"Hunters in the Snow" (Based off pg. 202 question 4)

                The element of “Hunters in the Snow” which Tobias Wolff utilizes most prominently in order to maintain the suspense of the plot is the surprising changes of character that occur in Tub, Frank, and Kenny. To begin with, Tub undergoes a dynamic transformation over the course of the story as he shifts from a sympathetic, good-natured, and victimized man to a somewhat cold-hearted individual. At the beginning of the novel, Tub is depicted as an overweight but kind man who is constantly ridiculed by his friends for his incredibly large size. For example, Frank and Kenny criticize his lack of physical agility and merely sit and watch stoically as he struggles to climb through fences rather than lend him a hand. Moreover, when he eats nothing but an egg and a stalk of celery for lunch, they rebuke his lack of success on such a pathetic diet. Consequently, the reader initially identifies Tub as a sympathetic character who is subject to the bullying of his best friends on a regular basis; however, when Tub ultimately shoots Kenny in a desperate attempt to protect himself against what he believed to be a threat to his life, the reader can begin to see that Tub is not as weak and victimized an individual as one might initially suspect. While Tub may have been acting in self defense when he shot Kenny, this act serves as the first indication that Tub may lack important rationalizing skills and have issues with self-control. These flaws in Tub’s character are further emphasized when he is convinced by Frank to eat four full plates of pancakes at the diner. Wolff highlights Tub’s lack of self-control in remarking, “Tub ate several mouthfuls, then started to wipe his lips… the syrup covered his chin; it dripped to a point like a goatee… Tub took the fork in his left hand and lowered his head and started really chowing down…Tub lifted each of the four plates and licked it clean” (Wolff, 200). However, the full extent of Tub’s dynamic transformation is best manifested in the fact that he, along with Frank, fail to make any effort to retrieve the lost directions to the hospital or generally make any effort whatsoever to ease Kenny’s pain or rush him to the hospital. Although Tub may initially be seen as a bullied yet sympathetic character at the beginning of the story, his selfish and irrational actions throughout the course of the plot prove that he is instead a selfish man lacks compassion for others and ultimately becomes a bit of a bully himself.

                Frank’s character also shows a bit of a dynamic transformation in the sense that he begins the story being best friends with Kenny and ridiculing Tub, whereas, by the conclusion, he has forsaken his loyalty to Kenny in exchange for a close bond with Tub. However, I personally do not view this as much of a dynamic change since many aspects of Frank’s personality seem to indicate that he is unfailingly fickle. The fact that Frank never seems to take any initiative of his own while hunting with Kenny and Tub but merely follows the decisions and actions of others proves that he only intends to follow others. Furthermore, his confession to Tub that he is in love with a fifteen-year-old rather than his own wife proves that he is very capricious in relationships. Therefore, while Frank does change friends during the progression of “Hunters in the Snow” I do not believe that his character in and of itself changed in any significant way; rather, I believe Frank’s tendency to be fickle was a consistent trait of his which was displayed throughout the story.

Othello Act V Theme of Trust

                In my own personal opinion, I found the issue of in whom one should place their trust to be a major theme of Shakespeare’s Othello. Othello and Roderigo prove themselves to be the two characters whose actions speak to this theme most profoundly in Act V. To begin with, Othello has been placing his trust in the wrong characters throughout the entire play, but the culmination of this blind trust does not fully reveal itself until this fifth act. Despite the fact that Iago is a treacherous and dishonest man, Othello overlooks the indications that he is an evil man and chooses to take heed to every piece of false information with he gives Othello. Rather than questioning the man who is his ensign, he instead places all his trust in the conniving Iago and instead questions his very own wife, who is loyal and honest to the moment of her death. However, in addition to the fact that Othello foolishly trusted the wrong individuals, he additionally contributed to the theme of the dangers of trust or a lack thereof by refusing to trust the words of his honest wife, Desdemona. Despite her genuine and sincere protestations that she is absolutely and entirely guiltless and has performed no act of infidelity to deserve Othello’s scorn, he stubbornly insists that she is guilty, asserting that she must, “Therefore confess thee freely of thy sin, For to deny each article with oath cannot remove nor choke the strong conception that I do groan withal. Thou are to die” (Shakespeare, V, ii, 53-56). Othello has become so hardened in heart by his belief of his wife’s affair that he has become adamant in his resolve to murder her, and no words in Act V can dissuade him of the need for Desdemona’s death. However, the entire issue could clearly have been resolved if Othello had only placed his trust in the much more honorable character of Desdemona rather than the wicked Iago.

