1. What is the significance of the story’s title?
The title of the story is literally significant. The title is “In Another Country” and the narrator really I in another country. It could also relate to the way that some people are view. They can be view as outsiders and different from those around them, making them seem as though they are metaphorically from a different country. This could be an effect from people injuries and mental states, making them different.
2. Which character do you think best represents the “Hemingway hero”? Why?
I think The Major represents the Hemingway Hero because of his injury. His was more severe than others mentioned in the story. He was also going through a tougher time than other characters. He had suddenly lost his wife and then faced with the extreme burden of going to war. He put up a strong front and dealt with his grief and other emotional hardships and went forward in his duty as a soldier. He put others in front of himself and made huge sacrifices all while remaining humble making him a hero.
3. What can you infer about the photographs the doctor hangs up? What is the significance of the major’s reaction?
The photographs that were hanging on the wall were of injured people that were able to recover and rehabilitate their injuries to the full extent. The doctor hung these photos to give patients like the Major hope in these difficult situations. The phtos also had to do with convincing the Major that machines could heal his injury. The major was skeptical of the doctor’s approach to sue machines in his treatment. The Major reacted by looking out the window. This is significant because it shows that his mind, heart, and thoughts are elsewhere.
Friday, March 23, 2012
Journal 16
Read the following quote and discuss how it applies to the main characters in both stories. In the course of this discussion, address how each of the characters is both similar and different:
“Determinisim governs everything … The writer must study the inherited traits of individual character and the social condition of the time. Together, these elements determine the course of any action, the outcome of any life. Free will or self-determination is mostly an illusion, although chance is granted a role in human affairs. Still, even the effects of chance are obliterated in the inevitable course determined by the interaction of inherited character traits and the social environment.“
The social conditions of this time period along with the inherited traits of each individual character traits from the two story lines, “To Build a Fire” and “The Blue Hotel”, contributed greatly to the overcoming of the characters’ conflicts. In the Blue Hotel, Sweed, a rough and hazy man was in a bad situation. He could be characterized as shy, quiet, and indecisive. In “To Build a Fire”, the prospector was adventurous and spontaneous. He believed in traveling and in life’s purpose. The quote applies to both stories and both characters. The social atmospheres in both stories were fairly similar. They were both set during blizzards and the characters were unable to remove themselves from the situations. The differences include the individual characters and the plot details. The social conditions in “To Build a Fire” were life threatening and more urgent than in “The Blue Hotel”. Both situations ended up being dangerous but in the “blue Hotel” the conflicts were brought on b the characters where as in “To Build a Fire” it was brought on by nature. The main difference was the way the two men dealt with their problems. The handled their situations very differently.
“Determinisim governs everything … The writer must study the inherited traits of individual character and the social condition of the time. Together, these elements determine the course of any action, the outcome of any life. Free will or self-determination is mostly an illusion, although chance is granted a role in human affairs. Still, even the effects of chance are obliterated in the inevitable course determined by the interaction of inherited character traits and the social environment.“
The social conditions of this time period along with the inherited traits of each individual character traits from the two story lines, “To Build a Fire” and “The Blue Hotel”, contributed greatly to the overcoming of the characters’ conflicts. In the Blue Hotel, Sweed, a rough and hazy man was in a bad situation. He could be characterized as shy, quiet, and indecisive. In “To Build a Fire”, the prospector was adventurous and spontaneous. He believed in traveling and in life’s purpose. The quote applies to both stories and both characters. The social atmospheres in both stories were fairly similar. They were both set during blizzards and the characters were unable to remove themselves from the situations. The differences include the individual characters and the plot details. The social conditions in “To Build a Fire” were life threatening and more urgent than in “The Blue Hotel”. Both situations ended up being dangerous but in the “blue Hotel” the conflicts were brought on b the characters where as in “To Build a Fire” it was brought on by nature. The main difference was the way the two men dealt with their problems. The handled their situations very differently.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Journal 17
Journal 17 - “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” – T.S. Eliot (p.775)
1. What is the significance of the poem’s epigraph? How does it relate to Prufrock?
The epigraph is actually from the Inferno by an Italian poet named Dante Alighieri. The word “inferno” refers to hell. The epigraph refers to Prufrock because it shares his private feelings which is not something that he would do himself. They both show insight to who they really are.
2. Make a list of questions that Prufrock asks. Do you see a pattern/theme to these questions or are they random?
Do I dare?
Do I dare disturb the universe?
How should I presume?
How should I begin?
