According to Emily Dickinson, “People say a word dies when it is written by a pen, but for me that word's life is just about to begin.” Her quote simply states that the power of a chosen word derives from the poet who wrote that word and gives the word its meaning. Dylan Thomas and Emily Dickinson are two poets who exemplify the meaning of their words by means of either an external form or an internal structure. Thomas's poem “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” excels in the external form that enhances each word usage, while Emily Dickinson's “The Wind begun to knead the Grass” plays with word usage in order to intensify the internal structure of the poem. It is their technique and style in delivering those words that gives each word life. (burningbird, 2004) (Norton, pg 533, 555, 2006)
Thomas displays his poem in an external form called 'villanelle'. In the 16th century, many French poets use the villanelle verse form which consists of nineteen lines, divided by five (tercet) three line stanzas with one final (quatrain) four line stanza and two refrain lines from the first stanza, that are strategically placed in the other five stanzas. The poem appears to be in iambic meter; whereby, it is written in a meter consisting of ten syllables or five iambic feet in each line. Each line has the the first syllable unstressed, the second stressed and so on. Thomas's poem end rhyme scheme is aba in the first five stanzas and abaa in the sixth stanza. (Norton, pp 507-508, 553 - 555, A9, 2006)
The format use in this poem is the following:
Refrain lines :
Repeat lines 1, lines 6, lines 12, and lines 18 – “Do not go gentle into that good night;”
Line 3, line 9, line 15, line 19 - “Rage, rage against the dying of the light.”
Unstressed and stressed syllables used in the first two lines:
/ / / / /
Do not go gen tle in to the good night,
/ / / / /
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rhyme a b a a
Stanza 1 Night Day Light
Stanza 2 Right They Night
Stanza 3 Bright Bay Light
Stanza 4 Flight Way Night
Stanza 5 Sight Gay Light
Stanza 6 Height Pray Night light
Thomas's structured villanelle penetrates the deep emotion felt with in each stanza. The poem's message is like a flashing neon light: 'Don't give up, fight until the last breath'. The poem emphasizes these deep emotions comparison through figures of speech such as oxymoron, alliteration, simile and metaphor. Example of some 'figures of speech' are the following: oxymoron – good death (line 1), blinding sight (line 13); alliteration – go, good (line 1), deeds, danced (line 8); sang, sun (line 10); simile - “Bind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay.” (line 14); and metaphor – “good night” - means death. (Norton, pg 542, A1, A6, 481, 485, 505, 555, 2006)
In Thomas’s “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” is about a man, who pleads with his father not to surrender to death's calling and “. . .go gentle into the good night” (line 1). Instead he encourages his father to fight, to “. . . burn and rave at close of day;” (line 2) and use “[r]age, rage against the dying of the light.” (line 3) All men, “wise”, “good”, “wild”, and “grave” rage against death; while grasping for strength and dignity until their final hour. “Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray” (line 17); the pleading son wishes his father “ . . . not go gentle into the good night” (line 19), but to be courageous and dignified, not weak and submissive in his father's dying hour. The tone exhibits somberness and heart-feltness. (Norton, pg 555, 2006)
On the other hand, Emily Dickinson's “The Wind begun to knead the Grass” contains a rich internal structure. She provides the reader with a vivid image of an evolving storm by using personification and simile. The poem is constructed in such a whimsical manner that it plays “The Wind”, “the Grass”, and “The Hand” as people. Dickinson uses personification to describe the events taken place outside her “Father's House-” (line 19). Dickinson essentially configures her poem in a sequential pattern where she uses her witty symbolic personifications throughout the poem. Not only is this entertaining for the reader, but helps the reader visualize the brewing storm where “[t]he wind . . .knead[s] the [g]rass -” like “[w]omen” knead[s] the “[d]ough.” (line 1-2) Part of Emily Dickinson's wit is her way in high-lighting important words that begin with a capital letter. These 'captured' nouns give meaning to the storm's progression. For an example: “The Leaves unhooked themselves from Trees-” (line 5); “The Thunders gossiped low-” (line 10); and “The Birds put the Bars to Nest-” (line 13). Each line, except line six, has a random word or words that began with a capital letter. The flow of the poem is not only seamless but enjoyable. Another element to the poet's creativity, is the use of the dash (caesura). At the end of each line she purposely used a dash instead of a punctuation. It has a great impact on how one reads or vocalizes the poem. (Norton, pg 481, 483, 533-534, 2006)
