Monthly Archives: March 2024

There are many things that the article created based on the story “A good man is hard to find” Highlights. One of the main things that the article helps bring light to is the Christian aspect of the story that is both very important and can also to extent be easily forgotten without reading the article. In the story, one of the most important characters is the grandmother. Although the grandmother likes to portray herself as this good, upstanding Christian lady, her morals show different. It isn’t until the complete end of the story that she has an “epiphany”  losing that superiority complex of hers, and realizing that she is flawed just like everybody else, even calling the misfit one of her children, to the point where even though the misfit is still gonna kill her, and does, he recognizes it as a truthful and honest/compassionate act from the grandmother.

In Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” the author masterfully intertwines themes of grace, redemption, and the macabre, unveiling profound meanings within the narrative. Digging  into O’Connor’s work reveals the significance of the Misfit, not merely as a villain but as a pivotal figure in the grandmother’s moment of enlightenment. This character’s complex role exemplifies O’Connor’s exploration of the potential for redemption in even the most flawed individuals. Her insightful reflections underscore the violent climax as essential for awakening, challenging conventional perceptions of good versus evil. Furthermore, O’Connor employs the Southern Gothic backdrop not just as a setting but as a conduit to delve into the deeper aspects of human existence, prompting readers to reassess their judgments. Through a detailed understanding of O’Connor’s objectives, the story transcends mere crime storytelling and evolves into a profound exploration of faith, ethics, and the intricate facets of human behavior. This narrative, rich with existential queries and moral ambiguity, encourages a reevaluation of the binary notions of sin and virtue, illustrating O’Connor’s belief in the complexity and redeemability of the human soul..

In “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor explores deep ideas like redemption and the complexity of human nature. Without her article, I feel like someone would miss the religious themes and symbolism in the story. O’Connor’s explanation of characters, like the Misfit, helps us understand their deeper meanings and challenges our assumptions about good and evil. Overall, her insights add layers to the story, making it more thought-provoking and meaningful.

While reading “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” one idea that stood out to me was the topic of redemption. The grandmother’s character arc, mainly, highlights the possibility for alternate and increase even in the face of drawing close chance. At first glance, she seems to be a shallow, self-focused person who’s most effective worried with her personal comfort and dreams. However, as the story progresses and she faces the threat of dying at the hands of The Misfit, we see her go through different phases. She tries to attraction to his humanity and indicates compassion in the direction of him in his final moments. This surprising display of empathy reveals that there is more intensity to her person than initially meets the attention and demanding situations our preconceived notions about who can be deemed “desirable” or “bad.” This exploration of redemption provides a sense in hope while reading this story.

When we first started reading this story it was confusing. I felt lost not knowing what the true meaning behind this story was. Reading the article written by the author, he said there would be goodness in the story eventually. Continuing reading the story and stopping to talk about what has happened already. More towards the end the grandma’s words to the Misfit changed the way he is, it had him rethink about the life choices he has made. The first time reading the story I didn’t understand what happened at the end but when I read the article written by the author when he mentioned about a situation where there will be goodness made me realize the goodness was in the Misfit. All throughout the story the family but mostly the grandma did not have any goodness in them. But, the misfit after hearing the grandma last words he changed his mind and told himself that there was no joy in killing anymore.

If I hadn’t read Flannery O’Connor’s article about “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” I might have missed some of the story’s deeper meanings when it came to religion. Her article explains how she intended to explore themes like the grandmother’s change of heart or her epiphany, which we talked about in class, and the idea of grace. Without this background, I really don’t think I would’ve realized that the ending was very important towards the topic of religion, or I would’ve thought it wasn’t deeper than what it was. O’Connor’s article helped me see how the story goes beyond just a tale of crime and punishment, diving into complex moral and religion questions.  After reading the article I went back to reread “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” and to be honest it was a whole different read. I started to think more about the smaller things and try to interpret.   

Upon reading the three pages and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” the article highlights particular significant ideas that one may miss without reading. Firstly, the article mentions how the violence in the story helps to reveal more profound spiritual themes, particularly when the Misfit commits a violent act. This assists in understanding the grandmother’s transformation when she confronts death. Secondly, the article provides a more complex view of the grandmother’s character. She is portrayed as neither entirely good nor entirely evil, but having positive qualities despite her imperfections. This allows us to view her character in a more intriguing light. Also, the article discusses symbols in the story, such as the grandmother’s hat and the cat’s name, which have hidden meanings that enhance the story’s depth. By understanding these signs, we can develop a better understanding of the author’s intentions. Therefore, the article helps us gain a more profound understanding of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by illustrating its themes, characters, and writing style.

HELLO, So,I do feel like I would have missed some things from the story if I didn’t read the essay which was the Activity 1 that professor make us read in the starting of the class to clear us the story more.Firstly,the essay delves into the Misfit’s character, revealing him as a symbolic representation of the South’s conflicted religious identity, adding layers of philosophical tension to his menacing nature. Secondly, O’Connor’s exploration of religious themes contrasts the grandmother’s superficial faith with the Misfit’s intricate theological ponderings, enriching the narrative’s exploration of morality and redemption. Additionally, the article analysis of symbolism, such as the grandmother’s hat symbolizing misplaced values, and literary techniques like foreshadowing and irony, accentuates the story’s suspenseful climax. Although I would not have understand the story better until I have read the article it helps me alot in understanding the story well.

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” what resonated with me the most was the absence of morality and selfishness. The grandmother, as the eldest member of the family, wished for other family members to follow her desires and guidance to fulfill her dreams, placing her own wishes above everyone else’s. In the final section of the essay, she said: “If someone had been holding a gun to her head all her life, she would have been a good person all the time.” This tells me that she is someone willing to be a good person or consider others only when her life or safety is threatened. She and the criminal are confidants who understand each other at the deepest level. Yet, it is such a confidant who understands her, who personally ends the lives of her and her family, making her pay the highest price for her selfishness. I believe that the reason the grandmother shows concern for her family at the end of the story is because someone is pointing a gun at her at that moment, threatening her life. Throughout her life, the grandmother did not spend much time thinking about others. It’s only in the last moments of her life, or when faced with a threat, that she’s willing to become such a “good person.” This demonstrates that she knows how to be a good person but chooses not to unless her life is in danger, habitually placing her own interests above the feelings of everyone else.

Hello professor. Honestly I do feel like I would have missed few things in the story . One of those things are that if I did not read the article before reading the story; While in class, after we finished reading the article, I was left with feeling kind of “left off”. Unfortunately I did not understand where the story went and found myself wanting to read more. When reading the article, the description of the grandmother and of the misfits portrayed them out to be somewhat of these characters that left a bad taste in your mouth, at least in regards to the grandmother the image of her personality is distorted.  After reading the actual story, the grandmother is not as bad as she is made out to be, In the end of the story the grandmother shows that she does care for her family and is not the selfish witch that the readers thought she was.

A significant idea that I came across in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is the theme of morality and redemption.The grandmother presents herself as a morally upright Christian but instead demonstrates selfishness and manipulation throughout the story. Without reading the article I would’ve thought that it was going to be centered around a man in the story but in reality the grandmother in the story lacked morals more than the Misfit, she just likes to portray herself in a certain way, very ladylike and elegant but she lacked a lot of care even for her own family, the misfit says at the end of the story ” she would have been a good lady if there was somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life”, this shows how the misfit viewed the grandmother as a deceitful person who was just crying for mercy and saying the nicest things while a gun was pointed to her.

I would have overlooked the importance of the parental role if I hadn’t read the article before reading the story. I think it would have been important for the parents to have a say in it, even though the grandma gets all the spotlight. They didn’t appear to be discussed much, and they gave off the impression of being rather absent parents. Even when they were dealing with the outcast, the father remained silent and did not say or do anything. With her kids, the mother also gave off the impression of being absent and uninvolved. The grandmother’s pride and selfishness was not discussed in the story. Her priorities, such as finding the home from her past, took priority over her family’s well being. It seems as though the parents, although having children, have no obligations. It appears as though they are not parenting their children. Additionally, it seems as though Bailey, the husband, has no obligations as a man. It’s as if he failed his wife and kids by not intervening to save them when the Misfit kidnaps the family. They also don’t enforce rules for their kids. They don’t punish or interfere with them, allowing them to act and do as they choose.

