Monthly Archives: February 2024

The quote by Boris Pasternak can be applied to the story, “The Necklace.” The quote states that “Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people, and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.” The story starts by introducing this ordinary woman who married an ordinary man. Although the story continues to give details about this woman and her thoughts about a rich life. She constantly thought of a perfect life for her, which can be said for many people. That is what makes her ordinary. However, to her surprise, this lavish life costs her ten years of her life from one night of fun. The quote can be applied because this woman was ordinary. Yet the story gives an extraordinary summary of her story and how her dreams got the best of her. This literature quite truly takes an ordinary woman and her story and puts it into extraordinary words to read.

The quote I choose is from C.S. Lewis,”Literature adds reality, not just describe it.” is relate to the story “The Necklace”(Maupassant). Literature is not just describing a story, it adds into our reality, it helps us to think deeper on the choice we might take, and the consequences that might come for us. In the story, (Ms. Loisel) Her vanity led her and her family to pay a terrible price, spending ten years to repay the necklace. At the end of the story, she finally realized that the necklace was a fake, worth at most 500 francs, but the ten years she and her husband lost would never return to them. Literature not only describes stories; its metaphors constantly warn us in reality, allowing us to observe from a third-person perspective the consequences that foolish decisions might bring.

The quote “The Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it” aligns well with “Araby” story by James Joyce as the story explores the transformative power of imagination and the impact of literature on shaping one’s perception of reality.The main character in James Joyce’s “Araby” experiences the quote in a similar way. The narrative follows the youngster as he develops feelings for Mangan’s sister, his neighbor, and his romantic aspirations skew his view of the world. His readings provide his perspective of the world a creative layer that heightens the appeal of the bazaar, Araby. The stark reality of the marketplace clashes with his expectations, demonstrating the transformational power of books in forming his thinking. The narrative emphasizes how literature affects people’s interpretations and experiences of reality in addition to describing it. Joyce examines the intricate relationship between literature and reality through the boy’s trip, highlighting how perception is subjective and how imagination shapes our understanding.

The quote about literature that I have chosen is by C.S Lewis: ” Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it.” In “the Necklace” by Guy De Maupassant, this quote t is distinctively embodies through the depiction of human desires, the consequences of decisions, and the exploration of societal values.Through the personality of Mathilde Loisel, De Maupassant digs into the complexities of human desires, showing how aspiration for wealth and social position shape individual lives. Mathilde’s persistent quest for a luxurious way of life drives her to get a precious diamond necklace, setting off a chain of occasions that radically modifies her reality. furthermore the profound consequences of Mathilde’s decisions Her decision to hide the deficiency of the necklace dives her family into monetary ruin, testing the thought that material wealth equates to satisfactionOverall, “The Necklace” enriches our understanding of reality by delving into the intricacies of human nature and the far-reaching impacts of individual choices, thereby exemplifying C.S. Lewis’s assertion that literature adds depth to our perception of reality rather than merely reflecting it.

The quote that I chose as “It takes a great deal of history to produce a little literature” by Henry James. This quote corelates with the short story “The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin. In this story, we see Mrs. Mallard responding to her husband’s sudden death. We are not given any further description on her circumstances other than a description of what she looks like, that she has a heart condition, and what her thought process is. We also know the time period in which it was written, and that it was written by a woman. Even though it is not written, the reader would know based on these bits of information that it was frowned upon for women to not be married during this time period. Historically speaking, widows were able to have more autonomy over their own lives at that time, especially when their late husbands were well off.    

  In the compelling short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator and the complexity of the human condition.   What’s ineffective about this sentence is that the writer is being general rather than being specific to what they are trying to say. The writer also seems to be complimenting the story which is something we shouldn’t do. I would rewrite it in a way for the sentence to be more specific. In the story “Araby”, James Joyce wants the readers to see the amount of complex the character of the nameless narrator is and puts the readers inside of the characters mind to truly see the characters thoughts and feelings. It gives us more detail about what’s going on with the character, this gives the story and the character meaning as it helps us expand the story’s idea its trying to give the reader.            

The assertion needs explicitness, neglecting to give proof to help the creator’s goal of clarifying the complexities of the human condition. It needs clearness with respect to the intricacy of the actual condition and depends excessively intensely on the writer’s point of view, which ought to be induced by perusers as opposed to expressly expressed. Also, it ignores the elements adding to the intricacy of the condition. To improve the adequacy, the updated adaptation ought to dive into the points of interest of the condition, its effect on character advancement, topical components, phonetic procedures utilized, the hero’s battle with adoration initiated visual deficiency, and the significance of character names as huge subtleties.

In the compelling short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator and the complexity of the human condition. Instead of complimenting or critiquing the author’s book because we already know it’s a good book, I would skip that part and go straight into the book’s name or the author’s name. Next I will explain more … like how does the author encourage us the reader to examine the character ? or why do we even need to examine the character ?How does examining the character help us figure out or connect with the complexity of the human condition?     With the revising it should maybe look something like this…        In the short story “Araby” by James Joyce the author introduces the nameless narrator and the main character of the book is a very complicated and detailed thinking person. Throughout the story the author encourages the readers to examine the character and the overall complexity of the human condition by using the characters inner dialogue in an attempt to understand the charterers thoughts, and feelings throughout the story

Other than a discussion about economic disparity, lack of equal opportunity, racial inequity, and other broad social issues I would probably write an essay about “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara discussing and focusing on how the main character acts and thinks. From what the story provided it seems as though the main character does not have a mom or dad. Which makes me think that the main character probably had a hard life and in their life some things are out of their control , but with her friend group she is the one in charge and the one who makes the discussions. Like the times in your life when things aren’t going too great and you feel like you can’t do anything about it, but you still have something under your control and you clutch on to that, and when there are new changes you feel uncomfortable , lost and confused like how the main character was reacting to here friend speaking up and the main characters new thoughts while coming back from the school trip. I think I would title this essay “Out of my control “ or “ the fear of the unknown”

Read the following sentence from a student essay. In the compelling short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator and the complexity of the human condition. What is ineffective about this sentence? In my opinion, this sentence is ineffective because it is too general and the writer only mentions what you can learn from the story but not what it’s about to get you to that point where you learn something from it. How might you rewrite it in a way that offers specific details that would be informative to a reader? If I could rewrite it I would do it in a way where I mention what happens to support why I feel that way. For example In the short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to follow the journey of a young boy who gets infatuated with a girl and what can come from it.

What I believe is ineffective about this student’s sentence is that it doesn’t give readers much information about the short story “Araby” by James Joyce to understand the statement made. I believe that a little bit more details describing the narrator would have been helpful to the sentence’s effectiveness. What this sentence is lacking is details; information to support the statement. The student mentions that “…the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator and the complexity of the human condition.” Upon what information is their statement made? That information should be included in their sentence to strengthen it. Here’s how I would rewrite it to offer specific details that would be informative to a reader: In the compelling short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator who’s only joy seem to come from fantasying of a young girl  from his neighborhood and getting her a gift  from the araby, and the  complexity of the human condition.

The sentence presented is ineffective because it la ls specifics . It doesn’t really grabs the readers attention and doesn’t really explain the topic of what was given . I would probably rewrite the sentence like this “Dive into the captivating world of James Joyce’s ‘Araby,’ where the nameless narrator’s profound complexities mirror the intricate layers of the human experience, beckoning readers to explore the depths of the soul.”