There are three similes used in Dickinson's poem, which are as follows:
“As Women do a Dough-” (line 2), where she compares it “. . . to knead of Grass-” (line 1); “The Dust did scoop itself like Hands-” (line 7 ),comparing it to a person scooping a handful of dirt and throwing it into the air; and “And then, as if the Hands/That held the Dams-” (line 16-17) comparing it to a rain cloud. Dickinson did not leave the reader without a surprise, she summoned the best in the last two lines: “But overlooked my Father's House-/ Just Quartering a Tree -” ( line 19 -20 ) The observer,
who is also the speaker, was viewing the storm and the lightning hitting the tree, safe inside her father's house. (Norton, pg 481, 533-534, 2006)
The external form that Dylan Thomas uses and Emily Dickinson's internal structure gives their poems' words its power, feelings, sound, and structure. Their whole poem establishes a fluid composition that develops rhythm and theme; whereby, the reader has no problem receiving the poem's intrinsic message. Emily Dickinson's quote, “People say a word dies when it is written by a pen, but for me that word's life is just about to begin” may also be reiterated that words become a live vehicle of expression that taps the recipient 's emotion. (burningbird, 2004)
Friday, February 11, 2000
Thursday, February 10, 2000
Socialist Roses are sick
The Debate Between the Roses “A Red,Red Rose” and “The Sick Rose”
Even with the passage of time, poetry still remains viable and capable in provoking those hidden images and feelings in the reader. The poems “A Red,Red Rose” by Robert Burns and William Blake's “The Sick Rose” have done just that. Both of these late 18th century poems elicited feelings and mindful images through the usage of figurative language. Each poet's figurative words provides impact that resonates throughout their poem, while at the same time composing a totally different meaning and feeling.
Robert Burns's poem “A Red, Red Rose” describes a Scottish man's devotion to a his “bonnie lass” (line 5, all pages references are to the class text, Norton Introduction to Literature, Portable Ed.) before he departs on a long trip. Burns skillfully uses the 'simile' element to produce his musical elegance with “O, my luve's like a red, red rose” (line 1). The simile “like a red, red rose” (line 1) and “As fair art thou”( line 5) makes a definitive picture of the speaker's lady. Another example of an explicit simile is the Scottish man's love for his lady “is like the melodie” (line 3). This poem is written in four stanzas. Each stanza has four lines with a rhyming characteristic throughout the poem. In each four line stanza, the last word in the second line rhymes with the last word in the fourth line. For an example: the word “June” (line 2) rhymes with the word “tune”(line 4); the word “I” (line 6) rhymes with “dry” (line 8) and so on throughout the poem. The poem also repeats “And I will luve thee still, my dear” (line 7 & 11) . This poem produces great rhythm and provides an up-lifting feeling. The last stanza brings closure with the image of the Scottish man embracing his “fair” (line 5 ) lady and kissing her goodbye, with the realization that “. . . [he] will come again, . . ” ( line 15), even if he has to trek thousand miles (line 16). (Norton Literature, pg 465, 481- 485, 465-471, 475-477, 501, 502, 2006)
