"The Lottery" Adaptation

PLOT

I would not change a lot with the plot; however, I would switch up a few things. I would create more suspense in the film, which would help build up the climax. I would have a baby cry in the silence of the gathering in order to foreshadow bad things to come. I would keep the climax the same by having Mrs. Hutchinson draw the wood chip with the black dot on it. I would add a resolution to the film where it would jump to the future and view the changes in the village. The village will have discontinued the lottery and moved on in a more modern world. The old man in the town would have died; these changes are significant in that the village will no longer be blindly following traditions.

POINT OF VIEW

The short story is told from the third person omniscient point of view. I would have the film be told from this point of view as well. With the third person omniscient the narrator is able to portray the film in an unbiased manner. This in turn will give the audience a better depiction of what the village stands for as a whole. The use of the third person omniscient point of view is significant in that the village has to act and think as a whole. Individuality is non-existant. I would keep the point of view the same as the short story in the film because it helps to emphasize the climax and contributes to the greater meaning of the work.

CHARACTERIZATION

Throughout the short story, some of the families suggest the idea of ridding the village of the lottery; whereas, others are strictly for the lottery because it is a long standing tradition. I would continue the unsettling desires and conflicting ideas of the villagers. There needs to be some sort of dislike toward the lottery and a slight desire to rid the village of the practice in order to completely eliminate the tradition of the lottery by the end of the film. I would portray the oldest village man as a man set in his ways, similar to the short story; however, the man will die in the end of the film. The death of the old man will be significant in that it will foreshadow a new age for the village. A new time full of new ideas and practices and the death of old ideas and old practices.

SETTING

The setting of the film would be a similar setting of a small village. The town gathering space would be elaborate with decorations and pictures of the lottery traditions of the walls surrounding the gathering space. The pictures will provide a source of suspense for the viewer and a foreshadowing of bad things to come. I would change the time of the lottery to dusk from midday. Changing the time of the lottery to later will set the scene for a greater climax toward the end. Also, the village is not happy, bright, or peaceful; therefore, I want the setting to reflect the sort of darkness that can be indirectly seen in all of the characters.

THEME

I would also keep the same theme in the work when adapting it into a film. The theme is blindly following old traditions. If one were to significantly change the them, then it would not be the same story; therefore, I would portray the same thing, but rather add more to it. The theme will be reinforced by the idea that not one of the villagers will stand up and fight against this odd and brutal tradition. The theme will also have a theme of selfishness. The story touches on this theme when the children cheer as they see they have pulled blank wood chips. The film will display a greater significance of this theme by having the other women scoff at Mrs. Hutchinson as she arrives late. Individuality is a key in the short story and will be in the film in order to portray a broken society that is in need of reform.

The Shawshank Redemption (film)

PLOT

Although the short story and film were extraordinarily similar, there were still some differences. For example, in the film, the old librarian ends up committing suicide upon receiving his freedom; he wrote "Brooks was here" on the wall before killing himself, which did not happen in the short story. This part in the film better emphasizes the idea that after being locked up for such a long time in prison (like Brooks) a man becomes institutionalized. Also unlike the short story, Tommy, a convict in for burglary, was shot and killed by the Chief Guard in the film; in the story, Tommy was moved to a different prison. This is significant in that the film shows more of the cruelty and relentlessness of the prison. Shawshank is full of greedy guards and a greedy warden, who will do anything to save themselves from thier illegal activities.


POINT OF VIEW

The film is told from the same point of view as the short story. Red tells the story mainly about Andy and his life at Shawshank through his own perspective. Red's point of view represents the point of view of the other convicts in Shawshank and their opinions in regards to the newcomers and Andy. Because the viewer understands the story from Red's point of view, they are able to know the thoughts and feelings of a convict and relate to him. The film did a good job portraying the story through the perspective of a character, other than the main character. Although the story was told by Red, it makes him more mysterious because his sole focus is Andy.

CHARACTERIZATION

The film did a good job with matching the characters from the story; they are very similar. In the film, the viewer can see that Red goes through a change throughout the course of the movie that isn't quite as present in the short story. This is particularly prevalent in the scene where Red is finally approved for parole after years of forms being "REJECTED." Red finally learns what he's done wrong. The warden and guards in the story seem more brutal because the viewer can see and hear the beatings taking place. Also, in the film there is one warden throughout the course of the story, but in the short story there are three wardens that come and go during Red's time in Shawshank. Not to mention, the one warden in the film ends up committing suicide in the end, which does not occur in the movie; this is significant in that it shows that Andy Dufresne truly got the best of the warden. Andy not only freed himself, but he freed Shawshank of the reign of Warden Norton.

SETTING

The setting between the film and short story are also very similar. The film helps to establish what the scenes looked like and how the action played out in each one. I pictured many of the scenes different in my mind while reading the short story in contrast to the pictures in the film, so the film helped to give me new insight. The film did a really good job at sticking with the short story and including all of the same settings (although there were only a few). One of the memorable settings in the movie is Zihautenejo. This city in Mexico is important in that it is symbolic of hope and freedom. As Red is reading the letter from Andy that he found in a Buxton hayfield, Andy mentions if Red remembers the name of the city. Red's reply: "Zihautenejo."

THEME

The themes in the short story hold true for the themes in the film: Isolation and Hope. One of the big turning points in the film is when Andy is sentenced to two months of isolation. I feel that this changed him in a way that gave him the courage to make his jailbreak. A month into Andy's time in solitary, the warden pokes in to say a few words to Andy, "I'm sure you've already heard. Poor Tommy, only a month left to serve out his sentence. It really killed Hadley to shoot him, but the boy tried to escape. He had to, but it certainly broke his heart to do it." Hope is prevalent throughout the film, but mostly towards the end. As Andy speaks of his dreams following his life in prison, hope is an important theme. Red discovers hope as he is making his way to find Andy in Zihautanejo. I believe that the short story portrayed the idea of hope a little better due to the powerful last few lines at the conclusion of the story; however, the film did a better job displaying the theme of isolation because the viewer was able to see how solitary really did change a man.

"Popular Mechanics"

I thought this story was kind of ironic. The person that the couple loves most is being fought over (kind of violently). I feel that in the end the man and the woman are no longer fighting over the child. They are fighting each other. Each one wants what the other can't have, which ends up hurting the one they love most. The couple in this story is immature because they fail to resolve their issues with poise; in fact, they are quite the opposite. The man and woman let their anger and feelings get the best of them. In this way, I also believe the story to be satirical. A couple rips their baby apart because they both want to take him/her with them. The story reminds me a little of A Modest Proposal. They aren't quite eating babies; however, they are ripping one apart.

