Chapter One Quote from The Great Gatsby

"All right I said, 'Im glad its a girl. And I hope she'll be a fool--thats the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool.'" (17)


Daisy speaks these words in chapter one as Nick asks her about her daughter. She goes on to explain to Nick her feelings after giving birth to a baby girl, and what she says is quite shocking. She says that she hopes her daughter grows up to be a beautiful little fool. This gives the reader an insight into what society was really like back in the early 1900's. From Daisy's perspective, women were not seen as intellectual figures. Instead, they were seen as something to merely look at. As her daughter grows up, she will be forced to focus on the asthetics instead of focusing on bettering herself in things like education, music and such. I believe that when Daisy spoke of her daughter, she could not help but contribute her own personal experience into it. She knows that being a woman is all about looking presentable enough to find a suitor, and then on top of that, look good enough to everyone else to prove that your relationship with your husband is going smoothly. Also, another important part of womanship is motherhood. Women were looked upon as visuals as well as birthing babies for their husbands. One does not need intelligence to do any of the above, which is why Daisy said that her daughter will be a beautiful little fool. I believe that Daisy has this hope for her daughter because a woman who questioned things such as social class and actually went to work was not highly looked upon. Daisy hoped that her daughter would grow up to be a fool so that she would blend into society and remain within the status quo, instead of breaking it and drawing negative attention to herself. Here we discover the superficiality of the 1920's and the roles of women in society. Also, another thing that i want to bring up is why was Daisy glad that she had a girl if she would experience nothing but oppression and strict social guidelines? Why didn't she want to give birth to a son? Back in this time period, boys were allowed to go to college, participate in politics and have jobs and be successful. So why didn't Daisy wish this for her child? It could possibly be the impact that Tom had on her. He was aggressive, unfaithful and hulkish. It's easy to see why she wouldn't want to raise another Tom! She would rather have a beautiful little girl who would never be able to experience life the way she wants to instead of having an impressionable little boy who could quite possibly end up like her terrible husband. This quote said alot about Daisy's character in that she grew up in a strict social class, and knew the same thing would happen to her daughter, so the best advice she had for her was to grow up to be a beautiful little fool, which of course she learned from her experience. This is just the beginning of our adventure in finding out who exactly Daisy really is and how her character plays out in the end.

The Great Gatsby chapter 6

pg98 " I suppose he'd had the name ready for a long time even then. His parents were shiftless and unsuccessful farn people - his imagination had never really accepted them as his parents at all. The truth was that Jay Gatsby of West Egg Long Island, sprang from his Platonic conception of himself. He was a son of God - a phrase which, if it means anything, means just that - and he must be about His Father's business, the service of a vast, vulgar, and meretricious beauty. So he invented just the sort of Jay Gatsby that a seventeen year old boy would be likely to invent, and to this conception he was faithful to the end."

Nick describes Gatsby's past history in the quote stated above. As one can see Gatsby came from a poor family who he disregarded as a young boy. Through his name and the comparison to God he created a new identity for himself. Gatsby is faithful to his new identity, but disregards the actual fact that he comes from poverty and unsuccessful parents. Gatsby as a young boy became caught up in the idea of becoming someone wealthy, and recognized. He transforms himself into the person that he invisioned himself to be. Gatsby does what ever it takes him to get to where he wants to be, despite any obstacles that society presents him with. As we see that in the novel he has "side businesses" that are kept in secret, and throws extravagant parties for all to come. He gets so caught up with the lifestyle that he lives but in the end is left with nothing. He was not recognized by people but rather "assumed" to be something. With all the rumors about Gatsby people did not know who he really was. To the people he was just a man who threw splendid parties. Gatsby died alone with no one at his funeral which comes to show that his identity crushed his dreams

Is "The Great Gatsby" Still Great?

Read the attached article from the Wall Street journal (February 2009) and The New York Times (February 2008). Post a comment on your view of both articles. Then post a response to another student's comment. In short, talk amongst yourselves!

The New York Times:

http://http//www.nytimes.com/2008/02/17/education/17gatsby.html

The Wall Street Journal:
http://http//online.wsj.com/article/SB123517583815437521.html

Chap 3 Anaylsis of a Character and his Smile

Mrs. Silva I made a BIG mistake, can you read this post instead of the other one I made for the book! Thank You!

“He had one of those rare smiles with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced, or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor. It understood you just as far as you wanted to be understood, believed in you as you would like to believe in yourself.”

