Hayley Rathburn’s Blog

After reading Toni Cade Bambara’s “The Lesson”, it is clear to me that the main character Sylvia is a static character. At no point in the story does she change herself, her way of thinking, or the way she acts. For instance, the first sentence says, “Back in the days when everyone was old and stupid or young and foolish, and me and Sugar were the only ones just right…” So, this makes it clear to the reader that she’s a strong, opinionative person that believes she is always right. This is the way she acts for the entire story. In fact, it ends with her same stubborn, hard-headed attitude. “We start down the block and she gets ahead which is O.K. by me cause I’m going to the West End and then over to the Drive to think this day through. She can run if she want to and even run faster. But aint’ nobody gonna beat me at nuthin” (pg. 202). The author keeps her in this strong-willed mindset throughout the entire story. So, she is not a dynamic character, but a static one.

The short story “Gooseberries”, by Anton Chekhov, deals mostly with the belief in going after one’s dream and doing whatever it takes to achieve that. However, it seems to me that the author’s purpose in telling this story was to show that sometimes people strive so much for a certain goal that they end up hurting people along the way. For example, the main character Ivan tells a story about his brother’s pursuit of his own land and farm. He tells about when his brother got married, “He went on living frugally after marrying her, and kept her short of food, while he put her money in the bank in his name” (pg. 207). Clearly, Ivan’s brother was not treating his wife properly at all. But, even so, he still achieved his dream and became the owner of his very own farm. This brings up the point that although it isn’t fair or just sometimes, people can become what they want to be even if they aren’t “good” people.

In the short story “Good Country People”, by Flannery O’Connor, the theme of Christian redemption in everyday life is discussed. At the beginning of the story the reader is introduced to the protagonist, Hulga. It is clear that Hulga does not believe in anything. She is an atheist, so she doesn’t believe in God. She doesn’t believe in the Bible or Christianity as a whole either. However, at the end of the story her security and safety is taken away. This occurs when her fake leg, a symbol of her will and mind, is taken away by a horrible man named Pointer. She finally realizes she has the need to rely on something when there is nothing left. This clearly relates to Christianity or religion as a whole. In fact, Jesus Christ was in fact betrayed, and this just worked to emphasize the need for his Father. The author skillfully used this to craft the theme of this piece.

Alice Walker is a writer and activist. She was born in Georgia in 1944 into a poor, but loving, household. She was particularly close to her mom, and their relationship actually inspired some of her writing, such as her essay “In Search of Our Mothers’ Gardens.” An interesting but sad fact about her is that at the age of eight she lost eyesight in her right eye from a BB gun accident. She also developed a scar from this that really affected the way she viewed herself. I found it very inspiring to learn that Miss Walker worked very hard at everything she did to get to where she is now. She attended Sarah Lawrence and worked her way up. Now she is a famous writer in multiple genres. Her novel The Color Purple has become a classic piece of literature in America and even the world. Her life is a perfect example that if you set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.

The short story “The Most Dangerous Game”, by Richard Connell, starts out with the main character Rainsford on a yacht with his friend Whitney. They are discussing hunting as a hobby, and overall the tone is light and fun. However, Rainsford gets shipwrecked on a mysterious island. From this point on, the story becomes much more dark and eerie. He stumbles upon a man named General Zaroff who also hunts. But after some exchange of conversation, Rainsford learns that General Zaroff actually hunts men who are shipwrecked on the island, and Rainsford is to be the next target. The tone completely shifts and everything becomes much more dark when this hunt begins. Also, this is where the plot is at the highest point of the arc, or at the climax. From here, Rainsford avoids being killed in various ways, and in the end he wins the “most dangerous game”, thus completing the arc.

1.) overwhelming, thought-provoking, repetitive, “huh?”

2.) “[T]he narrative structure of Gatsby reveals time as a malleable and fluid concept, juxtaposing past and present in ways that show how they momentarily merge in human memory through the social act of telling stories” (118).

3.) In The Great Gatsby, Fitzgerald uses the dreams and desires of Gatsby’s past to take over his present until Gatsby believes he can have what was in his past again. He explores the thought of being able to stop time from holding us back.

4.) The strongest point of the argument of this text was the discussion of Chapter 5 of the novel. It is so strong and convincing because the authors use examples of word choice and symbolism in this specific chapter to convey the point. It is easy to understand because of the concise way it is explained. Some parts of the argument were a little ambiguous for me, however. For instance, Bakhtin’s conception of the “chronotope” repeatedly is mentioned. While I sort of have an understanding of it, the explanation of what the theory really is and how it relates to the novel is, in my opinion, fairly weak.

So far this course has caused me a fair amount of stress. On the first day I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect or what the class would be about exactly. But I am very excited to delve into multitudes of literature and broaden my scope of thinking. I plan to work very hard this year, and I hope good results will come from that.

