Despite the numerous connections between the novels Waiting for the Barbarians and Heart of Darkness, a message both authors seem to highlight lies in the significance of “the other”. In both novels, the predominating forces, The Empire and the Company, interact with the often demoralized other, or in the barbarians in Waiting for the Barbarians and the Africans in Heart of Darkness. Yet despite the often portrayal of “the other” as savage-like, both novels recognize the importance of the “the other” on society as a whole as well as the individual.
Conrad and Coetzee both demonstrate the invaluable role the other provides for the Company and Empire. In the Heart of Darkness, the other or Africans provide services, like labor, necessary for the development of the Company, an organization operating on profit. Unified in their pursuit of riches, the Company belief of the other’s inferiority allows them to persecute and condemn the kind sin guilt. Likewise in Waiting for the Barbarians, Coronel Joll uses the idea of the barbarians as a weapon to unify the Empire. With the formation of an opposing force, the Empire is given an identity contra to the barbarians thereby unifying them. In both novels, the other serves as force that unifies the opposition.
Despite the other’s ability to help unify its opposition, both authors also develop the effects of the other on the individual level as well through the characters of Krutz and the Magistrate. In his article “Going Wrong in Kipling, Conrad, and Coetzee,” Douglas Kerr refers to the Magistrate as a “culture traitor” for his “consorting with the enemy.” In Waiting for the Barbarians, the Magistrate is the only character to interact with the barbarians in a less than brutal nature. Similar to the Magistrate, Krutz in Heart of Darkness, also becomes a culture traitor from his fellow Europeans as even Marlow acknowledges Krutz’s highly bizarre fascination and interactions with the natives. Both the Magistrate and Krutz are the only characters to intermix with the other, allowing them to be the only characters to achieve growth or understanding from their experiences. In Waiting for the Barbarians, the Magistrate finally demonstrates his personal growth when he tells the Coronel to stop beating the barbarians. Similarly, Krutz with his last breath, demonstrates his understanding of the Empire inhuman acts towards the Africans with his final words, “The horror! The horror!.”
Both Heart of Darkness and Waiting for the Barbarians depict the necessity of the other. With the other, an organization, like the Empire, can form an identity, or the individual, like the both Krutz and the Magistrate, can gain some sort of personal growth by understanding their opposition. But the other, whether it be on the macro or micro level, help one achieve understanding and an identity. (465)
Monday, December 8, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
First Impressions of Waiting for the Barbarians
After reading the first few chapters of the novel Waiting for the Barbarians, I am still somewhat confused on what to think. Coetzee’s style, with his use of the present tense, sets up for a rather interesting read—much less dense than Heart of Darkness. His style also allows the reader to establish a personal connection with the narrator, the Magistrate—the only character of this novel I have become fond of. Morally appalled to all that Colonel Joll (a man the Magistrate finds “no loyalty in his heart” for (17) does, the Magistrate acts as the only character to have some sort of understanding of limitations of torture. Likewise it intrigued me to see such polar opposites working for the same purpose, the Empire. The Magistrate even acknowledges the opposition of their thoughts when he states, “the Empire does not require its servants love each other, merely that they perform their duty” (6), and Coetzee goes even further to depict the segregation of their thoughts when the Colonel sends some prisoner who are in fact fishing people to the Magistrate. Upset with Colonel’s ignorance, the Magistrate begins denouncing the Colonel in front of the officers, an act that he even admits should never be done (17). As for plot, I find the novel somewhat lacking in tremendously compelling material thus far. As of now, the novel mostly consists of gruesome, vivid imagery of Colonel’s tortured victims and the sexual dealings of the Magistrate. The Magistrates journey to the barbarians was the peak of excitement for me, but what I truly await with much anticipation is the confrontation between the army against the barbarians as alluded to at the end of the third section. Despite its somewhat mundane beginning, I find the novel an easy read, therefore compelling me to see what lies ahead. (304)
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A Heart Not So Dark
Hunt Hawkins, “Heart of Darkness and Racism”
-Despite Conrad’s descriptions and characterizations that dehumanize Africans, Hawkins believes Conrad is far from racist.
