<3 in the Time of Cholera

Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, brilliantly analyzes different facets and aspects of love that exists in our world. I believe that during our class discussions of the novel, we have overlooked the importance of the relationship between Florentino and Sara Noriega. I believe that the relationship between the two subtlety but solidly symbolizes the love that Marquez wants us to understand throughout the novel, the love that is conceptually divided.
“In the plentitude of their relationship, Florentino Ariza had asked himself which of the two was love: the turbulent bed or the peaceful Sunday afternoons, and Sara Noriega calmed him with the simple argument that love was everything they did naked. She said: “Spiritual love from the waist up and physical love from the waist down.” Sara Noriega thought this definition would be good for a poem about divided love, which they wrote together and which she submitted to the Fifth Poetic Festival, convinced that no participant had ever presented such an original poem. But she lost again (199)”. I am convinced that she lost again because this idea was not original: Love in the Time of Cholera is a piece of Marquez’s literature that exemplifies this exact idea. Through Noriega’s concept and poem of divided love, I have come to believe that true love is both physical and spiritual. This true love is what Florentino constantly seeks, and what the novel continually presents.
Florentino is constantly faced with the problem of divided love, his lack of true love. Spiritually, Florentino remains true to Fermina. Florentino is true to Fermina in his head, after his virginity is stolen. It is not his desire to lose fidelity to his robber, therefore Florentino remains true to Fermina because he does not voluntarily lose his virginity to someone other than his Fermina. Florention searches for the other half of true love, the physical love, through his six hundred and twenty two other relationships. Florentino tries to emulate through love by keeping Fermina in his mind while he is keeping other women from the waist down. The women who are involved with Florentino physically never really come to connect with him spiritually, because Florentino must remain true to his Fermina in his mind. The spiritual and physical loves, which are divided between Fermina and his other women, show Florentino’s inability to find true love.
Another example of how Noriega’s poem symbolizes divided love is the relationship between Florentino and Leona. Florentino and Leona are extremely spiritually connected, with hearts that seem to match. But, a physical relationship can not exist between the two, for if Florentino succumbed to both physical and spiritual love with a woman he would not remain true to Fermina. In this case, the divided love could have been unified into one, but Florention, ever true to Fermina, decides not to embrace both physical and spiritual love. (481)

<3 in the Time of Cholera

Love in the Time of Cholera, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, is an amazingly well-written novel that explains the many facets and elements of love. Love is an important issue that exists in everyday human life, and Marquez is really able to capture the emotions of love through beautiful writing. Marquez uses his characters to also show how love can exist in different forms, by showing the different relationships that exist through the characters such as Florentino Ariza, Dr. Urbino, and Fermina Daza.
Marquez really is able to evoke strong emotions in the reader through his vivid descriptions and passages of love. The words that Marquez use do not simply convey that a character feels “love” for another character, but the reader understands how deeply a character feels for another or how love appears in a dependent way. To show what I mean, I will use an example from the novel that exhibit the beauty and strength of Marquez’s writing. The love between Dr. Urbino and his wife to me seems to be consisting of love that must exist in a long relationship. The love between Dr. Urbino and his Fermina seems a result of a long marriage and dependency, not true and passionate love, but love none the less. Marquez writes, “She wept for the death of her husband, for her solitude and rage, and when she went into the empty bedroom she wept for herself because she had rarely slept alone in that bed since the loss of her virginity. Everything that belonged to her husband made her weep again: his tasseled slippers, his pajamas under the pillow, the space of his absence in the dressing table mirror, his own odor on her skin. A vague thought made her shudder: “The people one loves should take all their things with them when they die””…(50). Marquez beautifully enables the reader to understand that Fermina felt almost as another part of Dr. Urbino after so many years of marriage. The words “alone,” “absence,” and “empty” capture Fermina’s loss and feeling of loneliness after losing “part” of her. Through this passage we also are able to see that the love of Fermina and Urbino is hinged upon the fact that they have been married for so long and are dependent on each other’s companionship and presence, nothing more.
Marquez’s writing in relation to the love between Fermina and Ariza shows a different aspect of love in the novel. When Ariza writes a novel of his own, almost, of a love letter to Fermina containing pages of compliments expressing his love, the readers see that he is definitely obsessed with Fermina. The fact that Ariza is able to write about seventy pages on Fermina shows how much he feels for her and how much he desires her. Instead of Marquez writing that Ariza was simply infatuated with her, we are able to see the extent of his love for Fermina. Fermina and Ariza’s love is different than that of Fermina and Dr. Urbino’s love, due to the fact that a more romantic love exists. Though initially, the love is mostly one sided, due to Ariza’s obsession, Fermina eventually returns the love towards Ariza. Fermina and Ariza both fall romantically, or as romantic as they can get in their culture, in love and truly begin to desire each other. This love between Ariza and Fermina is a foil to that of Urbino and Fermina’s, due to the fact that the Ariza and Fermina love is not hinged upon the fact of dependency but of a mutual desire of each other. Marquez’s writing deeply strengthens the love that Ariza feels and puts heartfelt emotion behind the words. I don’t know, but I would find it extremely hard to write even twenty pages on someone I loved. To write seventy pages for Fermina, Ariza must love Fermina one heck of a lot. (646)

