The Lottery No One Wants to Win

"Every year, after the lottery, Mr. Summers began talking again about a new box, but every year the subject was allowed to fade off without anything's being done." -"The Lottery"

     I try hard each unit to write something more than a hate blog because I feel the author had more in mind than to annoy me with his/her thoughts. I guess I owe it to the story and to him/her to come up with a plausible interpretation that falls within the "cone of meaning." This story sort of tested that conviction, but I do think there are some valid points to be made from the details. The given theme of this particular story was point of view. The point of view differs between age groups in this story, and from these differing ages and corresponding attitudes towards the lottery comes the motivation of the characters. The older people in the story, like Old Man Warner, are stuck in tradition. They don't want to change or, heaven forbid, get rid of the lottery because they feel like it tempers people to the fact that life is full of death. No matter how advanced society gets, they must know that life can't always be rainbows and kittens. This attitude is heavily contrasted with the younger society, who feel like the process may be counterintuitive. They show the lottery can encourage savagery and indifference to violence. Undoubdetly, life today reminds man more constantly of the inevitability of death, even if death and suffering are less prevalent. Just like the rituals dying out and becoing less important, the lottery is losing its meaning and intended purpose.

The Drunkard

"'Twill be all over the road,' whimpered Father. 'Never again, never again, not if I live to a thousand!'" -"The Drunkard"

     It's amazing how a lack of weird, cynical characters really adds to the intended effect of humor in a work. Mick and Harry are definitely much more respectable and relatable people than Zoe in "You're Ugly, Too." While I found the young, drunk Harry plot element funny, I think that irony does much more for Mick Delaney than for his son. When I stepped back and looked at the story as a whole, it became clear that Mick is surrounded by the fruits of hard work and strong morals. He gets the advantage of seeing life from his own perspective, which towards the end is mostly hindsight. I think Harry's getting drunk showed Mick the foolishness and overall stupidity of his own habits. Here he is at the beginning, friends with an extremely bright man with insight on every piece of information ever come across. The story then goes on to explain how Mick himself was very frugal and intelligent in building his own wealth. Mick is contrasted with Peter Crowley, a quasi-crook and conoisseur of drinks himself. Then Harry gets drunk. I think the above quote illustrates Mick's epiphany on the way home that he is surrounded by examples of successful people and he himself, at heart, is a strong individual. He realizes he can't let alcohol lord over him like it does, and he certainly doesn't want his son to end up like himself. The humor in the story actually serves as a cause of motivation for Mick Delaney.
   

"Popular Mechanics": Now is that more than one mechanic?

"Don't, she said. You're hurting the baby, she said." -Popular Mechanics

     Might I start out by saying that if I were to become a famous author, I don't think the photo on the back of my book could be any more intimidating than Raymond Carver's. He's staring into my soul...No, he's staring through my mind, manipulating my every thought, transporting it through my body, and planting it in the depths of my soul. I gave myself chills. Okay, enough of Ray.    

     Most of this post is going to be geared (it's punny, because it's Popular "Mechanics") towards style and how Carver gets the most out of such a short story. The story uses very little punctuation when it comes to quotes and emotional statements. That is what is unique about the language of the story. The statements are short and forceful, and sort of leave the true emotion up to the reader. The husband and wife are undoubtedly mad at one another, and the third-person author makes use of their limited dialogue to add some details that enhance the imagery of the dispute so the reader can make a better interpretation of true emotion. However, what was most important to me while I was reading was the baby. If you've seen one domestic dispute on Cops, you've seen them all, but I found it tragic that the baby should be hurt because of the dispute. It made me realized how important the child was to the coherence of the story. Surely if the baby wasn't a part of the equation, the mother and father would be long gone from one another. As far as symbolism goes, the child is what holds the family together. At the end when "the issue was decided," and the baby's arm breaks or does something of the equivalent, what ties were left in the family had been severed. I chose the above quote because I felt like the mother's words were symbolically saying that the father was hurting the relationship, and she seemed truly sorrowful about that.

How do I humor thee? Let me count the ironies...

"'Maybe I sound whiny to you,' said the girl, 'but I simply want my history major to mean something.'
     'Well, there's your problem,' said Zoe, and with a smile, she showed the student to the door. 'I like your bow,' she added."   -"You're Ugly, Too"

     What amazed me about this story was the endless number of situations, behaviors, and one-liners of irony and sarcasm that spewed from Zoe. That's right, spewed. I could see someone being sort of fed-up with the imperfections in society, but Zoe displays a constant cynicism that really serves to highlight her eccentricities. Let's see, she puts everything in Baggies (apparently thats a brand now-I guess it's reached monopoly status like Kleenex), is afraid her rug says Bruce Springsteen, and curtly asks men she has just met if they are gay. I thought about taking Zoe for what she is worth, giving her credit for her individuality, so on and so forth...but when one of the review questions asked me if I felt sympathetic towards her because of her eccentricities, I realized my sympathy was slim. When Zoe uses sarcasm and comments that are meant to be funny, she is elevating herself above the people who she interacts with on purpose. I have to agree with her that the intentions of man and the happenings of life don't usually turn out positively, but her reaction to this is to simply become aloof. She doesn't try to tolerate or change any negative aspect of society. She mocks it. Many times that's how humor works; it's easier to point out the faults in a funny way than to change the response to them. I appreciate that the story was lighter, but Moore points out a theme that pressure can overtake even those who act above its grasp.

"No doubt somebody would have noticed if she hadn't been there; she was part of the performance after all. How strange she'd never thought of it like that before! And yet it explained why she made such a point of starting from home at just the same time each week-so as not to be late for the performance-and it also explained why she had quite a queer, shy feeling at telling her english pupils how she spent her Sunday afternoons." -"Miss Brill"

     I never thought starting out this story that it would make me feel so sympathetic towards a fictional character. Of course I first thought she was stuck up, conceited, and a little unwell for talking to a fur. However, when I finished the story, I realized the tragedy in her whole situation. She sits alone every Sunday at the exact same time, probably because she has no place else to go. Her name indicates she is unmarried and an older woman. She describes herself as an "expert...at listening" but the story never mentions any conversation with other people. This is a woman in desperate lonliness. Just like in other short stories like "A Worn Path," her actions portray the purpose of the writing. I do believe this story was meant to create sympathy in the reader because of the way Miss Brill handles her situation. At the beginning, she praises her fur and overlooks its blemishes. The fur, a representation of her because it is personified and she is the only reasonable character to be compared to it, then cries in pain at the end of the story. Miss Brill looks at herself as an actress and other people as her company because she is fantasizing reality. In reality, she has no connection with any of these people. However, if she praises her fur and thinks of life as a play, it covers up the pain of knowing she is a flawed social outcast. When I realized this, I felt sympathy for her. She could choose to hate life in this somber situation, or fantasize to numb the pain that is always present. It's tragic to see a situation where the person suffers because there is not way to change the circumstances.

A Worn Path

"'Thorns, you doing your appointed work. Never want to let folks pass, no sir. Old eyes thought you was a pretty little green bush.'" -"A Worn Path"

     At least two of the review questions cover characterization and the importance of the minor characters' actions in the story. I felt like these questions were most important because the theme can be explained and vivified mainly through characters, just like the chapter overview says. I found most of the support for the theme through the actions of Phoenix Jackson alone, but some of the minor characters contributed as well. The above quote is just one of the several examples of behavior that presents the theme. Phoenix, an old black woman, is on this journey to get medicine for her son, but she is burdened and hindered by many things during her excursion. First, the plot shows that elements of nature, like large inclines and creeks, which she must overcome. Then she has to interact with some questionable characters, like the man with the gun and the patronizing nurse. Finally, it's her Alzheimer's. I realized that she had no animosity towards the natural things that caused her burdens. She never cursed the hill or the swamp, but she did have an attitude towards the people who saw it as a problem to give her monetary charity. Phoenix shows that one's attitude towards the inevitable burdens in life usually dictates his/her overall mood. She didn't focus on the money she didn't have, like the minor characters did. That is why she is much more stiff with them. Phoenix never saw a problem with the natural obstacles she had to overcome; she only tried to get across that money does not dictate happiness.

Theme

"'He suffer and it don't seem to put him back at all. He got a sweet look. He going to last.'" -"A Worn Path"

     The beginning of the chapter explains that theme exists for a specific purpose, which can be didactic, observational, or simply for enjoyment. For this unit, all of the stories seem to serve as a reminder of a common truth of life: pain and loss are inevitable, it is how one deals with them that determines their ultimate oulook. I chose the quote above because Phoenix Jackson, although clearly burdened with onset dementia or Alzheimer's or something of the sort, understands that truth better than the characters in the other stories. Her grandson may very well be dead already, and she is his primary caretaker, but she doesn't seem to let that bother her. She could fantasize about how he might be able to get some life-saving treatment, or how she could win the lottery, but that doesn't help her current situation. This theme is never outwardly stated, but the conclusions imply such a purpose. As stated in the previous post, most of the endings were somewhat unexpected to me. I have to admit, they were a little more melancholy than what I thought I would get based on the elements leading up to the climax. So, emotion plays a large role in understanding the theme as well. I hoped for the characters to take a certain route, and when they didn't, it created sympathy or frustration. Emotion lent itself to me relating better to the characters and understanding their plights.