                Roderigo’s blind trust of Iago also reinforced the necessity of placing trust in the right character. Roderigo foolishly trusted Iago for quite a length of time, handing over most of his riches to the man without demanding any immediate and concrete evidence that his personal sacrifices were even being used for the advancement of his own good. Though Roderigo does eventually see the futility of his trust in Iago and even confronts Iago about his falsehood, he makes this essential revelation a little too late and ultimately still faces a very unfortunate death at the hands of Iago. Had Roderigo placed his trust in someone more honorable than Iago, then he could not have been used as an instrument in Iago’s wicked schemes, and the entire plot of the novel may have been altered. Therefore, the events which unfold in Act V of Othello prove the  culmination of the theme of the relevance of trusting the appropriate individuals in the final act of the play.

Othello Act V Dynamic Characters

                A number of characters prove themselves to be dynamic characters in the fifth and final act of Shakespeare’s Othello, including Othello and Emilia. Othello is the first character in the act to reveal his dynamic nature by acting according to very evil impulses and murdering his wife, Desdemona. At the beginning of the novel, he is characterized as a very valiant, honorable, and respectable man who was able to remain calm and composed in stressful or treacherous situations, specifically in battle. As the play progresses, Othello exhibits these personality traits on many different occasions, including when charged by Brabantio of drugging his daughter and when handling the chaos of Cassio’s drunken rage in Act II. However, when the state of his emotions and heart were threatened by the news of Desdemona’s infidelity, he rapidly transformed into a man who did not resemble Othello in the slightest. He had angry fits of rage, threatened to murder Iago, had a couple of seizures, and resolved unabashedly to kill both Cassio and Desdemona. While Othello’s heartbreak at the thought of the infidelity of his wife is certainly understandable, the fact that he actually murders his wife with his bare hands in Act V despite her desperate and honest pleas of innocence is altogether inexcusable. At the beginning of the play, imagining the calm and collected Othello murdering the woman he was madly in love with would have been inconceivable; however, by strangling her despite her gentle protestations in Act V, Othello finally reveals that he has changed in a number of important ways as a result of the action of the play, therefore making him a dynamic character. Although his eventual shame ultimately causes him to kill himself, the fact remains that the novel’s action changed Othello in a number of significant ways.

                Despite Othello’s dramatic change of character of the course of the play, Emilia’s transformation as a dynamic character is the most potent in Act V. At the beginning of the play, Emilia was characterized as being incredibly shy and timid, and she was always accepting of her inferior role as Iago’s wife. Her unrelenting subservience to Iago was proven by the fact that she gave Iago Desdemona’s handkerchief in response to his request. However, Emilia’s entire personality changes entirely in Act V when she finally finds her voice and confronts her husband for all this evil actions. With immense bravery and boldness that would be unimaginable in the character of Emilia, she defies her husband’s orders to be quiet and states firmly that, “I will not charm my tongue, I am bound to speak” (Shakespeare, V, ii, 183) and also that “Good gentlemen, let me leave to speak. ‘Tis proper I obey him, but not now” (Shakespeare, Act V, ii, 194-195). Therefore, in this scene, Emilia proves that she is a dynamic character by changing in the sense that she found her independence and courage over the course of the play.

