"Once Upon a Time" Film Adaptation

Plot
The film opens with a paranoid woman working late at night in a library. As soon as it is closing time, she runs to the door and sets a series of locks on all the entrances. She leaves all the lights on in the library and cautiously checks around all the bookshelves to make sure she is alone. Then, she continues on with her work while still looking nervous and worried. While checking in books, she falls asleep and begins to dream a children's story. Her dream appears as the short story is told. The film follows the same plot as the children's story within the short story. At the end, after the little boy is being carried back into the house, the final shot of the film is of the woman jumping awake in the library. By showing the woman's previous behavior and reaction to the story, the meaning of the short story is better emphasized. The paranoid actions of the woman before the story happens and the realization afterwards show the meaning of over protection. Over protection can be dangerous; if someone is afraid of everything, eventually they become afraid of nothing. Instead of having the woman planning the children's story like at the beginning of the short story, the unexpected dream causes the event to seem more like a sudden realization rather than a planned attempt to prove a point. It makes the meaning seem less straightforward and intentional; therefore, the meaning is revealed in a dramatic and less boring way.

Point of View
The film should still be told from the same point of view as the short story. The beginning is told from the first person point of view in order to make it more personal and sympathetic. The short story is then told in the same way that a typical children's story is told. It is presented from the third person point of view as the narrator focuses in on the family. This point of view is the best way to present the storyline and convey the meaning of the work. It makes the story personal and the frame story sympathetic. Therefore, the point of view should not be changed for the film adaptation because it best shows the meaning as it originally was told.

Characterization
The woman telling the story should be an extremely paranoid librarian. She should be constantly worried and nervous about everything that goes on in the library. Her overly cautious actions like setting a series of locks on the entrances and checking behind every bookshelf help to emphasize the meaning of over protection. She becomes so caught up in her paranoia that she dreams up this tragic attempt at a children's story. Her overprotective actions only cause her to have more pointless worrying and stress in her life. In addition, her job as a librarian creates irony as she dreams about writing a children's story. The irony of this frame story adds to the meaning because it shows how involved people can become in their work and actions to the point where it becomes hazardous to their well being.

Setting
The setting of the beginning should be in a library instead of an old house. By changing the location, it makes the frame story more relevant to the outside story. Thinking of a children's story does not seem as out of place and random if it takes place within a library full of other stories. This also creates an ironic situation as the woman wakes up from the children's story to find herself surrounded by more stories. The frame story should have the same setting. The children's story should not be changed because it is written in a way that can be presented as a film without alterations. The meaning of the children's story is best displayed if the setting is not changed in any way. However, the setting of the outside story would create irony and draw attention to the meaning if it were changed to another locations such as a library.

Theme
The theme of the short story is the danger of over protection. The family is so concerned for their safety that they forgot their own son's safety. They were paranoid about being safe from the outside world, but they did not think about the dangers this may bring into their inside world. When someone is afraid of everything, eventually they become afraid of nothing. Over time, paranoia about everything causes the real danger to be overlooked. This theme is presented in the short story and should be shown in the film because it is an important aspect of the meaning of the work. Therefore, the theme should not be changed or adapted when making the short story into a film.

Minority Report Film

Plot
The plot of the film is nothing like the plot of the short story. There are only a few small similarities between the plots. At the beginning, Anderton's name is given as the future murderer of a person he does not even know. He initially believes he is being set up by someone. Then, at the end of the story, he comes to a realization and ends up killing the person he did not think he was ever going to. However, the storyline, characters, climax, and situations are completely different from each other. Similarly, this story also follows a winding plot. There are many unexpected turns in the plot that add to the suspenseful effect of the story. While Anderton is working at Precrime, a ball rolls down with his name printed on the murderer line and a second one appears with the name "Leo Crow" printed on it as the man he is going to kill. He then tries to run away from Precrime saying Witwer is plotting against him. However, the story then continues down an uncertain path that is unrelated to the short story. Although the two versions are very different in comparison between storylines, they both follow the same plot type. They have changing storylines with unexpected turning points, even though the turning points are about different things.

Point of View
While the short story is written from the third person point of view, the film is told from the first person point of view. It follows the life of Anderton and is told from his perspective instead of having a narrator. By telling the story from Anderton's perspective, it makes the audience sympathize with the main character and follow him throughout the storyline. It adds to the suspenseful tone of the movie because the audience only knows what the main character knows. They do not know who Leo Crow really is or where the story is going to lead next. As Anderton finds out clues in the film, so does the audience. This point of view allows for the audience to picture the events like they are actually happening; this creates an effect that could not be achieved by only having a narrator and dialogue for the entire story.

Characterization
The characters in the film are significantly different from those in the short story. In the story, Anderton is supposed to be the founder of Precrime and near retirement. However, in the film he is just a worker at Precrime who helps carry out the missions. In the story, Anderton is supposed to murder Leopold Kaplan. In the film, Anderton is supposed to murder Leo Crow. Anderton's wife has varying roles in the two versions. She works at Precrime and is happily married to Anderton in the story. However, in the film, she is divorced and lives away from Anderton because he reminds her of their son who was kidnapped while Anderton was watching him (the son does not even exist in the short story). The son, Sean, plays an important role in the film because he is what drives Anderton to work at Precrime to try to prevent future crimes, and Sean is the reason Anderton is supposed to murder Leo Crow.

Setting
The film takes place in a similar setting to the short story. They both occur in a futuristic and nonexistent world. They take place at a place called Precrime which contains Precogs who can see crimes before they occur. However, in the film, the time between the prediction and the actual crime seems much more rushed than in the story. The time in the story is usually about two weeks but in the film it is a matter of days. The Precogs also play a more important role in the film than in the story. They are in a tank of water instead of attached to a bunch of wires and cords like it says in the story. They can also not only report the crime by speaking it out loud like in the story, but in the film they can also create a picture of the crime as it occurs. The Precogs play a significant role in the film while they seem somewhat minor in the short story.

Theme
While the film and short story are very different, they have a similar theme. They both show how free will can affect people's futures. Near the end of the film, Anderton comes face to face with Leo Crow, the man he believes is responsible for the kidnapping of his little boy. He says that ever since the event happened, he has been wondering two things: what Sean would look like if he was still alive today and what he would do if he ever met the person responsible. Now that he has met the person he thinks is responsible, he must choose whether to get revenge or to arrest him. Anderton eventually chooses to do the right thing and not kill Crow. He does this because he has free will. He has the choice to kill or not to kill Crow. He has control over his future based off of how he lives his life in the present. This theme is the same as in the story, even though they occur under different circumstances and in different situations.

"Popular Mechanics" ~by Raymond Carver

(#7)
I Kings 3 in the Bible tells the story of two women who both claimed to be the mother of a baby. They both came to Solomon wanting to be given ownership of the child. Solomon's solution was to tell them to cut the child in half and split it between the two women. The false mother agreed to the solution. However, the real mother demanded instead that the child just be given to the other woman. Solomon realized that the real mother's love for her baby would be shown because she would rather her child be given to someone else than for it to be killed. This story is similar because it is about two people arguing for ownership of their child. The couple both claims to be deserving of the child, and they do not want the other to have it. However, this story does not have a happy ending. Instead of agreeing upon a solution, the couple lets their hate for each other get in the way of their child's safety. Their disagreement becomes violent to the point where they both end up killing the baby because they cannot agree. Instead of agreeing on something that would be best for the baby, they both are selfish and care only about themselves. They both want the baby, but in the end their carelessness and selfishness ends up killing the thing they are fighting about. They focused so much on their own problems that they lost sight of the baby and it became just an object to possess out of selfishness. "She would have it, this baby. She grabbed for the baby's other arm. She caught the baby around the wrist and leaned back. But he would not let go. He felt the baby slipping out of his hands and he pulled back very hard. In this manner, the issue was decided" (page 345).

"You're Ugly, Too" ~by Lorrie Moore

(#4)
"She used to insist it was irony, something gently layered and sophisticated, something alien to the Midwest, but her students kept calling it sarcasm, something they felt qualified to recognize, and now she had to agree. It wasn't irony" (page 353). Zoë makes this distinction early in the story between irony and sarcasm. "For about ten years of my life I had to map out every sentence in my mind, way ahead, before i said it. That was the only way I could get a coherent sentence out...I told a lot of jokes. Jokes you know the lines to already - you can just say them. I love jokes. Jokes and songs" (page 365). This is an example of irony. It is ironic that the only way Zoë could talk was by telling jokes, but now she spends her life writing books about humor. She used to not be able to form coherent sentences; however, now she is writing books. "What is your perfume? a student once asked her. Room freshener, she said" (page 353). This is an example of sarcasm. Sarcasm is something said with a more joking tone. Irony is similar to sarcasm; however, irony is more complex and refined. Irony is something that can be thought about and seems paradoxical but actually makes sense.