This is an imagery that caught my attention. Upon meeting Gatsby, Nick closely examines him and notices his smile. The smile reflected his character, rank and his beauty. Nick claims that the smile is an indication that Gatsby truly understood everything Nick was saying and believed him as much as he want anyone to believe him. This quote is interesting to me because it was an instant moment that Nick took notice off and valued. For some reason it comforted him; it created in him a feeling of comfort, one that people have when they are around their close friends, family or when they meet a new person they know they can trust, “a quality of eternal reassurance in it”. By using the word “eternal”, he makes an allusion to the bible; he almost exaggerates Gatsby as a God with whom he feels comfort. Nick valued this more than anything else because he never had any one who listened and understood him for a moment as Gatsby did. He even personifies Gatsby’s smile as someone that “faced or seemed to face” the world. He does this in order to emphasize the value of Gatsby’s smile. To him it was so valuable that he even states that it would only come once or twice in life. Maybe this was the reason that urged Nick to help Gatsby in his attempt to regain Daisy’s love. I think this quote foreshadows the friendly bond that forms between Gatsby and Nick as the novel progresses. To me, Gatsby’s character seems to be similar to Peter Keating’s character. In Fountainhead, Peter Keating is a character who lives for fame, wealth and what people think. He would even kill, steal and lie to make money and become successful. However, if you think about it, according to a rumor, Gatsby killed a man. Maybe, he committed this murder in order to make money. However, we don’t know enough about Gatsby’s history in order to make this deduction but if you read ahead, Tom, Daisy’s husband, states that he was a bootlegger or someone who dealt with drug dealings. In their furious argument, Tom also talks about a Walter Chase being locked up because of Gatsby. Therefore, it is reasonable to make a comparison between Gatsby and Peter Keating because both were ones poor who then rose to fame and fortune. However, I think both did this through unethical actions which led me to believe that they are of the same nature. Also, Peter became famous through Roark’s design similarly, Gatsby gain’s Daisy’s love through Nick. Therefore, I think both characters are ones that use others for selfish motives. However, in my opinion, Gatsby isn’t has unintelligent as Peter is. So there is a difference. Another connection that I made was that the relationship between Nick and Gatsby is similar to the relationship between Howard Roark and Gail Wynand. Because just as Gail was a rich man who came to Roark for advise and sought an ally in him, so did Gatsby, a rich man, came to Nick and sought a friend in him. Both Wynand and Gatsby are charismatic and aristocratic men who were caught up in external issues: Wynand worried about the world and people’s perception because of his occupation in journalism, similarly Gatsby was a man caught up in wealth and becoming successful. However, just as in fountainhead, Gail changes upon meeting Roark and falling in love with Dominique, Gatsby changes ones he meets Nick and reclaims his love for Daisy. Gatsby and Nick become friends just like Roark and Wynand. Overall, Nick is comforted by Gatsby and realizes that he can trust him. However, will his perception of Gatsby change as the novel progresses still remains a question.

Chapter 2 of The Great Gatsby

"About half way between West Egg and New York the motor road hastily joins the railroad and runs beside it for a quarter of a mile, so as to shrink away from a certain desolate area of land. This is a valley of ashes- a fantastic farm where ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens; where ashes take the forms of houses and chimneys and rising smoke and, finally, with a transcendent effort, of men who move dimly and already crumbling through the powdery air. Occasionally a line of gray cars crawls along an invisible track, gives out a ghastly creak, and comes to rest, and immediately the ash-gray men swarm up with leaden spades and stir up an impenetrable cloud, which screens their obscure operations from your sight." (43)


This passage describes the area between West Egg and New York City. Fitzgerald portrays this place as “desolate.” It is indeed called the “valley of ashes,” indicating that everything is not as stunning or beautiful as West Egg or NYC. It shows what is really happening during the 20s.

“Ashes grow like wheat into ridges and hills and grotesque gardens.” This suggests that the economy is expanding and the United States is growing. It is a time of the industry and factories. Even though the upper class is what is being explored in this novel; it seems Fitzgerald wants to also include what is truly happening during this time period. It is remembered for being a time of fun and entertainment; however, most of the money was in the hands of only 2% of the population, showing that more people were involved in the factories and poverty. People like Wilson are part of this group of people. He is not part of the glamour; he is part of the lower class of society.

