The Jungle's Wedding

       Throughout history, weddings have been a time of love, extravagance, and togetherness. In Upton Sinclair's The Jungle, the wedding scene of Jurgis and Ona exhibits the sense of community and family that was present among immigrants in America during the first quarter of the 20th century.
       The Jungle opens with this wedding scene, immediately creating a heavy emphasis on tradition and alliance within the Lithuanian community in Chicago. Song and dance, food and drink are all authentic of what would appear in Lithuania. Many of the men present are reminiscing about their home country, and that is when the reader realizes that this party is an escape for many of the revelers. The event is costing the young couple a majority of their thin savings, but it is tradition, and as a foreigner to America, one of the few things they have left is there traditions. These traditions, and the celebration thereof, allow that immigrant community to keep their country alive, even if it's only for a night in some bar in Chicago.
       After the opening wedding scene of The Jungle, the Great Depression ensues, and its effects on the new family are clearly illustrated. While the hardships the family endures are incredible, Jurgis stands by his firm values that mandate he do everything in his power to support his family. However the impossible odds against him and his family, including injury and blacklisting in the Chicago stockyards, lead to his failure and the death of his wife and son. It is then we see him depart from his ethics and leave the city.   
       The strong traditions and values that are represented in the first scene of The Jungle can also be seen throughout the entire book. These traditions are presented as essential to the survival of the Lithuanian immigrant culture in early 20th century America.

Response to Course Material

     I really appreciate the historical background info that Holmes is providing. I think an important part of this play is knowing what's comedy and what isn't, and knowing how Albee is deviating from social norm for the sake of comedy is impossible without knowing what the social norms were. Mommy and Daddy present a very interesting situation, in which they are completely average and iconic to that time period, but also appallingly atypical in their fixations and mutilation of the baby. Satisfaction in this play is unattainable, just as it is in real life. Albee is trying to make a point here, I think, that the American Dream is unattianable because the dream is about getting satisfaction, and while Mommy claims she can get satisfaction, really she's in the same satisfaction-less boat with the rest of us. I think we're making very good progress in class as far as digging deeper into the play, but I would like to know more about the 'big picture' themes and ideas.

Close Reading (23 October 2011)

THE SHIRT: When I wore it, I was invincible - By Edith Zimmerman
This article can be found in the October 2011 issue of Elle magazine. (I couldn't find it online, and I'm not going to take the time now to type it up, but if you REALLY want to read it, I'll let you borrow the magazine)

       Remember, when you were a little kid, or maybe in that awkward tween stage, and you wore a certain piece of clothing way too much? Edith Zimmerman does; she recounts and defends her unconditional love for her not necessarily fashionable, but still favorite gray polo. She uses vivid images and details, along with colloquial diction to create a memorable tribute to her beloved shirt.
       At the very beginning of the piece, Zimmerman provides two images that are integral to the meaning of the piece as a whole. First, she describes "The Shirt" as "long-sleeved, gray cotton polo from the men's section of the Gap." While not necessarily a fashionable image, the image begins to define her. We can already deduce that she is sort of a tomboy, maybe not too popular or interested in feminine things. Secondly, she describes her "popular" cousin: "He skateboarded and dyed his hair and wore wallet chains," We are further introduced to the younger version of the author, and our deductions are confirmed. These descriptions, all within the first short paragraph have captured the attention of the reader and incited them to make important deductions. Later on, it is stated that she had "only recently started to befriend the popular girls," so our insecure tomboy now has a motive to purchase a "cool" new shirt, emphasis on the "cool".
      Zimmerman uses relatively colloquial language, in particular the word "cool" repeatedly throughout this piece. The definition of cool that she uses is purely based on the slang connotation of the word. She uses this word mostly do describe The Shirt, but also to describe her "intended... lifetime of coolness". This diction choice brings the reader further into the mentality of a seventh grade girl, who is just trying to be cool.
       To make her piece more appealing to her fashion-oriented audience (this work is found in Elle, a fashion magazine) Zimmerman includes details related to specific designers and past trends. When describing her potential popular friends, she mentions they sport "Doc Martens". If her readers recognize this trend from the late 1900s, they are drawn further into the story by her key fashion reference. Zimmerman reflects her evolved fashion sense when, at the conclusion of the story, she refers to a specific dress that her dad gave her for a birthday present. This "beautiful blue Madison Marcus sueded-silk sheathdress" not only provides relevance and legitimacy to the audience, it also is an important dress, in that it shows how her fashion sense has changed. She also mentioned earlier in the piece that she didn't mind wearing The Shirt when it wasn't totally clean. This background knowledge, along with a description of her modern preferences, lead to her final statement of loyalty: "... I think he'd [her Dad] would be happy to know that I immediately got it [the blue dress] dry-cleaned after dripping ranch dressing down the front." While she appreciates her new fashion articles, the older, and maybe ranch-stained, Shirt has a permanent place in her heart.

