Symbolism
"The Chrysathemums" by: John Steinbeck is a short story full of symbolism. He is an author famous for using symbols in his writings. I found this story very good and thought provoking. I really liked the way he set up the whole story line. This story takes place in Salinas Valley where he also grew up. The first thing I want to point out is the way he describes this place in the very beginning, "The high grey-flanneled fog of winter closed off the Salinas Valley from the sky and from all the rest of the world. On every side it sat like a lid on the mountains and made of the great valley a closed pot." (Steinbeck, 416) As the reader discovers later in the story this description of the town is symbolic of Elisa Allen's life, confined to her home and her beloved garden; she is bottled up in this little area like a pot. I also found it very interesting the way Steinbeck describes her wardrobe in this story and the way it changes with the character. In the begging when the author first sees Elisa she is busy at work in her garden. "Her figure looked blocked and heavy in her gardening costume, a man's black hat pulled low down over her eyes, clodhopper shoes, a figured print dress almost compleltly covered by a big corduroy apron..." (Steinbeck, 416) This description of her symbolizes how she does not feel like an attractive woman, she has all the strong desires but her husband and her do not have that relationship as the reader learns in the story. As Elisa continues working in her flower garden a man drives up in a beat up covered wagon looking for directions and work. The way Steinbeck describes this encounter I perecieved it that Elisa had some kind of attraction to this man and her desires were getting out of her control. This man that comes to her farm not only symbolizes a sexual desire but also her deep personal desire that as a woman she cannont fulfill during this time period which is to be free and to travel around as she pleases the way this man does.
The next change Elisa goes through is when she goes inside to clean up before her husband returns for their night out. "When she had dried herself she stood in front of a mirror in her bedroom and looked at her body. She tightened her stomach and threw out her chest. She turned and looked over her shoulder at her back." (Steinbeck, 421) This quote symbolizes Elisa's strong desire to be sexually attractive to men, she takes her time getting ready and takes notice to her physical appearance, from this I got the understanding that her and her husband did not have this kind of attraction towards eachother. Her husband finds her attractive but she is longing for something different. This is a very strong contrast between her previous outfit that consisted of mens clothing that hid her features. The final thing that I thought was a very important symbol in this story was when she gave the man that visited her farm a Chrysanthemum to give to a woman down the street; as Elisa and her husband are driving in the car she noticed a dark speck in the road. The man had discarded her precious chrysanthemums onto the worn street. This symbolizes the way men diregard her and don't find her attractive, she offered him these flowers hoping for acceptance only to find them thrown in the street carelessly. She also reached out to this man while in the garden on page 420 and he completly disregarded her. I really like the way John Steinbeck wrote this story, these are only a few of the symbols in the story and the way I percieved them, I do beleive that there are many more and can be open for interpretation.
Sunday, September 23, 2012
Monday, September 10, 2012
Blog Entry #3
Tone & Style (option #2)
Munro and Hemmingway are two authors that have very different styles in their writing and some similarities. Munro is very descriptive in the way she describes things and the dialogue that she has. Hemmingway on the other hand is very straightforward and not very descriptive in the dialogue or surrounding setting.
Alice Munro's story "The Found Boat" is extremely descriptive and detailed. She describes every event and conversation very accurately and paints a clear and interesting picture for the reader. Her tone in the story is sullen at times when she is describing the state of her town and at other times her tone is mischievous and adventurous when she describes the children and the boat. This story is also full of irony. The two girls in the book Eva and Carol are constantly switching between hating the boys and wanting to hangout with them. And the whole town is in ruins because of the storm that blew thought there yet these kids make the most out of it and find something entertaining to do out of the garbage laying around. I find this aspect of the story very interesting and it reflects the authors style. Her prose is descriptive and does have structure and it does have structure to it. I enjoy Munro's style over Hemmingway's only because it is easier to picture exactly what's going on and who the characters are.