In contrast to Burns's poem, Blake characterizes his poem, “The Sick Rose” as a “O rose, thou art sick” (line 1). Blake's poem takes on a darker description of the 'rose' by weaving in complex mystical metaphors, such as “The invisible worm / That flies in the night” (line 2-3) . Although words, such as '“worm” (line 2), “bed” (line 5 ) and “crimson joy” (line 6 ) “ have sexual connotations” (pg. 495), could it also be questioned why Blake's heavy use of metaphors possibly begs for another interpretation? Maybe Blake intentionally wanted to push the reader to take a closer look in what he wanted to convey. Perhaps the poem wants to indicate a more private symbol of deceit, destruction or betrayal in one's relationship or possible social issues that cause the symbolic 'rose' to become sick. As in “A Red, Red, Rose”, this poem also brings to life its own sound to the reader. “In the howling storm” (line 4) brings forth a dramatic sound to the reader's imagination, such as the sound of howling wolves, which may represent loneliness or even the sound of anger. The last stanza grips the concept of deceit and betrayal of the “. . . dark secret love / Does thy life destroy” ( line 7-8 ); thereby finalizes the 'rose' wellbeing to a withering state of sadness. (Norton Literature, pg 465, 467, 468, 469, 475, 476, 477, 481-485, 490-496, 501, 502, 2006)
The comparison between the poems “A Red, Red Rose” and “The Sick Rose” is like comparing the 'light of day' to the 'dark of night'. Both poems used strong figurative language in order to give impact to their meaning. The 'rose' becomes a symbolic entity that exposes 'beauty', 'love', 'happiness', 'deceit' or 'sadness'. The reader can conclude that the 'rose' is truly significant. It has made its mark on mankind that has engender centuries of artistic expressions just like in the poem “A Red, Red Rose”
“ . . . I will come again, my luve” (line 15).
Reference
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Burns, Robert "A Red, Red Rose" The Norton
Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 484) Indianapolis, IA: North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Blake, William "A Sick Rose"
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 495) Indianapolis, IA:
North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Chapter 11
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 465-496) Indianapolis, IA:
North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Chapter 12
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 501-502) Indianapolis, IA:
North, Inc.
Even with the passage of time, poetry still remains viable and capable in provoking those hidden images and feelings in the reader. The poems “A Red,Red Rose” by Robert Burns and William Blake's “The Sick Rose” have done just that. Both of these late 18th century poems elicited feelings and mindful images through the usage of figurative language. Each poet's figurative words provides impact that resonates throughout their poem, while at the same time composing a totally different meaning and feeling.
Robert Burns's poem “A Red, Red Rose” describes a Scottish man's devotion to a his “bonnie lass” (line 5, all pages references are to the class text, Norton Introduction to Literature, Portable Ed.) before he departs on a long trip. Burns skillfully uses the 'simile' element to produce his musical elegance with “O, my luve's like a red, red rose” (line 1). The simile “like a red, red rose” (line 1) and “As fair art thou”( line 5) makes a definitive picture of the speaker's lady. Another example of an explicit simile is the Scottish man's love for his lady “is like the melodie” (line 3). This poem is written in four stanzas. Each stanza has four lines with a rhyming characteristic throughout the poem. In each four line stanza, the last word in the second line rhymes with the last word in the fourth line. For an example: the word “June” (line 2) rhymes with the word “tune”(line 4); the word “I” (line 6) rhymes with “dry” (line 8) and so on throughout the poem. The poem also repeats “And I will luve thee still, my dear” (line 7 & 11) . This poem produces great rhythm and provides an up-lifting feeling. The last stanza brings closure with the image of the Scottish man embracing his “fair” (line 5 ) lady and kissing her goodbye, with the realization that “. . . [he] will come again, . . ” ( line 15), even if he has to trek thousand miles (line 16). (Norton Literature, pg 465, 481- 485, 465-471, 475-477, 501, 502, 2006)
