Well, I'm not really sure which movie to choose. There are a lot of movies that fall into the post-modernism category, and I'm really bad at making decisions. However, I think I am going to choose Inception because it seems most relatable to post-modernism.
I think the biggest aspect of Post-Modernism found in Inception is the aspect of multiple worlds. As the movie title says, the plot is about Inception of the mind. I'm sure you've seen this movie and know what I am talking about? A dream within a dream... within a dream? All those dreams are separate dimensions, or worlds. The whole movie revolves around different dreams that take place in different worlds. This leads me into my next aspect, which is crossing fiction with nonfiction. Obviously, this movie is fiction. People going into dreams can not happen. The situations and characters could be real, though. Leonardo DiCaprio may actually have two children that he has been forbidden to see. That nice Asian man who bought that whole airplane line could be real, too, but once they start delving into dreams, it is fairly obvious that the movie is fictional.
The next big aspect of Post-Modernism in Inception is fear. Throughout the entire movie there is a constant fear because once you enter someone else's dream, you immediately become a target for the people in the dream, or the figments of their mind. So basically, Leonardo DiCaprio and Ellen Page run around with a constant fear that they are going to be caught by the imaginary persons in the dream, then killed (but not really). This lasts for the whole movie since they are always in a dream.
Assimilation is also used in Inception. The imaginary people in the dream are all the same, and when real people enter the dream, they try to kill them because they are different. The imaginary persons want everything to be balanced.
Inception is a great example of a contemporary movie with Post-Modernism aspects.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
"A Word Is Dead"
"A word is dead
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day."
I think that she is trying to say a number of things. She is trying to
say that while some people think that words do not last any longer
than the length of time is takes to say them. They think that words
are dead things that can not mean anything and can not make a lasting
impression on anyone. Dickinson, on the other hand, completely
disagrees. She thinks that words can last for a long time. She thinks
that words can last forever, and that can definitely make a lasting
impact on a lot of people. She says that words, such as those used in
speeches or famous letters, can make people do a number of things, and
they can also make people believe a number of things, whether or not
they are true. Words are very powerful, which Emily Dickinson knew
very well. She understood their importance, and she saw them as living
things that last forever, no matter what anyone else around her
thought. She knew that words could make a huge impact, no matter how
small the word is, because of people's interpretations of the word and
the situation. Words could also mean a number of other things, because
they could be interchanged with quite a few things that other people
do not consider important, but she believes to be so. They could be
synonymous with things such as plants or animals, which Dickinson
spent much of her time studying and writing about. She could see the
power and importance in every situation, while many people could not,
because they did not spend as much of their time sitting out studying
nature and the things that are in it. Dickinson saw quite a few things
that other people did not, and she saw the good, beauty, and
importance in every situation.
When it is said,
Some say.
I say it just
Begins to live
That day."
I think that she is trying to say a number of things. She is trying to
say that while some people think that words do not last any longer
than the length of time is takes to say them. They think that words
are dead things that can not mean anything and can not make a lasting
impression on anyone. Dickinson, on the other hand, completely
disagrees. She thinks that words can last for a long time. She thinks
that words can last forever, and that can definitely make a lasting
impact on a lot of people. She says that words, such as those used in
speeches or famous letters, can make people do a number of things, and
they can also make people believe a number of things, whether or not
they are true. Words are very powerful, which Emily Dickinson knew
very well. She understood their importance, and she saw them as living
things that last forever, no matter what anyone else around her
thought. She knew that words could make a huge impact, no matter how
small the word is, because of people's interpretations of the word and
the situation. Words could also mean a number of other things, because
they could be interchanged with quite a few things that other people
do not consider important, but she believes to be so. They could be
synonymous with things such as plants or animals, which Dickinson
spent much of her time studying and writing about. She could see the
power and importance in every situation, while many people could not,
because they did not spend as much of their time sitting out studying
nature and the things that are in it. Dickinson saw quite a few things
that other people did not, and she saw the good, beauty, and
importance in every situation.
Monday, April 18, 2011
"The Way I Read a Letter's This"
Emily Dickinson was a unique poet that does not fit well into any
specific literary category. She wrote many, many poems, that all
became incredibly popular after her death. She wrote about any number
of things, and her poems are very diverse. Some of them are incredibly
literal and have nothing hidden in their meaning, but there are also
some that are completely loaded with hidden meaning and other
interpretations, so it is often hard to figure out what one will be
getting in any given poem. I read a poem by Emily Dickinson that was
called "The way I read a letter's this:". This poem basically talks
about the speaker reading a letter from their lover. It talks about
how the person wants to hide in the very back of their room and open
the letter very secretively, so no one else can see the beauty of it
or can feel how intimate it is. She is trying to show how meaningful
and heartfelt that kind of thing can be, and how important they are to
the person that receives them. Emily Dickinson talks all about how she
checks every step of the way that no one is following her or sneaking
in to see the letter. She talks about how she constantly feels for the
letter, and makes sure that there is no way that she could drop it
anywhere along the way. She talks about hiding in the corner so that
she will be the only one to see how sacred and pure and amazing it is.
She wants to make sure that she feels the full effect of the letter
and all of the emotions that go along with it, so she makes sure to go
into a private room that may well be a sanctuary for her. She talks
about how she feels after reading the letter and soaking up all of the
goodness that it can give to her. She talks about how much she wants
her lover and how being with her lover would be heaven to her. Not the
conventional heaven, but her heaven. This poem is very literal and it
would be hard to take it different ways. It does not relate to
Christianity, because this letter is more between lovers than it would
be between a father and a son. It might be mildly awkward for people
in those positions to have those feelings for each other, so it is
difficult to think about. There is no hidden meaning that Christ wrote
letters or received letters from lovers, so Christianity does not fit.
There is not a hidden meaning, because only lovers should have these
feelings for each other, because it would be awkward for family
members to feel this way about each other. Friends might be able to
feel this way about each other, but they might want something more
with the other person if they feel this way. This poem is pretty
simplistic, but it is still very meaningful and shows a lot of depth
and emotion.
Dickinson, Emily. "24. “The Way I Read a Letter’s This.” Part Three:
Love. Dickinson, Emily. 1924. Complete Poems." Bartleby.com: Great
Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More.
Web. 25 April. 2011.
"Érudit | Romanticism on the Net N38-39 2005 : Mayer | Finding Herself
Alone: Emily Dickinson, Victorian Women Novelists, and the Female
Subject." Érudit. Web. 25 April. 2011.
specific literary category. She wrote many, many poems, that all
became incredibly popular after her death. She wrote about any number
of things, and her poems are very diverse. Some of them are incredibly
literal and have nothing hidden in their meaning, but there are also
some that are completely loaded with hidden meaning and other
interpretations, so it is often hard to figure out what one will be
getting in any given poem. I read a poem by Emily Dickinson that was
called "The way I read a letter's this:". This poem basically talks
about the speaker reading a letter from their lover. It talks about
how the person wants to hide in the very back of their room and open
the letter very secretively, so no one else can see the beauty of it
or can feel how intimate it is. She is trying to show how meaningful
and heartfelt that kind of thing can be, and how important they are to
the person that receives them. Emily Dickinson talks all about how she
checks every step of the way that no one is following her or sneaking
in to see the letter. She talks about how she constantly feels for the
letter, and makes sure that there is no way that she could drop it
anywhere along the way. She talks about hiding in the corner so that
she will be the only one to see how sacred and pure and amazing it is.
She wants to make sure that she feels the full effect of the letter
and all of the emotions that go along with it, so she makes sure to go
into a private room that may well be a sanctuary for her. She talks
about how she feels after reading the letter and soaking up all of the
goodness that it can give to her. She talks about how much she wants
her lover and how being with her lover would be heaven to her. Not the
conventional heaven, but her heaven. This poem is very literal and it
would be hard to take it different ways. It does not relate to
Christianity, because this letter is more between lovers than it would
be between a father and a son. It might be mildly awkward for people
in those positions to have those feelings for each other, so it is
difficult to think about. There is no hidden meaning that Christ wrote
letters or received letters from lovers, so Christianity does not fit.
There is not a hidden meaning, because only lovers should have these
feelings for each other, because it would be awkward for family
members to feel this way about each other. Friends might be able to
feel this way about each other, but they might want something more
with the other person if they feel this way. This poem is pretty
simplistic, but it is still very meaningful and shows a lot of depth
and emotion.
Dickinson, Emily. "24. “The Way I Read a Letter’s This.” Part Three:
Love. Dickinson, Emily. 1924. Complete Poems." Bartleby.com: Great
Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More.
Web. 25 April. 2011.
"Érudit | Romanticism on the Net N38-39 2005 : Mayer | Finding Herself
Alone: Emily Dickinson, Victorian Women Novelists, and the Female
Subject." Érudit. Web. 25 April. 2011.
Journal #42
There is a lot of controversy over who people prefer to read, Walt
Whitman or Emily Dickinson. Personally I would prefer to read Emily
Dickinson because she makes a lot more sense to me than Walt Whitman
does. Walt Whitman was a very complicated poet, and he made every poem
that he wrote have multiple meanings. Personally I prefer to sometimes
have poems that I can take at face value and that are very literal, so
it is a lot better for me to read Emily Dickinson. I prefer to read
some of the complicated poems every once in a while, but quite often I
prefer to read the poems that are simple and easy to follow. Walt
Whitman tried to talk about very complex things in every single poem
that he wrote, because he tried to write about Self, the every man,
God, Christianity, or America in every single poem that he ever wrote.
