Journal 7: Blood Wedding

Ibsen and Lorca both emphasize the roles gender and age can play in a relationship. While Ibsen chose to focus on the change oppressive characters had while speaking to a certain age or gender, Lorca simply implied it through his isolation of characters. Ultimately the point remains the same; personalities are significantly modified to match what is socially acceptable.

The Wild Duck


Ibsen makes his point very clear with the character Gregers. Gregers, who is generally viewed as an aggressive confrontation character is softened when speaking to the character Hedvig. Hedvig, who has little personal relationship with Gregers, receives a kind and loving personality, whereas his own father saw the most brutal of treatment. The fact that Hedvig is a young girl emphasizes the point that in their society, children, especially women, are to be treated with respect.

Blood Wedding


The point is revealed in Blood Wedding in the opposite manner. Rather than highlighting the positive relationship between an adult and a young girl, Lorca highlights the negatives between an adult and a grown male. The Bridegroom is harassed by his mother for tedious daily tasks and is constantly being interrogated, implying a lack of trust in judgement. This treatment by the mother results in a sort of ignorance by the child; he no longer pays any particular attention to what his mother says.

Comments

Matt Wild Duck 3:

Very nice. Thematic element of the whole "ignorance is bliss" concept. It would be interesting to contrast the literary techniques used in the two plays to convey this message and see how that ties in to the time period in which the plays were written.

Tanner Wild Duck 2:

Nice. The quotes are highly relevant and make comparing the two plays very easy. Questions also add to your concept, good work.

Ivan Wild Duck 3:

Very nice poem! Historical references are great even though I don't understand any of them, good work. Nice tie in with the plot development of The Wild Duck.

The Wild Duck: Journal 6

Prompt: Letters the characters might have written


Father-

You must understand I cannot possibly return home. My very core has been shaken by the horrendous actions you have committed. You may call me my mother, you may beg and plead, but I will not come back. I have decided to inform Hjalmar about the affair. You think after all you have done, that I would come pleading back at your doorstep? There is too little logic in your feeble mind.

You must understand I cannot tell you my reasons for departure; I have found a personal quest that could not be shared with you. A light in the darkness you have shrouded me in all my life. A reason to continue. In short father, it is time you understand that not all can be forgiven, and in the case of your miserable son, it certainly will not be.

Gregers

The Wild Duck: Journal 5

Prompt: “Visual action can be as important on the stage as speech.” How far do you agree with this claim? In you answer you should refer to two or three plays you have studied.


I agree with this claim to a small extent in all cases. However, I think the importance of visual action varies with the particular play. For instance, for a play that derives its intensity from conflicts between characters, visual action is absolutely critical to make the conflict both authentic and clear. In a relatively dull play with little conflict between the characters, it is still important, but certainly less. Character traits also play a role in how important visual action is. For a highly emotional character, supplementary visual action is essential to make the play enjoyable, whereas flat static characters would require a less emotional performance to convey the fact that they are in fact flat and static. Oedipus the King and The Wild Duck both require different levels of visual action, but the importance of having a small amount of visual action is just as critical as a large amount.


Oedipus the King


As you may have predicted, I believe Oedipus the King would require a much more dramatic performance than Ibsen's The Wild Duck. Oedipus was a highly emotional character, constantly in conflict with his surrounding characters, even those he was related to. He even went so far as to defy prophets, and Sophocles dedicated pages of the play to his ranting. As a result, visual action is critical to portraying this character accurately and demonstrating how unstable he was.


The Wild Duck


Visual action is also critical in The Wild Duck, but in the opposite direction. Ibsen's characters are relatively dry and do not undergo significant change in the play. The character Hedvig is completely satisfied with being in the home all day and never exploring her surroundings, opposite of what the typical fourteen year old would do. This stagnant repetitive setting must be reflected accurately through a lack of visual action. As mentioned, the primary literary techniques in this tragedy largely revolve around foreshadowing, something independent of character emotion.

The Wild Duck: Journal 4

Prompt: Readers are attracted to moments of intensity in a writer’s work. By what means and with what effect have writers in your study offered heightened emotional moments designed to arrest the reader’s attention?


Both Sophocles and Ibsen use heightened moments of intensity during their tragic plays. Their methods of revealing this intensity to the author is near identical. Throughout both Oedipus the King and The Wild Duck, family relationships are exploited to create the ultimate tragedy and intensity.


Oedipus the King


Sophocles attracts his readers/observers to his plays through his use of tension. This is amplified during the play as emotion is clearly shown versus simply text, but the literary technique is present in both. Foreshadowing through the form of prophecies in the play heighten the tension and leave the observer wondering when and who will fulfill it. The high levels of intensity in the play occur when the prophecy is revealed by the character Tiresias to Oedipus and the following argument between the two. The intensity of the play is parallel to the emotions of Oedipus; as Oedipus rages and loses sight of himself when speaking to his wife, Tiresias, and Creon, it is reflected with the intensity.