Stormy Rochester, Stormy Weather

      Nature can embody a variety of values or moods within a novel. Specifically, it can act as a setting of birth and renewal, or, conversely, it can be a place of raw natural instinct. In Charlotte Bronte's renowned novel, Jane Eyre, nature provides a crucial backdrop that enhances Rochester's emotional tendencies and stages within his life.

      Thornfield Hall instantly causes red flags to pop up in the reader's mind the moment it is described. It is imposing, dark, and spooky. As the story unfolds, we discover that the brooding master is keeping many secrets behind heavy, locked doors, including an insane, exotic wife. The isolated nature of Thornfield is perfect for the unfolding of all of these events. By being far apart from any interactions, except those that are prompted, such as the rare dinner parties held by Rochester, the mansion acts as a center in the novel. All interactions within the Thornfield phase of the novel are traced back to the house and surrounding countryside. This countryside emulates a reflecting screen for the mood of the circumstances presented in the novel. When Rochester declares his love for Jane, it is a sunny day beside the flowing stream, with wildflowers and butterflies abundant. On the other hand, thunder crashes and rain comes down in torrents when Rochester's crazy wife tries to burn him alive. The sheer power demonstrated by the weather in the countryside can be seen also in Rochester when he veers towards the more extreme end of his emotional spectrum.  The country setting reacts in tandem with Rochester's emotions to provide a unique effect on the reader.

       At the conclusion of the novel, we find a destroyed Rochester regaining his sense of vitality in a, yet again, isolated setting. This time he is in a small cabin in the forest. This more humble set of circumstances reflects his fall from grace, more literally his fall from his burning ancestral home, and his recovery in the forest his symbolic of a rebirth. Rather than recovering in luxury, he retreats with his most trusted servant. Possibly more important, his loss of sight allows him to focus on reorganizing himself mentally. This loss of an important sense is seen in the densely wooded, very isolated setting he is in. With the return of Jane, his rebirth, exemplified in the nature-oriented woodland setting, is complete. He is then free to move on with his new life. It is important to note that as he grows in to his new, better habits, he even gains back some of his vision, resulting in the precious moment when he sees the color of his son's eyes.

       The isolated settings in Jane Eyre reflect a variety of character traits in Rochester, including his temper and brooding moods. The weather, as part of the setting, enhances these effects. The slightly different forms of Rochester that can be witnessed in the novel can thus be witnessed in the surrounding countryside.

Response to Course Material

     Finally we read something! I mean, we've read pieces in class, but this was an actual, tangible book and it made me happy :) I realized how much deeper into the piece we went even on our first read when I asked my mom, who I had seen reading The American Dream, how she liked it. Her reply: "I just couldn't get into it... That woman was so annoying with the whole thing about the hat!" I'm excited to learn more about how consumer culture and gender roles play parts in this play.
     The essay practice, while not as fun as the play, is very important. I am beginning to comprehend more of how an essay should flow; if you read your intro and the topic sentences, they should sound like a cohesive essay, minus the details and supporting evidence. I think I need to get better at not being very repetitive in my essays, because I tend to reinforce my points through repetition rather than elaboration.