"The Drunkard" ~by Frank O'Connor

(#6)
The principal irony in the story is the role reversal between the father and son. The father is an alcoholic who rarely drinks; however, he cannot control himself whenever he does. He always ends up drinking too much and is too drunk to go into work the next day. Therefore, his family suffers from not earning money on those days. When the father plans on going to the funeral, the mother sends their son with him to try to prevent the father from getting drunk. Instead, the son ends up drunk. The son becomes easily irritated, angry, and yells at the neighbors on the way home. As they walk down the street, the neighbors watch and begin to gossip about it. "I was maddened by the women's shrieks of laughter. I was maddened by Father's bullying. I tried to dig in my heels but he was too powerful for me, and I could only see the women by looking back over my shoulder" (page 350). The next day, the son is home in bed and the father is at work. This is a complete reversal of roles from the normal lives of the family.

"The Lottery" ~by Shirley Jackson

(#8)
This story is presented from the objective point of view. The omniscient narrator tells the story as someone looking onto the event, but they do not closely relate to any of the characters. This creates the dispassionate, matter-of-fact tone of the story. The narrator does not tell the feelings or characteristic of any of the characters. This creates the impersonal aspect of the story. Instead of focusing in on Mrs. Hutchinson or any of the other characters, the narrator speaks only about the facts of the event. They tell about the lottery, the normal ceremony, and the box. However, the narrator does not mention the feelings of the characters. When Mrs. Hutchinson chooses the black spot paper and claims "It isn't fair," the narrator quickly moves along to the stoning (page 271). The narrator shows no emotion as "Tessie Hutchinson was in the center of a cleared spot by now, and she held her hands out desperately as the villagers moved in on her...a stone hit her in the side of the head" (page 271). The way the narrator tells the story effectively reflects the opinions of the villagers. It shows how the ritual became habit. It happened every year, and they all just accepted the cruel action because that is how it had always been.

"The Minority Report" ~by Philip K. Dick

Plot
Throughout the story, the plot does not follow a specific and certain path. While it appears to be leading up to one turning point, it quickly changes and follows another. The exposition begins as characters are being introduced and Precrime is being explained. The story then leads the reader to believe that Witwer is after Anderton's job; therefore, Anderton is going to kill him in order to retain his position. However, as the story begins down what is thought to be the rising action toward the climax, a surprising revelation is made as Anderton discovers "Ed Witwer was not listed as his victim. On line five, the machine had neatly stamped another name. LEOPOLD KAPLAN" (page 126). This is only the beginning of the surprising series of turns in the plot that continue until the very end of the story. The various characters with false identities and intentions all carry the story down a twisted plot that ultimately leads up to the major climax at the end when Anderton discovers the truth of the minority reports and kills Kaplan. This winding plot creates suspense as the reader wonders what will really happen next. It also prevents the ending from being anticipated which makes the final ending a shocking revelation.

Point of View
This story is told from the third person point of view. An unknown narrator tells the story, but this narrator zooms in to focus on the thoughts and feelings of only one character. This story consists of a lot of dialogue between the characters. The narrator tells the story as the characters interact with one another. However, the story takes a main focus on Anderton. The story revolves around the work and actions of Anderton. It shows how other people and outside factors have an impact on his life. The story begins, "The first thought Anderton had when he saw the young man was: I'm getting bald. Bald and fat and old. But he didn't say it aloud. Instead, he pushed back his chair, got to his fee, and came resolutely around the side of his desk, his right hand rigidly extended. Smiling with forced amiability, he shook hand with the young man" (page 119). This point of view allows the story to take on a personal and sympathetic viewpoint of Anderton. It is not told directly from him because that would eliminate the effects achieved by having outside thoughts and feelings of others. The third person point of view allows for the story to show others' sides of the story instead of just the way Anderton sees it. However, focusing in on one specific character allows the reader to connect to that character as they experience the story instead of just hearing about it.

Characterization
For most of the characters, the writer reveals the personality of each character through indirect characterization. The author reveals what the character is like by describing their actions and feelings rather than stating what they are like directly. "Witwer was moving around the office as if he already owned it - as if he were measuring it for size. Couldn't he wait a couple days - a decent interval?" (page 119). During this introduction between Anderton and Witwer, their characteristics and personalities are not stated directly. However, the description reveals Witwer's over-confidence and Anderton's fear of being replaced. Although none of it is clearly written, their personalities can be inferred from their actions and interaction with the other characters. The personalities of all the characters are revealed as the story unfolds and the plot progresses.

Setting
This story is set in a futuristic and nonexistent world. The story takes place in the present; however, it contains pieces of the future that can be seen before they happen. Although the story is not real, it contains some realistic aspects. The real issues of crime, punishment, and free will are presented in the story like they exist in the world today, but many other parts of the story do not exist. The purpose is to display a potentially realistic problem and situation in a way that is nonexistent, futuristic, and fantasy-like. A major setting within the story is a place called Precrime. The Precrime system is "the prophylactic pre-detection of criminals through the ingenious use of mutant precogs, capable of previewing future events and transferring orally that data to analytical machinery" (page 133). This place is the origin and reason for the story. The plot takes place because of Precrime; without it there is no story. Therefore, the setting is a vital part of the story.

Theme
This story presents the theme in a way that seems unrealistic and nonexistent; however, the themes can actually be related to real life. One main theme of the story that is not directly stated but is implied throughout is free will. Precrime is able to detect criminals before they commit their crimes; therefore, it prevents crimes from ever occurring. However, when Anderton learns that he is going to kill a complete stranger in the future, he presents a never before experienced aspect to this pre-detection. By already knowing about his future, Anderton is given the opportunity to change it. He has the free will to either kill Kaplan or let him live. These options are shown in his unique case of having no majority report but instead of having three minority reports. "It can happen in only one circumstance. My case was unique, since I had access to the data. It could happen again - but only to the next Police Commissioner. So watch your step" (page 151). Since Anderton is the only criminal to know about his crime before he committed it, he was given the option to change his mind. This story displays how people have free will and can choose their future based on how they live their present. In addition, this story also shows how people must take responsibility for their actions. Throughout the story the idea of crime and punishment is repeated; criminals must be punished by being put in a "detention camp full of would-be criminals" (page 120). Anderton realizes he will have to take responsibility for his actions if he decides to kill Kaplan. He understands that he must receive the same punishment as the other criminals according to the system of Precrime. In the end, Anderton does decide to kill Kaplan out of free will and what he believes will be best for everyone. He makes his decision, takes action, and accepts his punishment of having to move to a different planet.

"Miss Brill" ~by Katherine Mansfield

(#4)
Miss Brill's observations about the people she encounters reveal a few different things about her. She enjoys spending her days in the park watching other people live their lives and listening to their conversations. This could show that she is lonely; we never learn anything about her family, so it appears that she does not live with anyone or talk to anyone very often. She sees an "ermine toque" who's actions Miss Brill misinterprets and begins to feel sorry for. She thinks of everyone and everything in the park as part of a play. Whenever she sees people pass or hears their conversations she thinks it is all part of a play which she too is a part of. She goes to the park everyday at the same time and just watches her surroundings. In the end, the boy's comment brings her to a realization. Miss Brill overhears him saying, "Buy why? Because of that stupid old thing at the end there? Why does she come here at all - who wants her? Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?" (page 196) The observations made by Miss Brill reveal her naivety. She is naive about the world around her and what actually goes on in everyday life.

"Once Upon a Time" ~by Nadine Gordimer

(#6)
The final paragraph is the main conflict in the story. Throughout the story, various events had been leading up to this final ending. The irony of the story is clearly shown in the last paragraph. The whole story is written like a fairytale; the phrases "Once upon a time" and "living happily ever after" are repeated throughout. The final paragraph begins as the mother is reading a fairy story to the little boy before he goes to sleep. The tragic ending happens when the little boy is pretending to be the prince and trying to save the princess by journeying through the terrible thicket of thorns. The tragic irony can be found in the boy's death. The story ends as "the bleeding mass of the little boy was hacked out of the security coil with saws, wire-cutters, choppers, and they carried it - the man, the wife, the hysterical trusted housemaid, and the weeping gardener - into the house" (page 236). A small detail in this last statement contains a very important fact. The little boy is referred to as "the bleeding mass" and "it." He is no longer called "the little boy" or "he." I interpreted this to mean that the little boy is dead. The family tried so hard to protect and to defend their "happily ever after" family that they ended up killing the thing they were trying to keep safe. This shows the theme of the story; the family tried too hard to achieve peace and happiness in their lives that they became paranoid and ultimately destroyed that which they valued most in their lives.