It may not have always been about all of those things, but almost
every time he writes about more than one of those themes. He also
writes things in a very complicated way that is quite often very hard
to follow. He is very egotistical in his poems, because he says
everything is him and about him and he is God and everyone else is God
as well, and I do not agree with that. I do not like Whitman from what
I have seen from him, and he kind of makes me mad. I much prefer Emily
Dickinson, because she is a lot more simple with what she is trying to
say. It is also easier, because even if she is trying to be complex,
she is still a lot easier to understand than Whitman ever was. Whitman
and Dickinson were not popular during their lifetimes, because many
people did not agree with them or did not have their poetry. Whitman
and Dickinson were both extremely popular poets after their deaths,
and many people continue to read them even today.
Whitman or Emily Dickinson. Personally I would prefer to read Emily
Dickinson because she makes a lot more sense to me than Walt Whitman
does. Walt Whitman was a very complicated poet, and he made every poem
that he wrote have multiple meanings. Personally I prefer to sometimes
have poems that I can take at face value and that are very literal, so
it is a lot better for me to read Emily Dickinson. I prefer to read
some of the complicated poems every once in a while, but quite often I
prefer to read the poems that are simple and easy to follow. Walt
Whitman tried to talk about very complex things in every single poem
that he wrote, because he tried to write about Self, the every man,
God, Christianity, or America in every single poem that he ever wrote.
It may not have always been about all of those things, but almost
every time he writes about more than one of those themes. He also
writes things in a very complicated way that is quite often very hard
to follow. He is very egotistical in his poems, because he says
everything is him and about him and he is God and everyone else is God
as well, and I do not agree with that. I do not like Whitman from what
I have seen from him, and he kind of makes me mad. I much prefer Emily
Dickinson, because she is a lot more simple with what she is trying to
say. It is also easier, because even if she is trying to be complex,
she is still a lot easier to understand than Whitman ever was. Whitman
and Dickinson were not popular during their lifetimes, because many
people did not agree with them or did not have their poetry. Whitman
and Dickinson were both extremely popular poets after their deaths,
and many people continue to read them even today.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
Journal #43
This Jazz music is very soothing. I do not usually visualize music with imagery unless the music comes with a music video. If that is the case, then whenever I hear the song I think of the music video. This Jazz song- which may or may not be pronounced Yazz, it could be a soft J- does not have a music video. There is just a picture of an African American man in deep thought, his finger resting peacefully on his upper lip. So now, whenever I hear this song, I think of this thoughtful black man playing multiple Jazz instruments all at once. Usually I just think of him playing a saxophone, though, since that is the generic Jazz instrument.
This music also reminds me of Fantasia 2000. Specifically, it reminds me of the beginning of the movie when "Rhapsody in Blue" is playing, and the black man is rushing off to his job at a construction sight. I think of just him, not the other characters in the story. It makes me think of him at the end of the movie, when he attends "Harlem Jazz Night" in the underground subway. He finally gets to play his Jazz music, and I am visualizing that friendly black man playing this Jazz song.
This song really just makes me think of African Americans in the Harlem Renaissance playing Jazz instruments. There is nothing else that I really visualize when I hear this song. I just imagine people playing the song on a stage in cute little suits with tails. They all have white cuff links and huge foreheads, and I am being completely serious. That is exactly what I see.
I suppose it also makes me visualize an elevator in a hotel. I imagine a large group of people all crowded into an elevator. As they stand awkwardly in a group, Jazz music is playing in the background. No one is speaking, people are just listening to the soothing tones of whoever wrote this Jazz song. The song plays on repeat, allowing everyone who rides in that elevator that day to hear this delightful Jazz song.
This music also reminds me of Fantasia 2000. Specifically, it reminds me of the beginning of the movie when "Rhapsody in Blue" is playing, and the black man is rushing off to his job at a construction sight. I think of just him, not the other characters in the story. It makes me think of him at the end of the movie, when he attends "Harlem Jazz Night" in the underground subway. He finally gets to play his Jazz music, and I am visualizing that friendly black man playing this Jazz song.
This song really just makes me think of African Americans in the Harlem Renaissance playing Jazz instruments. There is nothing else that I really visualize when I hear this song. I just imagine people playing the song on a stage in cute little suits with tails. They all have white cuff links and huge foreheads, and I am being completely serious. That is exactly what I see.
I suppose it also makes me visualize an elevator in a hotel. I imagine a large group of people all crowded into an elevator. As they stand awkwardly in a group, Jazz music is playing in the background. No one is speaking, people are just listening to the soothing tones of whoever wrote this Jazz song. The song plays on repeat, allowing everyone who rides in that elevator that day to hear this delightful Jazz song.
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Realism and Modernism
Realism and Modernism are two literary genres that are very important
and influential. There were many things that happened historically to
spark the change to each genre. There are many differences, but also
similarities in these two literary genres. A theme relating to the
wars of the time is found in both of these styles of writing, but the
actual style of writing is very different.
The transition from Romanticism to Realism was very large. While
Romanticism focused on nature and wishful situations, Realism, like
its name suggests, reflected more believable, common situations. For
the first time authors were depicting a setting and the story as how
it would be in the real world, rather than what they wanted it to be.
This was caused by the increase in scientific and rationalist thoughts
after the Civil War. The style became less about nature and heroes and
shifted more to a more simple telling of the story. The common middle
class man became the hero of most Realist works.
Historically there were many events that caused the shift to
Modernism. There was the Great Depression, the Roaring Twenties, The
Great War, and many other changes in culture. Black culture was also
on the rise with new African American artists and musicians surfacing
in the popular culture of the nation. This is what is commonly
refereed to as the Harlem Renaissance. It was these cultural changes
that caused the change to modernist literature from the previous
realism.
One major difference in the literary genres is the actual style in
which the stories and poems are written in. Oftentimes there is a
connection to the characters in a modernist work and the author that
wrote it. The writing style is obviously different because Modernist
writers wanted to avoid simple writing, which is used in most Realist
works, and instead used very deep words with significant meanings
One characteristic that the two genres share is the depressing nature
of some of the works. This comes from the time period that each genre
occurred during. Realism began shortly after the Civil War, and the
war was a topic of many works. There was a lot of reflection on what
the soldiers went through, and also about the feelings of a country
that had been divided. Modernism on the other had began during the
Great War. This was a very depressing time, as people had never really
seen such a war before. There was a lot of violence and this caused
there to be the same depressing theme appear in some works of
Modernism. This is not to say that all modernist works were like this
because with the great cultural expansion of the country, there were
more happy topics to write about.
Both of these genres are similar and different in many ways. What was
going on during the time that they started had a drastic impact on the
principals of each respective genre. The common factor of a war going
on makes some characteristics of the genres very similar, but the
writing style still remains very differed from each literary group.
These are obviously two of the most important and influential genres
in American literature.
and influential. There were many things that happened historically to
spark the change to each genre. There are many differences, but also
similarities in these two literary genres. A theme relating to the
wars of the time is found in both of these styles of writing, but the
actual style of writing is very different.
The transition from Romanticism to Realism was very large. While
Romanticism focused on nature and wishful situations, Realism, like
its name suggests, reflected more believable, common situations. For
the first time authors were depicting a setting and the story as how
it would be in the real world, rather than what they wanted it to be.
This was caused by the increase in scientific and rationalist thoughts
after the Civil War. The style became less about nature and heroes and
shifted more to a more simple telling of the story. The common middle
class man became the hero of most Realist works.
Historically there were many events that caused the shift to
Modernism. There was the Great Depression, the Roaring Twenties, The
Great War, and many other changes in culture. Black culture was also
on the rise with new African American artists and musicians surfacing
in the popular culture of the nation. This is what is commonly
refereed to as the Harlem Renaissance. It was these cultural changes
that caused the change to modernist literature from the previous
realism.
One major difference in the literary genres is the actual style in
which the stories and poems are written in. Oftentimes there is a
connection to the characters in a modernist work and the author that
wrote it. The writing style is obviously different because Modernist
writers wanted to avoid simple writing, which is used in most Realist
works, and instead used very deep words with significant meanings
One characteristic that the two genres share is the depressing nature
of some of the works. This comes from the time period that each genre
occurred during. Realism began shortly after the Civil War, and the
war was a topic of many works. There was a lot of reflection on what
the soldiers went through, and also about the feelings of a country
that had been divided. Modernism on the other had began during the
Great War. This was a very depressing time, as people had never really
seen such a war before. There was a lot of violence and this caused
there to be the same depressing theme appear in some works of
Modernism. This is not to say that all modernist works were like this
because with the great cultural expansion of the country, there were
more happy topics to write about.
Both of these genres are similar and different in many ways. What was
going on during the time that they started had a drastic impact on the
principals of each respective genre. The common factor of a war going
on makes some characteristics of the genres very similar, but the
writing style still remains very differed from each literary group.