The Sound and the Fury

There were many things in the Quentin section that grabbed my attention when I read June 2 of The Sound and the Fury. For this blog posting I want to discuss two things that especially caught my attention in the Quentin section: time and the eerie girl that follows Quentin. The Quentin section, though narrated from the view of a fully grown, fully developed man, to me is actually harder to understand than the Benjy section. But, one of the most rewarding experiences of reading the Quentin section is being able to connect it to the previous section and also seeing the foreshadowing that lies within its pages. I found that I really liked Quentin more than any other character in The Sound and the Fury; it’s a pity he had to drown himself. I really respect what he stands for, what he fights for, and I respect what Quentin went through.

From the beginning of the Quentin section, time presents itself as an important issue that must be faced by Quentin. When Quentin first wakes up he notices that the “shadow of the sash appeared on the curtain,” indicating that it was “between seven and eight oclock”. Then, Quentin immediately hears the ticking of Grandfather’s watch that Father gave to him. It becomes immediately clear that time is one of Quentin’s chief concerns at this time, the beginning of the novel. Time is an issue that gnaws away at Quentin constantly. When Quentin is on the way to the repair shop he notices the “clock, high up in the sun…” and the “watch ticking away” in his pocket. Quentin then becomes acutely aware of the ticking of clocks in the repair shop and asks if any of the clocks show the correct time. Further along the Quentin section, Quentin asks others if there is a clock that chimes nearby and refers to the time frequently. It becomes clear that Quentin is trying to stop time and at times it seems he is running away from time. But why is Quentin running away from time? I believe that Quentin wants to run away from time because he can not face the breaking of his idealistic vision of him and Caddy together and pure. Father tries to convince Quentin that time will heal his pain at his broken vision, but Quentin believes that it is a wound that can not be healed. I believe that Quentin believes he has no other choice than taking away his life, because he believes he has nothing to live for. I also believe that Quentin inside really does not want to commit suicide, seen by his hesitancy to commit the act. Quentin avoids time to show that his pain is everlasting and can not be erased by time and he avoids time to stall his death. Quentin pointlessly realizes he must brush his teeth, brush his clothes off, and comb his hair before he must kill himself, but really all he wants is more time to live.

In class, we talked deeply and heavily about the mysterious girl with “black eyes”. When I read this passage I immediately thought of parallels of this girl in Quentin’s scene, but I was too afraid to bring my ideas up in class, for fear of them not being taken seriously. So I decided to blog my ideas. I believe that the girl, or the mysterious child, is a writer’s convention to signify imminent trouble or even death. In movies recently, mysterious children are used in a similar fashion to that of the girl in The Sound and the Fury. In Stephen Jackson’s King Kong and in Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto little girls are symbols of imminent death. As soon as I read the first encounter of the “ragged girl” with “black eyes” I thought of these characters from the movies. Here are some pictures to show you what parallels I drew: (pictures at top)



Mysterious Native Girl from King Kong: before a battle

The other girl is from Apocalypto and she foreshadows the rise fall of the Mayan Empire.

Oh the Sound, Oh the Fury!

