Topic Sentence

The transition of the Bridegroom from a collected, level-minded young man, into an impulsive and vengeful monster can be attributed to his mother's subliminal influence on him.

Journal #9- Blood Wedding

Jealousy: Lorca shows through his characterization of the Bridegroom and Leonardo that jealousy and envy never have positive consequences. Leonardo who is jealous of the Bridegroom marrying the Bride, attempts to interfere with the wedding by stealing the bride to run away with him. Envious that the Bride has chosen Leonardo over him, the Bridegroom, equally envious, pursues Leonardo and the Bride into the forest. Both kill each other with malice in their hearts because of their jealousies.

Marriage:  Lorca defends his belief that marriage should not be negotiated between parents in his play Blood Wedding. Throughout the play, the Bridegroom is being led by his mother in regards to who he will marry and how and when it will be done. The mother of the Bridegroom and father of the Bride meet to discuss the marriage, almost comparing it to an exchange one might observe at a market. The recurring theme of the Bride's displeasure highlights Lorca's belief that marriage should not be spearheaded by ones parents in order to achieve economic stability, but rather, since the couple will be living together for years to come, it is important that the two have a passionate bond for one another and not just trying to please their parents.

Grief: The inability for mother to move on and quit grieving over her dead husband and son create a fundamental theme in Lorca's Blood Wedding. The mother constantly talks about how sorrowful she is and how unfair it is that she is a widow. No matter what the occasion is, no matter how joyous it may be, the mother can only focus on what happened years ago and as a result, becomes a real kill-joy that rubs others the wrong way. Many others in the play urge her to stop talking about it, telling her that she should not talk of such things during a time of celebration. Through the death of her only other son, Lorca portrays his belief that nothing good can come from dwelling on the past.

Journal #8- Blood Wedding

The setting in the first act is varying, but consistently welcoming. Although deceiving, the setting seems to invoke a sense of calm optimism as the families prepare to merge through the marriage. The rooms are a simple color, yellow, pink, with few ornaments or decorations to distract from the focal point of the act, the setting up of the internal conflict. In each scene in the first act we see how one of the key figures prepares for the wedding, be it the Bride, Bridegroom, or Leonardo. The simple layout of the setting proves to be misleading as so many issues  regarding the wedding surround it. In the second act, The setting shifts primarily between the Bride's house, and the church. The vast amount of celebration that takes place during this act creates a more jubilant tone rather than optimistic, the wedding is taking place, it's not just being anticipated anymore. However, once again the setting is misleading and masks the true sentiments, especially those of the bride, who is much more distraught than she lets on. Finally, the setting of the third act takes on the true feeling of the play. The dark woods produce an ominous mood when combined with the blue light of the moon and the cryptic predictions of the Old beggar Woman as well as the Moon. From the very beginning of the act, you can almost sense that something bad is going to happen merely because of the fact that it is taking place in a wooded area that can conceal looming figures and muffle screams of terror.

Journal #7- Blood Wedding

It seems to me that the youth in the second act serve to create tension and aggravate the internal conflict within the bride. Their naive acts, such as talking about the bride "awakening", or the young girls questioning about the pins only serve to remind the bride that she is being forced into something that she has no interest in. The emotions and thoughts of the bride specifically are brought up through dialogue with the young girls. When asked about the pins the bride claims she doesn't know which one she gave out first, following that up by saying, " (Interrupting) And I don't care! I have a lot to think about (68). This quote shows the Bride's frustration in having to deal with such trivial matters when the biggest decision of her life is at stake and she is struggling to put on a nice face and pretend that nothing is wrong. Once seeing Leonardo pass she exclaims that  "these are anxious moments", showing that she is uncomfortable being near him because of the internal conflict that he arouses. The growing tension culminates at the end of the scene when the Bride runs away with Leonardo, an act just as naive and juvenile as the ones that occur during the ceremony. Lorca uses the youth to illustrate his belief that the naive, innocent nature of the young reveal our impulsive thoughts and/or feelings that can lead to both internal as well as external conflict.

Journal #6- Blood Wedding

Three of the characters in  Blood Wedding show definite signs of misery throughout the play. The mother expresses her sorrow over the loss of her husband and eldest son, constantly bringing the subject up in conversation, as well as mentioning how terrible knives and the Felixes are. She can never just feel joyous about the occasion of her son's wedding because she cannot let go of her sorrowful past. The Bride appears to be miserable,  terribly upset that she is going to marry someone that she does not love.  She shows disinterest in any and every aspect regarding her upcoming wedding. In fact she even acts defensively, telling people to leave her alone when they question her about her evident displeasure. Leonardo also shows misery, pained at the prospect of the Bride getting married to another man even though Leonardo still has feelings for her.  Through his interactions with his family, this pain and sorrow is highlighted. He is short and condescending towards his wife and mother-in-law, especially when questioned about his horse, and his past relationship with the bride. The mother longs to have her husband and son back, but probably more so, she wants the Felix family to pay for what they have done to hers in blood. Close friends and family keep her from following through with this terrible deed, by talking some sense into her, telling her not to dwell on the past. The Bride desires are complicated but understandable to some measure. She wants Leonardo to leave her alone, not because she does not have feelings for him, but rather she knows that she becomes vulnerable to his charm and that it is not right for him, a married man, or her, a soon-to-be wife, to be partaking in such behavior. She cannot follow through with her urge to shun Leonardo because of the trance-like affect he has on her, leaving her obedient to a fault with no logical justification as to why she is acting that way. She also does not want to get married to the Bridegroom because she does not have intimate feelings for him. She doesn't follow through with this desire because she knows that it is too late to back out now without causing a scene. She also feels pressure from those around her, that she is expected to marry this well-to-do man with a good reputation and clean slate. Leonardo wants to be with the Bride because he still has passionate feelings towards her. He feels a restriction in pursing his desire because of the fact that he is married, however he does finally steal her away and attempt to run away with her. In the end the one thing that stops Leonardo cold, is when he and the Bridegroom stab each other, ending their lives.