-“It would be a mistake, nonetheless, to read Achebe, any more than Conrad”
- Conrad was a sturdy opponent of European imperialism. Marlow states, “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing.”
-Conrad points out that Europeans don’t live up to their own ideals as civilizers.
-Somewhat racist since it continues to assume Africans are at the low end of the scale
-Krutz corruption comes from Europeans not Africans, who are rarely present through the novel
-“Conrad did not share the most extreme racism of his time. He did not wish the annihilation of all non-Europeans” like Achebe suggests.
-Despite Conrad’s descriptions and characterizations that dehumanize Africans, Hawkins believes Conrad is far from racist.
-“It would be a mistake, nonetheless, to read Achebe, any more than Conrad”
- Conrad was a sturdy opponent of European imperialism. Marlow states, “The conquest of the earth, which mostly means the taking away from those who have a different complexion or slightly flatter noses than ourselves, is not a pretty thing.”
-Conrad points out that Europeans don’t live up to their own ideals as civilizers.
-Somewhat racist since it continues to assume Africans are at the low end of the scale
-Krutz corruption comes from Europeans not Africans, who are rarely present through the novel
-“Conrad did not share the most extreme racism of his time. He did not wish the annihilation of all non-Europeans” like Achebe suggests.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
The Enduring Dilsey
The final chapter of The Sound and the Fury brings closure to the novel by marking the end of the once prominent Compson family through the eyes of the unbiased narrator Dilsey. Dilsey, as the only character to remember the past but not let it consume her, serves as a reliable narrator for unlike the other characters, she does not base her past or future on Caddy. And similarly, unlike the hypochondriac Miss Caroline, the mentally disabled Benjy, the suicidal Quintin, the drunkard Father, and deranged Jason, Dilsey endures as the sole character to remain undiseased as she embraces her duties pertaining to the wellbeing of the Compson family. Dilsey serves as a perspective outside of the true Compson family. And even amid the complaining Mrs. Compson, the bellowing Benjy, and the threatenings of Jason, Dilsey brings some order to the household but comforting Benjy. Yet despite her greatest efforts, Dilsey’s drive to hold the Compsons together fails and inevitably leads to her deterioration as described when it pained her to walk up the stairs. Only through Dilsey’s perspective, could the novel be finished for she has been there from the beginning: “I’ve seed de first en da last.” Dilsey’s placement at the end of the novel only serves to heighten Faulkner’s chronology of time because she serves as one of the few remaining characters to tell the fall of the Compson family. (233)
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Sound and Fury article
The article that interested me the most was Lawrence E. Bowling’s work “Faulkner and the Theme of Innocence”. Stated in the title, Bowling’s article mainly focuses on the innocence that a majority of the characters in The Sound and the Fury face (including Caddy Quentin, Benjy, Jason, and Mrs. Compson). According to Bowling all these characters maintain their innocence throughout the novel (even, surprisingly so, Caddy). Bowling tries to persuade the audience of The Sound and the Fury’s exploration of the theme of innocence by demonstrating the brutal impact faced when Benjy and Quenin begin to lose their innocence.
To emphasize the theme of innocence, Faulkner in the introductory section tells the story of the Compson family through the eyes of Benjy, a mentally handicapped thirty-three year old. In the novel, Bowling points out that, Benjy is referred to as “natural”, a term that refers to his untainted point of view. Unlike the other characters of the novel, Benjy has no ability to reason and memories flow through his mind sin order and understanding. According to Bowling, Benjy’s innocence comes from his lack of “knowing” for even Mrs. Compson states that Benjy doesn’t know. He can’t even realize.” Yet when Benjy finally tries to gain knowledge by asking the schoolgirls where his sister, Caddy, has gone, he ends up frightening a young girl forcing his family to castrate him in fear of what he might do. Benjy’s hope to gain knowledge, in this case the whereabouts of his sister, force him to undergo a harsh procedure, one that he will recall for the rest of his life.