These are obviously two of the most important and influential genres
in American literature.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Job Shadowing Journal
I job shadowed a Veterinary Office last Thursday, and I'm not gonna lie, I
was expecting a little bit more of a high class facility, or at least
as high class as a Petersburg Clinic can get. From the outside, the
building scared me. It looked sort of like a run down house. The
inside was no better, with it's unfinished floors, small operating
room, and cheap-looking waiting area. The people, however, were
relatively nice. There was one woman, I wish I could remember her
name- I feel like it was JT or something odd like that, and she was so
nice. She was extremely friendly, and she was the one who gave Katie
and I a tour of the (small) vet office. She didn't have a filter
though, that woman cursed like a sailor. One of the three actual
Veterinarians who work there,- Dr. Cline?- was so nice! He was cheery
and he seemed to know what he was doing. Katie and I watched him
operate on a dog who had been hit by a car, and he definitely knew
what he was doing. The other vet, Dr. Stoh, or something like that,
wasn't as nice as Dr. Cline... She was a little snippy, acting like I
was a 4 year old who couldn't read. I do not appreciate being treated
like an unintelligent child, All of the other workers were fine
though, and they even go to lunch together! How cute is that!?
The clinic itself was having a slow day on Thursday. They did not
have very many appointments, so I do not think I really got the full
experience of a busy vet's office. I did get to see how they put an
animal down, though (poor Cow Dog had severe liver failure). I also
got to observe Dr. cline operating on a dog names Leah who was hit by
a car and had a hernia. Her spleen somehow got split into two, but
she had no broken bones! The operation did not bother me, even though
her intestines were falling out of her abdominal cavity. I guess
that's a plus! I also got to stand in on a few appointments. Those
were relatively normal, just what I would expect from a vet. However,
I did learn that, one, people name their animals some freaky things
(Poop Face?), and two, people will bring in their animal for obscure
reasons (Ate the head of a snake?!). Even though business was slow,
at least I got a taste of almost everything that happens inside a
vet's office- putting an animal to sleep, operations, and
appointments.
After job shadowing at the Petersburg Veterinary Clinic, I think I am
still undecided on whether or not I would like to be a vet. I handled
all the situations well, even putting an animal to sleep, so that's a
good thing! I wasn't really feeling passionate about it, though. The
appointments and operations interested me, but I am not sure that this
is the job that I would want to be doing every day. Coming home
covered in cat hair and smelling like wet dog didn't really help
either. I really do love animals and working with animals, but now
that I've seen into the life of a vet, I don't think it is the job for
me.
Also, they are in fact building a new veterinary office- it will have
heated floors! So even though the office they have right now looks
pretty shady, the new one being built right now is going to be
fantastic!
was expecting a little bit more of a high class facility, or at least
as high class as a Petersburg Clinic can get. From the outside, the
building scared me. It looked sort of like a run down house. The
inside was no better, with it's unfinished floors, small operating
room, and cheap-looking waiting area. The people, however, were
relatively nice. There was one woman, I wish I could remember her
name- I feel like it was JT or something odd like that, and she was so
nice. She was extremely friendly, and she was the one who gave Katie
and I a tour of the (small) vet office. She didn't have a filter
though, that woman cursed like a sailor. One of the three actual
Veterinarians who work there,- Dr. Cline?- was so nice! He was cheery
and he seemed to know what he was doing. Katie and I watched him
operate on a dog who had been hit by a car, and he definitely knew
what he was doing. The other vet, Dr. Stoh, or something like that,
wasn't as nice as Dr. Cline... She was a little snippy, acting like I
was a 4 year old who couldn't read. I do not appreciate being treated
like an unintelligent child, All of the other workers were fine
though, and they even go to lunch together! How cute is that!?
The clinic itself was having a slow day on Thursday. They did not
have very many appointments, so I do not think I really got the full
experience of a busy vet's office. I did get to see how they put an
animal down, though (poor Cow Dog had severe liver failure). I also
got to observe Dr. cline operating on a dog names Leah who was hit by
a car and had a hernia. Her spleen somehow got split into two, but
she had no broken bones! The operation did not bother me, even though
her intestines were falling out of her abdominal cavity. I guess
that's a plus! I also got to stand in on a few appointments. Those
were relatively normal, just what I would expect from a vet. However,
I did learn that, one, people name their animals some freaky things
(Poop Face?), and two, people will bring in their animal for obscure
reasons (Ate the head of a snake?!). Even though business was slow,
at least I got a taste of almost everything that happens inside a
vet's office- putting an animal to sleep, operations, and
appointments.
After job shadowing at the Petersburg Veterinary Clinic, I think I am
still undecided on whether or not I would like to be a vet. I handled
all the situations well, even putting an animal to sleep, so that's a
good thing! I wasn't really feeling passionate about it, though. The
appointments and operations interested me, but I am not sure that this
is the job that I would want to be doing every day. Coming home
covered in cat hair and smelling like wet dog didn't really help
either. I really do love animals and working with animals, but now
that I've seen into the life of a vet, I don't think it is the job for
me.
Also, they are in fact building a new veterinary office- it will have
heated floors! So even though the office they have right now looks
pretty shady, the new one being built right now is going to be
fantastic!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
"The Ship Starting" Analysis
I am writing my poem on Whitman's "The Ship Starting". "The Ship Starting" displays many of the characteristics that Whitman commonly uses, including the all too familiar sense of "Self". This poem was one of the first poems in Whitman's "Leaves of Grass". The poem itself is full of descriptions and symbolism, as well as humanity's strive to move forward.
"LO! the unbounded sea!
On its breast a ship starting, spreading all her sails---an ample Ship, carrying even her moonsails; The pennant is flying aloft, as she speeds, she speeds so stately---below, emulous waves press forward, They surround the Ship, with shining curving motions, and foam." (Whitman)
The symbolism in this poem is essentially what makes it reflective of Whitman's "Self". If one was to read this poem in a literal way, it would appear to be boring and unrelated to Whitman or "Self". This poem, in a literal sense, is about a majestic ship that sails the vast ocean. The ocean and the ship are both personified, making them appear to be interacting with one another as the ship glides along. This four-line poem exalts the power of a ship "spreading all sails" as it starts a voyage on "the unbounded sea." The ship's sails make "emulous waves", which means that the sails in the wind are similar appearing to the waves (Oliver). One symbol in "The Ship Starting"is the ship itself. The ship carries it's passenger's across the ocean, always taking them to their destinations. The ship could be seen as Earth, or perhaps it could be seen as the life of humans itself. Without the ship, the passengers could not survive, and that is how it is for humans and the Earth. Humans must navigate the course of their lives on Earth and attempt to find their way. Through Whitman's concept of "Self" we are all one and thus are all one person. All humans share the same Earth, just like the passengers on the ship all share the same vessel.
The first line of "The Ship Starting" introduces the "unbounded sea", which, if taken literally, is just expressing the vast ocean. But upon looking closer, it becomes apparent that the "unbounded sea" actually represents the the ship's home- where it naturally resides. Ships travel the ocean constantly, and the ocean is their natural home. It represents the untamed Earth and the place where the ship must navigate and the passengers must spend their lives navigating without being overcome by it's rough and destructive nature.
The third symbol in the poem are the waves. Whitman describes the waves with the adverb "emulously". This basically means that the waves are pushing the ship along, urging it to go faster. The ship, Earth/humanity, is urged to go faster and carry humans farther into the ocean. The ship and the waves, who carried the ship along, urged the human race to excel and to be the best there ever was, which Whitman was a strong proponent of. The waves are thus representative of the collective self and the human desire to become the best. These three symbols are all personified, and once one discovers the meaning to one symbol, the meaning to the next symbol is then revealed. Without one symbol, the other symbols could not exist.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. "11. Ship Starting, The. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of Grass." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. Web. 03 Mar. 2011.
Oliver, Charles M. "'The Ship Starting'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW417&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 3, 2011).
"LO! the unbounded sea!
On its breast a ship starting, spreading all her sails---an ample Ship, carrying even her moonsails; The pennant is flying aloft, as she speeds, she speeds so stately---below, emulous waves press forward, They surround the Ship, with shining curving motions, and foam." (Whitman)
The symbolism in this poem is essentially what makes it reflective of Whitman's "Self". If one was to read this poem in a literal way, it would appear to be boring and unrelated to Whitman or "Self". This poem, in a literal sense, is about a majestic ship that sails the vast ocean. The ocean and the ship are both personified, making them appear to be interacting with one another as the ship glides along. This four-line poem exalts the power of a ship "spreading all sails" as it starts a voyage on "the unbounded sea." The ship's sails make "emulous waves", which means that the sails in the wind are similar appearing to the waves (Oliver). One symbol in "The Ship Starting"is the ship itself. The ship carries it's passenger's across the ocean, always taking them to their destinations. The ship could be seen as Earth, or perhaps it could be seen as the life of humans itself. Without the ship, the passengers could not survive, and that is how it is for humans and the Earth. Humans must navigate the course of their lives on Earth and attempt to find their way. Through Whitman's concept of "Self" we are all one and thus are all one person. All humans share the same Earth, just like the passengers on the ship all share the same vessel.
The first line of "The Ship Starting" introduces the "unbounded sea", which, if taken literally, is just expressing the vast ocean. But upon looking closer, it becomes apparent that the "unbounded sea" actually represents the the ship's home- where it naturally resides. Ships travel the ocean constantly, and the ocean is their natural home. It represents the untamed Earth and the place where the ship must navigate and the passengers must spend their lives navigating without being overcome by it's rough and destructive nature.