Ernest Hemmingway is a very unique author, he has a very specific style in each of his stories. In this particular story "Hills Like White Elephants" Hemmingway doesn't use as much details. But instead relies on dialogue. I found this story very confusing because he didn't explain to the reader exactly who was talking and he wasn't very open about exactly what the characters were talking about. I believe that the story had something to do with the girl leaving her home country to go be with him but she was scared and unsure if he really wanted her to go with him and if their relationship would work out in the long run. The authors tone in this story is very plain or bored to me, he doesnt use colorful words or descriptions but instead just stated things very bluntly with little emotion. Hemmingway's prose is very straight to the point and factual in a fictional way and doesn't have any real structure.
If I were to have a sample from each author I would be able to tell right off who wrote which one. Their styles are so different that it would be easy to tell them apart.
Imitation of Hemmingway:
An old couple enter a diner and take a seat in their usual booth. The old man asks the woman "What will you have today, don't get the same thing try something new." The woman replies "I like my usual I know I like it and won't regret getting it." "You should be adventurous sometimes and take chances." "Remeber what happened the last time I took a chance? I lost $3,000." "This is food we are talking about, there are tons of things on this menu that taste just the same or even better thn what you usually get." "We have been coming here every Sunday for the last 30 years, I have tried many things and know that my usual is what I will always get." "Fine, you will regret that when you see my steaming plate of pancakes."
Imitation of Munro:
An old couple enter a diner that has been there for the last 40 years. The old man helps his wife into their usual booth and takes a seat across from her. "What will you have today Ellie? Don't get the same thing you usually get try something new." Ellie replies "I like my usual, I know it's good and I won't regret getting it." "You should be adventurous sometimes and take chances," said Ellie's husband. "Remeber what happened last time I took a chance? I lost $3,000." Many years ago Ellie invested in a 67' mustang for her first car, enjoying many summer nights cruising the town with friends and her boyfriend (now her husband) After owning her dream for for 2years she was horrified to find it stolen one sad July morning."This is food we are talking about, there are tons of things on this menu that taste great!" said her husband. "We have bed. Coming here every Sunday morning for the last 30 years, I have tried everything on that menu and know that my usual is my favorite thing," said Ellie. "Fine, you will regret that when you see my steaming plate of pancakes," said Ellie's husband. "Hi, you guys want your usual? Steaming plate of pancakes and country fried steak and eggs?" said the waitress.
Munro and Hemmingway are two authors that have very different styles in their writing and some similarities. Munro is very descriptive in the way she describes things and the dialogue that she has. Hemmingway on the other hand is very straightforward and not very descriptive in the dialogue or surrounding setting.
Alice Munro's story "The Found Boat" is extremely descriptive and detailed. She describes every event and conversation very accurately and paints a clear and interesting picture for the reader. Her tone in the story is sullen at times when she is describing the state of her town and at other times her tone is mischievous and adventurous when she describes the children and the boat. This story is also full of irony. The two girls in the book Eva and Carol are constantly switching between hating the boys and wanting to hangout with them. And the whole town is in ruins because of the storm that blew thought there yet these kids make the most out of it and find something entertaining to do out of the garbage laying around. I find this aspect of the story very interesting and it reflects the authors style. Her prose is descriptive and does have structure and it does have structure to it. I enjoy Munro's style over Hemmingway's only because it is easier to picture exactly what's going on and who the characters are.
Ernest Hemmingway is a very unique author, he has a very specific style in each of his stories. In this particular story "Hills Like White Elephants" Hemmingway doesn't use as much details. But instead relies on dialogue. I found this story very confusing because he didn't explain to the reader exactly who was talking and he wasn't very open about exactly what the characters were talking about. I believe that the story had something to do with the girl leaving her home country to go be with him but she was scared and unsure if he really wanted her to go with him and if their relationship would work out in the long run. The authors tone in this story is very plain or bored to me, he doesnt use colorful words or descriptions but instead just stated things very bluntly with little emotion. Hemmingway's prose is very straight to the point and factual in a fictional way and doesn't have any real structure.