Teamwork: Suspense and Climax

"All the seas of the world tumbled about her heart. He was drawing her into them: he would drown her. She gripped with both hands at the iron railing." -"Eveline"

     This theme unit was enjoyable for me because sometimes less lengthy short stories are easier to break down than long ones, like Bartleby. Each detail presented usually relates more importantly to the overall plot or theme. The short stories in this unit each gave small plot and theme clues throughout the story and built up to a thought-provoking conlcusion. I felt like the drawn out anticipation or surprise ending structures were used in most of these stories. I never expected Eveline to stay at home, Phoenix Jackson to totally forget the reason for her journey, or any member of the "Once Upon a Time" family to be harmed by something of their own creation. The language, diction and inner though processes of most of these characters were fairly rational and logical. This definitely added to the suspense and surprise, even if the situations described were beyond reasonable plausibility. Honestly, what suburban family has the resources to turn their home into a fortress or what normal person truly believes they are part of a large-scale play carried out in real life? I think this is why the suspense and climaxes of the stories contribute so well to each theme. Sure Eveline would like to run away with her lover and away from her pain, but human nature always seems to bind us to home. Sure Miss Brill would like to think of herself as elevated and dignified, but society reminds her that she is no more than an old woman. Most of the themes follow typical patterns of human behavior, and the build-ups serve to emphasize them.

Ah, Bartleby!

"Dead letters! does it not sound like dead men? Conceive a man by nature and misfortune prone to a pallid hopelessness, can any business seem more fitted to heighten it than that of continually handling these dead letters and assorting them for the flames?" -"Bartleby the Scrivener"

     The above quote is one of the main reasons this story irritated me so much. Not only was it an improper use of time to read about a man who says the same thing repeatedly, but no plot details or other characters add to understanding the character Bartleby. I guess I could see how being employed by the government and sorting unreceived mail containing sentimental life objects could be numbing and depressing, but what would posess a man never to speak, carry out a job, find normal living conditions, or generally have no reason for why he does the same things? I was hoping for some resolution and worthwhile hint into Bartleby's motivation but all I read was how he would prefer not to do anything. The only valuable conclusion I could come up with concerns the narrator (lawyer)'s treatment of Bartleby. He works on Wall Street, which is unsympathetic and results-driven. Maybe Bartleby's actions come as a fascination to him because he is so out of place on Wall Street, and the way he handles any situation, a preference not to act, seems to be quite effective. Perhaps to the narrator, Bartleby is a symbol of freedom in the results-driven world that he lives in, despite the fact that Bartleby could care less about freedom at all. Maybe I could have had more sympathy for Bartleby if I had even the slightest indication of his motivation, whether it be by fault of his own or the fault of others.

Everyday Use

"She never takes a shot without making sure the house is included. When a cow comes nibbling around the edge of the yard she snaps it and me and Maggie and the house." -"Everyday Use"

     The most challenging aspect of this story was trying to figure out the motivation for Dee's behavior. She seems to be greatly affected by the cold, productive, ambitious nature of the present. Her insisting on getting the house in the photo and taking the butter churn and blanket for her own personal decoration is an indication that her life is full of checking boxes and following trends. She is almost stuck in a state of teenage rebelliousness which is full of attempts at finding one's self while thinly holding on to family and close friends. When I look at it that way, I can almost muster some sort of sympathy for Dee. Growing out of this trend requires close friends who have a direction in life and can provide an example of maturity. The story stated that Dee never had many friends, and the ones she did looked up to her. She never had anyone to look up to herself. Consequently, she is lost in a sea of uncertainty in which she does things, like focus on fashion, with great conviction even though it does not make her a better person or bring her closer friends.

Stock Characters

"'Tub,' he said, 'you havn't seen your own balls in ten years.' Kenny doubled over laughing. He took off his own hat and slapped his leg with it. 'What am I supposed to do?' Tub said. 'It's my glands.'" -"Hunters in the Snow"

     In contrast to "Everyday Use" and "Bartleby the Scrivener," "Hunters in the Snow" relied more on stock characters. I believe the goal of the story was humor, which was accomplished. It reminded me of some "Three Stooges" clip or the movie "Dumb and Dumber" because of the characters' illogical, thoughtless decisions and constant banter. Due to the plot elements of the story, the characters are dynamic in that Frank turns from the conversational superior to soliciting sympathy, Tub goes from bumbling adolescent to sympathetic adolescent, and Kenny begins as an antagonizer and turns into doubting dependant. This story too made me question why a writer would employ mostly stock characters if their actions are predictable. The scene that stuck in my mind was when Tub and Frank returned from the tavern to the truck and almost scolded Kenny for his covers bunching up against the tailgate, as if it was Kenny's fault for losing his covers with a hole in his chest. This occurance and Frank's admitting to an affair shows that society tends to place importance in social matters over physical well-being. This is somewhat ironic because the author uses men to display this trend, when women are most likely to be dramatic and sympathetic.

Foil Characters

"She washed us in a river of make-believe, burned us with a lot of knowledge we didn't necessarily need to know. Pressed us to her with the serious way she read, to shove us away at just the moment, like dimwits, we seemed about to understand." -"Everyday Use"

     The characters in all three short stories give the plot its action and meaning. Because the actions of the characters consume most of the writing, characterization is easier to determine than more setting-based fiction. This was somewhat covered in class, but at least two of the stories, "Bartleby the Scrivener" and "Everyday Use," rely on foil characters, or characters who contrast and emphasize characteristics of the other person. We were told to rank how we sympathized, or more simply liked, the characters in order of least to greatest. Among many students of the same feelings, I chose Dee of "Everyday Use"-object of the above quote-as my least-liked character. I can also disclose that Bartleby of "Bartleby the Scrivener" was another one of my least-like characters. Although the stories generated sympathy for the protagonist/narrators, I was left wondering why a writer would use, in my opinion, unappealing characters that could potentially turn away readers? Maybe the so-called "likeable" characters are emphasized to show flaws in even the most sympathetic characters.

A Rose for Emily

"A neighbor saw the Negro man admit him at the kitchen door at dusk one evening. And that was the last we saw of Homer Barron." -"A Rose for Emily"

     This story is much more than a well-crafted and unsuspecting ghost story. For me, it truly made me look into the mindset of Emily Grierson compared with the thoughts of society. On the outside world, she was always a woman of old money and natural status. However, the plot suggests something more unusual, not sinister, took place in her mind. When her father died, Miss Emily as left with the house. She had no more money from father or any reason to go about town. Homer Barron was the replacement of that money and purpose. He gave Miss Emily a reason to be seen. Perhaps Emily, socially and behaviorally inept due to isolation, viewed him as an essential item. Whether she killed him or imprisoned him in the house I do not know. If I had to guess, I would wager the former. Nevertheless, Faulker presents a glimpse into soutern society and its inevitable effects when placed upon a lonely, aging, and longing woman.

Interpreter of Maladies

"When she whipped out the hairbrush, the slip of paper with Mr. Kapasi's address on it fluttered away in the wind." -"Interpreter of Maladies"

     I enjoyed this story for a number of reasons, including the fact that it was more relevant to daily issues and it highlighted a moral dilemma which it left open-ended to interpretation. Yes, I do not believe the slip fluttering away or the final page of this story offered any resolution. Mr. Kapasi would surely never hear from Mrs. Das again, but the plot sets the stage for some mind-racking on the part of the reader as to her next move. For me, I believe from the description of her grief at telling Mr. Kapasi about her son indicates that she will continue on in this diminishing marriage. Her husband seems to be a genuinely caring and nice man with little inclination to give in to various temptations. She loves her children enough to not break that up. One of the review questions covers cultural sympathy, and both situations are evenly unenviable. I do believe Mr. Kapasi is in a slightly less advantagious viewpoint. He is living in a changing world where media is altering the family normality. Mrs. Das has children that bond her marriage, but Kapasi has a wife and children and still must wrestle with his own unimportance.

Plot and Setting

"They were on their way to see the Sun Temple at Konarak. It was a ddry, bright Saturday, the mid-JUly heat tempered by a steady ocean breeze, ideal weather for sightseeing." -"Interpreter of Maladies"

     For all of these stories, the setting plays an important role in the plot. For "How I Met my Husband," Edie is barred the opportunity to meet men outside the setting of work since she resides with her employers. The above quote shows that the plot is set in India, and "A Rose for Emily" takes place in the Deep South. It serves to note that each of these stories portrays a character with a social idiosyncracy or flaw that ultimately leads to the revelation of the plot. Well, the setting has a major role in the progression of these plots. Each setting lends itself to the characters' flaws. With "A Rose for Emily," the town is still accustomed to Soutern gentility and decorum, leading to an appropriate ghost story. In "How I Met my Husband," the countryside location of the house suggests fleeting intentions and times. Edie is as steadfast as the house, but like the crops and ever-changing fairground around her, her lover ends up not being a flying nomad but an area fixture, like herself.

Suspense, Satire, and Situational Irony...but not alliteration

"So I said yes, and I went out with him for two years and he asked me to marry him,..." -"How I Met my Husband"

     I must say that I was quite surprised by the endings of nearly all the short stories in this unit. I feel like I could speak most readers when I say that I fully expected Edie to sleep with and run away with Chris and for Mrs. Das, in "Interpreter of Maladies" to make an advance at, or simply make an attempt at, Mr. Kapasi. However, the crafting of these stories by suspense adds to their effect. I was brought back to the sobering and somewhat less entertaining realities that (for "HIMMH") the soul will settle for less passionate love in the wake of desertment but (for "IOM") that the soul still yearns for that passionate, self-pleasing direction after experiencing the opposite. Interestingly, these are common dispositions among many people in society. They could even classify as social downfalls, and these stories shed light on them in different ways. Edie is the innocent, inferior citizen corrupted by the ways of mature society. Mrs. Das is the victim of lightspeed society where jobs and families drown out any possibiltiy of ambition in relationships and hobbies. Just like most society problems, they weren't casued my any one person but the majority, and they are difficult to resist or break away from. So, related to poetry, short stories are much the same, but drawn out over a more complex plot.