Once again the theme of innocence appears in the Quentin section, but unlike in the previous section, Quentin pursues an untainted moral purity, which eventually leads to his demise. Quentin’s natural behavior demonstrates his obsession of absolute purity for he admits to disliking roses simply because “they are colored and not pure white, not virgins”. Quentin tries to achieve the highest level of purity, but his plans come to a staggering end when his sister Caddie indulges in promiscuous behavior and damages the family honor. Since his “purity” has been tainted, Quentin has no choice but to commit suicide to absolve himself of sin. But even whilst making the final preparations for his death, Bowling mentions Quentin’s preoccupation with several spots and strains, signifying Quentin’s still enduring obsession with purity. Despite Quentin’s drive to attain moral perfection, he’s sister’s faltering behavior leads him to end his own life.
Bowling’s article brings to light the innocent nature that both Benjy and Quentin share. Bowling’s article helps highlight Faulker’s emphasis on innocence because as each Benjy and Quentin’s wall of innocence begins crumple, they both face unfavorable circumstances. (482)
Faulkner and the Theme of Innocence
* Lawrence E. Bowling
* The Kenyon Review, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Summer, 1958), pp. 466-487
* Published by: Kenyon College
To emphasize the theme of innocence, Faulkner in the introductory section tells the story of the Compson family through the eyes of Benjy, a mentally handicapped thirty-three year old. In the novel, Bowling points out that, Benjy is referred to as “natural”, a term that refers to his untainted point of view. Unlike the other characters of the novel, Benjy has no ability to reason and memories flow through his mind sin order and understanding. According to Bowling, Benjy’s innocence comes from his lack of “knowing” for even Mrs. Compson states that Benjy doesn’t know. He can’t even realize.” Yet when Benjy finally tries to gain knowledge by asking the schoolgirls where his sister, Caddy, has gone, he ends up frightening a young girl forcing his family to castrate him in fear of what he might do. Benjy’s hope to gain knowledge, in this case the whereabouts of his sister, force him to undergo a harsh procedure, one that he will recall for the rest of his life.
Once again the theme of innocence appears in the Quentin section, but unlike in the previous section, Quentin pursues an untainted moral purity, which eventually leads to his demise. Quentin’s natural behavior demonstrates his obsession of absolute purity for he admits to disliking roses simply because “they are colored and not pure white, not virgins”. Quentin tries to achieve the highest level of purity, but his plans come to a staggering end when his sister Caddie indulges in promiscuous behavior and damages the family honor. Since his “purity” has been tainted, Quentin has no choice but to commit suicide to absolve himself of sin. But even whilst making the final preparations for his death, Bowling mentions Quentin’s preoccupation with several spots and strains, signifying Quentin’s still enduring obsession with purity. Despite Quentin’s drive to attain moral perfection, he’s sister’s faltering behavior leads him to end his own life.
Bowling’s article brings to light the innocent nature that both Benjy and Quentin share. Bowling’s article helps highlight Faulker’s emphasis on innocence because as each Benjy and Quentin’s wall of innocence begins crumple, they both face unfavorable circumstances. (482)
Faulkner and the Theme of Innocence
* Lawrence E. Bowling
* The Kenyon Review, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Summer, 1958), pp. 466-487
* Published by: Kenyon College
Monday, September 29, 2008
A Greasy Lake No More
“Greasy Lake” by T. Boyle is the story of a young man and his companions on their journey to self-realization. The main character, a nineteen year-old boy who also serves as the narrator of the story, tries to live as a dangerous character in a “time when courtesy and winning ways went out of style [and] it was good to be bad” (1). As the narrator and his friends recreate themselves, to play the part of the “purest primal badness,” they begin to push limits, eventually leading them to realize the error of their ways. The narrator and his friends create bad-boy veneers in order to fit the style, but as the story unfolds, they begin to shed their façade in their realization that what is in style is not always necessarily right.