The third symbol in the poem are the waves. Whitman describes the waves with the adverb "emulously". This basically means that the waves are pushing the ship along, urging it to go faster. The ship, Earth/humanity, is urged to go faster and carry humans farther into the ocean. The ship and the waves, who carried the ship along, urged the human race to excel and to be the best there ever was, which Whitman was a strong proponent of. The waves are thus representative of the collective self and the human desire to become the best. These three symbols are all personified, and once one discovers the meaning to one symbol, the meaning to the next symbol is then revealed. Without one symbol, the other symbols could not exist.
Works Cited
Whitman, Walt. "11. Ship Starting, The. Whitman, Walt. 1900. Leaves of Grass." Bartleby.com: Great Books Online -- Quotes, Poems, Novels, Classics and Hundreds More. Web. 03 Mar. 2011.
Oliver, Charles M. "'The Ship Starting'." Critical Companion to Walt Whitman: A Literary Reference to His Life and Work, Critical Companion. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2005. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CCWW417&SingleRecord=True (accessed March 3, 2011).
Monday, February 28, 2011
Journal #37
I thought that the article “Whitman's Language of the Self” was quite interesting and truly captured many of the ideas that Whitman tried to convey in his years of writing. Bauerlein notes that Whitman is in fact often regarded as quite egotistical and self-centered but understands that this was a part of capturing his image of Self. The quote from Richard Poirier seemed to be directly related to Whitman's writing, that style is like a leaf of the tree of self, even though it was never aimed at any one author. This seems to be the exact means in which Whitman portrayed his message because his style of using free verse and structure less narrative seems to come from his conveying of the idea of Self that was included in all of his works. Bauerlein touches on Whitman's past that drastically affected his writing. Coming from an abusive father, an ignorant mother, and his homosexuality were all factors that made him the writer he was, as well as caused him to have a focus on personal Self in all of his literature. Some of his works directly address his feelings towards his parents, which made them all the more powerful. One quote in the essay mentions that Whitman did not really care much for the words he used, the rhyming, or the structure as long as the message he wanted to tell was told. This ended up creating a unique style that set him apart from other poets, but his subject matter was enough to make him great. Even without following any particular style, Whitman still was able to convey his idea of Self and Personality. Although this did seem a bit self-centered and egotistical, he portrayed an idea that became a very important part of literature and philosophy. Bauerlein encompassed all of the characteristics of Whitman's writing that made him one of the best, if not the most important American poets of his time and for all time.
Journal #36
My favorite food has to be Cold Stone ice cream. Specifically, their cake batter flavored ice cream with sprinkles mixed into it. And it can't be in a cone! It has to be in a cup. Or at least, that's how I prefer it. I always get a "like it" (even though I LOVE IT), which is considered a "small". I wish too much ice cream didn't make me sick because that ice cream is heaven in a cardboard cup.
Visually, it's pretty delicious looking. The ice cream itself is the color of cream, not an unnatural white, but not a yellowish either. The workers at Cold Stone mix in your ingredients then do this magically little wrist flick thing that turns the ice cream into the perfect size for your cup, so it is just one beautiful mound of perfection. The sprinkles they use are all the colors of the rainbow, and sometimes the colors will seep into your ice cream, turing it different colors. This ice cream looks so appetizing. I'm really hungry now.
And the taste of this ice cream is fantastic, too! I quite enjoy this fact because in many instances, ice cream that tries to be an odd flavor like cake batter turns out weird. But this ice cream tastes like the real deal! It's like you just shoved your face into a vat of vanilla cake batter down in Carlos's Bakery but without all the angry Italians. The sprinkles are really more for decoration than taste, although they do get stuck to your teeth, annoyingly enough.
Ice cream does not have a sound, obviously, but when I think of Cold Stone ice cream, I think of the noise of their ice cream scoops scraping against the smooth, cold counter. It's a very distinct sound because the countertop is surprisingly solid.
As for the smell of this ice cream, I'm not not sure. I have never deliberately smelled my cake batter ice cream. I'm pretty sure it smells like cake batter and ice cream, though. Obviously. It sort of tingles your nose as you smell it because of how cold the ice cream is, like breathing through your nose on a winter's day.
I've never felt this ice cream. I have a phobia of touching food that wasn't meant to be finger food. Like salad dressing, ice cream, icing, any form of non-breaded meat, cooked vegetables, etc. The texture of the ice cream is unique in your mouth, though. The ice cream itself is smooth like honey, no freezer burn here! The sprinkles add a nice amount of textures as well as something you can chew on. It's not so chewy that it sticks to your teeth and annoys you; It's just chewy enough that it keeps you occupied.
I love Cold Stone. That is all!
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Journal #35
I think it would be scary to be a reporter covering a war, especially if I was in the trenches with the troops. First of all, I can not report news to save my life. I am not good at speaking to thousands of people via camera and news team. So, combine my nervousness and inability to report news with getting shot at in a trench during a war, and the outcome is not pretty. But IF I was a strong, confident, handsome looking reporter such as, oh I don't know, ANDERSON COOPER, the outcome would be much brighter.
If I was a dedicated reporter covering a war while being shot at in a trench, I would do my best to not start having a break down in the middle of my news coverage. I would remain focused on readin' the news! Or reporting the news, I really wouldn't be reading the news, would I. I would stare straight into the camera, making daring eye contact with all of the citizens watching me report the war! I would completely ignore all of the speeding bullets flying my way like they were just leaves flying majestically through the wind! It would look just like an action movie, and it would be great. On the inside, though, I would be freaking out. Of course I would worry about whether or not I was going to get hit by a bullet and die! Gosh, dying on live tv while reporting a war would be terrible.
I do not really know what esle to say about this subject now. I would be scared out of my pants if I had to report during a war while in the line of fire. I do not want to even imagine reporting during World War II on the beaches of Normandy during D-day. Or during the Civil War, Reporting next to Lincoln like a boss. No big deal. So that's it really. I'd be scared but it would be cool.
If I was a dedicated reporter covering a war while being shot at in a trench, I would do my best to not start having a break down in the middle of my news coverage. I would remain focused on readin' the news! Or reporting the news, I really wouldn't be reading the news, would I. I would stare straight into the camera, making daring eye contact with all of the citizens watching me report the war! I would completely ignore all of the speeding bullets flying my way like they were just leaves flying majestically through the wind! It would look just like an action movie, and it would be great. On the inside, though, I would be freaking out. Of course I would worry about whether or not I was going to get hit by a bullet and die! Gosh, dying on live tv while reporting a war would be terrible.
I do not really know what esle to say about this subject now. I would be scared out of my pants if I had to report during a war while in the line of fire. I do not want to even imagine reporting during World War II on the beaches of Normandy during D-day. Or during the Civil War, Reporting next to Lincoln like a boss. No big deal. So that's it really. I'd be scared but it would be cool.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Jack London — "To Build a Fire"
Jack London's short story titled "To Build a Fire" represents the scientific literary genre of Naturalism. This subgenre, which is often compared to Realism, focuses almost solely on nature and humans' approach to it from a scientific angle, and also as Darwin's survival of the fittest theory (Werlock). London's tale features a man with his trusty Huskie alongside him venturing into the Alaskan wilderness in the middle of winter, and it is very cold. The man's survival instincts are trumped by the dog's in this "battle" against nature (London). A great example of Naturalism is presented in the very beginning of the literary work- the title of the short story itself. It initially gives the reader an idea that this story not only teaches some wilderness lessons, such as how to build a fire, but it must bring the main character into some sort of survival situation in which he must fight to survive in the harsh conditions of nature. These are a few very important characteristics of Naturalism. It mainly deals with man's interaction with nature, and how his need to survive brings out his most primitive instincts (Werlock).
As the inexperienced adventurer travels out in search of gold, he ignores all signs of danger. He ignores the danger of extremely chilling weather, and he later regrets it when he massively underestimates it (London). Again, right from the beginning, the reader may imply that the man will have to endure some sort of instinctual struggle with nature. As the story progresses, nature does not do anything drastic against the man and his dog, but it simply sustains its conditions to where the man is not even concerned in the slightest about gold anymore (London). The classic conflict of "man vs. nature" takes place in this short story, but that is not really directly correlated to Naturalism. Naturalism is about viewing humans from a neutral and scientific standpoint (Werlock). Naturalism's role in the story is bringing out the man's and dog's instincts to where he is almost not even a functioning human anymore, and he is just another animal only concerned with survival. Naturalism as a whole was based heavily on Darwin's ideals, and London's story indubitably illustrates his survival of the fittest theory (Werlock). It is not so much that the protagonist of this story is competing against another organisms to survive, but it is about how the man must be forced to do this against his own will (London). Due to this, the story overall is a great example of Naturalism.