The Wild Duck


Ibsen's play has its moments of intensity, though minute in comparison to those of Sophocles. A primary reason for this is the social standing of the characters. In Oedipus the King, you have Oedipus the King, Tiresias, Apollo, Oracles, and the general population. The point is that many of his characters are either divine or royal, making it significantly easier to create intensity. Because of the smaller tools Ibsen has to work with, he uses foreshadowing rather than conflicts between characters to create intensity. Examples included his frequent references to hunting and the loaded gun, and the symbolism of the wild duck. By keeping his observer out of the know, Ibsen draws them in just as well as Sophocles, simply through a different method.

Oedipus the King: Journal 3

Prompt: Stylistic techniques (imagery, figurative language, sensory detail)

Sophocles uses many literary techniques in his play to add a sense of parallelism between his writing choices and the plot structure of the play. The most prominent is syntax in dialogue. The beginning of the play features a confident Oedipus; he believes he will conquer the plague of his city and overcome all challenges. Simultaneously, he views himself as a selfless man, always working for the people. His temper is kept at bay only because no events have challenged it yet. However, as Oedipus begins to lose control over himself, the syntax is much more crisp and concise; this is reflective of the fact that Oedipus no longer takes care in his words, his emotions have taken over. A prime example is the conversation between Oedipus and Tiresias "Who could restrain his anger hearing you? What outrage-you spurn the city!" (Sophocles 386-387). This is contrasting to the flowing elegant speeches he provides in the beginning of the play, such as when he addresses his people: "Well I know you are sick to heath, all of you, but sick as you are, not one is sick as I" (Sophocles 71-73). 

Another major literary element in the play is the motif of sight. Sophocles creates an irony within the physical ability of sight; while being one of the primary senses, it ultimately hinders our ability to judge what is truly surrounding us. Sophocles is able to logically create this as a motif due to the character of Tiresias, a blind prophet that sees all. By condemning Oedipus to gouge out his own eyes, Sophocles has simultaneously given him wisdom. This is accurately represented in the play when Oedipus finally agrees to listen to Creon rather than resenting him and his words earlier in the play.

Oedipus the King: Journal 2

Prompt: Diary entries from any of the characters

Dear Diary-

My dear and beloved brother-in-law Oedipus, glorious king of Thebes, sent me to Delphi today to embark on a quest to purge this city of its rancid state. The road was light, but the weight of my task burdened me nonetheless. Upon my arrival, I greeted the great oracle of Apollo with a sacred olive branch. Upon its acceptance, I was welcomed into the temple. The beautiful oracle did not provide pleasant news; in an incredibly tense voice she let me know that the murderer of our former king Laius was loose on the streets, and that our city could not rest until he was expelled from our lands. The task seemed easy enough; the road to Thebes was far greener than the road to Delphi.

Trouble struck not in the task, but the prophecy that the blind prophet Tiresias brought to our king. The Oedipus that received this message is not the one that married my sister all those years ago. His rage and arrogance is something I have never seen out of him. He accused me, his own brother outside of blood, of treason! I explained the fatal fate of his logic to closed ears. He is convinced beyond all doubt in his mind that it is I who is attempting to take his kingdom. His curses hit me like spears. I prayed to Athena that wisdom unravel in his mind, and to Hades in case it did not. May the next page of this book not be as bleak as its predecessor.

Creon

Oedipus the King: Journal 1

Prompt: Setting: This includes cultural as well as geographical and historical setting. What effect does the setting have on story, character, theme?


Sophocles chose to employ the city of Thebes as his setting for his play. The history and culture of this city has a lot of parallels with the play of Oedipus the King. For instance, Thebes, despite being a part of Greece, was a rival with Athens. In fact, they sided against Athens (and thus their own nation) when Xerxes and the Persians invaded in 480 BC. The play, premiered in 429 BC, was clearly influenced by this event. However, this act was not at all random. Prior to the invasion by the Persians, the Athenians helped small individual villages maintain their independence from Thebes. These civil conflicts mirror those in the play; Oedipus constantly argues that he is for the people and no one suffers quite like him. This arrogance and hubris lead to a false connection with his people, foreshadowing revolt and uprising. 


Athens was not the only rival of Thebes. Sparta constantly stripped Thebes of power within Greece, only reinstating when personal benefit was prevalent (i.e. they wanted support for waging a war with Athens). This constant shit in power is represented within the play between Oedipus and his people (i.e. the people convincing him not to murder Creon). Tiresias' help is rejected simply because Oedipus does not want to believe what he hears; though this is not technically a shift in power, it does demonstrate the conflict between men on the same side.