"You're Ugly, Too"

I found this story to be more humorous in an odd sort of way. No wonder Zoe is single; she doesn't really know how to carry on a normal conversation. And not to mention she almost shoved the guy she was talking the off the 20th floor of an apartment building. I feel like this story in way made fun of "the old cat lady." Zoe is destined to live alone because all of her conversational stories end in either death or extreme heartache, which is a major turnoff for pretty much anyone. Zoe is a mysterious character in that the reader doesn't understand why she does the things that she does and doesn't expect any of her actions either. Evan seems to be the perfect daughter/sister in a sense; whereas, Zoe is kind of the failure. This story had an odd sense of humor.

"The Drunkard" #5

The boy's drunkenness in this story is told through the perspective of the boy himself, the father, the ladies on the porch steps, and the mother. The boy finds himself in an unclear and foreign frame of mind; he does not feel well and is imbalanced, just as any drunk person. The father is completely embarrassed as he drags his son home. The ladies on the porch find the boy to be quite amusing. After all what could be more funny than a drunk boy yelling at his father and the ladies as if he were an adult? The mother takes a different approach. She praises her son for being drunk because he was finally successfully in putting the brakes on his father. I find this story to be quite ironic in that the father is so embarassed of his son's actions, yet when the father gets drunk he most likely acts in the same way.

"The Lottery" #5

There are many different attitudes in regards to the lottery throughout this story. Mr. Summers always mentions getting a new box, but never does so; this means that he is looking to improve the lottery or upgrade it, but he never has the time or will to do so. Old Man Warner is completely in favor of the lottery. He is a man of great tradition and believes the lottery to be a necessary thing for the village. Mr. and Mrs. Adams are not fully on board with the lottery and truly wouldn't mind if the village discontinued the practice. Mrs. Hutchinson changes her view of the lottery throughout the story. At the beginning, Mrs. Hutchinson views the lottery as something that just is; however, when she's the one that is to be stoned to death, she claims that it is unfair and clearly has a problem with the lottery. The villagers in general view the lottery of a tradition that must be carried out. I don't think that any of them (except Old Man Warner) would really object if the village decided to do away with the lottery.

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption

PLOT

Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption is a narrative with a compilation of flashbacks and anecdotes of the two main characters, Red and Andy Dufresne. "Getting a pass out of Shawshank when you've got murder stamped on your admittance-slip is slow work, as slow as a river eroding a rock (26)." This line sums up the rising action of this short story; the prison life of Red, Andy Dufresne, and the other inmates at Shawshank Prison moves by slowly, and the reading of the story during this part of the plot moves slowly as well with small conflicts between the inmates and the warden. The climax follows with an element of shock and satisfaction for the reader when Andy Dufresne - a man who claims his innocence from the beginning - successfully makes his prison escape after serving 27 years in Cell 14 of Cellblock 5. "In 1975, Andy Dufresne escaped from Shawshank. He hasn't been recaptured, and I don't think he ever will be (84)." The falling action includes Red's explanation of his thoughts regarding Andy's escape; the truth behind the climax is revealed through the rising action, but is only understood after the climax has taken place. The resolution includes Red's decision to break his parole and go live in peace with his best friend, Andy Dufresne. "I think it is the excitement that only a free man can feel, a free man starting a long journey whose conclusion is uncertain (107)."


POINT OF VIEW

"There's a guy like me in every state and federal prison in America, I guess - I'm the guy who can get it for you (15)." This short story is written in first person point of view. Red is the narrator and writes a narrative of his life experience as an inmate in Shawshank Prison. Because the story is written in first person point of view, the reader must consider the human tendency of selective memory when it comes to details. On the other hand, King's use of first person point of view gives the story credibility in that it is coming directly from the source. "It's all about me, every damned word of it. Andy was the part of me they could never lock up, the part of me that will rejoice when the gates finally open for me and I walk out in myu cheap suit with my twenty dollars of mad-money in my pocket. That part of me will rejoice no matter how old and broken and scared the rest of me is (100)." This quote sums up the point of view of the story. Red admits that the story has a lot to do with Andy; however, Andy's appearance in the story has as much to do with Andy Dufresne as it has to do with Red.






CHARACTERIZATION

Red is characterized indirectly through his own narrative. Though the story focuses on Andy Dufresne and his escape, this metaphorically represents Red's ideals and his inner self. Throughout this short story, Andy displays confidence with his slight smile (which is frequently mentioned throughout the story) which represents the idea that the wardens were never successful at completely breaking this part of Red. Andy Dufresne, the protagonist, is obvioulsy another main character in this story. "Andy Dufresne always seemed to have his act together. There was none of that sullen desperation about him that seems to afflict most lifers after awhile; you could never smell hoplessness on him (56)." Red directly characterizes Andy throughout the story. Through his descriptions of Andy, Red also reveals the truth about himself.






SETTING

The main setting of the story is the Shawshank Prison in Maine. "I came to Shawshank when I was twenty (15)," and Red remained an inmate of the prison until 1977. The setting remains in one place for 57 years, which is symbolic of the idea of being trapped and institutionalized. Shawshank prison is filled with the hope of inmates that will get out someday and experience freedom, which brings the reader to another setting in the story, a small but fairly important one. Zihuatanejo is a city in Mexico where Andy escapes to in order to start up his own resort. Eventually, Red escapes to this city as well. Andy first mentions Zihuatanejo in prison eight years before his escape which comes to symbolize freedom, hope, and a desire achieved by determination.

THEME

"I hope Andy is down there. I hope I can make it across the border. I hope to see my friend and shake his hand. I hope the Pacific is as blue as it has been in my dreams. I hope (107)." One of the most prominent themes in this short story is hope. Hope is what keeps the inmates alive; the idea that someday they will get to experience pure freedom. Another - not quite as uplifting theme - is that of isolation. "Twenty days on the grain and drain train for Andy down there in solitary. It was his second jold in solitary, and his dust-up with Norton was his first real black mark since he had joined our happy family (66)." Solitary is a recurring punishment throughout Red and Andy's time in Shawshank. Shawshank prison symbolizes the solitary lives of the inmates through their isolation. Because of the isolation experienced by the inmates during their time in prison, hope is a necessary part of them being able to survive their years of boredom and violence.

"Miss Brill" by Katherine Mansfield

Miss Brill is an elderly lady. She cannot cope with how her body has transformed into such an older woman. Miss Brill likes to think about where her life is heading in the sense that she goes through the same routine every single day. This is a sort of comfort zone for herself. She listens to other conversations because it gives her insight into the lives of other people. In some cases, lives of the young people that remind her of what her life used to be like before she began to turn old and gray. She likes to think that she is in play along with the rest of the people in her town. Maybe this signifies that she was once an actress of desired to be an actress during one point in her life.
*Question 3

"Once Upon a Time" by Nadine Gordimer

I can see why the woman does not write children's books. I also do not think that this story could ever be passed as a children's book either. I believe that this story portrays a family who stopped truly living. They became crazy and histerical over the idea of intruders and thieves. Their lives were solely based around the idea of protecting themselves, which ended up hurting them in the long run. Their little boy ended up dying to their extreme precautions to the dangers of the neighborhood. This story is ironic in the fact that the thing that was supposed to protect them the most, killed their son. The parents only thought of keeping people out, they never thought about those who were living within.

