August Wilson's "Fences"

Fences seem to encompass many facets of life, in its original time period but also in present day: financial distress, blended families, parental issues, mental issues to name a few, the hardships of everyday living.

I felt compassion for each character in its own individuality of the story. Each had their own issues they were dealing with as they tried to exist congenially as a family. Troy portrayed the harsh father, head of the household. The gruffness of his character could have come from the idea of Wilson’s own father, in his absence. I had felt Troy to be a man trying to make a living to support his family, even though I did not agree with all the choices he made. However, it was hard to accept his disloyalty to Rose after he had expressed such love and admiration for her. His reasons seemed compelling and one could almost feel sorry for him; however, my beliefs do not allow for such behavior regardless of reasons or excuses. What was most saddening was Rose’s commitment to Troy and his denial of her hurt and frustration. He never seemed to understand the pain which he had caused her or the idea of her experiencing the same feelings which caused him to seek out someone else. He thought he was the only one not happy, needing something else to fulfill a void he felt in his life and marriage. Wilson may have written of this topic from his experience of his father’s leaving.

Rose is to be admired for her commitment to her family and husband, to the point of being willing to restore the physical part of their relationship even after the infidelity Troy had committed. She was a strong woman, always trying to keep the peace in the family and take care of everyone. She was portrayed as a loving woman as she accepted the newborn baby to raise resulting from the extramarital affair of her husband.

I think the supporting characters were interesting. I believe their purpose was to include the many issues and problems families have to face from day to day.

Jamaica Kincaid's "Girl"

The reading of the biography of Jamaica Kincaid leads me to envision a sad, young girl feeling unloved and oppressed. It is heartbreaking to know that Kincaid doesn’t look for happiness, “absolutely not at all interested in…happiness”. It would make one wonder just how harsh life with her mother truly was. However, in life, we aren’t guaranteed to be happy, hopefully to find joy in what we have and contentment in it. It sounds as if this is what Kincaid was able to do. Many of us might be able to lead a less stressful life if we could resign ourselves to this belief.

Reading the account of the “Girl” made me think of my relationship with my daughters. As a parent, I have always been concerned how my girls feel about me as their mother. Some of the lines in the passage make me think of myself: I was always trying to help them learn what I felt was the right way to act to be an accepted member of society. They tell me sometimes I went overboard in this area of instruction. However, I know my coaching was done out of love for them. I am not sure about the feelings of the mother in this reading. I can’t fathom saying to my daughter “not like the slut you are so bent on becoming”. What a horrible thought to have about your child.

If “Girl” is a personal account of Kincaid’s life, I can understand some of the discontent she could have felt toward her mother. I would be curious as to the degree of difference in the relationship between her and her mother before the other children were born and afterwards. Was she loved and treated like a child before and then simply turned into a chore doer afterwards? What was the mother’s motivation in the story? The style of the writing, as constant commands, makes we wonder also if this is the way the mother sounded: constantly sounding off demands without any relief.

I would be curious as to the manner of Kincaid’s relationship with her children.

Amy Tan's "Half and Half"

I found Half and Half to be an enlightening cultured read from the standpoint of the difference views of faith and commitment. I wasn’t sure my interest would be met with a story concerning a Chinese family but there was enough plot and American twists that I enjoyed the narrative. Being a mother myself, I found it interesting Tan writes quite a bit concerning the “anguished experiences of mothers….and their daughters living in today’s America”. There is normally an abundance of material one could write about involving painful experiences concerning the mother/daughter relationships. I am thankful I have never had to endure anything as excruciating as the experience of the mother and daughter in this story. My heart would go out to anyone ever experiencing such a tragic event.

It does sadden me to read the mother lost her faith as a result of the death of her child. It is vital at such a time to gain strength from your faith. However, with the Chinese beliefs that she had, it would have been hard for her to trust when everything she knew should have brought her son back failed. It also pains me to think of her Bible as a wedge for her table. I appreciate the explanation the daughter gave as a correction to the imbalances in her life and the fact that she keeps it clean, but the Bible is what it is, THE BIBLE: handled with the most reverence!

I love the commitment of the mother concerning her desire to save the things which are important: she hardly was able to give up on finding her child and even the attempt to retrieve the body but also the marriage of her daughter. The daughter knew her mother would insist she “save it”. Even though the mother had not approved of the marriage from the beginning, once the couple had taken their vows, it became sacred, a commitment to be honored.

At first I wasn’t sure of the significance of the two stories, the divorce and the death of the child. But I believe Tan was writing about losses. In the story she talks about “when something that violent hits you, you can’t help but lose your balance and fall.” I believe this is what happened to her husband and also her mother. I do agree with your statement that you can’t trust anyone to save you to some degree: part of survival comes from finding the inner strength to deal with losses. However, I do disagree with the part that others can’t help you and especially the idea that God can’t. I am witness personally how God can lift you from the darkest places and can be fully trusted to restore one’s balance. As a Christian, this aspect of the story was hard to handle. We can’t just believe in God when everything goes smoothly all the time, we have to trust and have faith in him even when the hard times come along.

It would be hard to understand the death of a child such as Bing, and one might believe it was fate. We could discuss the “what-ifs” of the day’s happenings but nothing will change the facts of what happened. I also don’t believe it had anything to do with luck, as the family had believed “their luck would never run out, that God was on their side, that the house gods had only benevolent things to report and our ancestors were pleased, that life-time warranties meant out lucky streak would never break”. The only thing anyone is sure of in life is that one day they will die. Other than that, there are no warranties. We have to live with the faith that whatever happens there is a plan in it for God’s glory which is why we are here in the first place.

I think the title of the story comes from description of the cove “like a giant bowl, cracked in half”. One half was clean and safe, protecting the beach from the surf and wind. The other half was jagged, pitted with crevices. This was a good description of life: there are places where we can be protected but then we can wander into the other half where the crevices can be “full of wet shadows… and specks... (that) made it hard for us to see the dangers”. The dangers in our lives sometimes lie in the strangest and most invisible places. If one believed in fate, it would seem in abundance that day: the tug of the father’s fishing line at just the right moment, the confusion with the fight between the older boys, and the slip of Bing’s feet on the reef all within seconds of each other.

The love of the family was strong and evident as each one began to take the blame for what happened; even though it truly was no one’s fault. Just as things happen in our lives, as Bing disappeared into the water, as the daughter had seen her marriage falling apart, we find it hard or impossible to fix things or try to save things before they are too far gone to rescue. We have to find a way to live with the events that happen in our lives and try to maintain a strength to carry us through, because there will surely be more storms to weather.

Nikki Giovanni's Poetry

After reading a brief biography of Nikki Giovanni, I understood her poetry a little better. She is recognized for her outspokenness and speaking the truth. She is a strong supporter of civil rights and equality. She is known for speaking to the individual, not so much the group, as to the power one person has to make a difference in one’s own life as well as the lives of others. Her work has been widely acclaimed receiving many awards and recognitions. She as an individual has also been recognized by many, including Oprah Winfrey who includes Giovanni in her group of “Living Legends”.

The first poem Nikki-Rosa leads to me to wonder if she is comparing and/or talking about herself and Rosa Parks, an activist she wrote much about. Parks lived during the time of the 50s when times were very difficult for the American black person. If Giovanni was writing of her own childhood, she divulged some sincere information about her family. However, I believe this could have been ideas for many of the black race during this time. I also believe this too could have come from many white people during this time. I like her ending of the poem, though, stating “all the while I was quite happy”. I think she is expressing the idea that for the most part it doesn’t take a lot to make a child happy. Sometimes just having the love and presence of your family is all a child needs, even when bad things are going on or there isn’t enough means to provide for all the needs.

Poems for Black Boys was somewhat disturbing for me as I read it. I do not like confrontation and in many ways, I believe this speaks of blacks standing up against their oppressors. Even though this may have been necessary for their safety at the time, it still makes me very uncomfortable to think about. I am very thankful I don’t live in the times when riots were commonplace. It sounds as if she is talking about the ways in which the blacks physically sought revenge against those fighting to take their freedoms and chances of equality from them. She is encouraging the young men to think of new ideas of violence and to teach them to the older people, the old ways weren’t working or had been figured out by the white man. For me, this was a harsh poem in content even though I know it represented the emotions of the time period.