1984: Journal 3: Topic C

George Orwell focuses his novel on a dystopia set in his future. Because this was his vision of 1984 and it is now 2011, the book has little validity with respect to time, but still holds some of the strongest concepts in any dystopia which could break at any point in our modern society. Orwell focuses on governmental paranoia, which exists in our society today but in such a minor light that it is rarely noticed. Those in power always try to remain in power; that is a timeless concept human civilization has exhibited since its founding. Orwell amplifies this in his novel to the point where those in power destroy what gives them their power, people. Orwell demonstrates that leaders live under the same conditions as their people regardless of how high they try and push themselves. If the people live in paranoia, then the leader himself must also live in paranoia because he would not shroud his people in fear if he was not afraid of them. If people have rights and are satisfied with their role in society, then typically the leader shares that joy.
Orwell's vision is a terribly realistic one, which is what makes is dystopia timeless. Orwell recognizes that if societal trends continue, we as a race will inevitably hit a breaking point in which fear and chaos are used as manipulation tools. As a result, men like Hitler rise to power in the desperation of the people, creating an even worse society.

Journal 2: 1984: Topic A

"But how far away that future may be, there is no knowing. It might be a thousand years. At present nothing is possible except to extend the area of sanity by a little. We cannot act collectively. We can only spread our knowledge outwards from individual to individual, generation to generation. In the face of the thought police, there is no other way" (Orwell, 176).
This passage provides insight to the true nature of the society depicted in 1984. It is ultimately the spread of knowledge that makes every dystopia unique. Almost all dystopias are monitored by a higher power who suppresses, but it is the method in which the members of that society react to revolt that makes each unique. This passage reveals the only feasible method of rebellion in Orwell's society. Only when an individual communicates with another individual can knowledge spread. This can be contrasted with other dystpoias (i.e. that in The Matrix) where the method of rebellion took place in a small group who understood the society. The individual communication that takes place in 1984 is typically an attribute of dystopias loaded with propaganda. Propaganda indicates a heavy government influence (and thus concentrated power) which leads to fear among the majority (in this case 85%). Because of the nature of Orwell's party (government) individual communication is revealed in the passage as the only possible method of rebellion.
In addition to the method of rebellion, one other key characteristic of the dystopia revealed in the above passage is the setting. It is indicated that any rebellion would take up to a thousand years to commence successfully, which is unique among this dystopia. In a sense this also provides foreshadowing to the character Winston's torture; his communication and ideas of rebellion could not have succeeded during his time, and thus he had to be caught.

Journal 1: 1984: Topic B

The character I chose to respond to in 1984 was Winston Smith. I chose Winston because naturally as the protagonist of the novel he is the one with the widest range of relevant conflicts with his society, in this case a dystopia. George Orwell reveals many of his elements of his dystopia such as when he reveals Winston's ignorance on the death of his parents "He must, he thought, have been ten or eleven years old when his mother had disappeared" (29). Orwell isolates Winston as the protagonist beyond all doubt because he exclusively reveals the negative aspect of his dystopian world; the fact that the character Winston does not know when his parents died and has to assume a cause indicated that in his society individuality and dissent are bad.
Another prime example of Winston revealing the nature of his society is when the character Winston writes in his journal "If there is hope [wrote Winston] it lies in the proles" (69). Winston simultaneously questions the political systems and feels that there is something terrible wrong with his society. He also surfaces another critical element of dystopias: power density. 85% of the population lies in the proles, yet they have no power whatsoever. Citizens are under constant surveillance and worship big brother; under this system, power is focused to less than 2% of the population. In this sense, Orwell provides the reader with insight on truly how corrupt his society is. Winston and the society believe that free thought is punishable by death and as a result live under a reign of fear/love comparable to a God, which allows The Party to maintain control over a force significantly larger than them.

Journal 9: Thesis

Thesis: In The Stranger Albert Camus uses parallelism between the two parts of his novel to demonstrate the evolution of human beings that occurs in their environment over time. His placement of the character Meursault in near identical situations in the first and second part of the book reveal insight to the otherwise invisible changes Meursault has gone through.

Journal 8: Personal Response

The Stranger by Albert Camus was by far the best novel out of the three. Bluntly put, it was an ice cold soda to wash down the medicine that was Their Eyes Were Watching God. I believe there were several literary elements that made this catapulted this novel to the top of the list, but my general impression of the novel was completely independent of them. I find the true value of this novel to be in the character Meursault, who may be the most distant protagonist of any story to an average reader. This distance, and Camus choice to hide his past which may influence his motivation created an alien virtually no one could relate to. Traditionally I would say that this makes a book worthless, but Camus portrayed Meursault in a way that made him interesting to the reader and made the reader ponder throughout the novel why he did what he did. I found the character of Meursault to be very similar to Michael Corleone of The Godfather, which allowed me to make some connections to another character if not myself.