If I were to have a sample from each author I would be able to tell right off who wrote which one. Their styles are so different that it would be easy to tell them apart.
Imitation of Hemmingway:
An old couple enter a diner and take a seat in their usual booth. The old man asks the woman "What will you have today, don't get the same thing try something new." The woman replies "I like my usual I know I like it and won't regret getting it." "You should be adventurous sometimes and take chances." "Remeber what happened the last time I took a chance? I lost $3,000." "This is food we are talking about, there are tons of things on this menu that taste just the same or even better thn what you usually get." "We have been coming here every Sunday for the last 30 years, I have tried many things and know that my usual is what I will always get." "Fine, you will regret that when you see my steaming plate of pancakes."
Imitation of Munro:
An old couple enter a diner that has been there for the last 40 years. The old man helps his wife into their usual booth and takes a seat across from her. "What will you have today Ellie? Don't get the same thing you usually get try something new." Ellie replies "I like my usual, I know it's good and I won't regret getting it." "You should be adventurous sometimes and take chances," said Ellie's husband. "Remeber what happened last time I took a chance? I lost $3,000." Many years ago Ellie invested in a 67' mustang for her first car, enjoying many summer nights cruising the town with friends and her boyfriend (now her husband) After owning her dream for for 2years she was horrified to find it stolen one sad July morning."This is food we are talking about, there are tons of things on this menu that taste great!" said her husband. "We have bed. Coming here every Sunday morning for the last 30 years, I have tried everything on that menu and know that my usual is my favorite thing," said Ellie. "Fine, you will regret that when you see my steaming plate of pancakes," said Ellie's husband. "Hi, you guys want your usual? Steaming plate of pancakes and country fried steak and eggs?" said the waitress.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Blog Entry #2
Point of View
Each of the stories read is told from a different perspective. This adds something to each story depending on how the author uses it. In the first story by Ambrose Bierce titled "An Occurence at Owl Creek" the story is told in a third person narration, as if the author was a spectator. It starts off with a guy (Farquhar) on a platform about to be hung. He is daydreaming and trying to keep his mind off things when the floor underneath him falls through and pain shoots through his body. Miraculously he finds himself submerged in water and able to free himself from the ropes. Tension is created through the point of view because the reader is waiting to find out what happens, the events are being told as they are happening to the main character. "Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with spray." (Bierce, 86) this quote shows the perspective and creates tension for the reader because it is being told in detail what events are taking place. The author of this story is very creative in the way he uses perspective. He paints a very clear picture of Farquhar's escape and his jouyous reunion with his wife. "He springs forward with extended arms. As he is about to clasp her he feels a stunning blow upon the back of his kneck ...then all is darkness and silence." (Bierce, 88) He misleads the reader into thinking that Farquhar was able to escape the noose, when in reality Farquhar was daydreaming the whole time while he was on the platform that he has escaped and was making his way back to his family. "Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken kneck swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge." (Bierce, 88) This sends a shock to the reader because it was so unexpected.
The next story by Shirley Jackson "The Lottery" is very similar to the one above. This story is also told from the third person point of view. The author does a great job of keeping the reader in the dark about the reasons behind the events that are described. The author is telling each families perspective on the town tradition and describing it in great detail. Tension is created because the author describes young boys collecting stones in their pockets and others making piles of them, while families start making their way to the center of town. "They stood together, away from the piles of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed." ( Jackson, 141) The author describes an every scene and makes the reader feel anxious and curious about what these people are doing. The narrator in this story seems very reliable and knows what they are talking about because of the way this tradition is described, in the way it has changed over the years as well. The end of the story is also very shocking for the reader and definitely not something that was expected. The use of point of view gives the reader an overall look into different families perspective on this tradition and the emotions they are feeling.