Despite the narrator’s belief that he and his comrades are bad, the narrator’s actions, as well as the actions of his friends, demonstrate their bad boy persona is merely a façade. In the first paragraph, the narrator states that he and his friends were bad because they simply wore “torn-up leather jackets” while slouching around with toothpicks in their mouths and “sniffing glue and ether” (1). Similarly, the narrator even admits that he kept a tire iron—which he used only twice to change his tires—behind his driver’s seat because that is where bad characters keep their tire irons. The boys believe that if they dress and act the part, to fit the style, they will experience “heights of adventure and daring” that come with being a “dangerous character.” Contrary to their veneers, the narrator demonstrates that he is rather learned by his diction. Throughout the story, the narrator makes multiple historical references to figures such as Khe Sanh, a U.S. commander in the Vietnam War; the Sabine women, members of an ancient Italian tribe; and Anne Frank. He evens admits to reading André Gide, a controversial French novelist who writes on the controversy of morality. Likewise, the narrator’s friend Digby attends Cornell, and both Digby and Jeff are supposed to be “experts on social graces,” characteristics not of a low social class.
As the boys begin to hide their natural characteristics to embrace their newly developed manner, they begin to lose their civilities and become animalistic. At the beginning of the story, the narrator wants to go to Greasy Lake to “watch a girl take off her clothes and plunge into the festering murk, drink beer, smoke pot, [and] howl at the stars… [for] this is nature” (2). To live up to their bad boy persona, the narrator characterizes acting like an animal as natural. Once again the groups animalistic characteristics are brought to light when he and his friends begin to try to rape the girl: they became “dirty, bloody, guilty, dissociated from humanity and civilization” (16). Even right before the narrator swings the iron tire at the greasy man, instead of thinking rationally of the repercussions of his actions, the narrator plays out an interrogational scenario, between a cop and a murderer, in his head. Caught in the moment, the narrator becomes far too consumed with acting dangerous to reason.
The final turning point of the story occurs when the narrator comes in contact with the dead body in Greasy Lake. Once coming in contact with the carcass, it is the first time the narrator realizes he had struck down the greasy character; the narrator even rejoices at the sound of the greasy character’s voice moments later. Consumed with guilt and fear from his rash actions, the narrator begins to contemplate suicide when he realizes all that has happened that night. And while thinking of excuses to tell his parents, he realizes that the dead man was probably the “only person on the planet worse off than” he was (31). The carcass made the narrator realize that if he continued down the same path, he could end up dead as well.
The short story “Greasy Lake,” greatly acts as a bildungsroman. The narrator demonstrates he is a changed man for unlike his interpretation of Greasy Lake before, the narrator finally comes to see the beauty of the lake: “there was a smell in the air, raw and sweet,…the smell of the sun firing buds and opening blossoms…this was nature” (32). The narrator’s new interpretation of nature marks his understanding that having the superficiality of a bad character, and pretending to be something they are not, does not make one truly bad, but rather distorts their reason. (787)
Discussion:
Why does the narrator almost start crying at the end of the story?
Significance of animal noises throughout story?
When does the narrrator begin to show he is a changed man?
Despite the narrator’s belief that he and his comrades are bad, the narrator’s actions, as well as the actions of his friends, demonstrate their bad boy persona is merely a façade. In the first paragraph, the narrator states that he and his friends were bad because they simply wore “torn-up leather jackets” while slouching around with toothpicks in their mouths and “sniffing glue and ether” (1). Similarly, the narrator even admits that he kept a tire iron—which he used only twice to change his tires—behind his driver’s seat because that is where bad characters keep their tire irons. The boys believe that if they dress and act the part, to fit the style, they will experience “heights of adventure and daring” that come with being a “dangerous character.” Contrary to their veneers, the narrator demonstrates that he is rather learned by his diction. Throughout the story, the narrator makes multiple historical references to figures such as Khe Sanh, a U.S. commander in the Vietnam War; the Sabine women, members of an ancient Italian tribe; and Anne Frank. He evens admits to reading André Gide, a controversial French novelist who writes on the controversy of morality. Likewise, the narrator’s friend Digby attends Cornell, and both Digby and Jeff are supposed to be “experts on social graces,” characteristics not of a low social class.
