"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.

"Eveline" : Round Characters

                Even within the short length of the story “Eveline,” James Joyce manages to fashion a rather complex dilemma on which the story is concentrated, and Joyce’s utilization of two round characters heightens the complexity of this issue. The first round character developed by Joyce is obviously Eveline herself. One on hand, Eveline expresses utter misery in the current lifestyle she is currently forced to live. In an effort to fulfill her promise to her dying mother, Eveline alone has remained with her alcoholic father to deal with his inebriated rage and potential violence on a daily basis. While all of her other family members passed away or left the home, she has struggled on a daily basis to care for her loathsome and repulsive father. Due to the sheer unhappiness of such a lifestyle, Eveline expresses a desire to run off with her lover, Frank, to begin a new life in Buenos Aires. On the other hand, however, Eveline begins to feel guilt for leaving her father and her current lifestyle behind. While she is desperate to escape the feeling of imprisonment which suffocates her in her current home, she is also paralyzed by the fear of leaving the life that she is “comfortable” in and venturing out into unknown lands with a man whom she hardly loves. She begins to talk herself out of escaping with Frank, assuring herself that her life at home isn’t unbearably miserable and, in reality, much more familiar to her. She reasons that she cannot leave her father alone in such a horrid state, yet, at the same time, she convinces herself that she deserves to follow her own dreams. She confusedly argues with herself, saying, “Why should she be unhappy? She had a right to happiness” (Joyce, 221).  The constant presence of this internal conflict within Eveline therefore reveals that she is a round character in nature, for there are many dimensions to her personality. While a piece of Eveline longs for her own happiness, freedom, adventure, and the fulfillment of her own dreams, another dimension of her personality reveals her sense of duty to her father and her fear of embarking into the unknown.

                Surprisingly, Eveline’s father can also be seen as a round character. While the reader may initially assume that he is an entirely wicked man for conducting himself so poorly and treating his children so wretchedly and abusively, Eveline also explains the potential he had to be a good man and father. She recounts tales of times when he read her stories and made her toast in the fire, and she remembers “her father putting on her mother’s bonnet to make the children laugh” (Joyce, 220). When Eveline shares these memories, the reader is led to wonder what caused the father to collapse into such a horrible state in the first place if he was once a good man. While the father’s drunken state and poor choices remain inexcusable, the fact that he is portrayed as not entirely evil makes him a round character in that he, too, had multiple dimensions to his personality. When considering the multidimensional nature of Eveline’s father, therefore, the reader can gain somewhat of a better understanding of why Eveline struggled to such a great extent with her decision to leave her father and her home.

"How I Met My Husband"

                The characterization and tone employed by Alice Munro in “How I Met My Husband” greatly contributes to the reader’s understanding and interpretation of the motivation behind the character’s actions. For example, Edie is indirectly characterized as a very innocent and naïve young girl through several of her comments throughout of the story as well as her confusion over the meaning of the term “intimacy.” This revelation of Edie’s innocence enhances the reader’s understanding as to why Edie was so entranced by Chris Watters. While reminiscing, Edie remarks that, “I wasn’t old enough then to realize how out of the common it is, for a man to say something like that to a woman… for a man to say a world like beautiful” (Munro, 135). Although Edie may appear to be somewhat idiotic for genuinely expecting to receive a letter from Chris for such a long period of time, this characterization of Edie as a very simple-minded and naïve girl offer a reasonable explanation. Indirect characterization also contributes to the plot in other minor ways as well. For example, the fact that Chris and Alice return from their date and walk off separately without really even acknowledging each other indicates that their relationship must not be highly fortified by love or romance. This indirect characterization of Chris provides the reader with some insight into what his motives may have been in kissing Edie. Another example of the role of characterization in the overall plot of the story is seen in Mrs. Peebles. Although she is initially characterized as a spoiled woman who knows very little of how to be a housewife and somewhat of a foil character to Edie, her actions in defending Edie to Loretta Bird actually characterize her as someone who ultimately cares for Edie and wishes to protect her.

                Edie’s tone while narrating the story of how she encountered Chris and eventually met the mailman also contributes to the overall meaning of the work, which was essentially to merely recount the events which led up to her first encounters with her future husband. While the reader may initially be outraged by Chris’s actions in kissing Edie and seemingly taking advantage her, a closer look at Edie’s tone indicates that she never felt as though she was truly being taken advantage of. In fact, Munro utilizes tone to hint that Edie saw no wrong in Chris’s actions or her own while they were in his tent. Moreover, when Edie speaks of marrying her husband, her diction and tone suggest that she may not feel a great deal of love towards this husband. When talking of her husband, Edie merely says that, “…I went out with him for two years and he asked me to marry him, and we were engaged a year more while I got my things together, and then we did marry” (Munro, 146). While nothing in Edie’s tone proves that she regrets marrying the mailman, nothing about her diction supports the idea that she truly loved him or was happy with him, either. This leads the reader to question her motivation in marrying the mailman. Without such complex characterization and tone, “How I Met My Husband” would like many intriguing components of its plot.