"A Worn Path" by Eudora Welty

I feel that Phoenix is not mentally stable/sane. I wondered if she had alzheimer's throughout the story, which would explain some of her unique behavior/actions. Is her grandson really still alive? Or is she living through memories? I feel that Phoenix is living through the past and just going through an old daily routine. She stumbles her way in to town everyday. Granny is also very "stiff" when receiving money at the end of the story, which I found to be odd. Phoenix is an interesting character throughout this work.

"Eveline" by James Joyce

I feel that Eveline is a sympathetic character. She sympathizes with her father even though he isn't the greatest dad in the world, and she also thinks that he's going to start abusing her; however, she stays with him. She feels guilty leaving him for her own pleasure because she has promised her mother that she would look after the family. I don't think that Eveline really loved Frank. She might have been in love with the idea of loving him, but she didn't have any true feelings for him when she stayed back. She says in the story that she could learn to love him. Ultimately, he was her way out of her depressing lifestyle, but she realized the importance of her promise. Eveline's father and Miss Gavan do not show any affection for her. She is simply there and they depend on her to always be there to do her job; however, they never recognize her for all the work she does. Eveline has a less than desirable lifestyle seeing as she works for and dedicates her life to helping others who take advantage of her.
*Question 2

"Bartleby the Scrivener" by Herman Melville

Turkey, Nippers and Ginger Nut are introduced before Bartleby because they are stable employees at the man's work. The narrator introduces the characters chronologically. Bartleby's comment of "I would prefer not to" upsets the balance of the lawyer and his employees. The chain of command is broken in a sense. The lawyer expects all his employess to obey him as any boss would. Bartleby takes advantage of the fact that the lawyer is fond of him. This incident also lessens the appearance of power that the lawyer has. The employees are not exactly thrilled about the situation either. They know that if they would have spoken out in this way they would have been fired immediately.

"Hunters in the Snow" by Tobias Wolff 2

My opinion of these characters change throughout the story. At the beginning, I felt sympathy for Tub because he is constantly picked on and put down. However, as the story goes on Tub ends up shooting his friend and assisting in leaving him to die. I believe that Frank and Tub went a different direction on purpose. They even said in the story that they didn't have the directions, but they remembered the way. This leads me to think that it was done on purpose. They have found happiness with a friendship between the two of them. With three people, one person was always left out or the butt of all the jokes. They've taken one out of the picture and solved their problem.

"Hunters in the Snow" by Tobias Wolff

I find Frank to be the most sympathetic character; he truly feels sorry after Tub confronts him about his rude remarks. Frank also comforts Tub after he feels terrible about shooting Kenny. I feel that at the end of the story, I personally had more sympathy for Kenny. Although he somewhat instigated Tub, Kenny was completely neglected on the way to the "hospital." I think Tub's name gives us a sense of his character. The reader can infer that Tub is a chubby man that enjoys food and is usually trailing behind. The purpose of the scene in which Frank and Tub stop at the tavern for food and coffee is to establish their change in feelings toward Kenny. They are tired of being put down by Kenny (Frank with the babysitter and Tub being overweight), so they take advantage of his physical incapabilities.

"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker

Dee's new name and costume signify her change as a person. She is ashamed of her past and ready for a change. Her change of name and costume are also cause to believe that she is now married. This change also is significant in that Dee is no longer the perfect daughter that gets everything and anything from her Mama. Mama has now realized that Maggie is also deserving of the keepsakes. Dee's concern for her heritage shows that she is maturing. This also leads me to think that she is married or considering it. Also, the mother's refusal to let Dee have the quilts indcate a permanent change of character because she does not back down; Maggie is beginning to become a bigger part of the picture.

A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner

This story is structured more sparatically than the others. Faulkner moves through time with the use of flashbacks as well as present action. Emily is a very secretive character. She likes to keep to herself and does not like many people in her life; hence, she has one man that comes and brings her groceries and she killed the only other man that she was close to. The plot of this story is foreshadowed when the young man is seen entering her house one night, but no one notices him leaving. The final paragraph of the story gives the reader a real understanding of Emily. If the reader had received this info at the beginning, then they wouldn't have the background knowledge to tie everything together. At the beginning, I felt that she was this poor, innocent, lonely old lady; however, I realized that this was definitely not the case.

Interpreter of Maladies by Jhumpa Lahiri

The central conflict in this short story is being involved in an unhappy marriage. Both Mr. Kapasi and Mrs. Das find themselves in a marriage which lacks sufficient joy and happiness. The two desire someone better who would be able to connect with them on a deeper level. Mr. Kapasi gets more sympathy in this story due to the fact that his marriage was arranged. He cannot help the fact that he does not truly love his wife because he was forced into marrying her. On the other hand, Mrs. Das chose her husband and fell in love with him at a young age. Now she is regretting her hasty decision she made as a young and carefree eighteen year old. Mrs. Das losing Mr. Kapasi's address signifies lost hope. Mr. Kapasi must learn to love his wife and remain true to her.

How I Met my Husband by Alice Munro

The suspense in this story was generated through Edie's actions. The reader anticipates how others around her will react. There is a moment of suspense as Edie is trying own Mrs. Peebles' dress & she is discovered by Chris. There is also a moment of suspense when the ladies are questioning Edie about her relationship with Chris; after she describes their relationship, the reader is curious as to how his fiancee with react. Loretta Bird and Mrs. Peebles play a vital role in the short story; these two characters generates suspense throughout the story in response to Edie's actions. Edie is not a very sympathetic character although she does have her moments. She is not sympathetic to Chris' fiancee when she lies to her and tells her what happened between herself and Chris. Edie also fails to sympathize with Mrs. Peebles throughout the story; Edie is judges Mrs. Peebles with her choice of food and never really takes into consideration how Mrs. Peebles feels. On the other hand, Edie is sympathetic to the mailman who later becomes her husband; she continues to go to the door for a time just to give the mailman a smile and brighten his day.

Metamorphosis by Franz Kafka

Metamorphosis is a short story that represents the life of Franz Kafka. In the story, Gregor represents Kafka and the family members are representative of Kafka's family. Kafka leads up to the plot in this story by displaying the family's actions toward Gregor. Because Gregor is incapable of speaking to his family, Kafka uses action to demonstrate their feelings in place of dialogue. The story is written chronologically. This allows the reader to move through the story with a better understanding. This short story incapsulates Kafka's feelings about his own life through the life of Gregor Samsa. I found it interesting that the whole story was modeled very similarly to Kafka's life.

Elegy for my Father, Who is Not Dead

This poem outlines the feelings of a living man toward death. The speaker is not very comfortable with the thought of death; however, his father couldn't be more comfortable with the idea. The speaker's has no fear for what will eventually consume us all, death. He realizes that it is going to happen regardless, so he has a realistic or even an optimistic attitude toward death. I think that the poem represents many older people's attitude toward death. They know that it is coming soon and have coped with the idea. Their death may not be so comforting to the ones around them, such as the speaker in this case, but they know that everyone is going to die eventually. The father of the speaker is not necessarily waiting for death to fall upon him, but he is certainly fearful of the final day of his life.