Othello Act IV Foreshadowing

              In Act IV, scene iii of William Shakespeare’s Othello, Shakespeare utilizes foreshadowing by indicating the imminent death of Desdemona through the song she sings about a willow. Desdemona explains that she learned the song from her mother’s maid. She remarks, “My mother had a maid called Barbary. She was in love, and he she loved proved mad and did forsake her. She a song of “willow”—and old thing ‘twas, but it expressed her fortune, and she died singing it. That song tonight will not go from my mind” (Shakespeare, Act IV, iii, 25-30). Desdemona then proceeds to sing the song, which tells of lady sitting at the foot of a willow tree, crying in misery about the fact that the man she once loved no longer returns that love to her. The reader can tell that this is clearly foreshadowing by the fact that the situation of the lady in the song very much resembles the situation which Desdemona is currently dealing with. While she knows that she is completely innocent of every crime her husband suspects her of, she also can clearly see that he has lost all love and respect for her. Since the woman in the “willow” song is miserable and lonely, the reader might also presume that this represents the lack of happiness which Desdemona will always be burdened with forevermore. Furthermore, the aspect of this song which makes it an even stronger source of foreshadowing is the fact that Desdemona’s mother’s maid was reminded of the song after experiencing a similar situation and then died singing it. Moreover, Desdemona admits to not being able to get the song out of her head that night. Therefore, when considering the fact that the “willow” song was sung by a woman Desdemona knew going through the same situation as herself at the moment she died, and that, on top of this, Desdemona cannot help but think of the song that very night, the fact that Desdemona is likely to meet her own death that very night becomes evident. Consequently, Shakespeare employed foreshadowing through the “willow” song in order to build suspense. This also contributes somewhat to dramatic irony, considering that the audience is aware of Othello’s intentions to murder Desdemona, whereas Desdemona suspects no such action of her husband whatsoever.

Othello Act IV Symbolism and Minor Characters

In Act IV of Shakespeare’s Othello, the significance of minor characters and symbolism is revealed in the discussion that is conducted between Bianca and Cassio regarding the handkerchief. The conversation begins as Bianca confronts Cassio for asking her to copy the pattern on the handkerchief he found in his room. Although Cassio promises that he has no idea who the handkerchief belongs to, but that he simply happened to find it in his room, Bianca convinces herself that it is a handkerchief given to him by another woman. Believing that her relationship with Cassio is much more serious than Cassio views it, she is greatly offended that he would ask her to copy the pattern of a handkerchief belonging to another mistress of his. However, it is during this conversation that Othello is spying on Cassio and Iago, and, when he sees Bianca wielding the handkerchief which he gave to Desdemona, he receives the “ocular proof” of Desdemona’s infidelity that he worried about for quite some time. Othello blindly accepts the lies which Iago has been feeding him when Iago declares, “Did you see the handkerchief… Yours, by his hand. And to see how he prizes the foolish woman your wife? She gave it him, and he hath given it his whore” (Shakespeare, Act IV, i, 162-165). This scene therefore reveals the importance of the symbolism of the handkerchief. Because the handkerchief was the first gift which Othello gave to Desdemona, it is representative of their binding and loyal love to one another; consequently, when Othello believes that Desdemona has betrayed him and given this precious token of love to the man with whom she had an affair, he is heartbroken. Furthermore, believing that Cassio had in turn given this gift to his mistress, Othello became all the more outraged. Had the handkerchief not symbolized his love for Desdemona, then her gift of a mere handkerchief to another man may not have been so offensive to Othello and certainly could not be considered “ocular proof” of an affair between her and another man. However, the symbolism of the handkerchief makes this misconception devastating to Othello purely because of its implications of the love shared between Othello and Desdemona. Because the handkerchief carries such significant meaning, its possession by another man also carries much more significant meaning as well.

Act IV, scene i also reveals the significance of minor characters to the advancement of the plot in Othello. Without the minor character of Bianca, Cassio may never have bothered to ask anyone to copy the pattern of the handkerchief and paid it no attention. However, by giving the handkerchief to Bianca and offending her in the process, Othello observes the passing of his handkerchief from the man he believes to be sleeping with his wife to that man’s mistress, which convinces him to murder Desdemona. Consequently, without the role of Bianca, Othello may never have received his ocular proof of her affair and may never have found the need to murder her.

