Here we have a story about the unfortunate death of Santiago Nasar, a wealthy, well-respected townsman. However, it is not his death that is most interesting in this story, it is what lies beneath his death that is really the intriguing part. Underlying the vicious death is a town of beggars, of workers, of the wealthy, and of the poor. It is a conglomeration of economically varied people who happen to share the same values. This town is not your ordinary town though. Suspicious behavior has clouded its courtyards and its grassy knolls—behavior that would be seen as irrational, gruesome, and irresponsible in our culture but is acceptable and even expected in this particular place, demonstrating that what is praised and honored in one culture can be criticized or condemned in another. We see women as having a choice to be abstinent until marriage whereas those from some Latin American countries, like the characters in the novel, believe that a woman should remain pure until she becomes a wife. In a culture that accepts the promiscuities of men and values the purity of women, a murder such as Santiago Nasar’s was bound to happen eventually. Also playing a crucial role in the cause of this murder was the pressure to uphold one’s family reputation and honor. With these two factors and with the help of a seemingly apathetic town, Santiago Nasar was stabbed to death by the two Vicario brothers, Pablo and Pedro.
Could the town have stopped these two men from killing Santiago Nasar or did they even want to stop this murder? The motives of the individuals in the town are questionable. We readers are aware of many possible instances when a member of the town could have spoken up or tried to physically stop the brothers, but many of these times, they do nothing but think to themselves is this murder really going to happen. It is clear that some witnesses genuinely did not think Pablo and Pedro would really go through with the murder since they have always been nice boys and have done nothing to contradict that fact. Another variable was that wedding celebrations for Angela Vicario and Bayardo San Roman have been going on for the past few days and therefore when the men declared their plans people saw it as a drunken thought that would go anyway the next morning once they sobered up. Because of the brothers reputation and the wedding circumstances, many of the townspeople simply did not think twice about an actual murder taking place in their town and brushed the silly boys off when they came around with sharpened knives in their hands. However, there were some other characters whose motives for not doing anything when informed about the possible murder were not as simple. Victoria Guzman and her daughter Divina Flor are a prime example. Ms. Guzman, the Nasar family cook, had a past with Santiago’s father. She said she was seduced by Ibrahim Nasar and when she noticed that his son, Santiago, was doing the same thing to her daughter she was appalled. In the event of Santiago’s death, the two women secretly disclosed all information, which if they had informed Santiago of early that morning, it might have changed the outcome of the day. Colonel Lazaro Aponte, Clothilde Armenta, Maria Cervantes, and the man in the knife shop are all also responsible for Santiago's death. They could have taken more forceful actions to prevent his death, but instead, chose to rely on other to do so. Therefore, the whole town, some inadvertently, played a major role in the death of Santiago Nasar.
By emphasizing the actions of all witnesses, not only the ones of the crime but also of the two brothers declaring their plan to kill, Marquez successfully shows that the motives of people other than the murderers are just as important as those of the murderers themselves. He also demonstrates that what lies on the surface is not always what is important but rather what we are not able to see at first glance.
(680)
Monday, December 10, 2007
Monday, November 19, 2007
Ibo Culture Once Again
In what ways does Okonkwo embody the values and principles of Ibo culture? What are the strengths of his character?
In Ibo culture strength and hard work are extremely important. Without these characteristics, according to the Ibo people, one cannot succeed in life or live a respectable life. It is crucial to rise to a certain level of power in order to be a person of high reverence.
One way of demonstrating ones courage and vitality is through wrestling. Okonkwo proves this needed tenacity when he beats Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match. This competition represents one’s willingness to stand up for his people and to bring honor to his tribe. Not only does Okonkwo succeed in taking out the long-time champion, he demonstrates the importance of displays of power in Ibo culture. There is no doubt that Okonkwo is a fierce tribesman, but sometimes his desire to always appear to be strong to those around him leads him to act rashly and in the end causes him to crack. The pressure to be seen at the strong one all the time was too much for him to handle and it ultimately lead to his tragic suicide.
Okonkwo does not only embody the value of strength in Ibo culture but also the value of hard work. Okonkwo was not born into a prestigious family and as Achebe points out, “with a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had. He neither inherited a barn nor a title, nor even a young wife” (18). Okonkwo’s father was a lazy man who rather play the flute than do the typical labor in the fields. Doing something other than fieldwork was not normally acceptable for men in Ibo culture and because his father was more interested in his flute and languages than doing “real” work, he was looked down upon in the village. Okonkwo, unlike his father, did do the acceptable work despite the fact that it was not easy or even rewarding at first. He had nothing to begin with so he borrowed yams from other laborers to get his harvest going. After much persistent hard work, Okonkwo was able to pay back those who had helped him, even giving them more than they had given him in the beginning. Okonkwo even built his own hut or obi. He worked hard every day and it paid off in the end. He was able to achieve his goals of living a life with respect to the principles of Ibo culture and of being a respectable man unlike his father, who died a shameful death and left many of his debts unpaid.