This I Believe

            I am not the typical high school student. I get incredible happiness from performing on a stage instead of from participating in a sport. I get greater pleasure from reading a book than going to a party. Rather than thinking about what to do on a Friday night, I think deeply about life and all its complexities. I’m not very familiar with current popular music because my I-pod is filled with artists most people my age have never heard of like Nat King Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, or Billie Holiday. I am perfectly content with staying home on a weekend night and watching an old movie with my little sister. Overall, I really don’t fit in with the crowd.

From a very early age I noticed that most people are constantly trying to conform to one version of what they believe an acceptable person should be like. On this topic, famous actor, writer, and director Woody Allen once said, “My one regret in life is that I am not someone else.” There have been moments where I have felt just like that. I’ve wanted to change and slip in with the group just to feel “normal”. And at my lowest times, there have always been two people there to help guide me.

My mom and dad have continually instilled in me the belief that being unique, and perhaps even quirky, is a very good thing. There was one occasion about a year ago where I came home from school almost in tears because of comments directed toward me. So, my mom took out a sheet of notebook paper and started making a list. She titled the paper with two words: “You are”. Underneath the title she wrote out over twenty characteristics that make me who I am. The list included things like “sensitive”, “insightful”, “thankful”, “caring”, “a daughter to be proud of”, and “a sister to be looked up to.” She handed me the sheet of paper and told me never to forget these things about myself, and that I should be very happy with the person I am. She said people will always have unkind things to say, so I needed to learn to accept myself, despite my dissimilarities with others. Every time an incident such as this has happened, my dad would call me his “Hayley Ella girl” and say that he loved me and that I was an outstanding and special human being. Over the years, these kind and loving words have made me come to a conclusion.

Rather than hiding in the shadows, I believe in stepping out onto the stage with a single spotlight pointed on me. There is nothing wrong with being different. My quirks and gifts should be embraced. And if I’m standing all alone, at least I’m being true to who I am. This I believe.

1. “After a little while Mr. Gatz opened the door and came out, his mouth ajar, his face flushed slightly, his eyes leaking isolated and unpunctual tears. He had reached an age where death no longer has the quality of ghastly surprise, and when he looked around him now for the first time and saw the height and splendor of the hall and the great rooms opening out from it into other rooms his grief began to be mixed with an awed pride.” (pg. 176) This passage tells how Gatsby’s father came to realize how far his son had come in life. His son had achieved all that he could have dreamed for him. He became wealthy and prosperous with a large house and many possessions to show for it. His father is described as having an “awed pride” because he’s literally seeing the American Dream right in front of him.

2. “They were careless people, Tom and Daisy-they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made…” (pg. 187-188) This selection provides a perfect insight to Daisy and Tom as a couple. Although they made serious mistakes in their lives, they did not have evil intentions. They were just “careless” and so consumed with their wealth that they didn’t give consideration to much else.

3. “Most of the big shore places were closed now and there were hardly any lights except the shadowy, moving glow of a ferryboat across the Sound. And as the moon rose higher the inessential houses began to melt away until gradually I became aware of the old island here that flowered once for Dutch sailors’ eyes-a fresh, green breast of the new world.” (pg. 189) Green represents rejuvenation and starting over. All the ugliness of the story is behind Nick and all the bad relationships have been broken. So, everything is beginning new again. 

1. “There was a ripe mystery about it, a hint of bedrooms upstairs more beautiful and cool than other bedrooms, of gay and radiant activities taking place through its corridors and of romances that were not musty and laid away already in lavender but fresh and breathing and redolent of this year’s shining motor cars and of dances whose flowers were scarcely withered. It excited him too that many men had already loved Daisy-it increased her value in his eyes. He felt their presence all about the house, pervading the air with the shades and echoes of still vibrant emotions.” (pg. 155-156) This passage is detailing Gatsby’s view of Daisy and her home when he first came into contact with her. It represents the American Dream of having an exciting, rich life full of prosperity and multitudes of material possessions. Because this is presented from Gatsby’s point of view, it shows just how much he was longing to be a part of this world and how this was his own personal dream.

2. “And all the time something within her was crying for a decision. She wanted her life shaped now, immediately-and the decision must be made by some force-of love, of money, of unquestionable practicality-that was close at hand.” (pg. 159) This is describing how Daisy came to be with Tom instead of Gatsby. It helps to form more of her character because it clearly shows how motivated she is by her class and rank. She was so insistent upon following the guidelines of society that she quickly chose Tom while Gatsby was away at war.

3. “His gorgeous pink rag of a suit made a bright spot of color against the white steps and I thought of the night when I first came to his ancestral home three months before.” (pg. 162) The fact that his suit is pink represents how hard he’s still trying to be in his fantasy world where he’s with Daisy and everything is perfect. Just like the pink clouds and the pink light coming from Daisy’s window mentioned previously in the book, it symbolizes a dream land that Gatsby’s been hoping for for over five years.