I believe the primary literary value of The Stranger exists in its utter lack of description of the character of Meursault. Ultimately I think all humans strive to be like Meursault; careless, not bothered by earthly worries, and independent. Meursault represents what all humans were before they "evolved": animals. Camus took a satirical tone and suggested that the evolution of humans into technology was actually reverse evolution; by creating a more sophisticated society, we attached more sophisticated problems.

Journal 7: 15 Quotes + Thesis Statement

Thesis: In The Stranger, Albert Camus uses parallelism to demonstrate the change in ideology the character Meursault experiences  throughout the novel.

Quotes:

1. "I admitted I hadn't and inquired whether it was really necessary to have one. (63).


2. "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know." (1).


3. "That was how they'd been wired: it was all or nothing. I didn't pay too much attention to him after that." (9).


4. "I said I'd really like to, but I'd promised to spend the day with a girlfriend." (40).


5. "I explained to her that it didn't really matter and that if she wanted to, we could get married." (41).


6. "What I can say for certain is that I would rather Maman hadn't died. (65).


7. "I wished I could have made him stay, to explain that I wanted things between us to be good [...]." (66). 


8. "As far as I could see, it didn't have anything to do with me, and I told him so." (69).


9. "The day of my arrest I was put in a room where there were already several other prisoners, most of the Arabs." (72).


10. "And the things I've never liked talking about began." (76).


11. "[...], I had only to wish that there be a large crowd of spectators the day of my execution and that they greet me with cries of hate." (123). 


12. "No, there was no way out, and no one can imagine what nights in prison are like." (81).


13. "[...] the witness practiced the profession of a procurer. I was his friend and accomplice." (95).


14. "Even in the prisoner's dock it's always interesting to hear people talk about you." (98).


15. "In reality, the machine was set up right on the ground, as simple as you please." (112).

Journal 6: Insightful Questions

1. Why does Camus make all of his characters besides Meursault flat and static? What affect does this have on the development of his theme?
2. What effect does Camus choice to write in a Hemingway style have on characterization?
3. If the sun is truly a motif or symbol in the novel, why is it stagnant? (i.e. Meursault's interaction and reaction the sun, specifically glare, remains constant throughout the novel).
4. What is the significance of Marie throughout the novel? What does her relationship with Merusault symbolize?
5. Why does Camus create a distance between Meursault and the other characters? (i.e. the judge and his lawyer, who cannot comprehend his lack of sympathy).

Comments:

Tanner Bean # 1: Camus creates a character (I'm assuming Meursault?) who's emotions are dependent on environment to act as a foil to other characters who have more complex internal emotions (i.e. Marie, love).

Matt Merckling # 2: Camus uses short and choppy sentences to reflect the character Meursault; Meursault never goes in depth with respect to emotion and is a surface level human being lacking of any complex emotions.

Ivan Kallevig # 3: Camus chooses to display a deeper emotion when Meursault is in the courthouse because he understands he is now in a battle for life and death, which I believe brings out a human beings true character. Additionally, if everything in life is absurd, then theoretically death is the only thing that makes sense. For this reason, Meursault was able to form a deeper connection with death than with life due to his personal ideology.

Kylee Rosette # 3: Camus creates a parallel plot in the death of Maman and Meursalt at the beginning and end of the novel to characterize Meursault. Mersault wishes people to shout cries of hate at his own execution, and likewise showed and indifference towards the death of his own mother.

Montana Agnew # 1: Camus creates a character (Meursault?) that is a "sociopath" to act as a foil with other characters, and in my opinion, prove that he is the only character in the book that is not a sociopath. I believe that just because a majority agrees, it does not mean the concept is right. Camus, though depriving Meursault of any emotion, maintains a positive tone when describing him. He generally portrays other characters as less intelligent through their emotional decisions.

Journal 5: Two Part Split

I believe Camus split his novel into two parts primarily to symbolize the shift in the character Meursault's perception of the world. He does so using parallel structure with respect to plot; Camus places Meursault in similar situations in both parts to allow the reader to distinguish what aspect of his personality has changed since killing the Arab. For instance, the plot structure in both parts is near identical. The first page of Part I begins with Meursault dealing with a socially dramatic and serious event and displaying relative indifference. "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know." (1). Likewise, in Part II Camus begins with Meursault in court. "I admitted I hadn't and inquired whether it was really necessary to have one. (63). Initially, it seems that change between Meursault's personality are subtle, if at all there. However, Part II begins to display a more concerned Meursault. "I wished I could have made him stay, to explain that I wanted things between us to be good [...]" (66). Meursault displays a parallel relationship between Raymond and his lawyer. In Part I Meursault generally cares for others only for the benefit of himself, whereas in Part II he shows a more genuine emotion regarding his relationship with other characters.

