Saturday, November 24, 2007
What Is Art? by Leo Tolstay
Art is what the common man as well the rich man can dwendle on in the future. Everyone has their own way of looking at art and decoding what they love, also what they are most interested in. The art of the future is nationwide, expressed in many ways, and has many techniques or forms that are used to create the art. In the future an artist may have a hard time understanding what he or she creates at times. The art museums of the world will be where all the future artistic works of unfamous artists will be one day or another.
Cathedral by Raymond Carver
The narrorator, the husband has become uncomfortable with his wife and her visitor she invited over. The husband also is jealous of his wife as well. He isnt satisfied with his work, and doesnt want to make small talk with the blind visitor. He would rather sit back, keep to himself and observe everything and everyone in the household. He feels left out of his wife's part of life when she had begin to know the blind man, the visitor. He feels alienated, lonely, and unable to communicate with his wife. Overall he is a man who needs help and he needs to talk to his wife about his feelings that have to do with her previous life without him. If he doesnt get any help he probably will end up hurting himself, his wife or both at the same time somehow. When the blind man assists the husband in drawing he still didnt feel confident as of yet.
Friday, November 23, 2007
Relationships in " A Thousand Acres" by Jane Smiley.
Bernadette Miner Miner 1
20th Century Fiction
Mr. Joyce
November 18, 2007
Relationships in A Thousand Acres
There are relationships everywhere you look. Events, personal friends and family, or accidental occurrences create or enhance the relationships and effect how it goes throughout relationships. The relationships may be friendly, romantic, or companionship ( for many reasons ) . In Jane Smiley’s novel A Thousand Acres, the relationships that are created have some dysfunctional value involved. When Ginny, Rose, and Caroline Cook’s mother passed away from cancer, their closeness with their father changed due to the sexual and mental abuse preformed on Caroline’s older sisters. Many of the memories that was finally revealed from the unconscious state of mind was so unbearable to remember that they brought out the truth the sisters were looking for. The truth was to remember what their father really had done to them, to close the circle of destruction and let them move on with new relationships or the reconciliation of the old ones.
Ginny had problems with her marriage right from the start. She had so much anger that she let life turn into a series of guilt-ridden events that she was not remorseful for. These events were her childhood raping by her father Larry Cook, the affair with Jess Clark, the five miscarriages, and finally the separation from her husband Ty. She unlike Rose was only cold toward herself and could not fight back. Ginny tries to reason with everyone, be forgiving to all and use all points of view in any situation. She became angry when she realized what she had endured as a child from her father. Over and over again her rage toward her father turned into self doubt and guiltiness with the failure of her fathers expectations. An instance of this was when on a stormy night Ginny stood mute and without resentment despite her father cursing her. Another instance was when Rose was talking to Ginny and saying, “ That was his goddamned hold over me, Ginny” (228). Ginny still refused to admit the sexual abuse felt, “ I’ve still got to hear what he says” (229). She refused to believe she was raped at any time until she lay on her childhood bed and having flashbacks from the past. The flashback was so shocking and disturbing “ That was the only memory I could endure before I jumped put of the bed with a cry” (247).
With all the sexual abuse and waiting on her father for many years, Ginny had a belief that pleasing her father at any or all costs was determined by his acceptance of her. For instance, “ It’d be nice if you’d stay” as she thought to herself, “ I always said this, and he never actually answered, but I was given to believe that he might stay the next time” (52). She being powerless, not able to endure and realize the trauma done to her made her take the easy way out in everything she had done. When Ginny went to her father and said, “ I don’t think you ever think about anything from our point of view” (188). Her father become furious and replied. “ I bust my butt working all my life […] and you think I should be stopping all the time and wondering about your, what did you call it, your ‘point of view” (188)? At the end of the conversation she sighed, “ When my father asserted his point of view, mine vanished. Not even I could remember it” (190).
Rose had traumatic events also. She was hit hard with the childhood rapings and breast cancer which brought on shock, grief and emotional imbalance. With the news of the accident of Harold with the anhydrous ammonia, she showed no emotion. She admitted that, “ Weakness does nothing for me. I don’t care if they suffer. When they suffer, then they’re convinced they’re innocent again” (253). She wanted him to die before her so revenge would be sweet when it happened, but irony set in. Angrily she said, “ I can’t accept that this is my life, all I get. I can’t do it . I thought I would fucking outlive him and he could have that, half my life, half my own” (258), referring to her father.
All the trauma she endured made her feel no guilt, no shame, and no remorse, just anger. The anger effected how her life turned out and also made her realize how powerless she still was. She pretended to act calm for most part. An example was when she was talking to Ginny saying, “ I am calm. If you say so. But it isn’t a surprise to me. I’ve thought about it for years” (207). Her feeling of little emotion had effected her state of mind with acknowledgement of it. An instance was when Rose said, “ Don’t make me feel sorry for myself. That’s the hardest. The more pissed off I am, the better I feel” (207). Rose never second guessed her thoughts and spoke her mind whenever, wherever she felt. She liberated herself doing this since she could not fulfill her revengeful fantasy on her father. For instance while angrily shoving in her chair at the church dinner, Rose told her father, “Daddy, just shut up. This has gone on long enough (236). Roses marriage to Pete was partly artificial and due to the protection of her daughters, Referring to Pammy and Linda. An instance was when Rose said, “ If daddy did anything to them, Pete would kill him. that’s partly why I stay married to him (207).