As the boys begin to hide their natural characteristics to embrace their newly developed manner, they begin to lose their civilities and become animalistic. At the beginning of the story, the narrator wants to go to Greasy Lake to “watch a girl take off her clothes and plunge into the festering murk, drink beer, smoke pot, [and] howl at the stars… [for] this is nature” (2). To live up to their bad boy persona, the narrator characterizes acting like an animal as natural. Once again the groups animalistic characteristics are brought to light when he and his friends begin to try to rape the girl: they became “dirty, bloody, guilty, dissociated from humanity and civilization” (16). Even right before the narrator swings the iron tire at the greasy man, instead of thinking rationally of the repercussions of his actions, the narrator plays out an interrogational scenario, between a cop and a murderer, in his head. Caught in the moment, the narrator becomes far too consumed with acting dangerous to reason.
The final turning point of the story occurs when the narrator comes in contact with the dead body in Greasy Lake. Once coming in contact with the carcass, it is the first time the narrator realizes he had struck down the greasy character; the narrator even rejoices at the sound of the greasy character’s voice moments later. Consumed with guilt and fear from his rash actions, the narrator begins to contemplate suicide when he realizes all that has happened that night. And while thinking of excuses to tell his parents, he realizes that the dead man was probably the “only person on the planet worse off than” he was (31). The carcass made the narrator realize that if he continued down the same path, he could end up dead as well.
The short story “Greasy Lake,” greatly acts as a bildungsroman. The narrator demonstrates he is a changed man for unlike his interpretation of Greasy Lake before, the narrator finally comes to see the beauty of the lake: “there was a smell in the air, raw and sweet,…the smell of the sun firing buds and opening blossoms…this was nature” (32). The narrator’s new interpretation of nature marks his understanding that having the superficiality of a bad character, and pretending to be something they are not, does not make one truly bad, but rather distorts their reason. (787)
Discussion:
Why does the narrator almost start crying at the end of the story?
Significance of animal noises throughout story?
When does the narrrator begin to show he is a changed man?
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Cathedral: More Than What It Seems
When looking over “Cathedral” by Raymond Carver, I thought that the significance of the story was a rather cliché wisdom similar to you cannot judge a book by its cover. The nameless narrator’s preconceived notions of blind people keep him from, at first, getting to know Robert, his wife’s visiting blind friend. Yet as the story progresses, the narrator builds a connection with the blind man, Robert, which allows him to relate himself to what he previously did not understand.
Before Robert’s arrival, the narrator is already plagued with wild notions of blind people that he learned of from the movies. The narrator admits that “being blind bothered” him because the blind walked slowly and never laughed. Before even meeting Robert, the narrator labels him as the same as all those he has seen in movies. To add to his dislike of blind people, the narrator also develops a jealousy of Robert’s and his wife’s long-term relationship, and the narrator even greatly resents being mentioned in one the correspondence tapes between his wife and Robert. Even after Robert’s arrival, the narrator makes little effort to welcome Robert with conversation for his first thought is to ask Robert how his train ride was. Yet although the narrator’s myopic views of blind people plague the start of the story, as the tale continues, the narrator’s preconceived notions and prejudices of Robert begin to wane.
Soon after Robert’s arrival, the narrator begins to realize that his previous notions of blind people were in fact flawed. At first glance, the narrator is astonished that Robert does not own a cane or wear and dark glasses to cover his eyes, which demonstrates the narrator’s incorrect characterization of the blind. From his new perceptions of Robert and blind people in general, the narrator begins to grow a certain admiration for Robert and how he functions on a daily basis. While eating dinner, the narrator “watched in admiration” as Robert was able to navigate and locate the food on his plate right away. The narrator begins to realize how difficult it must be for Robert, or any blind individual, to find food on their plate, and the narrator realizes that he takes his ability to do everyday chores for granted because for people like Robert, it might not be so easy. Later the narrator also realizes that the blind man is similar to him when Robert stays up and smokes some weed with the narrator. The narrator realizes that blindness is a rather insignificant factor in knowing a person, and the narrator is able to grow more comfortable with Robert. The blind man even goes on to inspire the narrator as they both draw a cathedral. The narrator begins to appreciate the beauty of the cathedral after his eyes are closed, making him embrace “blindness”—what he had feared at the start of the short story.