Journal 4: 6 Questions

1. Is Camus racist? He never mentions the Arabs by name and frequently takes a negative tone when describing them. "[...] the Arabs weren't following us. [...] Raymond, who seemed very relieved, [...]" (48).
2. Why is Meursault indifferent to the sun itself, but the glare and heat seems to cause him excruciating pain?
3. Why does Camus use the setting of the beach throughout the rising action to the murder?
4. Why does Camus write in a Hemingway style in Meursault's dialog and thoughts? "I told him how nice I thought his house was." (50).
5. If Meursault is completely indifferent to complex emotions (i.e. love) why does he care about his relationship with Raymond? Why risk so much?
6. What is the significance of waves in the ocean? Camus frequently mentions them preceding any interaction between Meursault and the Arabs.

Journal 3: Personal Philosophy

Personal philosophy name: Superiorism

Guiding Principles:

1. Pessimism is the focus of this ideology. Ironically, optimists are prone to despair and hopelessness due to constantly failing their unachievable goals and having high expectations of others. Pessimists have the lowest expectations and are thus always satisfied and prepared.
2. The belief in a single superior God. There is no further claim to religion beyond this point. God exists and created the world, but does not interfere with day to day life.
3. All of societies preconceived notions of how our world runs must be rejected. No innovation can ever generate from mainstream thought.
4. No man on earth can be trusted. This is essential to accomplishments on this earth. Men who rely on other men are optimists and will never completely accomplish anything. The only person who completely understands the demands and expectations of a task/situation is the man who created it.
5. Every negative action that occurs on an individual is the exclusive fault of the individual. God, other men, mentors, etc. can not be held responsible.
6. Moral values are relative to the current demands of society (i.e. "the greater good"). A small evil is not evil if it benefits society to a greater extent than the people it harmed.
7. Dictatorships are the most efficient form of government if regulated. Prior to corruption, a dictatorship results in the most technological innovation and labor efficiency in society. Post corruption, a dictator must instantly be removed from power, probably through execution.

The ideas from this guide are a synthesis from many I have heard over my life. Initially, I found many of these concepts disgusting and inhumane, but after further thought I understood that this ideology was the most practical. The ideas in Superiorism come primarily from Charles Darwin and Ra's al Ghul, as well as personal experiences. In a nutshell, this philosophy identifies that since mind reading is currently impossible, no one can be trusted to know and understand your expectations fully (this is where the pessimistic view is derived from) and thus anything bad that happens to you is your fault because you trusted someone else to some extent. It also focuses on society being superior to the individual because society benefits the most individuals.

Journal 2: The Stranger Translation

Part I:

I believe that the translator with the most literary value is Matthew Ward. Characterization is fundamental throughout the novel in order to allow the reader to understand (or not understand) Meursault. That being said, language should be parallel to the character. Because Meursault is generally very distant from the reader, so should the language. Ward generally distances the reader more than any other translator because of his use of simple syntax. Reading his translation is by far more "choppy" and robotic and takes away from the human element, which is in essence Meursault. In addition, the foreign nature of the translation (i..e. use of kilometers over miles) gives the reader (at least from an American perspective) an even greater distance to the novel.

Part II:

Of the highlighted titles, I believe The Unknown  is the most relevant and accurate title to the novel. Meursault as a character is generally more distant than to the reader than the traditional protagonist. Everything about his nature from his lack of sympathy to his indifference to society's expectations is completely new to the reader. In addition, his past (and thus motivation) are also hidden from the reader.

Journal 1: Tabbing Method

I will tab the stranger using a color coding system to highlight techniques used in the book. Due to the nature of The Stranger, an emphasis will be placed on characterization. Setting and language will also be tabbed to a large extent. Characterization will be tabbed in green, setting in orange, and language in yellow. Quotes will be tabbed in any color, simply using a smaller tab and an indication as to where the quote lies on the page.

I will also be tabbing with a rough theme in mind which will allow me to focus on specific techniques that are most applicable to my chosen theme. My current theme is those who live below societies expectations and act only on selfish desires are actually superior beings. With this theme in mind (subject to change) I will tab with a heavy emphasis on characterization, specifically external conflict and the search for an antagonist. Anytime a character acts as a clear foil to Meursault, I will take tab it in order to develop a dynamic understanding of him. I believe the key to understanding him is to find those characters on both ends of the spectrum around him, and by understanding them, we then understand him.

Journal 10: Theme and Supporting Quotes

Theme: Modern day society is structured around survival. Although vital needs such as food and water are now in relative abundance, the competition for social dominance is still prevalent.

Questions: Clarification on the phrase competition for social dominance?
Survival and dominance synonymous?

Supporting Quotes:

"Mis' Woods, Ah have often said to mah husband, Ah don't see how uh lady like Mis' Woods can stand all them common niggers round her place all de time." (140).
Hurston uses connotation in the above quote with the phrase "common nigger." In addition to the degrading manner in which Mrs. Turner says it, Hurston's use of the phrase adds connotation.