Journal #5- Blood Wedding

One of the key archetypes in the play is the bride, who is depicted quite differently than one would imagine for the time period. While most assume brides have been looking forward to this day for years and filled with joy, the bride in Blood Wedding exhibits neither of these cliche characteristics. In fact others in the play, such as the maid, take notice of this strange behavior and call her out on it. "For heaven's sake! All right. Your're acting like you don't want to get married" (36). As it is shown, women are expected to be excited about getting married, however the bride's actions clearly prove that this is not always the case. It seems that Lorca is expressing his opinion that marriage is corrupt and often influenced by others to be what they want rather than the desires of the two being joined together. Marriage was much more impacting then than it is now, as divorces were seldom, meaning that marriage almost always meant forever. Through this characterization of the bride, we can can see that Lorca turns the wedding into a day of joyous celebration, into a dreaded day of forced agreement where both sides are not mutually content.

Journal #4- Blood Wedding

One of the symbols that I noticed throughout the first scene of the play was eyes. Although, never directly mentioned, there are several instances that refer to "seeing" someone or looking at them. The symbol is described as being what keeps women loyal to their husbands and binds them to one man. The mother describes the aspect of a woman's role in the society she lives in, "I looked at your father, and when they killed him, I looked at eh wall in front of me. One woman with one man, and that's it" (10). This quote clearly depicts the characterization of Mother as someone who is very traditional to the customs of her culture. This helps build up the conflict that ensues due to the brides inability to "look" at just one man. I also saw this quote as pointing towards the culture's tendencies for isolation. The mother is constantly mentioning how lonely she will be once the bridegroom is married, showing the limits and confinements that are placed upon her because of what society expects her to do now that her husband is gone as well as her sons. 

Also, I noticed the symbol of the word "Felix". Almost instantly we can see that the word Felix fills Mother up with contempt and anguish towards her lost husband and eldest son who were both murdered by members of the Felix family. She says, "hearing 'Felix' is like having my mouth fill up with slime! And I have to spit ! I have to spit , so I won't kill!" (16). From this quote we can see just how serious this contempt for the Felixs' really is. The Mother is so full of pent-up rage that she must continually spit to keep herself from killing! It is pretty apparent that this symbol was used to characterize Mother, however it also serves to establish a setting where long-standing family feuds are present and divide the community. This division establishes a hostile environment that exaggerates certain actions and/or reactions that take place in the play, especially the those of Leonardo who is almost exclusively targeted by Mother, since he in fact is a Felix. 

Journal #3- Wild Duck

Throughout the play it is clear that Gregers is largely to blame in the unfolding of certain events, especially the revealing of the truth behind Mr. Werle and Gina. Prior to Greger's intervention, Hjalmar was living a life of true bliss, believing he was wise beyond his years and the head of a beautiful family. However, the breakdown of this happy illusion is due in most part to Gregers who initially plants the seed of doubt in Hjalmar's head, forcing him to come to the harsh realization that Gina had an affair with Mr. Werle. By forcing Hjalmar to find this out on his own by questioning Gina only further worsens the situation, causing Hjalmar to wonder what else in his life may too be a lie. In truth Hedvig is the only character who is relevant to the play and also demands no blame for the events that unfold throughout the play. While her mother and Mr. Werle are clearly at fault, being the perpetrators of event that so effortlessly dissolved a family, they are not the only ones to blame. Greger's cannot contain himself, seemingly overrun by either guilt or a vengeful attitude towards his father and spills the beans to Hjalmar, disrupting what up to that point had been a wonderful, but totally imaginative life. Then there is Hjalmar who may at first seem as the clear victim in the play, but a closer look reveals that Hjalmar set himself up for this. Hjalmar's carefree life is a total disaster in the making from the start of the play. By choosing to ignore viewing his family's finances (including a monthly check from Mr. Werle), he hides the truth, burying it further and further from the surface. His everyday life sets him up for tragedy by continuing to reassure him that his life is wonderful, that nothing is out of the ordinary. This serves to devastate Hjalmar later on during the play when the truth is finally known to him. However, Hedvig does not and should not shoulder any of the blame for the events that unfolded. After all, how is it her fault that her mother chose to lie to her about her entire life? Although, it seems like Hjalmar is the primary victim of  the affair, Hedvig is much more upset and grief stricken, going so far as to take her own life. I really feel that Mr. Werle should shoulder more of the blame here. His unfaithful behavior not only destroyed his wife, but also resulted in the death of his own daughter, Hedvig. All throughout the play, Werle is not mentioned that much and very little blame is directed towards him in regards to the tragic misfortune of the Ekdals. Seeing as he personally provided the drama by sleeping with Gina, as well as funding his lie with a discreet monthly donation, I think that he deserves much more of the blame than what was given to him in the play.

Journal #2- Wild Duck

Ibsen uses the motif of decay/disease both literally and figuratively throughout the novel to express his belief that  hiding the truth has negative effects that deteriorate ones physical health as well as social. Throughout the play we see that old Werle suffers from poor eyesight, a trait he shares with Hedvig, his illegitimate daughter. Ibsen uses this disease to raise questions about how Hedvig got this disease, to which Hjalmar replies that heredity is to blame. Gina is quick to point out that it comes from Hjalmar's side of the family, "Hjalmar's mother also had bad eyes" (147). Although neither one of her parents have any sort of vision problems, Hedvig eyesight continues to grow worse, having to cover her eyes to read, showing Ibsen's belief that lying only serves to hurt those involved. Ibsen also uses the ideas of disease and decay through Gregers in order to frighten as well as enlighten Hjalmar. Gregers warns Hjalmar that he has an insidious disease within in him, referring once again to loss of sight- but this time figuratively. He tells Hjalmar that he has gone to die in the dark to which he replies, "Gregers, you're my old friend-please-don't talk anymore about sickness and poison. [...] In  my house nobody talks to me about ugly things" (170). From here we can see Ibsen's desired effect of the truth, as something that is not always wonderful and joyful, but instead a more realistic view as something that hurts but is necessary. Finally, in the conclusion of the play we see another example of Ibsen's view on truth. Gregers has told Hjalmar the awful truth about Gina and Werle and Hjalmar confronts Gina demanding that she come clean about the whole thing. When he asks her if Hedvig is his daughter and she replies that she doesn't know Hjalmar loses it. "I don't want that. [...] My home is down in ruins around me. (Breaks into tears.) Gregers, I have no child!" (195). From this we can see Ibsen's final, most crucial stance on the truth, that it can be absolutely devastating. Through the play the pattern arises showing truth as a harsh, cold truth bearer that can often catch you off guard. Whereas previously in dramas before Ibsen's time the truth had been embellished as the light that guided righteous ones to happiness, now it was being depicted in its real form.