Despite the qualms the narrator possessed at the start of the story, he realizes that the appearance does not depict one’s true character. The blind mind acted as proof to Robert that you can’t judge what you don’t know. Robert acted as a vessel of inspiration—like when he inspired the narrator’s wife to begin to write poetry—that allowed the narrator to see life in a new perspective. (548)
Before Robert’s arrival, the narrator is already plagued with wild notions of blind people that he learned of from the movies. The narrator admits that “being blind bothered” him because the blind walked slowly and never laughed. Before even meeting Robert, the narrator labels him as the same as all those he has seen in movies. To add to his dislike of blind people, the narrator also develops a jealousy of Robert’s and his wife’s long-term relationship, and the narrator even greatly resents being mentioned in one the correspondence tapes between his wife and Robert. Even after Robert’s arrival, the narrator makes little effort to welcome Robert with conversation for his first thought is to ask Robert how his train ride was. Yet although the narrator’s myopic views of blind people plague the start of the story, as the tale continues, the narrator’s preconceived notions and prejudices of Robert begin to wane.
Soon after Robert’s arrival, the narrator begins to realize that his previous notions of blind people were in fact flawed. At first glance, the narrator is astonished that Robert does not own a cane or wear and dark glasses to cover his eyes, which demonstrates the narrator’s incorrect characterization of the blind. From his new perceptions of Robert and blind people in general, the narrator begins to grow a certain admiration for Robert and how he functions on a daily basis. While eating dinner, the narrator “watched in admiration” as Robert was able to navigate and locate the food on his plate right away. The narrator begins to realize how difficult it must be for Robert, or any blind individual, to find food on their plate, and the narrator realizes that he takes his ability to do everyday chores for granted because for people like Robert, it might not be so easy. Later the narrator also realizes that the blind man is similar to him when Robert stays up and smokes some weed with the narrator. The narrator realizes that blindness is a rather insignificant factor in knowing a person, and the narrator is able to grow more comfortable with Robert. The blind man even goes on to inspire the narrator as they both draw a cathedral. The narrator begins to appreciate the beauty of the cathedral after his eyes are closed, making him embrace “blindness”—what he had feared at the start of the short story.
Despite the qualms the narrator possessed at the start of the story, he realizes that the appearance does not depict one’s true character. The blind mind acted as proof to Robert that you can’t judge what you don’t know. Robert acted as a vessel of inspiration—like when he inspired the narrator’s wife to begin to write poetry—that allowed the narrator to see life in a new perspective. (548)
Wednesday, September 17, 2008
Only Through Everyday Use
When reading “Everyday Use” by Alice Walker, it is virtually impossible to miss the irony associated with Dee’s supposed assimilation with her heritage. Dee, rather than truly understand her heritage, tries to create an allusion by changing her appearance and by gathering priceless artifacts from her home.
Despite Dee’s efforts to embrace her heritage, it is truly only another phase in what her mother refers to as her “style” (12). At her arrival, Dee insists on being called Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo due to its more authentic appeal. Even though Dee believes her new name allows her to better embrace her roots, her real name, Dee was a name passed down in her family, from generation to generation, a name that truly depicts her heritage. Likewise, Dee tries to continue to create a façade with the outfit she arrives in. When first looked upon by her mother, the dress was “so loud it hurt” her mother’s eyes (20). Dee also demonstrates how she is simply embracing a new style when she decides she wants to take the old quilts that her Grandma had made by hand. Despite wanting the quilts now, Dee’s mother remarked that when she was first offered the quilts before she left for college, Dee pronounced that they were too “old-fashioned and out of style” (66) Irony also appears in the end of the story when Dee puts on her large sunglasses that “hide everything” on her face, indicating her obsession with fashion. Dee’s change of heart and attention with trends keep her from truly embracing her heritage.