Had I not read the article prior to the story, I believe I would have overlooked the significance of the parents’ roles and their actions within the narrative. I felt they were hardly mentioned, and they seemed to be very unassertive when it came to disciplining their children. The father also didn’t do much or say much, even when they were dealing with the misfit. The mother seemed to be uninvolved and passive with her children as well. The article didn’t talk about the grandmother’s self-centered behavior.  She was more concerned about her own desires, like finding a house from her past, than with the safety of her family. By the grandmother not using a road map for directions to find this house from her past, led to the car accident. She seemed more worried about getting attention for herself, then checking on her family after the car crash. I feel if I hadn’t read the article prior to reading the story I might have missed how the grandmother’s behavior changes. She comes across as selfish at the beginning, but by the end of the story she shows a sense of concern and compassion.

In the article I feel as if it’s really just about the grandmother and how much of a narcissist she is . She’s too self absorbed and doesn’t really care about anyone else’s feelings. Also the grandmother is also a racist ignorant person. It’s as if the parents have no responsibility even though they have kids . It’s really like they’re not raising their kids. It’s also like Bailey the husband doesn’t have any responsibility as the man . Kind of like he failed his children & wife because he does nothing to save them when the Misfit takes the family . Also they don’t discipline their children . They let them do whatever they want and act however they are without repercussions or reprimanding them . Also I read this when I was in middle school so it’s actually a refreshing experience to re read it again . But I still felt the same way about reading it when i read it in middle school .

One of the specific ideas that I came across in “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” that I would have missed if I had not read the article, “Flannery O’Connor On Writing” was the gesture. I knew that this scene in the story was deeper than I thought it was. At first, I thought she said that just because she was scared. Although, after reading the article I am aware that she said this because she felt she was responsible for the Misfit. Also, this scene could’ve been a turning point for the Misfit. After reading the article it is possible that he will seek out to be the prophet he was made to be and it was because of that moment with the grandma. I think these points definitely make sense looking back at the story. Although, I would have never thought of this myself. The article gave me good insight into this moment. 

When I read the story I did comprehend the significance of the grandmother’s behavior towards the Misfit at the end of the story. Her calling him one of her own children seemed like a sudden change, but now I see it differently. Throughout the story, the grandmother judged people based on superficial appearances, like saying the Misfit must come from nice people, the grandmother had a selfish behavior making the family fall into the tragedy,In that moment, facing death, she showed genuine care and acceptance. It’s like she finally saw beyond the surface. After reading the article I realized the deeper religious themes in the story, like the struggle between good and evil, the grandmother’s attempts to bring the Misfit to Christ reflect Connor’s vision of redemption of the actions throwout the history. It’s tragic that she only grasps this after the tragedy of the other members. The Misfit’s past and his longing for connection with his father add layers to his character, making the grandmother’s gesture even more critic and emotional.

The idea that I came across in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” in which I would’ve missed if I hadn’t read the article by the author in Activity 1 was basically the importance on the changes in emotions to the grandmother because at first, she seemed like she didn’t really care about anything but herself. Then throughout the whole story she kept expressing to the Misfit about how she felt. By the end of the story before dying, the grandmother’s emotions changed and actually felt like a grandmother to the Misfit as she saw him as one of her kids. I would’ve probably missed the purpose of the change in emotions if I hadn’t read the other article because it played a big role in the story for the grandmother, from being careless to actually caring for someone. I actually find changes in emotions significant because it shows how people can change from the way they used to be.

(“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is also in my used textbook — now I can say that the title is “The Literary Experience” by Beiderwell/Wheeler. I recommend it even for those works within it that aren’t part of this course, they’re great! But this isn’t part of my word count, heh) When I read this short story on my own, it never so much as crossed my mind that there might be a False Prophet reflected in The Misfit; it’s especially baffling considering that my source has both a biographical paragraph stating that “[Flannery O’Connor’s] works are essentially religious, in that they express her Catholic vision of the world as a fallen place in need of redemption”, and this quote by St. Cyril of Jerusalem: “The dragon is by the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.” Honestly, the religious overtones to characters and not just dialogue could’ve decked me in the face, and I still would have just shaken my head at some *nebulous evil that inspires senseless violence* and gone about my day, so Baudelaire was right. Something else I only noticed after reading the preceding article was the structure of the confrontation that demonstrates some of O’Connor’s vision: the many attempts and failures of the grandmother to get The Misfit to see the light of Christ. All of her platitudes glance past him because she doesn’t know him at all — and even when he dumps his tragic history she still can’t synthesize any of it effectively until everyone else she traveled with (except Pitty Sing, a cute immortalization of her now that I think of it) has been murdered. “You’re one of […]

The article does not touch on how the parents act, and it did not describe how little of a role they played in the story. Throughout the story, the parents were hardly mentioned. They clearly were extremely passive with disciplining their children, and the mother was even referred to as a “cabbage”. The father also did very little while the family was being taken by the Misfit. The article did not discuss the narcissistic tendences of the Grandmother. She was extremely concerned about her appearance and how she wanted things to go in the car. She derailed their trip by looking for a house from her childhood without a map, removing them from the main road and causing the accident. The Grandmother also did not check in with her family to make sure they were alright after the car crash. Her main concern was with herself, and whether she would get attention if she was injured.

The specific idea that Flannery O’Connor brings into her explication of “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is violence as a conduit of grace. In that view, violence was not an end but was the means of shaking the characters out of their complacency to make room for grace. Violence was not an end but a means of shaking the characters out of their complacency to make room for grace. In that view, there is a purpose served deeper than mere sensationalism. It makes the reader face the moral and existential issues of the characters, which eventually leads toward the spirituality of insights and deliverance through the happenings of violence. Violence in O’Connor’s stories is a theme that would trigger one to think deeply about spiritual growth, as it symbolizes the complex nature of man’s existence and possible transformation through grace. In addition, O’Connor’s study of Catholicism as an underpinning influence in the literary repertoire context highlights the rich theological foundations that mark the author’s brand of storytelling. Her statement, “All my stories are about the action of grace on a character who is unwilling to support it,” reveals how deeply religious themes and motifs are woven into her fiction. These tales of O’Connor are remythologized through the overlays of Christian mysteries such as sin, grace, and redemption. Such invites the reader to grapple with precisely the questions of faith and morality that are their own and of all human beings. By framing her stories within the Catholic context, O’Connor interpreted her stories to allow penetration of the paradoxes of man and the perennial tug-of-war between transgression and redemption.

Overall, I didn’t really enjoy reading Oedipus the King, I’m not a fan of plays in general and this one was especially boring in my opinion. The old English is which it was written made the story feel like a drag and it wasn’t an attention grabber for me. I was fully able to read it but I don’t think I would read it again at least not by choice, and I most definitely would never choose to act out this play.

  If I hadn’t read the article before reading the story I think that  would have misunderstood what significance has0 the gesture of the grandmother had at the end of the story. When she expressed to the Misfit that he was one of her children, I believe that it was her way to after all, seeing someone without a superficial eye. Through the whole story the Grandmother made up her perceptions about others based on what they have with expressions like “I know you’re a good man. You don’t look a bit like you have common blood. I know you must come from nice people!” I think that if I hadn’t read the article I would have missed a lot of the grandmother’s behavioral components. At the beginning of the story I found her very selfish but at the end as she found herself facing death she finally did something that for the first time in the story she behaved like a caring grandmother.

The only idea I would have missed in “A Good Man Is Hard to Hard to Find” had I not read the author’s article would be the designated roles of prophet and witch. While reading the story, I was irritated by the Grandmother’s blatant racism and biases towards people of color and her manipulative tendencies that inevitably resulted in the massacre of her entire family. Readers interpreting the grandmother as a witch may have seemed drastic and unnecessary, but location and time do affect one’s interpretation of written works. While reading, I grew to understand why some referred to her as a witch -hypocrisy aside, the lady was insufferable and had a ‘familiar’ like pet. I also noticed O’Connor reasoning to refer to the Misfit as a prophet – despite him killing the grandmother, his innate understanding of humanity shifted because of the conversation he had with her. The Misfit’s perception of justice and good and evil is warped, and O’Connor essentially used the Misfit to demonstrate any individual’s ability to change/shift mindsets.

if I had to rate my ability to understand the play Oedipus the King I would rate myself a 5 or 6 out of 10. I think I was good at understanding what was going on to a certain extent however the way that the story is told and the vocabulary that is used makes it difficult to notice what is happening. the overall vocabulary and the way the story was written in really long paragraphs made it difficult for me to keep up with the story. if I had to be honest I didn’t like reading this play because it was confusing however taking the time to dissect each paragraph somehow still made the experience memorable. If I could play someone in a production of this play I think I would want to portray Creon because I found it interesting how he was content with not wanting to be king and found the life of being a king to be burdensome.

