This book is incredible. I do not find it particularly difficult to understand, which I'm very grateful for. Marlow's memories are compelling and terrifically descriptive. They are now entering the "heart" of the darkness and even Marlow is feeling the effects of it. My favorite passage from this part of the text begins on page 35...
"We were cut off from the comprehension of our surroundings; we glided past like phantoms, wondering and secretly appalled, as sane men would be before an enthusiastic outbreak in a madhouse. We could not understand because we were too far and could not remember because we were travelling in the night of first ages, of those ages that are gone, leaving hardly a sign-and no memories."
This illustrates how intense the darkness is becoming. The crew can no longer associate with reality because they are too far removed from it. They are going back in time, to a place that no one else remembers because it leaves no survivors. The danger is building now, in an exponential fashion. They are afraid-but not afraid-because to an extent their ability to feel emotion has been stripped away. No one knows how to handle the darkness, and so they steam ahead on their journey, unable to fathom what will come up next.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Lilacs in September
The title of this poem is misleading. At first glance, we are made to think it will be about a purple flower in the month of September, but it is something else altogether. The author uses the image of the damaged flower to illustrate a fight for survival. Disaster can attempt to destroy us…
Shocked to the root
like the lilac bush
in the vacant lot
by the hurricane—
whose black branch split
by wind or rain
as the hurricane attempted to destroy the flowers- but there will always be something worth fighting for…
has broken out unseasonably
into these scant ash-
colored blossoms
lifted high as if to say
to passersby
What will unleash
itself in you
when your storm comes?
Reading this poem made me want to answer the question it poses at the end. What will unleash itself in me when my storm comes? I have been through a few rainy days and have always walked through them- without raincoat or umbrella. But the storm has not found me until now. Everything I write about seems to reflect on my life with horses, and it gets to be a bit repetitive. There is justification to be found, however. When one invests such emotion in a part of their life, there are bound to be countless experiences and moments to share. So, another part of a horse story… but I am afraid this is one of the last.
This storm is a storm of proportions unknown to me at the current time. All I know and all I have ever known is shifting, changing, and in some ways, erasing itself. Here is the storm: I am no longer riding. I am selling the horse that I love with all of my heart and how long it will take to sit on another I do not know. I cannot possibly convey the magnitude of this in any words I have right now. And this is only the beginning. To continue, I have to look at Matthew 16:24-27. It reads:
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his live will lose, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
This is where I find my inspiration. I know that right now I am losing something great, but there is something far greater in return. A strength I never knew I had is unleashing itself within me, and only because the storm finally came.
Shocked to the root
like the lilac bush
in the vacant lot
by the hurricane—
whose black branch split
by wind or rain
as the hurricane attempted to destroy the flowers- but there will always be something worth fighting for…
has broken out unseasonably
into these scant ash-
colored blossoms
lifted high as if to say
to passersby
What will unleash
itself in you
when your storm comes?
Reading this poem made me want to answer the question it poses at the end. What will unleash itself in me when my storm comes? I have been through a few rainy days and have always walked through them- without raincoat or umbrella. But the storm has not found me until now. Everything I write about seems to reflect on my life with horses, and it gets to be a bit repetitive. There is justification to be found, however. When one invests such emotion in a part of their life, there are bound to be countless experiences and moments to share. So, another part of a horse story… but I am afraid this is one of the last.
This storm is a storm of proportions unknown to me at the current time. All I know and all I have ever known is shifting, changing, and in some ways, erasing itself. Here is the storm: I am no longer riding. I am selling the horse that I love with all of my heart and how long it will take to sit on another I do not know. I cannot possibly convey the magnitude of this in any words I have right now. And this is only the beginning. To continue, I have to look at Matthew 16:24-27. It reads:
“Then Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his live will lose, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?”
This is where I find my inspiration. I know that right now I am losing something great, but there is something far greater in return. A strength I never knew I had is unleashing itself within me, and only because the storm finally came.
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Confusing much?
“Eveline” is a story about a girl who decides to marry a man named Frank and move away from her Irish home. Something happens to her, but I’m not sure what.
Level One: Where is the priest according to Eveline’s father?
Level Two: Why would Eveline want to move away from the Stores?