Delight in Disorder

In this poem, the speaker is describing a girl he likes. The speaker is saying that perfection isn't that important. Things look better when they're not too precise. The poem also includes an oxymoron, wild civility. The oxymoron demonstrates that the theme of the poem seems to be backwards just as wild civility seems to be backwards. The speaker also mentions the word wantonness which means without restraint or indulgence. The poem itself and the title are paradoxes. One may not think that there could be delight in disorder or that its better not to be perfect, but the speaker supports his idea with solid points.

Edward~#17

This poem is full of pattern. The poem is based off a question-answer pattern. First, the mother poses a question, and then the son responds with an answer. At the beginning, the son continuously lies to his mother, which his mother senses. Eventually, the speaker gives in and tells his mother the truth. This occurs after the mother pokes and prods through various questions. This pattern gives the impression of a mother's intuition. The poem's pattern is effective in that it embodies the idea that a mother always knows when her child is lying.

Lonely Hearts~#13

This poem includes irony and allusions. The speaker is desperate to get a date. He has very low standards for the person that he would date because he is so desperate. The poem brings out the irony of dating ads. Today, there are so many dating ads and companies including: eharmony, match.com, and many more. This poem is satirizing these ads. The speaker also makes an allusion to Shakespeare. The speaker lives in North London and is desperately searching for a person that will date him.

The Apparition

This poem outlines a man's plans of vengeance on his former lover. When he dies, he will come back to haunt her. The speaker has been rejected; therefore, he seeks revenge on the woman who betrayed him. The tone of the essay fluctuates from bitter to a sort of satisfaction that she will have to live with her bad decision. "Jilted lover" means that one has been rejected by someone who's clearly inferior. The speaker wants her to feel his pain. "Solicitation" means pleading and "quicksilver" signifies mercury. The speaker is sophisticated in his language, which proves his superiority to his former lover's new man.

Crossing the Bar

This poem represents life and death. The pilot symbolizes God. I think that the poem is told from the perspective of a boat. The boat is an extended metaphor for a person. The speaker is accepting toward death because he knows that we will all eventually die. The "boundless deep" represents death, the bottom of the ocean. When the speaker says "turns again home," it symbolizes heaven. The speaker desires a peaceful death rather than a harsh and painful death.

Getting Out~#10

This poem includes a lot of imagery. The imagery is showed through flashbacks throughout the poem. The speaker describes the way a couple's life use to be like and how it ends up turning out in the end. From "swimming those laps until the first light relieved us" to listening to "FM and full-blast blues" the speaker gives a sense that the couple was in love, but couldn't stay together. The imagery allows the reader to relate to and understand the characters and the poem. The imagery discusses the trials and tribulations of a failing marriage as well as the heartache that comes with it. The lovers have "matching eyes and hair" which gives the reader the impression that the couple have a deep connection and closeness. Imagery allows the reader to interpret the poem through the tone that the speaker intends.

My Mistress' Eyes~#8

This poem has a satirical and realistic tone. The speaker is mocking other poets who shower their lovers with metaphorical phrases about their beauty. He is not calling his lover ugly in the poem, but praising her in a realistic way. The speaker tells her that her eyes "are nothing like the sun;" he is not saying that she's ugly. No one's eyes are like the sun; therefore, her eyes could not possibly be like the sun. The speaker tells his lover that she is not all those things(unrealistic metaphors), but she is as beautiful and as rare as all those women. He just isn't going to lie to her. The speaker's tone gives the poem a much greater meaning that it may seem on the surface.

"Much Madness is Dvinest Sense" ~#9

This poem uses a lot of great diction. The speaker presents her point paradoxically and through the use of such words as assent and demur. These two words bring a lot of meaning into the poem. Assent means to agree or go along with. Demur means to disagree or take exception to. Assent in the poem represents Sense, and Demur represents Madness. Because the diction plays such an important role in the poem, the words have many deeper meanings. Assent also refers to the desire of some people to conform to the demands of society, while demur refers to the idea of noncomformity.

"APO 96225" ~ #13

This poem reminded me greatly of The Things They Carried. The poem demonstrates situational irony; however, one could argue that an implied dramatic irony is also included. The irony in this poem allows the speaker to prove an important point. People in general always think they want to know something until they actually gain that knowledge. The mother of the soldier continuously tries to gain knowledge from her son about what its like in the war; however, once she finds out the information, his father scolds him for telling his mother information like that. This situational irony informs the reader that the speaker is portraying the American public as ignorant. There is also an important shift in this poem. The poem begins with the mother speaking to her son, but then later shifts to the father speaking to the young man.

"Ozymandias"

This poem is a sonnet, which consists of fourteen lines. The poem is ironic in that there is a ruined statue in the desert with an arrogant structure. Statue is of some sort of tyrant that left a bad reputation with the land and the people in which he used to govern. Once a great king's works have crumbled, he disappears from history. The poem is a metaphor for power and pride/hubris of humanity. The face of the statue is the only part that remains. Although your works may not remain, your reputation will continue to remain throughout history. No one really cares that the statue even exists out in the desert.

"Barbie Doll"

This poem is mocking society's strain on beauty. When the speaker describes ridding the girl of her giant nose and cutting off her large thighs, this represents plastic surgery. The first stanza of this poem describes how the girl is naive. This in turn represents how society is naive. Society doesn't think about how their actions may result. At the beginning the girl was thick/healthy and strong until society got the best of her. In the poem, a "fanbelt" is also mentioned; fan belts are thick and strong until they are worn out. Just as a fan belt gets worn out, so can a young girl after society continues to point out her flaws.

"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning"

This poem describes death as a journey. The title is symbolic in that valediction means farewell. Death is a farewell to life. The poem says that it doesn't do any good to cry over death because it has already happened. Death is part of the circle of life, in which we begin and end in the same place or way. The speaker refuses to admit that his lover is gone. In this sense, dying is figurative throughout the poem. The poem explains that we cannot live without dying and that death itself is a journey.

"Pink Dog"

In this poem, the speaker is mocking society. He is criticizing the people that live within society. The cruelty that is shown toward beggars is mocked through the idea that the people in society "take and throw them in the tidal rivers." The poem pokes fun at the people in society by criticizing the stress that has been put on physical appearance. People must look acceptable in society in order to be taken seriously. The speaker also brings Rio de Jainero into the poem through the mentioning of Carnival and sambas. I'm not quite sure of the point of this though. The poem outlines the acceptable norms of society.

"February" ~ #8

The speaker has a grumpy and sort of dismal tone. The poem takes place during winter, which tends to bring out a grumpy and dismal attitude in people. The poem speaks of the idea that procreation is bad. I'm not sure what idea could be much more grumpy or dismal. For some people, February (being the month of Valentine's Day)is a month of despair. The poem includes a sort of tone that says, "maybe we shouldn't bother with it." At the end of the poem, the speaker calls the reader to action. The reader is called to go do something, and get out of bed.