My ability to examine and understand the play “Oedipus the king” is a 8/10. Some of the symbolism and just wording in general I can say were a little challenging for me because I couldn’t understand everything all to well, however from beginning to end I really enjoyed this story. One of the main ideas that were in Oedipus the king was this idea of free will. I liked how much of a leader and how strong willed at the beginning to the story, always one step ahead ready to go, especially during the plague. Oedipus the king ultimately ends with him fulfilling a prophecy to where he ends up killing his father and marrying his mother, a disturbing twist of fulfilling a prophecy to where even as a king he was nothing more than a pawn in a destiny that was forced upon him with no escape (I’ve always enjoyed reading literature that question things like free will), which also gives readers questions as to whether or not one can escape their destiny regardless of what choices they make. If I had to choose to be a character, it would probably be Creon, due to the fact that in the end, the sideline character gets all the benefits the main character should’ve had, without nearly as much loss.

I would rate my ability to read Oedipus the King a 7 due to me reading plays in previous classes. I did struggle with the use of Greek language in the play because I am not accustomed to reading Greek language. Besides the minor struggles I faced while reading the play I like the play because of the drama that it displayed in the play. Once I learned that the play was about a son killing his father and marrying his mother, my attention was focused on the play because to me it gave scandal of something that could happen in today day and age. I myself like drama movies and don’t mind to read about public scandals from time to time so to be able to read about a Greek scandal was  exciting. If I had to portray a character from the play I would want to be Oedipus because of his persona of being a strong person and taking responsibility for his actions.

I feel my ability to examine and understand Oedipus the King as quite solid. It is a classic Greek tragedy it really is stood the test of time. Some components have been a bit confusing with all of the symbolism and dramatic irony happening, however after class discussions, I felt like I had a good draw close on the overall subject matters and messages of the play. The way Oedipus unknowingly fulfills the prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mom is just so messed up, yet captivating. Overall, analyzing Oedipus the King become simply challenging at instances, but completely well worth it. I would love to play Creon inside the play because he simply looks as if I should relate to him inside the way he doesn’t need to be a king but receives all of the advantages. Creon just seems like he is just kind of hiding in the background in the play so I would probably play him

Reading Oedipus the King was fascinating to me, especially knowing how old the story/play is. It had me thinking about what inspired Sophocles to write this, and if he pulled elements from things he had seen in his life. I had read Oedipus the King in high school, so I knew what to expect. However, my memory had faded a bit, so certain elements of this story were brought back to my attention. This included Jocasta hanging herself, and Oedipus gouging out his own eyes. The dialog was challenging for me, seeing as it was written and translated an extremely long time ago. Having it explained in class was helpful but was difficult to understand while doing some of the reading on my own. If I were to be in a production of this play, I would probably want to play the role of Jocasta because she seems like an interesting character. While she seems strong willed and put together, she folds under the weight of her tragic findings. Upon finding out that her entire marriage is a sham and that she has married her own child, she decides to end her life. It would be interesting to get into the mindset of someone who goes into full reaction mode after having the rug pulled out from under them.

During this week of class reading “Oedipus the king”, I would rate my ability to read and understand the play as a 9 out of 10. “Oedipus the king” is a Greek tragedy about a man who unknowing fulfills a prophecy by killing his father and marrying his mother. As someone who doesn’t read plays very much, my rating of a 9 out of 10 for reading and understanding is pretty good. While reading the play, I’ve been able to understand the plot pretty well but I’ve had trouble understanding some words and the placement of words have also been a little difficult to understand. Reading this play I actually found myself liking the story and the characters a lot. This story had themes of fate and freewill which I enjoyed how Oedipus was persistent to find out the truth about himself. In the production of this play, I would want to play Oedipus. I would want to portray the character Oedipus because for starters he’s the main character. I would play Oedipus because his character changes over the course of the story as he unveils more information about his origin and prophecy.

i would rate my ability to read and understand Oedipus the King would be subjective. the parts i did understand were the dramatic irony of the play. i also the tragic events and the exploration of freedom versus fate. these elements resonate with me due to the timeless importance and psychological depth.  the elements that were challenging to me were the difficult language they used in the play, also the cultural context of Greek society required  a lot of effort to fully understand . adding on to that trying to figure out their moral dilemmas  and the psychological turmoil of the characters, especially Oedipus.  even withe challenges i think reading the play was an interesting experience . the character i would like to portray if i had to would be Oedipus himself. one reason is why is because he is the lead of  the play.  then playing the character  would be an acting challenge try io reenact his emotional journey         

 Well I think i would rate my ability to read and understand Oedipus the King from a scale of 1 to10, a 7.I was fine and okay with the reading even though some words were not something i was used to but the understanding what i was reading was a bit hard.Well at least when i was reading it to myself. But when we did the class discussions it was way more easier to understand. I think because we were taking a break after every line. And really closely observing it.  At first I was not really enjoying the book. But then I searched up the overall summary of the book and they said something about a son killing their dad and marrying their mom so then I was hooked and started to really like it. The book. Not the killing and incest. And I think I would want to be Creon. He is super cool and chill. And like the most logical. I think he was like the most sane person throughout the play.. Also maybe Tiresias , he was also super chill as well. He said what he needed to and when Oedipus was saying rude stuff to him he was really mature about it. And just went about his day.

The play is a classic tragedy with so many layers to explore. I found the concept of fate and the tragic flaw of Oedipus intriguing. It made me question the boundaries of free will and the power would love to portray Oedipus himself. His journey from confidence to despair is incredibly compelling and I would enjoy delving into the complexities of his character. The play delves into the themes of fate and tragic flaw making us ponder the boundaries of destiny and free will. It’s fascinating to see how Oedipus’s actions unknowingly lead to his downfall showcasing the power of self-fulfilling prophecy.

I would rate my ability to understand “Oedipus the King” as fairly strong. I’m good at grasping the main plot and themes of the play, such as fate, hubris, and the consequences of one’s actions. However, I might find some of the language and cultural references challenging to fully grasp without additional context. Overall, I enjoyed reading the play for its gripping storyline and complex characters. If I had to portray a character, I would choose Oedipus because of his dramatic arc and the opportunity to explore the depths of his character’s journey from confidence to despair, which would be a challenging and rewarding role to tackle.

So, I would rate my understanding of Oedipus the King as 5/10. I do not understand the play in one reading especially the old plays like these because I am not used to reading such difficult words and do not even know their meaning. I am used to reading modern plays as they have easy language usage, so it is easy to understand them. But I appreciate the Professor as during the reading of the play she explained each line and the plot and even asked questions so we all could understand that. I enjoyed reading the play but not that much because of the language usage of difficult words. If I want to play one role from this play then I will choose the character Oedipus King because of the different stories in the play, and his multifaceted nature, allowing me to delve into themes of fate, hubris, and self-discovery, making it a challenging and engaging role.

Oedipus the King is a classic Greek tragedy with rich language and complex themes. Many find it challenging at first due to its antiquated language and cultural context. However, with repeated readings and careful analysis, I understand the text better. I would rate my ability to read and understand Oedipus the King is 5/10. My biggest challenge is adapting to the ancient Greek style of writing, which can feel verbose and ornate compared to modern prose. Additionally, understanding the cultural and historical context of the play, including its references to Greek mythology and religious beliefs, can be daunting for me. Oedipus isn’t my cup of tea I don’t really enjoy it. I would like  to portray Oedipus the King because of his sense of authority and charisma.

My understanding of Oedipus the King is about a six out of ten. In my opinion, because we are so used to modern English, the vocabulary or wording was a little hard to grasp. That was the main reason for why the play’s old English made it difficult to understand. That being said, I did enjoy reading the play, and it was more enjoyable when my classmates got to play characters. I found the play to be interesting.If I had to choose, I would like Creon to play the part. Through his interactions with Oedipus, we were able to look at morality and the relationship between power and authority. Creon’s transformation from a loyal subject to a troubled king was interesting.

As a student who hasn’t read many plays, I think my level of ability to read and understand “Oedipus the King” is about average. It was easy for me to follow the plot and bigger story. I also got the play’s key ideas and messages. But I had trouble understanding some of the more complicated words and subtleties in the text, which made some parts hard for me. The ideas of fate and free will is one of my favorites to think about. These parts of the play were interesting and made me think deeper. Overall, I liked reading “Oedipus the King” because it had a lot of interesting stories and topics that are still relevant today. Being Oedipus himself would be my choice for a role in a production of the play. His character changes dramatically over the course of the play, which would be hard but satisfying to play on stage it would feel as me and the character are both developing. Plus, his complicated mind and inner battles would give the character a lot of depth.

