"With the first fixing of its razor-teeth in his knees and hands and head he screamed and struggled deeper into its tangle."
This excerpt from the end of "Once Upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer is apart of an example of irony. In the story, the parents built a large wall with barbed wire on it in order to keep evil away from their family. However, the end of the story is ironic because the son dies trying to climb the wall. The story seems to be a children's story. The author sets it up by saying she is telling it to herself before she goes to bed, like a parent tells a child to put them to sleep. However, the ending is probably too graphic for a child to hear and then go to bed easier. The parents' plan to protect their child from crime backfired bigtime. The ending was also very sudden and unexpected. The author was very quick to describe the boy's death.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Dialect
"It was my memory fail me."
This excerpt from "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty is an example of dialect. This dialect is unique because it shows that Phoenix is uneducated. Another instance that shows she is old and somewhat senile is when the nurse asks her about her grandson. She responds by simply staring into space with a blank look on her face. She snaps back into it and answers, but this is how she answers. Also, her craziness shows when she is walking in the woods. She has mirages and begins to talk to herself. However, she is a kind woman who makes a treacherous journey out of love for her grandson.
This excerpt from "A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty is an example of dialect. This dialect is unique because it shows that Phoenix is uneducated. Another instance that shows she is old and somewhat senile is when the nurse asks her about her grandson. She responds by simply staring into space with a blank look on her face. She snaps back into it and answers, but this is how she answers. Also, her craziness shows when she is walking in the woods. She has mirages and begins to talk to herself. However, she is a kind woman who makes a treacherous journey out of love for her grandson.
Personification
"She sat at the window watching evening invade the avenue."
This excerpt from "Eveline" by James Joyce is an example of personification. It is a description of the sun setting and the street getting dimmer. Eveline is reflecting on her life with her family at their house. She is about to leave it for good, and she is nostalgic. Athough she had a hard life, she states that she didn't find her life totally "undesireable." I think this is because she loves her family and is a big part of it. She is the one who is basically raising her siblings after her mother's death. Also, her father is not to keen of her boyfriend. I also believe this is because Eveline is the main part of the family and does so much for them.
This excerpt from "Eveline" by James Joyce is an example of personification. It is a description of the sun setting and the street getting dimmer. Eveline is reflecting on her life with her family at their house. She is about to leave it for good, and she is nostalgic. Athough she had a hard life, she states that she didn't find her life totally "undesireable." I think this is because she loves her family and is a big part of it. She is the one who is basically raising her siblings after her mother's death. Also, her father is not to keen of her boyfriend. I also believe this is because Eveline is the main part of the family and does so much for them.
Simile
"It was like some one playing with only the family to listen; it didn't care how it played if there weren't any strangers present."
This excerpt from "Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield is an example of a simile. It is talking about the band that comes to play in the park every Sunday. A comparison is made between the band playing in and out of season. It is way more popular during the season; a lot more people come out to watch and the band plays better. Miss Brill is happy to go outside and show off her fur coat. She knows she is out of place in society and tries to show off. Her career realates to her being out of place. She teaches English in a french school. However, though she is wearing her coat, people still look at her and point out that she is out of place.
This excerpt from "Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield is an example of a simile. It is talking about the band that comes to play in the park every Sunday. A comparison is made between the band playing in and out of season. It is way more popular during the season; a lot more people come out to watch and the band plays better. Miss Brill is happy to go outside and show off her fur coat. She knows she is out of place in society and tries to show off. Her career realates to her being out of place. She teaches English in a french school. However, though she is wearing her coat, people still look at her and point out that she is out of place.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Bartleby reflection
The story "Bartleby the Scrivener" is a very peculiar one. The character Bartleby in particular is a very frustrating one as well. Whenever asked to perform a task, his reply is simply "I would prefer not to" and that is that. I discussed with one of my friends how it reminded us of a character in the show "Family Guy." The maid they hire will not leave when they try to fire her. Her response is simply "No, no, I clean now." Like the narrator in the story, the employers do not force her to leave. The narrator had an odd appreciation for Bartleby. He was good at what he did, he just did not do as he was told.