Although Realism's subgenre of Naturalism is mainly portrayed in this short story, Realism is also prevalent. For instance, Abby Werlock sums up the entire philosophy of Realism as depicting life as it actually exists, and London definitely accomplishes this task. Some of the characteristics involving Realism and Regionalism are not as prominent, but London is truly chronicling a man's most primitive emotions and instincts through a natural situation. It is reminiscent of Realism's typical middle class ordinary man in an extraordinary situation (Regionalism). The ordinary adventurer looking to strike it rich by finding gold is suddenly placed in extreme survival situation in which his Darwinian characteristics must come into play (London). Of course, Realism is represented if a subset of it is, but London's work should really be viewed more as a Naturalism work rather than the broader Realism. It displays many traits making this so, and the critical one pertaining to this story specifically is that the man is placed in a situation where his intelligence is almost useless, and he must use his primary instincts in order to survive.
Works Cited
London, Jack. "To Build a Fire." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 601-614. Print.
"Regionalism and Realism." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 486-494. Print. 26 Jan 2011.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "naturalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0501&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 15, 2011.
As the inexperienced adventurer travels out in search of gold, he ignores all signs of danger. He ignores the danger of extremely chilling weather, and he later regrets it when he massively underestimates it (London). Again, right from the beginning, the reader may imply that the man will have to endure some sort of instinctual struggle with nature. As the story progresses, nature does not do anything drastic against the man and his dog, but it simply sustains its conditions to where the man is not even concerned in the slightest about gold anymore (London). The classic conflict of "man vs. nature" takes place in this short story, but that is not really directly correlated to Naturalism. Naturalism is about viewing humans from a neutral and scientific standpoint (Werlock). Naturalism's role in the story is bringing out the man's and dog's instincts to where he is almost not even a functioning human anymore, and he is just another animal only concerned with survival. Naturalism as a whole was based heavily on Darwin's ideals, and London's story indubitably illustrates his survival of the fittest theory (Werlock). It is not so much that the protagonist of this story is competing against another organisms to survive, but it is about how the man must be forced to do this against his own will (London). Due to this, the story overall is a great example of Naturalism.
Although Realism's subgenre of Naturalism is mainly portrayed in this short story, Realism is also prevalent. For instance, Abby Werlock sums up the entire philosophy of Realism as depicting life as it actually exists, and London definitely accomplishes this task. Some of the characteristics involving Realism and Regionalism are not as prominent, but London is truly chronicling a man's most primitive emotions and instincts through a natural situation. It is reminiscent of Realism's typical middle class ordinary man in an extraordinary situation (Regionalism). The ordinary adventurer looking to strike it rich by finding gold is suddenly placed in extreme survival situation in which his Darwinian characteristics must come into play (London). Of course, Realism is represented if a subset of it is, but London's work should really be viewed more as a Naturalism work rather than the broader Realism. It displays many traits making this so, and the critical one pertaining to this story specifically is that the man is placed in a situation where his intelligence is almost useless, and he must use his primary instincts in order to survive.
Works Cited
London, Jack. "To Build a Fire." American Literature. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 601-614. Print.
"Regionalism and Realism." American Literature. Comp. Jeffery D. Wilhelm. Columbus: McGraw Hill, 2009. 486-494. Print. 26 Jan 2011.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "naturalism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0501&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Feb 15, 2011.
Edwin Arlington Robinson – "Richard Cory" and "Miniver Cheevy"
Both of Edwin Arlington Robinson’s poems, “Miniver Cheevy” and “Richard Cory”, display many of the common characteristics associated with poetry in the genre of Realism. Each poem is about an individual person and their feelings and the actions that they take and how they affect their lives. These characters are average people rather than the amazing heroes that were popular as protagonists in many earlier genres of literature, and that helps them to become easier to relate to. Both of these poems use a very simple writing style to convey their thoughts, with rhyme schemes that are equally simply. These characteristics are then combined to create some of Edwin Robinson’s greatest poems that are excellent examples of the literary genre of Realism.
One of the most common characteristics among literature in the genre of Realism and its subgenres is the way that the protagonist is portrayed. Most often, the character is an average, middle-class person instead of an extraordinary hero (Barney and Patton). This is the way that each character is in both of Robinson’s poems. One specific difference is that Richard Cory is wealthier than the average person, but nonetheless he is still an average person (Robinson, “Richard”). Besides this difference in the characteristics of the protagonist, both are normal people and each poem concerns their normal lives.
Along with the main characters being average people, the subject concerning each character is their respective psychologies. “Richard Cory” describes how he is such a great man and there are others that are envious of his life, yet at the end of the poem he commits suicide without any specific reason given (Robinson, “Richard”). This could very well be a statement about how some people live their lives, while they are truly tortured by some sort of demon. “Miniver Cheevy” has a similar premise, but the character is not happy with his life and in the end only ends up drinking (Robinson, “Miniver”). Both of these works show different perspectives on how people feel about life. In one case, a character with a seemingly perfect life decides to kill himself, while another feels that his life is extremely bad and he resorts to drinking. This focus on the psychologies of the characters is a major part of a work of Realism (Quinn).
The simple language used in these two poems by Edwin Robinson is another characteristic of literature included in the genre of Realism. Both use very common diction to portray the strong thoughts and beliefs of the characters of each poem. Even the rhyme scheme of each is very simplistic, as there is an ABAB rhyme pattern for each stanza. Even though these poems use a simple writing style, each character still has a strong emotional presence in each respective story.
There are many characteristics of Realism literature used in Edwin Arlington Robinson’s two poems, “Richard Cory” and “Miniver Cheevy.” The major aspects of Realism are a simple writing style and a psychological focus on the protagonist, who is most commonly an average, middle-class character. The common thread between each character is that there is a lack of religion and this may be what caused the demise of each character. These characteristics can be seen in both of these poems that are great examples of Realism in poetry.
Works Cited
Barney, Brett, and Lisa Paddock, eds. "realism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: The Age of Romanticism and Realism, 1816–1895, vol. 2, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL0738&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Quinn, Edward. "realism and naturalism in American literature." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0707&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Richard Cory." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 575.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Miniver Cheevy." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 576.
One of the most common characteristics among literature in the genre of Realism and its subgenres is the way that the protagonist is portrayed. Most often, the character is an average, middle-class person instead of an extraordinary hero (Barney and Patton). This is the way that each character is in both of Robinson’s poems. One specific difference is that Richard Cory is wealthier than the average person, but nonetheless he is still an average person (Robinson, “Richard”). Besides this difference in the characteristics of the protagonist, both are normal people and each poem concerns their normal lives.
Along with the main characters being average people, the subject concerning each character is their respective psychologies. “Richard Cory” describes how he is such a great man and there are others that are envious of his life, yet at the end of the poem he commits suicide without any specific reason given (Robinson, “Richard”). This could very well be a statement about how some people live their lives, while they are truly tortured by some sort of demon. “Miniver Cheevy” has a similar premise, but the character is not happy with his life and in the end only ends up drinking (Robinson, “Miniver”). Both of these works show different perspectives on how people feel about life. In one case, a character with a seemingly perfect life decides to kill himself, while another feels that his life is extremely bad and he resorts to drinking. This focus on the psychologies of the characters is a major part of a work of Realism (Quinn).
The simple language used in these two poems by Edwin Robinson is another characteristic of literature included in the genre of Realism. Both use very common diction to portray the strong thoughts and beliefs of the characters of each poem. Even the rhyme scheme of each is very simplistic, as there is an ABAB rhyme pattern for each stanza. Even though these poems use a simple writing style, each character still has a strong emotional presence in each respective story.
There are many characteristics of Realism literature used in Edwin Arlington Robinson’s two poems, “Richard Cory” and “Miniver Cheevy.” The major aspects of Realism are a simple writing style and a psychological focus on the protagonist, who is most commonly an average, middle-class character. The common thread between each character is that there is a lack of religion and this may be what caused the demise of each character. These characteristics can be seen in both of these poems that are great examples of Realism in poetry.
Works Cited
Barney, Brett, and Lisa Paddock, eds. "realism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: The Age of Romanticism and Realism, 1816–1895, vol. 2, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL0738&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Quinn, Edward. "realism and naturalism in American literature." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0707&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Richard Cory." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 575.
Robinson, Edwin Arlington. "Miniver Cheevy." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 576.
Paul Laurence Dunbar – "Douglass" and "We Wear the Mask"
Laurence Dunbar’s poems “Douglass” and “We Wear the Mask” are both great examples of Realism in poetry. They contain most of the characteristics of Realism, including thoughts powered by rationalist beliefs, middle class heroes, and a focus on the physiology of many different people. All of this is delivered in two short poems that use simple poetic devices such as repetition to convey the thoughts of a group of people. Both poems concern the feelings of the African American population and how they have reacted to all of the social changes with antislavery movements and the treatment of all colored people.
A topic of the psychology of people caused by an environmental or social change is very common in works of Realism (Quinn). This is the case especially with Dunbar’s poem, “We Wear the Mask.” This poem is about the way that the African Americans act in comparison to how they are actually feeling. Dunbar says that they are wearing masks of grins and lies, while behind those masks there are really the tortured souls of a group of people (“We”). In “Douglass,” there is also the idea presented that most all of the African Americans are afraid and looking for comfort (“Douglass”). With both works, Dunbar presents a strong concern for the change in psychology of the African American people.