"You'se different from me. Ah can't stand black niggers. Ah don't blame de white folks from hatin' 'em 'cause Ah can't stand 'em mahself." (141).
As previously mentioned, Hurston again uses connotation and adds to her theme of social competition.

"...Who wants to be mixed up wid uh rusty black man..." (141).

"...Ah got white folks' features in my face. Still and all Ah got tuh be lumped in wid all de rest. It ain't fair." (142).
Again, Hurston points back to the theme of social dominance. Mrs. Turner makes it very clear she believes whites are a socially dominant class, and she is upset because she believes that physical features should be enough to get herself thrown in. She uses some level of diction (lumped in wid all de rest) to further invoke connotations of the african american race being negative.

"...Her look like uh white woman! Wid dat meriny skin and hair jus' as close tuh her head as ninety-nine is tuh uh hundred!" (143).
Hurston uses diction (meriny skin) and simile (ninety-nine is...) to contrast the characters of Tea Cake and Mrs. Turner. This also points to the fact that not all characters view the social dominance chain in the same light.

"Dey don't always know. Indians don't know much uh nothin', tuh tell de truth. Else dey'd own dis country still. De white folks ain't gone nowhere. Dey oughta know if it's dangerous." (156).
Hurston uses paralell structure to contrast Tea Cake's views on whites and Indians, and also describes how their lack of knowledge led to the loss of their country.

Journal 9: Pastiche Part II

He sat on his milky bucket, pondering the night sky. Every inch was littered with luminous stars, contrasted to the darkest sky he had seen. Blood trickled down his neglected shins and arms. "You did something incredible today." The voice shocked him, but it was impossible to tell; he had no physical reaction whatsoever. His eyes remained on a cluster of stars that shone just a little bit brighter than the others, just enough to notice a difference. "You focus to much on what they want you to be. A meaningless object infinitely below its potential." Finally he broke his gaze of the starts and focused it on the other. His eyes were polished stones. None could deceit what he was thinking or feeling. "I have no choice. A life with strings attached is far better than none at all." The other contemplated this. He made a sound point, and it wasn't for a while he was able to respond. "You and you alone know who you are. You can cut the strings if you want, you simply need to choose to do so." With that, the other left leaving him to question what he had done. Why he decided to live in another's life. Why he determined it would be beneficial to be viewed in a bright light when darkness was more comfortable. He called the other and thanked him. He had been next to him through the hottest flames and guided him back out.

The first literary element, with some examples highlighted in orange, was diction. Diction is used to create vivid imagery throughout the passage and exaggerate to some extent what actually happened (i.e. hottest flames). In Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston frequently used diction for the same reason (i.e. replacing quick with slick). In addition, Hurston also used diction to add to a dynamic setting.

The second literary technique was confidant, an example highlighted in green. The unnamed character expresses his gratitude to the other, and indicated the confidant had helped him through his difficult times. In this case, the confidant is also a mentor, however in Hurston's novel the primary confidant (Pheoby) is used to verbally display Janie's thoughts.

The final literary technique used was syntax, an example highlighted in blue. Hurston used syntax, specifically simple sentences, in dialog to add to her setting and create a culture within the book and strengthen relationships between characters. In the above passage, complex sentences are used within dialog to add a level of sophistication to the characters. 

The theme used in Their Eyes Were Watching God is that those who oppress the thoughts and feelings of others also prohibit them from exploring themselves, leading to confusion and a lack of self-identity. In the pastiche above, the character is oppressed by an unnamed group, leading him to question who he is and ultimately accept the mold society has placed him in.

Journal 8: Stylistic Choices In Quotes

1. Confidant
"Ah don't want tuh go. Ah always did want tuh git round uh whole heap, but Jody wouldn't 'low me tuh. When Ah wasn't in de store he wanted me tuh jes sit wid folded hands and sit dere." (112).


In this quote, Janie is explaining her situation to Pheoby. With the exception of Pheoby, Janie rarely expressed her thoughts and emotions through dialog. Hurston expressed Janie's thoughts through the use of third person narrative, which reduced her relationships between characters since she really only exposed her true thoughts to Pheoby. In this particular quote, Pheoby has just addressed the local concern that Tea Cake was changing her nature, but Janie explains this was always her nature, Jody just suppressed it.

2. Diction
"Ah'd git dat ship out from under him so slick till he'd be walkin' de water lak ole Peter befo' he knowed it." (101).

In the quote above, Hurston uses diction to create a vivid image through the use of a simile. Hurston chose to use the word "slick" rather than the synonymous quick, fast, suddenly, etc. The use of the word slick characterizes Tea Cake to a certain extent and also creates a setting through language. The quote above is stated by Tea Cake to Janie. He previously asked Janie if she would prefer a train or a ship, and she asked how he would acquire  either. He said all ship captains were old, and it would be easy to take the ship from them if it made her happy.