The next story, "How to Become a Writer" by Lorrie Moore is told in second person narration hitch is fairly rare in a story. This means the author uses "you". I found this story to be very humorous as if the author was warning the reader not to do the things did or simply telling the reader what her personal experiences were with trying to become a writer. This story is different from the rest because it doesn't create tension and it doesn't really try to lead the reader astray. I would say that this point of view is reliable because the events described are ones that actually took place. Also, the final story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Gillman is a very unique and great story. This Story is told from the first person perspective. It is very clear that the Narrator is not trustworthy and that she could be mentally ill. "There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken kneck and two bulbous eyes stare At you upside down." (Gilman, 567) She has a very strong hatred for the yellow wallpaper in her room and describes it in ways that make it clear her perspective is not trustworthy. Overall this story creates a lot of tension because of the perspective and the way it is described.
Each of the stories read is told from a different perspective. This adds something to each story depending on how the author uses it. In the first story by Ambrose Bierce titled "An Occurence at Owl Creek" the story is told in a third person narration, as if the author was a spectator. It starts off with a guy (Farquhar) on a platform about to be hung. He is daydreaming and trying to keep his mind off things when the floor underneath him falls through and pain shoots through his body. Miraculously he finds himself submerged in water and able to free himself from the ropes. Tension is created through the point of view because the reader is waiting to find out what happens, the events are being told as they are happening to the main character. "Suddenly he heard a sharp report and something struck the water smartly within a few inches of his head, spattering his face with spray." (Bierce, 86) this quote shows the perspective and creates tension for the reader because it is being told in detail what events are taking place. The author of this story is very creative in the way he uses perspective. He paints a very clear picture of Farquhar's escape and his jouyous reunion with his wife. "He springs forward with extended arms. As he is about to clasp her he feels a stunning blow upon the back of his kneck ...then all is darkness and silence." (Bierce, 88) He misleads the reader into thinking that Farquhar was able to escape the noose, when in reality Farquhar was daydreaming the whole time while he was on the platform that he has escaped and was making his way back to his family. "Peyton Farquhar was dead; his body, with a broken kneck swung gently from side to side beneath the timbers of the Owl Creek Bridge." (Bierce, 88) This sends a shock to the reader because it was so unexpected.
The next story by Shirley Jackson "The Lottery" is very similar to the one above. This story is also told from the third person point of view. The author does a great job of keeping the reader in the dark about the reasons behind the events that are described. The author is telling each families perspective on the town tradition and describing it in great detail. Tension is created because the author describes young boys collecting stones in their pockets and others making piles of them, while families start making their way to the center of town. "They stood together, away from the piles of stones in the corner, and their jokes were quiet and they smiled rather than laughed." ( Jackson, 141) The author describes an every scene and makes the reader feel anxious and curious about what these people are doing. The narrator in this story seems very reliable and knows what they are talking about because of the way this tradition is described, in the way it has changed over the years as well. The end of the story is also very shocking for the reader and definitely not something that was expected. The use of point of view gives the reader an overall look into different families perspective on this tradition and the emotions they are feeling.
The next story, "How to Become a Writer" by Lorrie Moore is told in second person narration hitch is fairly rare in a story. This means the author uses "you". I found this story to be very humorous as if the author was warning the reader not to do the things did or simply telling the reader what her personal experiences were with trying to become a writer. This story is different from the rest because it doesn't create tension and it doesn't really try to lead the reader astray. I would say that this point of view is reliable because the events described are ones that actually took place. Also, the final story "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Gillman is a very unique and great story. This Story is told from the first person perspective. It is very clear that the Narrator is not trustworthy and that she could be mentally ill. "There is a recurrent spot where the pattern lolls like a broken kneck and two bulbous eyes stare At you upside down." (Gilman, 567) She has a very strong hatred for the yellow wallpaper in her room and describes it in ways that make it clear her perspective is not trustworthy. Overall this story creates a lot of tension because of the perspective and the way it is described.
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