Read the following quote and discuss how it applies to the main characters in both stories. In the course of this discussion, address how each of the characters is both similar and different:
“Determinisim governs everything … The writer must study the inherited traits of individual character and the social condition of the time. Together, these elements determine the course of any action, the outcome of any life. Free will or self-determination is mostly an illusion, although chance is granted a role in human affairs. Still, even the effects of chance are obliterated in the inevitable course determined by the interaction of inherited character traits and the social environment.“
The Swede in “The Blue Hotel” is affected by his genetics. He was given alcohol to drink, which he couldn’t handle, and ultimately got drunk. In his drunken state, he annoyed everyone, had angry outbursts, and started fights. He was not in control of himself – his genetics were. Because his body wasn’t used to the effects of alcohol, he was affected even more. The environment around him also affected his outcome. He was new to the west and believed that everyone ran around shooting everything in sight. This ideal of the Old West caused him to be fearful and instinctive in his actions. In an attempt to calm him, the hotel owner was the one who unknowingly got him drunk. He picked a fight with Johnny because he believed that he was cheating at cards. The other men in the hotel egged on Johnny to kill the Swede, which lead the Swede to feel alienated and even more agitated. In the end, since he felt unwanted and untrusted, the Swede decided to leave. Instead, he picked another fight while not being in control of his actions and was killed. Mr. Blanc even said that everyone played a part in the Swede’s death. He said that he saw Johnny cheat, and if he said something, the Swede would still be alive. The cowboy told Johnny to kill the Swede, which lead to his alienation. If his environment hadn’t been the way that it was, the Swede might still be alive.
The man in “To Build a Fire” is greatly affected by determinism. Mainly, his environment plays the largest part of his demise. He is out in the Alaskan wilderness trying to get back to the camp. The below freezing temperature caused his face, hands, and feet to become completely numb. In order to heat and dry his wet and frozen legs, he needed to build a fire. The problem is that his hands are too numb to even light the fire. He can barely grasp a match or find wood to burn. He decides that he should run to the camp as quickly as he can. He runs, but the bone-chilling temperature causes him to give up and die in the snow. His death was inevitable because he wouldn’t listen to what people were telling him and wasn’t prepared to face that extreme environment.
The Swede and the man are both quite similar, but also different. The Swede met his demise because of the environmental factors. He was alienated and drunk. Those two factors can determine someone’s rate of survival. The man in Alaska dies because of the extreme environmental factors, as well. The difference between the two men is that the Swede knew what was going to happen to him, but he was involuntarily relieved of his prophecy. The man is Alaska was told that he wouldn’t survive, but went out voluntarily, and didn’t listen to what he was being told.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
Thursday, February 9, 2012
Journal #15 - Editha
1. Write a sentence that summarizes the story’s overall message, and provide three direct quotes from the story that best illustrate this message.
The overall message of the story is that war isn’t noble— it’s just mindless killing.
"But war! Is it
glorious to break the peace of the world?"
"You just expected him to kill
some one else, some of those foreigners, that weren't
there because they had any say about it, but because
they had to be there, poor wretches--conscripts, or
whatever they call 'em. You thought it would be all
right for my George, your George, to kill the sons of
those miserable mothers and the husbands of those
girls that you would never see the faces of."
"I thank my God he didn't live to do it! I thank my
God they killed him first, and that he ain't livin' with
their blood on his hands!"
2. What tactics does Editha use to make George believe as she does about the war?
She used her love to make him believe in the war. Editha knew that he would do anything for her, so she exploited his affection. She basically told him in the letter that if he didn’t have faith in war, she wouldn’t marry him.
3. Is there ever a time in which Editha truly understands what she has done? Does she ever experience an epiphany?
During the end, when she has the conversation with George’s mother, she understands what she had done. The last paragraph states that, “The mystery that had bewildered her was solved by the word; and from that moment she rose from grovelling in shame and self-pity, and
began to live again in the ideal.” This was when she had her epiphany and finally understood her actions and the truth about war.
