Contents
Essay #1. Compare and Contrast - TTTC and SH5
2
Essay #2. Position Paper Short Stories
5
Essay #3. Frankenstein Essay
6
Essay #4. Poetry Response
9
Essay #5. Compare and Contrast - Whitman and Hughes
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Essay #6. Position Paper - Drama Elements - Helen
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Essay #7. Othello Literary Criticism
14
Essay #8. “The Pawnbroker”
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Essay #9. Prose Response
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Essay #10. Open Ended Question
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Conclusion: Writer’s Statement
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13420 September 2, 2008
AP Lit Pd. 6 Essay #1 A Way of Writing the Truth : Vonnegut & O’Brien As Vonnegut and O'Brien write their novels, both authors explain that their stories do not apply directly to them, but rather the emotional effects of the stores portray their feelings during World War II and Vietnam. Although Kiowa and MaryAnne never existed, it does not mean there weren't people similar to them in the war. Likewise, Vonnegut never physically got abducted by Trafalmadorians and escaped to a planet where time, moments, and images all existed at the same time, but that does not mean that the author never felt emotions like those during or after the Bombing of Dresden. In The Things They Carried and Slaughterhouse-Five, O'Brien and Vonnegut portray storytruth through the emotions of their characters and the use of imagery. As O'Brien explains the truth about war stories, he reveals "Often the crazy stuff is true and the normal stuff isn't, because the normal stuff is necessary to make you believe the truly incredible craziness," (p. 71). Vonnegut and O'Brien both use crazy stories which they never experienced in order to convey the emotions they felt. In Slaughterhouse-Five, Billy Pilgrim gets taken to Trafalmadore where he is showcased naked in a zoo. That particular story never truly happened, but through the unreal story, people are able to understand what goes through a soldier's mind while in battle, or even fifty years later. However, O'Brien shares his stories on a more personal level when he gives different perspectives from different characters. "The grief took him by the throat and squeezed and would not let go. 'Lost,' he kept whispering," (p. 105). When a person is able to get to know a character, such as Mark Fossie, they comprehend and are able to imagine the emotional states and situations. Because Vonnegut only shows one
perspective, Billy Pilgrim, it s easier to relate on a factual basis rather than emotional. The narrator explains this as he goes on to say, "All time is time. It does not change. It does not lend itself to warnings or explanations. It simply is," (p. 109). The imagery portrayed by both Vonnegut and O'Brien throughout their stories also allows a person to get a more sensual idea of the war and it's effects. Vonnegut portrays such imagery as he states, "There was a fire-storm out there. Dresden was one big flame. The one flame ate everything organic, everything that would burn," (p. 227). To Billy Pilgrim and the soldiers in the war, the bombing was much bigger than people imagine it today. As a memory, the Bombing of Dresden seems less magnified, but when the story is re-told, the reader gets the full magnitude, showing what it was like to be there. Rather than imagining one bomb, or a smaller version of the bombing, the reader is able to visually picture a whole city engulfed in flames. Although he uses imagery as well, O'Brien portrays a different message with his descriptive words. "There was no music. Most of the hamlet had burned down, including her house, which was now smoke, and the girl danced with her eyes half closed, her feet bare... The girl danced mostly on her toes. She took tiny steps in the dirt in front of her house, sometimes making a slow twirl, sometimes smiling to herself... The girl went up on her toes and made a slow turn and danced through the smoke. Her face had a dreamy look, quiet and composed," (p. 136). As he writes, O'Brien uses an emotional connection with the images. Rather than just imagery, O'Brien takes a stance on the sentimental reason for the movements. The description of the girl dancing shows not just a single dimension, like Vonnegut's images, but rather a three-dimensional scene for the character and events. The war itself takes such a toll on both authors that Vonnegut and O'Brien must
tell fictional stories in order to teach people of it's effects and results. It appears as though both writers need to cleanse themselves of the tragedies when they both re-visit their specific war location. Story-truth reveals a certain understanding on an emotional and factual level that a happening-truth cannot. O'Brien explains what seems to be the purpose of all story-truth in both The Things They Carried and Slaughterhouse-Five when he says, "By telling stories, you objectify your own experience. You separate it from yourself. You pin down certain truths. You make up others. You start sometimes with an incident that truly happened, like the night in the field, and you carry it forward by inventing incidents that did not in fact occur but that nonetheless help to clarify and explain," (p. 158). Story-truth may not have happened on a factual level, but most times, it's the reason for the story that makes it real for the world.
