Not Marble, Nor the Gilded Monuments

Reflections on Shakespeare's Sonnets

William Shakespeare's poem "Not marble, nor the gilded monuments" brings the reader to the sense of what is not important and what is. This poem more or less has two message tht he tries to bring out. First, he mentiones that this poem is and will be stronger that any monuments that one does to keep a memory of a loved one. " Of princes, shall outlive this powerful rhyme; But you shall shine more bright in these contents, Than unswept stone, besmeared with sluttish time." (Lines 2-4). Also, another message that he mentiones is love. How love between two people even after everything perishes and vanishes or gets destroyed this love between these two lovers will always still be present. It will be stronger than anything.

This be the verse

How does Philip Lark negotiate levels of diction in This Be the Verse? How does it help the message?

The levels of diction that Philip Larkin uses is low. "They fuck you up, your mum and dad. They may not mean to, but they do." It is informal, it basically uses language of ordinary people. The poem talks about how his parents were messed up, how they messed him up. That whatever faults they had they blamed on him and added more to make themselves feel better. He talks about their past lives and how they themselves were messed up. He advises others not to have kids of their own because of the faults that they will be blaming their kids. That's what I think the last verse more or less means.


This be the verse

They fuck you up, your mum and dadThey may not mean to, but they do.They fill you with the faults they hadAnd add some extra, just for you.
But they were fucked up in their turnBy fools in old-style hats and coats,Who half the time were soppy-sternAnd half at one another's throats
Man hands on misery to man.It deepens like a coastal shelf.Get out as early as you can,And don't have any kids yourself.

Philip Larkin

The Jilting Of Granny Weatherall

What are some of your initial reactions to The Jilting of Granny Weatherall?

Granny Weatherall was definitely a tough charachter from what we read. " “Get along and doctor your sick,” said Granny Weatherall. “Leave a well woman alone. I’ll call for you when I want you…” she shouted, because Doctor “I pay my own bills, and I don’t throw my money away on nonsense!” She was used to telling people what to do and let no one help her. She had a daughter, Cornelia, who was always around to help her out. No matter how tough things got she stuck around. “I’m chilly, Cornelia.” Lying in bed stops the circulation. I must have told you a thousand times.” Granny always had something to do. She was an independent woman and had no one help her in any kind of way. After she got home from the doctor's office she decided to rest and clean up the attic the next day.

Granny knew that her time was about to come and she wanted to get rid of some old letters that she had up in her attic that she wanted no one to find even after her death. As Granny lies in bed, she ponders her imminent death. The idea of death feels unfamiliar, despite all the time she has spent preparing for it. Twenty years ago, when she was sixty years old, she had thought she was going to die. Next morning as Granny went through the letters she found letters from both George and John. Memories flew through her head and pain that she consumed once reminded her why she had become the way she did.

The jilting of Granny Weatherall has alot to do with the story and her past. Jilting means to be left behind, rejected. Granny Weatherall was at the alter ready to get married till the moment that George stood her up and never married her. Because of this past experince we know why she's that way she is with everyone. She is hard on forgivness and believes that she had no reason to forgive others to hurt her in some way. Not only that but John her husband had died at a young age as well. She didnt let anything get to her and bring her down, she just became stronger and learned form them.

In Everyday Use

In Everyday Use, the family quilt is an item of cultural value. Identify one item that represents your culture and explain why. Please respond to 2 of your peers.

An item that represents our culture in our family would be a China Cabinet that my grandmother has had since her kids were babies. She started out in Puerto Rico and when she moved down to Hialeah, Florida she ordered for it to get here safe. Inside that China Cabinet you will find many dinner ware. Throughout the years my grandmother has collected and taken care of all these sets that you don't find anywhere theses days. I guess that most of the things you can call them antiques. In there she has included her own wine glass set that she used for her weddings and the ones that her three daughters used when they got married. She has dinner plates, soup plates, tea sets, and even coffee sets. They have a significant meaning in our lives. And it's something that she has taken the time to care for and something that she is planning on passing down for generations to come.

The Narrator in The Tell-Tale Heart

How would you characterize the Narrator in Poe's short story? Give specific example to justify your claim.

The narrator of the Tell-Tale Heart is an unnamed person who tries to convince us the reader that he is completely sane. From the beginning of the short story written by Edgar Allan Poe we get a sense of feeling that the narrator isn’t well. “TRUE! --nervous --very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am; but why will you say that I am mad?”. The narrator of this story has committed a crime. He has murder and innocent old man just because of his eye. The narrator felt that the old man’s eye was always following him around. “The old man's hour had come! With a loud yell, I threw open the lantern and leaped into the room. He shrieked once --once only. In an instant I dragged him to the floor, and pulled the heavy bed over him. I then smiled gaily, to find the deed so far done. First of all I dismembered the corpse. I cut off the head and the arms and the legs.” The narrator's guilt gets the best of him and he starts to have hallucination that the old man's heart is still beating under the floorboards. Driving him into confessing his crime to the policeman who had passed by his house. Thereby getting caught.