Othello Acts I-III Dramatic Irony

In looking at the first three acts of William Shakespeare’s Othello in their entirety, the literary device employed by Shakespeare which catches my attention the most is dramatic irony. I would be so bold as to make the argument that dramatic irony is the very foundation of the plot of the novel, since the very cunning and ingenious nature of all of Iago’s actions are centered around the fact that he is able to “wipe his hands” of every evil action he commits. Iago is able to single-handedly remove Cassio of his position, convince Othello of his wife’s infidelity, and a number of other vicious deeds while simultaneously convincing every single character that he is not only innocent, but loyal and honest with them. Examples of this dramatic irony pervade the entire first three acts of the play but perhaps can be seen most prominently when Iago blames Cassio for the fight that breaks out during the war victory and wedding celebration. Iago intentionally gets Cassio drunk beyond his point of emotional stability and then purposely has Roderigo pick a fight with Cassio in order to rile him up. However, when Othello asks Iago to explain the situation, he acts as though he is pained to say anything poor of his dear companion Cassio. He even goes as far to declare that he will only testify against Cassio in confidence that his words will bring no harm to Cassio. He insists, “I had rather have this tongue cut from my mot than it should do offense to Michael Cassio. Yet I persuade myself to speak the truth shall nothing wrong him” (Shakespeare, II,iii,200-202). This is the height of dramatic irony since the audience knows full well that Iago had every intention of brining harm to Cassio. As the play progresses, this dramatic irony will be essential  to Iago’s success at bringing about the doom of every single character while maintaining the characters’ trust in himself, his words, and his actions.

Othello Act III

Before even beginning to read the play, we were told in class that the object of a handkerchief would be very essential in William Shakespeare’s Othello; considering that this handkerchief first appears in the duration of Act III, I could not help but immediately take notice to its role in the story and its many layers of symbolism. The handkerchief first appears when Desdemona attempts to wipe Othello’s fact in comfort when he expresses anguish. Taken aback by his unusual display of anger and rage, Desdemona distractedly drops the handkerchief, and Emilia sneakily retrieves it after Desdemona has exited. She explains in a brief soliloquy that Iago has wanted her to retrieve this handkerchief for quite some time. She declares that “I am glad I have found this napkin. This was her first remembrance from the Moor” (Shakespeare, Act III,iii, 292-293). With this massive revelation, the audience finally begins to understand the significance of the hankerchief and Iago’s desire to attain possession of it. The handkerchief is an essential symbol of the love and loyalty between Desdemona and Othello considering that it was the initial and heartfelt gift given to her. As a result, Iago wishes to obtain the handkerchief so as to place it in the possession of Cassio. This will serve as circumstantial evidence to prove to Othello that Cassio has had affair with Desdemona. The true genius behind the plan is that, while this evidence will be undeniably in favor or Desdemona’s infidelity, nobody else will understand the horrible evil which Iago has performed in framing Cassio with the handkerchief. Therefore, the handkerchief becomes not only a symbol of the love and loyalty between Othello and Desdemona, but also the trust in their relationship. As the handkerchief begins to change ownership and location, so does Othello’s trust in those characters surrounding him. As the play progresses, understanding the condition and location of the handkerchief will be critical to understanding the state of Othello and Desdemona’s love and relationship.

Othello Act II

                One of the most unique and interesting portions of Act II of William Shakespeare’s Othello was the conversation conducted between Desdemona, Iago, and Emilia about four different types of women. While I admit that I am not entirely sure what the significance of this conversation may be to the remaining action in the play, I do believe that this conversation provides important insights into Iago’s character and perception of women. To briefly summarize, Iago ultimately circumvents genuinely complimenting any type of woman by providing only left-handed compliments of woman at best. He describes beautiful and smart women as having the brains to utilize their beauty to gain a man; beautiful and dumb women as being without worry since their foolishness will make them more attractive in the eyes of men; smart and ugly women having the wit to marry an uglier man so as to make herself look even prettier; and dumb and ugly women as using the exact same tricks as beautiful and smart women. Ultimately, the message which Iago is attempting to convey is that he sees little value or significance in woman. After a long passage describing the perfectly obedient, inferior, and servile woman in Act II, i, 147-156, he finally concludes that “She was a wight, if ever such wight were… to suckle fools and chronicle small beer” (Shakespeare, Act II, i, 157-159).