3. Syntax
"Fishin'? Dis time uh night?" (102).

In the above quote, Hurston uses a simple sentence in dialog between Janie and Tea Cake. Hurston chose simple sentences in almost all the dialog in the novel, primarily to highlight the simplicity of the characters. It is important to note that when she writes in narrative, her sentences become complex; unlike authors such as Hemingway, Hurston herself does not write in simple sentences, only her characters. The simplicity of the dialog may lead a reader to think the character is unintelligent, however the simple sentence structure may be a part of the dialect. The quote above is taken out of the context of Tea Cake asking Janie to go fishing in the middle of the night after dinner. Janie accepts and this further concerns her surrounding characters, namely Hezekiah and Pheoby.

Journal 7: Pastiche

It was in that moment Votolom pondered Anger. Anger, the passionate wraith which spawned from deeply rooted trees. The rejected shade who resided in seemingly dormant mountains with only the smallest openings for it to escape. What did Anger care for protection, what force could dilute him? He perches atop the summit of his dark mountain. Perches calmly and patiently, hoarding his power until given the signal to release his raw energy. Been standing on that summit before it existed, before time ticked, before the very subjects he corrupted were born. She was liable to feel the intense heat of his incarnation at the least predictable time. She was jealous and nervous too. She sent in a friend to recommend a cure to his ailment, but she knew it was folly. There was no retardant or suit capable of withstanding his heat, and know living soul knew how to treat a victim of his wrath. He should be alright, the cure was simply control of oneself. He would not be subjected to the wraith's heat. He sincerely believed he could escape the flames. But she knew, and if she hadn't, the scorched spirits tarnished by his wrath would make it all too clear. Those who had nothing to do with the wraith's business would be affected through his most recent target. All he had to do was patiently sit and wait for an innocent bystander with blood to boil. Anger, that intense fire immune to water, was beginning to torch the town.

In order to parallel Hurston, I chose to focus on an abstract emotion which was generally immune to any logic or justice. Anger corrupts the least expecting, and there is no way to overcome it once you are overtaken. In addition to the sentence structure, anger was also personified as a wraith (vs. Hurston's bird) in order to display its magnitude.

Journal 6: Death

1. Hurston personifies death to demonstrate his immortality "What need has death for a cover, and what winds can blow against him?" (84). Since death is immaterial and immortal, no naturally occurring force can destroy it. 

2. Hurston uses a bird as a symbol of death. "She was liable to find a feather from his wings in her yard any day now." (84). Because birds were chosen as the symbol of death, a feather would be the equivalent of an omen preceding death. Janie was "liable" because everyone has a ticking clock which cannot be slowed or altered at the end of which you die.

3. Hurston uses wingless birds to symbolize rumors. "Rumor, that wingless bird, had shadowed over the town." (84). Wingless birds simply mean that, like rumors, they cannot support their own weight and are false. However, the town did not recognize this and believed the husband of Janie to be either near death or dead. 

4. Hurston uses the personification of death living in a high tower. "He stands in his high tower that overlooks the world." (84). By stating that death "overlooks the world" Hurston simply means no one is outside the range of his jurisdiction; his power affects anyone and everyone. Janie recognizes that her husband is no exception.

5. Hurston creates a situation of dramatic irony. "He wasn't going to die at all. Thats what he thought." (84).  Janie's husbands denial of death is viewed in a satiric manner; every line in the passage preceding this had been hammering the point that death is an inevitable occurrence. Hurston included this dramatic irony to demonstrate his ignorance.

The general thesis of the passage is that through the personification and symbolism of death, Hurston displays his immortality and inevitably. 

Journal 5: Thesis

Zora Neale Hurston uses Janie's internal conflict to demonstrate the struggle between societies placeholder for groups of people and their actual aspirations. Hurston chose internal conflict to represent this struggle because it most accurately reflects the intentions of both standpoints.

Journal 4: Patterns

1. Hurston frequently contrasts the genders by demonstrating their respective roles in society.
Ex: "She's a woman and her place is in de home." (43).
       "The women got together the sweets and the men looked after the meats." (45).
Hurston probably focused on these gender differences because they spawned the internal conflict within Janie; she frequently was at war with where she wanted to be and where others wanted her to be.

2. Hurston repeatedly references God, the devil, heaven, and hell in dialog.
Ex: "Specks tuh keep on waitin' till hell freeze over." (39).
       "De Sun-maker brings it up in de mornin', and de Sun-maker sends it tuh bed at night." (45).
Hurston included divine figures and references in dialog and narrative to describe and amplify the setting and mood of the story.

3. Hurston switches between tenses with certain characters.
Ex: ""Git reconciled", Matt, Lithe Soothed."" (52).
       "Matt realizes that they have tricked him again..." (52).