In the line provided above, I would say that it is ineffective because it is vague and does not provide any precise explanation for the complexity of the unnamed narrator’s character or how James Joyce’s in “Araby” showed the complexity of the human condition. From my perspective, It states more of an assumption without offering proof or instances to back it up.    If I were to rewrite it, this is how I would do it. In “Araby,” by James Joyce, a complex figure out of the anonymous narrator who exposes the delusions of youth is created. The narrator’s romanticized feelings for Mangan’s sister are very clear, and they stand in for teenage love ideals. But when his attempt to purchase a gift fails, his dreams are finally crushed, which starts showing the difference between dreams and realities at a young age. Joyce sheds light on the common experiences of youth, He shows us a clear way of letting us see the depressing maturity some have by describing how the narrator’s dreams are crushed upon meeting the harsh realities of adulthood. This emotional journey shows the greater human complexity involved in finding a way out of difficult situations.   

In the student essay about “Araby” by James Joyce, the student should specify the human condition that is being discussed. Also, the sentence is vague and doesn’t go into details, backing what the student is trying to comply. The student also doesn’t explain how the author encourages readers to examine the details that is being mentioned. If I was to rewrite in a way that offers specific details, I would include how the author encourages readers. I would also include the human conditions to give the readers an insight of the story more. I would explain how the narrator’s character is intricate, that would give more background information about the narrator to better help explain to someone who hasn’t read the story. Overall, the student’s sentence needed a few specific details to get the perfect sentence.

The sentence could be more effective with specific details about the narrator and how the story explores the human condition. A rewrite might be “In Araby, Joyce delves into the psyche of a young boy, revealing the disillusionment of youth through vivid imagery and a poignant quest for meaning.” The original sentence is a bit vague because it doesn’t provide concrete examples of how Joyce explores the narrator’s character or the human condition.

The sentences effectiveness lies in its ability to capture the essence of “Araby” precisely showing not only the intricacies of human emotions but also how James Joyce portrays this theme through the narrators experiences. By focusing on the narrators infatuation and subsequent disappointment the sentence directly highlights the psychological voyage at the heart of the tale. This journey, characterized by the disparity, between aspirations and harsh realities faced by the narrator serves as a representation of humanity grappling with lifes imperfections on a scale. Joyces storytelling technique, delving into the world of the narrator becomes a means to delve into themes like longing shattered illusions and loss of innocence. This narrative approach enables readers to recognize how personal encounters mirror truths enhancing their grasp of aspects within the story and mankind’s complex existence. The thorough rephrasing not clarifies themes within the narrative but also encourages readers to delve deeper into character development and engage with its relevance concerning personal growth and humanity’s quest, for self discovery.

In the compelling short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator and the complexity of the human condition. Please answer the following 2 questions: What is ineffective about this sentence? How might you rewrite it in a way that offers specific details that would be informative to a reader? In all honesty, the line does not offer any information regarding the manner in which the author demonstrates the complexity of the nameless individuals or the way in which it makes it difficult. I have a feeling that if I were to write this in a different way, I would preserve everything that is in this line, but I would add a transition word that would lead into me talking about cases where the author displays the complexity of the nameless character. After that, I would either supply direct quotes or paraphrase the cases, and then I would follow up with an analysis that is connected back to the claim that I made initially. In the compelling short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator and the complexity of the human condition by showing the character in a constant battle between desire and reality vs fantasies. This can be see when….  

Hello professor. First, I would like to say what is ineffective about this sentence is that it does not go into enough detail. We have no idea what the writer of the sentence is talking about other than theirs a nameless narrator and we are to analyze their character in a condition we know nothing of. The statement is way too broad. In order for your readers to understand the perspective in which he or she wants to direct the readers, especially in your thesis statement, it is very import to express and briefly describe the relevant dynamics of the story. If this sentence had to be re-written by myself. First I would analyze the original statement that was made and get more into detail by breaking each part down into individual parts. For example, In the beginning of the sentence the writer starts off by telling us about the author’s intentions that he has for his readers of his book “Araby”.  After introducing the author I would have gone into some greater detail of where he was born and his age as I would with he rest of the sentence. There was a lot of information that could have been included here.

The sentence is ineffective because it is a generalized statement. The sentence does not offer any details to support its claim about the author trying to get her readers to understand the complexity of the human condition. It offers no details about what the condition is either. The sentence is also ineffective because it is trying to tell us the authors point of view which is not the readers job. Also the sentence did not explain what made the “condition” complexed? If I were to rewrite the question I would include details about what the condition is and how that effects the characters development and his development. I also will include details about the different themes and languages used in the story. I also will included information about why the boy was blinded by love and his struggles with reality. I also would include the characters names, since that is important details also.

This sentence is ineffective because its too general and the readers get no information about what they are reading. It tells the reader that it is a compelling story but what does that actually mean, you can say something is compelling but is it actually? The sentence is so general that I personally would have no interest of reading because it has nothing to hook the reader in, it is only just an opinion of the story and nothing more. The way I would rewrite this sentence is In the story araby a young man goes through life and has an epiphany that changes the way he feels about others. This sentence provides some context about the story without giving away too much or leaving too little. This sentence encourages the reader to find out about this young man and the epiphany that he had in the story.

The sentence is too general, leaving out the actual context details, making it ineffective to communicate the author message. The description of the given sentence is ineffective lacking the real opinion of the student giving a profoundless sentence, because of the overwhelming generalization of the sentence. I will try to provide more details from the story, mentioning the characteristics of the author’s message, would offer more informative insight into the character’s development and the main themes of the human condition shown in the narrative, sharing  the story main points , key scenes and moments to really communicate my ideal opinion of the story.

What is ineffective about this sentence? What I think is ineffective about this sentence is, sentence doesn’t really show what the story is about.  It’s too general and could be about any story.  The sentence lacks the clarity and detail needed to capture the essence of the story.  It fails to introduce the main characters by name or provide any description of their complexities, leaving the readers questioning who the intricate character is and what aspects of the human condition are being explored.  Additionally, the use of the word “compelling” is subjective and unnecessary. This word is just someone’s opinion and shouldn’t be used at the beginning of a sentence. How might you rewrite this sentence it in a way that offers specific details to improve the clarity and detail would rewrite the sentence to include character names, describe their complexities, specify the aspects of the human condition being examined, and avoid subjective terms like “compelling”.

For one, praising Joyce’s ability to captivate readers isn’t needed. For another, the particular intricacies of the narrator’s character and where the complexity of “Araby” lies can be detailed without a leading sentence like the above one. I get the impression of trying to couch oneself in what this writer presumes to be widely-held opinions when they’re faced with their lack of a decently-stringed thesis. Offering specific information easily cuts fat like that sentence. After all, a lack of confidence is remedied by finding something, anything, that’s enveloped within itself enough to fit in one sentence. Then one can do that again, a second time, a third, and ideally pierce a common thread through them all. e.g. If I find and pull together many co-occurrences relating to “blindness” peppered through the text everywhere from actions to settings, I might allude to that in what seems to be the first sentence of an essay. James Joyce’s short story “Araby” follows a nameless young boy who, blinded by the light of a “love” that he can’t place in reality, stumbles into the darker corners of his world.” If not super rooted in facts for an introductory sentence, I think that the concrete details therein can evoke the question “What does that mean?” in a way that trusts in the following paragraphs will hold (subjective) answers.

This sentence lacks any personality of the story being talked about in this essay. It is a very general sentence and could be about any story. It also has the word compelling, which I think is an unnecessary addition to the sentence. The sentence doesn’t give the characters’ names or any description of the complexity of the human condition in this story. The sentence also doesn’t give an example or explanation of what the reader is examining about this no named character. Reading this sentence my questions would be; Who is this intricate character? What are we examining? What about the complexity of the human condition? What condition is this? If I were to rewrite this sentence, I would give details to the characters and provide their name. I would describe the human condition and why that is important. I would also take out compelling from the first part because I think that’s an opinion and that should be left up to the reader. In addition, When referring to the author I would use their last name.