Okonkwo’s hard work was definitely one of his strongest characteristics and it is a characteristic that plays an important role in Ibo culture, but it is the social traditions that are an even larger aspect of Ibo culture. In Ibo culture it is important to always come bearing gifts particularly when the person has come to ask or request something and before the request can be made, the group must openly share the gifts and enjoy them. Okonkwo does this when he went to see Nwakibie, a wealthy man with a surplus of pretty much everything, to ask for seed-yams to start his own farm. Rather than just asking him for the seed-yams right away, Okonkwo takes out the palm wine, the kola nut, and the alligator pepper he brought with him to share with Nwakibie. He also gives him a rooster in exchange for the seeds. With these items at hand Okonkwo says to the clansman, “As our people say, a man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness” (19). In this proverb, Okonkwo expresses the simple Ibo value of respecting those who help others and that if you do respect these great men you are essentially creating your own greatness. Okonkwo does a great job embodying many of the Ibo’s values and principles and the characteristics he has that follow the essence of these values are in fact his strongest characteristics.
(687)
In Ibo culture strength and hard work are extremely important. Without these characteristics, according to the Ibo people, one cannot succeed in life or live a respectable life. It is crucial to rise to a certain level of power in order to be a person of high reverence.
One way of demonstrating ones courage and vitality is through wrestling. Okonkwo proves this needed tenacity when he beats Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match. This competition represents one’s willingness to stand up for his people and to bring honor to his tribe. Not only does Okonkwo succeed in taking out the long-time champion, he demonstrates the importance of displays of power in Ibo culture. There is no doubt that Okonkwo is a fierce tribesman, but sometimes his desire to always appear to be strong to those around him leads him to act rashly and in the end causes him to crack. The pressure to be seen at the strong one all the time was too much for him to handle and it ultimately lead to his tragic suicide.
Okonkwo does not only embody the value of strength in Ibo culture but also the value of hard work. Okonkwo was not born into a prestigious family and as Achebe points out, “with a father like Unoka, Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men had. He neither inherited a barn nor a title, nor even a young wife” (18). Okonkwo’s father was a lazy man who rather play the flute than do the typical labor in the fields. Doing something other than fieldwork was not normally acceptable for men in Ibo culture and because his father was more interested in his flute and languages than doing “real” work, he was looked down upon in the village. Okonkwo, unlike his father, did do the acceptable work despite the fact that it was not easy or even rewarding at first. He had nothing to begin with so he borrowed yams from other laborers to get his harvest going. After much persistent hard work, Okonkwo was able to pay back those who had helped him, even giving them more than they had given him in the beginning. Okonkwo even built his own hut or obi. He worked hard every day and it paid off in the end. He was able to achieve his goals of living a life with respect to the principles of Ibo culture and of being a respectable man unlike his father, who died a shameful death and left many of his debts unpaid.
Okonkwo’s hard work was definitely one of his strongest characteristics and it is a characteristic that plays an important role in Ibo culture, but it is the social traditions that are an even larger aspect of Ibo culture. In Ibo culture it is important to always come bearing gifts particularly when the person has come to ask or request something and before the request can be made, the group must openly share the gifts and enjoy them. Okonkwo does this when he went to see Nwakibie, a wealthy man with a surplus of pretty much everything, to ask for seed-yams to start his own farm. Rather than just asking him for the seed-yams right away, Okonkwo takes out the palm wine, the kola nut, and the alligator pepper he brought with him to share with Nwakibie. He also gives him a rooster in exchange for the seeds. With these items at hand Okonkwo says to the clansman, “As our people say, a man who pays respect to the great paves the way for his own greatness” (19). In this proverb, Okonkwo expresses the simple Ibo value of respecting those who help others and that if you do respect these great men you are essentially creating your own greatness. Okonkwo does a great job embodying many of the Ibo’s values and principles and the characteristics he has that follow the essence of these values are in fact his strongest characteristics.
(687)
Monday, November 12, 2007
Ibo Culture as Seen in "Things Fall Apart"
In Ibo Culture, a sense of tradition was highly significant. The Ibo people would carry out the various traditions that had been passed down from their ancestors centuries ago in their everyday lives. These traditions or customs that came in the form of funeral ceremonies, one’s manners, rites of passage, and more were the backbone of the Ibo culture. They brought the tribe closer by allowing the people to come together and take part in activities as a group.
One of the most notable Ibo traditions is the rite of passage for young girls and boys maturing into adulthood. This rite of passage is not a sudden acceptance into adulthood but rather a series of rites they must go through over time before they become a true adult. Only eight days after birth, a child goes through the rite of circumcision. Every boy and girl must be circumcised in order to be part of the Ibo culture. Boys and girls must also complete the rite of wearing cloths. This entails going from wearing nothing to being completely covered in clothes, signifying social status as well as individual improvement or transformation. The next rite of passage is Iru-mgede (fattening a girl before marriage). This custom is done to promote healthy offspring as well as a healthy marriage. Itu Anya is the fourth rite of passage, lasting for eight days, where one becomes a Diviner. During this time, the child has time to think, reflect, and even communicate with spirits in order to gain the power, knowledge, and courage that is needed to become a Diviner. The last rite of passage for a child in Ibo culture is Igba-Mgba or wrestling. In this activity one shows his true strength and courage and with success he becomes a real warrior and in turn, a man.