Level Three: Would you want to leave? Why?
This story was again, puzzling. But I liked it better than the first story. Eveline is a very intriguing character because of the way Joyce tells her story. We learn everything we could ever want to know about her in a very short amount of space.
This story doesn’t drip with overwhelming anti-Catholic Church sentiment like the previous story did. The one reference that stood out to me was the beginning one about the priest. His photograph is “yellowing” and is placed beside “promises made to Blessed Maragret Mary Alacoque.” I am assuming these promises were never fulfilled.
Eveline is going to marry Frank but I can’t tell if she is excited about it or not. She seems to like him but their relationship appears to be a little random.
The latter half of the story was the really confusing part for me. Something happens with the Italian army… I think. I can’t really tell what’s going on but somehow she loses Frank. Actually, he might lose her. Is he being taken away to go to war?
Level One: Where is the priest according to Eveline’s father?
Level Two: Why would Eveline want to move away from the Stores?
Level Three: Would you want to leave? Why?
This story was again, puzzling. But I liked it better than the first story. Eveline is a very intriguing character because of the way Joyce tells her story. We learn everything we could ever want to know about her in a very short amount of space.
This story doesn’t drip with overwhelming anti-Catholic Church sentiment like the previous story did. The one reference that stood out to me was the beginning one about the priest. His photograph is “yellowing” and is placed beside “promises made to Blessed Maragret Mary Alacoque.” I am assuming these promises were never fulfilled.
Eveline is going to marry Frank but I can’t tell if she is excited about it or not. She seems to like him but their relationship appears to be a little random.
The latter half of the story was the really confusing part for me. Something happens with the Italian army… I think. I can’t really tell what’s going on but somehow she loses Frank. Actually, he might lose her. Is he being taken away to go to war?
Disillusioned
“Araby” is about a boy’s obsession with a girl that he doesn’t stand a chance with.
Level One: Where does the story take place?
Level Two: What is the symbolism of chalice?
Level Three: What is Joyce trying to communicate to his reader?
While I enjoyed this story, it was very difficult to understand. The background notes on Joyce did help to clear up some of the muddy-ness but overall I had no real understanding of it. I did pick up on Joyce’s references to his troubled relationship with the Catholic Church. The dead priest represents the fact that the Church has died and is now stagnant. The chalice as a religious object holds the blood of Christ and is also the subject of an ancient quest. In this regard, the girl is just like the chalice. Another reference is made to the Tree of Knowledge with the apple tree in his backyard.
There is great significance to the fact that the boy lives on a dead end street. He knows his “quest” for the girl will ultimately end in failure, and realizes this toward the beginning of the story. Why he keeps pursuing her is beyond me, but I suppose there wouldn’t be a story to write if he didn’t. The boy goes to the bazaar and is thoroughly disappointed. The atmosphere is that of “a church after the service has concluded”, still and silent. It is nothing besides materialistic, and he can’t find a gift with which to woo the girl.
Level One: Where does the story take place?
Level Two: What is the symbolism of chalice?
Level Three: What is Joyce trying to communicate to his reader?
While I enjoyed this story, it was very difficult to understand. The background notes on Joyce did help to clear up some of the muddy-ness but overall I had no real understanding of it. I did pick up on Joyce’s references to his troubled relationship with the Catholic Church. The dead priest represents the fact that the Church has died and is now stagnant. The chalice as a religious object holds the blood of Christ and is also the subject of an ancient quest. In this regard, the girl is just like the chalice. Another reference is made to the Tree of Knowledge with the apple tree in his backyard.
There is great significance to the fact that the boy lives on a dead end street. He knows his “quest” for the girl will ultimately end in failure, and realizes this toward the beginning of the story. Why he keeps pursuing her is beyond me, but I suppose there wouldn’t be a story to write if he didn’t. The boy goes to the bazaar and is thoroughly disappointed. The atmosphere is that of “a church after the service has concluded”, still and silent. It is nothing besides materialistic, and he can’t find a gift with which to woo the girl.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Totally Creeper
“A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a story about a family who goes on a trip and get into an accident and end up being murdered by a man called The Misfit.
What is the cat’s name?