The sentence from the student’s essay “In the compelling short story “Araby” by James Joyce, the author encourages readers to examine the intricate character of the nameless narrator and the complexity of the human condition” shows a few ineffective elements. The first one is the student used “compelling short story” now I believe we all know Professor Conway will only pick compelling stories, which means the beginning sentence is starting off weak. The second issue the student basically listed off what the body of the essay is going to be instead of putting in some creative thinking where the body of the essay would explain that creativity. I would rewrite the sentence like this; In “Araby” by James Joyce, the author tells a story about a young boy who falls deeply in love, but he is so in love that it leads to him being distracted from his own life leading to disappointments.

The sentence that the student gave was ineffective. This is because all the student did was just state what the author did, with no explanation whatsoever. as to what the author was trying to do. If someone including myself, were to read it, they would have no idea as to what the student was trying to express. If I were to Rewrite this students sentence, I would include how the nameless narrator has a crush on his friends sister, and the way he momentarily see’s life differently when simply either thinking of her or being around her. He completely begins to become lonelier and lonelier, distancing himself from even his friends all due to the fact of how much he imagines of the girl he is “in love with”. The sentence could also have the development of the character from the beginning of the story to the end, something as simple as mentioning how he believed he was in love with his friends sister, not realizing that he was just intrigued due to him wanting something more and different.

In my essay about “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara I would write about the strong discrimination in the story, for example “Miss Moore was her name. The only women on the block with no first name. And she was black as hell, cept for her feet, which were fish-white and spooky” (Bambara). The way the kids describe her negatively by using strong words like hell to describe the color of her skin is shocking. Also, in the beginning of the story the kids made fun of her appearance for being different in town for having nappy hair, proper speech, and walks around with no makeup and then they compared her to a homeless man near the area which they call “the junk man”. The title I will give my essay is “Ignorance of Skin Color”, I will name my essay this because the children in the story don’t really know how successful Miss Moore is, she has a degree and speaks properly but just because of her skin color they see her negatively.

I Think the student sentence is very unclear and general, and somewhat lacks specific details because the sentence is not explaining what the author actually wants to say or how the human condition is actually complex in the story.If I had to rewrite this sentence I would write about that how did views of unnamed character changes on love and reality.After first romanticizing Mangan’s sister, his disenchantment reveals more aspects of his personality. As they accompany the protagonist on her trip, readers are forced to confront the complexities of the human condition, including the depth of desire, the bitterness of disappointment, and the process of self-discovery. Through painful moments, such as the protagonist’s revelation at the bazaar, Joyce promotes investigation into the complex facets of human emotions and goals woven within the story of “Araby.”So, i would have written these details so that the reader would know what is actually happening in the story and would get clear view of that.

I think the sentences from the student is too general, it didn’t show any specific detail to provide what did author really trying to say. The sentence is ineffective because the student should give some details to let the reader get related to the story, but the student only post out his own opinion without any details. If I am going to rewrite the sentences, I will try to provide more details from the story, like how did the main character felt heartbreak after he went to the market and how did he realize the relationship between him and the girl. to provide these details will help reader get into the story and not to confused about why did character grown up in one night.

This sentence from a students essay is ineffective because it is too vague and not specific enough. The sentence is ineffective because it is not explaining what the author is trying to say or his message. It’s simply a general statement that doesn’t give the reader much understanding of what’s going to be talked about. This statement also makes for a bad and ineffective thesis statement. Just stating the author wants us to examine the character of the narrator and intricacy of human condition. With no context or background to support leaves the reader and myself confused. It needs to be more specific so the reader can be able to understand the point of view of the writer. To improve it someone could say, “In James Joyces ‘Araby’, Joyce wants readers to understand the protagonist actions/emotions while dawning on a disillusionment with adolescence while also having a crush on Mangan’s sister.

The sentence is ineffective because its not specific and doesn’t provide any concrete examples or evidence to support the claim about the story’s themes. To improve it, someone could rephrase it to include specific details about the narrator’s experiences and the themes explored in the story. For instance, someone could say, “In James Joyce’s ‘Araby,’ readers are prompted to dive into the complexities of the protagonist’s psyche as he navigates his infatuation with Mangan’s sister and his disillusionment with the reality of adulthood.” Also, mentioning key scenes or moments from the story, such as the narrator’s reflections on his feelings for Mangan’s sister or his disappointment at the bazaar, would offer more informative insight into the character’s development and the main  themes of the human condition shown in the narrative.

This sentence in this student’s essay is a bit bland. When stating a thesis in an essay, one must share a small summary behind the story that they are writing their essay on for readers to have a much clearer understanding of what to expect when reading the essay. After the summary of the story is presented, then a valid thesis statement, breaking down how the reader views the author’s ways of presenting things can present the reader with a clear note of what to expect when reading the prompt. By what’s presented here in this thesis, readers would be a bit confused as to what this writer is referring to, as there isn’t any context behind it. If I were to rewrite this thesis, I would state my thesis as “In the story of Araby, Joyce presents how the events of an individual’s life, can create such mythical conceptions in the human mind”.

The sentence from the student’s essay is too vague, by just stating that the story examines the narrator and the complexity of human condition doesn’t give insight as to how that is being done. For starters we know the narrator is anonymous and they don’t tell us how the narrators acts or even displays any signs of his complex actions. I would instead say The story “Araby” illustrates how a crush or longing for someone creates a sense of obsession. In the story the narrator shows cases of obsession and stalking. “I ran to the hall, seized my books and followed her. I kept her brown figure always in my eye and, when we came near the point at which our ways diverged, I quickened my pace and passed her.” – Araby. This quote is significant because it shows the lengths the narrator went to, to be in her presence. Another example would be caring so much that he gave his hopes up going to the Bazaar to give her a gift.

This sentence is too general and is not saying anything concrete about the story itself. If you are not familiar with the story you can not get what this sentence means. This sentence is not giving specific details, or communicating in any way what happened in the plot of the story in a way that someone can make a connection from. It needs to be more specific, so the reader that is not familiar with this story can get the writer’s point of view. Another factor that makes this sentence ineffective is the choice of words, words that are too broad. When I read this sentence I went like “what does this even mean.” I couldn’t understand what this person was talking about, even though I read the story.  If I had to rewrite this sentence, I would correct it as: In “Araby” by James Joyce, the tone that the narrator uses is aimed to express a character that is going through a melancholy’s life.

If I were to write an essay that would be less focused on the social-economical problems in the story “The Lesson” and more about the actual story itself, I would focus more on the symbolism that is shown in the story, more notably the toy store. The main reason that I would focus on the toy store is due to the fact that it was a perfect representation of the separation between those that are more fortunate to have, and those who don’t. It wasn’t all about just the money that someone had and how it represented the difference between rich and poor, but more so the different level of opportunities that someone with more money has over someone with less. The toy store also helps the main character realize how much more experiences wealthy people with money have over those that are poor. This eventually helps her grow as a character as she realizes this.

The Lesson by Toni Cade Bambara could explore character development and narrative technique nuances. First-person narration provides an intimate glimpse into the protagonist’s personal growth and realization. Additionally, the essay could delve into symbolism within the story such as the sailboat in the toy store which might represent the distant and unattainable world of wealth and luxury for the characters

In an essay that delves into more, than just socio issues one could explore the dynamics of family relationships, personal growth and how the setting impacts character development in a story. A thought provoking approach might be to consider how both the physical and emotional environments characters navigate play a role in shaping their journeys, decisions and transformations. Themes such as self discovery the complexities of relationships and the subtle influences of settings on storytelling could be analyzed. A suitable title, for this type of essay could be “Exploring Deeper; Character Growth and Setting Influence in Narratives”. This title hints at an examination of characters evolution and the importance of their surroundings offering a take beyond just focusing on socio economic aspects.