Bobbie Ann Mason's "Shiloh"

It is strange to look at the dates and see the author is still living; we have read about so many that are deceased. This one has lived in the times of my life. It is appealing she would write about common people and their life happenings, but many readers want to read about people and lifestyles which stretch their imagination and take them out of their every day routine lives. I found “Shiloh” readable, but not very exciting. This could possibly be from the fact that divorce is such a common place happening today. Even though the sanctity of marriage had begun its decline in the early eighties, rates have soared in the twenty-first century.

Norma Jean reminds me of Mary Freeman’s Louisa. Her fiancée’ had been gone for fourteen years, trying to make his fortune, while Louisa waited patiently at home for his return. However, during those years, she had become very independent and set in her ways. It was very difficult for her to allow him into her life and daily routine without some annoyance. Norma Jean seems to be dealing with the same circumstances. While I believe she cared for her husband, I think she was able to handle the short visits while he was home between trips. I have known several truck driver wives who have had to learn to become independent and strong managers of the home in the extended absences of their husbands. Norma Jean seems to fit this description as well. Her life when her husband was gone seemed to have been very organized. Now that he is home, her routine has been disrupted and the facets of the relationship begin to irritate her. I find it sad that her husband is finally able to devote some time and attention to her and she doesn’t know how to adjust and accept it. I think she feels he is trying to control her while she feels she has been doing fine all the time.

This is a heartbreaking account of a relationship gone bad, due to no specific reason or circumstance. It is a preview of things to come in the area of marriages ending. Today, many people separate and divorce simply because they decide they don’t like each other anymore. It is a sad state of affairs in this modern day of free choice and no accountability.

Alice Walker's "Everyday Use"

Alice Walker’s story Everyday Use was an emotional account of a visit back home. It illustrates the different views of life people can have. Some of us can be content in the same lifestyle in which we were raised while others are always seeking something bigger and better. There is frequently the strife between the two thinking their way is better and how pitiful the other is. I sense the simplistic manner of writing in this story in which critics accuse Walker of writing. However, it contains the elements of writing that make a story successful. The plot revolves around a visit back home of a daughter that has moved away. The problem is the difference in the way of thinking between the mother and daughters that makes one feel successful.

One could feel Dee has come home to flaunt her success by the description of her attire for the visit. The dress she chooses to wear home to this quant area speaks of her crassness. A dress so showy, bright and colorful it “hurt her eyes” as described by her mother. Why would she not have just worn simple clothes that would have made her family feel comfortable and welcoming of her?

It seems from the Polaroid pictures, the name change, to the requests of the family heirlooms, she is only there to capture the idea of her past, not to appreciate it for its natural value but to have it to boast “this is where I came from, see how far I have come”.

The outlook Dee has of her sister is sad. Even though the sister has obviously led a difficult life with her burn injuries, Dee has no sympathy, compassion, or concern for her. I don’t really understand the resentfulness unless Maggie has become an embarrassment to her or a reminder of her past.

I was proud of the mother’s revelation at the end of the hatefulness of Dee and the stance she finally took for Maggie. Even though Dee tried to make them feel bad about not understanding their “heritage” as she did, they finally felt better about themselves having stood up to Dee and found a way to tell her no. They enjoyed the life they led and felt good about themselves. They lived their heritage every day; it wasn’t something just to talk about and show to others.

The title comes from the use of the items Dee found only to be pieces of history, while the mother and Maggie appreciated them for their value in their everyday lives. The mother told of the sinks in the wood from the everyday use of them while Dee was simply planning to use them as decoration pieces.

Sylvia Plath's Poetry

Sylvia Plath sounds like a woman who spent her life in turmoil, possibly trying to attain something she just couldn’t get, relentlessly hoping for something outside her reach. She sounds to be a very educated and intelligent person but not able to keep her psychological person in check. It’s sad to know she spent her life viewing the world as “bad dream”. One would wonder if there were ever any happy days and how much influence her parents actually had on her or if there was something simply neurologically wrong with her.

The feeling I get from reading “The Bee Meeting” is of a death, visitation, and funeral. It sounds as if the subject has died, not realizing it though, and see the people coming, possibly a vision of those from the village that have gone on before her. I think possibly the bees represent the people and their day to day business; how they simply go about their business as bees do: busy as bees. Even though this person has died, the people come to take care of the body and prepare it for burial. In the end she feels the coldness of death after everyone has visited and the burial has taken place and now she is alone in the “white box in the grove”.

“Lazy Lazarus” is an interesting account of her attempts at suicide. The reference to Lazarus I believe to be Lazarus in the Bible, the only man to be resurrected from the dead. He had died, been wrapped, and placed in the tomb. Upon Jesus’ arrival four days after his death, Jesus called him forth from the cave. Lazarus came out still wrapped in his burial clothes, alive as everyone else. Plath makes reference to this account in her poem. This is a sad account as it states she tries continuously to take her life, once every ten years, but as Lazarus did, arises from what others belief is death to her. It sounds as if she has become a spectacle of others and they come to witness yet another unsuccessful effort at suicide. This account implies she has burned herself possibly beyond some recognition, mentioning the scars and ash. Also, the wedding ring or gold filling may have been the only identifying items of who she is.

Plath’s poetry is intensely morbid in most of its content. It would not be something I would enjoy reading at any length. Her poem “Daddy” is a sad account of the relationship with her father. It sounds as if whatever relationship they had before he died was dreadful and she carried that with her throughout the rest of her life, encouraging the attempts of suicide until she was finally successful at the young age of thirty-one.

Randy Jarrell's Poetry

Randall Jarrell sounds like a man committed to his love of literature. His biography doesn’t mention the reason he was raised by his grandparents; I wonder if there were any happenings which led to his dedication and subject matter, of painful realism and change. Evidently his time spent in the air force presented some ideas for many of his poems. My brother-in-law, an avid lover of wartime aircraft and pilots, would love to have met him to hear his stories. I will introduce him to his poetry.

“Losses” and “The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner” are both poems which would have come from his time in the air force. Even though I don’t understand everything he is saying in his lyrics, I understand he is speaking of missions and flying. I think he is speaking of the swiftness of change among troops. Men go out on missions; some come back and some do not. They don’t have time to mourn. They have to quickly replace them and move on. Even though someone may physically die in a crash, they have already died psychologically in situations before. The missions just became a routine; something they had to do regardless of the toil it may have taken upon their emotions and senses. The five lines about the gunner, although short in nature, represents the reality and gruesomeness of wartime. This would have been a very dangerous assignment, with only some sort of glass between one and the ammunition of the planes seeking them out. The horror of the death of such a soldier is graphically described in the line talking of washing him out of the turret; after being hit by a torpedo in a gunner nothing would be left except bits and pieces to be washed out.

The poem “A Girl in a Library” was harder for me to understand. I was looking forward to reading this as I see my daughter as being this girl. She loves books and could find a lifetime of enjoyment and fulfillment spending her time there. I think he is talking of the many thoughts and dreams one could read about in the many books in a library. One could get lost and live a life of others’ experiences from the writings in the books on the shelves.

Tillie Olsen's "I Stand Here Ironing"

Tillie Olsen was a writer representing the everyday person. How many stories have been written about a woman performing the daily task of ironing? Not many! Even though the plot of this story did not center on that task, it was mentioned several times speaking of the necessity and importance of it in a woman’s daily routine as other menial tasks consuming the hours in any given day.

I thought this to be a very touching story from a mother’s point of view. One might look at the mother and think, how could she treat her daughter in such a way. I would have thought that way myself several years ago. However, after working in an elementary school for eleven years and experiencing many different family styles and circumstances, I have come to realize that sometimes all people can do is the best they can do.

As this story begins, it tells of school administration trying to schedule a conference time with the parent. We are faced with this issue quite often, parents not seeming to have the time to deal with their children’s education. It seems negligent to me when the children don’t receive the help at home with practice and assignments they need. But I have had to get past the judgmental feelings I have of them. Sometimes parents aren’t able to find the time or don’t understand the need for it, as the mother in this story seems to feel.