"A Worn Path" ~by Eudora Welty

(#6)
The question "Is the grandson really dead?" can be prompted by small details in the story. When Phoenix first enters the building, the attendant is confused about who she is and why she is there. Then, the nurse comes in and says, "Oh, that's just old Aunt Phoenix. She doesn't come for herself - she has a little grandson. She makes these trips just as regular as clockwork" (page 229). Phoenix seems to forget the reason she made the journey for a short period of time; she temporarily forgets her grandson. The nurse wonders what has happened to the boy and why he is still sick. Throughout the story, we get the impression that Phoenix makes this trip often and has been doing so for a long time. Another detail to support the theory that the grandson is dead can be found in the nurse's comment to Phoenix, "Throat never heals does it? Yes. Swallowed lye. When was is? - January - two, three years ago - ?" (page 229). We do not know for sure whether or not the grandson is dead, but there is plenty of evidence to support the suspicion. Welty responds to the question, "My best answer would be: Phoenix is alive." This remark could be seen as an answer meaning that it does not matter in the story whether or not the grandson is living of dead. The story is about Phoenix. While the grandson is an important part of the story, his state does not affect the meaning of the story either way. Therefore, the question is irrelevant because it does not matter in the story; this is what the author means in their response.

"Eveline" ~by James Joyce

(#2)
Many aspects of Eveline's present circumstances make it desirable for her to escape her home. Miss Gavan, Eveline's supervisor, would be glad to see Eveline leave. "She had always had an edge on her, especially whenever there were people listening" (page 219). Her father began to threaten her and say what he would do to her only for her dead mother's sake. Eveline's life was filled with people who did not treat her fairly or kindly. All of her family was dead or away from home. Her only remaining family was her father who treated her with violence. At work, her supervisor constantly criticized her work and treated her with disrespect and inferiority. All of these things support her decision to leave. However, she has a brief memory of the time before her mother died. She remembers the time her family went for a picnic and her father put on her mother's bonnet to make the children laugh. This memory makes her doubt her decision and reconsider the option of staying. "It was hard work - a hard life -but now that she was about to leave it she did not find it a wholly undesirable life" (page 220). The memory makes her realize the good aspects of her life rather than just focusing on the bad like she had been doing.

"Bartleby the Scrivener" ~by Herman Melville

(#2)
Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut are introduced to the reader before Bartleby. This is done to create a contrast between the characters. They all have various characteristics which emphasize the characters' personalities. Turkey is older and makes mistakes in his work as the day goes on through the afternoon. Nippers was "always deemed the victim of two evil powers - ambition and indigestion" (page 645). Nippers is about twenty-five years old and has trouble working in the morning. Ginger Nut was a young boy who ran errands at the office. Then, Bartleby is introduced. At first, Bartleby appears to be a great worker at any time of the day. However, as the story progresses, Bartleby begins to use the phrase "I would prefer not to" more and more each day. Turkey and Nippers are the stereotypical workers whose behaviors complement each other. Their work behaviors contrast and complement the behaviors of the others including Bartleby.

"Everyday Use" ~by Alice Walker

(#1)
The speaker of the story is a woman from the south. She works in the country and is the mother of two daughters. "In real life I am a large, big-boned woman with rough, man-working hands" (page 174). She reports and interprets the events as she sees them through the eyes of a mother. She sees the ways Maggie and Dee act. She is a reliable source of information because she is the mother of the two girls and has known them their whole lives. However, she refrains from making judgements to compare her two daughters. She does not present the full truth when talking about Maggie's characteristics. Nevertheless, she is still a reliable source because she has seen the two girls throughout their lives and seen how they have changed.

"Hunters in the Snow" ~by Tobias Wolff

(#3)
Throughout the story, plot and characterization work together. Each of the three characters is described with distinctive characteristics that separate them from the others. Even their names hint at their character types. Tub is a cartoon-like obese man who is often the subject of other people's jokes. Frank is a common man who acts in the typical way that is to be expected. Tub's distinctive character traits relate directly to the turn in the plot. It is because Kenny is always joking with Tub that Kenny gets shot. "I was just kidding around. It was a joke. Oh!" (page 193). Tub misinterprets Kenny's joke and shoots him as an attempt at self-defense. Then, Tub and Frank's uncaring and self-centered characteristics lead them to go to the tavern for food and coffee. Their friend is out in the cold car dying, and they just leave him there to die while they go eat and warm up.

"Everyday Use" ~by Alice Walker

(#2)
Prior to the events of the story, the mother, Dee, and Maggie lived very different lives. The mother and Maggie lived typical lives of the south in that time. Dee wanted a different life than the one she had. Dee hated her old life before she left to go to college. When the house burned down, Dee just stood there and watched. "I see her standing off under the sweet gum tree she used to dig gum out of; a look of concentration on her face as she watched the last dingy gray board of the house fall in toward the red-hot brick chimney" (page 175). Dee is glad to see her old house burn down; she hated her old life so much that she just wanted it to burn down. However, Maggie and the mother did not share this same feeling. Maggie has lived her life "homely and ashamed of the burn scars down her arms and legs, eying her sister with a mixture of envy and awe" (page 173). Maggie and the mother both enjoy the simple life in the country; however, Dee wants more. The purpose of the quilts is to show how the two daughters have contrasting personalities. Dee refused to accept the quilt when she went away to college, showing that she did not want any part of her old life. On the other hand, Maggie values the simple life at home.

"A Rose for Emily" ~by William Faulkner

(#3)
Throughout the story, there are clues and hints that all lead toward the conclusion of the story. Small details woven throughout all add together to foreshadow the eventual ending. Emily stops going out into the town and seeing people. She rarely gets visitors, and no one ever enters the house with the exception of her servant and Homer Barron. Then, her house begins to smell and the neighbors complain. Her father died, and she refused to accept it; she denied it until the townspeople almost "had to resort to law and force" (p. 285). One day, she went out and bought arsenic. Many of the townspeople believed this was to kill herself; however, she never used it for that. Emily went "to the jeweler's and ordered a man's toilet set in silver with the letters H.B." (p. 287). She also bought a complete outfit of men's clothing including a nightshirt. After that, Homer Barron was never seen again. These many little details, when all put together, predict the final conclusion to the story. They allow for the reader to anticipate the ending if they pay attention to the foreshadowing details.

"A Rose for Emily" ~by William Faulkner

(#8)
Throughout "A Rose for Emily," the narrator speaks from the third person point of view. Also, they always speak using "we" rather than "I". This creates the sense that the story is told from the viewpoint of one of the townspeople. The narrator is telling the story from an outside perspective. It is told in a way that seems like the story was composed of various gossip that went around town about Emily. The townspeople did not know much about Emily or what went on in her house. All they knew was what they observed from the outside. They saw the servant man enter and leave the house sometimes. They also saw Homer Barron enter the house, but one day they never saw him again. The townspeople talked and gossiped about what they thought was going on with Emily. "She will marry him," "She will persuade him yet," "Poor Emily," and "They are married" (p. 286). These are just a few of the rumors that passed around the town as they observed Emily's life from the outside. In this way, the story serves as "A Rose for Emily." The story is symbolic of a rose. What was once beautiful and good, eventually withers and dies over time. Emily was a beautiful young girl until her father died. Then, she stopped going out in public and started going crazy. After the rose has withered and died, the thorns still remain. This is what happened to Emily after her father's death. She lost the beauty she once possessed and hid away in her home. She finally went crazy with loneliness over time.

"Interpreter of Maladies" ~by Jhumpa Lahiri

(#4)
Throughout the story, it appears as though Mrs. Das is leading on Mr. Kapasi. She shows interest in all of his stories about what he has done. Mr. Kapasi interprets the family throughout the time he is driving them. He sees that the family does not get along very well, and they do not value each other in their lives. Mrs. Das ignores her children and acts as though that are just a bothersome burden for her. Mr. Kapasi, having a wife of his own who is uninterested in him, interprets Mrs. Das' actions toward him to be that she is interested in him. Mrs. Das requests his address symbolizing that neither of them are happy with their lives. The significance of losing his address shows that they have both realized what they have in life, and they appreciate those they love instead of looking for more. "No one but Mr. Kapasi noticed. He watched as it rose, carried higher and higher by the breeze, into the trees where the monkeys now sat, solemnly observing the scene below. Mr. Kapasi observed it too, knowing that this was the picture of the Das family he would preserve forever in his mind" (p. 166). This function in the plot suggests a resolution because it shows that both Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi have reached contentment in their lives. Mrs. Das has realized her appreciation for her family and children. Mr. Kapasi has realized that he misinterpreted Mrs. Das' actions, and he finds contentment with his own family and job.

"How I Met My Husband" ~by Alice Munro

(#1)
This short story begins telling the story of Edie and how she met Chris Watters. Throughout the majority of the story, the author leads the reader to believe that Chris Watters is going to end up being Edie's husband. However, the story takes an unexpected twist in the last two paragraphs. Edie finally realizes that Chris Watters is not the man she thought he was. It is through this discovery that she meets the mailman, her future husband. As the story progresses, the plot appears to be following a typical and predictable structure. The story begins with the exposition where the characters are introduced and meet each other. Then, the rising action toward the expected climax begins as the characters interact. However, the expected climax, Edie and Chris ending up together, takes an unexpected turn when Chris Watters leaves and does not write to her. The story ends with Edie meeting and marrying the mailman who she met while waiting for a letter that never came. "He always tells the children the story of how I went after him by sitting by the mailbox every day, and naturally I laugh and let him, because I like for people to think what pleases them and makes them happy" (p. 146). This plot arrangement creates a suspenseful and emotional tone.

