Analyzing the Stories Written by Literary Geniuses - Assignment Example

Mrs. Mallard was killed by grief. While her husband loved her very much, he smothered her. He probably did this due to her heart disease. The paragraph that explained her joy was “Her fancy was running riot along those days ahead of her. Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own. She breathed a quick prayer that life might be long. It was only yesterday she had thought with a shudder that life might be long” (Chopin 14). When her husband showed up at the end of the story, her grief at being trapped by his smothering love killed her. I learned that supporting characters are important to the plot. They lend intrigue to the main characters. The conflict is not always what it seems through supporting characters. These essays have made me want to develop my fiction essays through rich supporting characters. 2. The original story is very different from the film version. In the movie version of Tarzan, the brute force and violence is emphasized more. Tarzan is a super human that saves a weak woman in the jungle. However, in the story Tarzan is not only strong, but intelligent as well. “For a moment he scrutinized the ground below and the trees above until the ape that was in him by virtue of training and environment, combined with the intelligence that was his by right of birth” (Burroughs 47). I think the reason for the conflict is the nature versus nurture debate. Burroughs used the nature for Tarzan’s intelligence and nurture for his strength. However, in today’s society everybody is into the nurture theory. Thus Tarzan’s strengths are put forth in the movies instead of his intelligence. I have already read the book. 3. Emily poisoned Homer. She went to the druggist and stated “I want poison” (Faulkner 60). Since she lived to be an old woman, the poison must have been used for Homer. “Thus she passed from generation to generation” (Faulkner 61). She could not bear the thought of being the laughingstock of the town. Faulkner wrote about what he knew most. He wrote about poor Southerners, former slaves, and antique women like Emily. These stories always had a twist. For example, Emily killing her wayward suitor, or the assumption she did. Emily and her “doddering Negro man” are examples of Southerners that Faulkner wrote about (Faulkner 61). 4. My feelings about “Saving Sourdi” were sympathetic to the little sister, Nea. She wanted to save her sister from an arranged marriage. Mr. Chhay is a good husband. “Slowly the room came into focus. It was a mess. Baby toys on the carpet, shoes in a pile by the door, old newspapers scattered on an end table anchored by a bowl of peanut shells” (Chai 83). If he was a bad husband, the house would have been spotless. After Duke hit him “Mr. Chhay kept repeating, ‘No problem, don’t worry’” (Chai 83). If he had a bad temper, Mr. Chhay would have thrown both Nea and Duke out. He would have beaten Duke up. Mr. Chhay was a good husband. Nea’s relationship to her sister was one of protector. Nea tried to protect Sourdi even if she did not need protection. I would have done the same thing for any of my siblings. 5. 5. The family in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a typical American family. The Grandmother lives with an only son and his family. This situation is a conflict itself. The Grandmother wants to do things her way, but the family goes about their life with little interest in what the Grandmother wants. “The grandmother didn't want to go to Florida. She wanted to visit some of her connections in east Tennessee and she was seizing at every chance to change Bailey's mind. Bailey was the son she lived with, her only boy” (O’Connor 261). The Grandmother gives advice throughout the trip, but Bailey did not listen. This is familiar. Many younger people do not take their elders’ advice. The title suggests that people should not trust each other because good men are hard to find. Older people have learned that lesson, but younger people feel invincible. The theme is younger people should listen to advice from their elders. I was surprised at the ending. I thought that Bailey would learn a lesson, but not that everyone would be killed. Even at the end, I thought the Grandmother would live. “’She would of been a good woman,’ The Misfit said, ‘if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life’” (O’Connor 273). It was a shock that she died too. I did not see that coming. 6. I do agree with Weldon’s opening statement “This is a sad story” (Weldon 124) Falling out of love and making the choice to leave is always sad. That does not mean it is not the right decision, but falling out of love is sad. IND AFF means “inordinate affection” (Weldon 128). It means excessive love or lavish love. It is important because excessive love is necessary for an adulterous affair. It is important that the setting is in Sarajevo. The parallels between Princip and the love affair are the recklessness of the actions. The woman might not have come to her senses if not learning for Princip’s recklessness. She thought “If he’d just hung on a bit, there in Sarajevo, that June day, he might have come to his senses” (Weldon 130). She got a second chance at life. If the setting had been different, she might not have come to the same conclusion. 7. People are judged on the appearance every day. It seems like a natural human trait. I cannot really blame anyone for judging, because I do the same thing. It happens more when two races hang out together. Since you really cannot change people’s opinions, it should not matter what they think. It does help to see though others’ eyes though. Byatt writes “She sees herself with his eyes, a baglady, dirty, unkempt, with a bag full of somebody’s shopping, a tattered battery-hen” (Byatt 133). However, the policeman can think whatever he wants; it still does not stop her panic, or even shames her. She remains the same person. 8. I prefer Chekhov’s “The Lady with the Pet Dog”. It is more dramatic that married man despising women finds love with another. In Oates’ version, the woman takes on the shame role with the man not really taking a stand. After being intimate, “’It’s not right,’ she said ‘You don’t respect me now, you first of all’” (Oates 143). The original is almost always better than the translation. It is true translations cannot be totally accurate. Google translation shows this. Some words cannot be translated. For example, in Polish father and grandfather mean the same. It can be confusing. 9. “An Ounce of Cure” is written from the girl’s point of view. It would have been different from someone else’s point of view. She said “A few weeks after that he took me out for the first time, and kissed me on the dark side of the porch—also, I ought to say, on the mouth; I am sure it was the first time anybody had ever kissed me effectively” (Munro 170). The first kiss that was wonderful to the girl might have just been one in a thousand for the boy. It might not have been as special. Girls and boys see love differently, especially as a teenager. For girls it can be a life and death matter, but boys just like the physical part of the relationship. 10. Summarizing a story is when it is retold in your words. Analyzing the story is when an individual puts forth an opinion about the story and backs it up with citations. Analyzing a story is taking it apart and examine. Summarizing just retells the story. Taking apart the stories above, I made conclusions. For example, some people might think in “A Rose for Miss Emily” that Emily scared her suitor off with the arsenic instead of using it. I do not believe that. My conclusions are based on my experiences. The only right and wrong answers are from the author, or the ones not backed up by examples in the story. Works Cited Burrough, Edgar Rice. “Tarzan of the Apes.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Byatt, A.S. “Baglady.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Chai, May Lee. “Saving Sourdi.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Chekhov, A. “The Lady with the Pet Dog.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Chopin, K. “The Story of an Hour.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Faulkner, William. “A Rose for Emily.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Munro, Alice. “An Ounce of Cure.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Oates, Joyce Carol. “The Lady with the Pet Dog.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Weldon, Fay. “Ind AFF.” Michael Meyer. Literature to Go. Bedford: Bedford/St.Martin’s, 2010. Read More