This story represents the more common family. Even though it was written in 1956, it would describe many families today. This single parent family may have been in the minority then, but today it would represent the multitude. Many young mothers are left to raise the children as the father’s find themselves looking for others things and not taking on the responsibility. Many mothers also face having to leave their children in day care situations that are not acceptable. The laws today for child caregivers are more stringent today than in the days of the story, but one always run the risk of having someone who just doesn’t treat their child in an acceptable manner. The description of the child’s time at home alone was the hardest for me. My heart would literally break in two to find my child in the situation described of Emily.

I can’t imagine being in the situation this young mother found herself in. She truly loved her daughter but had to make decisions as to what she felt was best for both of them. The outcome did not seem as if it could be good but, in the end, the daughter seemed to have found her niche.

Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"

Wow what a story! I can’t say I enjoyed this reading but it was catching. I would have to say, however, this is the kind of story I read a lot of: James Patterson and Ted Dekker who write about psychotic, evil people. I like to read something with a mystery to try and figure out what is going to happen next. I can see where the perspective of antitheses used by O’Connor in response to her “sacramental view of life” is evident in this story. Life, which is considered to be sacred and valued given by God, is taken so quickly without as much as a thought by the villains in this story. The characters are exposed to the evil of “the Misfit” and his gang. Even though they were aware of this man’s persona and never thought they would be confronted by it, they found themselves right in the middle of their presence. No amount of pleading or encouragement of being able to be a “good man” by the grandmother made any difference to the misfit.

I was completely appalled as most people would be at the manner in which the men murdered the family. They seemed to never have had any chance against these men, and to kill the children in such a manner. They were even asked politely if they would go into the woods with them, naïve to the evil in which they were surrounded by. However, it just proves the wickedness that exists in this world, even during the early years in which this piece of literature was written.

I did find O’Connor’s use of “victim and assailant” idea in this story as she also used in Wise Blood. The Misfit tells how he grew up being told by his father of “being a different breed of dog” and continues with the different activities he had fulfilled in his life: gospel singer being one of them. He states he can’t remember why he was sent to the penitentiary but from that point on was “buried alive”. He sounds to have possibly been a “good man” caught up in the wrong circumstances but then treated as a criminal from that point on. The idea of if you are going to be treated as one, you might as well act like one. He seemed to be unhappy in his way of life as he stated in the end “it’s no real pleasure in life” he just didn’t know any other way to live. He had been labeled as a bad boy and a criminal and that is how he saw himself.

Some of her use of irony is shown by the grandmother trying to get the family to change their trip so as not to run into this escapee. As with most of us, she probably didn’t really think they would but was using the idea to get her way. Then, by a simple mistake of her own, they found themselves on this wrong dirt road eventually face to face with the dreaded man. The other characters did not seem to comprehend the plight they were in either by the display of disrespectfulness by Bailey toward his mother and the comments by Wesley and June Star toward the men calling one a “pig”, those whose hands their lives were in.

James Baldwin's "Sonny Blues"

James Baldwin’s Sonny is another character which captured my compassion. While written during the early 60s, his lifestyle captured what was yet to come for a lot of people. While Baldwin used a Negro character living in Harlem for this story, a modern version could be written by someone of almost any race in the United States. Baldwin seemed to anticipate the current state of society as he wrote of the “complex fate” and the idea that the concerns and conditions of the blacks during the time would soon become the same for whites and other races in the present America. Drugs, poverty, and poor living conditions are not isolated to one single race in today’s world; they cross over all ethical and cultural boundaries without consideration for anyone.

This is a story of two brothers, though raised in the same home by the same two parents, whose lives have taken them in completely different directions. The narrator is leading the all-American life: having secured a good job as a school teacher with a wife and a family. Sonny, the younger brother, has taken the more daring, searching lifestyle which has now led him to a serious encounter with the law. How many times does this happen within families with no explanation as to the difference in the siblings; each living their lives aware of the other but not wanting to be accountable or coupled to the other.

I found it interesting the description of the students in the algebra class and their apathetic outlook on education. It reminds me of so many today, not understanding the importance of securing a good education and positive outlook in preparation for the life which is without question ahead of them.

The story was very interesting and kept my attention to the end. The conversation and recollection of the past between the two and the unveiling of feelings and emotions they had experienced throughout their lives was humbling. It helps one remember we can never know why and how someone acts until we truly try to understand their lives and the paths they have taken to get where they currently are.

Eudora Welty "Powerhouse"

Powerhouse, to me, by his description, represents something for everyone. He seems to possess an array of physical characteristics and presentational qualities. He appears to be a performer for the people, not a “show-off”, but drawing the audience in, even if it’s just for that moment in time. This is an element Eudora Welty is known to include in her writings: the appropriate location of the appropriate action. She writes with great description and expression. Powerhouse is a character connecting with the audience as he performs at the moment at any given location before he moves on to the next location. However, it seems in this instance, he is performing before an audience who doesn’t seem to care for his presentation. But, nonetheless, he and his band give it their all just as they would for an encouraging and participating group of people.

As the band breaks for intermission after playing the dreaded requested waltz of the white audience, Powerhouse and his crew leave for an establishment for their break. As they leave, they are confronted by a group of Negros, his true followers. He then seems to go into full performer mode. He begins to tell what he believes an account of his wife’s death, but with emotion and sensation. The crowd stands in awe, then presenting their gift, or offering, to this man they see as a god. They present a man who had pulled drowned white victims from a creek after their boat sank. Powerhouse acknowledges him and continues telling his story, as if a prize to the man.

I have to declare I really did not understand this short story. I can appreciate the entertainment from the writing but I would not be able to explain to someone the author’s purpose or the true plot of it. I was not able to know the true situation with Gypsy and what happened with her. I will be looking to the blogs for enlightenment from others.

Richard Wright's "Native Son"

It is easy to detect some of Wright’s own personal thoughts in his writing of Native Son. The comparison of growing up without a father, exposure to racial prejudice, and his involvement with the Communist Party are very evident within the story. I can understand why this story would have brought him much attention and acclamation. Thus far in our readings, I believe it to be the most interesting and intriguing for me personally. As I tried to determine where the story was going as I read, the ending was not what I would have predicted. With our assignment being only an excerpt from the novel, I plan on reading the entire book.

Bigger Thomas is an attention-grabbing character to say the least. It was easy to feel compassion for the young man as he was thrown into quite a different world from what he had experienced thus far. I believe he represents the intuitive side of most of us, always looking to seek more but not quite understanding how to handle it when we get it. It equates to successful celebrities today. Many grew up without so much, and once they become successful with the millions earned today, they find themselves making poor choices and ending up either in trouble or losing their fortunes. I believe Bigger, even though he seemed to be on the defensive at times, let himself get caught up in the moment with Mary physically which caused his downfall.

Throughout the story, he is a victim of circumstances of temptation presented by those more fortunate. He seems to be treated very well by Mr. and Mrs. Dalton and Peggy, but then Mary comes onto the scene. It is easy to understand his confusion as to how to handle himself in the situation. I felt anger at Mary and Jan as I read the account of the evening out. I felt they were toying with Bigger and using him for their own entertainment. I think in their minds they felt they may have wanted to do good through the Communist party; however, many join these organizations just to be able to appear interested in others’ wellbeing simply for appearance sake. Bigger represented man today in his plight to please employers and others by doing what we believe we must to maintain our jobs and place in society. Many times we are expected to perform tasks which, although they may not be illegal, they are immoral.

Mary’s demise was not only a surprise to the reader but I am sure to her as well. She was out for a fun night on the town at the expense of the new “negro”. She let bad choices get the better of her and, as many young people do, they don’t realize how one can cause such destruction.

I do plan on reading the rest of the story to discover what happened to Bigger following Mary’s death.

John Steinbeck's "Flight"

John Steinbeck’s Flight was taxing for me to read. I can detect his use of locale and storytelling ability within it; however, I believe the length and drama it took to tell the story made it tiring for me. I am not a fan of western movies or dramas and that is the sense of the story I obtained from its reading. There was not much action and the end seemed inevitable.