"Edward" ~by Anonymous

This poem is structured as a mother and son speaking to each other. The speaker is clearly very upset about something which can be seen in the repetition of the word "O" at the beginning and end of many lines. The poem begins following a pattern of the mother asking the son what he has done. Each time the son responds with a lie until he finally admits that he killed his father. The mother reacts oddly to this news. One would expect her to be surprised or upset because her son just murdered her husband; however, she reacts by simply jumping into more questions. All of her questions are related to inheritance which reveals her motive. The last line came as a shock to me at the revelation that the mother encouraged her son to kill her husband. "The curse of hell from me shall ye bear, such counsels you gave to me, O." (line 56) In addition, the way the son speaks about his parents shows how he feels toward them. His calls his dad "my father dear" which shows that he cares about him. However, he refused to call his mother "my own mother dear" and only calls her "Mother, Mother;" this shows their distanced relationship.

"Lonely Hearts" ~by Wendy Cope

(#17)
This poem is in the form of a villanelle. It is a set of stanzas that each present a similar situation. The poem is structured similar to personal advertisements as people search for someone to be in their life. Although there are multiple different speakers and various types of people, they all have something in common. They all demonstrate the universal longing and pain people feel about being alone and longing for someone else. Each person presents a different case; however, they all end with either "Do you live in North London? Is it you?" or "Can someone make my simple wish come true?". These lines create a sense of irony. The descriptions each person gives are not actually simple at all. Although they are addressed toward anyone, they each want something very specific and difficult to find.

"Death, be not proud" ~by John Donne

(#17)
The poem is a set of three quatrains followed by a couplet. The poem is also in direct address to death. In lines 5-8 "From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be, much pleasure - then, from thee much more must flow," the speaker is says that death is not dreadful. A comparison is created between sleep and death. The speaker believes that death will be pleasant like sleep only more so. In lines 9-12 "Thou art a slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men, and dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell; and poppy or charms can make us sleep as well, and better than thy stroke," the speaker says that death is not powerful. They believe that death will be a brief moment followed by the afterlife where they live eternally. However, the tone of the speaker is one of a man desperately trying to convince himself that there is nothing to fear in death. His uncertainty can be seen in the contradicting viewpoints the speaker makes. First, they say that death is more than sleep, but then they say that death is not strong. The poem is written in an argumentative style as the speaker tries to reassure himself about death.

"That time of year" ~by William Shakespeare

(#12)
This poem is a sonnet containing three quatrains followed by a couplet. The first quatrain describes fall. The second quatrain creates a description for twilight. The third quatrain describes a fire. These three things all share something similar; they are all ending, but they have not yet reached the end. This is symbolic of a man who is nearing death, but has not passed away yet. Another comparison made between the quatrains is that the objects they describe progressively get shorter. While fall lasts for a few months, twilight lasts for a few hours, and a fire lasts for only a few minutes to an hour. In addition, while fall and twilight both repeat, once a fire ends it cannot be brought back. This is symbolic of death; once someone has died they are gone forever and cannot return. Also, the line "That on the ashes of youth doth lie as a deathbed whereon it must expire, consumed with that which it was nourished by" contains a paradox. It means that the ashes that once nourished the fire now consume it. Although this may seem contradictory, it makes sense when thought about. This is symbolic that by living life, one is inevitably dying. This is the paradoxical truth of life.

"Getting Out" ~by Cleopatra Mathis

(#7)
After a year of marriage, a couple goes through a painful divorce; however, they both secretly still love each other and find it hard to say goodbye

The poem describes the rough relationship a couple shares. They spent a year together married; however, "That year we hardly slept, waking like inmates who beat the walls." Even while they were together, there were problems. Neither of them would mention them though; they kept quiet about the problems and "the silent work of the tightening heart." The poem also describes the harsh fights the couple had. "Finally locked into blame, we paced that short hall, heaving words like furniture." They both could not stand the silence anymore, and all of the problems built up inside of them. Eventually, they ended up fighting and blaming each other for all of their problems that had piled up. However, the last stanza presents a different side of the relationship. Although the couple fights and disagrees, it is clear that they still care about each other. They still write to each other yearly to say they are happy now, but if they had truly moved on then they would not need to send this yearly message. The end also mentions "the lawyer's bewilderment when we cried, the last day. Taking hands we walked apart, until our arms stretched between us. We held on tight, and let go." This farewell is not the typical goodbye after a divorce. The couple is afraid to let go and separate from each other; therefore, clearly they still care about each other.

"The Apparition" ~by John Donne

(#8)
The tone this poem creates is vengeful. The poem describes how a man feels after he has been rejected by the woman he loves. "When by thy scorn, O murderess, I am dead." This line does not literally mean the woman killed him; it means she destroyed his heart. The woman left him and is now with another man. Throughout the poem the speaker is comparing himself to her new lover. Although the poem starts out bitter, it turns to bitter satisfaction. At first, the man was hurt and angry about his lover choosing another man over him. However, as the poem progresses, that anger turns to bitter satisfaction. "I'd rather thou shouldst painfully repent, than by my threatenings rest still innocent." The poem ends with the speaker wishing for his lover to suffer; he wants her to feel all the pain she has caused him. Her rejection "killed" him, and now he wants her to think of him when she is with her new lover. He wants her to be haunted by the pain she caused him.

"Crossing the Bar" ~by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

(#12)
This poem discusses a man's view as he approaches death. The man is waiting for his death to come and hoping for it to be peaceful. "And may there be no sadness of farewell when I embark." The speaker does not want his death to bring sadness or pain to himself or anyone else. He simply wants to pass away and "See my Pilot face to face." I interpreted this line to mean that the speaker wants to be with God. He accepts that his life is nearing its end and now all he wants is to be united with God in heaven. "When that which drew from out the boundless deep turns again home." The man wishes to return home where he began in heaven with God. Crossing the bar represents passing from life to death. After passing through the "dark" of death, he will be "out to sea" in the happiness of heaven. This poem is an allegory for passing to death. It uses many symbols to compare the sea to the path toward heaven.

"My mistress' eyes" ~by William Shakespeare

(#8)
The satirical tone of this poem is created through the various comparisons the author uses. The author mocks other poets who make false comparisons between their lovers and other aspects of nature or beauty. "My mistress' eyes are nothing like the sun; coral is far more red than her lips' red." Although this poem could be easily misinterpreted as the speaker insulting his lover, this is not the message he is saying. He is simply being realistic in describing her beauty rather than using false comparisons like many other poets. In the end, he says that she is beautiful and wonderful, but she cannot be compared realistically to these other things like the sun and roses. The tone is not insulting and negative as it may initially appear. Instead, it is satirizing and mocking the false comparisons commonly used by poets. While his mistress may have beautiful eyes, they are nothing like the sun. This does not mean they are not still bright and beautiful; it means that they can not be compared to it realistically.

"next to of course god america i" ~by E. E. Cummings

(#14)
The poem mentions many little allusions from various patriotic cliches. The poem references the Star Spangled Banner and America the Beautiful. The lack of punctuation in the poem creates the effect that the speaker is in a hurry and very passionate about what they are saying. It is written in the form of a speech given to an audience, but it is in direct address to America. This poem could also be viewed as a person criticizing people who just spout patriotic cliches. Some people speak strongly about being patriotic; however, they do not actually understand the war and what is going on. The author is saying that people need to be patriotic, but they also need to understand why they should be patriotic and support the country. Instead of soldiers "rush[ing] like lions to the roaring slaughter [who] did not stop to think they died...," people should understand why they are fighting. The speaker is in favor of being patriotic, but only if the people comprehend what the cause is that they are fighting for.

"Ozymandias" ~by Percy Bysshe Shelley

This poem is about Ozymandias who was an ancient Egyptian tyrant. It describes a statue of him in the middle of the desert. The way the sculptor shaped the face and features of the statue depict what Ozymandias was like as a person. The author describes the face "whose frown, and wrinkled lip, and sneer of cold command" shows that he had a bad reputation and was not well liked. The state of the statue is a bit ironic too. It has a pedestal saying to look on the statue with strength; however, the statue is falling apart to ruins. The arrogant and imposing looking statue stands in the middle of the desert where no one is around to see it. This demonstrates the way people remember reputations. If someone makes a positive impact on the world, then they will be remembered. However, if someone is a strict tyrant that everyone dislikes, then they will be forgotten and the only remembrance of them will be an old ruined statue in the middle of the desert that no one cares about.

"Much Madness is divinest Sense" ~by Emily Dickinson

(#7)
This poem depicts the author's view of conformity versus nonconformity; she believes it is insane to simply conform and go along with the rest of society.