                While I may be unsure as to whether or not this conversation will have any greater significance in the rest of the play, I do believe that this conversation is noteworthy simply in the fact that it shows Iago’s detestation for women. Since the reader can now plainly see that he views all women as having ulterior motives in order to find a husband and satisfy their desires, understanding his intention to bring about Othello and Cassio’s destruction by spreading lies about affairs seems much more plausible and logical. Furthermore, this conversation is important to understanding the relationship which Iago has with his wife and the way he intends to manipulate it in the future. When addressing Cassio after he kisses Emilia in greeting upon her arrival in Cyprus, Iago remarks that, “Sir, would she give you so much of her lips as of her tongue shoe oft bestows on me, you’d have enough” (Shakespeare, Act II, i, 100-102). Therefore, while Iago clearly has no respect or love for his wife, he intends to keep her as his wife for as long as she can be useful to him. As the rest of the play progresses, the reader may find that understanding the opinions and perceptions of Iago revealed in this conversation are necessary to understanding his actions and motives.

Othello Act I

                William Shakespeare employs a great deal of direct and indirect characterization of the central characters in Act I of Othello so as to immediately provide the reader with an understanding of the personalities and underlying motives of the characters. For example, Othello is immediately characterized as a confident, calm, and righteous man who conducts himself with integrity. His integrity and pure intention can be seen in the fact that he married Desdemona because he was in love with her mind rather than her body. His marriage is that of genuine love, and he has no ulterior motives in marrying Desdemona other than to love her with his whole heart and soul. Furthermore, Othello’s capability to maintain composure can be seen in the cool and collected manner in which he defended himself against Brabantio and those who accused him of drugging Desdemona in order to trick her into marrying him. Although Othello’s physical differences from the rest of his companions due to his Moroccan nationality often lead to racist comments, most all characters aside from Iago greatly respect Othello for his work and personality. For example, the Duke highly admires Othello and even defends him to Brabantio, who was appalled by Othello’s sudden marriage to his daughter. In advising Brabantio to accept his daughter’s marriage to Othello, he remarks, “If virtue no delighted beauty lack, your son-in-law is far more fair than black” (Shakespeare, Act I,iii, 286-287). Being aware of Othello’s good-natured demeanor will be critical to understanding his responses and actions later in the play, so Shakespeare’s characterization of him in Act I was ultimately essential.

                Shakespeare’s characterization of Iago in the first act of Othello is perhaps even more critical for the reader’s understanding of the plot. Because the play has such a strong foundation in dramatic irony, the reader must understand that, while Iago is a truly vile and evil character, all the other characters in the novel are completely ignorant of his wickedness and believe him to be honest and loyal. This trust of the other characters in Iago, particularly Othello, can be seen in the fact that Iago is often addressed or described as “honest Iago.” However, Shakespeare intentionally utilizes frequent soliloquies of Iago to explain to the audience his true personality and true intentions, which are nothing short of loathsome. For example, characters such as Roderigo believe Iago to be genuinely concerned with their welfare and emotionally invested in their friendship, yet when Iago delivers a soliloquy, his actual motives are revealed: “Thus do I ever make my fool my purse, for I mine own gained knowledge should profane. If I would time expend with such a snipe for my sport and profit. I hate the Moor….” (Shakespeare, Act I,iii,363-366). Without such revealing soliloquies being presented within the first act, the reader may be just as ignorant as the characters in the play of Iago’s evil nature. In reality, the fact that the story is told from the perspective of the villain is what distinguishes this play from the rest of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Therefore, Shakespeare’s use of soliloquy and other forms of indirect characterization are essential to laying a foundation of the character’s personalities and motives which will be essential as the play progresses.

