Thursday, March 24, 2011
"The Lottery," -- Shirley Jackson
I am still confused as to what the purpose of the lottery was in Jackson's short story. Could it have been to control population back in the day, a religious sacrifice to have an abundant corn harvest? lol I am not quite sure. I believe that the reason why Jackson wrote this fiction piece was because only something as exagerated as this can send the message out to her audeince at the time that there is a big danger in blindly following traditions and that we need to change how we go about persecution, at least at the time.
"Everyday Use" -- Alice Walker
1. The term "everyday use," comes from the line in the short story where Dee, the arrogant and confused daughter states that her sister Maggie whould be backwards enough to put the "priceless" quilts from thier grandmother to everyday use. I feel that Walker chose this as the title of the story to engage the audience to go deeper into the meaning of the short story and decide for themselves what is the best way to honor ones heritage, whether is be by perserving it and displaying it, or by putting it to everyday use.
2. Dee, Magie and Mama all define heritage differently. Dee doesnt quite understand it and becomes ironically "lost" and ripped away from her roots by her education. All of the African clothing and new name that she gives herself are meaningless because she has no true knowledge about Africa, so her true heritage is actually empty and lost, she is reluctant to accept her real past, and where she comes from. Maggie views things in the same manner of Mama's persepective. She might be slower and softsppoken, but she understands the true meaning of her heritage by living in the same old ways of her ancestors. I believe that by the way that Walker portrays Dee, which is arrogant and lost, she wants her readers to agree with Maggie's and Mama's point of view of their heritage.
3.The irony about Dee changing her name to "Wangero," her new "unassimilated" name is that she fails to realize that her real name, Dee, has more meaning, heritage and depth that she can imagine. The name Dee traces back in generations so far back in her family that even her own mother cant recall how far back the name had been carried since.
4.If Mama was not the narrator, the story wouldnt have changed much only if Dee was the narrator not so much if Maggie was the narrator. If the case was that Maggie was the narrator, there would be a drastic change in the tone of the story and would be much more passive, but still Mama's view of the defenition of their heritage would remain the same. If Dee were to be the narrator, the story would end on a cold note that education and books are the proper way to honor ones heritage and to forget your old ways.
2. Dee, Magie and Mama all define heritage differently. Dee doesnt quite understand it and becomes ironically "lost" and ripped away from her roots by her education. All of the African clothing and new name that she gives herself are meaningless because she has no true knowledge about Africa, so her true heritage is actually empty and lost, she is reluctant to accept her real past, and where she comes from. Maggie views things in the same manner of Mama's persepective. She might be slower and softsppoken, but she understands the true meaning of her heritage by living in the same old ways of her ancestors. I believe that by the way that Walker portrays Dee, which is arrogant and lost, she wants her readers to agree with Maggie's and Mama's point of view of their heritage.
3.The irony about Dee changing her name to "Wangero," her new "unassimilated" name is that she fails to realize that her real name, Dee, has more meaning, heritage and depth that she can imagine. The name Dee traces back in generations so far back in her family that even her own mother cant recall how far back the name had been carried since.
4.If Mama was not the narrator, the story wouldnt have changed much only if Dee was the narrator not so much if Maggie was the narrator. If the case was that Maggie was the narrator, there would be a drastic change in the tone of the story and would be much more passive, but still Mama's view of the defenition of their heritage would remain the same. If Dee were to be the narrator, the story would end on a cold note that education and books are the proper way to honor ones heritage and to forget your old ways.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
The Tell-Tale Heart
Tell-Tale Heart
1. The protagonist in this short story by Poe is obviously the anonimous narrator because he is the leading character of the short story. The antagonist is the poor old man with the blue eye that the narrator murders, the police are also antagonists. We know this because they are opposing the narrator.
2. The conflict and struggle that the narrator is going through is how to get rid of his fear of the old mans evil eye. The narrator see's the eye and the old man as two different entities, he loves the old man but hates his "evil eye". He decides to kill him but fails to realize that he will be killing the old man in doing so.
3. The climax of this short story is when he begins to hear the old man's thumping heart and finally shouts out confessing his crime to the police and rips off the floorboards.
1. The protagonist in this short story by Poe is obviously the anonimous narrator because he is the leading character of the short story. The antagonist is the poor old man with the blue eye that the narrator murders, the police are also antagonists. We know this because they are opposing the narrator.
2. The conflict and struggle that the narrator is going through is how to get rid of his fear of the old mans evil eye. The narrator see's the eye and the old man as two different entities, he loves the old man but hates his "evil eye". He decides to kill him but fails to realize that he will be killing the old man in doing so.
3. The climax of this short story is when he begins to hear the old man's thumping heart and finally shouts out confessing his crime to the police and rips off the floorboards.
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