Analysis-
In this short story, there are several different characters. Mrs. Peters, the sheriff's wife, Mrs. Hales, who is Mrs. Wright's neighbor, Mrs. Wright, who's husband had been killed and I also think that Minnie Foster may be a nickname for Mrs. Wright, the county attonery, who is trying to determine who murdered Mr. Wright and then there are a couple of deputies at the house also. The setting is a "crime scene", but in other words, Mr. and Mrs. Wright's house. The protagonist is Mrs. Hale, maybe. I say this because she is trying to figure out what is happened to Mr. Wright, but then again I also think it may be Mrs. Wright because she is mentioned often and its about whether she murdered her husabnd or not. My guess on who the antagonist is would be the murder victim, Mr. Wright, because he's the problem because he's dead. The point of view is 3rd person omiscient because it flips from character to character. The plot is trying to determine the murder in the case and these characters are going through the house trying to find clues. The time era in which this was written is 1920's and you can see that in the writing. The women are still thought lowly of.
Reponse-
I liked this story to a point. I liked mysteries and trying to figure it out myself, but this story seemed to drag on to me. I thought it was interesting about the bird. If someone killed my beloved pet I would want to hurt them in return. I just thought it was odd how everything was half down or messed up in one place. Example: The kitchen being a mess and the one quilt square being messed up. I'm still trying to decide if Mrs. Wright had a psychological problem or not.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
"The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" - Katharine Anne Porter
Analysis-
The majority of the story takes place is Ellen's room. She has flash backs to the past, of her children growing up and even some painful ones such as being stood up on her wedding day. The era in which the setting is placed is back in the 1930's. Ellen is the progtagnist and also an extremely strong woman. She was stood up on her wedding day, did work most men did, and raised her children. I would say that the antagnoist would be her illness because it keeps fighting against her and she keeps fighting back. The irony in the story is that she wants so bad to see her children one last time before she dies and she keeps having flash backs to when her children were growing up. In the end, her children arrived just has she was passing away. In the introduction she takes of the doctor checking her and Cornelia seems to be the nagging child, she is trying to help her mother but in turn is annoying her. The rising action is unclear to me. The climax is when she is in her room and talks of the light from the lamp and the father arriving to be with her in her last minutes. Again the falling action was unclear to me. The denouement is when she finally lets go, "She stretched herself with a deep breath and blew out the light" (247). Ellen kept thinking of tasks that needed to be taken care of but she kept saying, "tomorrow". But unfortunately sometimes tomorrow doesn't always come. This also gives me my theme for this story, What if tomorrow never comes?
Response-
The first page or so was unclear to me of what was happening. Then it finally "clicked" that she was passing away and having flash backs to the past. How sad would it be if some of your final thoughts were of being stood up at the alter. I really felt for Ellen when she spoke of the letters she had written to both George and John letters and the letters that they had written to her. This story really made me think about the death of my Great Grandmother only 6 months ago. She was a strong woman, worked and lived on the farm, married her high school sweetheart, but then I think what were her final thoughts before giving her last breath and blowing out the light. I'm thankful in so many ways that I was able to be there with her when she passed. She will always be in my heart and some of my favorite memories.
The majority of the story takes place is Ellen's room. She has flash backs to the past, of her children growing up and even some painful ones such as being stood up on her wedding day. The era in which the setting is placed is back in the 1930's. Ellen is the progtagnist and also an extremely strong woman. She was stood up on her wedding day, did work most men did, and raised her children. I would say that the antagnoist would be her illness because it keeps fighting against her and she keeps fighting back. The irony in the story is that she wants so bad to see her children one last time before she dies and she keeps having flash backs to when her children were growing up. In the end, her children arrived just has she was passing away. In the introduction she takes of the doctor checking her and Cornelia seems to be the nagging child, she is trying to help her mother but in turn is annoying her. The rising action is unclear to me. The climax is when she is in her room and talks of the light from the lamp and the father arriving to be with her in her last minutes. Again the falling action was unclear to me. The denouement is when she finally lets go, "She stretched herself with a deep breath and blew out the light" (247). Ellen kept thinking of tasks that needed to be taken care of but she kept saying, "tomorrow". But unfortunately sometimes tomorrow doesn't always come. This also gives me my theme for this story, What if tomorrow never comes?