A Poem for the Undead

"He's ready. I am not. I can't just say good-bye as cheerfully as if he were embarking on a trip to make my later trip go well." -"Elegy for My Father, Who Is Not Dead" by Andrew Hudgins

     One of the questions following this poem covered the differing views of immortality from the father and son's perspective. I felt as though this was one of the main strategies used my the author in this poem, and it deserves some analysis. By the speaker's language, the inference is that his father has experienced all that he has desired in this life and now looks forward to the afterlife, or immortality. The father seems to believe in a greater afterlife, like heaven, while the son is skeptical. The son indicates, as found in the above quote, that he is not ready. I take this to mean that he is not as wise as his father. Later on, he says he cannot see his father welcoming him back to the safety of the dock after he has followed him into death. The son is not quite pessimistic, but rather more agnostic. Not that he is searching for a God, but the son does not clearly see a set of pearly gates with his father walking through them. That does not mean he rules them out though. He says he "can't just say good-bye...," not he won't say good-bye cheerfully. There is a seed of hope that at the end of his own life he will see his father welcoming him back but he knows that his own self-contemplation must come first.

The Pride of Death

"And soonest our best men with thee do go,..." -"Death, be not proud" by John Donne

     I enjoyed this poem because the theme was much more sentimental, applicable, and common than most poems which I have read so far. The speaker uses apostrophe and personification to refer to death. I find this quite astute because over time death has shown that it can be cruel and calculated to even the best of people. The speaker illustrates death as a cowardly killer. He says that death takes away the best of us while the immoral live on. It dwells in war, poison, and sickness. All of these forms of death are not disguised in kings and lawless men because they are the ones we expect to die to. It is disguised in places the moral people never see coming. I know that this is especially applicable to sickness as well. Death hides in sickness and forces men with indomitable wills to deal with its proceedings. Yet, there are murderers and rapists running the streets without a care of mortality. I thought, at first, the last stanza was just a feeble attempt to injure an immovable constant like death. However, I realized the truth in the statement. Just like personifying death is a mental function, we can mentally overcome death by seriously focusing on its fleeting influence. We can look to the afterlife and notice that death is simply our means to get there.

Pattern

"Do you live in North London? Is it you?" -"Lonely Hearts" by Wendy Cope

     Oh joy, incessant questions and repeated lines of poetry. Annoyance is not an appropriate word for poems such as "Lonely Hearts" because I see much more intellect in repetition than hammering in an idea. That is what makes pattern challenging. The first thing I notice is that a pattern in a poem can carry a reader over a series of changes in tone or otherwise. "Edward" repeats the same line twice each stanza, but after the first few stanzas the line after the repitition holds much more anticipation than first. However, the first is interesting to the reader in that it introduces a new consquence of an action. Pattern can also be a useful tool for emotional expression by the author. Unless an author explicitly states his speaker's own facial expressions or mannerisms, the reader must interpret a poem by its implications and diction, among other things. Repitition gives a much more direct route to the speaker or author's thoughts. If the author is willing to write the line or phrase several times, it must represent a strong emotion or a progression of emotions the writer is feeling. "Lonely Hearts" uses like the "North London" line, which progressively becomes more hopeless each stanza. By the end of the poem, the question is not merely wanting a response, it is begging for one.

Apostrophe

"And you, my father, there ont he sad height, curse, cless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray." -"Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" by Dylan Thomas

      A good number of these poems go beyond sending a message to the reader and address a specific entity unknown to the reader. It is almost as if they were written solely for the counsel of a singular individual. For this reason, the poems display a degree of apostrophe. Noticing the adressee is easy, however; how it is used is the paramount objective. The emphasis of this chapter is the use of pattern or form. A form is a set of guidelines- it is a defined space within the author must work. The speaker is not as much bound by these walls however. Many of these poems deal with the great equalizer of death. Much like a form or pattern of poetry, death is a limitation. Human nature prompts man to avoid unpleasant events like death, and the speaker is some of these poems is attempting vicarious evasion of death through the individuals to which they are referring. Apostrophe in writing allows the speaker, or author, to act beyond the physical limitations by which he or she is bound. Death is also an apostrophe is some of the poems. A reader can see the effects of death but as for a face, we must refer to an absent individual with sueprnatural presence.

Tone

"Die not, poor death, nor yet canst thou kill me." -"Death, be not proud" by John Donne

     The first three poems of this chapter share a common theme of a character's reaction to death. One of the most archetypical plots used in poetry, and literature in general, is the inevitability of death. Some plots tend to have their characters calmly submit to death and discuss the beauty in what comes before or after the event. Others, like "Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night" encourage resistance, insisting that death can be overcome. The common thread throughout all these works is that despite their argument for a call to action in response to death, each poem implicitly pays respect to its power. "That time of year" presents the mindset that death is a drawn out process, beginning at birth and acting on us until the ultimate end. "Do Not Go Gentle..." is quite the opposite in that the speaker encourages the absent characters to fight against death through their blessings and words. The fact of the matter is that despite the response, each writer chose to present a tone which is subtly respectful of death. Each writer knows it is inevitable, so they choose to shape man's perception of its enduring qualities.

Crossing the Bar

"I hope to see my Pilot face to face when I have crossed the bar." -"Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson

     "Crossing the Bar" consists of mostly imagery and symbols to explain the quest in which the speaker is embroiled. I believe the bar is a "point of no return" in regards to life, which is interesting. In life we always have the choice to turn back regardless of the consequences. However, most of the poem is referring to death. The imagery used to associate death is somewhat peculiar though. The speaker explains her hope of the "flood may bear me far," indicating that there is some sort of furthur jouney awaiting him or her. I believe the bourne of Time and Place may be a symbol of God as he is our determination of the afterlife. The tone is also an important part of this poem. Of course death brings a negative connotation, but Tennyson puts a unique spin on it. Death is described as an endeavor into the seas. The seas are unpredictable, turbulent, and ruthless. Yet, the speaker has an almost certain faith that he/she will meet her maker in the unpredicatable afterlife.

To His Coy Mistress

"That long-preserved virginity, and your quaint honor turn to dust,..." -"To His Coy Mistress" by Andrew Marvell

     The interpretations with this poem are numerous and intriguing. It seems simple to understand but it leaves me with deeper questions and observations regarding style. Along the lines of the chapter emphasis, I feel that the tone is sincere love but it is punctuated by a pleading sense of urgency. The speaker sees some kind of fork in the road that his lover does not and acts on it. Of course after reading this work, I wondered why the mistress is acting coy, or reluctant. I believe it is a combination of several factors. She is in the common predicament of choosing to commit to a relationship versus remaining unattatched and shielding herself from hurt. Also, the quote above gives an explanation in regards to her lack of affection. This could be her first genuine love and she feels a need to preserve her state of purity. She has made a conscious choice to act morally above the rest and cherishes that reputation more than her prospective happiness with her lover. That brings up the question of why this man holds so much hope for the future. Does he actually see them having kids together, much less a future? I think the answer lies with the reader and their own hope of love.

Language and Paradox

"And thee, feigned vestal, in worse arms shall see; Then thy sick taper will begin to wink,..." -"The Apparition" by John Donne

     Save "Hazel tells LaVerne," most of the poems are written in learned language. Many of them used words I had never heard of that carried their own connotations. Therefore the diction, or language of writing, benefits a reader who can interpret the educated comparisons which each poem presents. When I researched these words I found that many of them were descriptive explanations of the characteristics or types of people presented in the poems. I included the line above because it is a prime example of the use of diction to present a paradox. In this case, the educated paradox serves to take the edge off the insult which the reader can infer from the meanings of the words. "Feigned" means fake and "vestal" is a virgin. So basically the speaker is playing out his ridicule and revenge through cleverly masked put-downs. I think these sometimes unknown words can often be attention-grabbing techniques. They prompt the reader to get a better understanding of the plot and consequently a better understanding of other aspects like tone and theme.

Mood and Motivation

"And then, poor aspen wretch, neglected, thou, bathed in a cold quicksilver sweat, wilt lie a verier ghost than I." -"The Apparition" by John Donne

     The tone of a poem is usually implied, but much can be gathered from a speaker or character's thoughts and actions. Throughout most of these poems, either the speaker's actions or descriptions of others through diction give a fair indication of their attitude and the tone they hope to get across. Poems such as "The Apparition" give detailed example after example that tend to convey the speaker's general dissatisfaction with the depth of love he normally engages in. Many times the attitude is directed at characters within the poem, but other times it addresses society, and therefore the reader, as a whole. "Dover Beach" is similar to this style as it addresses a person close to the speaker while giving historical context to the happenings at that beach over time. Just as in life, the motive for a person's action or thought can convey the attitude they hold towards the matter. "Getting Out" serves this example because the speaker dialogues about the souring of the marriage but by the end the reader knows that his tone is regretful and nostalgic by the thoughts and actions in the last several lines. The familiar adage of  "actions greater than words" holds true in this sense.