The Week of Peace is a sacred time for the Ido people. Before any one is allowed to plant their crops they must live in peace with their neighbors for a week to honor Ani, the great goddess of the earth. It is ordained that if this peace is broken than they will not receive a blessing from Ani and their crops will not grow. Achebe demonstrates how important this week is to the Ibos through Okonkwo’s beating of his wife, Ojiugo. “The evil you have done can ruin the whole clan,” says the priest of the earth goddess, Ezeani (Achebe 30). It was a shocking moment for Ibo people when they heard of Okonkwo’s actions because “it was the first time for many years that a man had broken the sacred peace (31).
Another similar tradition in honoring the gods is the New Yam Festival. At this time of the year, before the harvest began, the Ibo people celebrated the joy of a new harvest year. At night they would throw away the yams of the old year and all of the cooking pots and pans were thoroughly washed. This was also a time to honor the earth goddess again and the ancestral spirits of the clan.
Aside from ceremonial traditions the traditions of telling stories was one of great importance in Ibo culture. It was not only fun but also educational because through these folk tales, myths, riddles, and proverbs the young Ibo children could learn about their ancestors and allow them to understand the importance of various customs. Nwoye could still remember the stories his mother used to tell him. He felt as ease when he reminisced about the many stories she told (53). They are a huge part of his life and serve an integral part in Ibo culture.
(605)
Websites:
http://members.tripod.com/ih8_tuxedos/index1.html
http://www.monge.net/thingsfallapart/Igbo%20Background.html
http://nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/faculty/muir/africa_project/p7/WomensRights/Tribal%20roles.htm
http://www.kwenu.com/igbo/igbowebpages/Igbo.dir/Culture/culture_and_socialization.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_people
One of the most notable Ibo traditions is the rite of passage for young girls and boys maturing into adulthood. This rite of passage is not a sudden acceptance into adulthood but rather a series of rites they must go through over time before they become a true adult. Only eight days after birth, a child goes through the rite of circumcision. Every boy and girl must be circumcised in order to be part of the Ibo culture. Boys and girls must also complete the rite of wearing cloths. This entails going from wearing nothing to being completely covered in clothes, signifying social status as well as individual improvement or transformation. The next rite of passage is Iru-mgede (fattening a girl before marriage). This custom is done to promote healthy offspring as well as a healthy marriage. Itu Anya is the fourth rite of passage, lasting for eight days, where one becomes a Diviner. During this time, the child has time to think, reflect, and even communicate with spirits in order to gain the power, knowledge, and courage that is needed to become a Diviner. The last rite of passage for a child in Ibo culture is Igba-Mgba or wrestling. In this activity one shows his true strength and courage and with success he becomes a real warrior and in turn, a man.
The Week of Peace is a sacred time for the Ido people. Before any one is allowed to plant their crops they must live in peace with their neighbors for a week to honor Ani, the great goddess of the earth. It is ordained that if this peace is broken than they will not receive a blessing from Ani and their crops will not grow. Achebe demonstrates how important this week is to the Ibos through Okonkwo’s beating of his wife, Ojiugo. “The evil you have done can ruin the whole clan,” says the priest of the earth goddess, Ezeani (Achebe 30). It was a shocking moment for Ibo people when they heard of Okonkwo’s actions because “it was the first time for many years that a man had broken the sacred peace (31).
Another similar tradition in honoring the gods is the New Yam Festival. At this time of the year, before the harvest began, the Ibo people celebrated the joy of a new harvest year. At night they would throw away the yams of the old year and all of the cooking pots and pans were thoroughly washed. This was also a time to honor the earth goddess again and the ancestral spirits of the clan.
Aside from ceremonial traditions the traditions of telling stories was one of great importance in Ibo culture. It was not only fun but also educational because through these folk tales, myths, riddles, and proverbs the young Ibo children could learn about their ancestors and allow them to understand the importance of various customs. Nwoye could still remember the stories his mother used to tell him. He felt as ease when he reminisced about the many stories she told (53). They are a huge part of his life and serve an integral part in Ibo culture.
(605)
Websites:
http://members.tripod.com/ih8_tuxedos/index1.html
http://www.monge.net/thingsfallapart/Igbo%20Background.html
http://nths.newtrier.k12.il.us/academics/faculty/muir/africa_project/p7/WomensRights/Tribal%20roles.htm
http://www.kwenu.com/igbo/igbowebpages/Igbo.dir/Culture/culture_and_socialization.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Igbo_people
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Metamorphosis
“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect (67).” Immediately, we readers are engaged in a surprising story of a man who has morphed into some kind of unwanted creature. In this instant we crave for more information about this poor man. A moment later we are informed that his transformation was not a dream. Instantaneously, there is uncertainty as to why someone would have such a drastic transformation. Could it be a magical spell put on him or maybe a strange disease he contracted? Well, it happens to be that Gregor Samsa has not been infected with any unknown mysteries but rather his unconscious self has taken over his outward appearance as an attempt to satisfy his repressed desires. Gregor’s continual repression of his true feelings about his job and his family leads to his uncontrolled and unstoppable metamorphosis.
Gregor had a lot on his shoulders. He, unlike his father, was the bread-winner of the family. He was the one that had to go out and earn a living sufficient enough to satisfy the needs of his mother, his sister, his father, and of course, himself. Without Gregor’s persistent work they would not have had enough money for every day matters, despite the small amount of funds left over after his father’s business collapse, which Gregor did not know about until after he became an insect. Their dependence on him was a constant pressure that eventually caused Gregor’s unconscious self to take over his physical self.