In my essay, I would explore how the environment and circumstances surrounding children influence their growth and development. I would also delve into the challenges they face and the mistakes they make, emphasizing the struggles of life. I would also add insight into their thoughts and motivations, giving the reader a glimpse into the minds of the children. While I would add some casual details to ease the tone, I would also touch on the tragic aspects and maybe explore how childhood experiences shape the adults they become and how these adults pass on these lessons to their own children. Eventually, I would demonstrate how children strive through life’s challenges and never give up. The title of my essay would be “Journey Through Life’s Challenges: Lessons Learned,” which sums up the idea that children learn valuable lessons from challenging experiences that stay with them throughout their lives.

Toni Cade’s “The Lesson” covers many societal issues, emphasizes the need of education, and has many hidden meanings. But what first drew my attention was the writing style. The story is engaging to read because of its important elements and details. The story is told by the main character, Sylvia, in her own words, and it has an intriguing conversational flow. The story also has a great way of symbolism. For example, the way money is mentioned frequently, for instance, it hints to something far more important. “Toys and Tales” is the title I would give this tale. I chose this title because I think the most important lesson was learned in the toy store, when they observed how their lives differed from those of people who could afford them.

In Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson,” there’s more to uncover than just the obvious socio-economic themes. Beyond the surface, symbols like the toy store Fao Schwarz highlight the contrast between childhood innocence and adult realities. Characters like Sylvia and Miss Moore add depth, showing the struggle between understanding injustice and resistance. The setting of Harlem itself becomes a character, embodying the community’s hopes and challenges. Through simple language and realistic dialogue, Bambara paints a vivid picture of life’s complexities. In essence, while economic disparity is important, the story offers insights into human relationships, aspirations, and the journey to understanding the world around us.

In “The Lesson” by Toni Cade it discusses a lady by the name of Ms.Moore that take the children in her neighborhood on a trip and teach them a “lesson” which was showing them the socioeconomic difference that they are not used to. Teaching them this lesson is very important because it causes the children to be aware of  how unequal money distribution is. Now prior to this lesson the children were not too fond of Ms.Moore. However, what I want to highlight is how the use of language and how it helps develop the story. The language and use of AAVE give the story a sense of familiarity and relatability to me because we can see how close minded the narrator was originally to her eventually grasping the lesson at hand. The narrator uses insults and explicit language to get her irritation across which helps the readers understand the narrators emotions and annoyance. The title I would give this essay is “AAVE and Economic Disparity”.

If I was writing an essay, I would write about the characters language, tone, and personality. I think these are interesting topics to write about because, it can help a reader connect with the story and characters. Sometimes people struggle when writing due to not being able to see themselves in the stories. This also may be why, sometimes, readers have a hard time writing about what they’ve read, because they have a hard time relating with the characters since their personalities might differ. Also, readers might struggle with the language that the author chooses to use for the characters in their stories because they might not be used to the type of language the author is using. The tone of a story is also important because if readers don’t understand the tone of a story then important details can be missed, overlooked, or misunderstood. This is why I would choose to write about the characters language, tone, and personality.

A Chat GTP-generated essay on “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara would probably discuss economic disparity, lack of equal opportunity, racial inequity, and other broad social issues. If I were to write an essay about “The Lesson,” I would name it “The Unknown Path.” I would call it this because Miss Moore had taken them on that trip to the store to show them this world beyond the world they live in. This gave them options and things to think about for their sake. Our narrator doesn’t seem fond of Miss. Moore even though most do. In “The Lesson,” Miss Moore takes them to a place where it is challenging to watch, but not touch. I think this is perfect for students because upon getting there, they wanted everything. However, the prices changed their minds. Our narrator seems threatened that everything is out of reach. She missed the lesson, which was one day you could be buying whatever you want. “The Lesson” gives a powerful, “You can do whatever you put your mind to ” mentality.  

If I were to write an essay that focused less on the socio-economic issues in the story “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara and more on important details and elements I would most likely write it on how she used symbolism throughout her essay and how it connects to the bigger themes. The symbolism with money which is recurring serves as a symbol of power And privilege, she also shows how the children interact with money. The toy store also symbolizes wealth which I feel highlighted a big contrast between her neighborhood and other neighborhoods that had more money. I believe that when a writer adds things like symbolism and metaphors it really adds depth and gives the readers something to think about rather than surface-level reading ultimately leaving readers more engaged in the story. The title of my essay would be something like “Priceless prices” or maybe “Money problems”

After devouring Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson,” I am compelled to explore the intricate development of characters, specifically Sylvia and her changing perception of her societal status. As the narrative unfolds, we witness Sylvia, initially portrayed as a confident and audacious leader, struggle with the harsh realities of her financial predicament. It is through Miss Moore is careful mentoring and thought provoking inquiries that Sylvia’s eyes are opened to the stark contrast between her own economic standing and that of her peers, highlighted by her unease in a lavish toy store. Through Sylvia’s inner musings and interactions, we are captivated by the evolution of her understanding of the profound lesson being imparted. As this critical moment unfolds, Sylvia’s realization dawns upon her that her family’s financial burdens restrict their potential. Aptly titled “Character Analysis of Sylvia in ‘The Lesson” the thorough examination delves into Sylvia’s transformation towards enlightenment and empowerment emphasizing how her character becomes crucial to the story.

I might write something along the lines of how children are influenced by the world around them. My essay would emphasize the growth that the children go through. It would show trials and errors, and all of the trouble they go through in life. it would go into detail of the children’s thoughts and motives. The essay would have some cometic moments to lighten the mood a little but I think I would make it from an adult standpoint looking in so it probably would get a little bit dark in certain aspects of it. I would write how they grow up to be in the future and how past experiences shaped them in their adult life. Also I would try to show how they teach kids of their own about challenges one faces in life. The title that i would come up with is trials and tribulations.

The story “The Lesson” by Toni Bambara was a insightful read that required me to read between the lines to be able to grasp the lesson that was being taught. Miss Moore an educated women who carries herself different from most people in the communities. Takes eight kids on a field trip to a expensive toy store to show the difference in social class. To help the kids understand the wealth gap between african americans and white people. “Where we are is who we are, Miss Moore always pointin out. But it don’t necessarily have to be that way, she always adds then waits for somebody to say that poor people have to wake up and demand their share of the pie and don’t none of us know what kind of pie she talking about in the first damn place”. Miss Moore is expressing how where your from does not define who you are or what you’ll become. The opportunitiy to change your circumstances  is something you have to be willing to take. After reading this story, I would name my essay “Escaping poverty and its mindset”.

If I had to write a story about this I will title the essay “harsh reality”. Like the side character Sylvia was shocked like how a person can spend a thousand of dollars on just toys as she belonged to poor family and cannot afford that toy. Even though when she asked Miss Moore that how much a real boat cost she just ignored her question and told her to look that and join back the group.Sylvia find miss moore behavior rude and was hurt. Moreover, also belong to same race from where the sylvia belongs.Miss Moore want that children should know the importance of education and how it is important for everyone like everyone cannot afford it.These are my points like why i give the title harsg reality because this is the reality of the world everyone cannot afford education, in this person is treated how much they earn and the standard of living. 1

Hello professor, So if I had to write a story that is less about socio-economic issues I would title it “Nothing on me” and it would reflect on the being proud of where you come from and who you can be aspect of the story. I would choose this title and theme because in the way the narrator tells the story, it is spoken from a very proud and strong minded stand point that I admire. I am sure many people can relate to this so that is another good reason why I would choose this topic. I find it draws your audience in more if you make your story relatable. I would keep the urban vibe to my story as well. I’d like to keep this dialect because it adds texture and realism to the text; so you can understand the characters and the setting. The whole point for me choosing to write about this specific topic is because it has so many interesting and important details you can include which will make for an informative story.