What are the grandmother’s ties to Tennessee?
What would you do if you were in a similar situation?
This story gave me the creeps. Really. I was reading it in study hall yesterday and didn’t know what to think at first, because the story started off all right, and as it progressed I became more and more freaked out. The grandmother really bothered me because she is extremely self-centered. I couldn’t really feel any sympathy for her even though no one seems to like her. She brings it upon herself. In the end, it’s her fault that she and her family die, because she causes the accident to happen.
The shift in the theme of the story was a little disconcerting. The Misfit is a frightening character and I don’t really know how to handle the ending of this story. I kind of want to know Flannery O’Connor’s inspiration for writing such a story. The thing that bothered me the most was when the grandmother tried to convince The Misfit that he could get over all of his problems if he accepted Jesus. His response is particularly disturbing. He says that Jesus threw everything off balance and used faith in Him to justify killing people. This kind of twisted logic was especially freaky to me because of my faith.
What is the cat’s name?
What are the grandmother’s ties to Tennessee?
What would you do if you were in a similar situation?
This story gave me the creeps. Really. I was reading it in study hall yesterday and didn’t know what to think at first, because the story started off all right, and as it progressed I became more and more freaked out. The grandmother really bothered me because she is extremely self-centered. I couldn’t really feel any sympathy for her even though no one seems to like her. She brings it upon herself. In the end, it’s her fault that she and her family die, because she causes the accident to happen.
The shift in the theme of the story was a little disconcerting. The Misfit is a frightening character and I don’t really know how to handle the ending of this story. I kind of want to know Flannery O’Connor’s inspiration for writing such a story. The thing that bothered me the most was when the grandmother tried to convince The Misfit that he could get over all of his problems if he accepted Jesus. His response is particularly disturbing. He says that Jesus threw everything off balance and used faith in Him to justify killing people. This kind of twisted logic was especially freaky to me because of my faith.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Rocking Horse Winner
“The Rocking Horse Winner” is a story about a boy named Paul who predicts the winners in horse races.
What is Paul’s most prized possession?
What is the symbolism of the rocking horse?
What is the significance of Paul’s ability to predict the outcome of the races? Does it help his family in the long run?
Originally I was drawn to this story because of the title. My initial response was “YAY I get to read something about a horse!” And it turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would. The family’s misfortunes revolve around money, which is a common problem in today’s society for many people. In the beginning, it kind of seems like the story will be about the mother trying to dig her family out of a hole, but I enjoy the shift to Paul because he is a much more interesting character. The emphasis on his blue eyes is very intriguing. They are referenced a total of eight times throughout the story and are always described as “blazing” or “uncanny.” Paul has an “uncanny” ability to predict the outcome of the races, and this is reflected in his eyes.
This turns out to be a very sad story with Paul’s death. I don’t know what ultimately kills him, if it’s the incessant “whispering” of his house, or something else. Despite all his efforts he cannot get the house to stop “whispering” and as the amount of money increases, so does the suffering. Society is too dependent on material things, and they can ultimately lead to our demise. The house’s whisper represents this greed.
What is Paul’s most prized possession?
What is the symbolism of the rocking horse?
What is the significance of Paul’s ability to predict the outcome of the races? Does it help his family in the long run?
Originally I was drawn to this story because of the title. My initial response was “YAY I get to read something about a horse!” And it turned out to be a lot better than I thought it would. The family’s misfortunes revolve around money, which is a common problem in today’s society for many people. In the beginning, it kind of seems like the story will be about the mother trying to dig her family out of a hole, but I enjoy the shift to Paul because he is a much more interesting character. The emphasis on his blue eyes is very intriguing. They are referenced a total of eight times throughout the story and are always described as “blazing” or “uncanny.” Paul has an “uncanny” ability to predict the outcome of the races, and this is reflected in his eyes.
This turns out to be a very sad story with Paul’s death. I don’t know what ultimately kills him, if it’s the incessant “whispering” of his house, or something else. Despite all his efforts he cannot get the house to stop “whispering” and as the amount of money increases, so does the suffering. Society is too dependent on material things, and they can ultimately lead to our demise. The house’s whisper represents this greed.
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