"Getting Out" Question 2 Pg. 897

Cleopatra Mathis’s “Getting Out” distinguishes itself from all the other poems in this unit of literature because it describes a much deeper and more genuine love than any of the other poems in the unit. While every other short story and poem in this unit focuses on individuals who are bitterly devoid of a relationship or left with nothing but spite or hate for the person they once loved, “Getting Out” tells the story of a couple who had every intention of loving each other their entire lives. Unfortunately, through “the silent work of tightening the heart” (Mathis, 896), the couple gradually fell out of a romantic love together and determined that they could no longer function as a married couple. While the speaker never identifies a specific reason for their eventual decision to divorce, her description of the photo of the two of them with their matching eyes and hair offers some insight into the reasons for their divorce. The fact that their features matched each other so perfectly seems to indicate that they were two very similar people who lacked little independence from one another. Perhaps because they were so similar in nature, they felt as though they started to lose a piece of their own identity and felt too confined within the marriage. A specific reason for why the couple made the decision to divorce is not essential to understand the essence of the poem, however, for the reader can understand without details that these two individuals, despite their love for another, simply had lives which did not coincide well with one another when bound by marriage. This fact certainly points to a certain emotional maturity which is lacking in all the other works in this unit. While every other work in the Love Me Not Unit conveys a sense of hostility towards love and is filled with hatred, spite, and rage, “Getting Out” simply describes a heartbreaking but mutual falling out of love between two people. In every other work, the speaker is blatantly hostile towards their past lover or every person of the opposite gender in general. However, the emotional maturity of the man and woman described in “Getting Out” is evident in the fact that neither one of them hates the other. Unlike the other works in the unit, no blame is placed and no spitefulness is expressed anywhere in the poem; rather, the speaker merely talks of the pain of losing a relationship that they both desired to last forever. While the speaker is accepting of the fact their physical distance from one another prevents her from ever seeing him and seems comforted to receive a yearly letter from her ex-husband saying that he has found happiness , she also expresses a deep love for him that will never truly die. The mature love between this man and woman is best embodied by the last two sentences of the poem “Taking hands we walked apart, until out arms stretched between us. We held on tight, and let go” (Mathis, 896). In this statement, the immense level of emotional maturity and inexpressible love between the two is fully manifested. While the couple could not survive in a married relationship, they did not resent each other for the failure of their marriage; rather, they loved each other enough to separate despite their deep care for another because they understood that they would be happier leading separate lives. Therefore, the element of emotional maturity that is embodied by the photograph of the couple’s matching eyes and hair is critical to distinguishing this poem from every other in the unit and expressing a kind of love for another that is difficult to articulate.

"Popular Mechanics" Question 2

                Raymond Carver’s “Popular Mechanics” consists mostly of action and dialogue but focuses very little on aspects such as setting or detail. Despite this lack of extravagant detail, the few descriptions of detail and setting that are mentioned have a great impact on the short story by the way in which they reflect the tone of the novel and the mood within the home of the maniac couple. At the beginning of the poem, Carver states, “Early that day the weather turned and the snow was melting into dirty water” (Carver, 334). This statement of setting, while very brief, carries very significant meaning to the entire essence of the poem by symbolizing the nature of the couple’s relationship. While snow often represents beauty and purity because of its pure white nature, dirty water carries with it the unpleasant connotation of being tainted and ugly. While Carver never indulges the reader on the state of the couple’s relationship prior to the hateful explosion that is depicted in this short story, the reader can assume that they once loved each other very much since, in the poem, the reader can see that they lived together, were likely to be married, and had a child together. However, the reader can clearly determine that, regardless of the past nature of their love, all that remains between the couple now is absolute rage and hatred. Therefore, the description of pure and beautiful snow melting into disgusting and tainted slush at the beginning of the poem symbolizes the couple’s relationship as it melted into a horrific catastrophe. The other brief description of setting offered in the poem lies in Carver’s statement that “Cars slushed by on the street outside, where it was getting dark. But it was getting dark on the inside too” (Carver, 334). This detail also carries important meaning in that it, too, reflects the nature of the couple’s relationship. While the fact that the day was literally growing darker outside could mean that it was literally getting darker inside the house, as well, Carver’s statement that the inside of the house was growing darker also carries a metaphorical meaning. Considering that love is often associated with light and hatred and evil are often associated with darkness, the fact that Carver describes the inside of the house as growing dark clearly symbolizes the way in which the couple’s relationship had grown utterly dark in the shadow of hate. This illusion of the house growing darker can also foreshadow the horrific fate of the baby at the story’s conclusion. Therefore, the few details that Carver included within his story carried a great deal of purpose and significance to “Popular Mechanics.”