Something that I’ve found very interesting in the “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara is he narrator’s attitude through the whole story. She’s very proud and loud, and what I mean by that is she speaks her mind no matter what. If I were to write an essay off of this story I’d title it “Coming of Age” because I feel like the whole premise of what was happening in the story was Miss Moore teaching the young kids about the reality they lived in and what their circumstances really entailed. You see that some the kids like Sylvia and her friend Sugar were sort of grasping what Miss Moore wanted to teach them. The essay would explore the ignorance and naïveté of the kids to them learning through Miss Moore what life really is like and them gradually gaining understanding and growth. An analysis of our life compared to Sylvia and the other kids could helps us also realize when was our Coming of Age” moment in our lives; When did childlike view of the world disappeared and replaced with an actual view of how things really are in the world.

I would title this story “The Harsh Realities of Life”.  Miss Moore was teaching life lessons to these kids in the neighborhood.  They all come from different backgrounds, and they all live in Harlem.  Silivia being the leader of the friend group, she seemed confident in her surroundings before Miss Moore started showing them different things in life. She taught them about money. What money can buy.  She took them on trips to different places other than Harlem where they lived.  When they realized how other people live, well Silivia felt ashamed when she couldn’t afford what she wanted to buy.  She has always been really tough and sarcastic, but now she wasn’t the leader. She always wanted to do what she wanted to do, and nobody was going to tell her any different.  Maybe her home life wasn’t the best, and that’s the way she dealt with it.  Miss Moore was trying to show them the situation they were living in, and that you don’t have to stay in that situation if you get your education and work really hard the sky is the limit.

Instead of going for a lofty, vague sense of a meaningful topic like ChatGPT would, I’d actually be more disposed towards analyzing the “side characters” of this short story as a collective. It’d be fun to think about why they react how they do to the plot’s events, or glean info about what their lives might be like from what we see of them. Tentatively, I’d call this theoretical paper “The Young and Foolish of ‘The Lesson'”, in a reference to that very first line of the text. Through Sylvia’s viewpoint, observant as she is, readers get a great deal of insight into these children already. From Little Q.T. who is often targeted for ribbing because his smallness keeps him from fighting back, but is “liable to come up behind you years later and get his licks in when you half expect it”; to “Fat Butt,” usually called “Big Butt” everywhere but here, as if to further emphasize the disparagement that he’s probably confronted with all the time, “already wasting his peanut-butter-and-jelly sandwich like the pig he is”; to Flyboy who’ll take pity over bullying and is even deemed effeminate by our narrator for reasons that may be related; we have a whole crew’s worth of young boys, all facing mildly less principled forms of social pressure. A whole day could be made out of cataloging individual descriptions and interactions between those characters!

I would name the story “The Real World” and how Miss Moore feels that she has to educate the kids  as it will be useful to them and don’t have to live the way they do anymore if they pursue to continue their education the way she did. It will also focus about how Sylvia’s view of the world changed as the story goes. The story focuses more about Sylvia’s point of view while Miss Moore wants the best for her students. Sylvia’s view of the world changes when she finds out that the real world is actually hard. Miss Moore is teaching them the importance it is to have a education since they can move forward in life the way she did. Living in a poor neighborhood doesn’t mean it always has to be like that as long as you have your education, you can keep moving forward in life.

After reading “The Lesson” by Toni Cade Bambara, I would write more about details in character development regarding Sylvia and how she came to be more aware of her socio-economic situation with little conversation. Sylvia was the leader of her group, smarter than the rest, and was afraid to go into the store but at first was unaware why. She was able to realize that she did not have the types of funds to pay for expensive toys. The price of those toys was the price to feed her entire family. She did not ask her mother about the money, but was knew exactly what she would say, showing that she understood that her family could not afford those kinds of luxuries. Miss Moore knew this about Sylvia, and by directing her questions at her, she showed the reader that she wanted Sylvia to realize the true lesson she was trying to teach the group without speaking further on it. From there, she was able to piece her future together and decide that she would not feel that way again when she grew up. The title that I would give this essay is “Character Analysis of Sylvia in ‘The Lesson’”.

I will tittle the story as “Unfair Life” . Ms. Moore is portrayed as someone who possesses a profound understanding of the contrasting realities between the “poor black neighborhood” and the affluent life of Manhattan. She recognizes that education is the key to transcending these disparities. Having pursued higher education herself, she feels compelled to extend a helping hand to others from her community, regardless of their standing in society. The story vividly illustrates the disparities between economic classes, showcasing how even the smallest luxuries for the wealthy could mean survival for those less fortunate. Yet, it emphasizes that such assistance is seldom given freely. Instead, the narrative underscores the transformative power of education as the primary means of breaking the cycle of poverty and injustice.

  I think that for this easy I would focus my thesis on analyzing the variation of characters that we have in the story. I would start with Silvia which I think we can agree could be one of the main characters of the story. I would focus my opinion on the fact that she may be a good girl that is trying to not be seen as someone vulnerable. I think that her personality is a product of that behavior too. I think that I will also write about Miss. Moore because she is very important in the story too. I think that my title for this essay could be “A reality shock Story.” This could (not that is going to be my actual title) be my title for this essay. I think that can help me to explain some of what happened in this story. Maybe later I’ll come up with something better but for now, I think that could work as a title for this essay. 

After reading the article “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, I came to feel some kind of resemblance to the young man. It’s clear to me that the young man may have been much of a people pleaser since he had to lie for others to enjoy themselves. Growing up, I have classified myself as a people pleaser due to placing the wants and needs of other individuals before myself, not because I want to gain something out of it, but because of the big love that I have for those that I care for. In this world that we live in now, everyone is out for themselves, so it is extremely hard to find an individual that genuinely wears their heart on their sleeve and expects nothing in return. This young man in this article was aware that if he were to be truthful to himself, it would affect the perspective of how the church and others would view him.

I believe that the reason why Professor Conway assigned “The Most Handsome Drown Man” as our first article to read was for us to get a glimpse of how different perspectives can play a part in people’s beliefs and understanding. In the article, everyone who came across the Handome Drown Man had a different answer or idea as to where he may have come from since they had never experienced or seen a man like him before come across their village. So everyone there came up with an idea of where this man must’ve originated from. While reading this article, has given me a meaning that as we partake in this course, lots of us are going to have different perspectives on the articles that we read from here on out.

I can relate to the young narrator in “Salvation” because I can understand the pressure and expectation to have a transformative religious experience. It’s tough when reality doesn’t align with what you were hoping for. As for “Araby”, the feeling of the excitement of going to a special event resonates with me. Its that mix of hope and disappointed that I can relate too.

In ” The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World ,”García Márquez tells the story of a little seaside town significantly impacted by the appearance of a departed outsider. At first confused with a hostile boat or a whale, the townspeople find the huge body of a suffocated man. As they interface with the body and set it up for internment, they are spellbound by his unprecedented size and excellence, naming him Esteban. The residents’ impression of themselves and their environmental elements are changed by Esteban’s presence, driving them to envision a more excellent, more lively presence. Through clear symbolism and otherworldly authenticity, García Márquez investigates subjects of magnificence, local area, and the human condition. “An Exceptionally Elderly person with Huge Wings” presents a comparative investigation of the phenomenal inside the common, as an older man with wings shows up in a town, provoking reflections on trust, empathy, and the idea of supernatural occurrences.