Journal #1- Wild Duck

Throughout the play we can see that Hjalmar has false perceptions of himself. Towards the end of Act 2 Hjalmar discusses how humiliating his father's behavior is and says that helping him return his status is his mission in life. He says that he is independently fixed, and that is what helps him pursue his dream, when in reality the generous donations from Mr. Werle are what is keeping the family economically alfoat. Hjalmar is also always talking about how he is always constantly working on an invention, and that it keeps him busy. He claims that it extends his craft to unimaginable heights, however when Gregers asks for specifics Hjalmar becomes defensive and tells him not to ask questions like that. Later on we can see Hjalmar at "work" during which he does nothing more than sit in his chair in the study and think, or more likely get distracted from all of the oddities on the walls. From these examples it becomes pretty clear that Hjalmar believes that he is a powerful head of the household, when in reality he spends most of his time doing nothing, making no progress on his "life mission". He believes that his photography business is doing quite well however it is just Mr. Werle's charitable donations that are providing the family with any source of real income.
Not surprisingly, Hjalmar also has false presumptions about other characters in the play. When he is first speaking with Gregers at the dinner party he tells him that he is relieved to find out that Gregers no longer has anything him. Gregers replies in shock telling Hjalmar that that was never the case. Unconvinced, Hjalmar continues to try and prod the truth out of Gregers: "I know you did, Gregers; it was your father himself who told me" (123). From this we can see that not only does Hjalmar have misconceptions regarding his friend Gregers, but also in regards to Mr. Werle as well, seeming to think that he is quite trustworthy when in fact he is the one doing his best to keep Hjalmar in the dark.
Gregers is definitely one who recognizes the facade that Hjalmar is living in. Out of either guilt or revenge against his father, he tirelessly pursues to reveal the truth to Hjalmar. Although for over fifteen years he has ignored it, Gregers now finds himself unable to continue to let his friend live the lie that has been intricately woven around him for some time now. At first Gregers tries to hint to Hjalmar discreetly that there is definitely something strange about how generous Werle was acting towards Hjalmar both with wealth and his help in getting Hjalmar settled with photography. However, when it doesn't, seem to register with him, Gregers takes Hjalmar on a walk and reveals to him the devastating truth that Hjalmar must now confront.

Journal #3- Brave New World

Throughout the final third of the novel, we can observe a continued development of John, while also identifying similar motifs. Shakespeare is a recurring theme in the novel, as John continues to immerse himself in his works, now often quoting Shakespeare several times in a conversation. This serves to set John apart from the rest of civilized society in two ways: His language is foreign and confusing to the simple minded alphas, betas, deltas, etc. Also, his morals are drastically different from those of the World State, wanting a loving devotion to just one person forever, and being chaste until married. This fact sets up another motif of John and Lenina's desire for one another. Again, both privately confide to themselves their feelings for each other, but never actually mentioning it to the other until Lenina shows up at John's apartment. When Lenina tries to force herself onto John, the savage descends into a state of rage, throwing her off of him, swearing at her, and angrily pacing the room. This demonstrates another one of the human qualities that he demonstrates that is lost in the new society, anger and rage are done away with according to Mustapha Mond, instead the people are given a weekly injection of adrenaline as substitute.

In the third part of the novel, John travels to several new places before settling at the abandoned lighthouse. While still in society, John visits his mother in the Park Lane Hospital for the Dying, a sixty-four story building which sole purpose was to comfort those dying with beds, T.V.'s, and scented air. In this society, death is natural and inevitable, so there are no courses taken to avoid it, in fact members from all levels of the caste system are desensitized to death at an early age to achieve stability. Although a tough pill for John to swallow, the situation is made worse when a nurse brings up a batch of identical, bug-eyed deltas to be desensitized. Having never seen a person as old, and ugly as Linda, several of them crowd around the foot of her bed whispering quite audibly things like "isn't she awful?" (202), only serving to further enrage the savage. When he smarts the young delta by bopping him on the ears the nurse returns upset with John for disturbing the process prompting John to leave. After John talks with the controller, Mustapha Mond, John decides to defy society by settling in an abandoned warehouse, some distance from London. There he crafts his own bow and arrows, makes a garden, as well as a flogging whip that he often uses on himself to correct his behavior should he think of Lenina. This serves to create a volatile setting for the savage who later finds himself surrounded by hundreds of fans who have seen his movie unbeknownst to him. He threatens them with his whip but in their numbers prove too many for John, as he ends up taking part in an orgy while under the influence of soma, a devastating blow to his psyche that John can never recover from.

The language in the last part of the book starkly differs from that of John, to Mustapha Mond, to the general population of London. While continuing to read Shakespeare, John frequently quotes the bard during his conversations. "Outliving beauty's outward with a mind that doth renew swifter than blood decays" (191). This quote demonstrates the high level language that John uses in comparison to that of the Alphas, Betas and other caste members. Also, it shows the mindset of John who believes in loving things that aren't beautiful, something that starkly conflicts to Alpha conditioning, and is incomprehensible to them, including Lenina. In the same scene Lenina shows the reoccurring simplicity of her people's language, one that revolves around mindless slogans that are ingrained into their minds via hypnopaedia. "Put your arms around me," she commanded. "Hug me till you drug me, honey" (193). Through this we can see another instance of the lifestyle these people choose in regards to a devotion to pleasure. Also, her use of a mindless slogan reflects her values in society, sex and drugs, vastly different from those of John the Savage. Mustahpa Mond, the Controller of the London region, is a very educated man, having read many of the books that can no longer be found anywhere else, simply because they are old. Mond expresses a determination to focus on the new world is not the same as it was during Shakespeare's time, there are no struggles, no passion, no lessons in need of being taught. He also says that people today wouldn't be able to understand the writing anyway, "And it's what you never will write," said the Controller Because if it were really like Othello nobody could understand it, however new it might be (220). Here we can see Mond's similar language to John's that is higher level, but not Shakespearean in context. He displays a certain understanding of the situation the world is in, although he wouldn't mind having these old ideas like the Bible and Shakespeare incorporated into society, he is well aware of the conflict it would produce, keeping the world from maintaining stability. Mond is able to accept this truth which is a key aspect that sets him apart from people like John and Hemholtz, allowing him to rule over the people with a knowledgeable understanding of what must be done to preserve society.