"The Story of an Hour"

Kate Chopin’s use of imagery in her short story “The Story of an Hour” greatly enhances the theme of marriage being an ultimate sacrifice of freedom and absolute happiness. Authors often include descriptions of nature which reflect the tone or mood of the characters in their stories in their works; for example, this technique was employed by Mary Shelley in her novel Frankenstein. Kate Chopin uses a similar technique in “The Story of an Hour,” but with a few modifications. At the beginning of the story, I made the premature assumption that Mrs. Mallard would be devastated to hear the news of her husband’s tragic death in a railroad accident; in accordance with this assumption, I also expected Chopin to describe the weather as rainy, story, overcast, etc. to reflect the mood of Mrs. Mallard after such a horrific loss. Therefore, when Chopin writes in detail about the beautiful spring day Mrs. Mallard observes out her window, I was reasonably surprised and found the beauty and liveliness of the spring day to be in stark contrast to the tone of story. However, after Mrs. Mallard recovers from a brief period of numbness and shock, she immediately becomes exhilarated by the idea of the freedom which she will gain through the loss of her husband. She confesses to having never loved him extensively and to hoping for a quick end to her dreary life as it was before Mr. Mallard’s death. Her true emotions toward the loss of her husband were not that of pain or grief as the reader might expect, but rather of delight and excitement for the freedom which she had so unexpectedly attained. Consequently, I discovered that the imagery of the beautiful and lively spring day did not serve as a direct contrast to the stark misery of her heart in order to emphasize her pain, but rather it served the purpose of reflecting her inner joy. Chopin’s imagery was symbolic of the birth of new life that Mrs. Mallard believed she had acquired. The imagery was not a reflection of love, as I might have expected; instead, the imagery was a reflection of her freedom. This imagery therefore reflects the theme of the novel, as well, which was also of freedom rather than love, which can be seen in Mrs. Mallard’s statement: “What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognized as the strongest impulse of her being” (Chopin, 327). Ultimately, Chopin’s use of imagery in this short story greatly enhanced the overall meaning of her work altogether.

"You're Ugly, Too" Question 4 Pg. 371

                Lorrie Moore’s prevalent use of irony and sarcasm throughout her short story “You’re Ugly, Too” greatly influences the tone of her story. In paragraph 6, Zoe distinguishes between irony and sarcasm by implying that irony is an entity far more layered and sophisticated than dry humor or sarcasm. Regardless, Zoe utilizes sarcasm like a weapon throughout the story, and her life is overflowing with irony. For example, Zoe alludes to the irony in her relationship with her sister Evan by mentioning that, while Zoe is the older sister and often extended a great deal of sisterly advice to Evan when they were young girls, Evan now plays the role of counselor to Zoe as Zoe complains about the dreariness of her life. Furthermore, Moore employs irony when Zoe encourages Evan to finally marry Charlie and warns Evan that “…You guys probably think living together like this is the best of both worlds, but… I’ve always found that as soon as you think you’ve got the best of both worlds… it can suddenly twist and become the worst of both worlds” (Moore, 361). The statement alone is not only an example of situational irony in the world today, but it also relates to a great deal of irony in Zoe’s own life. Zoe is offering Evan relationship advice and sharing her wisdom on how to find happiness in “both worlds” when Zoe is, in fact, the character who has been unable to find true happiness and is experiencing the worst of “both worlds.”  Zoe is therefore speaking ironically in the sense that she is offering advice to her perfectly content sister which she herself is unable to follow in order to find happiness.

                Examples of Zoe’s sarcasm occur on every page of the short story since she utilizes in conversation so frequently. One such example occurs when Zoe is speaking to Evan on the phone and encourages Evan not to marry Charlie yet. When even inquires is Zoe is just insisting on this because she is jealous that her little sister might get married first, Zoe responds by saying, “Oh, my God… I forgot to get married” (Moore, 355). Zoe is obviously very sarcastically in this instance since she clearly did not forget to get married, but rather has never fallen in love with someone and been ready for the commitment of marriage. However, the intriguing aspect of Moore’s constant use of both irony and sarcasm is that Zoe’s sarcasm in and of itself is ironic. On one hand, Zoe’s constant use of sarcasm in conversation is one of the most likable aspects of her character, for it points to her wittiness and makes her a more personable individual. Zoe also often uses sarcasm as a way to make light of the fact that she is still single. However, although this sarcasm can sometimes make her a more likable person, she simultaneously utilizes her sarcasm as a guard to hide her loneliness and insecurities. Therefore, her sarcasm is ironic in the sense that it is likely to be one of the largest factors in keeping her from finding the person she lives. Clearly, sarcasm and irony play a significant role in “You’re Ugly, Too.”