“Salvation” by Langston Hughes depicts a little fellow’s battle with confidence and similarity during a congregation recovery. Hughes describes his experience of going to the occasion with the assumption for experiencing Jesus and being saved. In spite of the intense environment and the tension from his family and local area, he doesn’t encounter the groundbreaking second he had expected. Feeling segregated and frantic to fit in, Hughes at last creates his salvation, troubled by the heaviness of his double dealing and the deficiency of his confidence. The paper mirrors Hughes’ impactful investigation of blamelessness, realness, and the intricacies of strict experience, especially inside the African American people group. Through his own account, Hughes reveals insight into the difficulties of exploring confidence, cultural assumptions, and individual personality despite social and strict tensions.

In what way do you personally relate to the young narrator in “Salvation” Similar to the narrator in “Salvation” I grew up in a christian-centric household. I also remember feeling perplexed when I never “saw” the physical embodiment of God or the Holy Trinity. Why? Refer to specific scenes or language in the story. The reason I personally relate to the narrator in “Salvation” is specifically because I attended a parochial school for the majority of my academic career and experienced virtually the exact dilemma as the story’s protagonist.  Similar to the narrator’s church, there usually is a yearly ceremony in my protestant school, where we had to kneel in front of this railing of sorts and if my memory serves me, pray until we felt to lord come to us. Like the narrator, I did not see any embodiments of Christ coming down to greet me and was gravely concerned by it. During our English class discussion, I thought about that incident, and looking back on it, I too recall the memory with a sort of irony and humor because of how impressionable I was. Growing up, I tended to take things literally, so I was concerned about eternal damnation because I didn’t “see the Lord” during my ceremony. Thankfully for me, in spite of my guilt for not seeing God, I was able to talk to my mom about it and have her explain the concept of an omnipresent God.

I can surely relate to the young narrator in “Araby” as his experiences resonate with my memories of youth. When I reflect on my younger years, I remember the overpowering emotions that would often leave me thinking about someone a lot, similar to the narrator’s fixation with Mangan’s sister. The longing to catch a glimpse of that special someone and the intense emotions that get along such moments are imprinted in my memory. Thinking back to my youthful crushes brings to mind the rollercoaster of emotions the narrator describes. The rising hopes and dreams followed by the abrupt and heartbreaking disappointments hit a familiar chord. Like the narrator, I’ve struggled with the frustration and sense of disillusionment that arises when reality fails to meet our expectations. These emotions were specifically sensitive to life’s early limitations and challenges, which often felt impossible to my young mind. The narrator’s journey in “Araby” is a bitter but also amusing reminder of my youthful struggles and growth. Through his experiences, I see my journey toward self-awareness and understanding, making the story deeply relatable and intense.

I relate to the narrator in “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, due to the reason that as a child my family was extremely religious and they wanted me to follow in the same footsteps. They fed me so many ideas of how good is our savior our hope and the important part that he would help us in times of need you just have to pray. As I grew older I started to question religion but my family went through a rough patch and we needed help so I prayed asking for help from god but nothing happened noting worked and I was left disappointed and all my faith was gone. For example the character in Salvation Westley where he did the following “Finally Westley said to me in a whisper: “God damn! I’m tired o’ sitting here. Let’s get up and be saved” (Hughes). Westley actions shows that he too questioned the entire ceremony but due to the pressure of everyone in the church he gave in and just got up to get it over with.

“Salvation” by Langston Hughes is a coming of age story about a boy having an experience in church that changed his whole perspective on faith. Young Langston and his family go to church and his aunt tells him he would be saved when he saw the light and Jesus comes into your life. After Langston sits in church waiting for this miracle to happen he realizes it won’t “And I kept waiting serenely for Jesus, waiting, waiting – but he didn’t come. I wanted to see him, but nothing happened to me. Nothing! I wanted something to happen to me, but nothing happened” (Hughes). I personally relate to this because growing up my parents were not heavily religious but we still were involved in some practices. We were Catholic so we went to church on Easter, Communion, and we were baptized. As I got older and I started learning about history and how Christianity was used against Black people it caused a lot of questions about religion, how I view it and where I stand in having a relationship with God. I am still discovering that relationship and defining it everyday.

I personally relate to the young narrator in salvation in the sense that he was willing to lie in order for people to have a great time. In my life i’ve been put in situations where I had to lie in order for people to enjoy themselves and not to worry about other things that may be going on. Although the young narrator is a people pleaser, I don’t necessarily think thats a bad thing at all it just shows that he cares and has a heart. It’s very hard to find someone who actually cares about others in a way that they would put aside what they believe in order to help others. The young narrator could have easily disregarded everything going on in the church and not stand up, but he didn’t because of the fact that he cares about how his actions may affect others not just his.

One way I personally relate to the young narrator in “Salvation” is with his love for honesty and truth. That is a personality trait I can say I’ve carried on with me since childhood into my adulthood. If we look at the last paragraph of the story “Salvation”, we see the narrator crying and feels totally distraught because he lied to his aunt and “deceived everybody in the church” that he had seen Jesus. I feel I can relate to how he must have felt. There has been times when I’ve told lies that felt so wrong, I just couldn’t bear caring on the lie, I wanted to tell the truth. All the day long I’d just be thinking about the lie I told and think about how much better I’d feel, how much a load would feel lifted off my chest if I just admitted the truth. Also I can see how much he values when other people speak the truth to him. For instance his aunt had told him “that when you were saved you saw a light, and something happened to you inside! And Jesus came into your life! And God was with you from then on!” He felt it was all a lie because at the night of the big revival when the children were going to the altar “and were saved” he knew the kid Westley had lied; he knew he didn’t see Jesus but lied just to get over with the ceremony. The narrator wondered why God didn’t struck Westley right there and then for lying. In that moment the narrator felt like everything he had been told about Jesus by his aunt and all the old people had told were lies and that dwindled his faith in Jesus. I’ve had similar experiences where […]

In the narration of “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, I personally relate to the young narrator because, I decided as a young adult that I wanted to convert to Christianity (Born again Christian) in a Pentecostal church. This church was very lively. It had a live band, the words to the songs were on a large screen so that everyone could sing along. Everyone would raise their hands and shout to the Lord, Praise you, Lord! I had never experienced this kind 0f church. It was very different. At the end of the sermon, the Pastor would say, won’t you come? won’t you come to Jesus?  This is where I really relate to that 12-year-old boy, because I felt the same way he did. Everyone was going up to the alter and I just sat there. Not knowing how I was feeling about coming to Jesus in this way. I think new things and different things make us have questions and make us scared, even as young adults..

Hello professor. I have always considered myself to be a hopeless romantic. I can see my self personally relating to the young narrator in “Araby” as opposed to the young narrator in Salvation. My reasoning for this is because of two reasons. One is because my mother always made it very clear to me that god is not someone you can psychically see or touch . She explained to me that it has to do with faith and that the presence of god comes from within the soul. The boy in this text however took his aunts words literally, therefore breaking his trust and faith. I can not relate to this simply because I have never gone through this experience. I can relate more to the      “Araby” story because although I didn’t stalk anyone like he did or have never went to the lengths he did to pursue the thought of being with this woman, but I understand the feeling of wanting/craving someone the way he craved for her. That feeling can be bliss , if the crave is reciprocated. But If it is not . . . your story will most likely end up like his.

I personally relate to the young narrator in “Araby” because some people at some point would feel the same way the narrator was feeling when he had a crush on this girl and wanted her to notice him. The girl ended up approaching him and started talking about him going to a bazaar . This young narrator was capable of doing anything for this girl that he realized that at the end of the day it was all just child’s play. I can relate to this because it proves that if you truly love someone you’re capable of doing anything for that person. The young narrator still chose to go to the bazaar even though it was already late, he was impatiently waiting for his uncle and still went even though his uncle forgot. Love will make you do things you thought you were incapable of doing. This young narrator didn’t hesitate and took off to the bazaar.