The only part of Gregor that stayed the same was his conscious mind. Surprisingly, instead of questioning his new state, Gregor focused on the one thing that may have caused it—his work. The moment he awakes from his somber sleep, he forcefully tries to get out of bed but is not able to at first because of the constrictions his new body has created and because he is still unaccustomed and unfamiliar to them. Gregor could not stop thinking about what would happen if he could not get out of bed and get to work that day. There would be so many new troubles presented to his family and it worried him. At the same time Gregor thought about how terrible his job was and how much he disliked it. Kafka shows us these feelings when he remarks, “Oh God, he thought, what an exhausting job I’ve picked on (68)!” Although Gregor hated his job he continued to ignore these unacceptable feelings when he thought about them because in his conscious mind he felt as though he would be letting his family down were he to quit his job. In order to suppress these thoughts, Gregor assures himself, “Well, there’s still hope; once I’ve saved enough money to pay back my parents’ debts to him—that should take another five or six years—I’ll do it without fail. I’ll cut myself completely loose from them then (69).” By falsely reassuring himself that if he continues to work for six more years he will be able to fulfill his own life, Gregor is further repressing his desires and in turn, allowing a build-up of repressed desires that have no way out other than through a full-body transformation from human to insect. An insect cannot work. It cannot carry out simple human tasks and because of these restrictions, being an insect is the perfect escape for Gregor from the many burdens placed on him and it is the perfect way for him to realize what he really wants—to be loved and to be accepted.
(601)
Gregor had a lot on his shoulders. He, unlike his father, was the bread-winner of the family. He was the one that had to go out and earn a living sufficient enough to satisfy the needs of his mother, his sister, his father, and of course, himself. Without Gregor’s persistent work they would not have had enough money for every day matters, despite the small amount of funds left over after his father’s business collapse, which Gregor did not know about until after he became an insect. Their dependence on him was a constant pressure that eventually caused Gregor’s unconscious self to take over his physical self.
The only part of Gregor that stayed the same was his conscious mind. Surprisingly, instead of questioning his new state, Gregor focused on the one thing that may have caused it—his work. The moment he awakes from his somber sleep, he forcefully tries to get out of bed but is not able to at first because of the constrictions his new body has created and because he is still unaccustomed and unfamiliar to them. Gregor could not stop thinking about what would happen if he could not get out of bed and get to work that day. There would be so many new troubles presented to his family and it worried him. At the same time Gregor thought about how terrible his job was and how much he disliked it. Kafka shows us these feelings when he remarks, “Oh God, he thought, what an exhausting job I’ve picked on (68)!” Although Gregor hated his job he continued to ignore these unacceptable feelings when he thought about them because in his conscious mind he felt as though he would be letting his family down were he to quit his job. In order to suppress these thoughts, Gregor assures himself, “Well, there’s still hope; once I’ve saved enough money to pay back my parents’ debts to him—that should take another five or six years—I’ll do it without fail. I’ll cut myself completely loose from them then (69).” By falsely reassuring himself that if he continues to work for six more years he will be able to fulfill his own life, Gregor is further repressing his desires and in turn, allowing a build-up of repressed desires that have no way out other than through a full-body transformation from human to insect. An insect cannot work. It cannot carry out simple human tasks and because of these restrictions, being an insect is the perfect escape for Gregor from the many burdens placed on him and it is the perfect way for him to realize what he really wants—to be loved and to be accepted.
(601)
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
Who is Ivan Ilyich?
Who is Ivan Ilyich? What is his professional and personal life like up to the move to Petersburg. What are his motives? How does he make decisions? What is the narrator’s attitude toward him?
Ivan Ilyich was a well-mannered and intelligent man with a pleasant disposition. He was the middle child of a family of three boys and one girl. He was unlike his older brother in that he was not as meticulous or formal and unlike his younger brother in that he was not as presumptuous. Ivan was a member of the court justice up until his death at the age of forty-five and he completed his duties mercifully. He was a well-liked and respectable man—never one to incite or stir arguments and never one to fulfill his tasks without optimum effort and caution. Ivan was always one to use the proper decorum in the proper setting. He had good judgment, especially when it came to his job. He always fully examined the case in order to not miss any crucial details and to maintain a fair investigation. Tolstoy made reference to how Ivan liked to dance, displaying to readers that he was also fun loving and did not take everything too seriously. In fact, it is through dancing, Tolstoy said, that Ivan Ilyich won the heart of Praskovya Fyodorovna. They danced together at nighttime, and eventually he asked her to marry him, not because he had fallen madly in love with her but because she was a woman of good fortune and good looks therefore, both he and society proved it to be a worthy union. The narrator comments on Ivan’s reasons for marrying Praskovya. He says he “did what people of the highest standing considered correct (49)”. With these words, the narrator eludes to a very important aspect of Ivan’s character: he is strongly influenced by the judgments and thoughts of the people around him and high societies’ social standards. This makes Ivan a man of conformity rather than insubordination and noncompliance.