Chapter Theme: Tone

"But now I only hear its melancholy, long, withdrawing roar, retreating..." -"Dover Beach" by Matthew Arnold

     With the chapter emphasis on tone, the importance with each poem was to find the speaker's and author's attitude towards the characters or institutions discussed. Because these poems are from a more educated and scholarly set of authors, the emotions did not explicitly appear through punctuation or direct description of events. Instead they were hinted at with metaphors and understatement. In poems like "To his Coy Mistress" and "The Apparition," I think it helps for the reader to put him/herself in the position of the speaker. I could much more easily figure out the attitude of the speaker towards his lover in each of these poems because I have experienced hints of these emotions before. Many of us are also well versed in normal human reaction to these situations. The author assumes we have an idea of how a normal person would react and uses the assumption to indicate the tone. I believe the tone is also established in many of the poems by including the reader in the plot. The authors use "we" and "us", even though they may be talking to a person not present, to make the interpretation more personal.

God, america, i

"next to of course god america i love you land of the pilgrims..." -"next to of course god america i" by E.E. Cummings

     As the most challenging and thought provoking poem of the set, this one definitely deserves its own post. I tried to follow the guidelines of the questions which seemed to help in the interpretation. The information in quotations is a speech. If the speaker makes a deliberate point to explain that God is before country then he must be talking to a gathering of religious people. He is possibly a pastor talking to his congregation. Cummings uses "thy" to refer to the founders of our country because it fits the time period. He and his audience have a closer relationship to God and therefore use "your glorious name." I had a difficult time reasoning if the speaker is satirizing patriotism or speaking literally as a response to an event (more on that later.) I figured that in a not-so-tactful way the speaker uses clues such as "happy" and "rushed like lions" to suggest that the men who died were conscious of their fate. Instead of acting tentative and defiant, these men were like lions in that they went down with glory and dignity. On the contrary, I believe Cummings is question this mindset. Finally I reach the last question, which could be the most important in regards to the reason for the entire quoted paragraph. The speaker and his listeners have indirectly experienced an event (likely war?) which has called on their motivation and resolve. The last line of the speech asks a question and then it says the speaker drinks quickly. He is most likely pausing for another rallying dialogue in which these people are told what they can do. Of course the voice of liberty will not be mute because he believes in a republic that has endured for "centuries come and go."

Apostrophe and Allegory

"Divorce me, untie or break that knot again,..." -"Batter my heart, three-personed God" by John Donne

     Most of the poems this chapter have an intended subject and audience to which they speak. What I realized was that the subjects were much furthur away from the speaker than someone who is engaging in personal diaglogue. The speaker talks about something that is not present or something spiritual. At times, like in "Sorting Laundry," the subject is both far away and represented by another object. The reason for the separation is that distance makes emotion stronger. The speaker in that poem would probably not be as gushy and overdramatic if they were right next to one another. "Batter my heart, three-personed God" addresses God and faith but the distance between God's salvation and the speaker's bleak reality causes a strain on hope and faith. Even "Ozymandias" addresses an acient king. The time is the separation and the stern visage of the sculpture is no longer as menacing as it once was. Distance gets the theme across but does not allow for overindulgence into emotion, which could cover up the meaning.

How Ironic

"'Please don't write such depressing letters. Your're upsetting your mother.'" -"APO 96225" by Larry Rottmann

     Because the chapter is based on figurative language, a majority of the poems use irony to get their point across. A good amount of them are criticizing something in society through this irony. This is most apparent in "Ozymandias" and "Barbie Doll." The speaker describes a figure who starts out with one appearance or nature and transforms into something diferent. By the end it sounds like the speaker is not surprised by the outcome; it is merely a appropriate end to a story. For this reason, the distinction between author and speaker in some ironic works is important to understand. The speaker wants the progression to sound normal while the author uses that tone to specifically point out characteristics of the characters or situations. Piercy certainly does not think a woman with plastic surgery and years of torment is a happy ending, but she has the speaker talk like it is to draw attention to the issue. The E.E. Cummings poem uses some of the same techniques. Cummings urges his audience to not worry, essentially spelling out the tragedy of patriotic death for any citizen. Cummings probably wants readers to question their loyalty to any governing power which is inevitably corrupt and crumbling.

Ozymandias

"Two vast and trunkless legs of stone stand in the desert..." -"Ozymandias" by Percy Bysshe Shelley

     This poem uses some common devices found in previous poems. I first focused in on the imagery which it provides. He talks about the "shattered visage" and "cold command" to give life to an inanimate object. In this way the sculpture is personified throughout the entire poem. A line that confused me was the one that stated, "The hand that mocked them and the heart that fed;" I feel as though the mocking hand could be the people who eventually led to the great king's downfall. Obviously they would be mocking if he had raised himself to the level in which the poem indicated he did. The heart is a bit more puzzling. The excerpt is referring to the passions which the sculptor recreated in the sculpture. When I think of vaingloriousness, I usually associate it with the mind. It is the mind that created the inflated ego. I suppose the heart symbolism indicates he usually acted on pure emotion rather than reason. The quote was another detail I believe the author included on purpose. He describes a "trunkless," or torso-less, sculpture with only the legs and head remaining. I think it is interesting that the thing that caused his ultimate demise, his head or ego, is still there and his legs to stand on are still there. The body is missing because his enemies took the body- they killed the man by stopping his vital organs in his body. The rest remains as a reminder of the inevitability of collapse of a passion-fed regime.

Barbie Doll

"Her good nature wore out, like a fan belt." -"Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy

      I saw many similarities to last chapter's "Pink Dog" in this poem. First of all, it is set up in a satire so that the cause of the subject's actions are blamed on society. The girl is complimented and acknowledged by the speaker but eventually the tone shifts to her indadequacies. Eventually she gets to a point at which it is absolutely nescessary she change her physical nature or suffer greatly. I inlcuded the quote above because it is a common occurance in today's society. We all have ideals and morals we strive to live up to. However, the test of time eventually wears on us. The fan belt kept her from becoming overly influenced by emotion due to her appearance. This wore out and she was left to abandon her ideals. I was also intrigued by the line about how she "offered them up," referring to her old physical features. It could be thought of as merely ridding herself of their curse, but I think it is used to display her regret. She is asking forgiveness for giving in to the belief that her body will always be adequate.

Regardless of looks, we all have parts of our inner selves we need fixed. I don't think we can ever repair something completely like the poem suggests, but over time we make it better.

"February"

"Over and over again, He shoots, he scores! and famine crouches in the bedsheets..." -"February" by Margaret Atwood

    This poem definitely has the most interesting motivation, aim, and diction of all the chapter poems. I was slightly taken aback at some of the language used. Poetry is always though of as proper, eloquent, and flowing. It usually does not inlcude phrases like "burped-up meat" and "small pink bumhole." I must say though, the imagery it creates serves the metaphor well. I also had trouble grasping the theme of the poem. She starts out by emphasizing life as a pursuit of sex and territory, or status, wealth, etc. More than halfway down it shifts to our "pollution," a "scewered heart," and french fries. I believe the cat is much like the toad in "Toads" in that it is a representation of a fundamentally damaging characteristic of society: our pursuit of pleasure and status and wealth. The poem also utilizes some sarcasm at the end when it says that it's the "life principle, more or less, so get going on a little optimism." Atwood doesn't truly think these pursuits will bring happiness but society tells us they do. Furthermore, February is an effective metaphor for living modestly. When I think of February, it is a time of great anticipation and exhausting with the long state of winter. It takes much more concentrated optimism to see the good in February. However, February doesn't lend itself to indulgences like French fries. February is modest and challenging.

"Pink Dog"-Tone

"If they do this to anyone who begs...what would they do to sick , four-legged dogs?" -"Pink Dog" by Elizabeth Bishop

     In regard to the guide question about the tone and its utilization, I chose "Pink Dog" due to it being the most heavily opinionated and personal out of all the poems this chapter. My personal opinion is that "Pink Dog" is similar with "London" in that it focuses primarily on the problem through the somewhat harsh explanation of a single character. In this case, Bishop focuses on the appearance of the "dog" and its treatment by society to point out the injustices in the system. The tone of the poem starts out as somwhat sympathetic and cautionary, then leads into the deeper problematic tendencies with society- the sarcastic, ridiculing tone. Bishop is describing the behaviors of an established society (Rio de Janeiro) which has not adapted morally to care for its impoverished. She, like Larkin, acknowledges that the poor must live by the wits to adapt in such a hostile society. In that sense, it seems as though the sympathy is carried out through the whole poem. She urges the "dog" to dress up for Carnival. Essentially, she wants him/her to follow the thought process of society and cover up their unpleasantries in order to have a chance at fitting in with the normal people.

Paradox

"...who must Like th' other foot, obliquely run;" -"A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning" by John Donne

     When I first read this statement it appeared illogical and contradictory, like a paradox should. Usually when one run the feet will be in paralll paths or else the individual will be wasting energy. Even to turn slightly requires more energy than to run in straight line. Although the statement suggests the follower is running in circles, the rest of the stanza clears up the contradiction. The speaker says that his/her firmness makes his "circle just." The follower is being guided along a circular path leading back to the start. The author tries to explain the difficulty in love in this stanza. He suggests that love is not easy- it requires effort, hence the circular path- but it can lead back to something great which the two once shared. Another contradiction I found which was slightly more easy to comprehend. In "Toads" Larkin uses an entire stanza of contradictions to illustrate a point. He mentions those who "live on their wits" such as "Losels, loblolly-men, louts" who somehow "don't end as paupers." When I think of of thieves and bums, I usually think of poverty or paupers and not someone who lives on their wits. He uses the contradiction to explain a point which he makes throughout the poem. He says that despite their immoral means of livelihood, they ultimately end up more fulfilled in life than someone who chases wealth.

