Weblog Entry 11

Tim O'Brien's story, The Things They Carried, is a short narrative about a platoon of military soldiers sometime during the Vietnam War. The story is narrated from the third person and mainly focuses on the many thoughts of Jimmy Cross and his obsession with his love interest Martha during the course of the story. However, the story also focuses on many of the physical and emotion burdens that the soldiers carry throughout their time in Vietnam. This story attacks many difficult themes such as the futility of war and the stress and lives of the men in it.

Tim does this through listing the many items that each of the platoon member carry and the item's corresponding weight. As most of the items they carry are necessary for the groups survival, the items that are brought that are not necessary alludes to each of the men's character throughout the story. Ted Lavander, who has much fear and anxiety from war, carries along with him tranquilizers and a bag of marijuana to combat his fear, while Jimmy Cross, who has an obsession with a girl named Martha, slugs around with him various photographs and letters from her. However, Tim also includes the actual weight of objects to juxtapose them against emotion strains that the soldiers must also carry with them along Vietnam, which shows how both types of problems add additional "weight" for each men to carry.

Although Tim depicts these men to have various personalities with hopes after the war, Tim also shows how the very nature of war can twist the lives of these men. For instance, in one paragraph the narrator states that the war they are fighting is "an endless march, village to village, without purpose, nothing won or lost" which blatantly states that their presence in Vietnam serves no purpose, and every new mission is just another repetition of that.

Weblog Entry 10

In Charles Baxter's short story "Gryphon," the main character Tommy narrates his experience with his eccentric substitute teacher Ms. Fercenzi. Although he is initially skeptical of the fantastical stories she recites in the beginning, he later develops an admiration for her and a fascination with all of her exciting information, even though they are mostly fictional accounts. To achieve not only Tommy's fascination but the other students, however, Ms Fercenzi must often intertwine unconventional and conventional ideas into her lessons, and in the process lies to her students many times throughout the story. Although dishonest and misleading for her students, the unconventional and conventional ideas she exhibits to her class help foster her children to develop in many ways. Three main examples of when she mixes together ideas are when she explains about the gryphon, prophesies to the children's fortunes, and explains to the children that 6x11 is 68.

The first time Ms Fercenzi intertwines conventional and in conventional ideas is during her first lesson with the students. While reviewing over arithmetic problems, one of the students gives the incorrect answer of 68 to a question, yet Ms Fercenzi dubs it correct. Although most of the children argue with her that the answer is 66, Ms Fercenzi denies this and tells the children that while she is present 6x11 is 68. Thus, by taking a simple arithmetic equation and applying her method to the answer, she succeeds in mixing together conventional and unconventional ideas.

The next time she intertwines those ideas is when she is explaining what a gryphon is to the class. She tells the children that a gryphon is an animal in existence with the head of an eagle and the body of a lion. She even goes as far as to say that on her trip to Egypt she encountered a live one. By taking simple animals in existence such as lions and eagles and amalgamating them together into a fantastical being, Ms Fercenzi mixes together conventional and unconventional ideas once again.

Finally, during her last lesson with her children, Ms Fercenzi pushes boundaries once again by predicting her students futures using playing cards. She goes around predicting everybody's fortunes, and even to the extent where she reveals that one of her students will have an early demise. In this scene she uses simple playing cards and bestows upon them unearthly powers, thus successfully combining both conventional and unconventional ideas for the last time in the story.

Like i said earlier, the mixture of conventional and unconventional ideas that Ms Fercenzi shared with her children were not entirely honest. However, although dishonest, her purpose as a teacher was to inspire her children, and through the numerous enthralling tales she told she was able to stimulate the children into using their imaginations and developing a view on the world that broke secular boundaries. Thus, in the end her dishonesty was justified.

Weblog Entry 9

It is almost obvious that in Jhumpa Lahiri's story "Interpreter of Maladies" their is no hope for the Das family to change their ways. too well does Jhumpa successfully manage to present and depict an incorrigible family that is ignorant and full of deceit. The mother of the family, Mrs Das, performed adultery against her husband while simultaneously ignoring her children, while the father, Mr Das, remains indifferent towards his entire family and only pays heed to his camera. The children, Bobby, Ronny, and Tina, fail to follow their parents instructions and constantly do things they are told not to do such as play with goats. Besides for neglecting each other, the family also manages to physically harm each other throughout the book. Towards the end of the story, Mrs Das litters the puffed rice she had as a snack on the ground, contrary to what Mr Kapasi told her, which thus leads to Bobby savagely getting attacked by monkeys. Even during this event the family reveals how little they care for each others safety. Tina, the youngest daughter, informs Mr Das that Bobby is getting attacked with no anxiety, almost as if it were a simple statement. Mr Das, reluctant to help out his dying son, shrugs off helping him by stating that the monkeys might start attacking others if he tries to help. The family is so reluctant to help Bobby that it is Mr Kapasi in the end who saves Bobby from possible death. Finally, after Mr Kapasi hands Bobby over to his "family" the only remedies that they have for him is a simple pat on the head, a stick of gum, and brushing his hair, instead of treating his injuries. Thus, through the actions of her characters, Jhumpa Lahiri concludes that the Das family is horrible and that in no way Interpreter of Maladies is a tale of hope.