The family is described as disadvantaged, but the mother a strong figure. To have raised three boys on her own for the past ten years and maintain the small farm would necessitate a tough female; however, I would wonder what caused the laziness and immaturity described in Pepe. The boys must have had different fathers in the way in which Steinbeck described them: the two small ones as blacks but no race given for Pepe. I would have liked to have understood a little more about the family or if any of this information had any significance on the story. The story’s direction leads the reader through the necessary maturation of Pepe: as demanded by an unfortunate incident.

Other than the need for medicine, I did not feel the story revealed to the reader the mother’s reason for sending Pepe alone to Monterey, evidently something he had never done before. He quickly gains confidence in his newfound responsibility stating “You may send me often alone. I am a man.” Mama seemed to have her concerns but sent him on his errand with thorough instructions. She felt sure he would be safe at the home of Mrs. Rodriguez even though there must have been expectation of drinking wine as this was the first thing she asked when she realized there was a problem with his being home unexpected. Maybe she thought whatever experience he would have encountered at that home would have led him into his manhood.

I understand his need to run but I never understood what he was running towards. I didn’t understand what haven he was trying to find; if he was running from the law or someone connected to the man he knifed. The escape was very prolonged, but descriptive. I found it ironic he suffered as he did when if he had not run, if death had come upon him in another manner, it might have been quicker, but maybe not as courageous. It seemed inevitable he was not going to survive.

It was a sad story from a parental point of view. I cannot imagine sending my child off knowing she was being hunted and never to return, possibly not ever knowing of her plight. Again, ironic the item the father left for Pepe, possibly to protect him through life, caused his demise leading to his untimely death.

Langston Hughes

Langston Hughes is lauded as a diverse author of various literary styles. He was successful as a poet, lyricist, and journalist, to name a few. Even though he had performed medial jobs as a young man, he experienced accomplishment in his later years. I would imagine his exposure to the world, its people and their different cultures would have added to his content and subject material.

As I read his poetry, which I was able to understand somewhat better than previous poets, I could detect some of his lyrical writing ability. I sensed the pulse and rhyme in the lines as I read and could envision them being sung or recited in a musical manner. He did speak often of “the blues” and dreams gone astray.

I particularly found the story “On the Road” interesting. I was saddened to read of the reverend closing the door on Sargeant and refusing to help him. If anyone should be willing to help a needy individual, it should be the clergy. However, my interpretation of the event as it develops in the story is a depiction of the church and how it treats society. As Sargeant approached the church, the building, my first thought was it was there as a sanctuary for him, illustrated as a beautiful white solid place. The structure of the church would have provided him warm shelter from the elements of nature. But as he tried to enter, the doors were locked which unfortunately seems to represent the hearts of the many church people. As the church people saw him trying to enter the building, they became enraged and assaulted him, stating “A big black unemployed Negro holding onto our church! The idea!” What better thing for a person to hold onto in his time of need. Again, I believe this represents much of our society today. If anyone different tries to enter our comfort zones, we turn them away.

However, I was delighted as I read of Christ walking away with him from the rubble. I loved this part of the story. I think the story could be used as a sermon in many of our churches today to help us remember first how we treat others, and second, how Jesus is always with us, ready to help in our times of need. I thought it was interesting Christ’s praise of Sargeant releasing him from the cross and how the church has kept him there for the past two thousand years. It is what many of us Christians do. We learn about Him and say we live for him, but do we really ever let him into our heart and live among us? We don’t reach to help others as He did and still does. It doesn’t matter to Him race or any difference among us; we are all His and should love and care for each other.

The ending of the story was very disturbing for me. I hope when Hughes writes Sargeant’s line of “I wonder where Christ has gone?” that he is not asking from himself, as if he felt like Jesus wasn’t there for him. Even though Sargeant never really got away from the crowd, it seems Jesus was able to comfort him through the experience and take away some of the pain and humility brought on by the people.

Ernest Hemingway's "The Short Life of Francis Macomber"

Hemingway presents a modernized cultured story in “The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber”. The language and even some of the content has become more socialistic in our readings. I was little taken aback with the foul language he used in his writing, even though today’s novels are filled with it. I wasn’t expecting it from Ernest Hemingway and in this time period.

I found his biography to describe Hemingway and his writing of this story to a tee. Learning the rituals of hunting from his father, I felt he included this in his writing as Wilson, the safari leader, stated “he had his own standards about the killing”. He included much information about the kills and the way in which they were orchestrated. Only someone who knew about such things would be able to write so vividly.

I also found in the story his primary concern being of an individual’s “moment of truth”. I felt he illustrated this clearly as Macomber’s fear of the animal, the hunt and kill disappeared as he shot the buffalo. He almost immediately became a new man, mature and self confident; traits he had not possessed before the kill. Interesting also was the use of the buffalo and the charge as the scene in which Macomber would lose his life with the notion of the “moment of truth” deriving from bullfighting, something very similar to the charge of the buffalo. I feel this turn of events in his life was initiated by the infidelity of his wife. The embarrassment from the day before with the lion had been huge, but to face the indiscretion between his wife and Wilson because of his cowardness pushed him to his limits.

Macomber’s wife, the Memsahib, reminds me of William Howells’ character, Editha. Editha required of her fiancé going to war and coming back a hero to prove his love for her. Margaret was requiring courage of her husband. What an unfortunate basis for a relationship! Edith was prepared to walk away from the relationship if George was not willing to enlist and Margaret punished Francis by her involvement with the leader of the hunt, someone who was able to display the courage she found exciting and necessary in a man.

I thought the title of this story was fitting. Francis seemed to have never truly lived until the kill and the surge of excitement and exhilaration he felt. At once, he seemed to experience a rebirth and to truly feel the anticipation of living. It makes me think of people who do hazardous jobs or participate in dangerous hobbies who would rather die happy doing what they love than to live a safe, boring life. Francis had finally found his courage and at last felt like a man. He was ready to take on the buffalo, his wife, and the world. The shortness of this happy life presented the irony in the story. Whether his wife meant to shoot him or not was left to question, the story was clear in the fear she was feeling at the resurrection of her husband. I feel sure she felt he would not tolerate her lifestyle upon return from the safari. Taking this moment to solidify her future, financially and socially, she took it by attempting to save his life.

William Faulkner's "That Evening Sun"

William Faulkner’s “dislocation of narrative time and his use of stream-of-consciousness techniques” are definitely evident in “That Evening Sun”. In my opinion, the storyline jumps from scene to scene and the use of stream-of-conscious is especially evident in Jason and Caddy. Jason interjects random thoughts spontaneously. I had a difficult time following and understanding what his comments meant at certain points in the story. Nancy’s thoughts are also presented quite erratically as if she was not a good state of mind. It seems possible she could be dealing with some type of mental disorder as she unsuccessfully and then talks again of committing suicide.

Nancy’s life depicts the type of lives many Negro women endured during this time period. With few employment opportunities for black women, they simply had to support themselves in whatever manner they found available. Faulkner alludes to the idea she may be participating in prostitution; a reason her husband Jesus would have to not be pleased. It is disturbing the physical way in which she was treated, being assaulted by Mr. Stovall, then being beaten by the jailor. Then Faulkner contrasts this to the treatment by Jason, the father. He seems to be overly protective and concerned for her welfare. At one point, I had to wonder if he was possibly having some sort of relationship with her. He was willing to upset his wife in order to attend to Nancy’s needs.

I was surprised the exposure the children of the home had to the “negros”. They were exposed to quite a bit of black culture and adult conversation which they questioned of things they did not understand. Their questions did not seem to ever be answered though; they just normally led to some out of context comment from Jason. Normally, the children were not allowed to spend much time with the “hired help” especially those of a different race.

I either totally misunderstood the end of the story or it ended quite abruptly. The only thought I had to explain it was how quickly they could have dismissed Nancy from their minds and lives if she were to follow through with her threat to commit suicide.

Susan Glaspell's "Trifles"

I can’t say I enjoyed reading “Trifles” because of the story theme, but I was enthralled as I tried to unravel the mystery, one of my favorite types of readings. The theme developed as a heartbreaking theme as what one would assume was the harsh life of this young woman led her to such a violent act as murder. Though it is never confirmed she actually murdered her husband, the discoveries of the two women in the kitchen leads one to understand the motive. It is interesting the conversation of the men versus the conversations of the women. The men are confident they will find what they searching for by simply looking for evidence while the conversation of the women and their “trifleness” reveal more of the plot and evidence than the men are able to discover.