Ivan Ilyich’s marriage to Praskovya Fyodorvna was pleasant and seemed to be going very well until not long after Praskovya became pregnant with their first child. At this time, she began to want more from Ivan, but all he wanted was to go on living his simple, carefree life in accordance with societies’ standards. So Ivan did the only thing he could do, immerse himself in his work. The narrator explains, “. . . his need to fence off a world for himself outside the family became even more imperative (50)”. Ivan saw marriage as another job, one that he had to work at just as hard as he did at any other job. He, “realized that married life, though it offered certain conveniences, was in fact a very complex and difficult business, and that to do one’s duty to it—that is, to lead a proper, socially acceptable life—one had to develop a clearly defined attitude to it, just as one did with respect to work (50)”. Ivan does not care about whether his marriage will work out for his families’ sake but rather, he selfishly only cares about how a failed marriage will look and affect his social status in life. He longed for the respect and attention from society that society gives to those with lives worthy of being respected and praised. For this he held the display of a perfect family and a perfect marriage. Most importantly, Ivan cared about his work more than any other aspect of his life and it basically ran his life for the next seven years.
In 1880, Ivan Ilyich fell to his breaking point. Trying to keep up with the standards he had set for himself, he fell in to debt and was unable to get a higher paying job when he most needed it. He and his wife then moved in with his wife’s brother in the country in an effort to save money. Left with no work, Ivan found himself with nothing to do but think about his current situation. He realized he was in a bad place and so he decided the best thing to do was to go to Petersburg and look for a job. Ivan got extremely lucky, and with help from his friend, Zakhar Ivanovich, he was able to be placed back in his former ministry, but this time, ranked above his colleagues. He was ecstatic and sent letters back to his wife in the country informing her about his new position. He received money for relocating, which he quickly used to buy a new apartment and furnish it extravagantly. Everything was working out for Ivan and his marriage was even better than it had been since their first year together. Once he started work and he and his family had settled into their apartment, things began to fall in to place perfectly. It seems that Ivan did not learn anything from his past experience of almost losing everything he had worked for and instead, he has taken his new luck for granted. He still possesses the same selfish and unimportant goals of achieving attention for his successes in life and he still undermines the wishes of his wife. Although we learn that Ivan is a hard-working man, we discover that he is blind to what is really important in life.
(893)
Ivan Ilyich was a well-mannered and intelligent man with a pleasant disposition. He was the middle child of a family of three boys and one girl. He was unlike his older brother in that he was not as meticulous or formal and unlike his younger brother in that he was not as presumptuous. Ivan was a member of the court justice up until his death at the age of forty-five and he completed his duties mercifully. He was a well-liked and respectable man—never one to incite or stir arguments and never one to fulfill his tasks without optimum effort and caution. Ivan was always one to use the proper decorum in the proper setting. He had good judgment, especially when it came to his job. He always fully examined the case in order to not miss any crucial details and to maintain a fair investigation. Tolstoy made reference to how Ivan liked to dance, displaying to readers that he was also fun loving and did not take everything too seriously. In fact, it is through dancing, Tolstoy said, that Ivan Ilyich won the heart of Praskovya Fyodorovna. They danced together at nighttime, and eventually he asked her to marry him, not because he had fallen madly in love with her but because she was a woman of good fortune and good looks therefore, both he and society proved it to be a worthy union. The narrator comments on Ivan’s reasons for marrying Praskovya. He says he “did what people of the highest standing considered correct (49)”. With these words, the narrator eludes to a very important aspect of Ivan’s character: he is strongly influenced by the judgments and thoughts of the people around him and high societies’ social standards. This makes Ivan a man of conformity rather than insubordination and noncompliance.
Ivan Ilyich’s marriage to Praskovya Fyodorvna was pleasant and seemed to be going very well until not long after Praskovya became pregnant with their first child. At this time, she began to want more from Ivan, but all he wanted was to go on living his simple, carefree life in accordance with societies’ standards. So Ivan did the only thing he could do, immerse himself in his work. The narrator explains, “. . . his need to fence off a world for himself outside the family became even more imperative (50)”. Ivan saw marriage as another job, one that he had to work at just as hard as he did at any other job. He, “realized that married life, though it offered certain conveniences, was in fact a very complex and difficult business, and that to do one’s duty to it—that is, to lead a proper, socially acceptable life—one had to develop a clearly defined attitude to it, just as one did with respect to work (50)”. Ivan does not care about whether his marriage will work out for his families’ sake but rather, he selfishly only cares about how a failed marriage will look and affect his social status in life. He longed for the respect and attention from society that society gives to those with lives worthy of being respected and praised. For this he held the display of a perfect family and a perfect marriage. Most importantly, Ivan cared about his work more than any other aspect of his life and it basically ran his life for the next seven years.