Personification

"A depilated dog would not look well. Dress up!" -"Pink Dog" by Elizabeth Bishop

     At the beginning of chaper 5, personification, a specific type of figure of speech, is highlighted and discussed. It shows up in several of the poems to add depth and meaning to the theme. In poems like "Bright Star" and "Pink Dog" the metaphor is carried out throughout the entire poem and the effect of the speaker being or longing to be the object personified is built upon through descriptions of its characteristics. The book suggests that there are varying degrees of personification. Sometimes we are asked to compare an object in every aspect to a human and other times only part of the object is emphasized. For most of the poems, especially ones like "Bright Star," only part of the star is emphasized. When I think of personification, I often think it is used to give life and interest to something simple, like a flower or worm. However, "Bright Star" showed me that the opposite can also be true. Keats uses the immortal and eternal aspects of a star in an attempt to explain his own longing for superhuman qualities. We wants to be sleepless and omniscient while also being able to love and feel emotion. He wants intimacy and distance and illustrates it through personification.

"Toads"

"Can't I use my wit as a pitchfork and drive the brute off?" -"Toads" by Philip Larkin

    When reading this poem, I first noticed the sarcasm with which Larkin speaks. I carried that sarcasm on longer than the author probably intended and thought that he was upset with the injustice he faced through poverty. I realized Larkin is disgusted but for a different reason. He is unhappy with the way he comes about his livelihood. He would be much more content with having good luck than to waste his time working toward financial security. He also would rather have nothing at all like "losels" in the alleys. This made me question two things. Why doesn't he acknowledge the fact that he can live simply? Also, what is the significance of the toad to represent material wealth. I believe the most plausibel explanation to the first question is that it seems like he has no family to comfort and strengthen him like the "losels" ("their nippers...unspeakable wives). The best explanation I can give for the metaphor of a toad would be that toads are ugly, reclusive, and not discussed frequently. The pursuit for wealth can also be described as ugly and somewhat taboo. We sometimes make choices for the sake of wealth that negatively affect our personalities, and we don't nescessarily talk openly about gaining wealth; we just do it naturally.

The Panther

"...the movement of his powerful soft strides." -"The Panther" by Rainer Maria Rilke

    This poem intrigued me more than most of the poems in this set. I believe because the reasonable interpretations were limited, the author is looking for the reader to get more out of the imagery and our own imagination than the simple allegory itself. First, I took some context clues to conclude that the poem must be about a prisoner and not an actual animal. An animal would not think of life behind bars as a life with "no world" (essentially no hope.) He would merely think of it as the new normal. Also, only man can have a will described as "mighty." With animals instinct can be masked as will. Humans truly desire and pursue goals. What I took from the poem was that humans can often times be thought of as panthers. Although we live in families and communities, we spend every waking minute of each day with ourselves. We corrupt ourselves and this leads to a powerful will to either do good or evil. However, when this will is suppressed either by physical imprisonment or social situations, our feelings become stronger. Maybe we once again long for social interaction or imaginative freedom. When we desire these but realize we cannot have them, we experience a spiritual death from the lack of hope. It is almost a form of torment. We can visualize what we want but cannot have it.

A "Titanic" Distance

"In a solitude of the sea deep from human vanity." -"Convergence of the Twain" by Thomas Hardy

     Although this poem was fairly straightforward in regards to meaning and style, I found some notable nuances. First was the tone. Hardy takes a very sarcastic approach when speaking of the famed ship. He speaks of its "vaingloriousness" and refers to it as the "smart ship." The sarcasm is also supplemented by the other factors in the poem. He talks about how the "Iceberg grew too." The second method I noticed was Hardy's seemingly deliberate separation of the physical levels of the situation of which he is describing serve to continuate this sarcasm. However, the levels are not in order of importance. He talks about the indifferent sea creatures after he talks of the shiny and pretentious ship. The ship is normally on a level greater than that of the sea creatures but in this case is brought down to their same level. Then, on a pedestal higher than all entities is the "Spinner of the Years" who determines the fate of all levels, as evidenced by the decline of an esteemed level into indifference.

"Creation" of Spring

"A strain of the earth's sweet being in the beginning in Eden garden." -"Spring" by Gerard Manley Hopkins

     I chose this particular poem due to its upbeat tone and balanced imagery. For this reason I will attempt to answer some of the most relevant questions in the Blogging Requirements. If I had to write a theme for this poem, it would go: The beauty of God, creation, and the Creation Story itself can be found in the annual renewal that is Spring. There was some diction that could have added to the understanding of the story. I looked up "thrush" (a songbird) and "cloy" (to sicken with excess sweetness.) After finding thrush, I found the word very approporiate and fitting for the tone. The word itself has a much more positive connotation than "to disgust." Also, instead of explicitly stating that Paradise was ruined by sin, Hopkins puts it more lightly by suggesting that Adam and Eve were merely sick of constant happiness and chose responsibility. Another literary technique in use was juxtaposition. At the start of the poem, Hopkins talks about the beauty of spring, then goes into "weeds...shoot long and lovely and lush;..." Weeds are usually not associated with beauty and lovliness, and that is why the placement is effective. It calls attention to the very first lines and illustrates a theme Hopkins elaborates on. He is trying to make the point that all things created through God are meaningful and have a purpose.

Imagery and its Effects

"How the Chimney-sweeper's cry. Every black'ning Church appalls;" -"London" by William Blake

     When used in a poem, imagery does much more than add vibrancy and interest. In most of the poems in this unit, the imagery is an effective indicator of the tone, or the attitutude the writer or speaker takes toward the subject. I personally found it very helpful in the majority of the poems. In "Those Winter Sundays," Hayden's line of "love's austere and lonely offices" helped me piece together the probability that the speaker now notices his father's love even though he did not know as a child that it could take a cold, "austere" form. Other times it led to my confusion. "I felt a Funeral, in my Brain" prompted me to think Dickinson was moving through a process of successful mental inquiry because of the image of "I heard them lift a Box,"  but group discussion convinced me that she is in fact coming upon insanity. The quote at the beginning was one of the most useful in determining the tone. Not only does Blake regret the world he lives in, he, like the Chimney-sweep and Church, strongly detest what their society has forced upon them. The graphic visuals suggest a world in which no sane person would want to grow.

A Poem by Bill Carlos

     "The plumtree is white today with masses of flowers." "The Widow's Lament in Springtime

    I chose this poem because I feel it is the best test of Perrine's guidelines which I feel so obligated to employ. After reading, I knew that unlike a number of the poems in this unit, the "Widow's Lament" used many symbols, which Perrine described as meaning more than their literal interpretation, unlike metaphors. The challenging aspect was coming up with a non-contradictory or assumption-heavy explanation. Obviously color plays a major role in the exposition of this poem. White is life, new beginnings; yellow and red are fire and passion; dark symbolizes the unknown. My interpretation is that this is the first time the widow has endured a new beginning like spring without her husband. She had a passionate and personally fulfilling relationship with him. Now she, prompted by her son, is pondering a new, equally exploratory but promising life-this is the unknown, the "heavy woods." She wonders if she immerses herself in this curious new life, maybe she can find the right meaning for her altered fate. The reason I placed the plumtree quote above is that it is the most puzzling but important symbol in the poem. I believe it may symbolize their marriage. It has just come out of hibernation. Instead of dying off altogether, it has endured the winter and is producing flowers of a new season: a journey they are both still living even though he is gone.

Perrine

     As I read through Perrine's guidelines for interpretation, I was at first brought back to my feelings toward Nabokov. I thought his explanation of poetic justice would be a highly specific and personally satisfying set of rules on which he has befallen after countless years of study. Perrine's guidelines were much more reasonable and attainable. Before reading this script, I had a fixed idea of poetry as an artistic expression. I would have argued for open interpretation because art is supposed to be a spiritual and personal expression. I now realize that poetry is as much a literary form as a sensual experience. It is also much more calculated and scientific. As Perrine suggests, a work may have many close interpretations but the author composes one with context and details that can ultimately mean only one thing. For me, this was an implicit challenge to interpret poems with acute logic.
    For the sake of intellectual advancement, I accept this challenge. It is something that takes time; that is why Perrine can speak so fluently and convincingly of its attainability. The only part of his explanation that confused me was his dialogue over Blake's poem. After reading through the end of the script, I expected him to condemn Blake's poem as being too vague-for leaving too much to the imagination for the reader. On the contrary, he goes back to his stance of logic, no contradictions, and economy. He essentially says the fault lies with the reader who makes an interpretation that does not meet his guidelines. This to me seems like a flagrant contradiction. If I am to make a logical conclusion but given a text in which the symbols could stand for a plethora of different higher meanings, then how can any explanation be wrong. I believe Perrine should have made a distinction between poems in which the author focuses the diction to a specific purpose and those whose meanings are vague. Could it be perhaps that a poet is amused by the various takes on his work? I know if I were a poet, it would be amusing if people who admired my work made logical debates. It brings out human creativity.

Christ-like?

"From time to time he stretched out his arms as though he were on the Cross..." Pg. 244

     Ever since his decision not to pursue Lenina sexually and stick to his morals, John has taken on an uncanny disposition similar to Christ. In fact, this was probably propelled by his debate with Mr. Mond on the essentiality of God in a stabile world. Later on, John decides to whip himself, drawing a spectacle of reporters. All the attention was unwanted and unwarranted. I drew parallels to Christ in the Temple when he went on his hopital rampage. After his talk with Mr. Mond, he was essentially marginalized and left to live simply off the earth and the land. The only disparateness occurs the night before he dies. He sins against his own personal standards due to the influence of society.