Journal #2- Brave New World

Shakespeare is mentioned again and again in this section, brought up by John the Savage, to express his feelings about someone or something. The use of Shakespeare to characterize a "savage" starkly contradicts the  notion that the civilized Alphas, who never read and only repeat hypnopaedic slogans, are the civilized and sophisticated ones. I believe that this was meant to show that we can find great insight from the past, often better than we can find in literature today. Soma was once again commonplace throughout this section, except that now it was being abused by its users. Lenina gives herself a full holiday after she firsts arrives at the reservation, knocking her out for over a day. Once John and his mother Linda are brought back to civilization, Linda is kept constantly under the influence of Soma, with the intention to slowly but peacefully kill her. Soma has gone from being a nice relaxing minute or two of paradise, to a drug that is abused to its fullest extent, cutting its users off from the real world.

The setting in this section greatly expands from that of the first section. The savage reservation is introduced and constantly described as being filthy and disgusting. To Alphas who always say "cleanliness is next to Fordliness", this new environment is a shock to the senses. We are later informed that reservations were any area that was undesirable, either because of its climate and geography, or simply a lack of resources to plunder. This only helps to describe the desolate, rocky terrain that the savages have to endure. Later, John is mainly confined to Bernard's apartment, mostly because he is tired of being shown around like some exotic zoo animal. In fact, He locks himself in his room during one of Bernard's parties, which greatly upset the guests who in turn started immediately antagonizing Bernard. John's room becomes a place of refuge, as he takes to reading more and more Shakespeare there, specifically Romeo and Juliet.

The language of this section doesn't seem to change that much at all. When the savages speak, however, the conversations are about simpler ideas, but the language itself seems just as civilized. The savages talk about bowls, cups, and bowls but still explain things in a manner that is easy to understand. The language of the Alphas, specifically Bernard, seems to deteriorate however, mentioning less and less of the complex fertilization jargon, while becoming more intertwined with his emotions, saying things that are more brash and opinionated. John on the other hand, has continued to immerse himself with Shakespeare and finds a common friend in Hemholtz who also enjoys the sophisticated, and often insightful words of Shakespeare. It seems clear that the author is using language to portray the decline of an alpha, into emotional savagery, while also depicting the true intellectual depth of someone who is seen as an incompetent savage.

Journal #1- Brave New World

In regards to motifs, one of the prominent topics brought up has to do with isolationism. Bernard Marx exemplifies this trait more than any other character in the novel. Whereas most characters want to join in with the crowds and socialize, Bernard is more content being alone and thinking, something that is clearly evident and controversial when he pauses his helicopter to watch the moon and waves while with Lenina. Her surprise and breakdown in response to the situation clearly indicate the strong values of the society they live in, one where people are free to express themselves within a certain set of limitations. Also, the fact that at the beginning of the novel we can see that the D.H.C. takes pride in the facilities ability to produce "identical" men and women is peculiar given that individuals like Bernard and Hemholtz seem to defy that preconceived mold. I believe that this idea will contribute to a major theme that universal human conformity is simply not feasible.

The setting of the novel takes place in London, in what we can presume is still a futuristic date in time. The city is lively with many factories, facilities and apartments dotting the skyline. The first few chapters revolve around a certain spawning facility where people are artificially made, not born. Inside thousands of eggs are fertilized and specifically modified to fit a certain peg in the caste system that is implemented into the society, alphas being the largest and smartest specimens, while gammas and epsilons bring up the rear, doing undesirable jobs that are all too necessary. This sort of scientific, yet unsettling environment provoke a distrusting view on the society as a whole, as though they are hiding something.

Language is very unique in this novel. The people have embraced Henry Ford, a famous inventor and father of the modern day assembly line as a God-like figure. During conversations, in instances where one might normally  say "God" or "Lord", instead the word "Ford" is substituted, symbolizing the significant impact he has on the society. Also, I noted the denouncement of words like "mother", "father", and "born", suggesting that this society looks down on what is considered normal in our society, that having families and devoting yourself to one person only creates more issues and keeps everyone from "being happy".

Journal #5- The Stranger

Philosophy: Honesty & Effort

Earn What You Want
You are not entitled to something you have not earned. If you want respect, if you want success, you have to earn it by proving you deserve it. Back up your words with action, make sure you are actually capable of what you say you are or you will look like a fool. No one person is above another in terms of entitlement, everyone has to go through the same process to be considered true equals.

Work for What You Want
Nothing in life is free. If you truly want something, you MUST be willing to work towards it in order to achieve it. Anyone can say they want to do something or be someone, but those who truly desire it will never stop working until they have accomplished what they have set out to do. Natural talent will only get you so far because hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard.

Be Honest
Honesty is crucial to success in life, to having a happy and well lived one. Whether you're referring to honesty with other people, or being honest with yourself, nothing is more crucial in building relationships. You have to be honest with others if you want them to respect you. If you tell someone something that you don't really mean, it is usually easy to pick up on, not to mention harmful to that person's trust in you. Being honest with others and yourself make you a trustworthy and reliable person that is able to recognize flaws within themselves and to be willing to make a change.

Have an End Goal in Sight
It is important to know where you are going so that you understand why you are doing whatever it is you are now. Having a plan is essential to success, life is not as straightforward as some might say, you can't just wait until something is almost over and expect to be successful. If you want to achieve your goals, have a step by step plan on how you will go about fulfilling your aspirations.