It seems fitting for the women to realize the unhappy life Mrs. Wright led but not to have addressed it. Many domestic situations occur with friends or family members believing things are amiss but feeling they should not get involved or interfere. One of the women goes so far as to make excuses for her reasons of not visiting as if that might have changed the circumstances. They realized Mr. Wright was a rough man and had witnessed the change in Mrs. Wright from her disposition as a young girl who used to enjoy singing in the choir. As they talk and discover the dead bird, they realize the situation and how the death of the birth resembles the murder of Mr. Wright. They quickly become flustered and begin wondering how to handle the situation. I think the women know even before the County Attorney made his comment “you know juries when it comes to women” that if there was any kind of motive found, regardless of its cause, Mrs. Wright would be found guilty. It was interesting as the women struggled between right and wrong knowing they should reveal the information they found but understanding the feelings and torment Mrs. Wright must have been experiencing.

I think the title of the play comes from the minimal attention the men gave to the women and their observations. However, if they had realized, the women with their trifle comments were able to discover the truth. Women are commonly accused of being trifle; worrying about what the men do not perceive to be important, their appearances, the condition of the house, etc. However, as in cooking when spices are added to a simple piece of meat, it makes a huge difference in the tastiness of the meal. That is what women's "trifleness" does: it adds flavor to our lives. While it may seem insignficant to men, they enjoy the spices and flavors of life that women add to it.

Frost's Poetry

Mr. Frost writes as someone truly interested and enthralled by nature. His biography writes he had “little faith in religious dogma”; how sad that a man who has so much respect for nature doesn’t realize it is God who gave him his subject matter. With his love for nature; however, he seems like a person I would like to spend some time with. Sitting on my front porch and watching the trees sway in the wind or experiencing a summer thunderstorm are two of my relaxing pastimes (which are few and far between). I also love the appearance of a “winter wonderland” as the snow falls in the winter and the next day when everything sparkles in the morning light. Frost also would be a man who could teach lessons in perseverance. Most people would have given up after devoting more than sixty years to a profession that did not seem to be successful.

One of his poems that caught my attention, not so much from enjoyment but compassion, was "Home Burial". I wonder if any of this came from the experience of losing his first son. The pain and grief the mother was feeling seemed to be beyond relief. The loss a mother feels seems to be so much stronger than others when a child dies. She seems to have focused her pain on the fact that the father didn’t seem to feel the same degree of pain she did. It sounds as if he is talking at times about the relationship between a man and woman and how he can’t seem to please her. I would like to know who he thinks she is going to visit as she tries to leave. It is a sad enactment of interaction between parents who have lost a child. Divorce is currently a common result after a couple loses a child.

"The Road Not Taken" is also another poem catching my attention. I love the visual the poem allows by talking of the two roads forking and heading in different directions. I think Frost is talking about the many times in life we have to make a decision about which direction to go and the many choices life will bring. I can understand his sorrow at not being able to follow both. Sometimes it is hard to understand why we can’t pursue more than one interest. Many of us take the traveled road because it is what others expect of us. Frost seems to suggest that taking the road less traveled can make a huge difference in the end.

The poem "Birches" provides a youthful view of the boy climbing and swinging in the tree and also just of the tree itself. I think Frost might be comparing the tree to our lives; how some days we swing and sway and other days we are bent to the ground. As the boy learns to climb the tree successfully, we learn to approach life.

Willa Cather

Even though I enjoy reading of different lifestyles, I tend to get the most out of stories that deal with normal everyday people, their lives, and their plights. Willa Cather is known to be this kind of author.

In both stories, A Wagner Matinee and Paul’s Case, the story line was interesting; portrayals of people living lives that were not presenting them with the most satisfaction. The difference in the two is how each handled their desires.
Aunt Georgiana had made a decision earlier in life to marry which involved giving up her love for music. She had chosen this path and managed by avoiding situations which tempted her to miss her love and long for it. As long as she put it out of her mind, she was able to adjust. Cather’s physical description of her upon arrival in town painted a picture of what her daily might be, very tiresome and unfulfilling. I wonder if the sickness she had felt was simply from the train ride or from the dread of having to face the city and the memories of the life she used to live. It was intriguing to see her come to life again at the concert, but one would wonder how she would handle these feelings when the time came to return home and possibly never be able to experience such fulfillment again. I though it interesting that she questioned Clark as to whether he had been experiencing this type of performance since he had left them. It seems she had been able to handle her life at home as long as she didn’t think about what she was missing and others were enjoying.

Paul was a different kind of character. He was intent on living the type of life he thought he deserved. His longings led him to a lifestyle of deceit and abomination. His desires had become like a drug for him; intoxicating him and then leaving him depressed as he had to return to “his life”. His bodily appearance even presented itself as someone who might be under the influence: twitching, raising his eyebrows, and nervous trembling as he fingered the buttons on his overcoat with occasional jerking. I think his physical description again illustrated his lifestyle; after falling asleep in class; his teacher described his face as wrinkled like an old man’s about the eyes and his coloring as a white, blue-veined face. He seemed to be physically and emotionally drained from trying to live the two lives intermingled. I was enthralled as I read this story but did wonder how it was met by critics and the public of the time. Even though people had types of mental illnesses and personality disorders then, not much was known about them. But today, Paul would seem as just another disturbed youth trying to find his niche in life. I was surprised to the extent Cather took his infatuation to allow him to commit suicide rather than return to his life.

Paul was a sad character for me. Being an employee of the school system, it frightens me to think of children who may be dealing with issues such as Paul’s. I hope I would be able to recognize the signs of such distress and be able to offer some encouragement and assistance. We tend to look at some students in the way the administration did in Paul’s case as just behavior problems when there could be an array of issues a child may be dealing with, sometimes physically and emotionally, and out of their control.

Zora Hurston

Having moved into the writings of twentieth century, I expected to detect a change in the content and manner in which the selections were written. I have not read any of Zora Hurston and found her to be a very interesting person. It was surprising that not only a woman, but a black woman, would have achieved such literary notoriety during this time period. I was impressed with her perseverance and determination in the paths her life took her.

I found the character’s thoughts in How It Feels to be Colored Me to be very down to earth, a viewpoint many of us could use to adopt today. I could not help but feel empowered by this young persons’ point of view. She feels no resentment over her differences or even the way she is treated because of it. She accepts situations as they are. I find it interesting she didn’t even think of herself as colored until society began treating her as such. Even then, she didn’t feel anyone owed her anything. She showed responsibility for her own destination. I admired her zeal to treat everyone as equal and welcomed the tourists into her town in a way others would not.

The Guilded Six –Bits was an interesting piece. I can understand why this would have begun the demise of Hurston’s career. Even though I don’t believe she was writing the character to be a black stereotype, I would imagine the black community would have been offended at the black women being depicted in such a way. However, I would imagine there was as much infidelity and deceit taking place among the whites as any this story would have suggested.

I was taken aback by the turn of events in the story. It began as a beautiful love story which showed promise for the human race. It depicted a couple who seemed to live in the simplest of means but shared much joy and contentment. Each partner accomplished their component of the relationship and seemed to portray an all-American young married couple making a living during the times. The story shows how easily greed and the love of money can sneak in among the best of us; no one is protected against it regardless of it. However, it was encouraging the positive turn in the relationship when Joe was able to overcome his hurt and shame.
Both of these stories illustrate great lessons in life for young people.

I did find it interesting that it was his mother's comments concerning not being able to deny the baby that seemed to make a difference in his view of his relationship with Missie May. The story had led us to believe that Missie May's infidelity would have been a pleasing realization for his mother, something that she would have expected of her. Sometimes it is the least likely factors which can bring us back to reality and help us to accept situations as they are and seek out the possibilities of how to contend with the realities of life.

Perseverance, humility, forgiveness, and acceptance were several qualities of these characters we as a human race could stand to learn.