Setting

How do the setting affect the stories of Joyce and Updike? How would the stories work in other settings?

In both stories Araby by James Joyce and A & P by John Updike, the settings affect how the stories take place and how the characters change.This story by James Joyce is the awakening of a boy to how different the world is compared to how he would like to see it. In the beginning of Araby, the setting of this story is very dark and gloomy. " When the short days of winter came, dusk fell before we had well eaten our dinners. When we met in the street the houses had grown sombre. The space of sky above us was the colour of ever-changing violet and towards it the lamps of the street lifted their feeble lanterns. Our shouts echoed in the silent street." This setting symbolizes the loneliness of a child and the sadness of his childhood. The point of the story is that basically it's about a small crush. A young boy's first time falling for an older girl. “She was waiting for us,” “I had never spoken to her, except for a few casual words, and yet her name was like a summons to all my foolish blood.” He wants her to feel the same for him so he decides to buy her something that will mean alot for her. Something that will show his affection towards her.

He goes out of his way and travels to " Araby" (bazaar) a small market away from town. As he gets there he starts to look around to see what he should buy her. He finally finds something that he would love to get her but gets distracted by the sales woman that is flirting with two young men. She asked him if he needed any help with an annoyed tone and a rude way. Things here begin to change. He becomes aware of how things really are. And that he might like her but she might never feel the same for him. He gets upset by what he has seen and decides to leave and buy her nothing.

In the second story, A & P by John Updike, the setting as well fits perfect for the theme. The story "A & P" by John Updike is a story of a young man who gets caught up in his desires and lets his anger get in the way of his thinking and in the end, ends up quitting his job. This story is written in first person, as told from the point of view of a 19-year-old grocery clerk named Sammy. One day, while Sammy is working, three girls walk into the A & P supermarket wearing nothing but bathing suits. At first, one of the girls intrigues Sammy. Everything is fine and nothing is said until the manager comes out. He tells them that they are dressed inappropriate and shouldn't be coming inside the store that way. They are embarrassed and get upset. Sammy can't believe the way he is treating these girls and decides to defend them as they walk out the door. Hoping that they here his heroic way he quits in front of everyone and walks out. But it was too late, because the three girls were long gone. Both settings correlate to one another in the sense of loneliness.

Irony

How do you define "irony"? Do you feel that it is present in Kate Chopin's "Story of an Hour"?

In my own words, I believe that Irony is something ironic in the reading. It is what the author makes the reader believe will happen and the unexpected occurs during the end. The outcome of the story changes completely towards the end. Something that the author has intended to do. In the story " The story of an hour" by Kate Chopin, it definitely does present Irony very well. In the beginning she makes everyone believe that Mrs. Mallard's husband, Brently Mallard; has passed away due to an accidednt that many have died in. The news was spread and reach Mrs. Mallard. We're thereby expected to feel pity and see how it has affected her. As we keep on reading things start to change and Mrs. Mallard actually seems more at peace with herself.

They describe what she starts going through and how she feels about it. At first she is upset and can't really handle the news to well, so she goes up to her room and locks herself in there. She opens up the window and starts to look outside and starts to think. Here we start getting the image that she is in peace. It makes it seem that she has finally been freed and has let go of all that weight she's been carrying for years. It is all going good until the end where we hear about her husband coming home and not aware of the accident in which everyone believed he was involved in. As Mrs. Mallard sees him it's too late for the both of them. Mrs. Mallard ends up dying instead of Brently Mallard. A definite unexpected outcome from the author to the reader.

Elegy

What is an elegy (be sure to site your source)? How does e.e. Cummings modify this type of poem?

An Elegy is a mournful poem; a lament for the dead.

(Source: http://wordnetweb.princeton.edu/perl/webwn?s=elegy)

The shape of the poem is an arrowhead.

In the poem "Buffalo Bill" By E.E Cummings, elegy is present throughout the whole poem. "Buffalo Bill's defunct" is how the poem starts out. With just the word defunct we know that this poem is going to refer to something or someone who no longer is in existence; someone who has already died. The poem continues with the justification of how Buffalo bill use to be. They described what he use to ride and how he use to live life. "Jesus he was a handsome man". Here we get the feeling that the author is mentioning another character in the poem. But we get confused because we're not sure if he's talking about a man or if he's just using an expression. "And what i want to know is how do you like your blue eyed boy Mister Death." Death is mentioned at the end of the poem. What I believe its trying to say is that Death has taken Buffalo Bill away. Hoping now that he is happy with what he has taken away from others.