For most literary works of Realism, the protagonist is very average, or middle-class rather than the extraordinary character that can be seen in many past literary genres (Barney). That fact helps to make the characters and hero easier to relate to for the reader. This is the case for both of these poems to a certain extent. In both of these poems, the subject is the African American population and how they feel about the changes that have taken place and their overall treatment. In “Douglass”, the people referred to in the poem are afraid and looking for hope in a confusing world. The last lines are about how they are looking for someone or something to “give us comfort through the lonely dark (“Douglass”)”. In “We Wear the Mast” there is a very strong image of a group of people who are hiding their sorrow and broken spirits behind a mask of grins and lies. Both of these topics in each of the poems are what show the African Americans as very human, without the characteristics of heroes, because they have been reduced to only fear and sadness.
Both poems also use a simple language to address the message that they are trying to get across. Both rhyme schemes are very simple, but they each portray the strong emotion felt by the groups. This simple language is a major part of Realism literature, and both works use this characteristic to add passion and truly express the feelings of the African American population (Quinn).
The middle-class, average hero, concern with they psychology of a people, and simple language are all important parts of the literary genre of Realism. Laurence Dunbar included all of these characteristics of the genre in his two poems, “Douglass” and “We Wear the Mask.” Both are about the feelings and emotions felt by the African Americans who had been reverted to simple human nature of fear and sadness, which make them perfect examples of Realism poetry.
Works Cited
Barney, Brett, and Lisa Paddock, eds. "realism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: The Age of Romanticism and Realism, 1816–1895, vol. 2, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL0738&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "Douglass." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 570.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "We Wear the Mask." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 571.
Quinn, Edward. "realism and naturalism in American literature." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0707&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
A topic of the psychology of people caused by an environmental or social change is very common in works of Realism (Quinn). This is the case especially with Dunbar’s poem, “We Wear the Mask.” This poem is about the way that the African Americans act in comparison to how they are actually feeling. Dunbar says that they are wearing masks of grins and lies, while behind those masks there are really the tortured souls of a group of people (“We”). In “Douglass,” there is also the idea presented that most all of the African Americans are afraid and looking for comfort (“Douglass”). With both works, Dunbar presents a strong concern for the change in psychology of the African American people.
For most literary works of Realism, the protagonist is very average, or middle-class rather than the extraordinary character that can be seen in many past literary genres (Barney). That fact helps to make the characters and hero easier to relate to for the reader. This is the case for both of these poems to a certain extent. In both of these poems, the subject is the African American population and how they feel about the changes that have taken place and their overall treatment. In “Douglass”, the people referred to in the poem are afraid and looking for hope in a confusing world. The last lines are about how they are looking for someone or something to “give us comfort through the lonely dark (“Douglass”)”. In “We Wear the Mast” there is a very strong image of a group of people who are hiding their sorrow and broken spirits behind a mask of grins and lies. Both of these topics in each of the poems are what show the African Americans as very human, without the characteristics of heroes, because they have been reduced to only fear and sadness.
Both poems also use a simple language to address the message that they are trying to get across. Both rhyme schemes are very simple, but they each portray the strong emotion felt by the groups. This simple language is a major part of Realism literature, and both works use this characteristic to add passion and truly express the feelings of the African American population (Quinn).
The middle-class, average hero, concern with they psychology of a people, and simple language are all important parts of the literary genre of Realism. Laurence Dunbar included all of these characteristics of the genre in his two poems, “Douglass” and “We Wear the Mask.” Both are about the feelings and emotions felt by the African Americans who had been reverted to simple human nature of fear and sadness, which make them perfect examples of Realism poetry.
Works Cited
Barney, Brett, and Lisa Paddock, eds. "realism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: The Age of Romanticism and Realism, 1816–1895, vol. 2, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL0738&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "Douglass." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 570.
Dunbar, Paul Laurence. "We Wear the Mask." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 571.
Quinn, Edward. "realism and naturalism in American literature." A Dictionary of Literary and Thematic Terms, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2006. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gfflithem0707&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Chief Joseph – "I Will Fight No More Forever"
“I Will Fight No More” by Chief Joseph is a great contribution to the growing literary movement that was and still is Realism. The story displays Realism for a few reasons. The writing of the story is very simple and almost monotonous, just like many other Realism works seem to be. There is still strong emotion and descriptions to get the point across, but the sentence structure is very straightforward. The statements do not contain extra information to make it artistic or flow-y. The statement, although of defeat focuses on the more human side of a Native American. He is portrayed as a common person that is mourning the death of his fellow Chiefs and only wants the fighting to end. All of these characteristics make this statement made by Chief Joseph a work of the literary genre of Realism.
The simple writing style used in this short statement is the first characteristic that makes it a part of the genre of Realism. All of the sentences are simple and to the point, which contributes to my former statement about this story being monotonous. Each makes a statement concerning the different topics that Chief Joseph wanted to speak about, whether it is the death of the other members of his tribe, his concern for the children, or his main want to end the fighting as a whole with General Howard (Joseph). A simple style is often the basis for a work of Realism because the structure is one of the best ways to convey a message because it is so straight and to the point (Anderson). This is portrayed in this work because Chief Joseph states all of the things that he is feeling, his concerns, and what he wants done without the use of any complex language or writing style. Although the style is simple, there is no lack of emotion and passion because each simple sentence conveys all of Chief Joseph's emotions concerning the end of all the battling.
Having a common, middle class hero is very common for pieces of Realism literature. The main character is most often an average, middle-class hero who is more times that not relatable to the reader (Anderson). This is not exactly the case with this short work, but there are some similarities. Although Chief Joseph could be considered an extraordinary, amazing hero during his time fighting, he has almost been reduced to an average person in his surrender and wishes to end the fighting (Joseph). His wish to end all of the fighting makes him out to be an average person that just wants to stop the death around him and protect his people. The situation that he is placed in almost brings him down from powerful, unbeatable war hero to a regular human being that is concerned with what is best for all of his people.
These characteristics are what make this short speech of Chief Joseph a part of the genre of Realism. Even though there is a very simple writing style used throughout the entire work, it is still an emotional piece of work. The main character is reduced to a regular, average person rather than a great war hero, but he is only doing what is best for his people. This speech delivered by Chief Joseph is an excellent example of all of the characteristics of Realism.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Joseph, Chief. "I Will Fight No More." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 533
The simple writing style used in this short statement is the first characteristic that makes it a part of the genre of Realism. All of the sentences are simple and to the point, which contributes to my former statement about this story being monotonous. Each makes a statement concerning the different topics that Chief Joseph wanted to speak about, whether it is the death of the other members of his tribe, his concern for the children, or his main want to end the fighting as a whole with General Howard (Joseph). A simple style is often the basis for a work of Realism because the structure is one of the best ways to convey a message because it is so straight and to the point (Anderson). This is portrayed in this work because Chief Joseph states all of the things that he is feeling, his concerns, and what he wants done without the use of any complex language or writing style. Although the style is simple, there is no lack of emotion and passion because each simple sentence conveys all of Chief Joseph's emotions concerning the end of all the battling.
Having a common, middle class hero is very common for pieces of Realism literature. The main character is most often an average, middle-class hero who is more times that not relatable to the reader (Anderson). This is not exactly the case with this short work, but there are some similarities. Although Chief Joseph could be considered an extraordinary, amazing hero during his time fighting, he has almost been reduced to an average person in his surrender and wishes to end the fighting (Joseph). His wish to end all of the fighting makes him out to be an average person that just wants to stop the death around him and protect his people. The situation that he is placed in almost brings him down from powerful, unbeatable war hero to a regular human being that is concerned with what is best for all of his people.
These characteristics are what make this short speech of Chief Joseph a part of the genre of Realism. Even though there is a very simple writing style used throughout the entire work, it is still an emotional piece of work. The main character is reduced to a regular, average person rather than a great war hero, but he is only doing what is best for his people. This speech delivered by Chief Joseph is an excellent example of all of the characteristics of Realism.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Joseph, Chief. "I Will Fight No More." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 533
Edgar Lee Masters – Spoon River Anthology
“Spoon River Anthology” by Edgar Lee Masters displays many traits of Regionalism. This poem is a collection of monologues of people from a small Midwestern town (Cone). The setting of this poem is the first and most prominent reason to this poem being Regionalism literature. The writing style of this poem is very simplistic. The style used is very similar to the vernacular of the Midwest. The setting of this poem helps the characters to appear more three-dimensional and real, which is also a characteristic of Realism, coincidentally.
Of course, one of the most important factors of Regionalism is the setting (Anderson). The first section of the poem is devoted solely to one location of the setting to introduce some of the characters and situations that will come up later in the story (Masters). There are descriptions of the location throughout the rest of the story as well as descriptions of the time period. All of these become major parts to the entire poem as a whole.
Another important characteristic of Regionalism that can be found in the Spoon River Anthology is the style in which it is written. Throughout the entire poem, the language and dialect is very simplistic, which adds to this being a work of Regionalism. The Midwest has a very simple vernacular, as there are not really words or styles of speaking particular to the area, unlike the South which commonly has a very strong vernacular. Overall, the Midwest has a dialect that is fairly easy to comprehend, which helps to make this poem even more simplistic. The use of this simple dialect in combination with easy to comprehend, simple sentences rather than the complex rhymes and patterns that can be seen in traditional poetry also helps to enhance the simplicity of this poem (Masters). External rhymes and scarce in this piece of literature, but this is not necessary as it is not the style of talking that is used in the Midwest. Masters does an excellent job of portraying the language of the Midwest, and matching the vernacular of the setting is a very important part of literature if the story is displaying the genre of Regionalism (Anderson).