Journal 3: Dialect Journal

Dialect Guide

1. Pronunciations 

• If a word ends in "er" change to "ah". Ex: He's ah deceivah. 
• Remove all a's if they are the first letter in the word, with the exception of words with 4 letters or under. I'll tell you 'bout myself.
• "Th" as a preposition is replaced with the letter d. Dose people all up in my face.
• The suffix -ing is replaced with the letter "n". How you doin?
• A, when used as an indefinite article, becomes an "ah". My my thats ah cool shirt.
• Don't, cant, want, etc. have the "t" eliminated. I wan to do it. 

     2.  Grammar

• Incorrect use of indefinite articles. He's a envious man. 
• Incorrect use of plural vs. singular verbs. One of the most famous country singers there are.
• Words placed out of order. Dat was de biggest thing seen Ah evah.

     3.  Vocabulary/Phrases (word/phrase - definition)

• Solid - Respectable.
• Mass - A series of concerns.
• Bring it home - Finish what you started.

Conversation

"We don't think you can do it." he said with a grin, exposing his pearly white teeth. "What makes you think you are capable of what is to come?" Alfonso smiled in return, his mustache cascading down his jaw like a waterfall. "Ah can do it. Ah know dat. If dey don think so, Ah'll make dem believahs." Willie Smith had heard it all before. He inhaled the thick smoke protruding from his cigar and pondered what Alfonso was saying. Maybe he could after all. "I want you to draw me a cube with seven sides, with all individual squares having four 90 degree angles." Willie smiled, convinced this challenge would be far to great for Alfonso to solve. "Mass dat have," replied a puzzled Alfonso. "But ah got Ah enormous brain, Ah got dis." Alfonso spent a minute rigorously scribbling on a golden slate, then reveled his work to Willie. Willie was shocked. "Solid. You've impressed me Alfonso. You're in." Alfonso paused before speaking. "Ah don wan to be in." Willie spit in his face. "So you're giving up? After all this time? Bring it home now Alfonso." Alfonso was boiling. "Ah didn do dis for you. Ah did dis for ah good." Willie was genuinely puzzled for the first time in years. "Then why are you here?" questioned Willie. The patience of Alfonso was now at its breaking point. "Don you get it? Ah am not here for you. Ah here for me." Willie finally understood. "If that is what you feel Alfonso, I will let you go." Alfonso smiled. "You ah solid man Will. Ah gon miss you." Willie extinguished his cigar and showed Alfonso the door. "Bye Alfonso," he said with a mixed expression on his face." Alfonso walked out the door. "Bye Willie." 

Journal 3: Harlem Renaissance Individual

Willie "The Lion" Smith was a pianist during the Harlem Renaissance. He is largely accredited for being one of the best jazz musicians with respect to the stride style of play. He was part of a large jazz music movement and played along with notorious individuals such as Papa Jo Jones and Mamie Smith. At the pinnacle of his career, he got the opportunity to tour North America and Europe. He became an influence for the prolific Duke Ellington and has his own holiday (September 18th).

Journal 2: Analytical Journal

Passage:

"Seeing the woman as she was made them remember the envy they had stored up from other times. So they chewed up the back parts of their minds and swallowed with relish. They made burning statements with questions, and killing tools out of laughs. It was mass cruelty. A mood come alive. Words walking without masters; walking altogether like harmony in a song." (2).

1. "Words walking without masters" is personification foreshadowing the oppression Janie would experience throughout the novel.
2. Continues to be vague (made them remember, they chewed, etc.)
3. Lack of any individual characterization.
4. Light parallel structure with previous page; Hurston addresses "the sun and the bossman being gone" and "words talking without masters."
5. Hurston conceals point of view; it is difficult at this point to identify perspective.
6. The unidentified group can now be known as oppressors; they are the masters mentioned in the last line.
7. "...killing tools out of laughs" may be foreshadowing a terrible event spawning from an initially positive one.
8. Hurston uses imagery to demonstrate how the oppressors dealt with their envy. (swallowed with relish).
9. Hurston does not mention the setting of the novel up to this point.
10. Theme: Oppression spawns from jealousy; those who need to justify their emotions ultimately suppress those around them.
11. Repeating structure: "It was mass cruelty. A mood come alive."  

Journal 1: Reflective Journal

If I were to describe my life to one person, it would be Edward Michael Grylls, more commonly known as Bear Grylls. He has been an inspiration to me for longer than I care to remember. For me, he is the absolute epitome determination and spirit. His abilities to bounce back from normally horrific situations (i.e. breaking your back in three places) and maintain his composure in the most hostile environments are tools that can be applied to any situation, and ones that I strive for everyday.
Because I do not believe I am at the apex of my life, I would probably describe my life chronologically. In this way, I would give the listener the best idea of how I developed over time, rather than random events which I feel are important. I would focus on events which had the most dramatic impact on my life today, in addition to events which I feel have put me in situations Grylls can relate to. I believe that your true personality and character expose themselves only in difficult and uncomfortable situations, so I would make a point to emphasize those fragments of my life.