Stephen Crane's "The Open Boat"

Stephen Crane’s “The Open Boat” is probably one of the more interesting stories we have read. While it seemed morbid and hopeless at times, the experience of the men brought to mind several positive life thoughts. I felt Crane used many illustrations to convey an outlook of life and the voyage of the small boat as an analogy to the voyage of life.

I thought the camaraderie of the men was well illustrated and the relationships that can be formed in the face of danger and strife. The rivalry of the men and the boat against the turbulent sea signified the path many of our lives take. It seems at times we are fighting against survival in the world. The crew represented the many people who are placed in our lives to assist with this struggle. I thought it interesting the captain being the injured one and not being able to fulfill his commitment; he had to allow others to take over for him and direct from a more humble position. Sometimes no matter how strong or confident we think we are, we have to let others help us and occasionally take the lead.

The waves represented the struggles in life. It seems no matter how hard we fight one battle, there is always another waiting to hit as soon as peace begins to set in. We ride these battles just as the little boat rode the waves, anticipating the next one. Life seems to be a never ending battle. The crew exhibited the perseverance necessary to survive against life’s struggles.

I felt the people on shore represented those that stand by and watch others struggle, never getting involved to help and assist others. The crew kept asking why they didn’t come to help, did they not see them. I think we are all guilty of this at times. We believe people make their own mistakes and why should we get involved, or we simply just don’t want to take the time or expend the energy to help our neighbors.

Even with the death of one of the crew, the story continues to show us we don’t all make it through unscathed. We will all die; no one lives forever. Our deaths will come at different times and in different ways; some without struggle and some facing great trials. These men knew they had to face it though; they had no other choice. I believe the ending was appropriate as those on shore rushed to help and assist; the ending showed the love of mankind for their fellow men that exists in all of us.

Crane's Poetry

Once again I find poetry is not my area for enjoyable reading. I still find it hard to understand and find meaning in. It is amazing to me that a literary work of art could consist of as little as four lines. It reveals to me, though, that quantity is not as important as quality. This is a lesson I have to keep reminding myself of when accomplishing a task.

As I read the poetry, even though I wasn’t able to interpret most of it, I was able to pick up on a few ideas. I felt in the Black Riders poem he was speaking of the pirates coming from the sea. The “black” took my thoughts to the appearance of pirates and their lifestyle. The mention of sin led me to think of the unlawful ways of the pirates: robbery, murder, drunkenness, and taking young maidens as their “women” and how they introduced these into society. I felt he was illustrating how darkness and sin could exist and emerge from the dark depths of something as beautiful as the ocean.

Crane speaks of a god beating a man, a man pursuing an endless destination, a kind war, and a cold God. Many of these ideas seem to have come from his life. He seemed to be a very unsettled person, withdrawing from many schools and moving about quite often. His view of God could have come from the feelings he had of his parents’ view of their God. I did not sense any positive outlooks on life from his poetry. His desire to represent mankind living in a harsh or “hostile world” seems evident in his writings.

Again, I will be looking to some of your posts to try to better understand the meanings within the lines of Cranes’ poetic works.

Wharton's "The Other Two"

As I read this story, I was anticipating what I thought might happen. However, either I missed something along the way or I finished with somewhat of a “let down”. I wasn’t able to fully understand what Wharton was saying with this story. I had to reread a portion to understand there were two ex-husbands in the story. I would imagine this story might have had some criticism during the years it was presented as did “The Awakening”. I am sure there was some divorce within society, but it would still not have been as widely accepted as it is today. This story tells of a woman not only divorced once but twice and remarried again.

As I read, I found myself following the line of Waythorn and attempting to understand his thoughts. I began to see him as possibly a victim of Alice, even though my initial reaction to his character found him to possibly be a domineering husband. Alice did appear to a submissive wife, asking permission for visits by her child’s father and apologizing often. However, as the story progressed, and the ex-husbands are introduced and their personalities revealed, I began to think Waythorn was questioning his wife’s contribution in the reasons for her previous divorces. There did not seem to be any ill will on the part of the ex-husbands, other than Haskett requesting his participation on his child’s upbringing. In the reading between the lines, I felt Alice had portrayed Haskett and Varick to be men of unpleasant character.

I believe after meeting the two previous spouses, Waythorn experienced a humbling awareness and realized he had unfairly judged the men. He begins to see them in a new light and begins to question his wife. He believes her at one point to have been dishonest with him and notices the mistake in her fixing his after-dinner drink as her previous husband would have wanted it.

I believe the moment Waythorn discovers the weakness in his wife was after the meeting with Varick at the dinner party. He seems disturbed by the fact she would so easily comply with what she believed to be his wishes toward her ex-husband. He realizes rather than address a difficult situation, she avoided it. I think he realizes at this point possibly her two previous marriages were not so bad, but Alice just didn’t know how to handle the difficult times and found walking away and divorce the simplest solution.

Kate Chopin "The Awakening"

What an interesting read for its time! I can understand why this would have contributed to the end of Chopin’s career. The novel definitely portrays a very provocative and sensual woman. However, I believe the novel follows the emergence of these traits in Edna. In the beginning, she is portrayed as a normal wife of society during the times. But as the story continues, she begins to discover a different woman in herself and allows full disclosure of her new being. Feministic views are very clear, and there is little room for doubt as to the author’s purpose in writing this novel.

It is disheartening to me the difference in how this book would be viewed today: It would be considered very commonplace. Fidelity in relationships is not a very popular attribute in today’s society. Many women also take the pursuer role in relationships and seek what they want; regardless of the consequences or the effects it may have on others.

Women’s roles in the novel are depicted in this novel to fit the times: submissive wife and mother, conforming to society, dependent. However, an independent musician, the boarding house owner, and servant roles are included in the character list as well. I believe Chopin portrays marriage in a partnership style arrangement. There doesn’t seem to be much affection within the marriages, and the husbands seem to turn a blind eye to the activities of their wives as long as they are discreet and don’t cause any harm to their public appearances.

I found it interesting that Edna found her independence in the sea as she learned to swim with confidence but yet gave up her life in the same body of water after rejection in an inappropriate relationship. In my opinion, Edna was portrayed as a selfish, immature young woman, even though she felt as if she was fighting for her independence and femininity.

Charlotte Gilman's "The Yellow Wallpaper"

It is interesting to me, as with Charlotte Gilman, the writers who boast little or no formal education and yet possess the accolades they have received as American Literary authors. One could ponder the difference in levels of today’s educated and these who self-educated themselves.

I previously studied Charlotte Gilman and “the Yellow Wallpaper” in a humanities women’s study class last year. I found it an enticing read then and was anxious to read it again for this class. I still had some difficulty understanding all the twists and turns in the story and am not sure if my perspective of the happenings is accurate as to Gilman’s purpose. I found it interesting in the notes that John was described as both a villain and a loving husband. From my previous reading, viewed from a feministic viewpoint, John was marked as a domineering husband. After reading it again, I could see how he could be viewed as a loving husband believing in his medical training at the time. However, if I let my mind wander through the plot enough, I could come to several different conclusions.

It is hard to imagine isolation to be a treatment for a depressed state of mind. Having experienced a troubled time myself, I can only imagine where I would be today if I had not been able to continue working and having the support of my friends and family. Having been confined to a room would have only made it much worse for me. I find it hard to believe she was expected not to think of her state of mind with nothing else allowed to occupy it. I think she used this story to share her views on spousal oppression and the lack of women’s rights during this time period.

I believe the character began to display the most serious signs of insanity when she began studying the wallpaper and seeing things in it. Paranoia became a constant companion to her. I believe she was simply experiencing post partum depression, but of course that was not a diagnosis of the time. It would be curious of the number of women who experienced this same situation ending up being driven to this state of mind from a lack of knowledge of the illness. I do believe John meant well but simply did not understand the complexity of the mental state of her mind.

I have not researched any cliff notes or writings on this story and am not sure as to what actually happened to Gilman’s character. I would be interested in the views of others as to what happened at the end.