Similarly Dee not only tries to recreate herself in order to embrace her heritage, but she also begins to seek materialistic possessions to act as relics of her newly formed self. At dinner, Dee decides to take her Grandma Dee’s butter dish and churn top in order to give the sense that she had had her connection with her ancestors. Yet in taking each object Dee remarks that its purpose will be as a showpiece in her home. Unlike her mother and sister, who actually use the churn top and butter dish, Dee simply sees each object as proof of her connection to her heritage. Likewise, when Dee first arrived, she took out a Polaroid to capture pictures of her mother, sister, a cow, and the house. To Dee, her family and previous lifestyle serve as nothing more than as examples of how their ancestors used to live. Dee also demonstrates irony when she insists that her sister “ought to try and make something of” herself instead of live in her old ways. Despite Dee’s so called embracement of her heritage, she insists on her sister forming a new life.
In spite of her so-called efforts to reconnect with her roots, Dee can never appreciate all that her heritage has to offer. “Everyday Use” depicts how mere materials do not define who one is and where they come from, and that one can only truly appreciate their heritage, like Dee’s mother and sister do, with everyday use. (508)
*Just as a reminder, I was late turning this blog in because I was on the JLP freshmen trip.
Despite Dee’s efforts to embrace her heritage, it is truly only another phase in what her mother refers to as her “style” (12). At her arrival, Dee insists on being called Wangero Leewanika Kemanjo due to its more authentic appeal. Even though Dee believes her new name allows her to better embrace her roots, her real name, Dee was a name passed down in her family, from generation to generation, a name that truly depicts her heritage. Likewise, Dee tries to continue to create a façade with the outfit she arrives in. When first looked upon by her mother, the dress was “so loud it hurt” her mother’s eyes (20). Dee also demonstrates how she is simply embracing a new style when she decides she wants to take the old quilts that her Grandma had made by hand. Despite wanting the quilts now, Dee’s mother remarked that when she was first offered the quilts before she left for college, Dee pronounced that they were too “old-fashioned and out of style” (66) Irony also appears in the end of the story when Dee puts on her large sunglasses that “hide everything” on her face, indicating her obsession with fashion. Dee’s change of heart and attention with trends keep her from truly embracing her heritage.
Similarly Dee not only tries to recreate herself in order to embrace her heritage, but she also begins to seek materialistic possessions to act as relics of her newly formed self. At dinner, Dee decides to take her Grandma Dee’s butter dish and churn top in order to give the sense that she had had her connection with her ancestors. Yet in taking each object Dee remarks that its purpose will be as a showpiece in her home. Unlike her mother and sister, who actually use the churn top and butter dish, Dee simply sees each object as proof of her connection to her heritage. Likewise, when Dee first arrived, she took out a Polaroid to capture pictures of her mother, sister, a cow, and the house. To Dee, her family and previous lifestyle serve as nothing more than as examples of how their ancestors used to live. Dee also demonstrates irony when she insists that her sister “ought to try and make something of” herself instead of live in her old ways. Despite Dee’s so called embracement of her heritage, she insists on her sister forming a new life.
In spite of her so-called efforts to reconnect with her roots, Dee can never appreciate all that her heritage has to offer. “Everyday Use” depicts how mere materials do not define who one is and where they come from, and that one can only truly appreciate their heritage, like Dee’s mother and sister do, with everyday use. (508)
*Just as a reminder, I was late turning this blog in because I was on the JLP freshmen trip.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Summer Reading-The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-TIme
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The novel that captivated me most the summer was the The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. The novel tells the story of an autistic twelve year-old, Christopher John Francis Boone, who is on a quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog. At first, I thought the incessant thrill of adventure had engrossed me most but upon reflecting on the book, I realized that the emotional disconnect of the main character, Christopher, was what truly enthralled me.
Christopher uses reason to run his life, and he is very meticulous in all his does. In one chapter, Christopher goes on to the list the logical reasons for his dislike of the colors yellow and brown. Christopher uses such examples as yellow fever, sweet corn (because it comes out in your poo), and poo to emphasize his dislike of the colors. Likewise, when beginning each day, he uses past experience to set a precedent to determine what kind of day he will have— whereas a Good Day is marked by seeing 4 red cars in a row, a Quite Good Day with 5 red cars in a row, and a Bad Day with 4 black cars in a row.