When I first started reading The Sound and the Fury, by William Faulkner, I immediately became attracted to Faulkner’s writing style and techniques. Though the novel itself may be extremely confusing, the writing made me hooked and extremely interested in the novel. I loved how Faulkner is able to really humanize Benjy; through Faulkner’s writing, we are able to understand how an underdeveloped human thinks and feels. Also, the use of flashbacks in the novel is incredible. The flashbacks makes the reader think, question, and connect pieces of the story together. Without the flashbacks, I believe that The Sound and the Fury would not be as good of a novel as it is now.
Faulkner’s writing of Benjy is extremely fascinating and well written. The first part of the novel, April Seventh, is seen from Benjy’s eyes. The first paragraph itself is detailed through Benjy, and the reader immediately begins to become almost puzzled at the description of golf. “I could see them hitting. They were coming toward where the flag was and I went along the fence. Luster was hunting in the grass by the flower tree. They took the flag out, and they were hitting. Then they put the flag back and they went to the table, and he hit and the other hit…,” says Benjy, describing a game of golf. Benjy is not able to understand that it is a game of golf, and instead we, as readers, are supposed to comprehend what Benjy sees. Some other examples of Benjy’s inability to comprehend what he sees is around mirrors and shadows. Benjy constantly describes characters as being in mirrors and leaving mirrors, unable to understand that what he is seeing is a reflection. Faulkner portrays size through shadows that Benjy sees; Benjey sees that his shadow is “longer” than other characters, meaning that he is really taller. The descriptions that Benjy give the reader serve many purposes. I believe that we are to feel Benjy’s innocence and understand how Benjy is incapable of truly understanding his surroundings. Through Benjy’s childlike descriptions, Faulkner portrays Benjy as a true childlike man. Also, the descriptions that Benjy provide the readers with help capture emotions, emotions that most of us believe an underprivileged human being is incapable of feeling. Benjy’s descriptions also provide the reader with key flashbacks, after he associates what he sees with the past. Benjy’s flashbacks serve as extremely important pieces in the novel.
The flashbacks are beautiful pieces of Faulkner’s writing. Flashbacks in the novel serve many important purposes. One of the principal purposes, I believe of the flashbacks, is to pique the readers’ curiosity in the novel. Faulkner wets the readers’ appetites with flashbacks by providing them with new information that they desperately want to know more about and connect with the present. This serves as a way to hook the reader to the novel and eagerly read more until everything falls together and makes sense. Also, the flashbacks serve as important pieces to the entire story. Flashbacks provide the readers with evidence and missing pieces of the story as well as explanations for the future events. The flashbacks are pieces of a puzzle that the reader must place in the puzzle of the story to understand the novel. I enjoy the flashbacks because of the theories I create and the connections I establish after reading them. Faulkner’s writing is only enhanced by his use of flashbacks.

Shiloh

“Shiloh”, by Bobbie Ann Mason, is the depressing story of a marriage that was never meant to be. Mason uses symbolism and rising tension throughout the story to set up the differences between the Moffits and show why these differences make it impossible for Leroy and Norma Jean’s marriage to last. Though the story itself is rather depressing, I really do respect Mason’s talent for writing; instead of becoming angry with the author or her characters after reading the end of story, I realize that the story could not have ended in any other way, even though it is very disheartening.

The stage is set for the Moffit family’s end by Leroy’s accident. After his truck jackknifed, Leroy becomes confined to the house where he “makes things from craft kits” and does other things not commonly thought of as “manly” (6). Leroy builds structures with Popsicle sticks, does string art, and builds decorations for the house.
“What’s that thing?” Mabel says to Leroy in a loud voice, pointing to a tangle of yarn on a piece of canvas.
Leroy holds it up for Mabel to see. “It’s my needlepoint,” he explains. “This is a Star Trek pillow cover”
“That’s what a woman would do,” says Mabel…
“All the big football players on TV do it,” he says… (34)
This conversation between Leroy and his mother-in-law shows that Leroy, after his accident, has been gradually falling into the place of what we think of as a typical housewife. His new position is strange to both him and his wife. Leroy is not used to being confined to his house after traveling so much of the time on the road. Norma is also not used to this new constant company.

Just as Leroy’s position with his wife changed after the accident, Norma’s position within the Moffit relationship also changes. Mason provides the reader with the detail that it is Norma Jean who actually goes to work, at a drugstore. Interestingly, Leroy says, “since he has been home, he has felt unusually tender about his wife and guilty over his long absences” while he was gone as a trucker, but once Leroy is back at home, he is the one who has to suffer the long absences while his wife is gone at work. It becomes clear that Norma is the one who is really providing for them, while Leroy is busy noticing the changing town he has come back to, while he is busy decorating the house, while he is busy buying marijuana, while he is busy dreaming about the log cabin he wants to build. Leroy no longer seems the “man” of the relationship.

Mason also provides more signs that show the changing position of Norma, within the family structure, that show that the marriage is not working at all. The beginning of the story begins with Norma “working on her pectorals” (1). The fact that Norma is trying to become more muscular is interesting because this is not what a typical wife does, it is more what a man would work on improving. A wife would work on becoming more beautiful in a more womanly manner, not work on becoming more muscular. Instead of working on breast size, like other wives, she works on her “pectorals,” like men do. Norma Jean is being transformed into a man literally as well as metaphorically. As Norma is turning into a “man”, she treats Leroy as if he is a bother. “When she chops onions, she stares off into a corner, as if she can’t bear to look,” writes Mason, showing how Norma almost tries to lead a life that is separate from Leroy. Norma follows her own daily schedule that is free from Leroy, where she has her own systematic timetable. It is as if Norma is sickened by the image of the helpless, “womanlike” Leroy.

