerned with her appearance and her social life. She is rebellious and seeks attention from boys, but she is not prepared for the danger that awaits her. Arnold Friend represents the evil that exists in the world and preys on vulnerable individuals like Connie. He is a manipulative and predatory figure who uses his charm to lure Connie into his grasp. The story suggests that Connie’s innocence and naivety make her an easy target for someone like Arnold Friend. Furthermore, the story can be interpreted as a critique of the cultural values of the 1960s. The story is set in a time of social change and upheaval, and Connie’s actions can be seen as a reflection of the values of that time. Connie’s desire for attention and her willingness to take risks with boys reflects the cultural shift towards sexual liberation and experimentation.

In “How to Read a Poem” by Edward Hirsch the assumptions that are made in this poem are, many readers make the false assumption that they should immediately understand everything in a poem, as seen in this quote: “Most readers make three false assumptions when addressing an unfamiliar poem. The first is assuming that they should understand everything right away.” A second assumption is that readers believe everything in a poem is meant to be taken literally, which is challenged by Hirsch in the following lines “The second is assuming that everything in a poem is literal. But some words refer to a reality outside the poem while others do not.” The third false assumption I would say is that poems have only one interpretation, as Hirsch states: “The third is assuming that poems can be reduced to a single, definitive interpretation. But poems are multivalent; they can mean many things to many different people.” Moral of the story I believe that it encourages readers to challenge these assumptions and approach poetry with an open mind.

The quote “Reading a poem is part attitude and part technique.” in my own words reading a poem requires a combination of both a certain mindset or a set of skills or methods. One sonnet from this week that I can discuss is “Sonnet 18” by William Shakespeare. In my personal experience, reading this poem requires both a certain mindset and a set of techniques. The attitude or approach I bring to the poem involves an appreciation for the beauty of nature and the passage of time. Meanwhile, the techniques I use include paying attention to the rhyme scheme and meter, as well as analyzing the use of metaphors and other literary devices. In the opening lines of the poem, the speaker compares the subject of the poem to a “summer’s day.” This metaphor sets the tone for the rest of the poem and emphasizes the beauty and perfection of the subject. By recognizing and analyzing this metaphor, I am able to better understand the poem’s message. Furthermore, the poem’s use of iambic pentameter and rhyme scheme also contribute to its overall effect. As the speaker praises the subject’s beauty and perfection, the poem’s structure and rhythm help to reinforce these qualities. For example, in lines 5-6, the speaker says,”Sometime too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed”.  

The greeting card lyrics “Why Do I Love You So Much?” and the Browning sonnet “How Do I Love Thee?” share similarities and differences in their use of poetic elements. Both the card and the sonnet express deep love and admiration for the object of affection. However, while the sonnet describes the many ways in which the speaker loves their beloved, the card seems to focus more on the overwhelming intensity of the feeling of love itself. In terms of language, both the sonnet and the card use vivid and emotional words to convey their message. The sonnet uses words like “depth,” “breadth,” and “height” to express the magnitude of the speaker’s love, while the card uses phrases like “my heart beats faster” and “I am hopelessly in love with you” to convey the intensity of the feeling. Sound and lineation also play a role in both poems. The sonnet’s consistent iambic pentameter and end rhyme scheme give it a musical quality that enhances the emotional impact of the words. The card, on the other hand, uses shorter lines and irregular rhyme and meter to create a more conversational tone. For example, the card might use a line like “I can’t explain what you do to me” to convey a sense of urgency and passion, while the sonnet might use a more measured and formal tone. Imagery is another element that both poems use to express love. The sonnet uses metaphors like “sun and candlelight” and “breath and smiles” to describe the many ways in which the speaker loves their beloved. The card, meanwhile, might use imagery like “you light up my life” or “you complete me” to express the same idea. In terms of rhyme and meter, the sonnet follows a strict pattern of ABBAABBA CDCDCD, while the card’s rhyme scheme and meter are […]

For my research essay I will be using “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” By Flannery O’Connor “Violence is a very horrible thing. That’s what you’re learning from this story, if you didn’t already know it.” I have done some research and have found some biographies to support my thesis. The databases I used was Literature Resource Center. It helped me with providing access to biographical information, bibliographies, and critical analysis of authors and their literary works.  

One of the most surprising elements of Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is the sudden and brutal violence that occurs towards the end of the story. After a series of misadventures and mistakes, the family finds themselves stranded on a remote road where they encounter a group of escaped convicts led by a man known as The Misfit. Despite the grandmother’s attempts to appeal to his better nature and convince him to spare their lives, The Misfit orders his men to kill the entire family. What intrigued me was the elements of Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is the complex and flawed characters that populate the story. From the self-centered and manipulative grandmother to the morally ambiguous and enigmatic Misfit, each character is carefully crafted to challenge the reader’s assumptions and expectations. One of the puzzling elements of Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is the ending of the story and the meaning behind it. After the family is brutally murdered by The Misfit and his gang, the story ends with The Misfit making a cryptic statement about the grandmother: “She would have been a good woman, if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.” This statement is puzzling because it raises a number of questions about The Misfit’s motives and the nature of grace and redemption.  