Chapter 18

"That evening the swarm of helicopters that came buzzing..." Pg. 259

     The end of the book contains some irony and tragedy. I found it ironic that even as an exile, the Savage was still constantly harassed by reporters and gawkers. This is perhaps the most accurate prophesy in the book. Nowadays, it seems like no one is safe from suffocating media attention. Privacy is certainly dead. The tragedy is obviously the death of John. When he was talking with the Controller, I got the sense that this world was so airtight that there was no way John could have lived out his life of suffering in peace. The irony continues with his death though. As part of the satire, Huxley creates a character that ends up dying from the psychological impact of continued pleasure, despite his noble attempt to reject the whole world around him.

Chapter 17

"'What about self-denial, then? If you had a God , you'd have a reason for self-denial.'" Pg. 236

     In Chapter 17, a intellectual debate begins between Mr. Mond and John. John questions the Controller on the absence of God, the issue of self-degradation, and chastity, among other things. For each question, the Controller essentially says that the new world has no need for that concern because everything is stable the way it is. When John counters, the ultimate logic is that the World State has chosen a society where stability and happiness are valued over nobility and independence. This decision must have be heavily influenced by the Nine Year's War. The people must have been so scarred by the horrors of war that no abstract old world emotion will cause them to change. Such is the nature of war. Fortunately, nothing like that war has taken place. Had it occured, Huxley would look like a prophet of old times.

Chapter 16

"And being contented has none of the glamour of a good fight against misfortune,..." Pg. 221

     Throughout the novel, I was under the impression that the Controllers of the World State were sinister beings bent on dehumanizing every last piece of society. Then Mr. Mond explained that lasting happiness has a price. While I do not totally agree with his logic, much of it is true. The world has advanced technologically, medically, and even ethically since several hundred years ago. The ever-present truth though, is that we may win some big battles against oppression and strife, but the world will never be completely just. We will always have something to work for, no matter how small or large. I believe this is what gives people fulfillment. We take on the challenge and sometimes emerge victorious. Leaders of the World State chose to forgo the fulfillment for stability. This was due to the horrors of the Nine Year's War.

Chapter 15

"'He's mad,' whispered Bernard." Pg. 213

     In the climax of the novel, John can no longer stand theWorld State any longer. At the sight of the twins standing over his dead mother, he bursts into a rampage, throwing pill boxes and announcing that each one of them can be free. What I found most absurb was the fact that Bernard, a supposed friend of John's, was afraid for the lives of the Deltas, people he did not even know. He himself had once felt emotions of a greater freedom, and now, in John's darkest time, he seemingly abandons him to ride out this rampage. Then, he tries to escape out a side door because of his association with John. I suppose social freedom includes extreme cowardice. If I were John, I would be infuriated more at Bernard than the twins. Bernard shows his true colors in this climax.

Lenina

"...the Savage retreated in terror, flapping his hands at her as though he were trying to scare away some intruding and dangerous animal." Pg. 193

     The Savage's reaction to Lenina's advances can be taken as an allegory-that is, once you get past thinking of Lenina as a dumb blonde who can't take a hint. Lenina is purely a temptation; self-gratification. John can be thought of as a trusted leader. Men or women in leadership/business roles spend years going through school, earning a credible reputation, and grooming social skills. Yet, when one of these leaders gets caught being sneaky or immoral, the fallout is enormous. They get labeled for life as a crook or a deviant. John is much the same. Because he came from a strange, intriguing background, he can be labeled in one of two ways. He can stay like he is, being a social oddity, or he can give in to Lenina, thereby initiating him into typical Alpha behavior. For John, he holds a much higher standard for himself. He is not nescessarily manipulating, but would rather Lenina come to him honorably, like a Shakespeare work.

Pearls before swine

"'You've got to be hurt and upset; otherwise you can't think of the really good, penetrating, X-rayish phrases.'" Pg. 185

     Helmholtz is correct in his above phrase. It is impossible to write without an emotional motive to make the words interesting. The things that were so insane to Helmholtz-the Capulets denying Juliet's desires and Tybalt's death-stemmed from human conflict and wrought emotion. Yet, Helmholtz himself forgets that his own writing stems from his emotion. Earlier in the chapter, he recited a poem about solidarity-a forbidden action. He said he had to use the "power" inside him. John is offended by Helmholtz's criticism of Shakespeare, deepening his resentment of the shallow nature of the new world. While John values the thought put into each sentence, the others regard it as nonsense. They still cannot grasp the idea of suppressed impulse.

Satire

"...and the film ended happily and decorously, with the Beta blonde becoming the mistress of all her three rescuers." Pg. 169

     When I first read this passage, nothing struck me as unusual. By now I know the World State as a place of promiscuity and immorality, so this "feely" seemed normal. However, what would Huxley's early readers think of this open talk of immorality? I guess it is better to look at the novel in a more modern sense. Unlike the 1950s, people today are more willing to give into desires. We want a more immoral form of entertainment, where it is fun to do the wrong thing. This is where Huxley again presents the satire. Whether I like it or not, I do have some things in common with Alphas. Enjoyment can come from rebelling and pleasing my own desires. I may never devise a plan to control social thinking, but I am a sinner.

A Challenge

"'... that I agree with the savage in finding civilized infantility too easy or, as he put it, not expensive enough.'"
  Pg. 159

     As soon as I read the last part of this quote, the phrase struck me as a relavent adage. Although I may be goin off on a tangent, John's description of this civilized life holds true for not just me but millions of people. Although none of us live in this "brave new world," many of us strive to make our lives better. Making life better comes at a cost. We must give up time, energy, and resources. Although many people work to rid out  social injustices like poverty and taxes, I believe we all need those challenges in front of us. We want the dignity of knowing we earned our keep. John is taken aback by this absence. Through his time in the Reservation and his study of Shakespeare, he learned that caring for something also takes effort. He comes in hoping to love his new world but finds nothing and no one of substance to love.

The Tragedy of Family

"...or rather the ex-Director, for the poor man had resigned immediately afterwards and never set foot indside the Centre again-..." Pg. 153

     At the beginning of the novel, the students' ears were pierced with the sound of the word "father." Once again, the word brings humiliation to the Director. While it is sad that such a word can ruin a career because it implies that two people loved enough to create their own child, the true tragedy is the elbowing for social acceptance which uses the relationship of John and the Director as a sort of damaging gossip. Characters like the Director have nothing else to strive for in life besides social standing. That's the problem with having everytning you ever need. John is the outlier in this situation. He has no ambition of being involved with the caste system because he feels the need to be close to Lenina. While his old world inhibits him from doing so, the world he is now a part of encourages it, and he struggles with the World State mindset.

Metaphor

"...No, he didn't. The bird was too dangerous. His hand dropped back."  Pg. 144

     John has the fortunate dilemma of being familiar with literature. Just before he dares to touch Lenina, he quotes lines of Shakespeare. This familiarity does not exactly lend itself to his own happiness, but John has a much better idea of the expectations in the brave, cruel world outside the Reservation. This will serve him well once he leaves. I find it interesting that this is one of the first times Huxley describes a character as anything other than a human being. It is possible that the metaphor is to suggest what was said above: that John is literary enough to think of people deeper than living objects. He attributes them to creatures with personalities and unengineered traits. When I ponder John's thought process, it becomes clear why the World State prohibits unstructured thinking. The savages know much more than their "superior" Alphas.

    

Diction

"...he was thinking of Lenina, of an angel in bottle-green viscose, lustrous with youtha and skin food, plump, benevolently smiling."  Pg. 139

     While writing this novel, Huxley had to employ several forms of diction. For one, he has his own narration, consisting of words like "lecherous" and "viscose." She msut also write in the dialogue of futuristic Londoners as well as savages, the equivalent of modern-day commoners. He achieves accurate descriptions well because he own narration makes up for where the dialogue of the characters leaves off. Most of the characters, Alphas included, do not openly use educated vocabulary due to their limited conditioning and absence of literature. Their days are so scheduled that they do not have time to simply pleasure read. The fear is that desires of freedom, such as Bernard's, will tear apart the World State. Huxley must think like an unknowing cast to add to the element of totalitarianism.

Aphorism

"'Civilization is Sterilization,' I used to say to them."  Pg. 121

     Just as the Pavlovian method is still viable today, this adage, though not commonly heard, makes perfect sense. In a way, it is also somewhat sad. Linda, the girl the Director lost in the desert, has been with the savages for some time, and she mostly talks about the hardships of such an uncivilized place. What she took away from the World State was a habit of cleanliness and comfort. She shows no signs of longing for Thomakin (aka the Director). She goes on to explain how the women there took offense to her sleeping with their husbands, as if fidelity and love were trivial matters. The Reservation also empowers Bernard even more. After his brush with the Director, he feels motivated to think thoughts of emotion, just as the people of the Reservation live life each day.

Flashback

'"But this sleep taught consolation did not seem to be very effective. Shaking his head, "I actually dream about it sometimes," the Director went in a low voice.' Pg. 97

     As was stated earlier, the human emotion is often overpowering. Such is the case with the Director's flashback. He himself admits that his conditioning did not prepare him for the grief he feels when thinking of the lost girl in the desert. As quickly as he snaps into the flashback, he immediately chastizes Bernard for being empathetic. The verbal punsihment that follows hints at the severity of the control with which the World State is run. Alphas are supposed to be "infantile" and make every effort to fall in line. When a man as high up as the Director is willing to lash out at a colleague, it could very possibly mean that he is aware of the unethical nature of social engineering but not willing to let it be exploited.