Response-
The first page or so was unclear to me of what was happening. Then it finally "clicked" that she was passing away and having flash backs to the past. How sad would it be if some of your final thoughts were of being stood up at the alter. I really felt for Ellen when she spoke of the letters she had written to both George and John letters and the letters that they had written to her. This story really made me think about the death of my Great Grandmother only 6 months ago. She was a strong woman, worked and lived on the farm, married her high school sweetheart, but then I think what were her final thoughts before giving her last breath and blowing out the light. I'm thankful in so many ways that I was able to be there with her when she passed. She will always be in my heart and some of my favorite memories.
Monday, September 14, 2009
"The Catbird Seat" - James Thurber
Analysis-
The story is written in 3rd person omiscient objecctive. There are several characters involved in this story, Mr. Martin, Mr. Fitweiler, and Mrs. Barrows are the three main characters. The introduction includes Mr. Martin contemplating what he is going to do and then the story switches to past events. The rising action includes Mr. Martin going to Mrs. Barrows apartment to have a whiskey and smoke and tell her how he was wants to kill Mr. Fitweiler. The climax is the next day when Mrs. Barrows goes to tell Mr. Fitweiler that Mr. Martin wanted to kill him. The falling action is when Mr. Fitweiler tells Mr. Martin that Mrs. Barrows is probably just losing it and that Mr. Martin would never drink whiskey and smoke cigarettes. The denouement occurs when Mrs. Barrows confronts Mr. Martin about lying to Mr. Fitweiler and the truth is that he did go and say that he was going to get rid of Mr. Fitweiler, but it was all just a big plan to make Mrs. Barrows seem insane so that he could get rid of her. The setting would be in the 1940's which explains why Mr. Fitweiler would believe the man over the woman.
Response-
This short story was not on my favorite list. I didn't understand right away when it switch from present time to the past when Mr. Martin was explaining how annoying Mrs. Martin was. I must say that it was an genuis plan to get rid of Mrs. Barrows. He planned it out very carefully and made sure he wasn't to obvious about anything. This plan would have never worked in now-a-days. Women are now thought equally as men, even though some would still like to disagree.
The story is written in 3rd person omiscient objecctive. There are several characters involved in this story, Mr. Martin, Mr. Fitweiler, and Mrs. Barrows are the three main characters. The introduction includes Mr. Martin contemplating what he is going to do and then the story switches to past events. The rising action includes Mr. Martin going to Mrs. Barrows apartment to have a whiskey and smoke and tell her how he was wants to kill Mr. Fitweiler. The climax is the next day when Mrs. Barrows goes to tell Mr. Fitweiler that Mr. Martin wanted to kill him. The falling action is when Mr. Fitweiler tells Mr. Martin that Mrs. Barrows is probably just losing it and that Mr. Martin would never drink whiskey and smoke cigarettes. The denouement occurs when Mrs. Barrows confronts Mr. Martin about lying to Mr. Fitweiler and the truth is that he did go and say that he was going to get rid of Mr. Fitweiler, but it was all just a big plan to make Mrs. Barrows seem insane so that he could get rid of her. The setting would be in the 1940's which explains why Mr. Fitweiler would believe the man over the woman.
Response-
This short story was not on my favorite list. I didn't understand right away when it switch from present time to the past when Mr. Martin was explaining how annoying Mrs. Martin was. I must say that it was an genuis plan to get rid of Mrs. Barrows. He planned it out very carefully and made sure he wasn't to obvious about anything. This plan would have never worked in now-a-days. Women are now thought equally as men, even though some would still like to disagree.
"The Tell-Tale Heart" - Edgar Allan Poe
Analysis-
This story was written in 1st person stream of consciousness. The majority of time of day is at night around midnight while the old man is sleeping. There are 2 characters, the narrator and the old man with the evil eye. The protagonist is the narrator is obviously mentally disturbed. The narrator is a developing character because at the beginning he seemed semi normal and by the end he had completely lost it because he was hearing the beating of the old man's heart. The conflict is external and is man vs. himself. The theme is, the torment of a quilty mind.