I would rate my ability to read and understand Oedipus the King a 6/10 because I*m still getting a bit confused on how the play was worded. I feel the beginning of the play was much easier to understand then the end.  I feel I was able to read the play and understood parts of it but others not so much.  If it weren’t for Professor Conway stopping us and going thru the lines and explaining what was happening, I wouldn’t have been able to break it down that way on my own.  There is a much deeper meaning to this play and I’m glad she stopped us; I enjoyed it better!!!  If I had to choose a character to portray, I would choose Creon, because he seemed to appreciate what he had, unlike Oedipus who didn’t. At least Creon seemed happy with what he had, and I would rather live my life like that.

I would rate my ability to read and understand Oedipus the King  a 5/10 as I’m still getting confused on how they word things out. Besides that, I feel like I’m doing alright with my ability to read Oedipus the King. Reading the poem was ok, but understanding it was what was a little challenging for me because I had to figure out the deeper meaning of what writer was trying to show. I feel like I did enjoy reading this play even though I seemed kind of lost. If I were to be part of a production of a play, I feel like the character that I would want to portray is Oedipus because putting yourself in the same situation as him would also make you feel paranoid by all of the things that’s been going on to the point where you start suspecting of everybody since you feel threatened.

I will rate myself understanding “Oedipus the King” as 7.5/10,I can recognize and interpret the use of literary devices like irony (especially dramatic irony), symbolism, and foreshadowing, all of which are crucial to the play’s impact. In the story, No one can run out from the destiny.While I can understand and describe the emotional landscape of the play, I don’t experience emotions, so the emotional resonance and the tragic impact of the play on the audience are aspects I know of theoretically rather than experientially. If I could, I would like to be Creon. For me, he represents reason and power, and possesses profound wisdom. He also displays loyalty and integrity: in the play, Creon shows loyalty to his family and country. Even though he occupies an important position within the power structure, he doesn’t seem to seek more power through improper means. His actions reflect a respect for justice and order.”

Hello professor, So at first when we started reading “Oedipus The King”,  I would rate my ability to read and understand what I am reading in between a seven and an eight. I say this because yes I was reading the words with no problem however, I had to read the text a few times to really understand what was going on. I feel like I had to read it over again because of the terminology that the play is spoken in. Keep in mind this play takes place a very long time ago. We are talking 420-430 b.c . After reaching to about the middle of the story continuing to the end, it became more familiar to me therefore it was much more easy to understand. I noticed that one way for me to be able to grasp a concept or terminology, I obtain and store the information better through repetition.

Reading & understanding opedius the king I would probably rate myself like a 6.5/10 because it does have a lot of complex vocabulary & elements . Also because they’re a couple mistakes made with the dialogue.  Another thing is I had to read it multiple times to actually understand what was going on which made it a bit challenging. But the character that I would’ve like to been was Jocasta because it seems like Jocasta really tried to be the problem solver to everything & that’s how my personality is in real life ,  I don’t really like to see people go through problems without finding a solution so I try to help them mostly or I really try to be there to comfort them no matter what the problem is . Overall I really like getting to understand the reading & I will try to do it more often as possible because during this course poetry had really opened up my eyes in many ways .

  If I had to rate the way that I read/understand Oedipus the King, I would rate myself with a 6/10. The play is very interesting, that is something that I liked. Every character brings something different to the story. However, there were a lot of parts when I found myself confused. The vocabulary used in the story is complex, so a lot of times I had to go back and read through lines very carefully to understand. I loved to participate in the reading as well. I feel like I was playing the actual role in the play lol. Overall, it’s a very interesting reading but challenging as well. I also believe that the fact that it is a long story may have confused a few people in the class just as I was, because we had to read the story in parts. That confused me because by the time we were able to read the next part in the next class I already forgot what we had read in the past class. The character that I would choose would be Jocasta. Because she was so caring and wanted to understand Oedipus every time. I liked her role a lot, I think that she contributed a lot to the development of the story.

I would rate my ability to read and understand Oedipus the king is a good 8.5/10. The parts of the act that were very straightforward were the easiest part that I could understand. When their were parts hat the Chorus would elaborate made it also easy to understand what is happening at that point. The hardest part while reading this act were the metaphors that they would use to describe a feeling or situation, and difficult language that I have to go back and reread a couple times In order to understand what was happening. I really enjoyed reading this act but this act needs to be reread a couple times to really understand the situations, at first it was getting boring but the more I was reading this act it got more and more interesting that I wanted to read more and more. I would want to portray Oedipus in the act because he was the main character and a strong character in which we see how his traits has changed throughout the play, I would like to act with passion and anger like Oedipus.

I would rate my ability to read and understand Oedipus the King, as mildly efficient. I understood the beginning very easily, but the ending got very confusing. I did enjoy reading the play because it is different and interesting. However, the elements of Oedipus towards the end were very confusing. This was confusing because the lines got shorter and harder to comprehend. When we were in class and we broke down the lines, understanding every word and part of the lines helped with my confusion. If I could pick a character to portray if I had to be in a production of the play, I would be Creon. I would choose him because he seemed content with what he had. Unlike Oedipus, who was very short-tempered and oblivious to his own murder. I think the best character was Creon, even if I had to become King, I would still choose Creon. He would be a good leader and be happy.

When Reding “Oedipus the King” had its challenges for me especially with the formal language and vocabulary used in the play. But I found it easier to follow along and understand with the help of the professor recaps and class discussions. The character I connected with was Creon, Oedipus’s brother, he plays a significant transformation in the play, which I found interesting and how he took the responsibility when becoming a king, I would choose to portray Creon because of his realistic behavior in the play. Creon is left to assume the role of king, despite the challenges and bad conditions thrown at him, Creon maintains a calm and acts rational,  focusing on the stability of the people and the city’, highlighting his growth and development throughout the play. The story ends with Creon being the king and driving to stability an entire city, leading to a happy ending for him.

I’d say I’ve gotten pretty good at reading poetry, especially after diving into “The Last Duchess” by Robert Browning. I’m getting the hang of analyzing literally devices and the poet’s intentions. However, I feel I could still improve on interpreting more complex metaphors and understanding historical context without needing to look things up. When it comes to reading poetry, I’ve been working on analyzing the poem “The Last Duchess” by Robert Browning. It’s been quite an interesting journey exploring the literary devices and he deeper meaning behind the words.

When Covid-19 started, it was like the whole world had changed. Everyone was scared to go outside, go to public places, etc. I remember sitting on a bus or going on the train how everyone was so scared to even be near each other. And things like social media only made it 100 times worse. With the amount of stuff popping out on the news all over the world about covid-19, the vaccines, politics, etc. all caused problems for everyone. To this day there are still people that are so paranoid that they separate in public area much like before and refuse to stand close to each other. Its become so normal that even when it comes to sitting in areas its almost second nature to have space between each other, something that wasn’t so big to do before Covid. In “Oedipus the king” this is very similar to real life due to how everyone was so scared of the plague they experinces and no one knew what to do.

thinking back to the times during covid I remember everyone being distant and cold to each other due to fear of getting sick. day-to-day life was also more complicated and doing something simple like getting groceries took longer because of safety precautions. Having to stop our daily lives and having to focus on remaining safe is also somewhat of what the citizens in Oedipus the King had to go through as well. In the story, the citizens are told to stop praying and to focus on a cure instead. however, I do believe there are obvious contrasts between our epidemic versus the one in the story. This is because the story takes an unexpected turn and it gives us a plot twist revealing that the person who caused the epidemic was the king himself. comparing that to COVID-19  there wasn’t any sort of plot twist or one specific person in power that caused the epidemic to begin with.

after two weeks of reading poetry i think i would rate my ability to  poetry like a 5.  me personally im still not a a big fan of it but i some what understand some of their meaning.  for example one of the poems i did understand was the poem my last duchess . its about the Duke of Ferrara’s character through his speech about a portrait of his deceased wife. in some ways i feel like i could be better at is  to know what devices the authors are using in their poems. like in the poem the mother and we really cool i had a real tough time on what literary devices and techniques they used in the mother. then in the poem we really cool i couldnt figure out what was the meaning and theme behind the poem. a way to get better is to practice it more then i have been

I would rate my ability to read poetry a 7. I say a seven because even though I like poetry sometimes poets use of language gives me a hard time understanding their poems. For example the poem titled “Shall I compared thee to a summer’s day?”, I had trouble understanding due to the language Shakespeare used. Line 2 of the poem says, “Thou art more lovely and more temperate,” due to the European language that was used. Another thing that I struggle with when reading poems is the use of imagery and relating to the poet. Sometimes if I cant relate to the poet I cant imagined or use my imagery to see what the poet is saying figuratively. If I can overcome these things I think it will strengthen my ability to read and understand poetry. In middle school and high school I did not know knowing all of these things would make me understand poetry better but since reading poetry these last two weeks, improve my ability to read and understand poetry a lot more.