Though the role-reversal situation between Leroy and Norma is not uncommon among marriages today, Mason tells us why this particular marriage can not work when the roles are reversed.
“Your name means ‘the king,’” Norma Jean says to Leroy that evening. He is trying to get her to go to Shiloh, and she is reading a book about another century.
“Well, I reckon I ought to be right proud.”
“I guess so.”
“Am I still king around here?”
Norma Jean flexes her biceps and feels them for hardness. “I’m not fooling around with anybody, if that’s what you mean,” she says…
“What does your name mean?” (Leroy)
“It was Marilyn Monroe’s real name.”… (124)
This conversation symbolizes what the two believed their relationship would consist of when they first got married. Leroy believes he would be the king of the relationship, or the man who provides and rules. Leroy thought he would be strong and be able to support both of them, but instead he is a trucker who is away from his wife for long periods of time and he turns into a “housewife”. Norma, on the other hand, believed that through her marriage with Leroy she would become a pampered housewife who would live a life with many pleasures. Instead, she turns into the “king,” the provider of the relationship. The fact that each had their own expectations and ended up with completely different realities shows that the marriage was not meant to be.

Leroy and Norma’s baby Randy is an important symbol of the story; Randy shows that even if Leroy and Norma tried, they could not make their marriage last. Randy might have been a piece that Leroy and Norma could have centered their marriage and relationship on to make both last. But, Randy dies suddenly, with no reason other than sudden infant death syndrome. This is a symbol that the Moffit’s marriage has no reason or value. If Randy had lived, maybe there would still be a chance for Leroy and Norma’s marriage to survive, something to build a family around.

Another interesting symbol that is brought up throughout the story is the log cabin that Leroy wants to build. Leroy wants to build a log cabin for Norma, inspired by the miniature version he builds to kill time. Leroy constantly brings up the cabin, to show that he still loves Norma and that he can try and provide for both of them, but Norma always swats away Leroy’s log-cabin-house dream with ignorance. It becomes clear that Norma does not care about what Leroy wants for both of them; she does not believe in him. The log cabin, to Leroy, is a symbol for Leroy’s hope that his marriage can last, a chance to start new and try to strengthen their relationship.

The scene where Leroy and Norma travel to Shiloh is a fitting end to the story as well as the marriage. The couple decides to travel to visit the battlegrounds after Mable convinces Leroy that it will help mend his relationship with Norma. In fact, this suggestion has the opposite effect. It is interesting that the last scene in the novel is at a battleground, because Leroy and Norma finish their own battle of marriage and of role changing. The end of the battle consists of Norma wanting to leave Leroy, not being able to take her life and position with Leroy. Leroy puts up a feeble last attempt to keep the marriage from ending.
“I want to leave you.” (Norma)
…”No you don’t” (Leroy)
“Yes, I do.”
“I won’t let you.”
“You can’t stop me”
“Don’t do me that way.:
Leroy knows Norma Jean will have her own way. “Didn’t I promise to be home from now on?” he says.
“In some ways, a woman prefers a man who wanders,” says Norma Jean…(144)
And with that, the battle ends. The marriage is over. It is a good setting for the end of a marriage that was never meant to be; Leroy is defeated, just as the Confederates were at Shiloh years before. Leroy then realizes that “building a log house is the dumbest idea he could have had” (155). He realizes that hope for his marriage to continue and work is the dumbest idea he could have had. I sadly agree. (1,349)

1. Do you think Mable tried to end the marriage by advising Leroy to visit Shiloh?
2. Can you, or do you, sympathize with Nora?
3. Do you think anything could have made the relationship work?
4. Do Leroy and Nora Jean symbolize something on a larger scale?
5. What do you think happens after the visit to Shiloh?

Short Story Posts for week of September 24th

“Harrison Bergeron”, by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr., is an extremely interesting short story that provides the reader with a glimpse of a scary future. “Harrison Bergeron” is a story set in 2081, that is very short, but its message hits hard. The story is about a society where all individuals are set to be “equal”. To me, the beauty of the story is the irony of the “equality” itself.

Though in the story, everyone is “dumbed” down to create equality, the “dumbing” down only emphasizes the true inequality of the characters throughout the story. Vonnegut writes, “The year was 2081, and everybody was finally equal. They weren’t only equal before God and the law. They were equal every which way. Nobody was smarter than anybody else. Nobody was better looking than anybody else. Nobody was stronger or quicker than anybody else…” These statements seem very frightening, for they suggest that all members of the society will seemingly voluntarily diminish their strengths so that they can all be equal.

The irony of the story is seen in the handicapping of the characters itself. The handicaps that ensure equality are in humorous forms: a mental handicap in the form of a radio that bursts random sounds to impede thought process; weights that limit excessive strength; and masks to prevent showing more attractiveness. These handicaps, though meant to hide strengths, actually reveal prominently individuals’ true strengths and weaknesses. Examples are seen with George and Hazel. George’s handicaps of his hearing impediment and the weight show that he truly is an intelligent and strong man, by contrasting his impediments with the truly average Hazel. Hazel is symbolic of the truly average, no-handicap-needed, individual that the handicap program seeks to emulate. When Hazel feels envious of George’s mental handicap, George is shown to be above average because he has to have the mental handicap. This shows that though the handicaps try and hide strengths, the handicaps do no good at all.