Mallory Huser AP Lit Period 6 Essay #2 “Sin Dalor” : The Painless One Many readers often have motives or reasons behind their writings. Whether to get a point across, escape form reality, or deal with personal or common situations, people use writing as a way of expressing themselves or opinions. As in “Sin Dalor”, Boyle uses several devices throughout the plot including symbols, emphasizing the overall theme, and proving the purpose of a boy’s self-sacrifice. From the beginning, Boyle uses devices to convey the meaning of the story. “Sin Dalor”, the title, translated means “without pain”. Throughout the story, the reader is able to go many ways with this information. The meanings Boyle used behind the title can be treated both literally and complex, deeper than the surface. Because the boy, Damaso, simply cannot feel physical pain, others have nicknamed him Sin Dalor, the painless one. Boyle could have used the title simply to represent the boy who cannot distinguish harmful situations because no effect follows, or to mean something much deeper than what presents itself on the surface of the story. Towards the end, Boyle appears to display a deeper emotion as Damaso says, “… what you don’t understand, is that I do hurt, I do feel it, I do,” (Boyle). Everyone, especially his family, feels as if they can parade Damaso around like he belongs to the circus merely because of this genetic mutation which, from birth, allows him to escape the substantial elements of pain. Ironically, towards the end, Boyle shows that Damaso can feel the pain inflicted by his family, when they take advantage of him, as he puts his hand over his heart and says,
“Here’s where I hurt.” Boyle’s purpose of self-sacrifice shows the loyalty and responsibility Damaso feels he owes to his family. Mallory Huser October 30, 2008 AP Lit Period 6 Essay #3 Frankenstein Mysteries present exceeding amounts of questions and wonders to people all over the world. These mysteries can often apply to the whole human race or simply to one individual. Wherever mysteries are found, they often result in the same motivation: the search to discover and acquire the knowledge of the unknown. Frankenstein unfolds because Victor Frankenstein pursues to solve the mystery of science by creating a human life out of innate matter. As a result, the creature comes to life successfully. Throughout Frankenstein, from the moment of his creation, even beyond the death of his creator, the creature constantly searches for the meaning of life. Victor's abandonment of the monster leaves him alone with no one but himself to teach the ways of society. Much like if a newborn was left to fend for itself, the creature too is unsure what is expected of him or how he is supposed to fit into the human world. It is in the nature of humans to watch over and protect their offspring and creation. Going against that instinctual responsibility can, many times, result in the product of a character much like the monster. With no one to guide him, the creature begins to observe and perceive simple things that normally wouldn't be noticed. "But I was enchanted by the appearance of the hut: here the snow and rain could not penetrate; the ground was dry; and it presented to me then as exquisite and divine a retreat as Pandemonium. . . ," (73).
This first sight of the cottage introduces the creature to shelter, which astonishes him through the works of the human hands and the initial thought of protection. The nature of being instills the concept of what is right and what is wrong, what is expected and what is unacceptable, what is just and what is not. Not only is it instinctual, but from the moment of existence, these things are constantly present and taught in the human environment. With no one to show or tell the creature what is acceptable, he simply loses the ability to know the difference between right and wrong. It is not until he notices the poor family that he learns kindness. "This trait of kindness moved me sensibly. I had been accustomed, during the night, to steal a part of their store for my own consumption; but when I found that in doing this I inflicted pain on the cottagers, I abstained. . . ," (78). The mystery of the monster's being is diminishing, ever so slowly, as he begins to watch and learn the human ways. The presence of the mystery only occurs because the creator neglected the existence of his creation. Although the mystery can never fully get solved, the monster attains much of the information available simply by watching the cottagers. Having a visual, and humans to learn from, the monster is able to eventually begin to speak and understand the human language. ". . . she and I improved rapidly in the knowledge of language, so that in two months I began to comprehend most of the words uttered by my protectors," (83). This ability to speak proves to be a great accomplishment for the monster as he appears very confident with this new skill. In the end, it is not the monster's inabilities or outrages that prove to be the problem or the mystery. The mystery lies within the fact of the creator's betrayal. Greatness and responsibility cannot be expected if the existence of the values is
unknown. With the absence of a creator, the creation cannot understand his being. Therefore, the mystery also lies within the disappearance of Victor during the first period of the monster's creation. The reason for Frankenstein deserting the monster is incomprehensible simply by the fact that he goes against the nature of his own being. The fulfillment of his wishes ironically causes more problems than he expected to solve. Towards the end, Victor seems to recognize his duty to the monster as he explains, "In a fit of enthusiastic madness I created a rational creature, and was bound towards him, to assure, as far as was in my power, his happiness and well-being . . . My duties towards the being of my own species had greater claims to my attention . . . ," (161). This realization proves that the responsibility to protect creation and life lies within the being's instinctual nature and that which is learned from the nurturing of others.