War

Pick two of these poems that deal with war. What is the message that they convey?

Wilfred Owen – Dulce et Decorum Est
Randall Jarrell – The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner

Dulce et Decorum Est and The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner are two poems that deal with the war and death. Dulce et Decorum Est is a poem written by an English solider. He is basically telling the story on his point of view. He's watching a dear friend die at the war in which they are fighting in. " Gas! Gas! Quick boys!- An Ecstasy of fumbling, Fitting the clumsy helmets just in time; But someone still was yelling out and stumbling And flound' ring like a man in fire or lime...". " As under a green sea, I saw him drowning." " He plunges at me, guttering, choking, drowning." He later on in the poem questions that if it's really worth it to die for your country. I mean you do all these things and sacrifice so much and at the end it's all gone. Just like that. As if nothing ever mattered. " The Old Lie: Dulce et decorum est Pro patrai mori".

On the other hand, we also have the poem The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner. In the poem The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner, the narrator of the poem dies at war. He falls asleep while others are firing. The first line, "From my mother's sleep I fell into the State.” The speaker tells us that at birth, he fell from his mother's womb not into ordinary human life but into the womb of the State. "The ball turret was a rotating plexiglass machine gun enclosure that protruded from the belly of the bomber so that the gunner could direct fire at enemy fighters attacking from below." "I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. Flak which is a jacket designed to provide protection, and woke up to the shooting that were being directed towards him. “When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose.” At this point we get the feeling that he feels worthless. They washed him out of the turret with a hose. Everything that he has done for his country and they couldn't remove his body more properly.

Digging by Seamus Heaney

What types of words the Heaney uses in his poem Digging? What connotations are present?

The words that Heaney uses in this poem are very powerful. Seamus Heaney is thinking about his roots remembering his father and grandfather and the things they valued. He is questioning whether his work (as a writer) is as valuable - as manly - as worthy as theirs. He obviously shares his father and grandfather's view that hard work which is symbolized by the digging; are essential if a person is to have any real pride. At the beginning of the poem the two men are working: Seamus is writing - his tool is the pen. He becomes conscious of his father at work in the garden. He admires the quality of his father's work. Seeing his father at work in the garden reminds him of his childhood as he watched his father planting potatoes with the same expertise and thoroughness.

Seamus realizes that this pride in work had been passed on to his father by his father. He reminisces about his grandfather, recalling his heroic reputation as the outstanding turf cutter of his day. It is this thought - his worry that he as a writer no longer seems to follow the traditional type of work of his family - that has prompted the poem. In the last three lines (which almost repeat the first two lines) Seamus makes a firm statement. His work as a writer is just as valid. "I'll dig with it" (the pen). Also, One of the phrase that says the squat pen rests; snug as a gun I think what he means is that his pen is very powerful just like a gun is when you are at war.

The Holocaust: The Meaning of Never Again part 2 (Extra Credit)

After hearing Leo’s past and experience we had the honor to hear out another survivor. She went by the name of Lisl Bogart. Lisl was 13 years old when her life almost came to an end. Everything that she went through was tough yet restricted and survived. Lisl and her both her parents with her 17 years old brother were deported to the concentration camp back in 1942. And in 1943 both her parents and her brother were taken away and never seen again. Out of her 43 family members that went in she was the only one who had survived. She explained to us that she remembers more or less how it all began. She remembers one cold night the German riding around in tanks through the town. The following morning the town was decorated with Juden signs everywhere.

She remembers going to school and her teacher insulting her in front of everyone. She quoted that this is what her teacher had told her “You dirty filthy Jew. You Pig.” and spit at her and gave her his back. She then thought what she could have done for him to treat her that way. She remembers when the curfews started. Every Jew had to be in by 7 p.m and if they were found at a later time wondering they were taken away and never came back.She showed us her Juden star that was given to her, the original. Juden in German stands for Jews. Everything for her had changed so dramatically. She remembers her father telling her “It would be hard, but we will manage”. The only way to survive would be to be useful. You had to be strong and work for them. The younger ones and older ones were worthless and taken care of in a very rude and upsetting matter.