The irony continues with the character of Harrison Bergeron. The handicaps used to equalize Harrison Bergeron also serve the opposite purpose of the handicaps. Ironically, Harrison is described as “a genius and an athlete” which should not make sense if all the individuals of the society are of the same mental capacity and athletic ability. Yet, the handicaps continue to elevate Harrison. “Nobody had ever borne heavier handicaps…Instead of a little ear radio for a mental handicap, he wore a tremendous pair of earphones, and spectacles with thick wavy lenses. The spectacles were intended to make him not only half blind, but to give him whanging headaches besides... And to offset his good looks, the H-G men required that he wear at all times a red rubber ball for a nose, keep his eyebrows shaved off, and cover his even white teeth with black caps at snaggle-tooth random. (44-57).” The fact that the Handicap General tries to handicap Harrison so much shows that Harrison is truly an extraordinary being (who is strong, handsome, and intelligent). Harrison’s excessive handicaps show that he must be handicapped so much, because he is normally much better than average, to be lowered down to average; Harrison’s handicaps decorate him as a unique individual. It is interesting to see that Harrison must become so ugly, probably uglier than average, to hid his beauty; he must carry way more pounds than the average man to hide his strength; he must wear earphones, while everyone else must just have radios. Is this fair? Is this equal?

One of the most interesting ideas about Vonnegut’s story is that the story itself is not plausible in relation to progress. If a society was based on true equality, by handicapping above average intelligence, then the society would not be able to progress at all. In fact, the Handicapper General would probably not even have the intelligence to handicap the other members of his society. I believe that if this handicapping equality existed, societies that used this practice would die out after a period of Dark Ages.

“Battle Royal”, by Ralph Ellison, is a very interesting short story. What I like about Battle Royal is how the grandfather’s words come back to haunt the narrator. At the beginning of the story, the grandfather warns the narrator to appear willing to please white people, but really just to deceive the white people inside.

As the narrator approaches the battle scene, he is confronted with the words his grandfather gave him. The narrator is entered into a battle with another boy, a battle that the white men feel immense pleasure in watching. The narrator tries not to deceive the white men into feeling pleasure in watching the fight, but instead he tries to flee from the battle by bribing his opponent. When the narrator fails to deceive the white men, he goes against his grandfather’s words, and he only ends up in more trouble. He gets electrocuted and humiliated further.

I believe that if the narrator submitted to the pressures of the white men by really submitting to the fight, the narrator would not have felt so much misery in the story. The narrator could have faked being beaten, to please the white men, or he could have kept trying to save himself by trying to bribe his opponent; the narrator chooses the second option. If the narrator listened to his grandfather, he could have escaped so much trouble. The last line, “I awoke with the old man’s laughter ringing in my ears” serves to show that the grandfather is laughing at his grandson’s apparent foolish decision. Though the narrator’s decision to fight against the white men may seem better, more noble than submitting to the white men or trying to deceive them, the grandfather’s saying shows that the easy way out is less painful and trying to fight against only ends up in more pain. (977)

A&P

“A&P,” by John Updike, is a wonderful short story that progresses in an interesting manner. Updike’s creative, interesting writing helps the story progress rapidly, while at the same time capturing emotions of the narrator, Sammy. Updike, in “A&P,” creates an interesting story in an everyday environment, and it is this creativity that excites us as readers.

Updike begins the story from Sammy’s point of view at work at a store called A&P. The story begins with the line, “In walks three girls in nothing but bathing suits.” Immediately, this sentence catches the reader’s attention: What? What are these three girls doing in only bathing suits? Where are they, what are they doing, with such little attire?

The readers keep on reading. We realize that the girls are in a grocery store, milling about, looking around at items. Sammy’s attention is really focused on the three girls. His attention though is caught by one of the three girls who stands out in particular. Sammy vividly and beautifully describes her in a “dirty pink-beige maybe” bathing suit, with her body that has the straps of her bathing suit falling off. The line, “this clean bare plane of the top of her chest down from the shoulder bones like a dented sheet of metal tilted in the light,” paints a vivid picture and really captures the reader’s imagination. The simply worded description, “She had a sort of oaky hair that the sun and salt had bleached, done up in a bun that was unraveling, and a kind of prim face,” captures the reader’s attention—the reader actually wants to find out more about her. Sammy’s, or rather Updike’s, description of this girl elevates an ordinary girl to a girl who is something really special. As said in the story, “I mean, it (the description, as well as the girl) was more than pretty.” (3)

As the story progresses, Sammy’s attention is still focused upon the three girls, but especially the one he so vividly describes. It is interesting to see how Sammy elevates the girl in the “dirty pink-beige maybe” bathing suit, by degrading the other two girls. One girl is constantly referred to as being “fat”, and also one girl is humorously nicknamed “Big Tall Goony-Goony”; the two girls are compared to “sheep” following Queenie (the girl who has captivated Sammy) (5). As the other two girls are lowered in value, Queenie only seems to grow in beauty and importance.