I would rate my ability to read poems a bit better than before these two weeks. If before I was like a 5/10 in reading poems i think it went up to a 6. The ways I think I can be better is identifying the figurative language that is being used in these poems. Also I still think poems are really difficult to understand and I feel like poems are very exaggerated, why use such complicated ways to talk about a lake. “And evening full of the linnet’s wings.” what does this even mean like come on there was definitely something else you can put there. I also just find some poems kinda dumb like Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening By Robert Frost hes just talking about a stop he made in the woods while riding his horse somewhere. I just dont think Im ever gonna be at peace reading poems.

My ability to read poetry after the past two weeks has improved a bit. I have become more familiar with certain terms such as imagery, some of the poems we read have opened up my imagination and I could vividly feel or even envision what the speaker is writing about in their poems. Although I still struggle with understanding some of the text when it’s written a certain way it feels a bit tricky to comprehend the meaning behind certain stanzas. I also still struggle reading slowly and reading a poem the way it should be read, sometimes I read it like a run on sentence instead of pausing the way I should and that plays into me getting confused. I do enjoy reading certain poems because of the feelings they’re capable to invoke like sadness or joy but some of them use certain words that leaved me feeling puzzled.

  In the past two weeks we have been reading different poems that I can say that I had never read before. I’m still trying to improve my ability to read poetry because this literature genre could be a little bit hard to understand and so I try to read it. When it comes to poetry I do like it but sometimes it is a little bit confusing because the words used in the poems that we have read are a little bit too odd. Sometimes I have to go back and read the whole line to try to understand a certain word. That happened to me a lot when we were reading “Oedipus the King” lol. If I had to rate myself when it comes to poetry/and reading it I would give myself a 6/10 just because I feel that I have to read more poems in order to get more comfortable with it. 

The Covid 19 pandemic four years ago, it was a tragic time that affected all, when Covid hit in 2020, it felt like everything turned upside down, lives were lost, fear spread through the countries and normal life stoped. Schools closed, jobs canceled, and important events were, leaving many feeling confused and scared about what would happen next. Comparing this era to “Oedipus the King,” it’s like seeing history repeat itself. The way the priest talks about the plague in Thebes sounds a lot like how people felt during Covid scared, trapped, and unsure of what to do. But while COVID brought communities together, “Oedipus the King” shows how fear and blame tore people apart, leading to even more problems. In Ecuador, where I was when Covid started, I saw firsthand how people reacted. There was panic as cases surged, and everyone was worried about getting sick.The time became unforgateble marking a before and after, even an end of practices and lives. In the chaos I saw people coming together to help each other out including institutions but it also showed how strong we can be when we stick together for a propuse.

If I were to rate my poetry reading skills, I’d say they’re about a 7 out of 10. I have strong critical thinking skills, which sometimes leads me to overthink, but it helps me delve deeper into poetry to uncover possible meanings. I feel I need more practice with reading poetry that’s not modern. For instance, when I read “Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day” by William Shakespeare, I found it challenging due to unfamiliar terms like “ow’st.” However, after rereading it about three times, I became more familiar with the piece. Another challenge I face is the tendency to rush through a poem instead of breaking it down piece by piece. While this approach sometimes works for me, I’d like to develop the habit of taking my time to fully absorb and understand each poem. In closing, moving forward into poetry I will be more intentional with my reading and open.

  I don’t think I have ever had a problem with reading poetry. I have always loved poetry, it is something near and dear to me and I enjoy writing it myself. In the past two weeks, I think my ability to read poetry has gotten better so far. “The Lake Isle of Innisfree,” poem is an example of a poem that was harder to understand at first, but I got it later after discussing it. The poem, “My Last Duchess,” was very confusing at first, but after the video we watched in class and the discussion, I can understand now. Although poems seem to be hard to understand at first, sometimes the meaning is easier than we think. Poems are deep, but sometimes the meaning is exactly what it says. I learned this from the poems we have read. There are different ways to dissect a poem. We can break them down and use context clues to help. 

After the past two weeks, I would rate my ability to read poetry as significantly improved. I’ve dedicated time to engage with various poetic forms and styles, allowing me to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation for the nuances of language and emotion within poetry. However, despite this progress, I still recognize areas where I could improve. One aspect is my analysis of meter and rhythm. Additionally, I aim to refine my interpretation of ambiguity and imagery. Overall, while I’ve made strides in understanding and appreciating poetry, I acknowledge the ongoing journey to deepen my comprehension and interpretation further.  

I wouldn’t say that I’ve always had a bad time reading poems, but after these past two weeks, I would say that I’ve learned more about the different analyses behind how poems should be read. Poems are known for being very dramatic, yet I’ve noticed that the poems we’ve read presented different tones that helped me fully grasp the feel of emotion and setting that these poets showcase. For instance, after listening to W.B Yeats read his poem “The Lake Of Innisfree”, I quickly gained a better perspective of how a change in tone shifts an entire feel to a poem. The poem “My Last Duchess” confused me a lot, but after breaking down every single stanza during our Zoom meeting, I understood more about what emotions the poet showcased. Usually, I’m more of a listening type of person with music and such, but all in all, these poems presented to me different feelings and emotions that are showcased due to a certain tone.

The understanding of poetry for me earlier was not so good.I struggle alot with the language and words used by the poet. But now I have increase my knowledge of reading the poetryfrom my high school. And in this week I learned a lot like the Like what the poet want to symbolize in the poetry that refreshes everything.I also read one poetry “Because I could not stop for Death,”by Emily dickson depicts Death as a gentle carriage driver guiding the speaker towards eternity. This imagery symbolizes the transition from life to death, where each stage of the journey represents different aspects of life and mortality. For instance, the slowing down at the school signifies the end of childhood innocence, while the pause at the grave symbolizes the finality of death. Additionally, the imagery of the setting sun conveys the idea of life’s conclusion.In essence, the poem conveys the inevitability of death and the acceptance of its natural progression. It presents death not as a frightening event but as a serene passage into eternity.So, I think I learned how to read the poem and how to understand its summary.1

I’d give my ability for understanding poetry a seven out of ten.Poetry has a ton of fascinating, often difficult to understand phrases. William Shakespeare’s “Shall I Compare thee to a Summer’s Day” was one of the poems that I truly liked. This poem, which talks about love and beauty that never fades, is one of my favorites since it uses such lovely language. Because the poem discusses topics that are universal, like love and nature, it is also simpler to understand. To help the reader in memory of the main idea, it repeats several sentences and uses simple language. It conveys a clear message, the person being addressed is more beautiful than a summer’s day, and their beauty will never fade.

On a scale of one to ten I would rate my ability to read poetry a five out of ten as I sometimes get stuck on understanding certain things so when this happens I usually just do my research on it. I feel like the way I could get better in reading poetry is by reading it often as you’ll get used to it and would slowly understand what it’s trying to tell you. Another way is by doing research on how to improve in reading poetry and how to understand it. I usually find Shakespeare’s poems challenging because it has a lot of important information which makes it hard to understand everything that’s going on in the poem. As we practice, things will usually become easier to do. I will have to read poetry until I get used to reading and understanding poetry enough so I won’t have to go and do my research about it.

Personally I feel like I can rate my ability to be able to read poetry to maybe like an eight on a scale from one to ten. I have always loved poetry ever since I was little. I am a music lover as well and song writer so poetry plays and has always played a big part in my life. When reading poetry you have to know the flow of the poem, and to know the flow , you have to feel the rhythm of the words. This is how I often read poetry. This is how poetry catches my attention. In the poem ” My Mistress’ eyes are nothing like the sun” by William Shakespeare you will find that this flow that I am referring to. One thing that I know I need to improve on is not all poetry rhymes and has a “flow” so when this happens, I tend to have trouble understanding the poem. Especially if the language is not from the present day.