In contrast to Burns's poem, Blake characterizes his poem, “The Sick Rose” as a “O rose, thou art sick” (line 1). Blake's poem takes on a darker description of the 'rose' by weaving in complex mystical metaphors, such as “The invisible worm / That flies in the night” (line 2-3) . Although words, such as '“worm” (line 2), “bed” (line 5 ) and “crimson joy” (line 6 ) “ have sexual connotations” (pg. 495), could it also be questioned why Blake's heavy use of metaphors possibly begs for another interpretation? Maybe Blake intentionally wanted to push the reader to take a closer look in what he wanted to convey. Perhaps the poem wants to indicate a more private symbol of deceit, destruction or betrayal in one's relationship or possible social issues that cause the symbolic 'rose' to become sick. As in “A Red, Red, Rose”, this poem also brings to life its own sound to the reader. “In the howling storm” (line 4) brings forth a dramatic sound to the reader's imagination, such as the sound of howling wolves, which may represent loneliness or even the sound of anger. The last stanza grips the concept of deceit and betrayal of the “. . . dark secret love / Does thy life destroy” ( line 7-8 ); thereby finalizes the 'rose' wellbeing to a withering state of sadness. (Norton Literature, pg 465, 467, 468, 469, 475, 476, 477, 481-485, 490-496, 501, 502, 2006)
The comparison between the poems “A Red, Red Rose” and “The Sick Rose” is like comparing the 'light of day' to the 'dark of night'. Both poems used strong figurative language in order to give impact to their meaning. The 'rose' becomes a symbolic entity that exposes 'beauty', 'love', 'happiness', 'deceit' or 'sadness'. The reader can conclude that the 'rose' is truly significant. It has made its mark on mankind that has engender centuries of artistic expressions just like in the poem “A Red, Red Rose”
“ . . . I will come again, my luve” (line 15).
Reference
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Burns, Robert "A Red, Red Rose" The Norton
Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 484) Indianapolis, IA: North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Blake, William "A Sick Rose"
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 495) Indianapolis, IA:
North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Chapter 11
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 465-496) Indianapolis, IA:
North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Chapter 12
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pg 501-502) Indianapolis, IA:
North, Inc.
Wednesday, February 9, 2000
Every word counts in poems
In poems, I agree that every word counts, and I mean 'every' word. Every word is condensed with meaning. Sometimes I need to read a poem three or four times, subsequently, narrowing it down to the words that gives the poem the most impact and meaning. I like Shakespeare. I believe he is a master in disguise when it comes to his work. As stated before, there are times like now that I need to read and reread what he has written, in order to benefit from the poem's message. Afterwards, the chances are good that I need to reread it again. Shakespeare's poem "That time of year thou mayst in me behold" is a poem about an aging / dying man seeing his youth passing by. The title is a give-a-way. He uses a lot of metaphors in his poem. Here are some examples of words I picked out of the poem. "yellow leaves, or none, or few, do hang" (line 2) describes a season such as late autumn (this might be obvious); and "Bare ruined choirs" (line 4) these are churches like Abbeys in Europe that either have been bombed out or are already in ruins; therefore, they have no roofs; and lastly "This" (line 13) possibly an identification expression to exemplify the poet's descending youth, but the word "This" could be debatable, but that's the meaning I'm giving it.
Tuesday, February 8, 2000
Post Card from Kashmir
The poem that I would like to address is the Agha Shahid Ali's "Post Card from Kashmir". I felt the tone in the poem, developed an extreme sadness to it. The speaker appeared to be an Indian from Kashmir who seems to have exiled from the Kashmir region. He talks about holding a post card "I always loved neatness. Now I hold the half-inch Himalayas in my hand" (pg 428) where the reader starts to develops the feeling that there is distance from his homeland. I liked the description. "When I returned, the colors won't be so brilliant, the Jhelum's waters so clean, so ultramarine. My love so overexposed." (pg 428) In this verse, I believe he is remembering what it is like back in his country and the beautiful landscape and people are now in turmoil. I could feel the passion coming from the speaker; therefore, I googled Kashmir and used the phrase turmoil in Kashmir. The site verified what I initially felt the speaker was portraying, turmoil, lonesomeness and sadness.