Close Reading (9 October 2011)

Arianna Huffington: The Connector- by Elizabeth Rubin
http://www.vogue.com/magazine/article/arianna-huffington-the-connector/
     Arianna Huffington is no small subject for a writer to tackle, and the piece produced by Elizabeth Rubin reflects the larger-than-life character that Huffington embodies. Towards the beginning of the piece,  Rubin creates an image of Huffington that is exudes an air of loftiness. She is described as having "...hair unflappable, the makeup thick." Not knowing much about Huffington at this point, the reader gains an intimidating feeling from the image created by Rubin. However, as we learn more about Huffington, we realize that she does have her flaws. "Despite her elegance, there is always something slightly teeter-tottery about Arianna. And she must know it..." This description, followed by further descriptions of interactions with her daughters and business associates, concludes in a strong, well-rounded image of Arianna Huffington. Other characters in the story, however, did not receive quite the treatment Huffington did from the author.
     Rubin utilizes a slightly different style of syntax when discussing Huffington's meeting with the Middle East Google marketing manager, Wael Ghonim. After demonstrating the staff's interest in the visitor with two very short sentences, "They are riveted. No one is BlackBerrying.", Rubin emulates Wael's "blunt" attitude with a few to-the-point sentences containing his opinions. Both of these sentences begin with a repeated use of "He" followed by a verb: "He  trashes Malcolm Gladwell's theory... He says he hates..." This creates an effect on the reader that this man knows his stuff, and he's not afraid to voice his opinions. The syntax used by Rubin accurately transfers this tone to the reader.
   An interesting word appears repeatedly throughout this piece, and it contributes to the main idea Rubin is trying to convey. That word is Zeitgeist. Now, if you're a normal person like me who has no idea what Zeitgeist means, you will be utterly confused until you finally give in to googling it. If you took four years of German and know what it means, good for you. Anyways, the all-powerful Google supplied me with the definition of Zeitgeist: 'The defining spirit or mood of a particular period of history as shown by the ideas and beliefs of the time." The use of this foreign word elevates the language and makes it more formal, which is acceptable for a renowned magazine such as Vogue. This use of the word also contributes to the meaning of the piece, which is Huffington's contribution to our zeitgeist "that self-expression is the new entertainment of our age."

Moral and Ethical Implications in A Clockwork Orange

       History has been a constant struggle between the government and the people; when either gets too strong, the other uprises or cracks down. Anthony Burgess's A Clockwork Orange is an example of an uprising people, but also a strict government. The extreme behavior of both the government and the citizens in this novel lead to extreme moral and ethical complications for both groups.
     A Clockwork Orange is set in a distopian society. Alex and his cronies run rampant throughout the streets at night, raping, murdering, and stealing. During the day, Alex skips school and lies in a heroin-induced state on his bed, listening to classical music. The boys are able to cause such damage because the police force, while feared, is scarce. This situation exemplifies an under-protective government; even the government worker who comes to Alex's flat in order to check on his school attendence is easily lied to and driven off. Where the  government is not present physically, neither is the law it enforces. An incredibly dangerous environment is thus created, where no citizen is safe from these rebellious teens.    
     The opposite actions from the government appear when Alex is arrested after being betrayed by his friends while robbing an old lady's house. He is given a choice: stay in prison, or become part of a revolutionary new experiement. He chooses the experiment, and goes through a process in which the government reprograms his mind to become sick at the thought of things that formerly brought him pleasure, including women, drugs, and violence. This drastic invasion of personal space demonstrated by the government is a direct departure from the previous situation, where only the physical presence of governmental authority would guarantee safety. The result of Alex's altered mind is the constant presence of authority, but now it is mental, not physical. While this does have a positive effect for the greater good, major questions are raised as far as the morality of the government's actions.
     The horrifying acts committed by both Alex and the government are both agreeably corrupt. However, just because both parties did horrible things, doesn't mean those things are cancelled out. The moral and ethical complications of Alex's actions are more overt. One can look his actions and say, "What he is doing is bad." It makes the reader want the police to show up and drag him away to jail, because in our society, we know that relatively fair justice would be served. However, the audience discovers that fair justice doesn't necessarily exist in Alex's world. This leads to the more covert complications of the government's actions. One questions the morality of the government's actions: they seem bad, but, the greater good is benefitting from them. This questioning that results is not a conformation of morality, but a conformation immorality. Just because the ethical complications that result from the government's actions are less concrete than the ones that result from Alex's  actions does not make either series of acts more or less moral.