In the narration of “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, I related to him since I remember my childhood when I didn’t truly believe in religion, but my family did. There was a time when at least one day a week, it was church morning with my aunts and cousins. I liked going only because there were snacks for the children, and they separated us into like grades to teach us religious things the cool thing about is that i was able to play with those kids. But my favorite part was the juice with the sandwich.

I think I personally relate to the narrator in “Salvation”. I relate to him on the fact of realizing reality and the effects that, that can have on you as a child. Langston Hughes was very naive, as so was I and many children his age in his story was. He was naive because he took the adults in the story word for what will happen to him when he is saved. He expected like a magical feeling and see “God” which as adults, we know this not to be true, but telling this to a child he took it very literal. This reminded me of a time when I was younger and my cousin told me my mother was not coming back home after work because, she ran away. Now as a child I did not know that they were joking but just like the narrator, I was naive and took them very literal. I was very sad and confused. So I was able to relate to him on this through this.

I can personally relate to the narrator in Araby as I too, was once desperately in love with someone who much likely saw nothing else but a 10 year-old young girl. He was a maybe 16 or 17 year old boy working at the nearby supermarket that I regularly visited. I remember the feeling of excitement when my mom would tell me to go buy an item missing from her pantry for dinner. The questions running through my head: would he be working? Should I change what I was wearing? What could I do to catch his attention, without being too obvious? My visit at the store, although mundane, was sort of meticulously planned – just like the narrator in Araby who purposely left his home as he saw Mangan’s sister leave hers. The calculated speeding to pass her – a seemingly innocent act that ensured that he was noticed – seems to have been taken out of my playbook. Despite the thrill, the planning and the anxiety, the reality was that I would go to the store, get what was needed, pay at the register and leave. A rather underwhelming conclusion. A disappointment. While in the story, the narrator’s dismay is initially caused by his uncle’s tardiness, which in turn led him to be late to the bazaar and unable to fulfill his objective, he and I both end up with the same result: not in any way closer to the object of our affection.

Some ways that I relate to the young narrator in “Salvation” is because I also journal my experiences as they happen, and when I write, the language I use is informal and the tone is direct. In “Salvation,” the narrator is conversational and informal, and I feel that it enhances the authenticity of the narrative and allows readers to empathize. An example of this is when the young narrator starts off the story with “I was saved from sin when I was going on thirteen. But not really saved. It happened like this.” (Hughes). This portrays the writer’s innocence and the sincerity of a child while maintaining straightforward sentence structures to show us that informal and direct tone. Another way I relate to the young narrator is that he is a people pleaser. The definition of a people pleaser is the want/need to please others even at their own expense. This can be seen twice when the narrator is at church and says “I began to be ashamed of myself, holding everything up so long… I decided that maybe to save further trouble, I’d better lie.” (Hughes). Another example of this can be viewed toward the end of the story when Jesus did not come to the narrator, and he states “But I was really crying because I couldn’t bear to tell her that I had lied, that I had deceived everybody in the church.” (Hughes). I feel like these two quotes give some insight into a people pleaser’s mind  and how complex it is because he went from pleasing everybody by pretending to be saved to crying about lying to everybody that he got saved and let his aunt push the narrative that he was crying because he saw Jesus, which was ironic. While reading this story, it really […]

I believe that “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez was strategically chosen as the first reading for our course for several reasons. Firstly, Marquez incorporates various themes, notably beauty and identity, throughout the narrative. By diving into these themes during class discussions, both my classmates and I have the opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and gain deeper insights into the complexities of the human mind. Moreover, the story has captivating imagery that immerses readers in its world, allowing us to visualize the coastal village and presence of the drowned man. This vivid imagery not only enhances our reading experience but also serves as a door opening for deeper analysis and interpretation. Additionally, Marquez’s narrative style demands active engagement from readers. The portrayal of the narrator and the layers of meaning scattered within the text forces us to approach the story with an open mind. By initiating our course with “The Handsomest Drowned Man in the World,” our professor has set a tone of curiosity and exploration. This text encourages us to delve into the depths of literature with open minds and keen insights, which I feel like transforms us in the world of literature.

The story “Araby” by James Joyce is about a little boy who has a crush on this girl, he decides to buy something for her but it didn’t go as what he expected. The meaning of the story overall is everything that you want may not be what you intended to be. In my perspective, I had always had situations in which the outcome wasn’t planned to happen.

In the story of ” Araby” by James Joyce it was around the young boy and his friend’s sister. Like how he promised that his friend’s sister whom he was attracted that he will bring gift for her from Araby bazaar. Firstly, he was just thinking about Mangan’s sister but now he started thinking about the Araby bazaar.He was so excited to go there and see because according to his thinking he thought that bazaar would be big and fancy. But one day when he went there he get disappointed by looking at the bazaar because that place normal. So, his feelings got hurt. I personally linked to this story. I ordered one dress from India. In the picture the dress looks so beautiful and pretty. SO, I ordered without even thinking of a second. When that dress arrived. Then I got disappointed because in the picture it looks good but not in real. It means when things are not upto are expectations we always get hurt,

In the short story, “Salvation,” The author introduces a naive little boy attempting to make his Aunt happy. In doing so, he loses trust in people and begins questioning what others tell him.  As a child, everything you are told you believe, especially from your loved ones. When I was little, I had a similar experience with religion. My family are Jehovah’s Witnesses and I was raised to not celebrate any holidays. Although, In school, they would have birthday parties and holiday parties. I would always feel left out because I wouldn’t participate. My teacher was told by my Mom to have me sit out. One day at a birthday party during school, a boy came up to me and asked me why I never participated. I had no answer, I had no idea why I wasn’t allowed to celebrate holidays. After that day, I began to question my Mom about this and she gave me answers. Although the answers didn’t make sense to me. In fact, the next birthday in class, I participated. Unfortunately, guilt began to form and I felt the urge to tell my Mom. Instead of telling her, I continued to do the same at every party at school. In “Salvation,” At the end of the story, he feels guilty and feels as if he left everyone down which was exactly how I felt at that age. “Salvation,” is relatable because the way the boy thinks is exactly how I felt as a child, naive and gullible.

James Joyce’s story “Araby” tells a story of a boy who goes to a Bazaar named Araby hoping to buy a girl he likes a gift. Though he paints a picture of the Bazaar as a magnificent place, his actual experience there is unimpressive. The story illustrates how growing up can be frustrating and demoralizing, and how occasionally the things we truly want don’t live up to our expectations. It’s about knowing that our dreams and realities differ at times and yet yearning for something greater. I personally can relate to this because it’s similar to recalling an occasion when you had a strong need for something and, when it arrived, it didn’t meet your expectations. It’s about realizing that our expectations need to be adjusted because life doesn’t always turn out the way we had hoped.

I believe that the reason that professor Conway chose “the most handsomest drowned man in the world” was because the main themes of this story had to do with compassion and imagination. This is because throughout the story we see the way all the characters wonder so much about this man. They are curious about a complete stranger who they have no genuine idea where in the hell he came from. And they all make up and imagine what this mans life and experiences must have been like. They imagine what it would have been like being so tall, so large, and so much different compared to all of the villagers/neighboring villagers that they are so used to seeing. And even though they do not know who he is, they care for his corpse and try their best to give his corpse as close to a proper burial as possible.