A critical point of the story is when the three girls find themselves in a pickle in A&P. The manager of the store, Lengel, comes and scolds the girls for wearing such little attire in a public store. “This isn’t the beach,” Lengel says, causing Queenie to blush and feel very ashamed of herself (12). The lead girl, Queenie, says all she wanted to do was buy some snacks for her mother. But, Lengel continues to enforce this strict clothing policy, and Queenie only becomes more “ashamed” of this scolding as she tries to defend herself and her sheep. Queenie becomes extremely embarrassed, blushing the shade of a sunburn (15), of her being a part of a “scene” in the grocery store. The girls leave the store disgraced, humiliated, crushed.

The most interesting part of the story is Sammy’s reaction to this crushing blow, by the ruthless Lengel:
Lengel asks, “Did you say something, Sammy?”
“I said I quit.”(Sammy)
“I thought you did.”
“You didn’t have to embarrass them.”
Lengel tries to reconcile with Sammy, but the cash register boy is adamant—he “remembers how Lengel made that pretty girl blush, and he punches the No Sale tab, folds his apron” and walks out (30). The readers, I, respect Sammy. He is a hero. He fights for what he believes. What a man. What a man.

Wait…”I look around for my girls, but they’re gone, of course,” details Sammy. The girls, Queenie, and in fact nobody is truly there to witness Sammy’s heroic, noble act. Nobody, but the reader is there to see what has happened at this ordinary grocery store, on an ordinary day, concerning an ordinary, or rather heroic, cash-register boy. Though the fact that there are no witnesses of Sammy’s act might seem like an anticlimax, it actually makes the reader appreciate Sammy’s behavior and attitude more. I respect Sammy. What a man. What a man. (727)

Short Story Post- "Interpreter of the Maladies"

“Interpreter of the Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri is an amazing short story that takes place from the view of the Indian Mr. Kapasi. Lahiri’s short story helps the reader understand the differences in the values of Indians and Americans, through the help of Mr. Kapasi. The story itself is beautifully crafted, with quick progression and great conversation. To me, the most interesting part of the story is the perspective from which it is told.

Because Lahiri chooses us to look through Mr. Kapasi’s eyes in the story, many readers (including me) find this very different and almost strange. Many readers, especially in our English class, might find this perspective an interesting situation. Mr. Kapasi’s perspective shows how others (in this case Indians) view American attitudes and culture. Mr. Kapasi provides the reader with an initial description of the Das family. Though the Das family appears to be Indian, through Kapasi’s description we see that they only look it. Kapasi describes Mr. Das to be an average tourist looking man, whereas he goes into heavy detail, when describing Mrs. Das. Lahiri writes, “He (Kapasi) observed her. She wore a red-and-white checkered shirt that stopped above her knees, slip-on shoes with a square wooden heel, and a close-fitting blouse styled like a man’s undershirt.” (14). This description is funny that Kapasi describes clothes we are used to everyday in a strange manner, but we realize that from his perspective it is strange to him as an Indian.

Mr. Kapasi’s analysis of the Das family through his perspective goes deeper. As the story goes on, and Kapasi continues to observe the family, we see that the family is not Indian at all, but American. From my perspective, as an American brought up by Indian parents, the Das family is very strange. From what I have observed, Indian parents and families are extremely close and Indian parents will do anything for their children. Indian parents value and respect their children and treat them with the utmost care and kindness. But these Indian-appearing parents are the actual opposite of what I imagine as Indian parents; this example shows my perspective: (as well as Mr. Kapasi’s perspective), “Mrs. Das reached into her straw bag and pulled out a bottle of colorless nail polish, which she proceeded to stroke on the tip of her index finger.”
The little girl stuck out a hand. “Mine too. Mommy, do mine too.”
“Leave me alone,” Mrs. Das said, blowing on her nail and turning her body slightly. “You’re making me mess up.”
…Mr. and Mrs. Das behaved like an older brother and sister, not parents. It seemed that they were in charge of the children only for the day; it was hard to believe they were regularly responsible for anything other than themselves…Mrs. Das continued to polish her nails…Every now and then Tina renewed her plea that she wanted her nails done, too, and so at one point Mrs. Das flicked a drop of polish on the girl’s finger before depositing the bottle back inside her straw bag.” (33-45)
Mr. Kapasi is very surprised by this behavior, as I am when I read the story. Parents, especially Indian parents do not treat their children like this. This fact makes it obvious that the Das family, though they appear Indian, are far from being Indian. Mr. Kapasi, interestingly, would probably instead do anything for his children and would lovingly treat his own children. I am not saying that Indian parentage is the best or that American parentage is “unloving” or “lazy”, but the Das family does not exhibit typical Indian parentage. From what I have experienced, as an American Indian, Indian parents are generally more involved with their children than American parents are with their children, unlike the Das family. This comparison of more “American” and “Indian” parentage and attitudes is only possible through Mr. Kapasi’s perspective. Through Mr. Kapasi, we get to see a different angle of American parentage, something that we are so familiar with, and we start to realize the differences.