Weblog Entry 8

In Jhumpa Lahiri's short story "Interpreter of Maladies," Jhumpa meticulously inserts small details to reveal the unmet needs of her many characters. For instance, early on in the story Jhumpa highlights the neglect that her character Tina receives from her mother Mrs Das. In that scene in the story Tina wants to use her mother's nail polish yet her mother Mrs Das, agitated by her remarks, tells her to leave her alone. By using the small detail of Mrs Das neglecting to paint her daughter's finger nails, Jhumpa manifests the non existent bond between Mrs Das and Tina. Not only that, however, there are many other unresolved Das family issues that Jhumpa carefully unveils throughout the story. This can be seen within another scene between Mrs Das and Mr Das on page 63. Mrs Das complains that the car they are riding in is too hot, and that Mr Das is a miser for being so reluctant to rent a car with air conditioning. However, to Mr Das rebuffs that remark by stating car isn't very hot at all, thus implying that Mrs Das should quit complaining. This short argument reveals the flaws in Mr and Mrs Das relationship, and how Mr Das fails in satisfying Mrs Das's needs for comfort. Finally, Jhumpa Lahiri indirectly reveals how Mrs Das is unsuccessful in providing for the children's well being and safety when she disregards Mr. Kapasi's warning to not feed the monkeys, and trails behind puffed rice which leads to Bobby's isolation from the group and being attack by the monkeys. In this way Mrs Das is not accounting for any of her children's needs and is ultimately a danger to her family in an insidious way. Although minute and minuscule, the small details that Jhumpa embeds in her story ironically reveals more about her characters than most broad descriptions on them ever could.

Weblog Entry 7

In Tobias Wolff's story introduction, he vividly analyzes the transition between the styles of writing in the past, and the implications it has for writers and readers. For instance, he frequently speaks of a "renaissance" that occurred which helped literature transition into a different form. He conveys the idea that this "renaissance" has caused stories to evolved from being "witty" to simple yet convincing, even to the point where the story inspires a sense of "kinship" in readers. He feels that the new form of writing can be fictional, but realistic and relatable enough to endure in our deepest memories, or evoke our deepest emotions "We need to feel ourselves acted upon by a story, outraged, exposed, in danger of heartbreak or change". He also dwells deep enough to reveal the the reason why people read is because we have the ability to relate our emotions or everyday experiences with the text we read, and that when we can emotionally link with the text we are granted an "exhilaration" that compels us to continue. Not only that, but he feels that readers themselves have grown mature throughout the centuries and are able to accept controversial yet realistic stories about human nature"We're grown-ups now, we get to stay in the kitchen when the other grown-ups talk. Finally, in Introduction Tobias assess the reason for writing stories, and the force that compels writers into doing so. For instance, Tobias states that writers, although different in genres and writing styles, each share a passion to "clarify a sense of reality" in their stories, which to me means that they try to instill a sense of reliability from the text to the writer. He also states in his story that "Romance is what keeps us going, the old romantic Frankenstein dream of working a miracle" which shows that writers also want to write brilliant stories, so good to the point that their work "lives on" in a way.

Weblog Entry 6

As a child, I had an almost incorrigible passion for flying, and the endlessly blue realm above that was the sky. I would go to city parks to fly simple diamond shaped kites, or tiny little helicopters that soared a staggering two feet above me. Whenever I was in school or simply forbid of doing these things, I would conjure up images of the sky in my mind and all of the tiny little entities that made it up, such as the clouds, the stars, and of course myself soaring threw them. Although I went through all of these activities to attune myself with the sky, deep down I knew that I would never actually know the joy of flight. To me, flying within an airplane was almost as unsettling scuba diving in a pool, and unfortunately as the years passed by my passion for flight was overtaken by the many sports and activities that i also played at that time such as swimming, simply by the fact that swimming was actually achievable. Much like my faded childhood endeavor,in the story The Bass, the River, and Sheila Mant, the author knows that although he has a passion for Sheila Mant, he will be unsuccessful in "wooing" her. This can be seen through the details in the text, for instance, he writes that "I would boost myself up onto our dock and glance casually over toward her, but she was never watching" showing that no matter what extremes he goes to to please her, she never notices or cares about anything he does. He also dresses her up to resemble this superior being,as he always addresses anything she does with prestige. For instance he describes her character as "unutterably suave, the epitome of sophistication" and even a simple action such as tilting her head as "proud and alert" while himself "as bashful and frightened as a unicorn" showing that there is a vast gap between them, and that he will never be worthy of her.