Mallory Huser AP Lit Period 6 Essay #4 “One Art” Poets employ many literary devices and techniques in order to recreate stories and convey their emotions to an audience. These devices allow the poet to envelop the reader as if their presence was actually known during the situation. In “One Art” Elizabeth Bishop uses the speaker, occasion, and tone to tell a message to the audience. “One Art” entails a speaker, most likely quite a bit older, who is able to relate and live a number of experiences. As Bishop explains the abundance of things one has lost, it can be inferred that the speaker has moved once or twice as she states, “I lost two cities, lovely ones,” (l. 13). The poem continues with the loss of little things, yet every time, no disaster prevails. The idea of loss according to the speaker seems a bit ironic, simply because “it is not disaster”. In today’s society, it is grieved upon for any amount of time, from minutes to years. However, with the knowledge of little things lost, it becomes a repetitive occurrence in the speaker’s life, almost to be expected. It is not until a certain occasion that the reality of loss become evident. “Even losing you … I shan’t have lied … it may look like … disaster”, (ll. 16-17, 19). The idea that loss was so common and persistent in
this everyday life still did not completely shield the speaker from the pain of such a loss as a loved one. Throughout the piece it appears as though the speaker is writing a letter. Whether it is meant to be sent or not, a relief from the guilt of deception surfaces. As the reminiscence is presented in the last stanza, “… the joking voice, a gesture I love…”, the idea sinks in of a new type of loss. This loss, never known before, has an outcome that even one so accustomed to minute loses could not be immune to. Mallory Huser AP Lit Period 6 Essay #5 The Power of Pride : Whitman and Hughes As Americans, individuals are told from the moment of birth, all through their lives, how lucky and blessed they truly are to have grown up in the “land of the free”. People who have the opportunity to grow up in the United States consider it a privilege to be a part of this country. Whitman and Hughes convey their libertous pride through their titles, themes, and tones. The title of any literary work must be clever and reflect the overall theme of the piece as it is what captures the audience’s attention. Whitman’s “I hear America singing” portrays a celebration of the songs belonging to the common man. The celebratory fact becomes clear as Whitman explains the individuals are “singing, with open mouths, their strong melodious songs,” (l. 10). Whitman’s pride also becomes apparent as he continuously lists the individual songs, but eventually brings them together forming one. Although not as celebratory, Hughes’ “I, too, sing America” reveals a defiant, selfconfident sense of pride. The “too” in the title represents that he as well is included in the classification of America’s people. The first time Hughes mentions “I, too, sing
America”, (l.1) it come across as though he merely wants to be included. It is not until the end, “I, too, am America”, (l. 18) that Hughes declares not only he want to, but he should e included in the classification of American people. The theme of American pride is present throughout both poems. The variations of American jobs, from carpenter to boatman, proves a sense of diversity seen throughout the country in Whitman’s “I hear America singing”. The fact that he claims to hear “varied carols” shows the joyous emotion felt by Whitman himself throughout the poem. Again, in Hughes’ poem, it become evident that although people “send me to eat in the kitchen,” (l. 3) they will eventually recognize his equality to each one of them. The tones of both pieces differ exceptionally. As opposed to Whitman’s upbeat, celebration of the country in which he lives, Hughes gives insight to the resentful beginning of Americans until he overcomes that bitterness with emotional strength and mentality allowing him to express his pride and gratefulness of belonging to such a place.