Response-
I enjoyed this peice because I love the gothic feel of how Edgar Allan Poe writes. I can feel the torment this man is feeling when he believes the heart is beating beneath the floor boards. I was confused by how the narrator killed him with the bed. I was thinking he just smothered him and then dismembered him. He was very precise with how he hid the body. I wouldn't mind reading more stories by Edgar Allan Poe, he is an amazing writer.
This story was written in 1st person stream of consciousness. The majority of time of day is at night around midnight while the old man is sleeping. There are 2 characters, the narrator and the old man with the evil eye. The protagonist is the narrator is obviously mentally disturbed. The narrator is a developing character because at the beginning he seemed semi normal and by the end he had completely lost it because he was hearing the beating of the old man's heart. The conflict is external and is man vs. himself. The theme is, the torment of a quilty mind.
Response-
I enjoyed this peice because I love the gothic feel of how Edgar Allan Poe writes. I can feel the torment this man is feeling when he believes the heart is beating beneath the floor boards. I was confused by how the narrator killed him with the bed. I was thinking he just smothered him and then dismembered him. He was very precise with how he hid the body. I wouldn't mind reading more stories by Edgar Allan Poe, he is an amazing writer.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
"A Clean, Well-Lighted Place"- Ernest Hemingway
Analysis-
I'm not sure who the protagnist is in this story. I would at first think the old man who is deaf, but further into the reading I would say that it is the older waiter without the wife. My immediate thought on who the antagonist would be the young waiter with the wife. I almost sensed the feeling that this story was young vs. old. It showed how young people are always go, go, go and older individuals can sit and enjoy the moment. In the introduction, there is a lot of description about the old man and the young waiter goes on and on about how he is wasting his time and he wishes he would died when he tried to hang himself. The rising action is when the young waiter keeps going over and filling up the glass and becomes angrier and angrier. Then the young waiter finally becomes to annoyed and told the old man that he could have no more drinks and had to go home, that is the climax. The falling action happens when the older waiter tells the young waiter that he didn't need to rush the old gentleman and that he was doing no harm. The denouement happens when the old waiter goes to a different place and it almost seems that he becomes the old man in this bar.
My Response-
This story became very confusing with all the dialog. It switched several teams and I sometimes became lost. I understood the frustration the young waiter felt because of the old man in the cafe, but then I also felt the acceptance that the old waiter had for the older gentleman. Our generation is always go, go, go and older generations can stop and enjoy the moment. I will be the first to agree with this theory, but I'm a mixture of the generations. I love to go, go, go but at the same moment I love to just relax and enjoy the screnary around me. I do not prefer these kinds of stories because I dislike stories that I get lost in easy.
I'm not sure who the protagnist is in this story. I would at first think the old man who is deaf, but further into the reading I would say that it is the older waiter without the wife. My immediate thought on who the antagonist would be the young waiter with the wife. I almost sensed the feeling that this story was young vs. old. It showed how young people are always go, go, go and older individuals can sit and enjoy the moment. In the introduction, there is a lot of description about the old man and the young waiter goes on and on about how he is wasting his time and he wishes he would died when he tried to hang himself. The rising action is when the young waiter keeps going over and filling up the glass and becomes angrier and angrier. Then the young waiter finally becomes to annoyed and told the old man that he could have no more drinks and had to go home, that is the climax. The falling action happens when the older waiter tells the young waiter that he didn't need to rush the old gentleman and that he was doing no harm. The denouement happens when the old waiter goes to a different place and it almost seems that he becomes the old man in this bar.
My Response-
This story became very confusing with all the dialog. It switched several teams and I sometimes became lost. I understood the frustration the young waiter felt because of the old man in the cafe, but then I also felt the acceptance that the old waiter had for the older gentleman. Our generation is always go, go, go and older generations can stop and enjoy the moment. I will be the first to agree with this theory, but I'm a mixture of the generations. I love to go, go, go but at the same moment I love to just relax and enjoy the screnary around me. I do not prefer these kinds of stories because I dislike stories that I get lost in easy.