In 1880, Ivan Ilyich fell to his breaking point. Trying to keep up with the standards he had set for himself, he fell in to debt and was unable to get a higher paying job when he most needed it. He and his wife then moved in with his wife’s brother in the country in an effort to save money. Left with no work, Ivan found himself with nothing to do but think about his current situation. He realized he was in a bad place and so he decided the best thing to do was to go to Petersburg and look for a job. Ivan got extremely lucky, and with help from his friend, Zakhar Ivanovich, he was able to be placed back in his former ministry, but this time, ranked above his colleagues. He was ecstatic and sent letters back to his wife in the country informing her about his new position. He received money for relocating, which he quickly used to buy a new apartment and furnish it extravagantly. Everything was working out for Ivan and his marriage was even better than it had been since their first year together. Once he started work and he and his family had settled into their apartment, things began to fall in to place perfectly. It seems that Ivan did not learn anything from his past experience of almost losing everything he had worked for and instead, he has taken his new luck for granted. He still possesses the same selfish and unimportant goals of achieving attention for his successes in life and he still undermines the wishes of his wife. Although we learn that Ivan is a hard-working man, we discover that he is blind to what is really important in life.
(893)
Friday, September 21, 2007
Antigone's Passion and Ismene's Rationality
What is the relationship between Antigone and Ismene like? In what ways do they their conversations expose their true characters?
Antigone and Ismene are very different characters. Although they are sisters, the way in which they think and react in various situations is much different. They are both strong and passionate women, but what they are vehement about is not the same, making their ability to agree upon things very limited and their relationship complicated and at times antagonistic. Antigone’s fervent desire to bring justice to her brother’s death is overwhelming to her sister, Ismene, who is insistent about staying in accordance with the rules of the city and the standards of women. Ismene, acting as the mother figure, tries to calm her sister’s impulsive behavior but is unsuccessful as Antigone is unrelenting and uncompromising about her plans to give her brother proper burial rites. During their intense conversations, Antigone’s persistency and stubbornness becomes apparent while Ismene’s submissiveness is undeniable. Antigone exclaims, “Die I must, I’ve known it all my life—how could I keep from knowing (511-12)? . . . If I had allowed my own mother’s son to rot, an unburied corpse—that would have been an agony (520-22)!” Ismene says to her sister, “we must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men . . . I must obey the ones who stand in power (74-80).” Antigone holds her ground even after her sister tries to talk some sense into her. “I will bury him myself,” she proclaims. “And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory (85-86)." Antigone displays her passion toward her beliefs. She feels that if she stands up for what she believes in, then dying for that cause will be good because in doing so, it brings her glory. According to her, to die for what one believes in is the ultimate means of glory. Antigone is carried away with this desire to have a glorious death and to uphold proper burial rites. It even interferes with how she treats her sister. In the mist of staying true to her beliefs, Antigone forgets about those who care about her and instead, focuses on her self without realizing how her actions may affect those around her. It is this lack of knowledge that makes Antigone a tragic character and her sister subject to the implications of her tragic flaws.
It is not until Antigone is caught and given her death sentence, that she starts to have compassion for the ones that care about her, in particular, her sister. Ismene comes forward to Creon saying how she should be punished with her sister because although she did not take part in the act, she feels responsible for her sister’s actions. Also, Ismene does not want to live without her sister because as she explained, “What do I care for life, cut off from you (618)?” Antigone refuses her sister’s desire to die with her. At first it seems that Antigone only wants her sister to live so she bask in all her glory alone but, later it seems more that she does not think her sister should die for something she didn’t do. Antigone shows some this compassion and remorse when she says, “Save yourself. I don’t grudge you your survival (624).” Although Antigone never really regretted her actions or was ashamed of them, in the end, she did realize that she might have gone about it in the wrong way—a way that deeply hurt her sister and her husband. Before her death she proudly says, “if this is the pleasure of the gods, once I suffer I will know that I was wrong. But if these men are wrong, let them suffer nothing worse than they mete out to me—these masters of injustice (1017-1020)!” In these words, Antigone exemplifies the tragic character in that in their tragic moment, when they have been brought down my some tremendous flaw, there is a deep realization or understanding of things. For Antigone, instead of blaming Creon until the end for her death, she accepts that it might just be the fate that the gods have given her.
(700)
Antigone and Ismene are very different characters. Although they are sisters, the way in which they think and react in various situations is much different. They are both strong and passionate women, but what they are vehement about is not the same, making their ability to agree upon things very limited and their relationship complicated and at times antagonistic. Antigone’s fervent desire to bring justice to her brother’s death is overwhelming to her sister, Ismene, who is insistent about staying in accordance with the rules of the city and the standards of women. Ismene, acting as the mother figure, tries to calm her sister’s impulsive behavior but is unsuccessful as Antigone is unrelenting and uncompromising about her plans to give her brother proper burial rites. During their intense conversations, Antigone’s persistency and stubbornness becomes apparent while Ismene’s submissiveness is undeniable. Antigone exclaims, “Die I must, I’ve known it all my life—how could I keep from knowing (511-12)? . . . If I had allowed my own mother’s son to rot, an unburied corpse—that would have been an agony (520-22)!” Ismene says to her sister, “we must be sensible. Remember we are women, we’re not born to contend with men . . . I must obey the ones who stand in power (74-80).” Antigone holds her ground even after her sister tries to talk some sense into her. “I will bury him myself,” she proclaims. “And even if I die in the act, that death will be a glory (85-86)." Antigone displays her passion toward her beliefs. She feels that if she stands up for what she believes in, then dying for that cause will be good because in doing so, it brings her glory. According to her, to die for what one believes in is the ultimate means of glory. Antigone is carried away with this desire to have a glorious death and to uphold proper burial rites. It even interferes with how she treats her sister. In the mist of staying true to her beliefs, Antigone forgets about those who care about her and instead, focuses on her self without realizing how her actions may affect those around her. It is this lack of knowledge that makes Antigone a tragic character and her sister subject to the implications of her tragic flaws.