13420 January 27, 2009 Essay #6 Helen Over the centuries, women have been portrayed to several extents, given numerous amounts of stereotypes. The variety of characterized assumptions range from gossipers and “Chatty Cathy's”, to stay-at-home housewives like the famous “Betty Homemaker”. Throughout Helen, Hadas employs a feminist view displayed within the character of Helen herself, and the overall theme of women's victimized role in society. From the beginning of her translation, Hadas presents an image of Helen as the vulnerable maiden, waiting to be rescued. Condemned to Pharos Island by Hermes, Helen exclaims her tragic and hopeless situation as she reveals, “You may well wonder what I'm living for. This only: I've heard Hermes prophesy that one day with my husband I shall lie . . . “ (ll. 59-61). The character of Helen thrives for the return to her homeland and the reunion with her husband. Often so, even in today's society, women are often portrayed as defenseless, waiting for their “knight in shining armor” to come and save them. Like these women, Helen feeds off the hope that one day she will be rejoined with Menelaus,
her saving grace. Also apparent in Hadas' version of Helen is the ironic burden of beauty Helen claims to possess. For generations, it has been considered a gift to be blessed with such beauty. However, unlike most, Helen resents the divine image she was given, cursing her “god-damned beauty” for being the root cause of such terrible events (l. 237). Women are thought of as vain for believing their beauty to be a reward from a higher power. Helen goes against this belief when she is enraged at the gods for bestowing upon her such alluring features. Claiming her beauty has denied her happiness and wishing she could blend in, rather than stand out, Helen begins to go against people's preconceptions that all women wish to be beautiful. Rather than be naive and ignorant, acting as though she had nothing to do with the war, Helen exclaims, “For some beauty, what a cost! (l. 261). While some would pay any price to become beautiful, Helen wishes to do just the opposite. In denying her beauty, expressing “If only I could somehow be erased . . . and part of me replaced with something plainer . . .”, Helen comes to terms with the extremities her beauty has caused and wishes to alter her appearance in order to rectify the damage. In many ways, Helen takes this blame upon herself to a new level, making apparent a common role generally depicted in women. Throughout the piece, Hadas illustrates a vulnerability within the character of Helen confirming the role of women to often “play the victim.” Upon realizing the effects of the war, Helen continuously blames herself for the deaths of her loved ones. However, Helen's blame turns selfish when her own misery becomes the primary focus. At this turning point, Helen claims herself to be the victim when she confesses, “I have done nothing wrong, I bear this evil reputation –
so unfair . . . I'm banned . . . all without one friend,” (ll. 270-274). No longer focusing on other's pain, Helen begins to twist the blame, acting as though she is the only one suffering from the consequences of the war. The feminist view Hadas displays throughout her translation of Helen brings forth the preconceived notion that women must rely upon others in order to survive. By assuming the role of a victim, women become dependent on men, unable to function on their own. In playing this role, they unknowingly succumb their individualism and diminish the characteristics originally meant to set them apart. In some cases, as seen in Helen's, women particularly prefer this role of blending in, as standing out can sometimes lead to turmoil. Make it known, whatever role a woman chooses to assume depends upon her choice, not the generalizations of all. Mallory Huser February 19, 2009 AP Lit Period 6 Essay #7 Crawford, Kevin. "Race, Linens, and Essences [Almost] Not Seen: Othello at the Shakespeare Institute." Shakespeare Bulletin Spring 2008: 131. Literature Resource Center. Gale Group. Marion County. 18 Feb. 2009. In this article, Crawford presents the extent Shakespeare goes to in order to create his story bluntly using sexual and racist references. Crawford first expresses this concern after seeing the play performed by young students. As the article continues, Crawford questions whether Shakespeare takes these references too far, or if they were simply acceptable during his time. Edgecombe, Rodney Stenning. ""Put out the light" in Othello." Summer 2008. Literature Resource Center. Gale Group. Marion County. In this essay, Edgecombe analyzes the light/dark motif and also the black/white motif. He particularly looks at Othello’s soliloquy contemplating the murder of Desdemona. Edgecombe especially looks at the phrase "Put out the light, and then Put out the light" concluding two different meanings of the world light. Edgecombe then begins to notice a pattern as Shakespeare continues to imply different meanings for the same word throughout the same soliloquy.