Yet with Christopher’s tremendous skills to reason his way through life, he falls short in his ability to understand human emotion. Christopher shows a lack of emotion or even an understanding of human emotion throughout the novel. One example is at the beginning of the novel when he cannot relate to the pain and suffering his father has gone through at the loss of this wife and the burden of his autistic child who had just spent the day in jail for having hit a police officer. Even at the end of the novel, Christopher’s home lay in ruins since his mother and father have split, but despite this devastating occurrence, all Christopher cares about is having finished his book on the mystery of Wellington’s death and receiving an A in his next year math class. Christopher’s inability to show any emotion towards the wellbeing of his family creates a separation between the reader and the narrator.
At first, I rather resented the character of Christopher for his inability to see the pain around him, but I realized that despite Chirstopher’s excessive reasoning, his analysis of each situation allowed for the novel to progress. After his father had forbidden him to continue the Wellington murder mystery, Christopher realizes that his father only told him to not mention Mr. Shears in their house, not ask Mrs. Shears who killed Wellington, not ask anyone who killed Wellington, not to trespass, and to stop his ridiculous detective game, so he works his away around his father's rules and continues his investigating. Similarly without his reason and observational skills, Christopher couldn’t navigate his way through the busy underground railway in England.
The novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was so riveting to me because of the realization that despite the emotional gap between Christopher, the narrator, and the reader, Christopher’s perspective, as a young autistic boy, is the only view-point from which the story could be told to create such a vivid and engaging novel.
(564)
The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
The novel that captivated me most the summer was the The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon. The novel tells the story of an autistic twelve year-old, Christopher John Francis Boone, who is on a quest to investigate the suspicious death of a neighborhood dog. At first, I thought the incessant thrill of adventure had engrossed me most but upon reflecting on the book, I realized that the emotional disconnect of the main character, Christopher, was what truly enthralled me.
Christopher uses reason to run his life, and he is very meticulous in all his does. In one chapter, Christopher goes on to the list the logical reasons for his dislike of the colors yellow and brown. Christopher uses such examples as yellow fever, sweet corn (because it comes out in your poo), and poo to emphasize his dislike of the colors. Likewise, when beginning each day, he uses past experience to set a precedent to determine what kind of day he will have— whereas a Good Day is marked by seeing 4 red cars in a row, a Quite Good Day with 5 red cars in a row, and a Bad Day with 4 black cars in a row.
Yet with Christopher’s tremendous skills to reason his way through life, he falls short in his ability to understand human emotion. Christopher shows a lack of emotion or even an understanding of human emotion throughout the novel. One example is at the beginning of the novel when he cannot relate to the pain and suffering his father has gone through at the loss of this wife and the burden of his autistic child who had just spent the day in jail for having hit a police officer. Even at the end of the novel, Christopher’s home lay in ruins since his mother and father have split, but despite this devastating occurrence, all Christopher cares about is having finished his book on the mystery of Wellington’s death and receiving an A in his next year math class. Christopher’s inability to show any emotion towards the wellbeing of his family creates a separation between the reader and the narrator.
At first, I rather resented the character of Christopher for his inability to see the pain around him, but I realized that despite Chirstopher’s excessive reasoning, his analysis of each situation allowed for the novel to progress. After his father had forbidden him to continue the Wellington murder mystery, Christopher realizes that his father only told him to not mention Mr. Shears in their house, not ask Mrs. Shears who killed Wellington, not ask anyone who killed Wellington, not to trespass, and to stop his ridiculous detective game, so he works his away around his father's rules and continues his investigating. Similarly without his reason and observational skills, Christopher couldn’t navigate his way through the busy underground railway in England.
The novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was so riveting to me because of the realization that despite the emotional gap between Christopher, the narrator, and the reader, Christopher’s perspective, as a young autistic boy, is the only view-point from which the story could be told to create such a vivid and engaging novel.
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