Wordle

Weblog Entry 5

1. The implications of giving a newspaper article the title "No News" are numerous. For one thing it is rather ironic to entitle an informative piece with a heading that makes the piece look as if it were not worth reading(since theres "No News"). However, the fact that there is "no news" to be delivered in an article could also give the article a purpose to be read, as if the article were an un-addressed problem that desperately needs to be solved. In the newspaper article "No News From Auswitch" instead of addressing an unsolved problem, author A.M Rosenthal addresses the millions who died in Auswitch and the fact that there was "No News" about their lives or any or their trials in a most unspeakable place.  In 1958, this article was debut in the New York Times newspaper, and within this story Rosenthal describes the concentration camp Auswitch and the horrors that were conducted inside these walls. In this story Rosenthal uses imagery of cheerful things such as children playing and daises at Auswitch to amplify the horrors the victims experienced during one of the darkest periods of time. Although this was a very despondent story to include in a newspaper, Rosenthal felt that it was his duty to honor the victims of Auswitch, even though there is nothing evil occurring at Auswitch anymore. By entitling his article "No News From Auswitch," Rosenthal gives the millions who died a voice that could not be heard long ago. 
2. Rosenthal's piece "No News From Auswitch" would probably belong in the Tourism/Travel tips section of a newspaper. This piece would not encourage or discourage people from traveling to Auswitch, but it will provide tourists with information on one of the most unsettling travel spots that one could ever want to visit to.

Hair and English B

In the stories Hair and English B there are many similarities that can be made between the two, and with the lives of their authors as well. For one thing the stories were both written within the 1950-1960's period, in which segregation in North America was still enacted and fully tolerated. Their authors (Malcolm X and Langston Hughes) were also civil rights activists who saw the evil within segregation and fought to end it. However, despite their similarities, how both authors viewed life in segregated America in their stories differs very much considering the fact that they both were victims of the segregation. For example, in Langston Hughes story English B he expresses his thought that although he is less free than his white english teacher, they still influence each other and are both equally American. This differs from Malcolm X's story Hair, in which Malcolm tells the story of his first hair conking, and how he sees that experience as a degenerative one and states in the end that Black people are beautiful and as capable, if not even better, of anything a white man could do. These stories, although similar, clearly show a different message on how the authors feel on the segregation that occurred in North America.  

Malcom X

In the memoir titled hair by Malcom X Malcom tells the story of his first time conking his hair with his friend "Shorty". Although in the beginning of the story he seems extremely pleased by the results of the conking, in the conclusion of the story he contradicts what he originally wrote and states that this was his first step towards "self degeneration" and that instead of accepting the beautiful body that god bestowed upon him he was foolish enough to reject it and sear his hair into looking in a more "white" manor. Although this manner of writing can be confusing as it contradicts what he originally felt the true purpose of the writing can be manifested by looking at the type of writing it is. The story is a memoir, and in a memoir people write down memories in their lives that have sentimental value to them and ultimately define them as a person, such as someones first A+, or maybe the first time riding a bike. To Malcom X, this memory was the first time he conked his hair, and it showed him how foolish he was for rejecting who he was. Again why someone would see something as straight hair a sign of self degeneration is absurd, but after looking at Malcom X's life his personality and motives become more clear. All throughout his life it seems he was oppressed by white supremacists, and at one point in time the message of the supremacists got to him and he tried to become as "white" as possible. It wasn't until later in life however that he was able to accept who he was and become the person he is known for being. Therefore, his purpose in this story is to convey how he originally tried to conform to white standards but now realizes that this period of him was foolish as he was rejecting himself and his culture.

By Any Other Name

A great man once wrote that "life's a stage, and all the men and women are merely actors." Although the actual world isn't a huge celestial stage located in some building, it does offer insight on how people go about "acting" out their lives. People want to be perceived in a way that benefits his or her life in a way, such as a nerdy kid at a new school taking on a new image for popularity. However, even if the nerdy kid succeeds in making his image and achieving popularity, is his computer loving nerdy side lost? Although people can cover their true selves with as much glitter and make up they want, they still have something truly genuine and unique to them that they cant change or hinder. A great example of this comes from a short story by writer Santa Rama Rau, in which she reflects on her past during the time that she attended a british school in India. In the memoir, Santha and her sister start attending a british school, and have their names changed to Cynthia and Pamela. While they attend that school they are expected to behave in a western manner and leave all traces of their culture behind. However, although all of these western ideas are being thrusted on to her and she is expect to conform, Santha unacknowledges them and remains faithful to her indian heritage. Her sister on the other hand, however, begins to doubt it and tries to conform to western ways, but in the end ultimately rejects this version of herself and leaves the school with her and her sister. This story is good because is shows us that even though others or even yourself can try to change their image, in the end ones true self is never lost. Much like Premila in the story, people will and do try to adapt to life and the situations around them for their benefit, often by trying to disregard his or her morals and true self. However, like Santha shows us in her memoir, although efforts can be made to try and make a different you, your true self remains, and a nerd is still a nerd.