Loyalty
Having loyalty is an exceptional asset to have. A loyal person is irreplaceable and makes life bearable. When the chips are down, that one person who is always by your side provides a comforting feeling making you feel like you're not alone, that you don't have to do everything by yourself. A loyal friend allows you to confide in them, things you would most likely not share with others, allowing you to release pent up stress and anxiety.

Do Not Dwell on the Past 
Our past can come back to haunt us, and for some of us it can be hard to get over. However, no matter what has happened previously in your life, you have to forget about it and move on. Dwelling on negative aspects is reasonable and understandable for a short time, but focusing on it for days or months on end is severely unhealthy and can only serve to keep you down. Regret and grief are both very natural aspects of life, however if you can only focus on those things, you will miss out on life and experiencing what it has to offer.

Do Not Limit Yourself
It is important for you to do all that you humanly can during your time here on Earth. By passing up on opportunities you are essentially taking a pass on life, content to just stay on the train that keeps creeping towards death. No one can fault you for trying something and not succeeding, life is full of risks and to not take any really isn't living at all, but rather spectating from the sidelines. If you want to enjoy life you have to remove yourself from your comfort zone and push yourself just to see what you are capable of. That alone is enough to establish a sense of pride in oneself.

Journal #4- The Stranger

At the end of the novel, Meursault is able to reflect and look within himself after the chaplain visits him for the last time. He lashes out at the holy man for pestering him with guilt that he wants no part of. By confronting the chaplain, Meursault is able to reach a sort of closure and identify with what he believes truly matters. He is sure of himself, and feels irritated with this priest whose claims aren't warranted by any real justification in Meursault's eyes.  He comes to the conclusion that nothing truly matters, that since we are all destined to die, nothing should matter to him. In his opinion, nothing that we do on Earth will affect us any differently after death than it will the next man. Meursault also comes to terms with his mother's death, understanding why she took a fiance at such an old age. Now close to death himself, Meursault identifies with the liberating essence of the evening, bringing out a refreshing feeling, ambition to live life over again.
 I don't think that Camus wants us to come to the same conclusion, at least not just because we think that's what he wants. I believe that Camus wants us to reflect on what the Stranger is saying about life, about what its meaning is, and to form our own explanation. I don't believe he expected everyone who read his book to agree with him necessarily, but rather to contemplate their existence and think about what we are doing and why we are doing it rather than just blindly following our habits and tendencies.

Journal #3- The Stranger

I believe that Camus divides up his novel into two parts because they are almost completely different stories. There are still many parallels, like the role of light, Meursaults peculiar social interactions, and his acceptance of the inevitable. However,while the characters and setting remain the same, many things change within Meursault from the first part to the second. One of the main aspects of the story that changes is that Meursault begins to look within himself and find out what he truly feels and believes. Whereas in the beginning, he was more focused on his surroundings and others around him, in the second part he starts identifying with ideas or aspects of life that are important to him. Prior to being in prison, Meursault's indifferent and apathetic attitude kept the reader from knowing too much about him, but now that he is cut off from the aesthetics of nature to distract him he is forced to realize his true feelings and thoughts that he kept mostly hidden whether intentional or not. A quote from the first part shows just how indifferent Meursault can be in very significant situations. "Then she pointed out that marriage was a serious thing. I said, 'No.' She stopped talking for a minute and looked at me without saying anything" (42). This quote portrays Meursault's apathy towards a topic that by the general public's standard is pretty important. However, he shrugs the question off, simply disregarding it by refusing to agree. In contrast to this, Meursault expresses remorse when returning form the trial back to prison realizing that he will never again walk the streets and experience the town that he truly valued. " [...] I could make out one by one, as if from the depths of my exhaustion, all the familiar sounds of a town I loved and of a certain time of day when I used to feel happy" (97). Clearly there has been a transformation in Meursault's personality as he discovers his value and love for something only after it is too late. Whether, or not Camus meant for this to be significant or not, it clearly shows that Meursault is a different character from when we first met him.

Journal #2 -The Stranger

Option 2: Camus use of the first person point of view allows the reader to experience the world through a limited perspective, that still retains a somewhat objective tone. Although, under normal circumstances, a first person point of view would involve a lot of personal bias, not much is seen throughout the novel due to Meursault's generally indifferent attitude towards most things. I believe that Camus didn't use a 3rd person omniscient point of view because he wanted to preserve the mysterious nature of Meursault's world. Had he allowed the reader to delve into other characters' thoughts, many of the curiosities and questions of Meursault would disappear as a new, outside influence would be affecting our view on him. The first person point of view forces the reader to think about the answers to the many questions that arise while reading the novel, not just giving them away through another character's thoughts or feelings. This point of view relates back to one of the key themes of The Stranger in which Camus attempts to get the reader to question the meaning of life by leaving so many unanswered questions that can be left to many different interpretations.