These seemingly random questions actually show the pattern of the authors indecisive and self conscious nature. He is unable to make normally easy decisions without first questioning each one.
3. What do you think is Prufrock’s main flaw/problem?
I think Prufrock’s main flaw is his own self doubt. He doubts and questions all of his decisions, even the minor ones. Prufrock is lacking self confidence as he regularly refers to himself as a Fool. I don’t think Prufrock would ordinarily be seen as a fool if he didn’t suggest it himself.
4. Why do you think this is called a love song? In what way is it a love song?
This being called a love song is a complete display of irony. It is actually about him being loney and sad, not in love. The only way this could be seen as a love song is if the reader looks as it as the absence of love.
1. What is the significance of the poem’s epigraph? How does it relate to Prufrock?
The epigraph is actually from the Inferno by an Italian poet named Dante Alighieri. The word “inferno” refers to hell. The epigraph refers to Prufrock because it shares his private feelings which is not something that he would do himself. They both show insight to who they really are.
2. Make a list of questions that Prufrock asks. Do you see a pattern/theme to these questions or are they random?
Do I dare?
Do I dare disturb the universe?
How should I presume?
How should I begin?
These seemingly random questions actually show the pattern of the authors indecisive and self conscious nature. He is unable to make normally easy decisions without first questioning each one.
3. What do you think is Prufrock’s main flaw/problem?
I think Prufrock’s main flaw is his own self doubt. He doubts and questions all of his decisions, even the minor ones. Prufrock is lacking self confidence as he regularly refers to himself as a Fool. I don’t think Prufrock would ordinarily be seen as a fool if he didn’t suggest it himself.
4. Why do you think this is called a love song? In what way is it a love song?
This being called a love song is a complete display of irony. It is actually about him being loney and sad, not in love. The only way this could be seen as a love song is if the reader looks as it as the absence of love.
Journal 15
Journal 15 – William Dean Howell’s “Editha”
1. Write a sentence that summarizes the story’s overall message, and provide three direct quotes from the story that best illustrate this message.
The overall message is that it is important for people to not only live in an idealistic world like Editha, but instead a realistic one.
“It isn’t this war alone; though this seems peculiarly wanton and needless; but it’s every war –so stupid; it makes me sick. Why shouldn’t this thing have been settled reasonably?”
“He told me he had asked you to come if he got killed. You didn’t expect that, I suppose, when you sent him.”
“To take the part that her whole soul willed him to take, for the completion of her ideal of him”
2. What tactics does Editha use to make George believe as she does about the war?
Editha uses religion to convince George to want to go to war. She makes references between the war and God. She makes him believe that god would want George to fight in the war. She also shows him the positives of the war such as the brotherhood between the soldiers. She sort of uses a guilt trip on him. Editha tells him that he doesn’t love his country if he doesn’t want to fight for it, which persuades him further.
3. Is there ever a time in which Editha truly understands what she has done? Does she ever experience an epiphany?
I think Editha understood what she did but in the end it didn’t change her ways. She grieved the loss of George and realized he would still be alive if she hadn’t talked him into going to war. She carried through with his wishes in the case of his death but she continued persuading others to join in fighting in the war.
1. Write a sentence that summarizes the story’s overall message, and provide three direct quotes from the story that best illustrate this message.
The overall message is that it is important for people to not only live in an idealistic world like Editha, but instead a realistic one.
“It isn’t this war alone; though this seems peculiarly wanton and needless; but it’s every war –so stupid; it makes me sick. Why shouldn’t this thing have been settled reasonably?”
“He told me he had asked you to come if he got killed. You didn’t expect that, I suppose, when you sent him.”
“To take the part that her whole soul willed him to take, for the completion of her ideal of him”
2. What tactics does Editha use to make George believe as she does about the war?
Editha uses religion to convince George to want to go to war. She makes references between the war and God. She makes him believe that god would want George to fight in the war. She also shows him the positives of the war such as the brotherhood between the soldiers. She sort of uses a guilt trip on him. Editha tells him that he doesn’t love his country if he doesn’t want to fight for it, which persuades him further.
3. Is there ever a time in which Editha truly understands what she has done? Does she ever experience an epiphany?
I think Editha understood what she did but in the end it didn’t change her ways. She grieved the loss of George and realized he would still be alive if she hadn’t talked him into going to war. She carried through with his wishes in the case of his death but she continued persuading others to join in fighting in the war.
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Journal 14
Journal #14 - E. A. Robinson Poems
Realism – The theory or practice in art and literature of fidelity to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization of the most typical views, details, and surroundings of the subject.