In “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor is a complex and multi-layered story that can be interpreted in many ways. At its core, the story is about the destructive power of pride and the human capacity for grace and redemption. The grandmother, who is the central character, embodies the theme of pride. She is selfish, manipulative, and judgmental, and believes that her own desires and opinions are more important than anyone else’s. Her pride leads her to make a series of bad decisions that ultimately result in the deaths of her entire family. However, the story also contains elements of grace and redemption. The Misfit, the violent criminal who murders the family, represents the possibility of grace and redemption. Despite his crimes, he is portrayed as a complex and sympathetic character who is struggling with issues of morality and faith. He recognizes the grandmother’s attempts to connect with him and acknowledges that she is a good person at heart, even though she has made mistakes. In the end, the grandmother’s encounter with the Misfit leads her to a moment of profound realization and humility. She recognizes her own faults and weakness, and reaches out to the Misfit with an act of compassion and love. Her act of grace is ultimately rewarded with her own redemption, as she finds a sense of peace and acceptance in the face of death. The story is about the transformative power of grace and redemption, and how it can come from unexpected sources. The element of suspense in the story serves to highlight the inner struggles and transformations of the characters, and to emphasize the possibility of redemption even in the darkest of circumstances.

“a War God ringed with the cries of men, a savage God who burns us; grant that he turn in racing course backwards out of our country’s bounds to the great palace of Amphitrite19 or where the waves of the Thracian sea 215 deny the stranger safe anchorage. Whatsoever escapes the night at last the light of day revisits; so smite the War God, Father Zeus, beneath your thunderbolt, 220 for you are the Lord of the lightning, the lightning that carries fire.” Lines 215-220 I chose this passage because the chorus is showing and explaining to me about a God and its emotions. It is basically saying that Lightning is the traditional symbol of sudden enlightenment and the destruction of ignorance, and the fire basically represents God’s presence when Moses met God in the burning bush and later when God appeared in a pillar of fire and led the people into the wilderness.   

In the story “Araby”, words I would use to describe the boy is, sensitive, innocent, romantic, and he has a mindset that is very impressive. He’s a young boy who is experiencing feelings for a friends sister and how he is willing to gift her something from the Bazaar. His character affects to what happens in the end because he was coming to a realization that him being “in love” was all in his head, and because he knew it was just a vision of his he was built with anger and was heartbroken. The way he was viewing certain things made him want to believe he was in love with his friends sister. He thought that going to the Bazaar to get a gift would be a romantic and magical place to his wanting. He also couldn’t find something special for the girl which was disappointing to him.

In the story “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, children were being taught more about brutal reality of inequality. Sylvia, a woman of color, doesn’t even have enough cash to afford toys. Not everybody can afford the toys at FAO Schwarz, and yet a relatively wealthy kid in the group named Mercedes is frequently judged for having things they can’t control. Sylvia could not even afford the toys she desired, so even though Mercedes could. The author acknowledged the problems of inequality by incorporating their financial differences. “So we heading down the street and she’s boring us silly about what things cost and what our parents make and how much goes for rent and how money ain’t divided up right in this country” (Bambara 2). In my opinion why would someone take kids and show them stuff they aren’t suppose to be learning ? I also believe that Slyvia was frustrated enough because she did not have the money that others may have to afford what others can.

I would analyze the character of the boy in the story as wanting to believe, and seeking to to be save, and see Jesus.  Several words I would describe him as a kid who is wanting to be accepted, but knows it is not his time yet he is ashamed of the fact that he lied, so he feels guilty, and disappointed. He is different by the end of the story because after church, and having everyone around him pray for him he could not sleep because he did not say the truth about him seeing Jesus, and it was something he was not okay with, and because he lied he did not know wether or not to believe if there was a Jesus anymore. I would say that he changed as in him accepting the fact that maybe it is not his time yet, and the time will come for him.

I think that this was assigned to us as our first story of the course because it is showing us how a person can change the way people think, and how much of a change they can make in others. All of the women in the village decided to take care of him, and make him a responsibility to them. They all made sure he that he was in good condition even though he was dead, and made sure he had clothes, also have a funeral happen where the women live. In the story they described him as tall and strong, and the men in their village became jealous because of how the women were acting with Esteban. Then it came to a realization that Esteban had made a change in the village, and the women and men came together. The villagers were looking at Esteban and thought that he was not confident in his size, and so then the people in the village started working together as a team to prepare him a funeral. He made an impact towards the people to better themselves and their lives.