"First Confession" - Frank O'Connor
Analysis-
The protagonist in this story would be the little boy Jackie. He is a young boy. He is just like any other young boy, he doesn't like to be told what to do. He has an older sister named Nora and she is who I would say is the antagonist. Setting would be mid 1940's. In the introduction, it describes several things that the Grandma does to annoy Jackie and even tells of how he tried to stab his sister with a butterknife. The rising action would be when Jackie has to attend church school and learn how to give confession. The climax would be when he is at the church trying to give confession, and he's kneeling on the elbow rest and falls off and the father gets upset at Nora for trying to hit her brother. The falling action was when the father was talking to Jackie about everything he did and telling him he is like any other boy. Also, it seemed like Jackie finally realized that confession (something that he dreaded so bad) was something not so bad. The denouement would be when he's sister makes the comment, "....I might as well be a sinner like you." She realizes that maybe Jackie isn't as bad as she makes him out to be.
My Response-
I enjoyed this piece. It was really light-hearted like you said. I loved the part where Jackie was in the confession box and he fell off the elbow rest. I was extremely happy when Father stood up for Jackie. Nora seemed shocked and it made me smile. :) This short story was my favorite by far. I loved humor in it, MUCH different then our other readings.
The protagonist in this story would be the little boy Jackie. He is a young boy. He is just like any other young boy, he doesn't like to be told what to do. He has an older sister named Nora and she is who I would say is the antagonist. Setting would be mid 1940's. In the introduction, it describes several things that the Grandma does to annoy Jackie and even tells of how he tried to stab his sister with a butterknife. The rising action would be when Jackie has to attend church school and learn how to give confession. The climax would be when he is at the church trying to give confession, and he's kneeling on the elbow rest and falls off and the father gets upset at Nora for trying to hit her brother. The falling action was when the father was talking to Jackie about everything he did and telling him he is like any other boy. Also, it seemed like Jackie finally realized that confession (something that he dreaded so bad) was something not so bad. The denouement would be when he's sister makes the comment, "....I might as well be a sinner like you." She realizes that maybe Jackie isn't as bad as she makes him out to be.
My Response-
I enjoyed this piece. It was really light-hearted like you said. I loved the part where Jackie was in the confession box and he fell off the elbow rest. I was extremely happy when Father stood up for Jackie. Nora seemed shocked and it made me smile. :) This short story was my favorite by far. I loved humor in it, MUCH different then our other readings.
Monday, September 7, 2009
"The Lottery" - Shirley Jackson
Analysis-
The setting was June 27th at the village square. There were several different characters but main ones were Mrs. Delacroix, Mr. Summers, and Mrs. Hutchison. The introduction introduces some of the characters and takes about the children playing with the stones and what not. The rising action was when everyone had drawn their slips of paper. The climax was when the Hutchison family had been picked and Mrs. Hutchison had been chosen to be stoned. There wasn't really a falling action or a denouement. I would say the conflict was Man vs. circumstances because no one could change what had happened. The point of view was 3rd person omnisicent because the author moved from character to character, event to event. Shirley Jackson definietly used irony has a writing device. Mrs. Hutchison should have been absent but she rushed there when she realized what day it was and then it ended up being her.
Response-
I liked this story because of the irony. Mrs. Hutchison almost forgot what day it was and when she realized what day it was she rushed to the village square to be a part of 'the lottery'. Throughout the story, I thought the lottery would mean that a family was going to get an amount of money, but instead it meant that one individual out of a choosen family would be stoned. When they were drawing people out of the Hutchison family, I was scared that it would be on of the little children. I don't know why people would want to carry on a tradition of this such. It is barbaric and unnecessary.
The setting was June 27th at the village square. There were several different characters but main ones were Mrs. Delacroix, Mr. Summers, and Mrs. Hutchison. The introduction introduces some of the characters and takes about the children playing with the stones and what not. The rising action was when everyone had drawn their slips of paper. The climax was when the Hutchison family had been picked and Mrs. Hutchison had been chosen to be stoned. There wasn't really a falling action or a denouement. I would say the conflict was Man vs. circumstances because no one could change what had happened. The point of view was 3rd person omnisicent because the author moved from character to character, event to event. Shirley Jackson definietly used irony has a writing device. Mrs. Hutchison should have been absent but she rushed there when she realized what day it was and then it ended up being her.