Journal #1- The Stranger

1. The Caretaker- The caretaker is described as being someone who is proud of his position at the rest home. He refers to the residents of the home as "them" or "they" even though he himself is sixty-four, about the same age as some of the residents there.  The caretaker serves as a companion to Meursault during the night vigil for Maman, discussing his life and the home to Meursault. Initially he appears in order to inform Meursault about the home and the state of Maman's funeral. However,he is also there to watch over the old residents who have come to pay their respects and make sure everyone is fine. I believe Camus uses the caretaker as a way to give the reader insight right off the bat about Meursault's personality and thoughts. Through the caretaker's interaction with Meursault, we are able to observe Meursault's social apathy towards other people and his tendency to focus more on his surroundings.
2. Perez- Perez is an old man that lives at the home that was a good friend of Maman's and has taken her death pretty hard. He wishes to accompany the procession to the church even though it's a good fourty-five minute walk. As the procession progresses, Perez falls farther and farther behind, limping and taking shortcuts trying to catch back up. To make matters worse, it is a hot day and beads of sweat and tears mix along his wrinkly face. Perez eventually faints from all the stress, "crumpling like a rag doll." I think Camus used the old man to portray a contrasting figure to Meursault and really get the reader to start asking questions. The old man seems to be the one taking Maman's death the hardest, they were apparently inseparable and had good times together. This aspect really engages the reader making them question Meursault. Why does a complete stranger have a better relationship with this woman than her own son? Why is the old man who knew her for a few years at best taking her death with more grief than someone who's known her all his life?
3. Salamano- Salamano is one of Meursault's neighbors, an old man whose wife died several years before. He has raised his dog since it was a pup and the two are always together and share a peculiar relationship. From the outside it looks like the old man abuses the dog, calling him a "filthy, stinking bastard" and beating him whenever the dog does something that annoys him. However, we later see the softer side of Salamano when his dog goes missing. Meursault sees Salamano mumbling outside his apartment and invites him in once he learns that his dog is missing. Salamano describes his dog as bad-tempered, but also says that "he was a good dog just the same." I believe that Camus uses old Salamano to forshadow Meursault's near future. One line in particular on pages 45-46 highlights this technique, "His life had changed now and he wasn't too sure what he was going to do." This line most definitely relates to the situation that Meursault soon finds himself in after shooting the Arab.

Journal #8- Novel/Pastiche Titles

1.      I think that Zora Neale Hurston chose the title she did to emphasize one of her primary messages throughout the novel, as well as letting the reader identify with the culture.  I think that the fact that she chose the word "God" to be in her title shows that she wants to display the importance of God in the setting of her novel.  To the people of Eatonville and even those down in the Everglades, God is an important part of their lives.  Although they might not be devout, and go to church every Sunday it is clear that God is someone they turn to in times of need.  This can be clearly seen during the hurricane scene where Hurston quotes her title saying, "They seemed to be staring at the dark, but their eyes were watching God."  Again, I also think that her title relates back to Hurston's view on power.  The fact that the townsfolks' eyes were watching God resembles the relationship between a parent and child.  They seem to be looking to God for an answer, for understanding, realizing that now any power thought to be significant on Earth by men, pales in comparison to the power of God.
2.      An alternative title that Hurston could have used would have been "The Burden of Dreams".  I think that this title would have been more effective in establishing one of Hurston's major themes throughout the story.  The novel fixates around Janie and follows her journey to achieving her dream of finding love, and obtaining freedom.  This proves to be a struggle for Janie who either achieves one or the other, but never both.  I think that this title would also get the reader thinking abstractly, and also raise their curiosity seeing as dreams are typically seen in a positive manner, not as a negative burden.
3.      I have chose "A Call for Change" as my pastiche title.  I chose this title because it relates back to the main source of conflict throughout the novel.  In my pastiche the protagonist, Darryl, has always followed the same path.  He ran from his problems during times of adversity and washed his sorrows away in the form of alcohol.  Throughout the story he remembers his past decisions and becomes filled with remorse and regret.  In the end he vows to change his ways in order to move on in his life and not remain stuck on one aspect of it for the remainder of his life.  

Journal #7 - 3 quotes

Dialect -"Hand me dat wash-rag by dat chair, honey" (5).

     I saw this as a way of the author setting stage early on in terms of letting the reader get to know the main character.  It shows a term of endearment, "honey", which could be used to show that Janie is naturally a kind and loving person.  It also shows the way she speaks, just like all of the other townsfolk of Eatonville, perhaps used to inform the reader of the way the people spoke in that region, or more likely used to show that she comes from a rural backround with little to no education.

Imagery- "Joe noted the scant dozen of shame-faced houses scattered in the sand and palmetto roots and said, "God, they call this a town?"(34)

     I felt that this quote describes the scenery that Joe and Janie entered, while at the same time giving insight to their feelings towards it.  Joe immediately expresses disappointment at the status of the town which is merely a collection of shacks on the sand.  This might show that Joe has a more sophisticated past and is used to higher standards for a town than in the one he is currently observing.  Even the narrator gets in on the act, casting down a dismissive tone on the situation, calling the houses "shame-faced", perhaps a  connection to the people that live in them.

Flashback- "It was a spring afternoon in West Florida. Janie had spent most of the day under a blossoming pear tree in the back yard" (10).

     This quote depicts a tranquil scene in a back yard and really helps develop the setting.  It describes Janie laying underneath a pear tree all day, signifying that her life used to be calm and worry-free.  The fact that the tree is blossoming helps create visuals is true, however it also serves to connect the idea of Janie blossoming into a young woman at the time it was going on.  It says that the pear tree was in the back yard and that that was where Janie spent most of her time, possibly meaning that although Janie was growing into a young woman, she was still wary of the outside world and preferred to stay within the comfortable confines that she was familiar with.

Journal #6- Their Eyes Were Watching God

One of the major issues I had with my pastiche was that it was way too long.  I went around looking for unnecessary sentences or fragments and deleted them.  I was still able to keep my overarching theme intact, as well as eliminate distractions that would deter the reader.  I also went around trying to embellish areas that were lacking description or just confusing in general.  Unfortunately, I didn't receive a letter from the person who edited my rough draft on Friday so I was unable to take into account their views and opinions to better shape my essay.  In all I think my revisions were mostly deleting phrases that were not not necessary and editing word choice so I am hopeful that with another peer editing session I can get some helpful insight on how to improve my paper.

Journal #5- Death pastiche ch.9-10

     Now Johnny began to think about jealousy.  Jealousy, that twisted fiend with the large eyes that lived within every man's heart.  The despicable one who resided in a tunnel, like blinders, unable to to see the larger picture. What would Jealousy have need of outside influences for, what words could ease its sentiments. It lives alone, tormented in its pitiful shell only able to see what it desires. It lives hateful and hidden, with its true emotions set aside, waiting for the subject of scorn to pass out of earshot.  It has been living there for all of man's existence, before they could speak or own. Most likely, he would find a green glint from the foul creature flashing in his eyes pretty soon.  However, he pitied his friend's life.  Poor Denny! He ought not to try and tackle depression in there by himself.  He sent in Lisa to suggest a trip to the park, but Denny said no.  These activities were beneficial to the mildly depressed, but wouldn't do a thing to help him recover from his emotional state.  He wasn't about to cry for any reason.  That was what he truly believed.  But Lisa told him different, so he understood.  And even if she hadn't, the following day he was sure to understand, for friends and family began to gather in the kitchen, next to the refrigerator and the microwave.  Those who had previously never entered the apartment now congregated there freely, but did not enter his room.  Only sat in chairs and waited.  Hope, the soaring eagle of chance, glimmered faintly in the room.