"Assent - and you are sane - Demur - you're straightway dangerous." This line shows the way society views those who are different from the majority. If someone agrees and follows everyone else, then they are viewed as completely normal. However, if someone disagrees or thinks outside the box, then they are dangerous. Their opposing views present a threat to the normal views and opinions of society. Society is not very open to new opinions, and they often try to simply quiet the nonconformers down. As the poem says, they are "handled with a Chain." This poem is saying that to conform with society is insanity. It is important to form one's own opinions of something rather than going along with everyone else's opinions.

"APO 96225" ~by Larry Rottmann

(#13)
This poem is written as if it is little pieces of letter conversations between a soldier and his family. The soldier's letters to his mother are all (except one) understatements. He tries not to focus on the war and on the battles. Instead, he talks about the rain, the "funny monkeys," and the spectacular sunsets in an attempt to make the war sound better than it is in reality. However, the father's response to what the war is really like creates situational irony. The family had been begging their son to tell them the truth of how the war really was, but he had just been telling them positive understatements. When the soldier finally tells the truth and says, "Today I killed a man. Yesterday, I helped drop napalm on women and children." Then, his father responds saying, "Please don't write such depressing letters. You're upsetting your mother." This situational irony represents the way society viewed the Vietnam War. No one really knew what was going on over there, and most of them honestly did not want to know. They all wanted to sound interested and concerned about what was happening; however, they did not want to hear the terrible reality of the situation.

"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" ~by John Donne

(#9)
When reading this poem, I found that I did not know what a many of the words in it meant. So...that is where I started. A valediction is a word meaning farewell. The poem describes when one is away from their lover and has to say farewell. Sublunary means of or relating to the earth. "Dull sublunary lovers' love (whose soul is sense) cannot admit absence, because it doth remove those things which elemented it." When the two are geographically apart and forced to make a valediction, they cannot admit that they are apart because of the sadness and mourning it brings. Profanation means having contempt, irreverence, or disrespect. "No tear-floods, nor sigh-tempests move; 'twere profanation of our joys to tell the laity of our love." This line means that when the two are apart, they cannot be sad because it would be disrespectful to simply forget the many joys their love and time together has brought them. Trepidation means tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation. The diction is this poem is used to compare death to leaving a lover. Their valediction is sad; however, mourning is forbidden because what is important is the many good times they shared together rather than the sad moment of their separation.

"I taste a liquor never brewed" ~by Emily Dickinson

(#11)
When first reading this poem, I thought it was simply describing alcoholic intoxication. However, a closer look led me to believe this poem was an extended metaphor. I may be wrong...but I think this poem could be describing a rain cloud. The liquor never brewed could be the rain that never fell and still remains in the cloud. "Not all vats upon the Rhine yield such an alcohol." A vat is a large container used for holding liquids; the Rhine is a river in Germany that connects many different European countries. Clouds hold rain and travel over many different places as they make their way through the sky. Clouds are "inebriate of air and debauchee of dew." They are intoxicated with air, and cause dew to form on the grass every morning. The "inns of molten blue" could be referring to the blue sky. Bees, foxgloves (plants), and butterflies all live because rain water causes the plants to grow and therefore supplying flowers for the bees and butterflies. The phrase "I shall but drink the more" could be describing the way clouds continue absorbing more and more water until it finally rains. The reference to seraphs (angels) and saints reminds the reader of heaven - an image often associated with clouds. "The little tippler leaning against the - sun" could describe the way clouds mix and mingle with one another, and they lean against the sun as they pass over it and block sunlight.

"February" ~by Margaret Atwood

(#8)

The tone of the poem is one of loneliness and bitterness. It is achieved through the way the author describes her cat and the actions of mankind. The cat's behavior is compared to human behavior. The author is showing bitterness toward procreation when she says, "It's all about sex and territory, which are what will finish us off in the long run." She believes mankind is carelessly procreating and not thinking about the problems or consequences that may result. A tone of loneliness can also be seen in the line "February, month of despair, with a skewered heart in the centre." February is the month that contains Valentine's Day, but the author depicts this as a negative and painful time of the year. Perhaps the author is lonely or lost someone she loves, so all she can think of is the bitterness she feels about being alone? The author ends the poem with a call to action telling the cat and mankind to go do something and change their way of life.

"Bright Star" by~ John Keats

(#12)

The speaker is using the star as a symbol for how he wants to live his life. He does not want to be alone like the star "hung aloft the night, and watching, with eternal lids apart." This star is symbolic of the speaker's desire for companionship and to be with the one he loves. He does not want to simply stand back at a distance and watch like the star does to the earth. However, he wants to be like the star in a sense that he is "steadfast" or unchanging. He does not want things to change. He wants to stay "awake forever in a sweet unrest" and be with his lover. Like the star, he wants to spend his lifetime unchanging with his love, "or else swoon to death." He would rather spend forever with his love, or else die right at the peak of happiness with his love. He does not want to be like the star and distanced away from everything else.

"Dream Deferred" ~by Langston Hughes

(#11)
This poem is made up of similes and one metaphor. It discusses the various ways to respond to a dream that has been deferred or put off. If someone has a dream or goal they wish to achieve and someone tells them no or for some reason it is not possible at the time, then what happens to it? This is the point this poem discusses. "Does it dry up like a raisin in the sun?" When some people's dreams are deferred, they simply forget about them over time like a raisin drying up. Other people let the denial of their dream eat away at them until they finally break down and cannot take it anymore; it "fester(s) like a sore - and then run(s)." In addition, some people become bitter and angry when their dreams are deferred. They let the denial sink into them until all they have left is bitterness; in this way it "stink(s) like rotten meat." Yet, others try to sugar coat this deferred dream, so they forget about their lost dream and move on. They make it appear as though it really does not matter; it "crust(s) and sugar(s) over - like a syrupy sweet." Still to others, "it just sags like a heavy load." Some people dwell on their lost dreams and cannot forget about it; they carry it as a burden for the rest of their life because they cannot move on and forget.
..."Or does it explode?" This last line is the one metaphor in this poem full of similes. It is also written in italics as the author's way or emphasizing the importance of this last line. I believe this line could be interpreted a couple of ways. It could be taken to mean that the person, metaphorically, explodes with anger because of their dream deferred. It could also be interpreted to mean that the dream explodes or disappears. Often, if something explodes, then it is instantly destroyed and all traces of it are gone. There could be other ways of interpreting this line too; I am not really sure the correct interpretation? This poem uses figurative language to show the numerous responses to a dream deferred.

"To Autumn" ~by John Keats

(#9)

The purpose of this essay is to provide details and imagery to visualize the season. Every line is filled with descriptive diction of Autumn. "Late flowers for the bees...barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day...gathering swallows twitter in the skies." The word choice describes the beauty of Autumn. These are just a few of the lines that clearly describe a scene of nature. The poem follows the progression through the day beginning with the "maturing sun" and ending with the "hedge-crickets sing[ing]." There were a few words I found while reading that I was unsure of their meaning. The clouds are describes as "barred"; I understood this as a description of the clouds as the sun sets. When the sun sets, the clouds appear barred across the sky with various colors between them. The poem mentions the "river sallows"; these are shrubby willows that grow near water. Also, the poem describes a bird whistling from a "garden-croft" which is a small kitchen garden or farm. These words all contribute to the description and beauty of Autumn; they allow the reader to better form a mental image and appreciate the season.

"Spring" ~by Gerard Manley Hopkins

(#14)

This poem contains two allusions; it references the garden of Eden and Mayday. The allusion to the garden of Eden is in line 10, "A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning in Eden garden. - Have, get, before it cloy." I was unsure what the word cloy meant, so I looked it up and found its meaning to be: to become uninteresting through overabundance. I interpreted this to mean that spring should be enjoyed and cherished while it lasts. The allusion to the garden of Eden also supports this point; Adam and Eve should have cherished their time in the garden rather than wanting more out of it. "Innocent mind and Mayday in girl and boy." This allusion to Mayday creates a comparison between the innocence of childhood and the hardships later on in life. This poem centers around the idea of new life. When we are young, we are happy and appreciate the simple things in life such as a nice spring day. However, as life progresses we face hardships and our lives become "sour with sinning." These allusions help to show the point the author was trying to convey - spring is beautiful, but like all good things it must come to an end. It cannot stay perfect and beautiful forever, so we must enjoy it while it lasts...we must "get, before it cloy."

"The Widow's Lament in Springtime" ~by William Carlos Williams

(#10)

This poem is filled with imagery and symbolism. The settings are described by colors, plants, and locations. "Masses of flowers load the cherry branches and color some bushes yellow and some red." This description creates a mental image of the yard as the widow sees it. The imagery of the yard and the meadow create a tone of lament. The widow sees her yard and is filled with grief at the loss of her husband. The "plumbtree with masses of flowers" reminds her of the thirty five years she spent with her husband. The meadow is described as being "at the edge of the heavy woods in the distance...white flowers." This imagery is also a symbol. The "heavy woods in the distance" represent the difficult time the widow is going through as a result of her husband's death. The meadow on the other side is representative of moving on past all the grief in order to find the happiness in life again. The trees of white flowers that once brought happiness to her husband and her now only bring sadness. The white flowers on the other side of the heavy woods represent finding that happiness again.