"Dream Deferred" ~ #10

This poem uses lots of imagery to describe different types of dreams. The speaker warns people not to put off their dreams. A dream can "dry up like a raisin in the sun" if you do not act on it while you have the opportunity. They can fester, which means that it can leak into and infect other parts of the lives of other people. A dream can run; meaning, if you don't take advantage of your dreams while you have the opportunity, they will go away and you will be unable to attain them. They can "stink like rotten meat," which means that some dreams will not be desirable and cause an after effect on surrounding people. Some dreams can "crust and sugar over like a syrupy sweet;" in many the good outweighs the bad. And some dreams "just sag like a heavy load," weighing you down like a burden on your shoulders. On the other hand, some "explode." They go and spread to everyone and the dream spreads everywhere.

"Bright Star" ~ #11

Bright star personifies a star through the use of apostrophe. The speaker speaks to the star as a way to communicate his feelings about his love. The star is a metaphor for how he desires his love to be and what he doesn't want his love to be. The speaker doesn't want to be lonely like a star. He does want his love to be unchangeable though. The speaker wants to live forever like a star. These metaphors and personification are appropriate because they relate the speaker's abstract idea of love to a well-known object, a star. The speaker accurately gets his point across by describing his wants and desires through his conversation with the star. Figurative language gives the poem the ability to relate to the reader and give a better understanding to the audience.

Spring

This poem describes the wonders of springtime. Spring has always been a symbol of growth which is no different than today. "Weeds, in wheels, shoot long and lovely lush," demonstrate the life that comes back through spring. After the deadness of winter, spring brings "juice and joy." Hopkins also includes a religious effect. She includes "Christ, lord" and "Eden garden," in her poem. Adam and Eve had a life full of luxury and lush, similar to spring before they sinned. Spring brings a sort of "richness" to our lives. The diction Hopkins' uses is symbolic of joyous, fresh, and the growth of spring.

After Apple-Picking

This poem describes a person who has too much going on in their life. The work they have piled on their shoulders is overwhelming. They feel themselves wearing down and they will eventually not be able to carry the weight on their shoulders anymore. When this happens, they will be ultimately worthless. In our society, one who cannot perform the tasks give to them, is seen as ultimately worthless. They are thrown into "the cider-apple heap." Although they may not have failed physically, they have failed mentally or emotionally. Frost gives us the impression that many who are sleep deprived have too much stress in their lives that weighs them down and counteracts their success.

Those Winter Sundays~#10

Hayden includes detailed imagery throughout the poem. "The blueblack cold" and "cracked hands that ached from labor" give the reader the sense of something dark, cold, negative. "Chronic angers" give the sensation of an unhappy lifestyle. "The cold splintering, breaking," makes the reader see a lifeless and painful home. The cumulative effect of this imagery paints a picture for the reader. The reader can imagine a cold, dark, and unhappy lifestyle of a man, who in turn inflicts fear on his children. Hayden allows the reader to experience the man's loneliness and anger. This imagery also demonstrates this lonely and angry tone.

I felt a Funeral, in my Brain~#2

Dickinson includes allegory in this poem. The title is a metaphor for a migraine, which can make one feel like death. "Mourners" refers to those who have this destructive pain. "Beating, beating" refers to the constant pounding within the skull. Dickinson explains, "my mind was going numb." This phrase symbolizes the idea that after a day full of awful pain, you are unable to think straight. "Then space began to toll," describes the sensation that everything seems to drag out and on throughout a migraine. "Wrecked, solitary" are symbolic of the physical destructiveness and loneliness that takes over those suffering with this super headache.

The Widow's Lament in Springtime~#8

This poem had a sorrowful and negative tone. The woman in the article represents a widow that has no optimism for the future. She only demonstrates sadness for the past. The tone is displayed through the womans, thoughts, words, and actions. She wishes to "sink into the marsh." I don't believe that most happy or mentally sound people want to "sink" into a muddy and swampy marsh. The woman tells us that the "grief in my heart is stronger than they [the masses of flowers]." This gives me a great sense of the sorrowful and negative tone.

Perrine's "The Nature of Proof in the Innterpretation of Poetry"

This article brought up some very good points. I am inclined to agree with Perrine due to his successful persuasion. I found that I had different interpretations than him on the poems; however, I feel that he was able to explain himself in a way that made him correct. I found the poem by Emily Dickinson to signify a field of flowers like Perrine's students. After reading his article, I am inclined to believe that his thoughts are correct and mine are not significant. I also lacked the knowledge to know that "The Night March" was not about an army, but rather the stars. Perrine's explanation was able to win me over again. My explanation lacked the detail and knowledge needed to properly decode the poem.
I agree with Perrine. I feel that there is an incorrect way to interpret a poem. If one lacks the knowledge or background information, one cannot properly interpret a poem. It is possible for some interpretations to be completely off and wrong. This is able to happen in the case that factual information or strong explanation is able to prove an interpretation unlikely. I especially agree with Perrine when describing "The Sick Rose." If one is able to simply describe the rose with certain characteristics and the worm with certain characteristics, then their interpretation will more than likely be correct. Perrine has convinced me that their are correct and incorrect ways of interpreting even the most abstract symbolism in poetry.

19. The Things They Carried: Field Trip~Apostrophe

During this chapter, O'Brien includes an Apostrophe. He revisits the land of his soldier years to return something to a friend that died for his country. Tim says some last words to his buddy. This signifies that although a person may physically be dead, spiritually, they are fully alive. The few words that Tim says to his fallen soldier are a way for him to cope with this awful memory. Again, O'Brien brings the humanness out of his characters. This apostrophe also signifies that Tim has not yet put his friend in the past. He is struggling with letting go to what has happened twenty years in the past.

20. The Things They Carried: Night Life~Change

This chapter demonstrates that every soldier goes through some sort of life changing alteration. The war changed the soldiers and it usually wasn't for the best. The crazy sickness that Rat experienced symbolizes the change that occurs with just about every soldier. War plays with their emotions. It gives them a sort of sickness that is unexplainable. These sicknesses received by the soldiers connect with the unexplainable circumstances of war. Many things just happen. There is no explanation. One simply just has to take it as it is.

18. The Things They Carried: Good Form~Anaphora

O'Brien uses anaphora as an emphasis in this chapter. I can...I can...I can...These three sentences emphasize the ability to improve oneself. Tim obviously has the drive and mental ability to overcome any difficult obstacles. Later, he will be able to physically attack these obstacles. He has the motivation now, which will help him plan for the future. Through his use of anaphora, Tim calls attention to the things which he wishes to improve in himself. He is motivated and the repetition proves his repeated desire to overcome this difficult circumstance. O'Brien successfully emphasizes his strong inspiration to the reader.