Read the following poems and write a detailed description for each of the title characters and explain how each is an example of the “real” instead of the “ideal.”
“Richard Cory“ (497)
This poem is written from the prospective of onlookers who loked up to and adore Richard Corey, believing he lives a perfect life that they should also strive for. When the poem takes a turn and Richard Corey kills himself. This adds a very real twist to the poem, depicting a realistic situation where on the outside someone seems to be perfect but no one really knows what is going on in their life.
“Miniver Cheevy” (497)
This poem is about a man named Miniver who thinks he was born in the wrong era. He dreams about a life in a different time period of the past. He never does anything with his present life because he was so caught up on his idealistic one. This is a real situation of people waste their actual life wishing the had a different one.
“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)
The main character, Mr. Flood, is a lonely man who lost all those close to him. He is so lonely that he decides to drink and have a “party” by himself. This reminds us of real problems surrounding alcoholism after losing loved ones.
Realism – The theory or practice in art and literature of fidelity to nature or to real life and to accurate representation without idealization of the most typical views, details, and surroundings of the subject.
Read the following poems and write a detailed description for each of the title characters and explain how each is an example of the “real” instead of the “ideal.”
“Richard Cory“ (497)
This poem is written from the prospective of onlookers who loked up to and adore Richard Corey, believing he lives a perfect life that they should also strive for. When the poem takes a turn and Richard Corey kills himself. This adds a very real twist to the poem, depicting a realistic situation where on the outside someone seems to be perfect but no one really knows what is going on in their life.
“Miniver Cheevy” (497)
This poem is about a man named Miniver who thinks he was born in the wrong era. He dreams about a life in a different time period of the past. He never does anything with his present life because he was so caught up on his idealistic one. This is a real situation of people waste their actual life wishing the had a different one.
“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)
The main character, Mr. Flood, is a lonely man who lost all those close to him. He is so lonely that he decides to drink and have a “party” by himself. This reminds us of real problems surrounding alcoholism after losing loved ones.
Journal 13
Journal #13 – Edgar Lee Masters Epitaphs (p. 502)
Read “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” and answer the following questions.
1. What object symbolizes George Gray’s life? How is this object representative of him?
George Gray’s life is represented by the boat with the furled sail. The sail is sort of a metaphor for Gray’s missed opportunities as well. If he didn’t have the furled sail, his life would have been more full becase he would have had more life experiences and taken more adventures and opportunites. His ship never “set sail”, causing him to miss out on many of his life ambitions. If he would have opened his sail or opened his mind and heart he would have had much more meaning to his life.
2. How was Lucinda Matlock’s life different than George Gray’s? How do you interepret the last line of the poem?
Lucinda seemed to have lived a more happy and joyous life. She took advantage of opportunites and acted upon her wishes whereas George Gray has more regrets of things he didn’t do. Lucinda experienced many of live’s great processes and acted on spontaneous feelings leaving her feeling fulfilled and content. George seemed to let life pass him by leaving him wanting more. The last line of the poem seems to say that no one will appreciate the greatness of life if you don’t live it to the fullest.
3. How are “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” examples of realism?
George Gray and Lucinda Matlock are both examples of two very different and very real types of people. They are instances of two ordinary people living ordinary and normal lives, one being happy and one being unhappy. They are examples typical people with different outlooks on life.
Read “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” and answer the following questions.
1. What object symbolizes George Gray’s life? How is this object representative of him?
George Gray’s life is represented by the boat with the furled sail. The sail is sort of a metaphor for Gray’s missed opportunities as well. If he didn’t have the furled sail, his life would have been more full becase he would have had more life experiences and taken more adventures and opportunites. His ship never “set sail”, causing him to miss out on many of his life ambitions. If he would have opened his sail or opened his mind and heart he would have had much more meaning to his life.
2. How was Lucinda Matlock’s life different than George Gray’s? How do you interepret the last line of the poem?
Lucinda seemed to have lived a more happy and joyous life. She took advantage of opportunites and acted upon her wishes whereas George Gray has more regrets of things he didn’t do. Lucinda experienced many of live’s great processes and acted on spontaneous feelings leaving her feeling fulfilled and content. George seemed to let life pass him by leaving him wanting more. The last line of the poem seems to say that no one will appreciate the greatness of life if you don’t live it to the fullest.
3. How are “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” examples of realism?
George Gray and Lucinda Matlock are both examples of two very different and very real types of people. They are instances of two ordinary people living ordinary and normal lives, one being happy and one being unhappy. They are examples typical people with different outlooks on life.
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