"I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" ~by Emily Dickinson

(#17)
The structure of the lines in the poem emphasize the sound of the words being used. "Kept treading - treading - till it seemed that sense was breaking through -" The breaks in the line create the sense that someone is walking very slowly. One thing I noticed about the poem is that there is no punctuation other than commas. There are no complete sentences, no periods, and numerous unfinished lines. The lines are broken up into short fragments that do not end; this form creates a sense of uncertainty. The unending lines follow the pattern of a funeral. The first stanza describes the mourners sadly walking or "treading." The second and third stanzas describe the funeral service, as music is slowly played and then the "box" is slowly carried out toward the grave. The fourth stanza mentions a bell and silence; the end of a funeral is often marked by the ringing of a bell as the people process out in silence. The last stanza describes the burial, being lowered down, and the end of it all.

...Personally, I did not really enjoy this poem and thought it was very depressing, but that is just my opinion.

"Those Winter Sundays" ~by Robert Hayden

(#7)
A man is looking back at his childhood, and he is regretting all the times he never thanked his father or acknowledged the kind deeds he had done for him.

Hayden describes the way his father woke up early every Sunday to warm the house for them. He uses description and imagery to describe the way his father would get up in the "blueblack cold" of the night and go start a fire. He describes hearing the "cold splintering, breaking" as the warm fire wood crackled and burned through the cool night air. I think this poem is expressing the regrets he is feeling about the way he treated his father. "Speaking indifferently to him, who had driven out the cold and polished my good shoes as well." Hayden lists the many ways his father was helpful to him during his childhood and how he had taken for granted everything he did. Hayden is looking back with sadness and regret because he never gave his father the thank you he deserved. He always expected his father to do these things, so he never acknowledged them as important acts of kindness.

Perrine's "The Nature of Proof in the Interpretation of Poetry"

Overall, I agree with Perrine's approach to poetry. However, I do not agree on one aspect of his interpretations. He bases the "correct" interpretation off of which one can account for all the details. When reading the Emily Dickinson poem, Perrine proves that his interpretation is correct, but no one else shared this same opinion. Everyone else interpreted this poem to be about a garden or a meadow, but Perrine proves them wrong. This is the point I disagree with. If everyone reads the poem and interprets it the same way, then how can they all be wrong? If every reader interprets it wrong, then clearly the author does not specifically state the poem's meaning. Therefore, the author writes it expecting for everyone to interpret a different way, so how can there be a right and wrong way? If the author wanted everyone to read it and to interpret it "correctly," then they would have written it that way. The author's ambiguity allows the reader to create their own interpretation.

Reading this article has changed the way I think about interpreting poems. Instead of assuming the first thing that comes to mind is correct, it made me look closer at the poems. It made me re-read them in order to pay attention to small details that may have been overlooked. The first time I read the poem "The Night-March," I thought it was about an army. I never would have guessed that it was actually about stars. I thought the poem was describing the soldiers moving quietly through the dark. I assumed that was the "correct" interpretation, so I did not pay attention to the words like "beaming," "bright," "gleam," "twinkling," and "shining" which all describe stars. Reading this article has helped me to re-read and pay closer attention to details in poems. It has also helped me to consider different interpretations other than the first one I think of.

Final Blog for "The Sun Also Rises"

After reading all of The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, I cannot say that I enjoyed it. It seems like it ended exactly where it began and not much happened in the middle. Although, I suppose that is the purpose of the book. The lack of events or purpose throughout it shows what the lives were like for the Lost Generation. During the time period after World War I, people were looking for ways to make their lives better or complete. They all had different ways of dealing with their own personal situations like drinking or love affairs. Everyone was looking to get more out of life, but no one was sure how to find it. "A taxi came up the street, the waiter hanging out at the side. I tipped him and told the driver where to drive, and got in beside Brett" (page 251). This book shows the story as a man and his friends travel between Paris and Spain looking for something more in life. Personally, I did not like it, but that is just what I think...everyone is entitled to their own opinion.

The...End?

At last we have reached chapter nineteen...this is the end? Did anything actually happen in this book? I mean...all of the characters ended up in the exact same situation they started in. All of the characters ended up leaving each other and going different directions like they were when the book began. The only two characters who remain together are Jake and Brett which is exactly how we found them at the start of the book. After Brett had caught herself in a bad situation with another guy, she called for the help of Jake as she has always done. Therefore, Jake came to her rescue because he loves her. The part that surprised me a little was when Brett said "I'm going back to Mike. He's so damned nice and he's so awful. He's my sort of thing" (page 247). After all they have been through, she still wants to go back to Mike? In addition, she and Jake still love each other but cannot or will not be together...which is exactly where we began. "'Oh, Jake,' Brett said, 'we could have had such a damned good time together.' 'Yes,' I said. 'Isn't it pretty to think so?'" (page 251).

THE END...?

Antihero

Chapter eighteen...only one more to go! =) Since I believe Brett is our protagonist, I think that makes Jake our antihero. Jake is the narrator and also the central character throughout the book. However, for a main character he seems to lack the qualities of a hero. He does not show much courage throughout the book, and he often seems depressed. However, he acts a little heroic by being there for Brett when she needs him like on page 211, "Would you mind walking over with me? I want to talk to you, Jake." Jake always acts kind and helpful to her because he loves her, but he knows she cannot love him. Unfortunately, this heroic act often makes him only more weak and depressed than before. He is in love with a girl who will never love him back, and every time he helps her it only makes him more depressed.

Protagonist

After finally reaching chapter seventeen, I am not sure if this is right...but I think the protagonist in this story is Brett. She seems to be the person in the story who keeps the action moving. It is because of her that all of these unrelated characters are associated with one another. They all seem to be very different people who would not normally be "friends"...perhaps this is why they fight so often as is shown on page 195 "I swung at him and he ducked. I saw his face duck sideways in the light. He hit me and I sat down on the pavement. As I started to get on my feet he hit me twice." However, they are almost all related to Brett in some way or another. Jake is in love with Brett and has been for a long time, but they are unable/unwilling to be together. Cohn believes he is also in love with Brett because of their little affair in San Sebastian, and he is unable to move on and to accept that it meant nothing. Michael is...or rather was...going to marry Brett; however, actions and events that have occurred in the book make this wedding far less likely to ever happen. Other characters, such as Pedro Romero, are brought into this book because of their interest in Brett or Brett's interest in them. Almost all of the characters are in some way related to Brett. Therefore, I believe she is our protagonist.

...Conscience?

In chapter sixteen, another side of Brett is revealed. Up to this point, we had never really seen her actually think about her actions. In this chapter, she finally thinks about the things she has done and the way she feels about people. She regrets her trip to San Sebastian with Cohn. "He can't believe it didn't mean anything. Nobody else would behave as badly. Oh, I'm so sick of the whole thing" (page 185). Cohn is unwilling to forget about it and just leave everyone alone. In addition, Brett realizes that she no longer loves Michael and cannot be with him after the way he has acted. Brett tells Jake, "'Don't I know it, darling? Please don't make me feel any worse than I do.' Brett was nervous as I had never seen her before" (page 185). Jake has known Brett for a very long time, so saying he had never seen her this nervous before actually means something. Throughout the book, Brett has never reconsidered her actions and felt sorry about them until now. This chapter shows us another side of Brett...one that actually cares about those around her and those she hurts.

San Fermín

In chapter fifteen, the characters all go to the fiesta called San Fermín. I had heard about this celebration before and the running of the bulls; however, I thought I would look up some more information about it to see exactly what it was. It is a week long traditional celebration that begins on July 6th and continues until July 14th. It takes place in Pamplona, Spain every year. The celebration originated when Saint Fermin, Pamplona's first bishop, was said to have met his end by being dragged through the streets of Pamplona by bulls. This is the reason for the "running of the bulls" when hundreds of people run down the 825 meter street followed by six bulls and six steers like described on page 164. In addition, this is also the reason bullfighting became part of the tradition. If one would like to know more about this, they can look here or here. I also found out that Hemingway attended this celebration many times.

Epistrophe

Chapter fourteen contains an epistrophe. "Mike was a bad drunk. Brett was a good drunk. Bill was a good drunk. Cohn was never drunk" (page 152). This repeated line creates a comparison between all of the characters. It also shows their characters personalities. Mike is a bad drunk who drinks all the time, so he often gets into fights and trouble because of it. Brett is a good drunk. She drinks very often; however, she is more of a social drinker and handles it very well. Bill is also a good drunk who does not get into fights like Mike does. Mike often fights with Cohn. "I liked to see him hurt Cohn. I wished he would not do it, though, because afterward it made me disgusted at myself" (page 152).