Mallory Huser AP Lit Period 6 Essay #8 “The Pawnbroker” The Poem “The Pawnbroker” by Maxine Kumin, examines both the internal and external worlds of the speaker through both her father’s life and through brief descriptions of her own life. Kumin uses several literary tools within the work to create opposing images. Although many contrasts are drawn throughout the entire poem, there is a central theme comparing materialism and a loving family repeated in every stanza. In order to highlight the importance of love over objects the author draws a contrast between secondhand material possessions and firsthand emotions of the family through diction, a motif, and symbolism. The author uses differing diction throughout the poem in order to help create the contrasting images of the secondhand, used nature of the speaker’s material possessions
and the opulence of the family’s morals and virtues. This is most evident in the different manners in which the life of the speaker’s father, the pawnbroker, is discussed, as opposed to how the speaker speaks of her own life. In the final stanza of the poem, the speaker speaks of her father, in death, being her “lifetime appraiser” and “first prince”, which both evoke a sense of luxury. As she says in the sixth stanza, “Firsthand I had from my father a love ingrown….From him firsthand the grace of work, the sweat of it, the bone-tired unfolding from stress.” She learned from him many “firsthand” lessons. This is especially effective when it is contrasted to the second stanza in which she says “Every good thing in my life was secondhand. It smelled of having been owned before me….” Obviously, she values her material possessions very little. She also places her father above herself. The end of the sixth stanza even says “I was the bearer he paid up on demand with one small pearl of selfhood. Portionless, I am oystering still to earn it.” She feels unworthy of her father’s love and sacrifice, things that are precious and not secondhand. The evident disparities between the speaker’s opinion of herself and her opinion of her father reveal the deeper contrast between the family’s possessions and the family’s morals. The reoccurring image of feet contrasts the speaker’s firsthand and secondhand experiences. The speaker has secondhand experience through the fathers work as a pawnbroker. His feet beginning as “tender and soft” symbolize innocence and the beginning of a journey. The speaker also mentions that “every good thing in life was secondhand.” However, the speaker experienced a firsthand love “ingrown tight as an oyster” from the father which would seem the one of the most important things in life. The poem begins with the image of bare feet and ends with the same image. The death of
the father signifies the end of the journey of life. The speaker had secondhand experience through the father’s life and troubles. The father also contributed to the speaker’s firsthand experience of the love from him and the pain from his death. Overall, the speaker uses the father’s feet to symbolize his life as a journey. As “The Pawnbroker” begins, the feet are “tender and smooth” (l. 4) as if they have not been battered or worn. This symbolizes the beginning of the journey, as the feet are unaffected, so is the journey. As the poem evolves, the pain of the father’s feet becomes apparent. Spending all day on his feet, they eventually are worn and beaten. The physical affects the work has on his feet symbolizes the continuation of the journey and the progression of life. To coincide with this progression, the clocks continually represent the passing of time. The speaker recalls growing up “under the sign of those three gold balls turning clockwise on their swivel,” (ll. 15-16). Time has a constant presence in life and is always continuing whether wanted or not. Like the secondhand material objects, the passing of time is also unwanted. Even as time progresses though, the firsthand love remains the most important aspect in the speaker’s life. Love becomes the most important word throughout the entire poem. Compared to pearls, it is something that the speaker feels unworthy of accepting from her father. Her entire life she had material possessions that had once been owned by others. Something as “precious” as the love of her father or the hard-earned lessons he taught her, despite not being physical things, had more value to her than anything else. They were things so fine that she could never place a value on them. This is the lesson Kumin wished to convey-the love of family being the most important thing of all.
Mallory Huser AP Lit Period 6 Essay #9 Obasan Analysis This passage depicts a somber, morose situation of leaving the past and heading towards a darker future. With the use of motifs and imagery Kogawa depicts a depressing emotion for a hopeless situation. The “We are…” motif throughout the second paragraph represents the roles and diversity of the people on the train. “We are the scholarly and illiterate” recognizes that both educated and non-educated Japanese Canadians are going to the same place (l. 16).