The underlying theme of the poem is about the difficulty of living in America during the 20th century (Cone). The poem depicts the social and cultural changes that were taking place during that time period. This theme that comes from the collection of all of the peoples' feelings is extremely important to it being a work of Regionalism because the themes that come from the setting are, obviously, always the most important parts of Regionalism (Anderson).
The focus on the setting, the simple style, and the theme that comes from the focus on the setting combined with the characters are what make this a great work of Regionalism. The story of the people of a small, Midwestern town is the perfect way to display the characteristics of Regionalism as there are many things particular to the Midwest that can add to create a setting that embodies the entire theme of the story.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Cone, Temple. "Spoon River Anthology." In Kimmelman, Burt, and Temple Cone, eds. The Facts On File Companion to American Poetry, vol. 2. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CTAP0520&SingleRecord=True. February 13, 2011.
Masters, Edgar Lee. "Spoon Rivers Anthology." Bartleby: Great Books Online. 2011. Online. http://www.bartleby.com/84/index.html. February 15, 2011.
Of course, one of the most important factors of Regionalism is the setting (Anderson). The first section of the poem is devoted solely to one location of the setting to introduce some of the characters and situations that will come up later in the story (Masters). There are descriptions of the location throughout the rest of the story as well as descriptions of the time period. All of these become major parts to the entire poem as a whole.
Another important characteristic of Regionalism that can be found in the Spoon River Anthology is the style in which it is written. Throughout the entire poem, the language and dialect is very simplistic, which adds to this being a work of Regionalism. The Midwest has a very simple vernacular, as there are not really words or styles of speaking particular to the area, unlike the South which commonly has a very strong vernacular. Overall, the Midwest has a dialect that is fairly easy to comprehend, which helps to make this poem even more simplistic. The use of this simple dialect in combination with easy to comprehend, simple sentences rather than the complex rhymes and patterns that can be seen in traditional poetry also helps to enhance the simplicity of this poem (Masters). External rhymes and scarce in this piece of literature, but this is not necessary as it is not the style of talking that is used in the Midwest. Masters does an excellent job of portraying the language of the Midwest, and matching the vernacular of the setting is a very important part of literature if the story is displaying the genre of Regionalism (Anderson).
The underlying theme of the poem is about the difficulty of living in America during the 20th century (Cone). The poem depicts the social and cultural changes that were taking place during that time period. This theme that comes from the collection of all of the peoples' feelings is extremely important to it being a work of Regionalism because the themes that come from the setting are, obviously, always the most important parts of Regionalism (Anderson).
The focus on the setting, the simple style, and the theme that comes from the focus on the setting combined with the characters are what make this a great work of Regionalism. The story of the people of a small, Midwestern town is the perfect way to display the characteristics of Regionalism as there are many things particular to the Midwest that can add to create a setting that embodies the entire theme of the story.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Cone, Temple. "Spoon River Anthology." In Kimmelman, Burt, and Temple Cone, eds. The Facts On File Companion to American Poetry, vol. 2. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CTAP0520&SingleRecord=True. February 13, 2011.
Masters, Edgar Lee. "Spoon Rivers Anthology." Bartleby: Great Books Online. 2011. Online. http://www.bartleby.com/84/index.html. February 15, 2011.
Mark Twain – "Two Views of the River"
Mark Twain is a very influential writer, and many of his works are considered the "Cadillac's" of their genre. Twain is very well known for his use of Regionalism, and this story is no exception! "Two Views of the River" is a nice little piece of Regionalism literature. It displays all of the important characteristics of a work of Regionalism, as it should considering it's Mark Twain. Twain pays close attention to the setting of his story, which of course is the most important characteristic of Regionalism. He uses colorful descriptions of the many different aspects of the setting. Twain then connects the setting that he created with the main idea or theme of the story. In this story specifically, the theme becomes the psychological change in value of the river for Twain from his years on steamboats. With the importance of the setting, authors of the genre of Regionalism often focus on how the character, or in this work of literature, the author himself, interact with the environment. There is also use of figurative language to compare how he feels about the change in value. Mark Twain uses all of these characteristics in his memoir “Two Views of the River” to exemplify the literary genre of Regionalism.
One main characteristic of Regionalism found in Twain’s “Two Views of the River” is lifelike descriptions of the setting. The setting is the most important part of a work of Regionalism, as it sets the basis for all other aspects of the story (Anderson). Twain accomplishes this in the first paragraph of the work as he describes the river as “turned to blood,” the surface of the water “broken by boiling, tumbling rings,” and many other aspects of the surroundings on the boat (Twain). These vivid descriptions allow the reader to understand what the setting looks like for the author, and this is important because he later explains his change in opinion for these different natural beauties of the river.
In Regionalism literature, the setting is important because the author uses it to connect the universal theme of the entire work (Anderson). Twain does this by comparing how he viewed the river when he started working on steamboats to how he felt later in his life about the exact same situation. At first, he addresses the river as being naturally beautiful, but later when viewing the same things, they serve as a means of reading the river (Twain). This becomes the universal theme of the entire work that people gain new perspectives on life as they become accustomed to it.
Another characteristic of Regionalism literature used in Twain’s memoir is figurative language, which was a very common literary device used in all of Realism (Anderson). At the end of the story, he describes a doctor that sees a woman and some sort of beauty mark that she has on her cheek. Before becoming a doctor, it is viewed solely as a sign of beauty, but after studying medicine, it simply becomes a symptom for some sort of disease (Twain). This is a direct comparison that concludes the personal feelings that Twain used to have and now has for the river.
A strong setting is the most important part of a work of Regionalism and Mark Twain uses this in almost all of his great works. This setting is then used to create a theme, as Twain did with his change in appreciation for the beauty of the river over time. Also, figurative language is a common characteristic of Regionalism and Realism that Twain uses with his comparison of the doctor seeing a beauty mark as a symptom rather than what it truly is. All of these characteristics are what make Mark Twain’s memoir “Two Views of the River” and many of his other stories great work of Regionalism.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Twain, Mark. "Two Views of the River." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 504-505.
One main characteristic of Regionalism found in Twain’s “Two Views of the River” is lifelike descriptions of the setting. The setting is the most important part of a work of Regionalism, as it sets the basis for all other aspects of the story (Anderson). Twain accomplishes this in the first paragraph of the work as he describes the river as “turned to blood,” the surface of the water “broken by boiling, tumbling rings,” and many other aspects of the surroundings on the boat (Twain). These vivid descriptions allow the reader to understand what the setting looks like for the author, and this is important because he later explains his change in opinion for these different natural beauties of the river.
In Regionalism literature, the setting is important because the author uses it to connect the universal theme of the entire work (Anderson). Twain does this by comparing how he viewed the river when he started working on steamboats to how he felt later in his life about the exact same situation. At first, he addresses the river as being naturally beautiful, but later when viewing the same things, they serve as a means of reading the river (Twain). This becomes the universal theme of the entire work that people gain new perspectives on life as they become accustomed to it.
Another characteristic of Regionalism literature used in Twain’s memoir is figurative language, which was a very common literary device used in all of Realism (Anderson). At the end of the story, he describes a doctor that sees a woman and some sort of beauty mark that she has on her cheek. Before becoming a doctor, it is viewed solely as a sign of beauty, but after studying medicine, it simply becomes a symptom for some sort of disease (Twain). This is a direct comparison that concludes the personal feelings that Twain used to have and now has for the river.
A strong setting is the most important part of a work of Regionalism and Mark Twain uses this in almost all of his great works. This setting is then used to create a theme, as Twain did with his change in appreciation for the beauty of the river over time. Also, figurative language is a common characteristic of Regionalism and Realism that Twain uses with his comparison of the doctor seeing a beauty mark as a symptom rather than what it truly is. All of these characteristics are what make Mark Twain’s memoir “Two Views of the River” and many of his other stories great work of Regionalism.
Works Cited
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. Online. http://fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True. February 15, 2011.
Twain, Mark. "Two Views of the River." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 504-505.
Mark Twain – "The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County"
"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" is a story about a man who teaches a frog how to jump very high and long. The man makes a bet that he can jump farther than the frog, and he winds up losing because apparently someone put "bee bees" in the frog's mouth (Twain). In other words, poor Smiley got cheated. This somewhat depicts Realism because it was a situation that could have been real. People get gipped out of their money all the time, and poor old Smiley fell for it. This funny little story also reflected regionalism in the dialect and vernacular that was used (Anderson). One of the men in the story, the man who is telling the story of the man with the jumping frog to the narrator, has a very uneducated and interesting way of talking (Anderson). For example:
"He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat. (Twain)"
This quote is an example of how the mans dialect occasionally makes him a little hard to understand. By using this vernacular, Twain appealed to the people because he used a character who spoke much like they did (Twain).
Another characteristic of Regionalism is using a character that is not the typical kind of character one would find in a Romantic novel (Anderson). The hero of a Realism work of literature was supposed to be a commonplace person who was much like the readers of the stories- somewhat middle class and very average (Anderson). This concept is reflected in the way that the main character of the story is uneducated yet sincere and endearing (Twain). One gets the sense that though the character is rambling on about things that have nothing to do with the story the narrator requested, the narrator still finds him to be an interesting and sweet man (Twain).