After the past two weeks, on a scale from one to ten, I would rate my ability to read poetry a six. I always loved poetry, but it’s always been challenge for me to understand at times. When I read some poetry, I grasp it right away.  At other times, I just don’t get what the poet is trying to convey.  During the past 2 weeks, I enjoyed reading poetry in class with the professor.  I like the way we break it down.  This is a great way to better understand the poem.  I enjoyed the poem “The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks. Breaking it down in class help me see things I wouldn’t have noticed, helping me to better understand and think about what the poet is trying to convey.  I think I learned how to break the poem down, but I think I still need lots more work in this area.

After the past 2 weeks on a scale from 1 to 10 I would rate my ability to read poetry a solid 7. I understand the poem very briefly, especially when there are words that were made by the poet themself and are not actually real like in the dictionary, I believe the poem about the man riding his horse in the snow, this situation came up. Most poems use language and word there words differently than I am used to, which is why it takes me a in detail break down for me to really understand it. If I try to break up the words that seem off to me and look at sounding words, I will be able to rate myself higher and re reading the poem at least 4 times would allow me to better grasp the meaning of it.

During COVID, people were fearful and seemed to turn on each other. Even if it was not intentional, especially with mandated social distancing, we all became wary of the next person’s actions. We also looked strongly to social media or experts highly respected in the medical field for answers. People became depressed, acted out in strange ways, distanced themselves from people in emotional ways, and partook in destructive behaviors. The population also began to distrust our government. This started with how they handled the beginning of the pandemic, followed by the BLM protesting, and continued to spiral from there. It all came to an intense head during the election and did not stop there. We are still seeing massive distrust in our leaders, and the pandemic seemed to be the catalyst. In Oedipus the King, the Thebans responded to the plague with fear and uncertainty, seeking help from leaders and experts. While they blamed each other and turned to religion. In looking at the commonalities of the story and our experience, there truly were not many differences. Both our modern society and the Thebans shared valid human emotions such as fear and anxiety, and we yearned for solutions for the problem.

During the two weeks of learning poetry I think I’ve been getting a little better at understanding . Being that I’ve always liked to write everytime I want to express myself it makes it easier to sometimes understand a poem that had a lot of feeling to it . During these two weeks I believe I can  still work on breaking poems down and understanding the literature terms that are being used in the poems .

In the past two weeks, we’ve focused on better understanding the meaning of poems. I’d say my ability to get poetry is halfway there. Poetry has always been a big hurdle for me in learning English. It’s hard for me to fully grasp the meaning behind the rhymes and the deeper messages. Also, figuring out what the unclear words in poems are supposed to mean is tough for me. So, usually, after I read a poem, I still don’t quite understand what it’s all about. But, I’ve found a way that helps. If I think of myself as part of the poem and read it out loud over and over, it starts to make more sense. This approach makes it easier for me to understand the poems. Before, poems felt like a puzzle I couldn’t solve. Now, by reading them out loud several times, I start to see what the poet might be trying to say. It’s like the poems speak more clearly to me this way. This new method has really changed how I see and understand poetry, making it a less daunting part of learning English.

When reading poetry I had always had trouble understanding what it is about. The wording that authors use when writing poetry always gets me confused. After these past weeks my understanding of poetry has became semi easier to understand. I have learned to break it down by each line and pay attention to every wording they use, sometimes it can be difficult but recalling paying attention it gets easier. I feel like poetry has grabbed my interest again, and made me want to read more poems because now I know how to understand poetry more better. I am not the best at reading and understanding poetry yet but I do know these ways in trying to understand. I think I need more practice with the wording they are using to write poetry, and also more patience trying to figure out each meaning of every sentence. I also need work on paying attention, every stanza has a bug meaning to the story.

During the Covid-19 pandemic which was now 4 years ago, a lot has transpired during that year. In the year 2020, when covid struck it hit like a bomb leading to millions of deaths of loved ones, no outside contact for months, police brutality, people acting out towards each other in fear of catching covid, schools shutting down, and for me personally and many others the robbery of my graduation. In comparison of the action/events that happened during covid to the reading ” Oedipus the King”, the priest says this line ” A deadly pestilence, is our town, strikes us and spears us not, and the house of Cadmus is emptied of its people while black Death grows rich in groaning and in lamentation”. This line from the priest is similar to how people were feeling during covid. During covid, people started to become fearful and paranoid of catching covid or getting their families sick. It was also a time that people started to have mental health problems, feeling trapped in their homes while also scared to go outside. For a lot of people Covid felt like a time of uncertainty and never knowing if we would recover from this pandemic, which caused a lot of problems for our nation and communities.

In my opinion I rate my ability to read poetry a solid 8 0ut of 10. I’m not a big poetry reader but the poems we read for class were quite interesting and good refresher to reintroduce myself into poetry. To improve my poetry reading ability I can start by reading the poem twice in row, paying attention to the rhythm and emotion, pausing when I come across unfamiliar words. These are all things I need to incorporate when I am reading different works of poetry. I don’t usually read poems or poetry but after reading the poems assigned like “The Mother” I started a newfound interest in poetry. This poem I actually read 3 times because I was able to feel the emotion of the poet. This poem was also a fairly easy poem to understand and find the meaning. Gwendolyn Brooks poem is describing a mother who chooses an abortion, who thens goes through the emotions and thoughts of what could of been memories of having a child.

When reading the story “Araby” I see how this boy has a crush on this girl but doesn’t; feel enough for her to like a kid like him. I can sort of relate to this story because during my 9th grade year I always admired this guy who was In 10th grade. Everyday going to school when the bell would ring I would see him walking through the same hall as me going to my next class. I never had the courage to actually speak to him, I always had that mindset of no one ever wanting me and not feeling enough for someone. Everyday I tried to “impress” him with the way I dressed but noticed he never looked at me which I felt invisible. Later on I heard stories of the type of person he was which made me feel different, he was way different from what I expected. It was disillusionment, ever since that day I lost all interest in impressing a person because you never know how they really are.

During the pandemic, I saw a mix of fear and resilience much like in Thebes. People hoarded supplies similar to the thebans’ desperation. Yet there was also incredible community spirit and support something less apparent in the play where the focus is more on seeking a singular cause and solution to their plague. The unity and shared sacrifice I witnessed were inspiring, contrasting with the isolation and blame in the play.

After the past 2 weeks, I can definitely without a doubt say that my ability to read poetry has greatly improved. I know I still have a very long way to go due to the fact that I haven’t read poetry in so long and it hasn’t been much to read, but it’s still very refreshing to read poetry again. I rarely if ever will read poetry on my own time so doing it for class re  introduces it. I still have to get better at identifying everything from a poem and getting the complete message from the poem, I realize that a poem can even be somewhat enjoyable to read. A very important habit I need to break when reading a poem is reading it very quickly because I have a tendency to quickly skim through everything that I read, but with poetry every stanza is important because missing one thing can completely throw just about anyone off.

In the story Oedipus the King, the people in the story went through a plague and tried to find a solution  . Like in lines 68-82  “I pity you, children. You have come full of longing, but I have known the story before you told it only too well. I know you are all sick, yet there is not one of you, sick though you are, that is as sick as myself. Your several sorrows each have single scope and touch but one of you. My spirit groans for city and myself and you at once. You have not roused me like a man from sleep; know that I have given many tears to this, gone many ways wandering in thoughts, but as I thought I found only one remedy and that I took. I sent Menoeceus’ son Creon, Jocasta’s brother, to Apollo, to his Pythian temple,* that he might learn there by what act or word I could save this city. This quote relates to Covid 19 and what was going on with the Americans because when Covid 19 started they quickly started looking for a solution to solve the problem for the sickness/disease that were killing people off . It caused great panic and that’s why guidelines had to be followed to prevent the spread .

I would say my ability to read poetry is still average, but I have the skills I need to improve my reading comprehension as well as my ability to understand a poem on a deeper level. For example, re-reading a poem a few times to be able to grasp every little detail of a poem, because they are short due to poems being so short a lot of details get glanced over but after re-reading a few times you can catch new details you’ve missed, and begin to understand the poets meaning of a poem clearer. This was one of my weaknesses in poems because I would skim quickly through them and at the end I would be confused and completely lost but if I practice re-reading and breaking down the poems I believe I would begin understanding poems better than before, for example, “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost where I was completely confused but after the class went on I began to understand that the person literally stopped to take in the sights of the forest but he still has a long way to go to reach his destination.

in my opinion, my ability to read poetry has improved a bit these past two weeks. I feel this way because it’s been a while since I’ve sat down and read poems so it took some time for me to get used to decoding the meanings of poems. I felt this way especially when we were reading Stopping by Woods on a snowy evening by Robert Frost. although I feel like I’ve learned somethings from poetry this week I can still improve by keeping up with reading poetry in general to maintain that kind of ability to read.