16. The Things They Carried: Notes~Static Character

Throughout the course of this book, the character Norman fails to change much. He keeps the same personality more or less. This eventually leads to his downfall. He is unable to cope with life after the war. He doesn't change or adapt to a different life. He carries the same attitude about life with him throughout his years in the war and long after. He wallows in his own self-pity because he hasn't undergone a deep change. Everything at home is unchanged and he is unchanged from the war.

17. The Things They Carried: In the Field~Flashback

Throughout this book, O'Brien includes many flashbacks. This flashback has special significance. It is an account that explains to the reader that its such an important story, that there is a need to regress. Similarly, in this chapter, the lieutenant finds the need to regress and retrieve the body of their fallen soldier. This flashback reveals a lot about the characters as well. They have changed throughout the course of the book. Although they may laugh and joke to hide their true feelings, they are still dedicated to helping their fellow buddies. They will stop at nothing to help out those who they've come to know and love.

15. The Things They Carried: Speaking of Courage~Indirect Characterization

O'Brien indirectly tells us the character of Norman throughout this chapter. The author describes a particular story about Norman. From this story, the reader is able to learn who Norman exactly is. The reader is given permission to make their own decisions about the character of Norman. O'Brien also gives the reader a chance to better understand him through the use of indirect characterization. Because we are able to better understand the character of Norman, we are able to better understand the life during that time as well. This short, simple frame-story reveals a lot about the lives of the people and soldiers. Norman's character is an important addition in the book, and O'Brien emphasizes this through this chapter.

14. The Things They Carried: Style~local color

This chapter demonstrates the local color of vietnam. Although the local color is through the perspective of the soldiers, it still serves a purpose. A young girl in Vietnam is still able to find enjoyment out of dance even though her entire family has been murdered. This shows that the Vietnamese are not a people that are willing to give up on life too easily. Whether the young girl's dance was for enjoyment or part of a ritual, she was able to remain strong. This chapter also reveals the soldiers', discrimination to the people of vietnam. They make fun of the young girl even though she has lost so much. War takes the humanness out of a person sometimes.

13. The Things They Carried: Ambush~Anecdote

O'Brien includes this chapter as a small anecdote. This anecdote reveals more about Tim as a person. Through the use of this lit term, the reader is able to clarify the exact emotions that Tim experienced during this depressing moment in his life. The reader would not fully understand the complexity of emotion that Tim experienced without the use of this anecdote. The reader is able to see for himself that Tim did not simply kill a man. The situation itself is much more complicated. Although he has someone's blood on his hands, he did it because that's how he was trained. In life, everyone makes mistakes, but we have to learn to let go of the past.

12. The Things They Carried: The Man I Killed~Repetition

O'Brien tends to repeat himself a lot in this chapter. He repeats his war story of killing a man almost two times completely. This symbolizes the confusion he experienced. The picture of the man laying there and the memory itself continually replays in his mind. This horrific experience will never fully leave his mind just as it is now imprinted in the readers mind. The use of repetition is powerful for this part of the story. It represents that this could possible be the worst experience in O' Brien's life. Thus, there is a need to emphasize the story.

11. The Things They Carried: Church~Allusion

O'Brien includes the allusion Friar Tuck in this chapter. This allusion brings a religious twist to the story. It demonstrates that even though some of the soldiers may lack a religious background, they still survive by having some sort of faith. It is almost a necessity in their current situation. Friar Tuck represents the religious men that were practically the troops miracles. Although war has many horrid situations and stories, there is always that story involving a Friar Tuck. An unexplainable miracle. Every soldier has his separate beliefs. There's always a way to find religion in the worst situations.

10. The Things They Carried: Stockings~Symbol

The stockings in this chapter are a symbol. They symbolize life, luck, love and magic. Although I do find it odd that the soldier wore them around his neck in every battle, I understand it. The stockings give this soldier the emotions he needs to keep fighting. He practically has his girl with him in every battle for protection, inspiration and motivation. They are his good luck charm. They symbolize the desire of all the men to be with the one's they love. They cannot simply go off to war and leave all their memories at home. They need something tangible to hold on to that represents a greater meaning.

9. The Things They Carried: Sweetheart of the Song Tra Bong~Character Progression

Throughout this chapter, Mary Anne goes through an intense character progression. The girl first arrives in Vietnam a sweet and innocent child. She finds war life interesting and exciting, which demonstrates that she may not be quite so innocent. Then, she practically goes crazy. The participates with some of the soldiers in their duties, which further separates her from Mark. Before long, she shows that she has become one with the land. Mary Anne is almost an animal living and feeding in the wilderness. She becomes unrecognizable and can no longer live with human beings. War seems to change people in unexplainable ways.

8. The Things They Carried: The Dentist~Fear

For some, a trip to the dentist means clean teeth and a shiny smile, but for others it is pure torture. O' Brien included this short story in his book to help the reader relate to the story. Most people despise going to the dentist just as this soldier did. Maybe its the fear of the unknown. Not knowing whether you'll be forced to go under a painful operation for a cavity or route canal. A trip to the dentist in this scenario can be connected to war. In war, there is always the fear of the unknown. Soldiers have to deal with the fear that they may come near death several times in the next day or perhaps experience death itself.

7. The Things They Carried: How to Tell a True War Story~Poor Baby Buffalo

I found the story of the poor baby buffalo to be quite disturbing. This story greatly emphasizes the war. It doesn't matter if your completely innocent or just a child, war destroys all. On the other side, the soldier that killed the poor buffalo demonstrates the emotions that eat at a soldier's soul. Although the buffalo may have been completely sweet and innocent, no one is safe in a war zone. Its an ugly thing. War destroys innocence. The baby buffalo was simply at the wrong place at the wrong time just as many soldiers end up being or stepping in the wrong place at the wrong time.

6. The Things They Carried: Friends~Price of Friendship

Friendship sometimes comes at a price. In friendships, we all make promises. Whether you keep them or not that's on you. This book deals a lot with friendships. In war, I've found (through the help of this book) that its difficult to put yourself out there in a friendship knowing that your buddy may die any minute. On the other hand, its impossible to survive without the friendship of your fellow soldiers. Friendships keep the men alive and give them something to live for. Without someone they can talk to about anything, these men simply wouldn't be able to function. No human can fully live with all their emotions, thoughts, and feelings bottled up their entire life.

5. The Things They Carried: Enemies~Why Enemies?

Why do we have enemies? They clearly just make our lives more difficult. They put us in bad moods and bring out the worst in everyone. I guess because we're human and to be human is to sin and have enemies. Although, we know we are supposed to be kind to everyone, that never seems to work out. I feel that a world without enemies would be ten times better, even if life was a little more boring thereafter. Enemies bring stress, anger, sadness, and the need for revenge in our lives, which frankly just gives me a headache. O' Brien incorporated this chapter in his book to prove that everyone has enemies, whether we like it or not, and they simply cause more emotions in our lives. We don't quite have an answer as to why there are enemies in our world, just simply know and experience them.