Caroline, the youngest daughter was the most beloved by her father. She was the only daughter that wasn’t molested. For instance, “ She climbs into daddy’s lap, and her gaze slithers around the room, looking to see if we have noticed how he prefers her” (331). Another instance was when Caroline and her father sat in the court room fighting to get his land back and Ginny noticed, “She held Daddy’s hand in her lap like a handbag” (345), referring to Caroline. Caroline had only love and devotion for her father. That love and devotion was set deep in her heart, not artificially set there like Ginny and Rose’s was. For instance when Caroline said, “ I’m right here with you, Daddy. You live at my house now. You can live there always. As long as you like” (347). A final instance was when Caroline, Ken, and Larry was headed toward the court doors and Larry was saying, “ She was the littlest thing. Little knobby knees. Little bitty fingers, always braiding her doll’s hair” (348), referring to Caroline.
In conclusion many misfortunes had occurred to the Cook family. The mother, and wife of the Cook family passing from cancer, the child molesting toward Ginny and Rose after their mothers death, Rose being diagnosed and finally losing her battle to cancer also, and the selling of the Cook farm brought the circle of destruction to a close, let Ginny and Caroline move on with their lives, and create new lives from the disrupted ones. The relationships that were is changed forever with the unconscious mind letting memories come alive and let the truth come out so all the family could move on.
20th Century Fiction
Mr. Joyce
November 18, 2007
Relationships in A Thousand Acres
There are relationships everywhere you look. Events, personal friends and family, or accidental occurrences create or enhance the relationships and effect how it goes throughout relationships. The relationships may be friendly, romantic, or companionship ( for many reasons ) . In Jane Smiley’s novel A Thousand Acres, the relationships that are created have some dysfunctional value involved. When Ginny, Rose, and Caroline Cook’s mother passed away from cancer, their closeness with their father changed due to the sexual and mental abuse preformed on Caroline’s older sisters. Many of the memories that was finally revealed from the unconscious state of mind was so unbearable to remember that they brought out the truth the sisters were looking for. The truth was to remember what their father really had done to them, to close the circle of destruction and let them move on with new relationships or the reconciliation of the old ones.
Ginny had problems with her marriage right from the start. She had so much anger that she let life turn into a series of guilt-ridden events that she was not remorseful for. These events were her childhood raping by her father Larry Cook, the affair with Jess Clark, the five miscarriages, and finally the separation from her husband Ty. She unlike Rose was only cold toward herself and could not fight back. Ginny tries to reason with everyone, be forgiving to all and use all points of view in any situation. She became angry when she realized what she had endured as a child from her father. Over and over again her rage toward her father turned into self doubt and guiltiness with the failure of her fathers expectations. An instance of this was when on a stormy night Ginny stood mute and without resentment despite her father cursing her. Another instance was when Rose was talking to Ginny and saying, “ That was his goddamned hold over me, Ginny” (228). Ginny still refused to admit the sexual abuse felt, “ I’ve still got to hear what he says” (229). She refused to believe she was raped at any time until she lay on her childhood bed and having flashbacks from the past. The flashback was so shocking and disturbing “ That was the only memory I could endure before I jumped put of the bed with a cry” (247).
With all the sexual abuse and waiting on her father for many years, Ginny had a belief that pleasing her father at any or all costs was determined by his acceptance of her. For instance, “ It’d be nice if you’d stay” as she thought to herself, “ I always said this, and he never actually answered, but I was given to believe that he might stay the next time” (52). She being powerless, not able to endure and realize the trauma done to her made her take the easy way out in everything she had done. When Ginny went to her father and said, “ I don’t think you ever think about anything from our point of view” (188). Her father become furious and replied. “ I bust my butt working all my life […] and you think I should be stopping all the time and wondering about your, what did you call it, your ‘point of view” (188)? At the end of the conversation she sighed, “ When my father asserted his point of view, mine vanished. Not even I could remember it” (190).
Rose had traumatic events also. She was hit hard with the childhood rapings and breast cancer which brought on shock, grief and emotional imbalance. With the news of the accident of Harold with the anhydrous ammonia, she showed no emotion. She admitted that, “ Weakness does nothing for me. I don’t care if they suffer. When they suffer, then they’re convinced they’re innocent again” (253). She wanted him to die before her so revenge would be sweet when it happened, but irony set in. Angrily she said, “ I can’t accept that this is my life, all I get. I can’t do it . I thought I would fucking outlive him and he could have that, half my life, half my own” (258), referring to her father.