"Delight in Disorder" Question 2 pg. 980

                Examples of oxymoron are prevalent throughout Robert Herrick’s “Delight in Disorder” and greatly contribute to the work’s overall meaning of discovering beauty in disorder and delight in imperfection. The first oxymoron seen in the poem appears in line 1, where the reader describes a “sweet disorder” in a dress (Herrick, 979). Normally, the word “disorder” carries a somewhat negative connotation, indicating that sloppiness has led to a displeasing unkemptness. However, by adding the word “sweet” in front of “disorder,” Herrick implies that the chaotic nature of disorder is actually desirable or pleasing. Another example of oxymoron can be seen in line 4, in which the author refers to a scarf messily thrown around the shoulders as a “fine distraction” (Herrick, 979). Similar to disorder, distraction in and of itself often carries an unsatisfactory connotation; after all, distractions are often seen as annoying deterrents or nuisances. However, when the word “fine” precedes the word “distraction,” the speaker conveys the idea that this distraction is actually pleasing to the eye. Perhaps the speaker even intends to suggest that such a distraction is a pleasant relief from the monotony of life that lacks any distraction whatsoever. Lastly, Herrick employs another oxymoron in line 12, in which he remarks that a carelessly tied shoestring represents to him a “wild civility” (Herrick, 979). Civility typically conveys the sense of calm, reserved, and refined demeanor; however, the word “wild” stands in stark contrast to civility by implying a sense of rebelliousness or free spirit. While these examples of oxymoron are interesting to analyze, they actually serve a functional purpose in the poem by conveying the author’s central theme. The entire essence of Herrick’s “Delight in Disorder” is to discuss the ways in which beauty can be even more apparent and evident in disorder and imperfection that in things that lack uniqueness or strive to be flawless. The speaker admires a woman with an untied shoelace or tangled ribbons on her dress more than a woman who is always in pristine condition because he believes that this disorganization radiates a sense of life and humanity that perfection tries to mask. He sees much more beauty in something which does not attempt to hide its imperfections. The examples of oxymoron in this poem which bring a pleasant nature to words which typically convey negative connotations reinforces this idea that delight can actually be found in disorder.  

"Bright Star" Question 1 pg. 792

In considering Question 1 on page 792, I came to understand the ways in which the speaker in John Keats’ “Bright Star” desired to emulate the star as well as the ways in which he was grateful to differ from the star. To begin with, the author aspires to imitate the star in this sense that he wishes to be steadfast, which is revealed in the first line of the poem when the speaker declares, “Bright star, would I were steadfast as thou art…” (Keats, 792). Just as the star is firm and resolute in its station in the night sky as it perpetually gazes upon the beauties of the earth below, the speaker, too, wishes to be eternally steadfast in admiration of the woman whom he loves. The star is portrayed as observing with “eternal lids apart” the magnificence of nature, such as the ebb and flow of the sea as well as blankets of snow upon mountaintops. In a similar fashion, the speaker is portrayed as resting with his lover while admiring the beauty of her very nature as she breaths tender breaths. However, the speaker expresses his desire to be different from the star in that he wishes to always be in a close relationship with the woman he loves. Forever banished to the great reaches of the night sky, the star is doomed to an eternity of loneliness in the vast emptiness of the sky, merely left alone to observe beauty like a “sleepless Eremite” (Keats, 792) from afar. The speaker does not in any way envy this isolation of the bright star, for he greatly cherishes his physical and emotional closeness to beauty and love. Rather than having to simply observe the beauty of his lover from afar, the speaker is able to be in close proximity to her and have a personal relationship with her. Therefore, the bright star and the speaker, while both steadfast, differ greatly in this regard. The ways in which the speaker differs from the star greatly behoove the speaker, for this type of close, personal relationship is necessary for humans. While a star is not actually a living being and does not require the company of others, a human being such as the speaker relies on this happiness and love to survive. Keats’ utilization of personification and apostrophe greatly enhance this comparison by personifying the star as an actual living being and having the speaker address the star directly.