I based my pastiche off of a movie called "The Room" and used its characters and themes to relate to Hurston's writing.  Although this scene never takes place in the movie, it could have very well been added as a prologue.  I followed Hurston's use of personification of an abstract idea, like death, and emulated it using jealousy, a key aspect from the movie.  I went into detail describing jealousy and its interactions with human beings like Hurston, making it easier for the reader to relate to and understand its inner workings and fundamental ideas.  Later I emulated Hurston's switching of focus to a different, but related topic.  Although Johnny is jealous of Denny's carefree lifestyle, he still pities him, understanding his difficult situation of having to come of age with no parents around.  I included a group gathering outside of Denny's room much like Hurston did with the townsfolks, but instead of having the intention of learning the latest gossip, Denny's friends were there to support and comfort him in his time of need.  

Journal #4- Their Eyes Were Watching God ch.7-8

The passage I chose is at the top of page 84, "So Janie began to think... lying in her yard any day now."

In terms of syntax I noticed that Hurston places the word "Death" at different locations in her sentences throughout the passage.  This may have the intention of getting the reader to think about the concept of death and its habit of being unpredictable.  The fact that it doesn't appear in the same spot throughout the passage could allude to the fact that Janie isn't quite sure when death will come to Joe.  As far as word choice goes, I noticed a lot of references to parts of a house.  The passage talks about Death living in a house without sides or a roof, perhaps meaning that death has no reason to conceal itself, nothing can hinder it.  Later it says that Janie was likely to find a "feather from his wings" in her yard soon, as a symbol that death had taken Joe for himself.  These references in the passage to Death's grand house "out west" that "overlooks the world" seem to parallel Joe's life of seeking to be the most powerful man around without him realizing until the end that Death holds a power over all.  The tone in this passage seems very hopeless.  Janie seems to realize the inevitable and is trying to come to terms with it.  The tone is meant to help the reader understand and identify with the struggles that Janie is facing at this time.  A sound device that I recognized in this passage was the repetition of the "w" sound.    "the strange being with the huge square toes who lived way in the west."  I saw this as an expression of Janie's woes and sorrows.  Later on this can be confirmed by the quote on page 84, "She was sad and afraid too".  I take this to mean that Janie, although she had a falling out with Joe near the end, is still sad to see such a big part of her life fade away.  

Journal #3- Their Eyes Were Watching God ch. 5-6

1. "They bowed down to him rather, because he was all of these things, and then again he was all of these things because they bowed down"(50). -paradox
2. "She got up without a word and went off for the shoes. A little war of defense for helpless things was going on inside her. People ought to have some regard for helpless things. She wanted to fight about it"(57). -characterization
3. "Sam Watson, you'se mah fish"(75). -euphemism
4. "Daisy, Ah'll take uh job cleanin' out the Atlantic Ocean fuh you any time you say you so desire"(69). -hyperbole
5. "Dat's whut makes up strong man lak Big John de Conquer. He was uh man wid salt in him"(66). -allusion

In the first quote, the paradox that is used creates a deeper understanding of how the two ideas are intertwined.   The fact that one is the result of the other develops a common theme of success due to assertion and taking action.  Janie wanted a better life and got one because the townsfolk admired Jody's charisma and allowed him to make changes that benefited the town with almost no opposition.  The fact that the people now "bowed down to him", so to speak, is just as significant to the fact that the citizens allowed Jody to run the town and make changes.


For the second quote, the use of characterization through Janie's thoughts really progresses her development and our understanding of her as a reader.  We can now see that she is no longer happy like she thought she'd be with Jody. She feels ignored, and more than that she feels indignant, as though she deserves some attention for the wrong doings that have been done to her.  It creates tension, leaving the reader wondering when her anger will boil over and if so, how it will affect other characters in the story along with the plot itself.

Journal #2 -Their Eyes Were Watching God Ch. 2-4

Dialect Rules of a Texan

1. No matter the gender, race, or age every greeting is the same, "howdy partner"
2. If the word is over three syllables in length, it must be mispronounced
3. common terms for a sudden realization include: "shucks", "shoot", and "Well I'll be"
4. you guys or you all becomes y'all, you becomes ya
5. If one is thankful for something, they express their gratitude by praising baby Jesus
6. If a word ends in an "s", two more are added to the end to emphasize the hissing drawl
7. A good Texan always makes an obscure reference or comparison to something that only another rowdy redneck could understand or relate to.(ex. "Tighter than bark on a tree" = stingy person)
8. anything that ends in -ing becomes in'
9. possessive and contractible apostrophes do not exist

structure from pg. 30

"Sam, is ya 'sleep?" asked Darryl who was staring out into the night sky.
"If I was, you done woke me up hollerin and all!" said Sam indignantly. He'd been in an irritable mood since he lost the poker game earlier in the day.
"I been thinkin'," said Darryl almost sounding as if he were in a trance, "bout you and me."
"Shoot, Darryl, get on with it already!" said Sam impatiently. "You be mighty self-righteous considerin' you ain't nuttin but a ranch hand."
"Well what in Sam Hill is that supposed to mean?" said Darryl sounding hurt and angry at the same time.
"It means ya been acting like a proud peacock ever since I known ya, and ya ain't got no reason for it, said Sam flaring up with spite, You may be from a rich lot over in Dallas, but ya ain't nothin' special in these parts."
"You didn't mention that when you was beggin that I buy you that Winchester repeatin' rifle." Darryl retorted, his face growing redder by the second.
"I figured that you'd appreciate havin' that extra protection, seein that you can't shoot no more than a hog can swim." said Sam with a sly grin stretching across his face.
"Yeah, well what if I done run away and take the rifle 'long with me?"  Darryl had planted the seeds of mistrust in Sam's head.  It frightened Sam greatly, the thought of being out on open fields with no protection from bandits or natives, but he wouldn't let his face show it.
"Shucks, Darryl, I am mighty tired. I ain't gonna talk nonsense with ya no more.  Ain't a lot a folks that would trust ya, specially if Mr. Jones gets word out that one of his hands deserted his post."