All the trauma she endured made her feel no guilt, no shame, and no remorse, just anger. The anger effected how her life turned out and also made her realize how powerless she still was. She pretended to act calm for most part. An example was when she was talking to Ginny saying, “ I am calm. If you say so. But it isn’t a surprise to me. I’ve thought about it for years” (207). Her feeling of little emotion had effected her state of mind with acknowledgement of it. An instance was when Rose said, “ Don’t make me feel sorry for myself. That’s the hardest. The more pissed off I am, the better I feel” (207). Rose never second guessed her thoughts and spoke her mind whenever, wherever she felt. She liberated herself doing this since she could not fulfill her revengeful fantasy on her father. For instance while angrily shoving in her chair at the church dinner, Rose told her father, “Daddy, just shut up. This has gone on long enough (236). Roses marriage to Pete was partly artificial and due to the protection of her daughters, Referring to Pammy and Linda. An instance was when Rose said, “ If daddy did anything to them, Pete would kill him. that’s partly why I stay married to him (207).
Caroline, the youngest daughter was the most beloved by her father. She was the only daughter that wasn’t molested. For instance, “ She climbs into daddy’s lap, and her gaze slithers around the room, looking to see if we have noticed how he prefers her” (331). Another instance was when Caroline and her father sat in the court room fighting to get his land back and Ginny noticed, “She held Daddy’s hand in her lap like a handbag” (345), referring to Caroline. Caroline had only love and devotion for her father. That love and devotion was set deep in her heart, not artificially set there like Ginny and Rose’s was. For instance when Caroline said, “ I’m right here with you, Daddy. You live at my house now. You can live there always. As long as you like” (347). A final instance was when Caroline, Ken, and Larry was headed toward the court doors and Larry was saying, “ She was the littlest thing. Little knobby knees. Little bitty fingers, always braiding her doll’s hair” (348), referring to Caroline.
In conclusion many misfortunes had occurred to the Cook family. The mother, and wife of the Cook family passing from cancer, the child molesting toward Ginny and Rose after their mothers death, Rose being diagnosed and finally losing her battle to cancer also, and the selling of the Cook farm brought the circle of destruction to a close, let Ginny and Caroline move on with their lives, and create new lives from the disrupted ones. The relationships that were is changed forever with the unconscious mind letting memories come alive and let the truth come out so all the family could move on.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
A Thousand Acres, book 5 and 6
Ginny finally gets the courage up to press charges against her father as Rose does. They win the court case. Ginny decided that she has had enough of the farm, needs a new change and life. She works and gets her life she has wanted all the time, a life with daily differences and communication with other people, not the same old people she had in the past. Rose doesn't want her two daughters to be abused like her and her sisters were, to go through what they had to endure. Ginny secludes herself in books written by dead writers. Rose finally is beaten by cancer and Ginny is given guardianship of Pammy and Linda. Also the circle of destruction is ended with the bulldozing of the Chelsea, removal of Rose's and Ginny's old houses on the Chelsea property. The sisters still alive can live their lives as a new without the memories that haunted them for years before.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007
The Nature and Aim of Fiction
According to Flannery O'Conner he believes that you can take all the writing classes and still not get any better at writing, rather you would get better at understanding the limits and possibilities of words and give them the respect they deserve. He also believes that anyone can write forever, but the writer is always continuesly learning how to write. Through education and using your sight sense as well disapline can help anyone write better.
He also believes that anyone who lived through his/her childhood has all the life information that he/she needs to survive and live the rest of their life. I feel that if you had survived a rough and tough childhood, as an adult you can do anything to succeed. What is needed to help us do this is the visions from our eyes, and educational understanding as an individual to survive and write what we know.
He also believes that anyone who lived through his/her childhood has all the life information that he/she needs to survive and live the rest of their life. I feel that if you had survived a rough and tough childhood, as an adult you can do anything to succeed. What is needed to help us do this is the visions from our eyes, and educational understanding as an individual to survive and write what we know.
Death by Landscape
lois is a art collector of many landscaping paintings and drawings. Most of the landscapes are similar to what she was surrounded by when she was a young girl. I feel that she collects these paintings and drawings due to the memory of her friend from camp, Lucy mysteriously disappearing and never being found. Lois feels that it is her fault somehow this incident happened and she could of done something more to look for her friend. Lois due to this tramatic incident, has suffered long term memory loss.
Thursday, November 8, 2007
Research qusetion, progress paragraph
I restructured my research question.
The question I am researching now is How are archetypes used in 20th Century Fiction?
I have pulled up many web pages on my newly restructured question. I have pulled up a web page with the difinition of an archetype both in literary and psychoanalysis areas. I also have been using the books we have read for the class as apart of my research paper that I will turn in to Mr. Joyce. I am using qoutes, phrases, and certain personality standouts in each book. The books i have chosen were " Their Eyes Were Watching God" , " Cannory Row" , " Metamorphisis " , and " Winter In The Blood " .
The question I am researching now is How are archetypes used in 20th Century Fiction?
I have pulled up many web pages on my newly restructured question. I have pulled up a web page with the difinition of an archetype both in literary and psychoanalysis areas. I also have been using the books we have read for the class as apart of my research paper that I will turn in to Mr. Joyce. I am using qoutes, phrases, and certain personality standouts in each book. The books i have chosen were " Their Eyes Were Watching God" , " Cannory Row" , " Metamorphisis " , and " Winter In The Blood " .
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