It is not until Antigone is caught and given her death sentence, that she starts to have compassion for the ones that care about her, in particular, her sister. Ismene comes forward to Creon saying how she should be punished with her sister because although she did not take part in the act, she feels responsible for her sister’s actions. Also, Ismene does not want to live without her sister because as she explained, “What do I care for life, cut off from you (618)?” Antigone refuses her sister’s desire to die with her. At first it seems that Antigone only wants her sister to live so she bask in all her glory alone but, later it seems more that she does not think her sister should die for something she didn’t do. Antigone shows some this compassion and remorse when she says, “Save yourself. I don’t grudge you your survival (624).” Although Antigone never really regretted her actions or was ashamed of them, in the end, she did realize that she might have gone about it in the wrong way—a way that deeply hurt her sister and her husband. Before her death she proudly says, “if this is the pleasure of the gods, once I suffer I will know that I was wrong. But if these men are wrong, let them suffer nothing worse than they mete out to me—these masters of injustice (1017-1020)!” In these words, Antigone exemplifies the tragic character in that in their tragic moment, when they have been brought down my some tremendous flaw, there is a deep realization or understanding of things. For Antigone, instead of blaming Creon until the end for her death, she accepts that it might just be the fate that the gods have given her.
(700)
Monday, September 10, 2007
The Beginning of "Oedipus the King"
In pages 159 to 187 of “Oedipus the King” we get a clear idea of what this story is going to be about. We are not only reminded of the intelligent Oedipus’s previous uncovering of the riddle about the Sphinx, but we are also informed of a new fate that he will soon suffer from according to Tiresias, the blind prophet. Oedipus will learn what his fate is only after he has solved the riddle that Tiresias told him upon his visit to the royal house of Thebes. The riddle refers to Laius’s killer, whom Oedipus is looking for as the only way, according to Lord Apollo, for the citizens of Thebes to end the plague that has begun to corrupt and destroy their city. The riddle goes “A stranger, you may think, who lives among you, he soon will be revealed a native Theban but he will take no joy in the revelation. Blind who now has eyes, beggar who now is rich, he will grope his way toward a foreign soil, a stick tapping before him step by step. Revealed at last, brother and father both to the children he embraces, to his mother son and husband both—he sowed the loins his father sowed, he spilled his father’s blood (185)!” Oedipus must figure out who and what Tiresias is referring to before he can attempt to help the city relieve itself from the burdens of the plague. The readers know already that this riddle is of Oedipus’s own fate. We are aware that as king he has married his own mother, but he has yet to be informed about this unlawful and displeasing union. With this information, we are cognizant of the tragic moment that is about to occur with his discovery of this knowledge. This lack of knowledge or ignorance of family relationships makes Oedipus a tragic character that will at some point fall from his greatness because of the tragic flaws he possesses. It is this revelation or discovery of his position that will bring his demise in life.
In just these few first pages, there are many foreshadows of what the future holds for both the city of Thebes and for Oedipus. I like that in the brief introduction of “Oedipus the King”, I was able to learn more about Oedipus than what I knew from his old story. I was able to get a better understanding of how Oedipus played his role as king and how he reacted with the troubled Thebans. Serving as a perfect example of a tragic character, Oedipus is a highly renowned and prosperous king. He even refers to his own greatness when he first addresses the kneeling Thebes. He says, “ . . .you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus.” With pride he exclaims to a priest kneeling before him with homage to his success and with hope that he might end the plague, “You can trust me. I am ready to help, I’ll do anything (159).” Right from this moment I felt that Oedipus genuinely wanted to do good for his fellow Thebans and that he sincerely wanted to help them because it hurt him more than the plague hurt them to see them with such pain and suffering.
In the next readings of “Oedipus the King” I want to look out for moments when the king’s tone toward the city of Thebes changes as well as for the climactic tragic moment when Oedipus discovers his true identity. I also am interested to see if the people continue to have hope and faith in their leader as they seem to have so much of in the beginning or if they start to question him and believe that it was he who killed Laius.
(630)
In just these few first pages, there are many foreshadows of what the future holds for both the city of Thebes and for Oedipus. I like that in the brief introduction of “Oedipus the King”, I was able to learn more about Oedipus than what I knew from his old story. I was able to get a better understanding of how Oedipus played his role as king and how he reacted with the troubled Thebans. Serving as a perfect example of a tragic character, Oedipus is a highly renowned and prosperous king. He even refers to his own greatness when he first addresses the kneeling Thebes. He says, “ . . .you all know me, the world knows my fame: I am Oedipus.” With pride he exclaims to a priest kneeling before him with homage to his success and with hope that he might end the plague, “You can trust me. I am ready to help, I’ll do anything (159).” Right from this moment I felt that Oedipus genuinely wanted to do good for his fellow Thebans and that he sincerely wanted to help them because it hurt him more than the plague hurt them to see them with such pain and suffering.