Despite the difference in education, it did not matter to those sending them away. These Japanese Canadians were not chosen according to specifics, but chosen at random due to their nationality, the one common characteristic. “We are those pioneers…” also represents the unimportance of age. Both the young and the old were a part of this movement, and their differences did not matter (l. 17). The “We are” motif portrays the idea that although each person is a single individual, they are all in this together. The imagery of this passage also helps place the setting. From the beginning, “… rain, cloud, mist…” all suggest a dark, sulking of miser (l.1). It is ironic as well because often times, moving on is thought of to be a positive change. However, as Kogawa describes the “waterlogged eulogies,” the disparity of the situation becomes apparent (l. 4). What the people are leaving behind is much more valuable than what awaits them at the final destination. The sullen memories recollected by Kogawa symbolize the scars, visible or not, left from the trauma of this event. Despite the diversity of the Japanese Canadian individuals, they are brought together through this moment of hardship and desperation. Mallory Huser AP Lit Period 6 Essay #10 The Importance of Unknown Characters The driving force of plays does not necessarily have to be a man character or one seen throughout the piece. In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, the ghost of King Hamlet creates the action and moves the play forward. The play, Hamlet, revolves around the avenge of Hamlet’s dead father. This need for Hamlet to take revenge on his uncle is not set in motion until the ghost briefly tells his story. Although King Hamlet only appears a few times throughout the whole play, his
presence is the reason for every action Hamlet carries out. When Prince Hamlet decides to act crazy and begin his plan, the ghost of his father is the root cause. Again, even when the jokers come to the castle, Hamlet asks them to put on a show. The sole purpose behind this scene, even later in the play, remains King Hamlet. Every action and thought is brought forth by the decision to seek revenge on his father’s murderer. Not only is the action driven by this brief character, but every relationship Hamlet encounters is affected as well. Whether the relation was ten years old or brand new, the bond was still affected. The relationship proving to suffer the most throughout the play was that between Hamlet and his mother. This breakage between the two did not begin to form until the ghost of Hamlet’s father mentioned his mother’s “sleeping with the enemy”. From that point on, Hamlet takes on a new attitude towards his mother portraying her to be a “slut” in terms of moving on so quickly from her husband’s death. It was not until this revelation that Hamlet perceived his mother in this new image. At moments when the ghost is not present, Hamlet carries the thoughts with him until it finally overcomes him and it is all he can think about. Although Hamlet remains the main character, it becomes apparent that everything he doe points back to his father. From convincing Ophelia he does not love her to killing Claudius in the final act, Hamlet allows the grief and anger of his father’s murder control every action, thought, and relationship he comes to face. Despite the lack of appearance by the ghost, Shakespeare clearly moves the play forward through King Hamlet’s character.
Mallory Huser AP Lit Period 6 Portfolio Conclusion Writer’s Statement Throughout this past year, my writing has reached a whole new level. Previous to this collection, I though I wrote fairly well, but as I viewed these 10 essays, I had no idea of the improvement I was slowly making without any knowledge. I was unaware of the subtle changes I made unconsciously in my writing and the affects the class was having on my overall potential as a writer. These changes included improving verb usage,
expanding sentence structure, and excluding unnecessary persons such as the reader. After I wrote the very first essay, the compare and contrast between TTTC and SH5, I thought I had a pretty good handle on what type of writing was expected and the level I was potentially able to reach. It was not until I compiled these essays together that I noticed the difference in verb usage from the first to the last essay written. I had finally begun using more intricate, descriptive words rather than vague generalizations. Continuing on, I also realized the level of complexity my sentence structure was achieving. Unlike the short, five word sentences I began writing with, I became aware of my ability to change the sentence around in order to put emphasis on the important concepts. The biggest improvement I have made to my writing is the exclusion of the reader, or people unrelated to the story or essay. I never understood why I wasn’t able to include these or how to go about moving the essay along without them. As I worked on not using ‘one’ or ‘the reader’, the simplicity of my writing became apparent. Without these words, the purpose and stance of the essay was much clearer and easier to read. Now I am able to write my essays getting straight to the point without including unnecessary intros or pretty examples leading to it.