Journal #1- Their Eyes Were Watching God Ch.1

From reading the first chapter, it appears that Janie is a downtrodden, weary woman that has endured much hardship and suffering.  She walks into town without a word to anyone and proceeds to isolate herself within her house from a community she's known for years.  Her somber mood can be detected through her conversation with her friend Phoebe.  "Yeah, Phoebe, Tea Cake is gone.  And dat's de only reason you see me back here-cause Ah ain't got nothing to make me happy no more where Ah  was at"(7).  This quote clearly shows Janie's mourning thoughts and feelings that explain why she was acting so distant and aloof towards the others at the beginning of the book.

The narrator appears to be well informed of all the characters' thoughts throughout the chapter.  It gives the reader insight not only to what has happened to the protagonist, Janie, but also how she is perceived by others as well.  "Seeing the woman as she was mad them remember the envy they had stored up from other times. So they chewed up the back parts of their minds and swallowed with relish"(2).  This line reflects the general view of Janie by other women in the town, who have a strong dislike of Janie for whatever reason.  This leaves the reader guessing as to what could have possibly happened to have created that sort of stigma around Janie and keeps them actively engaged.

Post #4- Mini Literary Terms Test

1. "War is Peace.  Freedom is Slavery.  Ignorance is Freedom."(1984)  This sequence is an example of ____
2. "Hand me dat wash-rag on dat chair by you, honey.  Lemme scrub mah feet"(Janie).  The words used in this exert are an example of ____
3. "Then he (the buzzard) took off with ponderous flight and circled and lowered, circled and lowered until the others danced in joy and hunger at his approach." This is an example of ____
4. In Their Eyes Were Watching God the scene where Janie kills Tea Cake could be considered the ____
5.   In 1984, Big Brother can be seen as a _____ for oppression and totalitarianism 

Post #3 - Paradox

Paradox is a sentence or statement that contradicts itself, but can still be interpreted to be true.  In literature, it can be used to provide insight towards an uncommon belief or idea.  It can also be used to analyze a text and discover its reason for being placed there.  In literature there are two types of paradox, particular and general.  Particular paradoxes are short, concise statements that usually involve satire. For instance, the line from 1984, "War is Peace.  Freedom is slavery.  Ignorance is strength.", is an example of particular paradox.  In that line all  three statements seem to contradict themselves, but at the same time invoke a certain wonder as to what each may mean at a deeper level of thought.  General paradox is more complex in both the length of its statement and in the idea actually being discussed.  An example of general paradox can be found in a quote from G.K. Chesterton, an author from the turn of the twentieth century: "An adventure is only an inconvenience rightly considered. An inconvenience is only an adventure wrongly considered".  While the statement may appear to contradict itself, a deeper look at the statement proves that in the author's opinion, the only difference between an adventure and an inconvenience is your own perspective.

Post # 2

A hyperbole is an extreme exaggeration that can be used to describe a person, place, thing, or event.  Authors often use it to stress the significance or general feeling towards a situation.  An example of a hyperbole would be "I've told you a million times not to do that!"  The speaker probably didn't actually tell them one million times, but express their frustration nonetheless to a degree where it is clear that they are fed up with the other person.

Post #1

1.)  The most interesting book to me was Their Eyes Were Watching God.  I thoroughly enjoyed the plot of the book as well as coming across and understanding important themes of the text like finding your way and overcoming adversity in its many forms.  Although the dialogue was immensely difficult to comprehend, I found it very revealing of characters thoughts and feelings in the novel.  Janie's handling of unfair situations, such as being forced to reside within the store in Eatonville, really interested me.  The story followed the life of Janie as she searched for self-worth and an identity. I liked the novel because of those aspects and the fact that I could relate to those aspirations and as a result, gain a deeper understanding of what Janie's thoughts and feelings were.  I thought the concept of an all black town like Eatonville was interesting, especially at how close-knit the communities were and how everyone seemed to know each other and the townspeople got along well for the most part.  In short, the much different, but still American society, greatly grabbed my interest while reading the book.  Prior to reading the book, I knew of the difficulties blacks faced as a community in that time period, but I was made aware of the challenges and cruelty blacks faced from within their own society.

2.)  The Stranger was my least favorite novel out of the three, mainly because of it's apathetic tone.  The main character, Meursault, was very intrinsic and difficult to read.  His emotionless responses that often refrained from choosing a side, made for a dull character in my opinion.  To me, Meursault (who was also the narrator), spent more time describing his surroundings than actually narrating and actually discussing the developments in the story.  Many of the aspects he described, like the funeral procession in the hot sun, seemed to have little or no relevance to the story.  It was very hard to relate to a character that was so emotionally detached and void of personal opinions or beliefs.  However, towards the end of the novel, Meursault's thoughts on facing and accepting death were intriguing, but nonetheless very abstract and deviated far from my own views. 

3.)  Although I never finished my dystopian text, 1984, I was able to read through a good amount of it and understand some key concepts.  Having read other novels by George Orwell, I am familiar with his writing style and more specifically his tendency to incorporate allusions to the Soviet Union and communism.  If I were to write an essay about the book I would focus on the social context of the novel and how the author portrayed their personal attitudes or beliefs toward the subject.  I think that those aspects were important because they were common themes throughout the story that played a role in delivering the messages that Orwell was trying to get across, for example that the masses could be made content through lies and ignorance.  Also, through his writing we are able to identify certain rights and customs that we take for granted living in a democratic society.  I believe it is important for us to understand that although there were many who agreed with Orwell's view on Communism and Totalitarianism, it was by no means accepted throughout the world, and had many supporters at the time the book was written.