In the next readings of “Oedipus the King” I want to look out for moments when the king’s tone toward the city of Thebes changes as well as for the climactic tragic moment when Oedipus discovers his true identity. I also am interested to see if the people continue to have hope and faith in their leader as they seem to have so much of in the beginning or if they start to question him and believe that it was he who killed Laius.
(630)
Friday, August 31, 2007
Lovely Bones, Lovely Book!
The lovely bones captivated me with its unique blend of fantasy and reality—a combination I was hesitant about at first but later found enjoyable. From the first sentences on the first page, “My name is Salmon, like the fish; first name Susie” to the very last sentence on the final page, “I wish you all a long and happy life,” The Lovely Bones was both intriguing and mesmerizing. I believe I felt this way while reading it because it had several appealing qualities. One, that is was able to open my eyes to whole new world filled with happiness, joy, self-discovery, and sadness; a world that is only what you make of it. Two, it allowed me to understand the process of grief and recovery in dealing with death. I personally have not suffered from the loss of a loved one or a close family member, so being able to see the aftermath of death through the eyes of one who has helped me in getting a better understanding of what that might be like. The characters’ emotions were so clearly and effectively described, that getting a glimpse of what dealing with death is like is easy to do. This topic of death or tragedy, when joined by a brilliant and descriptive narration is one that can easily be captivating as it is a common experience for many humans therefore, very relatable and true to life, which I found makes a good book.
Another important aspect of the book is its characters. Susie Salmon, the main character, a young girl who is raped at the age of fourteen by her serial killer neighbor, narrates the book with a keen eye from her celestial heaven on her friends and family back on earth. Her naïve perspective on life in heaven after her death was one that I found to be interesting and meaningful. Watching over the life she is no longer apart of, Susie learns many life lessons and is able to see her family and friends for who they really are. For example when Susie watches over her mother, she sees a side to her that was very different from the one she saw when she was alive. Only once had she seen her mother like this before her death but she had not been able to really understand why she was so different. Then in heaven she begins to understand that the women she sees is not her mother anymore but rather just another human being. Seeing Susie grow mentally as she discovers the meaning of life and who she is was refreshing as I am going through this same self-discovery at this point in my life. Susie’s mom, Abigail also goes through a discovery period where she realizes her unhappiness and boredom in life. Her character related to me in that she as am I is looking for what she really wants in life. The Lovely Bones does a great job relating to many different people on many different levels in ways I found to be more effective than other books I have read.
(517)
Another important aspect of the book is its characters. Susie Salmon, the main character, a young girl who is raped at the age of fourteen by her serial killer neighbor, narrates the book with a keen eye from her celestial heaven on her friends and family back on earth. Her naïve perspective on life in heaven after her death was one that I found to be interesting and meaningful. Watching over the life she is no longer apart of, Susie learns many life lessons and is able to see her family and friends for who they really are. For example when Susie watches over her mother, she sees a side to her that was very different from the one she saw when she was alive. Only once had she seen her mother like this before her death but she had not been able to really understand why she was so different. Then in heaven she begins to understand that the women she sees is not her mother anymore but rather just another human being. Seeing Susie grow mentally as she discovers the meaning of life and who she is was refreshing as I am going through this same self-discovery at this point in my life. Susie’s mom, Abigail also goes through a discovery period where she realizes her unhappiness and boredom in life. Her character related to me in that she as am I is looking for what she really wants in life. The Lovely Bones does a great job relating to many different people on many different levels in ways I found to be more effective than other books I have read.
(517)
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
The Joys of Reading and Writing
To be completely honest, I have never been much of a reader. Reading was always something I did when I had to and not when I wanted to, frankly because I never really had that strong urge to pick up a book for fun and start reading it. Maybe it stems from my early years as a child not having been read to every night or forced to divulge myself in a juicy children’s book that I now find myself without a strong desire to read but rather a desire to play games and socialize with people. There are times, however, when there is an exception to this. This is when I come across a book that I really like, one that captures my attention from start to finish, which is not an easy feat. It takes a book that is not only exciting and enthralling but also relatable and true to real life for me to completely enjoy reading it. Recently though I have learned to enjoy reading a lot more. For example, over the summer with the abundance of free time I find that reading for fun can be both relaxing and rewarding. It is when I do not feel rushed or forced to read a book that I am most able to enjoy it. A typical Laura book would be a simple romantic novel that has interesting characters and is not dull or boring. Occasionally I will drift away from this subject and indulge myself in a dramatic book such as The Lovely Bones, which I read this summer and surprisingly loved.
I would have to say the same for my writing. It is definitely not something that I love to do, but when I have to, I will get it done. I believe that I have never enjoyed to write because it is not my strongest area of academics and therefore, it is not easy for me to do. It is very hard for me to get my point across in my writing and because this is so difficult for me to do I find writing a very frustrating activity. I do look forward to work more on my writing and improve my skills to a point where I might start to finally enjoy it!
(379)
I would have to say the same for my writing. It is definitely not something that I love to do, but when I have to, I will get it done. I believe that I have never enjoyed to write because it is not my strongest area of academics and therefore, it is not easy for me to do. It is very hard for me to get my point across in my writing and because this is so difficult for me to do I find writing a very frustrating activity. I do look forward to work more on my writing and improve my skills to a point where I might start to finally enjoy it!
(379)
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