Charlotte Gilman'

Harris' "Free Joe and the Rest of the World" and "How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Sharp for Mr. Fox"

“Free Joe and the Rest of the World” is perhaps my favorite story thus far in our reading. I am a hopeless romantic and was awed at the commitment Free Joe displayed for his wife. I would presume this to be one of the more humane stories of slave families and their separations. Even though there was separation and captivity, there was no brutality mentioned. One could find themselves feeling sorry for Free Joe; having his freedom and nothing to do with it. He wasn’t accepted among either of the races in the area, with no place to call home. Would he have been better off being included in the winnings from Major Frampton’s misfortune? I would hope Frampton felt he was doing a good deed in granting Joe is freedom; but what problems it presented for Joe. Even today, I believe our culture treats diverse populations in the same manner Joe was treated; even though they are free to live in this country and attain citizenship, we remain cautious of them, never fully trusting them or treating them as equals. What a sweet ending to the story; Joe slipping into eternity quietly with the smile still on his face. Even though for me it wasn’t clear in the story as to what happened to Lucinda, I wonder if she, Joe, and Dan were all finally together in a state of permanent freedom.

I enjoyed “How Mr. Rabbit Was Too Sharp for Mr. Fox” even though the dialect again was hard to follow. I found myself reading it out loud to be able to better understand what was being said. I remember the stories of Uncle Remus from my childhood. They were included with studies of Aesop fables. I loved the stories with the morals at the end. This story tells me to be careful of characters trying to goad me. Sometimes people are able to get us to do things by simply letting us think it is something we shouldn’t do. I see parents doing this with young children to make them think something is of their own choosing.

Ambrose Bierce's "An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge"

Ambrose Bierce seems to be an intriguing, deep-thinking writer. I would be curious of the effect his parents’ religious dedication had on causing him to hate the faith and piety and to be driven to write of such death and darkness. It would cause one to ponder what happened to cause him to be so unhappy that his stories reflected maiming and the separation of families as their focus and that he would assume the title of “Bitter Bierce”.

While this story is centered on Peyton’s death, I did not detect any bitterness or gruesomeness in the depiction of the hanging. Hangings are what they are, a form of execution. There is no way to make it look like anything else; however, I did find the illusion of Peyton’s escape and arrival at his home place right before his death more consoling than bitter. I found the imaginary escape to be quite entertaining and felt this literary tool of out of self experience or dreaming to be more modern than others used in stories of the time. Ted Dekker is a modern author which uses quite a bit of dream and imaginary story lines requiring quite a bit of attentiveness on the reader’s part.
I assume from the conversation between Peyton and the Federal Scout Peyton must have attempted an attack on the Owl Creek Bridge which brought him to this fate. I noticed the mention of the driftwood by the scout as being dry and would burn easily and again as an object which caught Peyton’s attention as he awaited his doom. I wonder if anyone has any thoughts on the significance of this object.

I believe the three parts Bierce uses in the story to be the present, past, and future. The first part sets the stage for what is happening to Peyton at the moment, the moments leading up to the hanging. The second tells of the past and what led to his demise. The third, in my opinion, tells of what he is thinking as the hanging progresses. I believe it tells of what he thinks might happen, how he might escape and flee to the safety of his home. However, we know by the story, it never materializes. He dies quickly at the end of the rope. I believe Bierce uses the contrast between the reality of the hanging and the imaginary scenario to make the passing of Peyton into his afterlife less dark and more heroic and easily accepted with the sight of his wife one last time, even though he is not able to grasp her that last time before the reality of his death sets in.

Bret Harte's "Tennessee's Partner"

Bret Harte’s “Tennessee’s Partner” was almost as difficult for me to read as parts of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn”. The dialect of Tennessee’s partner and the way the story shifts from Tennessee to Tennessee’s partner took quite a bit of concentration on my part. I would think it would have been difficult for people of the time to have read this, expect for the more educated, due to the exaggerated vocabulary Harte used in his story. Even though I did not find the story to be entertaining personally, I can appreciate its reception during the time period in which it was written.
The friendship of the two men seemed to be the main point of the story. From what western movies I have seen, partnerships and friendships were quite vital and sacred in the frontier days, much more valued than today. I wonder if having been “christened” with the name Tennessee’s Partner motivated the dedication to Tennessee that the partner displayed. Accepting Tennessee with open arms after the affair with his wife and confronting the courts on his behalf with a bribe were signs of a true friend. I felt the funeral monologue was touching and proof of the commitment the partner had for his friend telling of the many times he had saved Tennessee from his mishaps. Even in his death, the partner continues searching out his cohort, this time finding his friend coming for him.
The regional dialect is best exemplified by the partner. “I disremember any sich weather” and “I come yar as Tennessee’s pardner” are simple examples of the language of the area. Also the comment “sez to me, sez you, -confidential-like, and between man and man,-sez you” was an example of the exaggeration of word usage. I believe the wife portrayed a typical regional character. Many of the women working in the saloons and bars were seeking husbands; but I don’t think they were the very committed type. It seemed they were always looking for the one that could provide them with the most. The partner’s wife exuded this trait in that she married the partner, found something more in Tennessee, and then having left him for someone else. Harte used the heat of the Western lands to add nature of the area to the story. From speaking of the heated resinous odors to the many displays of the partner’s use of the handkerchief, one can begin to feel the warmth and the emotions of the story. I, personally, did not find any humor in the story to speak of. Maybe from reading posts I will be able to see the humor Harte used in this story.

Howell's "Editha"

I found it interesting Howell was known to avoid the "excitements and catastrophes of romanticism just as he avoided sex and sensuality". "Editha" was centered on a relationship between George and Editha; however, there was no passion or sensuality of their relationship in the story.

As I sat in church this morning and listened to my pastor’s Memorial Day service, my mind wondered back to this story that I read just the night before. It was ironic as he spoke of the many men and women who had voluntarily given of their lives for their country that I would think of George and his basis for enlistment. He gave his life more for the service of his heart to Editha than to service of his country. It seemed he realized all along the risk of his choice and was only able to make it under the influence of “libations”. At the time of his departure, he was also more focused on the commitment of Editha to care for his mother than the farewell exchange between each other. It doesn’t seem as if love played any part in this relationship, more like pacification.

Editha’s character was an interesting one, more representative of our culture today. There are many that will go to great lengths for their own benefit or acknowledgement. Editha was driven more by the recognition she would receive as the mate of a military hero than simply the town lawyer. Her immaturity was evident in her thoughts that nothing would happen to George during his service, they would simply be able to scare off the opposition, and he would return home having served his country and her.

My heart went out to George’s mother. What a mature, unselfish being who would rather give up her son than to know he had gone to war and killed someone else, having their blood on his hands. It was interesting she did not want Editha grieving for him, scolding her for wearing the black mourning clothes. I believe she was celebrating the fact that he had gone on beyond the hatefulness of this world and the relationship George would have found himself in with Editha.

Even though this story had a tragic ending, it was a great read but more for a mature audience. I believe the plot is too serious unless the reader would be at a point of understanding what I believe Howell would want understood: we should love unconditionally and make our commitments from a true sense of service rather than trying to fulfill other’s expectations.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Wow! What an amusing and exciting read! Even though it was difficult to read with the dialect and slow with the small print of the text, I am pleased that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is on the reading list for this American Lit class and I, at last, read it. I don’t remember reading in my earlier high school years, and saw it as something I would never have chosen to read for myself. I actually found myself on the edge of my seat at times, wondering what was coming next. Twain did an amazing job with the many facets he intertwined within his story: abuse, commitment, deceit, humility, friendship, hospitality, and adventure, just to name a few. I can understand why this novel has been popular among the academic book lists. It brings to the reader, in an entertaining way, the history of the time with many characters and social issues to study. I see the opportunity a teacher would have to address family, social, and moral issues while also addressing the many literary terms, such as character, theme, conflict, and plot.