Mr. Kapasi is also very interesting in relation to Mrs. Das. It is interesting to analyze Kapasi’s attraction to Mrs. Das. It is very interesting when Kapasi is attracted to Mrs. Das and his inner feelings are revealed. It becomes clear that Kapasi is attracted to Mrs. Das physically as well as emotionally. Kapasi is not content with what he has and he wants more, through the form of Mrs. Das. It seems that Mrs. Das is fascinated with Kapasi and he begins to gain the wrong impression. Mrs. Das approaches Kapasi to tell him a burning secret, a malady. Kapasi symbolizes easing pain through words (in a medical sense), but Das sees this easing in a different way. Mrs. Das relieves her secret of her child out of wedlock to Kapasi. Kapasi instead of really easing Das makes her think, and he starts to disrespect the woman he admired so much. Kapasi really sees her for who she is, a woman who is unhappy with her life and family. A beautiful piece of symbolism is when Mrs. Das accidentally loses a piece of paper with Kapasi’s address for pictures of him and the Das family to be sent to. This symbolism shows Kapasi’s want of disconnection from the family as well as final decision that Kapasi will really remain with his Indian roots, set apart from the American Das family. (904)

Post Number 2- The Namesake

Mr. Coon,

This summer, I read The Namesake, by Jhumpa Lahiri. I could personally relate to this book as an American brought up with Indian values as well as being a human being. Lahiri does a wonderful job in providing the reader with a better understanding of typical traits that are associated as fundamentally human. Both Ashok and Gogol Ganguli are two characters that exhibit essential humanity in the novel that I will focus upon in this post.

Gogol Ganguli is plagued throughout his life by his unique name. Initially, Gogol does not understand or know the true symbolism of his name that is so significant to his father. To Gogol, the name Gogol is a symbol of an identity he initially chooses not to accept. When Gogol begins to grow into a young man, he becomes painfully ashamed and embarrassed about his funny name. When Gogol leaves for college though, he changes his name to Nikhil; this act is a symbol of a new identity that Gogol, or rather Nikhil, tries to adopt. Nikhil adopts a more American lifestyle and voluntarily chooses to be rid of his family and his Indian background. In the end of the novel though, after his father’s death, Nikhil returns to Gogol and realizes that his place is really with his family. Gogol in the end of the novel seems to discover his true identity.

This identity conflict that Gogol exhibits throughout the novel is a central theme. Not only is the theme important in the novel, but it is very important in relation to humanity. Human beings place great importance on identity and are constantly trying to discover their true identity. Identity is important to humans because it shows us who we really are, provides us guidance, and gives us understanding to our place in the world. To me, identity is so important to understand who I am and understand my strengths and weaknesses as a human, who is involved in the communities of school and family. Though identity is definitely important to all humans, not all humans know their identity initially. Gogol demonstrates his dilemma in trying to understand his true identity by changing his name, adopting new lifestyles, and trying to get away from his family. To me, Gogol’s actions under the name Nikhil are a testing or journey in the search of identity. Gogol’s actions are not unique; human beings throughout the world constantly are trying to discover their own identities, just like Gogol. Gogol’s journey represents mankind’s universal struggle to discern identity.

Ashok Ganguli demonstrates the human characteristic of a human’s placing importance on significant events and names. Ashok Ganguli was involved in a train accident and was almost forgotten with the dead bodies, but he raised his hand that was clenched to a page of one of Gogol’s books; this act helped save his life by attracting attention to help save him. Ashok loved Gogol’s work and the fact that he was holding onto a page of Gogol’s work when he was fighting for survival was very emotionally important to Ashok. When Ashok has his son, he chooses to name his son Gogol as a symbol of his survival, and his escape from death, as well as much more. Initially Ashok and his wife did not intend for their son to be named Gogol, for they were awaiting a name to be chosen by Gogol’s grandmother. But, Ashok and his wife never found out what the grandmother’s chosen name was to be, so they went with Gogol.
The fact that Ashok decided to name his son Gogol shows Jhumpa Lahiri’s ability to make characters essentially human. The name Gogol is very important to Ashok. Though Ashok took almost no time at all to choose the name Gogol, Ashok chooses this name to remember a changing event in his life. Many people name their children to represent a friend or an influence that has shaped their life, and this is just as Ashok does. Names are very important to human beings, because like identity, they can sometimes symbolize a value or a meaning. Human beings place special emphasis on names, because names really do establish an identity. I know my parents took weeks to figure out a name, and if they did not name me Aravind, it is perplexing to think who I would be if I was not Aravind. Ashok also connects Gogol’s name with the important event of his near death experience. Humans frequently symbolize important things in life to signify meaningful events to them. One of the most important, memorable dialogues is when Gogol discovers the meaning behind his name.:
Gogol asks, "Is that (Ashok’s train accident) what you think of when you think of me?"
"Not at all.You remind me of everything that followed," replies his father.