Rising Action

"...I know quite well why I can't-what wwould it be like if I coule, if I were free-not enslaved by my conditioning."  Pg. 91

     Well, I do believe this confession was inevitable. When I thought about how the story would progress, I was almost certain someone would come along and disrupt, if not challenge, the solace the World State had built. If there were any appropriate candidate for it to come from, Bernard would be the individual. He is already disturbed by his own abnormalities. I see Bernard as becoming one of the most highly intelligent characters in the book simply because he has the audacity to question. He asks why he can't be happy in a different kind of way. He asks why he can't find his own happiness. I doubt Bernard has the power to change such a mammoth social structure. Nevertheless, this character will continue the rising action and add some variety to the brave new world.

Imagery

"Crimson at the horizon, the last of the sunset faded, through orange, upwards into yellow and pale watery green." Pg. 73

     Sometimes people talk about imagery as something aesthetic. How cool is it to imagine a fading sun struggling to grasp onto the very last hill before drowning into darkness? In this instance though, the imagery preceeds the sight of a factory-like crematorium. The description forms a paradox of imagery. First I read of a majestic dusk. Then comes the image of burning bodies. The satire continues with this passage as well. We think of life as beautiful, something to be cherished. Then Henry produces a phrase about how we are useful even after death, referring to the phosporus they collect from the bodies. Undoubtedly a sunset is inspirational; however, life is something to be celebrated and now the roles are flipped.

Apostrophe

"'What a hideous color khaki is,' remarked Lenina, voicing the hypnopaedic prjudices of her caste." Pg. 62

     In a piece of dialogue opposite of personification, Lenina displays the cruelty of this new world. Humans are classified by Greek letters, sexually exploited upon encouragement, and forced to live in engineered activity spaces. By this point, I was ready to let go of the fact that each individual in this novel was essentially treated like an object: a pawn in a robotic game of chess. Then, when exlaining Bernard, Huxley writes the sentence that Bernard and Watson "knew they were individuals." Of course the thought of a perfectly engineered world pains me and this passage gives me hope, but I believe the author throws in hope when its not expected. When Lenina refers to the Deltas below, she is not just objectifying the people. Every Alpha, and not just Lenina, has the human instict to know what makes them different originated from their own self-loathing. Like Bernard, this still exists and the leaders are still improving on it.

Personification

"Impulse arrested spills over, and the flood is feeling, the flood is passion, the flood is even madness:..." Pg. 43

     I chose this phrase because it caused me to comtemplate what happens to normal feelings in such an airtight world. Despite the fact this passage goes on to say the emotions are "channeled into a calm well-being," the fact of the matter remains. Would such an engineered and calculated world be able to account for normal human impulse? As discussed before, the infants are conditioned to shy away fro the predetermined taboos of the World State. They seem to have that down to a science. However, our minds do not think like machines, no matter how much we want them to. We want, we desire, we dream of something different, constantly. Perhaps moderation is the key. Just like everything else in this world, emotion is cut down to an acceptable level.

Allusion

“NEO-PAVLOVIAN CONDITIONING ROOMS, announced the notice boards.” Pg. 19

     I find some of the small details interesting regarding this “brave new world.” Huxley sets the novel far in the future. Yet, the scientific methods utilized are quite simplistic. The “NEW-PAVLOVIAN” signage refers to the Pavlovian theory of teaching the mind to associate an action with a physical impulse through repetition.  When I think of a world hundreds of years in the future, I have the hope of scientific advances which can solve any problem imaginable. As the author probably knows well, it is hard to predict the future. However, it seems the most fool-proof methods remain the most timeless. In a paradoxical way, the use of contemporary method can ground the reader to a storyline that is so futuristic.

Parallelism

"Straight from the horse's mouth into the notebook. The boys scribbled like mad." Pg. 4

     Directly from the beginning of the novel, the tone of the plot turns arrogant, even satirical. Huxley's repeated use of the lowly student spitting out information onto paper only a important person like the director would know suggests a highly caste-like world where elitists like the director have gained exclusive power of the rest of the public. Just like the information ground into the trainees' heads, parallelism works by engraining a seemingly unimportant notion into the mind. It's sort of "Inception"-like tactics. Obviously Huxley wants to paint a picture of a world where the masses have no control of fate. His world is a utopian oligarchy. Though I was at first focused on the plot, I soon became conscious of and concerned of the plausibility of this world. For this reason, the subliminal parallelistic tactics worked.

Completion

"'All this is something else. Kath, I don't want to be that way in front of you.'" Pg. 281

     Tommy's decision to send Kathy away for his fourth donation was probably the most courageous and loving gestures in this book. It was loving because Tommy had grown to love Kathy great enough to know the things of greatest value to Kathy were her memories; not some old tape. It was also unselfish. Giving up your significant other to save them the pain of secondhand suffering takes courage and understanding. Kathy had always admired the motherly imagine from her cassette because it was a representation of miraculous love. I suppose the same could be said for Ruth, Kathy, and Tommy. They were utility beings that were never supposed to have any expression of passion or love. Out of some miracle, these three ultimately found true love for each other during a life of miraculous privelege. Through all the confusion and bickering, they also found out what love was not. They lived more, thought more, and felt more than any persons of their kind. In the end they had their memories, which, like the pillow, they never had to let go.

Explication-The Revelations and Rewards

"'But think of it. You were lucky pawns. There was a certain climate and now its gone.'" Pg. 266

     This chapter revealed the scary and devastating nature of a society that could exist one day. When I try to read objectively and eliminate emotion it usually helps to analyze the story more effectively. However, this second to last chapter is just wrought with pure devastation at what humans have the power and ethics to create. The thought of clones growing up in the environment that Hailsham provided to be farmed for organs sounded cruel enough to me. Then Miss Emily explains how Tommy and Kathy are the lucky ones. For the sake of an ethical demonstration, they grew up not knowing they had it good. Of course Ishiguro created a storyline that is ethically debatable on many levels, but by hinting at the human factories that evidently exist while Tommy and Kathy are together makes Miss Emily and Madame seem like saviors. Throughout the book the reader has the understanding that the donors are stuck in a grim predicament. They are given hope when the deferral surfaces and then crushed by the words of Miss Emily. I believe it causes both the characters and the reader to appreciate the social maturity all the Hailsham kids have reached in light of the current clone world.

Madame Oz

"'Poor creatures. What did we do to you ? With all our schemes and plans?'"  Pg. 254

     Just as with Ruth, the walls of their childhood begin to fall down for Kathy and Tommy. Now face-to-face with Madame and Miss Emily, they are confronted with women who have compassion beyond anything Hailsham students could have imagined. Madame hints that the way the students were brought up was unfair and not transparent. I believe it was done for a reason though. The Hailsham students were a whole new kind of nature and a whole new kind of being. The guardians were still figuring things out as these students grew up. They tried things like Madame's gallery without an explanation, leading to wild speculation and rumors among the students. At the heart of the operation though, I believe they had the best interest of the kids in mind. Just because they were copies of someone who already existed did not mean they were to be treated like lab rats. They were not trying to judge each student's self-expression. They had the task of nurturing something they knew little about.

Let the Guard Down

"'Kathy,' she said, 'I don't really expect you to forgive me ever. I cant even see why you should. But I'm going to ask you to all the same.'" Pg. 231

    Illness does amazing and profound things to the dying. Ruth is not exception. When all three go to see the boat, Ruth is weak and reserved. Kathy takes advantage of this to an extent, poking fun at Ruth that she should have done more to find her possible or a new future. Ruth finally breaks down and admits she kept Tommy and Kathy apart, urges them to seek a deferral, and enjoys a wonderful last summer with Kathy as her carer. I feel that it took the face of suffering and death to show Ruth what was important. She had spent a lifetime afraid of what she might experience if Kathy was truly happy with Tommy. She made Kathy feel isolated and alone. Now she was weak and felt that within herself. She knew she had to reconcile with Kathy to enjoy her last days as close friends. She stopped the battle and let her guard down with the intention of her two best friends continuing life together in sincere happiness.

Going Back

"It was almost like a part of me had alread made that decison, and Laura's words had simply pulled away a veil that had been covering it over." Pg.213

     As soon as Ruth is mentioned by Laura in Chapter 18, the reconciliation with Kathy becomes inevitable. Predictably, caring takes much of the emotion out of Kathy and Ruth, but ultimately Kathy knows she be with her friend once again. Unlike many of the donors and carers, Kathy still feels her deepest connections to Hailsham because of its foundation in her short and fragile life. At a basic level, this is what sets Kathy apart from nearly every other carer/donor. She does not exactly have a rebel mentality, but she knows where to find solace. Throughout the whole book, she has reminisced about her journey. This is where she finds comfort. Not that the others have given up on being content; they have found that elsewhere. I suppose it is a bit of unfinished business as well. Kathy can sense that there is something more to be had from her friendships with Tommy and Ruth.

Abrupt Goodbye

"It wasn't long after that I made my decision, and once I'd made it , I never wavered." Pg.202

     In a way, this could be Kathy's snap. Since returning from Norfolk, she, Ruth and Tommy had been growing ever farther apart. The incident in the churchyard seemed to indicate that Ruth had no true feelings for Tommy and she was bent on Tommy never having any for Kathy either. Then comes the bus stop conversation. Ruth hints that she probably will not be with Tommy much longer after they leave the Cottages, but Tommy does not look at Kathy as partner material anyway. Everything starts to add up here for Kathy. Ruth obviously has no intention for her best friend to be happy, and she senses that Tommy truly does not see her as a romantic pursuit. She is ready to move on. Unfortunately the only place she has to go is the lonliness and death of being a carer. Rightly so, she has given up on the "daft" hope of happiness and fulfillment. She even hints at what a shame it was that they all wasted their time "having rows" at each other during the freedom on their lives. They could have experienced so much more.