4. The Things They Carried: On the Rainy River~The Creep Old Man

I feel that the old man served as a greater significance in this story. He was the motivation and drive for this young man to grow up and do what he had to do. The old man transformed the soldier-to-be into a man. He gave him the understanding that not everyone always likes what we have to do, but sometimes they just have to do it. The generous old man demonstrated to the young man that the world doesn't revolve around him. Sometimes, its necessary to put our life on the line for others. Although the old man was silent, he taught the young man a lot of life lessons. His silence was a lesson in itself because the boy learned to relax and realize that words aren't always necessary.

3. The Things They Carried: Spin~Emotions

Throughout this chapter, I noticed the many emotions explained by O'Brien. He describes anxiety mixed with peace. Also incorporated, is the importance of storytelling among the men. Storytelling is a way for the men to cope with their current situation. Not many people, could survive a war if they were constantly thinking about it. It would make a person go absolutely mad. Storytelling makes the whole experience more bearable for the soldiers. It binds them into a brotherhood or fraternity.

2. The Things They Carried: Love~Martha's Rejection

I found this short chapter of the book to be quite depressing. Why is Martha so cruel to a poor soldier who is dedicating his life to the country in a horrid war? Although, in a way, I am able to relate with her. Maybe she just doesn't like him, and no longer wants to lead him on and make it more painful for Jimmy. Martha's rejection for Jimmy can symbolize the pure evil of war. In a way, there relationship is similar to war. There are ups and downs, hopes and disappointments, happiness and pain. War is not healthy and neither was the relationship of Jimmy and Martha.

1. The Things They Carried: The Things They Carried

O' Brien gives the reader the sense that the soldiers weren't just physically carrying baggage. All the pain, emotions, and memories were also weight on a soldier's shoulders. O'Brien is telling us that no person that hasn't experienced war will never be able to understand the weight which they were forced to carry. Through this explanation, the author reveals a humanness to the soldiers. They suffer. Every human has to suffer in order to be classified as human. Its part of our nature. O' Brien brings the soldiers to life with their struggles early on in the book.

The Sun Also Rises: XX~My Final Reaction

The book itself was okay, but I felt that their was really no plot to it. The characters traveled around Europe (a lot) drinking (a lot) and their was problems within their relationships, but I was expecting something a lot more intense to happen as the book came to a close. I did like that the book was very cultural and accurately expressed life in Spain as well as Paris. I liked how Hemingway included foreign words within the chapters to bring the reader into the book. Overall, I felt the book got a little boring and seemed to repeat the same actions and ideas over and over again. The Sun Also Rises did not keep my attention at times; however, some parts were interesting. Drinking was definitely a motif throughout the work, which got a little old. The book was alright, but the ending was a little disappointing.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XIX~ The End

I feel that the end of the story left the reader with the idea that Jake and Brett will get past whatever was stopping them before and form a closer relationship with eachother. Throughout the book, Mike's character has been a drunk and a person less than desirable as a husband. This foreshadowed that Brett would eventually leave him. Hemingway doesn't exactly pull the story together in a neat little bow. He allows the reader to analyze the information about the characters that they have learned throughout the book, and form a conclusion of their own. Hemingway gives the reader to end the story in whatever way which pleases them. I would like to think that Jake and Brett finally get together. Hemingway foreshadows this by putting both of their characters together at the end of the book.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XVIII~bullfighting

Throughout the second half of novel, bullfighting proves to be a common theme. In Spanish culture, bullfighting is a beautiful art form. For this reason, the group of characters find themselves very attracted to bullfighting. The bullfights in this book signify the fights and intensity withing the group of characters. Because bullfighting is also a beautiful thing, it signifies the great friendship between the group of friends. Just as Pedro Romero is friends with the bulls that he kills, so do the group of friends sometimes "kill" each other (their spirits, thier health, their dreams, wishes, and desires). In life, many times we hurt the people or things that we are most close to and help us be successful. Just as the bullfighter takes advantage of the bull's weaknesses, so do friends take advantage of eachother's weaknesses.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XVII~Friends Fighting

Throughout this chapter, it is apparent that Cohn was once the middleweight boxing champion of Princeton. He starts many "bar fights" with people that he considers his friends. First, he beats up Jacob because Jake, Mike and Cohn got into a little scuffle (over Brett, of course). Next, Cohn goes for the young bullfighter. Both of these men have had close relationships with Brett. Cohn's jealousy is the motivation behind these outbursts of physical anger. Cohn's physical attacks are not enough to break the fighting spirit of the young bullfighter, though. Cohn's outbreaks signify that jealousy can sometimes overtake our lives and break the relationships with the ones we are closest to.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XVI~Character Relationships

What is wrong with Brett? She seems to have a close relationship with every other character in the novel. First, she and Jacob kind of had a thing, but for some reason that didn't work out. Next, she moved to Cohn, taking a vacation with him to San Sebastian; although, later she hates Cohn. Finally, she has a thing for Pedro Romero, the young bullfighter (15 year age difference!). All the while, Brett is going to marry Mike. How does Mike feel about this? Is this foreshadowing that Brett will continue to move from man to man and never be able to settle down?

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XV~Motivation

Throughout this book, Hemingway provides motivation for the characters actions. In Chapter fifteen, Mike becomes really jealous of Cohn because of his closeness with Brett, which gives him motivation to make a lot of the decisions that he does. Because of the rival between Mike and Cohn, the two characters make a lot of stupid decisions based on their want to get revenge. Brett is the motivation behing many of these two characters' actions. The motivation included in this story makes the characters real. The reader is able to better relate with each of the characters because Hemingway demonstrates the motivation behind their actions. Brett gives Mike and Cohn the motivation to drink (nonstop) as well as fight and beat people up. These actions add to the building tension between the group and lead to the motivation of other actions.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XIV~Mood

Hemingway leaves the reader with the idea that all is well at the end of Chapter fourteen. The chapter ends with the sentence, "You could not be upset about anything on a day like that." Hemingway includes this to prove the good time the group was having in Spain. They were able to better enjoy themselves than in Paris. This signifies that the characters are perhaps getting to know one another better, and for this reason are able to spend time with each other doing the things they love. The mood is carefree and content. There is more for the characters to do, see and experience in Spain; therefore, they are able to find enjoyment out of their time there. The mood in a story gives the reader knowledge of the characters feelings, emotions, and personalities.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XIII~Rising Action

Up to this chapter, Hemingway buids up to the plot through rising action. Nothing too new and exciting occurs. The characters are in Spain and trying to meet up with each other which causes some drama. The fact that Mike and Robert are not getting along well does not bode well for the group of friends. Spain seems to be the place that the characters like the best; however, they get into many quarrels over trivial things. Brett seems to be a common theme for the men to fight over and have jealousy for those who are close to her. Hemingway builds up the story a lot in order acclimate the reader to the characters. Through the rising action, we come to know more and more about the characters.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XII~ First POV