In the morning to eat they were given brown water which is coffee and a slice if bread. And at the end of the day they were given soup. But not the type of soup that we are thinking of with the noodles and chicken, to them it was a grayish brownish mush. The Red Cross from time would want to visit and see how things were going. So the SS Soldiers would create a pretend village. They would create a bakery, school, a grocery, and even a soccer team. They would gather a group of Jews and some extra and tell them what to say to impress the Red Cross. After that it would be the same story and the same treatment.

There are Holocaust Denier known as the Revisionist, a horrible thing to deny and say that no such thing occurred. 6 million Jews died and 5 million other. A sad ending but like the title says The Meaning of Never Again.

The Holocaust: The Meaning of Never Again (Extra Credit)

(Leo Adler to my left and to your right)

Today March 12, 2009 I attended a Holocaust presentation with true one on one survivor chat. This was the most heart dwelling experience that anyone can ever imagine experiencing. I can truly say that this has changed my way of thinking and seeing life itself. When we first entered the room and once it started we had a welcome greeting by Dr. Harry Hoffman, Dean of Academic Affairs at Miami Dade College. Afterwards we had an opening presentation by Rita Hofrichter, Vice President of the Holocaust Documentation and Education Center, Inc. who gave an amazing speech on how things have changed. We then had Antecedents to the Holocaust by Dr. Abe Gittelson, Sr. Consultant center for Advancement of Jewish Education. He spoke to us of how everything happened and that it all began back in the 1800’s.

We had a round table discussion with Leo Adler, the holocaust survivor. He shared amazing storied with us and things that no one ever wishes to go through. Leo Adler was 16 years old when he was sent to the concentration camp with his 2 brother by the age of 10 and 14, and his two parents and grandparents. Leo was separated by everyone but his 10 year old brother who at the end didn’t survive the camp. He showed us many of the pictures of the camp and gas chambers that till today stand.

He shared stories that were painful and hard to hear or even imagine. Leo had gotten his nose almost cut off by an SS solider. He had bread crumbs in his pockets and was able to stick his nose together and stop the bleeding with the bread, had it there for 3 weeks without removing afraid to lose his nose. Another story that he shared with us was on how in a small boxcar which was used for transportation to the concentration camps, they would insert from 102 to 105 people in there for 8 ½ days without food or water or bathroom breaks. Many died by the second day and it was so cold outside that the bodies were stiffed and stacked on top of each other by others in the boxcar. Many of the ones still alive would rip a piece of clothing off the ones who didn’t survive to make a big rope out of it and try to pick up snow to eat. When it was time to board off only 22 survivors were in his trolley.

Leo showed us his numbers that were marked in his skin and memory for the rest of his life. When the war ended and the U.S had defeated Germany he was 17 years old and weighed 85 pounds. He was alone and had nowhere to go. He started working for the American military and was sent to school for 6 months to learn English. Ever since then he has kept going forward and hasn’t given up on life. He believes that it’s the most precious thing and shouldn’t be taken for granted. Till this day he goes around to meetings and speaks about his past. Wants the truth to get out there and wants us to stop hatred and prejudice. That it can be stopped and avoided.

Ode on a Grecian Urn- John Keats

As we read "Ode On A Grecian Urn" we get a sense of happiness, but it has a double standard to it. It's a lyrical poem, it holds a very solid rhyme scheme. The Ode is divided into five stanzas which deals with the art form and figure of the urns.

In his poem Keates is characterizing the urn and nature. Back in time the greeks were very connected to art work. They used urns as holding storage devices. They would also paint their urns. They would draw ellaborate drawing and keep them around their house. Which in time told stories that are still around even in our time.

In Line 18-20 it mentiones how sooner or later were all going to die and that the urns are going to still be around. "Though winning near the goal- yet, do not grieve; She cannont fade, though thou has not thy bliss, For ever wilt thou love, and she be fair!" (Lines 18-20) The art will be persevere but we won't. "Beauty is thruth, thruth is beauty." It's beauty will endure, it will be frozen in time. Referring to its beauty, thruth and its immorality. Gentely it endures something larger. Even though we are condemmed to time, that beauty will not be condemned to time. It will carry out.

The Lottery by Shirley Jackson

Jackson's story uses the holding of a public lottery to present a poignant perspective on our idea of tradition and culture. How does this story incorporate the plot twist to urge us to think about society?

There was definite twist in the story in which at first it was something that I didn't expect. When your reading the story in the beginning the author gives you a sense of warmness and happiness.. The trees are blooming and the weather is just perfect. The title”Lottery" in our society is actually something good. It's a prize you gain if you guess right, It's a game of chance. In the story it’s definitely the opposite. Something in which no one wants and wishes for it to end and not be chosen.