Analogy

At the end of chapter thirteen, Jake makes an analogy between the pleasant meal and the dinners during the war. "It was like certain dinners I remembered from the war. There was much wine, an ignored tension, and a feeling of things coming that you could not prevent happening" (page 150). The fight between Cohn and Campbell had not solved their problems, so there was still much tension between the two. During the pleasant dinner, everyone ignored the problems and did not speak about it through the tense air. However, similar to that of the war, everyone had some wine and then "it seemed they were all such nice people" (page 150). This quote also foreshadows possible events that will happen later on in the book. My guess is that this is just the beginning of the tension and unpreventable disagreements between the "friends". In addition, this is one of the few times that Hemingway actually mentions the war in this book. I have not found many references to the war so far, but maybe as the book progresses we will hear more about it...or maybe not.

Irony and Pity

In chapter twelve, Bill tells Jake to "show irony and pity" (page 118). He starts randomly singing "The Bells are Ringing for Me and my Gal." I had no idea what this song was, so I decided to look it up. Here are the lyrics:

What a beautiful day
For a wedding in May!
See the people all stare
At the loveable pair.

She's a vision of joy,
He's the luckiest boy.
In his wedding array
Hear him smilingly say:

The bells are ringing for me and my gal,
The birds are singing for me and my gal.
Everybody's been knowing
To a wedding they're going
And for weeks they've been sewing,
Every Susie and Sal.
They're congregating for me and my gal,
The Parson's waiting for me and my gal.
And sometime
I'm goin' to build a little home for two,
For three or four or more,
In Love-land for me and my gal.

See the relatives there
Looking over the pair!
They can tell at a glance
It's a loving romance.

It's a wonderful sight
As the families unite.
Gee! It makes the boy proud
As he says to the crowd:

The bells are ringing for me and my gal,
The birds are singing for me and my gal.
Everybody's been knowing
To a wedding they're going
And for weeks they've been sewing,
Every Susie and Sal.
They're congregating for me and my gal,
The Parson's waiting for me and my gal.
And sometime
I'm goin' to build a little home for two,
For three or four or more,
In Love-land for me and my gal.

I still do not know why Bill started singing this? When Jake first woke him up to go fishing, Bill was in a bad mood and arguing. Now it is only a few minutes later, and he is randomly singing this song...which seems like a happy song. Why did Bill randomly change from arguing to being happy? And what was the significance of singing this song? I am sure there must be some kind of reasoning for this spontaneous song...but I certainly cannot think of a reason.

...any ideas?

A Recurring Action...But Not Really a Motif...

Chapter eleven was mainly focused on...it sounds odd but...drinking. Throughout this whole book, one thing that the characters do in almost every chapter is drink. In Paris, they drank as a way to...for lack of a better term...fit into society. They had a drink with friends or one at parties because that is the way the culture was in Paris. In this chapter, they travel to Spain and find a very different drinking culture. "When Bill offered the bottle the second time he took a long drink, and then the bottle went all over that part of the bus" (page 110). While on the bus, everyone passed around bottles and shared their drinks with everyone else. They all drink as a community and share wine-skins with one another. Drinking is mentioned many times in this book...so often that one might wonder if it is a motif. Although, I do not really think it is...I suppose it could be maybe?

Imagery and Juxtaposition

Chapter ten is full of imagery...a lot of imagery. Pages 97 through 100 are filled with a description of Spain. Everything is described in full detail from the car, to the driver, to the scenery all around. Hemingway creates a visual image of the surrounding village by describing the land, people, buildings, and animals. Every detail of their car ride to Pamplona is described.

"I have never seen a man in civil life as nervous as Robert Cohn - nor as eager. I was enjoying it. It was lousy to enjoy it, but I felt lousy. Cohn had a wonderful quality of bringing out the worst in anybody" (page 104). This is a juxtaposition for two reasons. First, enjoyment and feeling lousy are not usually associated with each other. If someone is having fun and enjoying themself, then they generally do not say they feel lousy. Second, bringing out the worst in anybody is normally not a wonderful quality. By this Jake means that whenever Cohn is around people, he makes the worst side of them show.

...Problems?

In chapter nine, Jake, Bill, and Cohn decide to take a trip to Spain. Then, Mike and Brett decide to go along too. We find out in this chapter that Brett's trip down to San Sebastian had been with Robert Cohn. This seems like it has the potential to create problems. "Don't you think it will be a bit rough on him [Cohn]?" (page 89). Even Brett suspects it will not go smoothly...I do not see this trip to Spain turning out well. Cohn still seems to be under the impression that Brett loves him even though we know she feels differently. Cohn does not seem like a very emotionally stable type person, so I do not know how he will handle this trip. Jake seems like he will be okay though. He has been fine with Brett being with other people and even marrying someone else, so I do not think it will be a problem for him. However, we still do not know a whole lot about Mike, so I am not sure what to expect from him on this trip. I suppose we will find out soon...

Anaphora

In chapter eight, we finally meet Michael Campbell. I am not really sure why Brett wants to marry him. She says herself "This drunkard is Mike Campbell. Mr. Campbell is an undischarged bankrupt" (page 85). This chapter makes Mike seem like he is always a careless drunk, and Brett knows it. At the end of this chapter there is an anaphora. Mike keeps repeating the words "You are a lovely piece" to Brett (page 85). This repetition emphasizes how Mike feels about Brett. He loves her and wants to be with her; however, he is not the only one that we know of who feels this way about Brett. We already know Jake loves her too...but why does she choose Mike if she seems to think he is just a drunkard?

A Book Split into Three Books

Chapter seven is the last chapter in book one. The book is split up into three different sections, or books. My guess is that the reason for these divisions is to separate it by exposition, rising action and climax, and resolution. Book one was all mainly exposition. It introduced many characters and told stories of their pasts. These stories gave us an idea of who their characters were and what their personalities were like. Therefore, we can foreshadow and create an idea of what we suspect will happen later in the book. Book one set up the story, so it is ready to move forward from here throughout the rest of the book.

Allusion

In chapter six, Frances says "I suppose that we that live by the sword shall perish by the sword" (page 57). I know that this is an allusion, but it could be a reference to two different things. I believe this is a quote from Shakespeare's Hamlet. In addition, this is also said in Matthew 26:52 of the Bible. I am not sure which of those Hemingway intended to allude to? However, the meaning of the phrase is the same either way. The phrase is used to describe how one's eventual fate is based on how they live their life. It means that how we act and treat others will affect the rest of our lives. For example, the literal meaning of this phrase is that people who live by violence will, in the end, have that same sword turned on them and be killed through violence... ... ...poetic justice. I do not think that is a literary term?...oh well...it is still poetic justice. =)

Lady Ashley

Chapter five gives us more background information on Brett. "Her name's Lady Ashley. Brett's her own name...she's getting a divorce and she's going to marry Mike Campbell" (page 46). We find out that Brett was a V. A. D. in the hospital Jake was in during the war; therefore, they have known each other for a long time. This is the first time we have heard of Mike Campbell. All we know about him is that he lives in Scotland now and is planning to marry Brett. However, I think we will probably hear more about him as the book progresses. I have to admit...this news was a little surprising to me. The past few chapters had made it sound like Brett and Jake were in love, but now we learn that Brett is actually in love with a man named Mike Campbell and plans on marrying him. That whole thing still seems really complicated to me...but maybe it will make sense later on in the book.

Metaphor

In chapter four, we find out a little more about Brett and Jake. We learn that Brett has the title of Lady Ashley. We also find out that Jake had been wounded in the war, and he met Brett during his time in England. It seems that things between Jake and Brett are a little bit complicated. "Love you? I simply turn all to jelly when you touch me" (page 34). Brett says this metaphor to describe her feelings for Jake. They both love each other...but they also don't? or can't? It all sounds really complicated to me. This chapter makes it seem pretty clear that they both love each other, but for some reason they are both hesitant to do so. We know now that they had history together, but it must have ended badly or something.

Jake Something (?)

In chapter three, we finally learn the name of the story's narrator. Before this point he had just been referred to as Jake. We now know his name is not Jake Something; it is actually Jacob Barnes. This chapter shows us what a basic day was like for Jacob in Paris. It seems like he lives a fairly slow and average life during the post-World War I generation. He wanders around Paris and meets a few friends. One of the new characters introduced in this chapter is a woman named Brett. We do not find out much about her in this chapter, but I think we will later based on the last line of the chapter, "Oh, darling, I've been so miserable" (page 32). From that I would guess they have some sort of history together...I suppose we will find out later in the book if my guess is right or not.

Foreshadowing

In chapter two, the narrator mentions that Robert Cohn had been reading a book called The Purple Land. "The Purple Land is a very sinister book if read too late in life" (page 17). In addition, Cohn not only read this book, but he read and reread it. The fact that Cohn took this as a guide-book to what life holds leads me to believe that this is foreshadowing his character for the rest of the book. My guess is that throughout this book Cohn will not be satisfied with his life. He will probably spend his time trying to find more in life, but he already has his expectations set too high. After reading The Purple Land, he has an ideal life in mind; however, sadly I think he will be disappointed due to his high expectations. Another reason I suspect this will be his fate is because he spends this chapter complaining about his life. He then tries to convince Jake to travel with him to South America. He has a short mid-life crisis as he realizes he wants more out of life.