This quote shows that Ashok named Gogol to remember his survival, and the happiness that followed his tragic event. The fact that Ashok names Gogol after his near death experience shows that Ashok exhibits traits of humanity as a character.

Jhumpa Lahiri does a great job in making the fictional characters seem like humans. Gogol and Ashok’s actions and symbolisms make the reader able to connect with the characters as humans. The Namesake at times does not feel to be a story, but rather a painting of lives of real human beings.

Aravind

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Aravind Swaminathan first blog post

Dear Mr. Coon,



First of all, I wanted to thank you for your letter that you read to us in class. I really respect the passion and enthusiasm you showed to us this morning. In fact, I have never seen a teacher love his or her class so much, and already I find myself already loving your class. So thank you.



Now, a little bit about me as a reader. I've been a reader since as long as I can remember. My mother helped me to discover my love books even before I could walk. Actually, some of my favorite pictures are of my mom and me reading books together when I was two. It's safe to say that I've never lost my love of reading and I am one-hundred percent positive that I never will.



As of now, or rather in my current "phase", I do have some favorite types of reading. Right now, I am particularly enthusiastic about thrillers that involve any type of science (biological science to technological science, and everything in between). I know that many people think of thrillers as "trashy" or as all being "clones," but to me a good thriller is as good as the Bible is to Dr. Allison. I love being able to escape reality and place myself in an improbable (but very interesting) situation. I love being able to escape my monotonous life and feel excitement through danger and suspense. I love being able to feel important and meaningful. I love being able to get away from my homework or that senate agenda that I have to compose, even if it's only for an hour or two.



I read everything, anywhere, at any time. I read magazines, the news, poetry, comics, the internet, essays, horoscopes, and even advertisements. I read because I enjoy how others use words in the form of an art. I love understanding how others perceive and feel, and I love learning more through others' words. My knowledge database is always expanding whenever I read, and this allows me to be more creative and more thoughtful—this is something that I am truly grateful for.



My habits as a reader have changed as I've grown older. I remember when I was younger, I made it a point to read at least an hour before I went to bed. Also, I remember I really was only interested in science fiction and fantasy when I was younger. But now, with all my schoolwork and studying, I find it hard to devote attention to just an hour of solid pleasure reading. My reading habit has been transformed into a more leisure fashion; I read whenever I have the chance, and it can be anything. Sometimes while waiting for dinner I'll pick up Calvin and Hobbes or on a lazy Sunday I'll reread one of my all time favorite novels. One habit that does not change is that every morning I read the news, whether to check the latest trends in business or any major roster changes in the NBA. My diversity in what I read is what I love about reading, for I get to always learn and be flexible. I guess I have taken a liberal arts approach to reading.



My history as a writer is much different than my history as a reader. I have never been much of a regular writer. I have tried keeping a daily journal, but it just never seems to work. The way I write is in bursts of energy. Whenever I have a great idea, I suddenly feel the urge to start writing. This applies not just to school but my occasional free writing. Sometimes, when writing for an assignment for school, I simply have to wait and try not to write until I get an idea, and suddenly everything seems to fall in place. I believe these bursts of energy are outlets of my creativity, and this is when I love writing. I love writing when I am amazed at how I can articulate a point and turn a vision into a work of art. As I said earlier, I enjoy how others use words in the form of an art, and I also love viewing my own words as an art. My most memorable writing works are the works I have composed when I was in middle and elementary school, for when I look at them, I look see a true picture of me and my creativity at such a young age. My writing at my young age shows what I truly wanted to express, not what I was told to express. But, I must say that I have really enjoyed putting my writing at work in creative poetry and research in the past few years. One weakness in my writing is that I tend to belabor a point and sometimes get carried away with what I'm saying. My strengths in writing are being able to know what I want to get across and being able to do this in a creative manner. Honestly, I do want to be able to write freely more often, and I'm hoping that we will have a chance to do so this year in your class.



Well, Mr. Coon, thank so much. I am really glad that you want to get the chance to know me a little better. I am really looking forward to a great year. Thanks again.



Sincerely,



Aravind



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