Response-
I liked this story because of the irony. Mrs. Hutchison almost forgot what day it was and when she realized what day it was she rushed to the village square to be a part of 'the lottery'. Throughout the story, I thought the lottery would mean that a family was going to get an amount of money, but instead it meant that one individual out of a choosen family would be stoned. When they were drawing people out of the Hutchison family, I was scared that it would be on of the little children. I don't know why people would want to carry on a tradition of this such. It is barbaric and unnecessary.
"The Yellow Wallpaper" - Charlotte Gilman
Analysis-
"The Yellow Wallpaper" seems to have a gothic feel to it. The protagnist is the wife, it never says her name. The antagonist is the husband, John. He's is the antagonist cause he never quite believes that there is something wrong with her. The setting is this old colonial style manison with the tall hedges, walls, gates, and garden. The main room that the story is about is a room that they believe once was a nursery or child's play room. The yellow wallpaper is torn in several places. The bed is nailed to the floor and there's wide windows. It is completely worn down. Social conditions were when the women were suppose to listen completely to their husbands. In the introduction, she talks about feeling off and her husband tells her she has a nervous condition. He tells her to rest as much as possible. The rising action is when she starts to tell the reader that there is a woman creeping behind the wallpaper. There really isn't an exact climax except maybe when she locks herself in the room, so that she can creep freely. The falling action is when she tells him where the key is and he goes to get it. Denoument is when John finally unlocks the room and sees what she has done. And I believe it says he faints when he realizes what has happened. The conflict would definitely be psychological. She is obviously depressed or unstable and then starts to believe that there is a woman creeping behind the wallpaper at night. Then the point of view is 1st person stream of consciousness.
Response-
I enjoyed the gothic feeling of this story, but I did not enjoy the sudden change of mind frames. I did my report on Charlotte Gilman and the lady in this story reminded me a lot of her. Charlotte had her own battle with depression and that seems to be what is happening to this character. I thought it was interesting how she became so possesive over the woman in the wallpaper. For example, when Jennie had made a comment about wishing she could tear down the wallpaper and the narrator said, "But I am here, and no person touches this paper but Me - not alive!" I would like to read more stories by Charlotte Gilman, like the one "Concerning Children" where she discusses professional child-care.
"The Yellow Wallpaper" seems to have a gothic feel to it. The protagnist is the wife, it never says her name. The antagonist is the husband, John. He's is the antagonist cause he never quite believes that there is something wrong with her. The setting is this old colonial style manison with the tall hedges, walls, gates, and garden. The main room that the story is about is a room that they believe once was a nursery or child's play room. The yellow wallpaper is torn in several places. The bed is nailed to the floor and there's wide windows. It is completely worn down. Social conditions were when the women were suppose to listen completely to their husbands. In the introduction, she talks about feeling off and her husband tells her she has a nervous condition. He tells her to rest as much as possible. The rising action is when she starts to tell the reader that there is a woman creeping behind the wallpaper. There really isn't an exact climax except maybe when she locks herself in the room, so that she can creep freely. The falling action is when she tells him where the key is and he goes to get it. Denoument is when John finally unlocks the room and sees what she has done. And I believe it says he faints when he realizes what has happened. The conflict would definitely be psychological. She is obviously depressed or unstable and then starts to believe that there is a woman creeping behind the wallpaper at night. Then the point of view is 1st person stream of consciousness.
Response-
I enjoyed the gothic feeling of this story, but I did not enjoy the sudden change of mind frames. I did my report on Charlotte Gilman and the lady in this story reminded me a lot of her. Charlotte had her own battle with depression and that seems to be what is happening to this character. I thought it was interesting how she became so possesive over the woman in the wallpaper. For example, when Jennie had made a comment about wishing she could tear down the wallpaper and the narrator said, "But I am here, and no person touches this paper but Me - not alive!" I would like to read more stories by Charlotte Gilman, like the one "Concerning Children" where she discusses professional child-care.
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