Before I looked at the study questions, I knew, as I read, I wanted to address in my reflection the relationship between Huck and his father and Huck and Jim. As a parent and one whose wish for all children would be to have two loving parents who cared for them and never have to feel threatened, I found it hard to read of the interaction between Huck and his father: the fear and disappointment Huck must have felt at the hands of his father. Then, for Huck to find more trust and camaraderie with someone who society saw as mere “merchandise”, turned the story line into a type of love story for me, even though it was a type of “brotherly love”. I loved the character Twain developed for Jim. While he was considered a “nigger” by definition of the times, he turned out to be the most trusted, loving, committed individual in the story. This story should definitely teach all human races that someone’s character cannot simply be judged by their color or status in life. While the court was intent on returning Huck to his “father” simply because he helped to create him, he turned out to be the most significant threat to Huck, not this black slave who most of society would have feared and deemed unworthy of caring and raising Huck. Jim proved himself several times during the story of his commitment and compassion for Huck; the emotion Jim expressed when he thought Huck had been lost in the fog and the quick forgiveness he granted when he realized Huck had been tricking him about being lost, laying in wait for Huck after the raft was hit by the steamboat and Huck has spent time with the Grangerford family, not revealing to Huck the murdered man they found in the house was actually Huck’s father, taking Huck’s watch on the raft and letting him sleep without complaint, and the extent he accepted Tom and Huck’s adventurous plan to help him escape from the Phelps family. Jim was more of a father figure to Huck than it seemed his real father would ever have been.

Another topic I found to be most evident in the story was the easiness of deceit in this story. The king and the duke were characters who would have done anything for money. The extent they were willing to go with the estate money was beyond understanding for me. Twain did, however, embrace the idea of “what goes around comes around” concerning these two characters. But also disturbing were the yarns that Huck and Tom were able to develop at the drop of a hat. While it all seemed adventurous in the story, it is unsettling to imagine how easily one could be taken in by the likes. While Huck’s and Tom’s deception was usually “for the good of the cause”, it was still extensive.

This is a story I wish I had shared with my children in their earlier years and taken the opportunity to discuss the many issues within. If I ever become a grandparent, I will plan to share this with my grandchildren and hope to instill some of Jim’s qualities in them.

Emily Dickinson's Poetry

As I read the poetry selections of Emily Dickinson, I was reminded of why I am not an enthusiast of poetry. While Miss Dickinson is known as “one of America’s most gifted poets”, understanding poetry is not one of my strong suits; therefore, I found these selections hard to read. The wording may have been the way of the spoken language in the later 1800s, but, along with the short and broken stanzas, I found it difficult to follow. However, I am by no means a critic of her poetry and would not assess or demean the value of her works simply because they are not to my liking. Obviously, she is very highly regarded in the literary sector, even though I don’t understand why she wasn’t more published until after her death.

I was able to detect her poetic subjects in the selections along with hints of religious thoughts. I was not able to determine any religious beliefs according to her biography and wonder about her convictions. I also wonder how much of her secluded lifestyle contributed to the subjects of her poetry. The text describes her moods varying from “melancholy to exuberance, grief to joy, and despair to spiritual intoxication”. Could this have been her thoughts swaying from how she viewed her real, isolated life to the path she might have liked to pursue otherwise? There is so much mention or allude to death, does she feel as if she has never lived? Her life reminds me of Catherine Gilman‘s character in “The Yellow Wallpaper. Even though there doesn’t seem to be any brainwashing or confinement, she does seem to be a hermit in her secluded life.

I am anxious to review everyone’s posts to see if, from your thoughts, I can understand more of what she is revealing in her poetry. Even after reading it twice, I am still experiencing some confusion as to what she is trying to express to the world.

Sarah Orne Jewett's "A White Heron"

I am embarrassed to say I don’t recall ever knowing of Sarah Orne Jewett or her works. After reading this story, which I did enjoy, I would be interested in seeking out her children’s books to review. From her biography, it seems she would be a poster child for advocates of hands-on learning. I found it interesting her belief of “the best of my education was received in my father’s buggy and the places to which it carried me”. I do believe we can learn more, if not at least as much, seeing and doing as we can sitting in a classroom receiving lecture.

As happens frequently as I read, my inquisitive mind began to try to predict what was going to happen with young Sylvia. First, as a parent of girls in this day and age, I was taken back that this young girl would be out in the woods in the late evening hours alone. I had to remind myself of the times in which this story was written there wasn’t as much need for safety concerns as today. However, the story did reveal Sylvia’s apprehension at coming face to face to this young man in the woods. He seemed to disrupt the safe world she had created for herself on this small farm with her grandmother, away from her large family and the village people. I found it interesting the quickness the grandmother accepted him into her home and the genuine hospitality she afforded him. I thought how few of us today would be so trusting and open with a stranger showing up on our door step seeking food and shelter. He turned out to be no danger to Sylva or her grandmother, but a much bigger danger to the natural world of the area.

I felt the inner struggle of right and wrong was depicted by Sylvia’s character. While she became intrigued with the young man, even to the point of her “woman’s heart thrilled by a dream of love” and was also tempted by the offer of money to reveal the location of the heron, she fought the desires. I believe climbing the pine tree and experiencing the heights of the heron’s world, as she stood atop the tree, she realized the worth of the bird’s life and found the resolve to retain its location within her mind.

Mary Freeman's "The New England Nun"

As I read this story of Louisa Ellis, my first thought was “how sad for her”. But, in the end, I believe she was happy and content with her life, something not many of us ever seem to feel.

I believe her character depicts strength of very few women of the time. Most women felt society expected them to marry and have a husband to care and support them. Even though Louisa’s plan was to do just that, she did not seem comfortable or “sold” on the idea. The story reveals through Louisa’s thoughts her impending dread of having to change her lifestyle. From the orderliness of her bureau-drawers to the fear of Caesar being let loose, she knew the marriage to Joe Dagget would forever alter her methodical existence. It was as if she was hoping for a reprieve of the commitment, and then miraculously happened upon Joe and Lily one night privately discussing their feelings for one another. It was inspiring to read of the honor of the characters in not wanting to hurt the others. Lily was set to leave the area rather than force an uncomfortable state of affairs by living in the same area as the man she loved who was soon to be married to someone else. Joe was set to honor his fifteen year commitment even though he his heart belonged to Lily. Finally, Louisa was strong enough to set Joe free to marry the one he truly loved. I doubt many people of today would be as unselfish as any one of these characters concerning their fellow man’s feelings.

I enjoyed reading this story. As usual, with my love of mysteries, I was trying to speculate what was going to happen as I read. From the narrative of Louisa’s thoughts regarding the upcoming nuptials, it was not very difficult to recognize the decision she was preparing to make. As I read, I also enjoyed the descriptive settings and situations in the story. As I am when I read other high-quality authors, I was impressed with the detail of the scenery, movement, and happenings in the story. I am able to visualize the story and lose myself in it as I read. From the description at the beginning as to what Louise might have been seeing from her window while sewing to the visions she had as she thought of her home and what she would be leaving, I could feel myself in the story, watching and anticipating.

Hi! I am a 45 year old wife and mother. I work as a teacher assistant in an elementary school. I have recently returned to school to complete a bachelors degree in elementary education.



I absolutely love to read, for enjoyment. I am not a big fan of non-fiction reading. I do read a daily Bible devotion and the local newspaper, but the majority of my reading is fiction, for leisure and pleasure. Reading is and has been a major activity in our household since before our children were born. I read to my babies before they were born and continued religiously after they were born. My oldest daughter brought a stack of books taller than herself for me to read to her before bedtime when she was toddler. We had to limit her to ten bedtime stories. Her love of reading has magnified over the years. While many of our friends were paying their kids to read, limiting her reading time was a form of punishment for her. She is now in college and continues to read novels and old literary works. Upon graduation from the undergraduate program, she plans to pursue graduate school for library science.



My interest in reading has flourished in the past ten to fifteen years after my daughters were older and did not demand quite so much of my time. We participate in a summer reading program at our church library and I began checking out my own books after the girls were independently reading. The majority of my time is spent reading books by Christian authors Karen Kingsbury and Ted Dekker. I also enjoy Kristen Heitzman and Terri Blackstock. I just finished Karen Kingsbury's Take Three last week. Secularly, I enjoy reading books by James Patterson and Danielle Steele. I love mystery and real-life situational stories.



Reading assignments from this class will be much different from what I read for enjoyment. I found myself familiar with many titles as I glanced over the list of readings and authors. I hope to find them interesting and understandable. Even thought I work as a first and third grade assistant and am exposed to juvenile literary, it has been many years since my high school years of mature literary studies.