In the last two weeks my ability to read English poetry has improved, but there still plenty to learn . Poetry helped me expand my vocabulary and understand literature better. I find difficult challenges in grasping metaphors and deeper meanings because of the vocabulary and used and way of using it in poetry. The language can be tough  and I need more practice to fully understand what the poet is trying to say. I’m also working on recognizing poetic devices like rhyme and imagery. I plan to keep reading and studying poetry to get better in general. I know practice is crucial with continued practice I believe I can learn more understanding and appreciation of English poetry. As an English learner I’m always learning something new about the language and literature, that’s why I think that I had been stock because of not practice my in English in a more social environment do to almost all the people I know speak Spanish.

When COVID was announced, the American population started to panic and everyone was in quarantine. I also witnessed that during COVID there was a shortage of toilet paper and hand sanitizer. The same thing happens in “Oedipus the King”, the people were worried about the virus. In contrast people were blaming China for the cause of COVID, just like Oedipus blames Tiresias and Creon for making plans without his consent. The people of Thebes saw the virus as a curse while we saw this as a virus. COVID has affected everyone as we were in quarantine for a while. People were questioning when the virus will be over and when will everything go back to the way they were. COVID was one of the big things that has happened to all of us. Once we were all out of quarantine after a while, things slowly start going back to normal again.

During  covid 19 everyone was on quarantine. i remember when nobody was allowed to go outside and everyone was fighting to get the essentials for their homes. i also remember when there was a lot of fear and panic during those times. just like in the story Oedipus the king. people were scare because of  The outbreak of the plague instills. Chaos, among the people of Thebes causing distress. The Priest paints a picture of the city’s condition lamenting, “Thebes is, in decline. A curse befalls our crops and fertile lands; livestock fall ill and perish while women face death during childbirth with newborns failing to survive. The relentless fever brought by the plague ravages our city. Then during the pandemic people feared of  catching covid and it spreading around the world.  another similarity  the American people had with the plague was the denial and blame. Oedipus and others initially deny their roles or knowledge in the curse afflicting Thebes. Oedipus even accuses Tiresias and Creon of conspiring against him. while americans and some other countries blamed China f or the start and spread of covid.

During the times and height of covid everyone was reasonably scared and confused. What I personally saw was people not knowing what exactly this virus was and how to properly protect themself from it whilst mourning their loved ones who unfortunately were victims of the virus. Comparing this the play “Oedipus the King” like when the people in the story were also scared and confused. Not knowing what this plague was and not understanding the deaths trying to put some reasoning behind it. “I know you are all sick, yet there is not one of you, sick though you are, 70 that is as sick as myself. “

During the pandemic I was still living in the Dominican Republic. I remember that people’s behavior changed a lot during the lockdown. I remember watching the news and seeing people acting desperate at the grocery store trying to buy as much food as they could so they could stay at home and not be exposed to the virus. The [lay showed how the people of Thebes were suffering because of the plague that was attacking their city. They went to their king Oedipus to ask him for help because a lot of people were dying as a consequence of the plague, as it is expressed in the next quote. [and the house of Cadmus is emptied of its people while black Death grows rich in groaning and in lamentation.”  I choose this particular quote because during the pandemic people were desperate to get medical attention to their loved ones that were sick of COVID. In my country, people used to go to important institutions to ask them for help to save their family members. That is why I choose this quote to connect how the desperation of a population makes them decide to go to an important person (in this case, Oedipus the king) to try to save their family members.

When the Covid-19 plague was brought to the attention of the American people, a widespread of panic and scatter took place. A comparison I found between the  American people during Covid-19 plague and the people of Thebes in “Oedipus the King”,  during their plague is that both people were desperate to find a solution to end the plague. Yes, the people of Thebes felt that their plague was a curse and our plague was a virus, both people wanted it to be over. I personally witnessed many states make social distancing a requirement when you were out in public, people wearing masks, and no toilet paper or other basic necessities that were needed. I also experienced deaths in my family and went through having Covid-19 personally twice. Now Covid-19 was a global issue but to the people of Thebes the plague was thought to be a curse due to the people ill ways.

During Covid, the behaviors of the American population that I personally witnessed was a worldwide worry and panic. No one knew how to handle this on their own, so like the people in Oedipus the King, they turned to the “authorities” or government because that’s who is there to protect and keep them safe. In contrast, during covid 19 we had Donald Trump as President. His responses to the pandemic were not very leader like and as we can see Oedipus was not very leader like either. Oedipus had killed his father and married his mother. Knowing this, the chaos that followed the pandemic and the plague in both cases were getting out of hand. In Oedipus the King, we see that he sent his brother in law to figure out a solution, like the government today. The President has people to do things for them in situations like these. The plague and pandemic are similar because it was a dark time for the citizens and for the government as well. No one knew the solution to this new problem.

As I think back of covid-19 days those days were really miserable for India as my homecountry where I was present that time.There were social distancing, people wear masks and there were no gathering and people were afraid to go out even if they have to buy something whereas in “Oedipus the King” the people in Thebes, the play depicts a city suffer with a deadly plague caused by curse.Comparing specific scenes, in Oedipus the King,the people of Thebes are desperate for a solution to the plague, evident in lines like “Each of you suffers in himself alone, not for himself,but for the city”. In contrast,during the Covid-19 pandemic,people faced a shared global issue,adjusting their lifestyle according to the situation.People of my countries followed the proper guidelines given by the government to protect themselves from covid-19.People in Thebes also took the measures to protect themselves from the deadly Plague.Both scenarios illustrate the complexity of navigating the balance between their lifestyles and managing their daily life.

When COVID was at it’s height, I still lived home in St. Thomas, USVI. As a US territory who’s main and only industry is tourism, we were a bit slow on the uptake of closing off our borders. Because of that, our island notice an uptake in “statesiders” (fellow US citizens who lived on the mainland/continental US) traveling to our island to vacation because of a current lack in mandates. It took as little as a month for their to be an identified case of COVID within the community, and three months for an upsurge in cases, forcing the USVI to close its borders indefinitely. Despite being a US territory and having confirmed cases, it was a bit difficult for our government to enforce mask mandates because of a lack of supplies (our inventories are usually shipped through Puerto Rico whose borders we also closed in light of the now global pandemic. However, once those regulations were planned out and essential workers we allowed to resume work both in Puerto Rico and the USVI, we were able to continue about life with a new sense of “normalcy” Similar to the citizens in Oedipus, our community immediately sought guidance from our government. Despite having a small number of cases initially, we understood how a “plague” such as COVID would negatively effect our only means of producing profit for the islands. In Lines 62-64, readers note that the community tells their king “You freed us from the Sphinx, Oedipus, our king; and in your care we find ourselves lifted from the surge of death.” Like those individuals we relied on our government now more than ever since our GDP tanked after all four islands were negatively impacted by category 5 hurricanes Irma and Maria no more than three years prior. As a […]

In the play “Oedipus the King,” the people of Thebes are struck by a deadly plague that leaves them desperate and vulnerable. They plead with their king, Oedipus, to find a solution to the epidemic. Meanwhile, Jocasta enters and criticizes Oedipus and Creon for their insignificant arguments during the crisis, asking, “Are you not ashamed to air your private griefs when the country’s sick?” (Lines 741-743). This emphasizes their mutual sense of urgency and the need to prioritize the greater good over personal disagreements. Similarly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, some Americans followed public health guidelines eagerly, while others opposed restrictions and emphasized personal liberation. This reflects the tensions in Thebes, where some characters, like the Priest and Jocasta, prioritize addressing the plague as a community. In difference, others, like Oedipus and Creon, are consumed by personal disagreements regardless of the bigger crisis. Both situations showcase the complicatedness of balancing individual rights with coordinated well-being during times of crisis.