Direct Characterization
"It was afternoon, be it remembered. Turkey sat glowing like a brass boiler, his bald head steaming, his hands reeling among his blotted papers."
In the story "Bartleby the Scrivener" by Herman Melville, the character Turkey is directly characterized. The narrator says that it is afternoon and then says that Turkey is steaming. In the afternoon, Turkey is grouchy and Nippers is rational, but in the morning it is vice versa. Turkey is also very violent and really wants to hit Bartleby in the face. However, the narrator will not let him. Also, the narrator will not fire Bartleby either. This gives off the notion that the narrator secretly likes him for some odd reason. He doesn't punish Bartleby for not doing what he asks.
In the story "Bartleby the Scrivener" by Herman Melville, the character Turkey is directly characterized. The narrator says that it is afternoon and then says that Turkey is steaming. In the afternoon, Turkey is grouchy and Nippers is rational, but in the morning it is vice versa. Turkey is also very violent and really wants to hit Bartleby in the face. However, the narrator will not let him. Also, the narrator will not fire Bartleby either. This gives off the notion that the narrator secretly likes him for some odd reason. He doesn't punish Bartleby for not doing what he asks.
Indirect Characterization
"'You just will not understand. The point is these quilts, these quilts!'"
In the story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, the character Dee is indirectly characterized at the end of the story. She is upset that she cannot get what she wants, and she simply will not stand for it. She starts to put her mother below her. This shows that Dee, or Wangero, is selfish and only cares about herself. Even when Moma tells her that the quilts are for Maggie, Dee rejects the idea. She goes on to make fun of Maggie. Maggie tells Moma that Dee can have them, and that she can remember her grandma without them. However, Moma won't stand for that and stands up for Maggie, leading Dee to leave.
In the story "Everyday Use" by Alice Walker, the character Dee is indirectly characterized at the end of the story. She is upset that she cannot get what she wants, and she simply will not stand for it. She starts to put her mother below her. This shows that Dee, or Wangero, is selfish and only cares about herself. Even when Moma tells her that the quilts are for Maggie, Dee rejects the idea. She goes on to make fun of Maggie. Maggie tells Moma that Dee can have them, and that she can remember her grandma without them. However, Moma won't stand for that and stands up for Maggie, leading Dee to leave.
Situational Irony
"But he was wrong. They had taken a different turn a long way back."
In the short story "Hunters in the Snow" by Tobias Wolff, the end of the story is an example of situational irony. At the end of the story, Kenny belives that he is going to the hospital with Tub and Frank. However, they left the directions behind and took a wrong turn a while back. The reader knows that Kenny is going to die, but the characters do not. Tub and Frank are better friends with each other because they both have problems in their lives. They are both unhappy with their lifestyles. This shows when they choose to talk about it in a restaurant and leave Kenny bleeding alone. They are not trying to kill Kenny, they are just too caught up in their own lives.
In the short story "Hunters in the Snow" by Tobias Wolff, the end of the story is an example of situational irony. At the end of the story, Kenny belives that he is going to the hospital with Tub and Frank. However, they left the directions behind and took a wrong turn a while back. The reader knows that Kenny is going to die, but the characters do not. Tub and Frank are better friends with each other because they both have problems in their lives. They are both unhappy with their lifestyles. This shows when they choose to talk about it in a restaurant and leave Kenny bleeding alone. They are not trying to kill Kenny, they are just too caught up in their own lives.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Imagery
"...a faint dust rose sluggishly about their thighs, spinning with slow motes in the single sun-ray."
This excerpt provides excellent imagery about Miss Emily's home. It is very old and dusty. It seems to be a large home, and Miss Emily does not use all of it. She is very mysterious and secretive about what she does and rarely leaves her home, which smells terrible. Again, the ending to this story was also surprising and very weird. The smell of the house is coming from the terrible smell of Homer's rotten, lifeless body, which is discovered after Miss Emily's death. Homer is the only one who would spend time with Miss Emily. She connected with him so much, but he was homosexual and this was the only way that they could be together forever.