Sunday, February 6, 2000
William Shakespeare
Dear William,
I have always been a great fan of yours; however, I often wonder what compels people to see or read your artistic work. Could it be your timeless themes that resonate with people or is it your masterful exposure of people's feelings in such matters of love, death, anger, ambition and or any familiar bonds that can happen to one self. Having said this, I wish to share with you my enjoyment and contemplation that I had when I read your poem “Let me not to the marriage of true minds”. I felt your sonnet was brilliant. Your chosen words speak volumes about that perfect love.
I was impressed with your first four lines in your poem. I feel true “love is not love” (line 2) if it is full trepidations or difficulties that cannot be resolved. True love should embrace trust and understanding in a relationship. I believe love should be steadfast and strong and “not alters when alteration finds / [o]r bend with the remover to remove” (line 3-4).
You have 'spoken' the words why love is “an ever-fixed mark”. (line 5) Love is a feeling that defies logic and common sense. It is an intangible source of energy that radiates to another. It has no boundaries. It shows forgiveness and becomes supportive. It is not shattered during crisis. Love is a mystery in its self, where the “worth's unknown”. (line 8)
“ Love is not Times fool”. (line 9) How true this statement is. Love has no duration, not even in "brief hours and weeks”. (line 11) There is no time frame for love, it is eternal. I cannot pluck it out of my life. Once it manifests, there is nothing that can move or change its existence. It becomes part of the 'self'.
As you can see, your poem resonated a soft spot in me – the meaning of love. Not to be curt, I will not debate the "error and upon me proved;" (line 13) with your truths expressed in the poem, for it was done in a very favorable fashion. You deserve an applause, and I thank you.
I have always been a great fan of yours; however, I often wonder what compels people to see or read your artistic work. Could it be your timeless themes that resonate with people or is it your masterful exposure of people's feelings in such matters of love, death, anger, ambition and or any familiar bonds that can happen to one self. Having said this, I wish to share with you my enjoyment and contemplation that I had when I read your poem “Let me not to the marriage of true minds”. I felt your sonnet was brilliant. Your chosen words speak volumes about that perfect love.
I was impressed with your first four lines in your poem. I feel true “love is not love” (line 2) if it is full trepidations or difficulties that cannot be resolved. True love should embrace trust and understanding in a relationship. I believe love should be steadfast and strong and “not alters when alteration finds / [o]r bend with the remover to remove” (line 3-4).
You have 'spoken' the words why love is “an ever-fixed mark”. (line 5) Love is a feeling that defies logic and common sense. It is an intangible source of energy that radiates to another. It has no boundaries. It shows forgiveness and becomes supportive. It is not shattered during crisis. Love is a mystery in its self, where the “worth's unknown”. (line 8)
“ Love is not Times fool”. (line 9) How true this statement is. Love has no duration, not even in "brief hours and weeks”. (line 11) There is no time frame for love, it is eternal. I cannot pluck it out of my life. Once it manifests, there is nothing that can move or change its existence. It becomes part of the 'self'.
As you can see, your poem resonated a soft spot in me – the meaning of love. Not to be curt, I will not debate the "error and upon me proved;" (line 13) with your truths expressed in the poem, for it was done in a very favorable fashion. You deserve an applause, and I thank you.
Friday, February 4, 2000
Cathedral
Description in Bethany Qualls' essay “Character and Narration in 'Cathedral'”.