During the Covid-19 pandemic I remember people being in a constant state of worry and panic. WHO urged everyone to wear masks and gloves and limit contact with people as much as possible to limit spreading further the virus. But there was a lot of controversies about the methods used by the government to deal with the outbreak, and people were also putting blade at the government for even starting the virus, especially the Chinese government. A contrast between how the American people and the people of Thebes in Oedipus the King is an how they approached their plagues. In Oedipus the King the people turned to their government (the king) who they fully trust in to help them discover how to deal with the plague and get rid of it. “We have not come as suppliants to this altar 35 because we thought of you as a God, but rather judging you the first of men in all the chances of this life and when we mortals have to do with more that man. You came and by your coming saved our city, 40 freed us from the tribute which we paid of old to the Sphinx,7 cruel singer. This you did… it was God that aided you, men say, and you are held45 with God’s assistance to have saved our lives.” Whereas in America people weren’t really sure if they could trust what the government says, especially when it came to the virus. Another contrast is that when the Covid 19 pandemic hit health organizations were already working on health precautions to take to keep everyone safe and reduce the death toll as much as possible, whereas the people in Oedipus went to their temples acquiring of their gods on how to stop the plague from affecting them. […]

I can personally relate to the young narrator in “Araby” by James Joyce because of the feeling of disillusionment. I feel like this feeling isn’t just invoked by someone who we admire to be a potential romantic partner but by many others scenarios in life. In the story, the protagonist gets infatuated with a girl who lives across the street from him. He always admired her from a far and had little to no real conversation with her, yet he felt these strong yearnings for her beauty and innocence. By the end of the story the protagonist ends up going to a bar that the girl told him about, he showed up to bring her back a gift since she couldn’t go. He was then faced with reality of feeling foolish, ashamed and disillusioned when the expectations of beauty and innocence were not met. I have felt this way before with job opportunities, as a sub para I have had my experiences where I had hope a school would keep me there for the rest of the year but then I’d be let go. Meanwhile the whole time I’m working there I would remain hopeful that I could secure a permanent spot, only to feel let down and disillusioned when I’m let go

The quote I have chosen to focus on is “Literature is not only a mirror; it is a map, a geography of the  mind” by Margaret Atwood. This quote embodies the story I have chosen to focus on which is Araby by James Joyce. To me the quote means that literature not only shows you who you are but also your thoughts and feelings as a writer, some writing pieces are very strongly written where you could tell the author feels strongly about what they’re sharing with us, as well as when they narrate for characters in certain writing pieces. In Araby James Joyce voices how the protagonist feels throughout this journey of emotions towards a stranger he is infatuated with. The author takes us inside the mind of the main character describing his thoughts and feelings, he is very eager and borderline obsessed with this girl til the end of the story where he starts to feel disillusioned. 

After thinking back to the COVID-19 days I noticed a big contrast in the way an outbreak was handled. In “Oedipus the King,” there’s a scene where the people of Thebes beg Oedipus to save them from the plague. They tell him, “You freed us from the Sphinx, Oedipus, our king; and in your care we find ourselves lifted from the surge of death” (Lines 62-64). This shows how much they rely on Oedipus to solve their problems, without taking much action themselves. In contrast, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a big focus on people taking responsibility for their health and stopping the virus from spreading. Public health campaigns encouraged things like wearing masks, washing hands, and getting vaccinated. While not everyone followed these guidelines perfectly, there was a big effort to teach people how to be responsible and safe.

“Literature is the art of discovering something extraordinary about ordinary people and saying with ordinary words something extraordinary.” by Boris Pasternak Literature reveals extraordinary qualities in ordinary people and expresses them uniquely, using everyday language. The poet Pasternak understood the challenges of balancing personal desires of a traditional community, particularly among the repressive atmosphere of the Soviet Union. This quote embodies my story “Another evening at the club” by Alifa Rifaat showing how a young woman has to except her parents arranging her marriage to an older man.  She has to be submissive to him. She has no freedom to do as she pleases. She even has to be submissive to her dad by listening to whatever he advises her to do. She is a young girl who was in school still, but her dad tells her she won’t be going to school any longer waiting for the day she gets married.

  Back during covid one of the big things were that people were scared to go outside. Even when people were outside they would avoid each other and if you were to cough then you would be given a look then people would slowly move away from you which can kind of be related to the play due to the fear of dying. Covid was a time where people were actually scared of dying on a worldwide scale. At one point it just seemed like there was no way to stop what was going on just like in the play when Oedipus said this . “But no man has power to force the gods to speak against their will.” in this way everyone predicted that death was coming and no one was able to stop what was going on. Covid was a really bad time I would hate for another pandemic to happen again.

“Literature is painting, architecture, and music” by Yevgeny Zamyatin. He’s saying that great literature does what those other art forms do it creates imagery words in your mind like a painting, it’s well constructed and flows smoothly like a building, and it stirs up emotions in you like listening to music, and we can see that in the story “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant. With his detailed writing he paints these clear pictures in your head whether it’s the fancy ball scene or the hardwork life of the character ends up living later. One thing naturally leading to the next just like how the different rooms and spaces are connected in a well designed building flowing like music, the most powerful part is how de Maupassant takes you on an emotional ride as a reader. You start out feeling that excitement and hope when the character gets to live the classy life for a night. Then you go through the frustration and sadness as her life goes downhill. “The Necklace” brings together the quote of Zamyatin when he compared great literature to painting, architecture, and music.

During the global outbreak of the coronavirus, we all witnessed heart-wrenching stories firsthand, with countless people losing their loved ones, and many others passing away due to the lack of cooperation from others. In “Oedipus the King,” the people also suffered from a nationwide epidemic, just like us, placing their hopes on the national leader. However, as we have seen, no country’s policy was able to completely stop the plague, mirroring the torment experienced by the people in the story. Whether in reality or in stories, there will always be dissatisfaction and resistance, leading to more people getting hurt. During the pandemic, I lived in China, where everyone was quarantined at home, with no one allowed to go out. Everyone monitored each other, and the situation was initially very successful. In less than two months, the virus in cities was isolated, people wore masks outdoors, and used a special virus QR code to facilitate scanning and confirmation of health status. In 2020, when the whole world was quarantined at home, I could travel through various cities in China, walking in bustling night markets. But no one could accept being locked at home forever. I remember in 2021, when the coronavirus variant swept across the globe again, but this time the virus was not very harmful, many countries opened up policies, while China locked down the entire country again, with no one allowed to go out. However, a few months later, people realized that it was impossible to avoid infection, and began to resist. In Shanghai and Xinjiang, people started a series of resistance movements, known as the “White Paper Movement,” expressing their dissatisfaction with the government by holding up a blank piece of paper. Less than a week after the outbreak of the movement, China reopened, and no one escaped […]

During the COVID-19 pandemic, health fears and social restrictions changed individuals’ communications and behaviors. Whether a person has lost their loved ones, struggled with isolation, was personally sick, or lost their job, each was affected differently. Throughout the pandemic, I observed many behaviors among the American people that can be likened to some characters in the play Oedipus the King. After the government commanded that people uphold various measures like wearing masks, maintaining social distancing, and adhering to stay-at-home instructions, several individuals did exactly what was required. Conversely, some Americans did not strictly follow the government guidelines. In the play, there are instances of individual and collective suffering due to the plague; just like during COVID-19, people suffered individually and collectively. Accordingly, the American people turned to their leaders to save them from the pandemic, just like the people in the play turned to their king, Oedipus, to be saved. The priest pleads on behave of the people of Thebe, saying, “And now, Oedipus, our peerless king, all we thy votaries beseech thee, find, some succor, whether by a voice from heaven, Whispered, or haply known by human wit” (Lines 46-48). This is an indication of collective suffering denoted by the outbreak of Covid-19. Just like in the play, American people suffered collectively, leading to regular quarantines of people from the same families and different families. The obedience among the majority of Americans is likened to the character Creon in the play, which emphasizes obeying the government and the gods. His decision to follow Apollo’s prophecy and enforce the laid-down measures to rid Thebes of the plague can be likened to the American people who followed the WHO directives. On the other hand, there were various instances of defiance among individual Americans, just the Thebes. Some Americans went against the […]

The quote I chose for essay number two is “Reading makes immigrants of us all it takes us away from home, but more important, it finds homes for us everywhere” by Jean Rhys. The story I have chosen that embodies this quote is “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant. Firstly, I chose this quote because it describes how immersive the world of literature can be for readers or anybody. From stories, folktales, poems, and fables, these works of literature can have a reader transcend into the story. As if there actually in the story with the characters or imaging themselves as the main character. The story “The Necklace” embodies this quote, a story about a miserable housewife who believes she deserves the finer things of life, the riches and glam. Who is also married to a poor working man, who’s tries his best to provide for her and himself. The husband knows his wife, who’s wants to be living the rich life gets a invitation for a ball to be around the higher class. The wife whos ungrateful, guilted her husband into giving her money for a new dress, to hide the fact that she’s poor. She borrows a diamond necklace from one of her friends to impress the people at the ball. She ends up losing the necklace and her and her husbands has to work tirelessly to make money to afford a necklace. This is a story that makes you create a mental movie of how things went for the husband and wife.