Subdued Warfare

"But I didn't say or do anything. It was partly, I suppose, that I was so floored by the fact that Ruth would come out with such a trick."  Pg. 195

     With this latest incident in the churchyard, I began to question the strength of Ruth's friendship with Kathy. Beyond the periodic irritations Ruth throws on Kathy (consciously or not), she has a perceived plan to make sure Tommy never sees Kathy as more than a platonic friend. She feels threatened by the way they are able to connect on a deep level and this concerns her. This goes back to her happiness before anyone else. She takes advantage of Tommy, making him think he needs Ruth for guidance and reassurance. Kathy, on the other hand, accepts Tommy as his own person. The aspect of Ruth and Kathy's relationship that is so perplexing is the personal agenda Ruth holds. Beyond the common friend behavior of laughing and comforting someone, Ruth holds out the valuable friend advice she is so capable of giving. Kathy endures the mind games, hoping one day Tommy might come around.

     

Criteria for Love

"'But the point is whoever decides, Madame or whoever it is, they need something to go on.'" Pg. 175

    Throughout Kathy and Tommy's private talk, the deep feelings and sentiments they both feel are increasingly motivating their young adult behavior. At Hailsham, if someone had come across adult entertainment, they would be eager just to flip through the pages for hours on end because of the simple fact that it was something new. Now, Kathy has looked through the magazines to find her possible, knowing her model may  very well be the trash of society. But none of that matters to Kathy. Just like her imagining herself holding a baby while listeing to Bridgewater, she has an intrinsic longing for a genetic connection-someone to belong to. Tommy is much the same. Assuming his theory is right, he has to prove something that is already there. He has mature and deep feelings and thought, but struggles with the truth that, because of his physical nature, he must prove this to someone he does not know through a form for which he has no penchant. As if living a life for spare parts was not bad enough, he has to stuggle with the freedom to feel.

Snap

"If you want to look for possibles, if you want to do it properly , then you look in the gutter. You look in rubbish bins. Look down the toilet, that's where you'll find where we all came from." Pg. 166

     Chapter 14 comes as a complete surprise to anyone in touch with the characters. A characterization of Ruth would suggest that she believes she was modeled from the respectable of the country's citizens. Ruth never had lofty dreams of what her possible or she might end up doing; she too was realistic. My belief is that Ruth's outburst was a moment of weakness. Throughout the story she has been overly sure about herself. She has confidence in her pursuits, but has recently started to split from her friends in search of something more. Failing to find her possible left Ruth humbled and discouraged. As a defense, she decides to try to bring everyone else down with her. If she has lost hope, why should Kathy or Tommy enjoy its happiness? While reading, I thought Ruth had finally embraced the cruel world of which she is a part. However, Ruth had suppressed reality until now, and it finally snapped on her.

Unpleasant Rumors

"And I had a kind of vision of Chrissie and Rodney, back at the Cottages, in the months leading up to this moment, probing and prodding this subject between them." Pg. 154

     In the thirteenth chapter, Chrissie and Rodney plan a day trip to ask the Hailsham kids in private whether they can defer donations if they fall in love. The responses are mixed and telling of each character's motivation. Ruth and Kathy both play along with the rumor. They most likely have never heard it from any person of authority but they want to keep it alive in hopes it could be true. Tommy reacts completely different. He denies hearing anything about it at Hailsham. With this serious response, Tommy once again goes into a state of self doubt. I believe he naturally equates loving with creativity. If he was never good at self expression, which Miss Lucy told him was crucial, how can he possibly convince anyone of his deep, true love for Ruth. If Tommy rejects the rumor, he eliminates the measuring stick on which he feels he would most assuredly fall short. He, more than anyone in his group, tries to avoid the disappointment of hope.

Almighty Hailsham

"But when we got there, I could see none of the veterans had collections. It was only us, it wasn't normal." Pg. 130

     As Ruth, Kathy, and Tommy settle into life in the Cottages, they discover that their old school has made them different than their donor counterparts from other schools. First they realize no one had the collections of crafts which they accumulated over their years. Then they speak nonsense about the job they will take when they grow older-daring to dream of a future greater than the one they have arraigned. Others like Chrissie seem to admire Hailsham and what it has done to its students. She constantly asks about the smallest details of the place to compare her experience with the Hailsham experience. Much was still the same between the kids however. They all shied away from indulging themselves too much on foolish thoughts or taboo subjects.They all knew their fate and possibly avoided dreaming to save disappointment in the end. The Hailsham kids lived in the surreal and the fantasy because they had an inkling that there was something greater out there for them that they could not have. Miss Lucy tried to get this across, but was futilely fighting the system.

Irony

"'Oh Kathy, the great expert on real families. So sorry. But thats what it is, isn't it?'" Pg. 124

     This was one of the first times any speaker uses irony to get a point across, and it seems fitting that it would be used in an argument such as this. Throughout their days at Hailsham, the friends were always able to settle disputes in a civilized manner. I believe the subject matter of the argument and they way it was carried out have much to do with the new chapter in the Hailsham students' lives. They had moved beyond the fickle relationships of the senior years to more mutually meaningful intimacy. They were also experimenting with new behaviors and philosophies. With guardians no longer around and still in isolation, the students had to figure things out for themselves. Thus Miss Lucy's pleading makes more sense. She aimed to stimulate Tommy's thinking about his future before he had to figure things out for himself. She wanted him to wonder why they all were special and act-to break the cycle of submission

Confusion

"'She said our art's important, and 'not just because it's evidence.'" Pg. 108

   When I think of the situation Tommy is in during chapter nine, I am struck by the number of directions in which he is being pulled. He has just broken up with Ruth and would undoubtedly like to reconcile the relationship. Then Miss Lucy comes along and tells him that despite his maturation, he needs to be concerned with his art once again-something that caused him great ridicule in years past. Tommy definitely feels as though this issue has passed. He became much more stable once he reserved himself to the fact that his art did not define his character. As far as Tommy was concerned, he was focused on choosing smart relationships towards the end of his time at Hailsham. Miss Lucy's words must also have been confusing for Kathy as well. As she herself said, Tommy was still not the most mature student at Hailsham. Why then should Miss Lucy entrust him with such profound revelations? What did she mean by "evidence?"
Clearly Miss Lucy saw it as a moral obligation to give Tommy this clue. Then she was gone.

English Vernacular

"Next, I didn't fancy him that much, but I didn't find him sick-making." Pg. 98

     I believe the author has done something quite intelligent with the last few chapters. Instead of placing stock dialogue and common expressions throughout the story, he chose to write unique phrases which give the characters and the storyline more flavor. Some expressions are a function of the taboo life which the children live in. Consequently, euphemisms like "sick-making" stand in place of "odious" or "repulsive." When one of the children was "told off," the connotation was one of punishment. Instinctively, I think of vernacular as a language of a particular region. In this case, the vernacular that evolved was more because of the physical boundaries imposed upon the children. Maybe most Englishmen and women in fact did not talk like the students at all, but with their limited contact to the outside world, the kids had developed their own dialect. Perhaps the way they talked was also another tool to combat the unpleasantries that I spoke of before. If one can make something sound not so bad, it takes away the sting.

Paradox

"So I'd say Miss Lucy had it about right when she said, a couple of years later, that we'd been 'told and not told.'" Pg. 88

     This is obviously a prime example of a paradox. Without any context, the words would seem to be polar opposites; to know and not to know. In light of the storyline however, they make an understandable phrase explained by the protagonist. When analyzing paradoxes, I am usually struck with the realization that they connect the story to reality better than any literary device. The fact of the matter is that we humans tend to naturally focus on the pleasant aspects of life and live in the moment rather than dwell on the macabre experiences we all must face. We accept the fact that we must submit to fate in order to fully live the enjoyable times we have left. Most lives exist as this man-made paradox. The world favors disorder and difficulty. We try with the greatest amount of effort possible to tame the disorder, ultimately knowing that we can never live in happiness at all times. We can have but we cannot have. The students at Hailsham knew the same. They ultimately knew they were spare parts for the regular humans. Why not enjoy each other while they were ripe?

Anecdotes

"There was one strange incident around this time I should tell you about here." Pg. 70

     A pattern common throughout the beginning of the book is the use of stories to add to the plot. Most often, they furthur explain a character indirectly. Anecdotes of Kathy saving Ruth's secrets and Tommy's reactions to Miss Lucy let the reader in on their thought processes. Moreover, anecdotes lead on to the dilemmas the main characters must face and hint at the untolds of the story. Ishiguro had the option to plainly state through Kathy the future each student had in store, but he chose to give instances of perplexion and enlightenment to weave the story together. Another aspect of the anecdotes is the small, choice details woven into the story. When thinking about those extra descriptions, they all seem insignificant and unnescessary at first. Why would I need to know what the house looked like at the top of the hill when Kathy was talking to Ruth? What difference does the weather make? The answer is that the details give us something to relate to. I wager not many people have lived the lives of the students at Hailsham. Even though the situations are novel to the reader, they can identify with the physical and mental nuances of the protagonist and her friends.