There can be many responses derived from reading Raymond Carver's short story “Cathedral”, which can be either positive or negative. Bethany Quall's essay, “Character and Narration in “Cathedral'” has provided the reader with a delightful retort in which she tells the “reader in search of an exciting plot will be pretty disappointed . . . because the truth is nothing much happens”. (162) Quall creates her impact with the use of the description element through out her essay to prove her point; although the plot needs to be addressed. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
Quall's does a wonderful job honing in on the narrator's character. She is like an impressionist describing the narrator “through his words . . . more than his action”; thereby, “demonstrating his utter inability to connect with others or to understand himself”. (161) She provides the reader with multiple examples that were referred from the short story “Cathedral” of the narrator's close-mindedness and his emotional detachment from others such as, the narrator using labels to refer to “[h]is wife or “my wife”, his wife's friend as “the blind man” (Quall,162; Carver, 21) and uses “officer” to identify his wife's first husband, at the same time narrator questions” Why does he [officer] have a name?”. (Quall, 163; Carver: 22) Quall further succeeds to make her point with other quotations through out her essay that verifies the narrator's inept skill to communicate and to have an interpersonal relationship with anyone. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
While the writer applied a significant effort to provide the reader with supporting details in why the narrator is socially inept; she doesn't supply details why the reader should believe the plot was dull or insignificant. Does not the plot have a cause and effect on the characters and establishes a conflict along with its resolution? Perhaps Quall unknowingly insinuated the plot throughout her essay by accenting the conflict the narrator has with himself and others. Having said this, does it not show the impact the plot has on the characters. Her essay may have already provided some of the answers to plot formation in her initial sentence in some of her paragraphs; which are the following: “The narrator's isolation is most evident in the distanced way he introduces his own story and the people in it.”(162); “Once the visit . . . begins,the narrator's interaction and conversations with the other characters are even more awkward.” (163) and “There is hope for the narrator at the end as he gains some empathy and . . . bond[s] with Robert over the drawing of a cathedral.”(164) Non intentionally, her introductory infers the dull plot with the narrator. In other words, it might be clearer if she could mention or relate something as to why the plot was so disappointing. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
With the exception to the information that was previous stated, the introduction and conclusion in Quall's essay has taken on a mirrored effect to one another. Quall strategically place the narrator's “not feeling 'inside anything'” (Quall, 164; Carver, 32) as a false enlightenment combined with other descriptive words such as, “closed”, “judgmental”, “ isolated” and “[not]connected” (164) to substantiate the ambiguity in how the story “Cathedral” ends. Her conclusion reflects her introductory statement “ . . . . nothing much happens to him . . . .”(162) ,where the writer doubts a “change” in the narrator. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
Bethany Quall has placed a lot of emphasis on descriptive quotes from “Cathedral” to support her analogy. With the exception to “disappointing” (162) plot in her introduction, the conclusion sealed her essay. It is obvious that Quall enjoyed neither the plot nor the narrator and left the reader “wondering how much really happens in this story [Cathedral].” (164) (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
Reference
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). “Character and Narration in Cathedral"
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pp 162 -164) Indianapolis, IA: North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Carver, Raymond “Cathedral”
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pp 21 -32) Indianapolis, IA: North, Inc.
There can be many responses derived from reading Raymond Carver's short story “Cathedral”, which can be either positive or negative. Bethany Quall's essay, “Character and Narration in “Cathedral'” has provided the reader with a delightful retort in which she tells the “reader in search of an exciting plot will be pretty disappointed . . . because the truth is nothing much happens”. (162) Quall creates her impact with the use of the description element through out her essay to prove her point; although the plot needs to be addressed. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