The overall message of the story is that war isn’t noble— it’s just mindless killing.
"But war! Is it
glorious to break the peace of the world?"
"You just expected him to kill
some one else, some of those foreigners, that weren't
there because they had any say about it, but because
they had to be there, poor wretches--conscripts, or
whatever they call 'em. You thought it would be all
right for my George, your George, to kill the sons of
those miserable mothers and the husbands of those
girls that you would never see the faces of."
"I thank my God he didn't live to do it! I thank my
God they killed him first, and that he ain't livin' with
their blood on his hands!"
2. What tactics does Editha use to make George believe as she does about the war?
She used her love to make him believe in the war. Editha knew that he would do anything for her, so she exploited his affection. She basically told him in the letter that if he didn’t have faith in war, she wouldn’t marry him.
3. Is there ever a time in which Editha truly understands what she has done? Does she ever experience an epiphany?
During the end, when she has the conversation with George’s mother, she understands what she had done. The last paragraph states that, “The mystery that had bewildered her was solved by the word; and from that moment she rose from grovelling in shame and self-pity, and
began to live again in the ideal.” This was when she had her epiphany and finally understood her actions and the truth about war.
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
Journal #14 - E. A. Robinson Poems
Read the following poems and write a detailed description for each of the title characters and explain how each is an example of the “real” instead of the “ideal.”
“Richard Cory“ (497)
His name suggests that he was rich, but at the core, he was miserable. Everyone though he was rich and happy. Sadly, they didn’t look past the surface and didn’t see how miserable he was on the inside. He was troubled and depressed.
The thing that makes his life real was that his true life wasn’t what everyone saw. People didn’t look past his appearance. They idealized, just like in real life.
“Miniver Cheevy” (497)
Minimer’s name is a reflection of who he is because is sounds similar to “minimum achiever”. He felt like he was born in the wrong time period, which made him depressed. He related to the olden times and the Medieval Era. He loved the idea of knights and swords, and the romance of the Renaissance Era.
His life is real and not idealized because he wasn’t a great figure that achieved great things. Minimer wasn’t a knight—he was an average person. He is relatable because he just daydreams about knighthood, but isn’t one. Just like an average person, he yearns to become great, but never achieves greatness. He also tried to escape the real world by drinking, which is a real world problem.
“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)
His name seems like he is drowning himself with his drinking. He has outlived all of his friends and probably isn’t going to live much longer.
The name is connected that he’s lonely and drowing from drinking so much. He’s receding into the past. Also, Flood has outlived all of his friends, which means he is probably not going to live much longer. He’s in an era of change, but is too old to keep up with that change. What Flood’s life is focused on is in the past, which leaves him to be sad, lonely, and drunk.
“Richard Cory“ (497)
His name suggests that he was rich, but at the core, he was miserable. Everyone though he was rich and happy. Sadly, they didn’t look past the surface and didn’t see how miserable he was on the inside. He was troubled and depressed.
The thing that makes his life real was that his true life wasn’t what everyone saw. People didn’t look past his appearance. They idealized, just like in real life.
“Miniver Cheevy” (497)
Minimer’s name is a reflection of who he is because is sounds similar to “minimum achiever”. He felt like he was born in the wrong time period, which made him depressed. He related to the olden times and the Medieval Era. He loved the idea of knights and swords, and the romance of the Renaissance Era.
His life is real and not idealized because he wasn’t a great figure that achieved great things. Minimer wasn’t a knight—he was an average person. He is relatable because he just daydreams about knighthood, but isn’t one. Just like an average person, he yearns to become great, but never achieves greatness. He also tried to escape the real world by drinking, which is a real world problem.
“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)
His name seems like he is drowning himself with his drinking. He has outlived all of his friends and probably isn’t going to live much longer.
The name is connected that he’s lonely and drowing from drinking so much. He’s receding into the past. Also, Flood has outlived all of his friends, which means he is probably not going to live much longer. He’s in an era of change, but is too old to keep up with that change. What Flood’s life is focused on is in the past, which leaves him to be sad, lonely, and drunk.
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