Going through young life in a daze, consumed by a love that doesn’t make sense and making unsound decisions that are regretted later… it sounds a great deal like my years in high school! For that reason — and because I’ve been a rather insular person for as long as I can remember, unlike little Langston in “Salvation”‘s scenario — I personally relate to the speaker of “Araby”. Besides the obvious justification that is “lack of a name making projection easier”, I remember having an obsession with a particular piece of fiction (too particular to elaborate on, my Internet history is semi-public and fully embarrassing) that rewrote my pubescent brain in precisely the wrong place at the wrong time. It led me to choose a Media Arts major at *Brooklyn Technical H.S.*, a choice that I only refrain from mentally hitting myself for today because I was book-smart, but street-dumb. Truly, every course that I took and didn’t do well in, as “I wished to annihilate the tedious intervening days” that stood between me and maladaptive daydreaming that bordered on idolatry, “converged in a single sensation of life for me”. My own chalice brimmed with misguided, derivative creative expression in a world of starving artists. Not to say that it was wrong of me to talk that talk, it’s an admirable hill to try to conquer — I just couldn’t walk the walk of the actual “work put into art besides the ideas” and died on it, unfortunately. This all links back strongly to what I wrote about myself in Week 1, really; I suppose without very much time alive, this can happen. I can’t say that I don’t enjoy recalling my life as a well-pared short story, though.

In the narration of “Salvation” by Langston Hughes, I related to him also as a kid in church expecting a miracle or Jesus to arrive. During my childhood to teen years my mother had me attend church most Sundays. So I’m familiar with the atmosphere within a church. To point out Langston Hughes gave a good description of what happens in church. “A great many old people came and knelt around us and prayed, old women with jet black faces and braided hair, old men with work-gnarled hands”(Hughes). A sight and experience that I have seen and felt many times. Being surrounded in church with hands placed on you, everyone praying asking Jesus to touch you. The feeling of waiting for something to happen, waiting to feel something different, waiting to see Jesus right in front of you. Its a feeling that I have also felt like the narrator. As a kid its hard to really feel or believe in what you can’t see or really understand.

In what way do you personally relate to the young narrator in “Salvation” or “Araby?” I personally relate to “Salvation” , All the pressure come up for him, because he believed on his aunt and all the elder’s lie. He was embarrassed for the naive, he was mad on the traitor of god ‘Westely’,and he was sitting on the chair and acting like a man who was just meet with the god. In my hometown China, I was “saved” too. There is hundreds temple, every new year we will went in to the temple and blow the candle to try to having good luck for next year. My mother, she told me when i light up the candle, I will meet with gods, they will tell me how will the life go on correctly. Every child were exciting for the meet with god, that will represent them are the “Choice”,that mean god chose them to be the future. I didn’t meet with god, but I lied, like Langston, We have no choice but to accept the cruel reality.

In the story salvation I personally relate to Langston. I relate to Langston because in the story he has a very naive understanding of his religion. He takes everything literally and at face value. In the story the author mentions that Langston is around the age of 13 when the incident of him being saved took place. I also was “saved” around the same age and i also had the same view as Langston. I thought that being saved was a massive sacred holy event where i would really be meeting god. After the entire ceremony took place I was disappointed that I felt the same way as before the event took place. Growing up I also heard a lot about peoples experiences with being saved and i was confused on why i felt like i didn’t get the same experience similar to Langston.  As i grew older and now looking back I realized how silly it was taking everything I was hearing so literally.

I think that Professor Conway assigned ” The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as the first story of the course because she wanted us to see other people’s perspectives on how a character would describe someone and the details they would show from it. Also shows how the villagers are captivated by the man’s extraordinary beauty and decide to give him a burial, as if he were royal figure to them.

One way I personally relate to the young narrator in “Salvation” or “Araby?” was when he was excited the whole week to go to the fair and was expecting it to be something super big and grand, and overall had high expectation just for all those expectations to be let down on the day he was supposed to go on the fair. It reminds me of when I was smaller and would ask my mom or dad to buy me like a toy or candy when they came back from work or the store, and they would say okay. So, the whole day I was super excited and made plans of what I was going to do with my new toy. But when they came home, they said they forgot to get it and then just like the narrator at the end of the story I was sad, angry and disappointed.

I  can relate to the young narrator’s journey through the intense pressure to conform to societal or familial expectations, the confusion of navigating one’s own beliefs amidst those pressures, and the profound sense of loss that comes with the realization that faith cannot be forced. The story captures a pivotal moment of innocence lost and the painful but necessary transition into personal understanding and skepticism. It’s a poignant reflection on the complexities of growing up, challenging authoritative narratives, and the quest for personal truth. This narrative can resonate with anyone who has faced the difficult passage from childhood innocence to the more nuanced understanding of adulthood, where beliefs and truths are often more complicated than they seem. Salvation serves as a poignant exploration of faith, the journey towards self-awareness, and the realization that personal beliefs and truths are complex and often diverge from those around us. It’s these universal themes of growth, disillusionment

I think the reason why professor Conway might have assigned the “Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as the first story/reading of the course might have to do with the main idea of this story which is about change. In the story by Gabriel Garcia Marquez “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” wee see the inhabitants of the village undergo a change of attitude and character when Esteban washes up shore their village. Esteban revealed their flaws and pushed them to be better; to do better.  I believe professor Conway is trying to invoke in us a desire to look into ourselves and see if there isn’t anything that demand changing. I think this story as the first story of the course can helps us to want set up goals for ourselves on what we can do to succeed not only at this course but also all of our courses this academic year. We should look for our “Esteban” so to speak to motivate and encourage us to change ourselves and become the better versions of ourselves we can be.

“The most handsome drowned man” by Gabriel Garcia makes a reader understand the use of imagination/ imagery. The village women use their sense of imagination to create a version of this unknown deceased man that washed up on the shore to a noble man who has the qualities of being called “Esteban”. This man had the ability to transform the village and the people as well. This is very similar to how stories have an impact on its readers, by providing distinctive  description to allow the audience to paint a vivid image in their head that goes along with the story. I believe that this is the first story of the course for possible reason that the professor wants the class to dive into their imagination and connect to the stories to come. This also can help the reader to understand the story from the authors perspective, like a puzzle.

I believe Professor Conway assigned us to read “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez because it is a beautiful story that shows and introduces us to the power of imagination, creativity and to be kind and care for others. In the story the author goes to explain how the people of this small village gave this man a background story including how his life must have been like even though they didn’t know him. But this led them to rebuild the village to better suit “Esteban” and others like him, wanting to make sure anyone who passes by will smell their sweet scent of the flowers along the cliffs know it was “Esteban’s village” . If the villagers didn’t care and just let him get washed away or gave him a burial without using their imagination of how his life use to be none of these changes to the village would of happened and Professor Conway could have been showing us how important it is to be kind, Creative and to use your own brain.to imagine and be optimistic. 

I believe the reason we were assigned “The Most Handsome Drowned Man” by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as the first reading is to distinguish our analyzing and processing skills. For example, the story begins with establishing the setting, but the writer wrote it with so much imagery that we the reader can clearly see the setting as we continue reading the text. Marquez also brought of something I found extremely interesting which is the thinking of the women and men in the village. For example, the women in the village gave the dead man a background story where he seemed heroic while on the other hand the men were enraged by the treatment, they saw the stranger receiving and were agitated, in the text it states “men finally exploded with since when has there ever been such a fuss over a drifting corpse, a drowned nobody, a piece of cold Wednesday meet”. (Marquez Pg. 6) Marquez using exploded in this part of the reading made it clear to the reader that the men were angry with what they were seeing concerning the dead man, the “drowned nobody” as the men in the village called him.

I think Professor Conway assigned “The Handsome Drowned Man” as our first story to show a sense of caring for others, no matter if we know them or not. I say this because the in the story The Handsome who drowned up onto the village was unknown to the woman of the village and even though they did not know him, they wanted to make sure that the was cleaned, clothed, and had a funeral. They also felt saddened by the fact that he had drowned onto a village that he was unknown that they went to neighboring villages to  get people to come to his funeral. These things showed a great sense of caring by the women of the village that The Handsome Man drowned up on because the women did not know the man at all but still felt compelled to care for him and prepare him for a funeral that they were going to give to him.