"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" is a story that shows the love of story-telling in certain regions of the country (Twain). Somebody always seems to have some kind of words of wisdom that they wish to pass on to someone younger. In this story the person preaching the wisdom is an old man who is reminiscing about the days of old in which a crazy many went around betting everybody on just about anything (Twain). In a twisted sense, although it is unintended, the narrator ends up teaching a lesson about the general lack of merit involved in excessive gambling (Twain). The subject of the story told by the main character ends up getting beat at his own game in the end (Twain).
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Twain, Mark. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus; McGraw-Hill, 2010. 498-502. Print.
"He ketched a frog one day, and took him home, and said he cal'klated to edercate him; and so he never done nothing for three months but set in his back yard and learn that frog to jump. And you bet you he did learn him, too. He'd give him a little punch behind, and the next minute you'd see that frog whirling in the air like a doughnut see him turn one summerset, or may be a couple, if he got a good start, and come down flat-footed and all right, like a cat. (Twain)"
This quote is an example of how the mans dialect occasionally makes him a little hard to understand. By using this vernacular, Twain appealed to the people because he used a character who spoke much like they did (Twain).
Another characteristic of Regionalism is using a character that is not the typical kind of character one would find in a Romantic novel (Anderson). The hero of a Realism work of literature was supposed to be a commonplace person who was much like the readers of the stories- somewhat middle class and very average (Anderson). This concept is reflected in the way that the main character of the story is uneducated yet sincere and endearing (Twain). One gets the sense that though the character is rambling on about things that have nothing to do with the story the narrator requested, the narrator still finds him to be an interesting and sweet man (Twain).
"The Celebrated Jumping Frogs of Calaveras County" is a story that shows the love of story-telling in certain regions of the country (Twain). Somebody always seems to have some kind of words of wisdom that they wish to pass on to someone younger. In this story the person preaching the wisdom is an old man who is reminiscing about the days of old in which a crazy many went around betting everybody on just about anything (Twain). In a twisted sense, although it is unintended, the narrator ends up teaching a lesson about the general lack of merit involved in excessive gambling (Twain). The subject of the story told by the main character ends up getting beat at his own game in the end (Twain).
Anderson, George P., Judith S. Baughman, Matthew J. Bruccoli, and Carl Rollyson, eds."regionalism." Encyclopedia of American Literature: Into the Modern: 1896–1945, vol. 3, Revised Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2008. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= EAmL1330&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Twain, Mark. "The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County." Glencoe Literature. Comp. Jeffrey Wilhelm. American Literature ed. Columbus; McGraw-Hill, 2010. 498-502. Print.
Stephen Crane – from The Red Badge of Courage
"The Red Badge of Courage" is a very emotional and moving piece of literature. The work follows a man's story as he joins the Civil War (Crane). The man mentally beats himself up over all of the things that he is not able to do as well as things that he can not do against the other men (Crane). Crane describes the thoughts that are rushing through the man's head as he is blinded by smoke in great detail. The man is not angry about the fact that he cannot see his attackers; He is angry about all of the rage and feelings that are suffocating him (Crane). This work shows many different things about others, and it is very enlightening for people that are not in the military. People can take this piece of literature in different ways because it shows a different side to people that is not normally depicted by common authors.
This is mostly a piece of Naturalism literature. While all parts of Realism believe in using facts and details in order to get their point across, Naturalism is special in its effort to record every precise detail about everything (Sommers). The main goal of Naturalism is to take a scientific approach to things and record the exact physical and emotional experiences undergone by the subject. The way that the man is studied and compared to things supports this being a Naturalism work (Crane). The author is studying his feelings and what he wants to do and how he feels about killing all of the men around him (Crane). They are studying him in a certain setting to see how he reacts and to see if the researchers could find that all people react in the same way to certain situations (Crane).
Works Cited
Crane, Stephen. "The Red Badge of Courage." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 493.
Sommers, Joseph Michael. "naturalism." In Maunder, Andrew. Facts On File Companion to the British Short Story. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CBSS450&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
The story details the journey of soldiers in the Civil War, and therefore it is a very unpleasant story (Crane). The story shows how a person reacts when forced to kill others over and over again (Crane). Unfortunately, the truth that is revealed is that when forced to do these things repeatedly, it almost becomes second nature. The truth revealed about humanity in this work is that we can adapt to virtually anything, even things that we might not think we are capable of. this man is compared to so many different things (Crane). He is compared to things like subjects of scientific studies are compared to things, so that one can understand the relation (Crane). It is almost studying his feelings and what he wants to do to kill all of the men around him (Crane). It is studying him in a certain setting to see how he reacts and to see if the researchers could find that all people react in the same way to certain situations (Crane).
This work reflects society at that time period not very well (Crane). The story shows that people were beginning to have a greater interest in science and how the human brain works, but it does not show current events, political issues, or opinions on global issues (Crane). There was nothing about religion, government, or nature (Crane). This work shows how frustrated people can become when it comes to something they are self conscious about (Crane). There is not much about the American Dream, and there is also not much figurative language (Crane). There is so supposed "hero", but if the man were to have one I'm sure it'd be a hero with a loaded rifle (Crane).
This work reflects society at that time period not very well (Crane). The story shows that people were beginning to have a greater interest in science and how the human brain works, but it does not show current events, political issues, or opinions on global issues (Crane). There was nothing about religion, government, or nature (Crane). This work shows how frustrated people can become when it comes to something they are self conscious about (Crane). There is not much about the American Dream, and there is also not much figurative language (Crane). There is so supposed "hero", but if the man were to have one I'm sure it'd be a hero with a loaded rifle (Crane).
Works Cited
Crane, Stephen. "The Red Badge of Courage." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 493.
Sommers, Joseph Michael. "naturalism." In Maunder, Andrew. Facts On File Companion to the British Short Story. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2007. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= CBSS450&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Kate Chopin — The Awakening and "The Story of an Hour"
The purpose of Kate Chopin's writing in this novel was to inform women just like this all over the country that there is in fact more to being a wife and a mother. She wanted other women to believe that they could be free. Her purpose was to empower women to believe that they could do more than be a housewife like society has always told them. Kate Chopin almost began to start a revolution. Through this novel and others that surfaced around that time period, the motion for women's rights and feminism began to slowly rise up. Kate Chopin's works were very controversial at the time, and many of her works often went unpublished. No one wanted to looking at anything that radical (Chopin). After she passed, when women were fighting for their rights to vote, someone found all of Chopin's works and published them, helping the women's cause (Chopin).
Chopin, Kate. "The Awakening." Glencoe American Literature. comp. Wilhelm, Jeffery. McGraw Hill. Columbus, OH. 2009. pg. 491.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
This work fits with the time period of Realism. She appealed directly to the heart of a common housewife by portraying her character in this excerpt as just that- a common person. The character is simply a married woman who is sitting alone in her house crying to herself. It is not the cry of a woman who has just lost something dear to her heart or been given bad news, but it is simply the cry of a woman who feels as though there is something more to life that she has just not achieved yet (Chopin). This makes the character more relatable and normal, which is a large part of Realism. By discussing an important issue of the time period, Kate Chopin did a wonderful job of depicting Realism. Realism is all about what is real and what is happening at the time that it is written (Werlock). It is about appealing to the readers in order to hopefully spark a change. Also, Realism is about creating an everyday hero (Werlock). Where before the heroes had all been more optimistic, well educated white men, the hero has now become an average, ordinary, everyday woman (Chopin). This was an important step for women that Kate Chopin was leading.
These works were not Naturalistic because they were not a calculated study of women and their feelings, it was just about letting the emotions run freely (Chopin). These works did not have any Regionalistic characteristics because there was no reference to a specific important area (Chopin). These works show quite a lot about society at the time. They show that women of the time were often very unhappy with their lives, and they had no other choice but to accept their pessimistic lives (Chopin). When Chopin wrote these works, no one took her seriously, and that shows that the men either did not care what the women were thinking, or they did not think that Chopin was right (Chopin). There was nothing about religion, for a woman's feelings about her personal life do not necessarily always involve God (Chopin). There is nothing about government, because this problem did not stem from the government, it stemmed from the stereotypes of the time (Chopin). There was nothing about nature, but human nature played a large role in these works (Chopin). Chopin's works showed that human nature is to let one's feelings out, but women of the time could only do so in private (Chopin). They show that when one is in a tough position, they will continue to try and make everyone happy until they reach breaking point (Chopin). This shows the American Dream of women: freedom from a life of boredom and pain (Chopin). There is no figurative language, and there is nothing about a Hero (Chopin). Kate Chopin wrote radically for her time, but she was eventually recognized for her great talents. Many people look up to her, and she was an amazing and strong woman that deserves all of the credit that she receives.
Werlock, Abby H. P. "realism." The Facts On File Companion to the American Short Story, Second Edition. New York: Facts On File, Inc., 2009. Bloom's Literary Reference Online. Facts On File, Inc. http://www.fofweb.com/activelink2.asp?ItemID=WE54&SID=5&iPin= Gamshrtsty0575&SingleRecord=True (accessed February 15, 2011).
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)