Quall's does a wonderful job honing in on the narrator's character. She is like an impressionist describing the narrator “through his words . . . more than his action”; thereby, “demonstrating his utter inability to connect with others or to understand himself”. (161) She provides the reader with multiple examples that were referred from the short story “Cathedral” of the narrator's close-mindedness and his emotional detachment from others such as, the narrator using labels to refer to “[h]is wife or “my wife”, his wife's friend as “the blind man” (Quall,162; Carver, 21) and uses “officer” to identify his wife's first husband, at the same time narrator questions” Why does he [officer] have a name?”. (Quall, 163; Carver: 22) Quall further succeeds to make her point with other quotations through out her essay that verifies the narrator's inept skill to communicate and to have an interpersonal relationship with anyone. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
While the writer applied a significant effort to provide the reader with supporting details in why the narrator is socially inept; she doesn't supply details why the reader should believe the plot was dull or insignificant. Does not the plot have a cause and effect on the characters and establishes a conflict along with its resolution? Perhaps Quall unknowingly insinuated the plot throughout her essay by accenting the conflict the narrator has with himself and others. Having said this, does it not show the impact the plot has on the characters. Her essay may have already provided some of the answers to plot formation in her initial sentence in some of her paragraphs; which are the following: “The narrator's isolation is most evident in the distanced way he introduces his own story and the people in it.”(162); “Once the visit . . . begins,the narrator's interaction and conversations with the other characters are even more awkward.” (163) and “There is hope for the narrator at the end as he gains some empathy and . . . bond[s] with Robert over the drawing of a cathedral.”(164) Non intentionally, her introductory infers the dull plot with the narrator. In other words, it might be clearer if she could mention or relate something as to why the plot was so disappointing. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
With the exception to the information that was previous stated, the introduction and conclusion in Quall's essay has taken on a mirrored effect to one another. Quall strategically place the narrator's “not feeling 'inside anything'” (Quall, 164; Carver, 32) as a false enlightenment combined with other descriptive words such as, “closed”, “judgmental”, “ isolated” and “[not]connected” (164) to substantiate the ambiguity in how the story “Cathedral” ends. Her conclusion reflects her introductory statement “ . . . . nothing much happens to him . . . .”(162) ,where the writer doubts a “change” in the narrator. (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
Bethany Quall has placed a lot of emphasis on descriptive quotes from “Cathedral” to support her analogy. With the exception to “disappointing” (162) plot in her introduction, the conclusion sealed her essay. It is obvious that Quall enjoyed neither the plot nor the narrator and left the reader “wondering how much really happens in this story [Cathedral].” (164) (Norton Introduction to Literature, pg 21-32, 162-164, 2006)
Reference
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). “Character and Narration in Cathedral"
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pp 162 -164) Indianapolis, IA: North, Inc.
Booth, A. & Hunter P.J. & Mays K.J. (Ed.). (2006). Carver, Raymond “Cathedral”
The Norton Introduction to Literature: Portable Ed. (pp 21 -32) Indianapolis, IA: North, Inc.
Thursday, February 3, 2000
Hills of the White Elephants
I like to address the contrasting key elements in the short stories “Hills of the White Elephants” and "While I live at the P.O.” Ernest Hemingway “Hills of the White Elephants” is presented through mostly dialogue between a couple, an American man and a woman named Jig. The story takes place at a train depot in Spain while the couple is waiting for a train to Madrid. I believe the story was told in a third person, because the whole storyline evolved totally through their conversation. What I thought was unique in this story was the reader had to develop the inference from the dialogue between the American and the woman. “They look like white elephants.” The woman was describing the serene scenery outside the train station as “looking like white elephants”. At the same time she was contemplating a beautiful thought. The short story took on a flair in self-examination on the “woman” if she should or not have an abortion; however, the story has no conclusion. It left the reader with his or her own thought provoking conclusion.
In contrast to Ernest Hemingway’s “Hill of the White Elephants”, Eudora Welty’s short story “While I live at the P.O.” takes on more of a comical atmosphere of an early dysfunctional Southern family. This story was narrated in the first person. ‘I’ (sister) was used throughout the dialogue. I suppose in some ways, the dialogue in this story helped the reader conclude the main theme “taking sides”, ‘I’ (sister) vs. the other sister and family.
In contrast to Ernest Hemingway’s “Hill of the White Elephants”, Eudora Welty’s short story “While I live at the P.O.” takes on more of a comical atmosphere of an early dysfunctional Southern family. This story was narrated in the first person. ‘I’ (sister) was used throughout the dialogue. I suppose in some ways, the dialogue in this story helped the reader conclude the main theme “taking sides”, ‘I’ (sister) vs. the other sister and family.
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