Hemingway uses first person point of view to tell this story. The story is told from the perspective of one of the characters, Jacob. By telling the story through this characters perspective, Hemingway better relates the reader to the story. The reader is able to observe his feelings, emotions, and better understand Jake's character. Jake is a complex character, so naturally Hemingway would write The Sun Also Rises in his perspective. First person point of view makes the reader feel like they are part of the story. Jake's character is also somewhat neutral, so basing the story off of his point of view allows the reader to see both sides of the story equally. Hemingway crafts this story with the reader in mind.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter XI~ Details

Hemingway includes many details in this Chapter. He describes the countryside of Spain without leaving out anything. Bill and Jake see the "rolling green plain" and observe the "heat-baked mountains" from their car. Hemingway incluedes a plethora of details to demonstrate that the characters are fond of Spain. Spain is not like Paris, in that the characters are displeasured by Paris. Bill and Jake are in Spain to do something that they greatly enjoy. Fishing. Because they find joy in this vacation and trip, Hemingway uses many details that flatter the land of Spain. Bill and Jake want to be in Spain and the descriptions give the reader an idea of the beauty of Spain.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter X~ Materialistic

I have come to the conclusion that Jake is a materialistic and jealous person. In this chapter, he says that, "...I prayed that I would make a lot of money..." All of the characters' lives in some way seem to revolve around money. Maybe because they spend their entire day drinking, dining, and socializing with friends. Jake is also very jealous of Robert Cohn and his new "relationship" with Brett. Jake does not care for Robert, and describes "enjoying Cohn's nervousness" in this chapter. Jake says he is a religious man, but I find this hard to believe in most parts of the story. He doesn't seem to do a lot of praying (unless its for materialistic desires) and he spends his days drinking, being jealous of what he can't have, and wasting his money.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter IX~Travel

Again with the traveling. Do these people ever stay home? I guess being a writer is a fairly flexible career, but still it seems that these people never settle down. Brett and Mike are talking about taking a vacation to Spain to meet Bill and Jake on their fishing trip, but Brett just went on a vacation with Robert. I'm not quite sure why she chose to go on a vacation with Robert in the first place, but maybe she just wanted to go to another place. It seems like a fairly popular motif throughout the book. Traveling could signify the characters continually trying to run away from their problems. It would be quite difficult to run away from their problems though, when they continue to travel with the same people that cause the drama.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter VIII~Jobs??

It seems that in this story, none of the characters have real jobs. They simply run all around Europe on vacations, eating, drinking, and socializing with each other. Where are they getting the money to eat out for every meal and drink so much at night? Jacob always insists on paying for things, but he never seems to work very much. He's always making breakfast, lunch, and dinner plans. Lady Ashley would have money through her title, but the rest of the men in this story do not have good titles. Jacob has a job, but it seems that he's never really working on anything. Many of the other men are writers of some sort, but they never write. They simply drink and vacation. I don't understand how they're able to drink as much as they do without a good source of income.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter VII~Confusion?

Throughout this chapter, Brett and her relationships with almost everybody continue to cause some confusion with me. She says she feels rotten, which I'm guessing was just an excuse to leave Jacob. Brett also says that she'll never see Jacob again. What did he do wrong? Brett seems to be making fairly rash decisions when it comes to relationships. I feel that her character along with her friends' characters are kind of lost themselves. They are all searching for something, but can't quite find it. I'm guessing that Brett will eventually see Jacob again.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter VI~Reality TV?

This passage sort of reminded me of a reality TV show. Robert and Frances continue to fight about their trivial problems and relationship, which isn't working out. This same argument could be viewed in over half of the reality TV shows out there today. Just the other day, my sister was watching Keeping Up with the Kardashians and one of the girls on the TV was having a similar problem with her husband/boyfriend. Frances broadcasts her relationship issues to anyone and everyone who is around, which is the definition of reality TV shows, in my opinion. This part of the book is a little confusing with the different relationship issues of Robert and Jacob. Are Robert and Frances going to get married, or did this fight pretty much ruin that idea? What is Jacob going to do about his loneliness and feelings about Brett?

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter V~Imagery

Hemingway uses lots of imagery in order to paint a picture for the reader. "The horse-chestnut trees in the Luxemborg gardens were in bloom." This line includes many adjectives and details for emphasis. 'Luxemborg' brings attention to the setting. Hemingway creates imagery in nature through this sentence in the story because he wants to bring attention to the beauty in Paris. Although Jacob repeatedly says that he hates Paris, in reality it is a beautiful place. Jacob's thoughts of Paris are overshadowed by loneliness because he is continually rejected by Brett. Hemingway gives the reader more than just the opinion of Jacob in order to realize that Jacob is truly just depressed, which is blocking the beauty of life out of his thoughts.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter IV~Foreshadowing

Hemingway foreshadows what may happen later on in the book through the line, "We kissed again on the stairs..." Jacob and Brett obviously have feelings for each other, but have too many fears, apprehensions, and/or something that is holding them back. I feel that this line foreshadows that at some point Brett and Jacob may, after years of debate, get together. Brett wants to be with Jacob; however, something is holding her back. Hemingway, alludes to the fact that there is a chance that the two will realize what is truly more important to them. Neither of them are able to let eachother go. On the other hand, neither Jacob or Brett are able to fully commit to one another. The fact that they are still attracted to each other foreshadows that the good will eventually outweigh the bad.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter III~Diction

Hemingway uses a unique diction in this work. His diction includes words of the French language. By including the French words of poules, garcon, fiacre, and fine a l'eau, Hemingway brings the reader to Paris along with the other characters. This diction also keeps the reader active in paying attention to context clues to find the meaning of these foreign words. His diction calls attention to the setting and the characters of this particular work. Hemingway uses this diction to also bring out the dialect. The language of the dialect brings attention to the diction. Most of all, Hemingway uses this particular diction to emphasize the setting in Paris, France.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter II~Allusion

Hemingway makes an allusion to "The Purple Land" in this chapter of The Sun Also Rises. In a way, this book mirrors the story. Jake Barnes continues to run away from his troubles. He despises Paris and desparately wants to take a vacation to some other country in hopes that he will lose his troubles and find a better way of life. Similarly, the character in "The Purple Land" continues to flee country after country in order to escape his troubles. In both stories, the main character has a special woman, but the character also has "mistresses." Hemingway included this allusion to bring attention to the plot of his own story. This allusion gives the reader a better understanding of the story itself.

The Sun Also Rises: Chapter I~Dialect

In Chapter I, it is evident that Hemingway uses a different dialect. He includes phrases such as "She's a swell girl" and "Don't get sore." This language is a little more dated and proves the time frame of the writing. Hemingway uses dialect in order to allow the reader to understand the work more fully. The use of this literary term gives the reader the knowledge of the background of the story. Through his use of dialect, Hemingway creates an abstract imagery. Dialect gives the reader the impression of the people, the time, and the setting. Hemingway paints a picture for the reader through the dialect that he has chosen.