This excerpt provides excellent imagery about Miss Emily's home. It is very old and dusty. It seems to be a large home, and Miss Emily does not use all of it. She is very mysterious and secretive about what she does and rarely leaves her home, which smells terrible. Again, the ending to this story was also surprising and very weird. The smell of the house is coming from the terrible smell of Homer's rotten, lifeless body, which is discovered after Miss Emily's death. Homer is the only one who would spend time with Miss Emily. She connected with him so much, but he was homosexual and this was the only way that they could be together forever.
Irony
"...the whirring noise of the advancing film excited the monkeys, and the one with the stick began to beat Bobby more intently."
This excerpt is an example of irony because throughout the story, the Das' hardly paid any attention to their children. However, the parents are the main cause of the monkey attack. The monkeys were drawn in by the food that Mrs. Das was eating. Next, the camera flash by Mr. Das set them off. The ending to this story also was quite surprising to me. I expected Mrs. Das to flirt with Mr. Kapasi when they were alone. However, to his disappointment, the romance was created by Mr. Kapasi's imagination. Mrs. Das was offended by Mr. Kapasi and she broke his heart.
This excerpt is an example of irony because throughout the story, the Das' hardly paid any attention to their children. However, the parents are the main cause of the monkey attack. The monkeys were drawn in by the food that Mrs. Das was eating. Next, the camera flash by Mr. Das set them off. The ending to this story also was quite surprising to me. I expected Mrs. Das to flirt with Mr. Kapasi when they were alone. However, to his disappointment, the romance was created by Mr. Kapasi's imagination. Mrs. Das was offended by Mr. Kapasi and she broke his heart.
Stream of Consciousness
"Mrs. Peebles was not very friendly to me aftereward, but she was fair. Not very friendly is the wrong way of describing what she was."
This excerpt shows Edie's respect for Mrs. Peebles. Edie likes her, and is glad that she didn't overreact to the Chris incident like Alice Kelling. Afterward, Edie waits hopefully for Chris' letter, but soon realizes it will never come. This ending was a shock to me, and it also seemed undramatic. The ending seemed very quick, and I had to reread it to be sure of what I just read. The mailman is hardly talked about until the last page. I did not expect that at all. The title was a clever one too, as it through me off as I expected Chris and Edie to get married.
This excerpt shows Edie's respect for Mrs. Peebles. Edie likes her, and is glad that she didn't overreact to the Chris incident like Alice Kelling. Afterward, Edie waits hopefully for Chris' letter, but soon realizes it will never come. This ending was a shock to me, and it also seemed undramatic. The ending seemed very quick, and I had to reread it to be sure of what I just read. The mailman is hardly talked about until the last page. I did not expect that at all. The title was a clever one too, as it through me off as I expected Chris and Edie to get married.
Indirect Characterization
"She was swollen up with peasure at being in on this scene."
This excerpt is describing Loretta Bird, the neighbor to the Peebles. Through this statement, the reader can confirm that she is a gossip queen. Here, she is ecstatic that she is witnessing Alice Kelling go off on Edie. She finds pleasure in gossip and chaos. Loretta is present throughout the story, and the speaker drops hints that her presence is not always welcome at the Peebles' home. She contributes to the story as sort of an antagonist to Edie. Edie thinks of her as a vile woman who she would be happy to never see again. It is also obvious that Loretta looks down on Edie, and she does not like the feeling of inferiority that Loretta brings to her.
This excerpt is describing Loretta Bird, the neighbor to the Peebles. Through this statement, the reader can confirm that she is a gossip queen. Here, she is ecstatic that she is witnessing Alice Kelling go off on Edie. She finds pleasure in gossip and chaos. Loretta is present throughout the story, and the speaker drops hints that her presence is not always welcome at the Peebles' home. She contributes to the story as sort of an antagonist to Edie. Edie thinks of her as a vile woman who she would be happy to never see again. It is also obvious that Loretta looks down on Edie, and she does not like the feeling of inferiority that Loretta brings to her.
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