Time for the Next Book...(Exposition)

The second book is The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway. Interesting title...not quite sure what it means yet, but hopefully after reading this book I will figure that out.

After reading the first chapter, I think it is mostly exposition. The chapter introduces a few characters and tells a little bit of a backstory on them.

• Robert Cohn was a previous middleweight boxing champion; however, we learn that his only reason for fighting was "to counteract the feeling of inferiority and shyness he had felt on being treated as a Jew at Princeton" (page 1).
• Spider Kelly was Cohn's boxing coach. I would guess that he is probably not going to be a major character judging by the brief mentioning of him in this chapter.
• Braddocks was Cohn's literary friend during his traveling in Europe.
• Frances was the lady who Cohn believed he was in love with. However, she seems to be the opposite of Cohn; Frances is forceful while Cohn is shy.
• Jake was Cohn's tennis friend during his traveling in Europe. He is also the narrator of the story.

Final Blog for "The Things They Carried"

After reading the book The Things They Carried, my overall opinion of it is a good one. I liked hearing the various stories O' Brien told. Although some of the stories are definitely not happy ones, I think it is important to know the truth. It is important to hear what really happened during the war. While some of his stories may be more "story-truth" than actual "happening-truth," they give a good idea of what the war was like. I enjoyed reading about O' Brien's experience in the war. If anyone is interested in reading about a war story - and the sometimes sad truth that goes with it - I would recommend this book to them. Even though it is not a happy story, I believe the truth is good to know. "I'm young and happy. I'll never die. I'm skimming across the surface of my own history, moving fast, riding the melt beneath the blades, doing loops and spins, and when I take a high leap into the dark and come down thirty years later, I realize it is as Tim trying to save Timmy's life with a story" (page 246).

Remembering

"We kept the dead alive with stories" (page 239). Around the camp, soldiers told stories of those that had died. They told stories of Ted Lavender, Curt Lemon, and Kiowa. By telling these stories, they were able to remember - and in a way bring back to life - those who had died. This is the same thing O' Brien does throughout the entire book. Each chapter is a different story about an experience the soldiers went through during the war. O' Brien re-tells these stories as he looks back on his past. It is his way of "keeping the dead alive" by remembering them and writing the stories down. These stories can then be read by numerous others through the years. This continuous reading and story-telling keeps the dead alive because it makes sure that they are always remembered and never forgotten.

Change

People change. They grow up, move away, switch jobs, meet new people, and much more. It is simply part of life, and we cannot stop it. However, part of us never changes. While we may grow older and gain more knowledge along the way, there is a part inside us that will always remain the same. It was inside us when we were children, and it will remain there for the rest of our lives. This is the part that O' Brien mentions in this passage. "I was Timmy then; now I'm Tim. But the essence remains the same...inside the body, or beyond the body, there is something absolute and unchanging. The human life is all one thing, like a blade tracing loops on ice: a little kid, a twenty-three-year-old infantry sergeant, a middle-aged writer knowing guilt and sorrow" (page 236).

Respect

"It was more than mockery. There was a formality to it, like a funeral without the sadness" (page 227). O' Brien says this when talking about how the other soldiers shook hands and proposed toasts to the dead. When I first read this, my thought were similar to those of O' Brien. I thought what they were doing was mocking the dead. I viewed their greetings and toasts as disrespectful like Kiowa said. However, O' Brien explains that disrespect was not the reason he refused to join them. O' Brien refused because seeing the body reminded him of someone from the past. In addition, O' Brien also says what they were doing was more than mockery. In a way, their actions were more like a funeral. They were toasting to the dead man's family, ancestors, and new found life after death. What they were doing could be considered disrespectful. On the other hand, it could also be considered respectful.

Metaphor

"I was down there with him, inside him. I was part of the night. I was the land itself - everything, everywhere - the fireflies and paddies, the moon, the midnight rustlings, the cool phosphorescent shimmer of evil - I was atrocity - I was jungle fire, jungle drums - I was the blind stare in the eyes of all those poor, dead ex-pals of mine - all the pale young corpses, Lee Strunk and Kiowa and Curt Lemon - I was the beast on their lips - I was Nam - the horror, the war" (page 209).

Throughout this passage, O' Brien makes numerous metaphors. He compares himself to various people, places, and things. He is not actually stating that he was these things; he is simply making a comparison. He does this to show how the war has become a part of him and how he has become a part of the war. He has spent so long there that he feels connected to it all. He feels connected to the land, the fighting, and the dead. After everything O' Brien has been through, he believes everything is now a part of him. Therefore, he states "I was..." to show this connection because it emphasizes how the war became a significant part of who he was.

Imagery

"After a while, as the night deepens, you feel a funny buzzing in your ears. Tiny sounds get heightened and distorted. The crickets talk in code; the night takes on a weird electronic tingle. You hold your breath. You coil up and tighten your muscles and listen, knuckles hard, the pulse ticking in your head. You hear the spooks laughing. You jerk up, you freeze, you squint at the dark. Nothing, though. You put your weapon on full automatic. You crouch lower and count your grenades and make sure the pins are bent for quick throwing and take a deep breath and listen and try not to freak. And then later, after enough time passes, things start to get bad" (page 205).

In this passage, O' Brien uses language to evoke a picture of an experience. O' Brien wants to describe the feeling one experiences when on night guard. He wants to demonstrate the fear of the darkness and the sounds of the night. He does this through descriptive language that creates an image of the soldier on guard. He describes the many sounds and the way they affect one's mind when they are alone. O' Brien describes the sensation and reactions to the sounds. The purpose of this passage is to get the reader to better understand the fears soldiers face during night guard.

Anthropomorphism

"The need for revenge kept eating at me" (page 200). O' Brien mentions this when talking about trying to get even with Bobby Jorgenson. After Bobby Jorgenson improperly treated O' Brien's gunshot wound, all O' Brien could think about was revenge. This is what he means when he says this. He does not actually mean he is being eaten by revenge. He means that the thought is consuming his mind, and that is all he can think about. "I even remembered the rage. But I couldn't feel it anymore. In the end, all I felt was that coldness down inside my chest. Number one: the guy had almost killed me. Number two: there had to be consequences" (page 201). O' Brien still remembered what Bobby Jorgenson had done, and now he wanted there to be consequences. O' Brien tried to come up with a way to make Bobby Jorgenson pay.

Aphorism

"I want you to know why story-truth is truer sometimes than happening-truth" (page 179). O' Brien makes this statement about life. It shows a wise observation about "truth." Sometimes what actually happens is not as true as the story told about what happened. By telling the occurrence in story form, the reader is able to feel the emotion that goes with it. Rather than simply stating the facts, O' Brien puts emotion into the story in order to get the reader's sympathy. The story-truth allows the reader to relate to the characters in a way that would not be possible if only the happening-truth had been told. Although the story-truth does not always tell the events that actually occurred, it is more true in the sense that it shows the true feelings of the soldiers in the story. The story-truth shows the part of the war that O' Brien wanted shown. He wanted the war experience to be shown rather than the actual facts and events that occurred.

"Nobody's fault...everybody's." (page 176)

"When a man died, there had to be blame. Jimmy Cross understood this. You could blame the war. You could blame the idiots who made the war. You could blame Kiowa for going to it. You could blame the rain. You could blame the river. You could blame the field, the mud, the climate. You could blame the enemy. You could blame the mortar rounds. You could blame people who were too lazy to read a newspaper, who were bored by the daily body counts, who switched channels at the mention of politics. You could blame whole nations. You could blame God. You could blame the munitions makers or Karl Marx or a trick of fate or an old man in Omaha who forgot to vote.

In the field, though, the causes were immediate. A moment of carelessness or bad judgement or plain stupidity carried consequences that lasted forever" (page 177).

Although this quote is rather long, I thought it was important to include all of it. By writing the entire quote, it shows the number of people who could be blamed for the war. However, no one actually deserves the blame. It is not one single person's fault for such things; everyone is to blame. It is because of everyone and everything that this happens; not just because of one simple action that was taken. Therefore, the blame cannot be placed on a single person or thing.

After Kiowa's death, the other soldiers began to blame themselves for it. Some of them kept quiet about it, and they just thought to themselves. Others admitted what they had done and how they were to blame for what happened. Norman Bowker felt responsible because he was unable to save Kiowa. First Lieutenant Jimmy Cross felt responsible for setting up camp in the field instead of moving to higher ground for the night. The young soldier felt responsible for turning on his flashlight to show Kiowa a picture. Azar felt guilty for making jokes about his death. Everyone felt as though they were somehow responsible for Kiowa's death, and they should be blamed for it. His death was "nobody's fault...everybody's" (page 176).