But nothing is done and nothing wants to be changed because it has been going down for centuries and everyone in this small town has gotten use to. But when they are chosen that's when they speak up and try to fight it. In this story it's basically the chance to live. Either you choose a blank paper or one with a black dot. The minute you get the one with the black dot your life is over. You’re attacked with stones and beaten to death. At first we're not really introduced to the main charachter but towards the end you can more or less pick her out the crowd.

Her husband has picked out a paper with the black dot and upset and what is to come she starts to speak up and call it an unfair draw. Another chance is given to the whole family and at the end she gets the paper and killed. What I really didn't like was how she tried to help out her husband and he didn't do anything to prevent from happening. Even her own kids beat her with stones.

A Worn Path By Eudora Welty

Explain how the theme of dedication is present in A Worn Path. What are specific examples of Phoenix's commitment?

The story “A Worn Path” starts out with a great sense of early morning; December to be exact when the weather is cool and yet warm by where she walks. Her name Phoenix is an important name; her name implies a mythological bird made of fire. “A phoenix is a mythical bird with a tail of beautiful gold and red plumage. It has a 500 year life-cycle, when it dies both nest and bird burn fiercely and are reduced to ashes, from which a new, young phoenix arises, reborn to live again.” Throughout the story many obstacles try to jump in and stop her path. First obstacle was when she was walking through the woods that “a bush caught her dress.” (pg 294) Or even when the sun is blocking her view and blinding her. Through the middle of her walk she gets tired and stops for a rest.

There she has an illusion an illusion of a young boy offering her a slice of marble cake. When she goes to reach for it, “there was just her own hand in the air.” (pg 295) “Something always takes a hold of me on this hill- pleads I should stay." (pg 294). It might be her age kicking in that also gets in her way. The Second obstacle that gets in her way is the Hunter. The hunter is the human obstacle; he’s trying to send her back home. At some point he points the gun in her face which is an extreme event. And she doesn't react at all. During the end when the nurse asked Phoenix why she went to town and made the trip, phoenix had forgotten. But after a few minutes she recalled. Reason she went to town was to get her grandson smoothing medicine to help out her grandson who had by mistake swallowed lye about 2 to 3 years ago. She endures everything that she has to go through every obstacle that comes her way. Like she mentioned in one of her interviews “She rose again like the Phoenix”.

Cathedral by Raymond Carver

How do the characters relate and interact in Carver's "Cathedral"? Do any of them change or grow?

In the story "Cathedral" by Raymond Carver, all the character's including the narrator himself relate to each other in some way. We're first introduced to the narrator himself and in some points we can see his views on others that surround him. He mentions his wife and her friend Robert. The narrator in the beginning gives us some history on how his wife and Robert had met. As he speaks about them he gives us the impression of feeling some jealousy towards their long lasting friendship. Even though Robert is a blind man. Robert and the narrator's wife had met through job relations. She worked for him during one summer to try and save up money. And after the summer ended Robert and the narrator's wife got close and decided to stay in touch.

Halfway through the story we start to notice a major change in the narrator himself. During the beginning of the story we can observe on how the narrator has mixed feeling towards their friendship. When his wife told him that Robert would be staying over for a while, he got very upset and didn't know what to do. When Robert got to the house they were introduced and not much was said. Towards the end, the narrator starts to make small conversations and they enjoy each other's company. They interact in many ways and the narrator starts to realize how Robert feels and tries to understand his view towards the world.

Magical Realism- The Handsomes Drowned Man In The World

Read the definition of Magical Realism and explain how Garcia Marquez's story fits into this description.

Basically Magical Realism "explores the overlap between fantasy and reality and reveals the mysterious elements hidden in day-to-day life." The story starts out with a few children playing near the shores when something big from far away appears floating. A few guesses are made of what it could be and not until its right in front of them can they see that it was a dead man who had drowned. They play with him for a while until a man from the village discovers what they're doing and spreads the news.

The body was then taken to the village to be taken care of and give a proper burial. But before all that can be done, they were trying to figure out if this tall man was part of their village or one near. No one was missing and he was a mystery that no one could explain. The women in the village started to prepare him and make sure he was dressed right and looked proper.

In the process of fixing him up; the women began to make up stories and describe how handsome he was. They began to make up his past life and his name. Esteban is what they called him. Plus everything that he went through while being alive. During this phase in their lives they made of him what they wanted him to be. That's where magical realism jumps in. The women made him the perfect man; something that they lacked in their lives. They described him and added what their husband's couldn't provide.

Esteban being the corpse that he was becomes more that just a body. He's more real than anyone in the village. Sooner or later they do send Esteban back to the sea, but the village is permanently changed. For the while that Esteban was in the village his presence had added a joy and self-importance to their village.