The valley of ashes is also where Myrtle, Tom’s lover, lives. He has to hide his relationship with her here. He does so by riding on different cars of a train and not being seen with her in this valley. Tom does not mind if his acquaintances know, but he needs to keep his secret from Wilson. It is strange that he makes sure to hide his secret relationship from Myrtle’s husband, but does not hide it from his own wife. He won’t blatantly tell her, but will answer Myrtle's phone calls. Daisy is already jealous, but she does not seem to really acting on it. Why isn’t she? I wonder what would happen if Wilson found out about Tom. He would probably be enraged because he is losing his wife. At this point in time, men had a lot of power over their wives; therefore, he would probably take control and put her "in her place." However, I wonder what would really happen.

At this point the setting and characters are just being introduced and the valley of ashes just gives perspective to the reader. This time period is not just glamorous and full of fun, it is also a time of industry and poverty.

Paradise Lost

Paradise lost books I-IV

Paradise Lost is an epic poem about the power struggle between God and Lucifer (Satan). It opens with Lucifer falling from heaven after losing the great war. Lucifer was once God’s favorite angel but his jealousy and greed led him to rebel; he didn’t want to serve in heaven, he wanted to rule it. The rest of the books are about Satan’s journey to redemption. He decides to corrupt God’s most prized possession- his creation (man). The language in the books is difficult; reading the lines more than once is recommended. Here is a sample:

So Satan spake, and him Beelzebub
Thus answer'd. Leader of those Armies bright,
Which but th' Onmipotent none could have foyld,
If once they hear that voyce, thir liveliest pledge
Of hope in fears and dangers, heard so oft [ 275 ]
In worst extreams, and on the perilous edge
Of battel when it rag'd, in all assaults
Thir surest signal, they will soon resume
New courage and revive, though now they lye
Groveling and prostrate on yon Lake of Fire, [ 280 ]
As we erewhile, astounded and amaz'd,
No wonder, fall'n such a pernicious highth.

This passage is an example of the difficulty involved in reading Milton’s classic. He uses complicated vocabulary and sentence structure. “Of battle when it rag’d, in all assaults/Thir surest signal, they will soon resume/New courage and revive.” This shows how Milton uses complex sentence structure. There are many symbols and themes woven within the work as well. These include the themes of good vs. evil, temptation, and revenge. These themes are revealed through the actions of the main characters( God, Satan, Adam, and Eve). Although it is complex, it is worth the time and effort. I recommend this book but only if you are willing to put in the work.

The author's emphasis on Class Rank

Throughout the novel, Fitzgerald seems to illustrate the importance of class and rank in society several ways:

"I am still a little afraid of missing something if I forget that, as my father snobbishly suggested, and I snobbishly repeat, a sense of the fundamental decencies is parceled out unequally at birth"

According to the quote, Nick's father has taught Nick to realize his value in society. It seems that he wants Nick to realize that his stand in society is not too low neither is it too high. There are always going to be people above him and below him in terms of rank in society. Therefore, he doesn't have to think that he won't fit in. This is one way Fitzgerald illustrates the importance of class rank.
Another way Fitzgerald tries to emphasize the significance of rank is through the character Gatsby. Throughout the novel, Gatsby is depicted as an extremely wealthy man who is well known in the society. He is known for throwing luxurious and extravagant parties, to one of which Nick was invited to. According to a rumor, he was also known for being a German spy and killing a man:
""Somebody told me that he killed a man once." "It's more that he was a German spy during the war." "You look at him sometimes when he thinks nobody's looking at him. I bet he killed a man." "(43).
The author uses the rumor to indicate the importance of Gatsby's rank to show his influence in society as a wealthy man; his wealth is so great that even when he murdered a man, he was able to get away with it and still remain wealthy. To Nick, Gatsby's an interesting man, he seems to examine Gatsby's character more than he does to any others in this novel:
"I saw that I was not alone — fifty feet away a figure had emerged from the shadow of my neighbor’s mansion and was standing with his hands in his pockets regarding the silver pepper of the stars. Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn suggested that it was Mr. Gatsby himself, come out to determine what share was his of our local heavens."(20)
Nick's description of Gatsby here shows that Nick is satisfied that he is finally able to see the "Great Gatsby" that he longed to see all this time. His depiction of Gatsby's figure suggests that Nick perceives him as a heroic figure or a role model figure. However, later Nick notices that he was nervous for some reason and he was looking towards a green light:
"he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward — and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness."
The green light was coming from Daisy's house, whom Gatsby loved. I think the green light symbolizes happiness that he can only attain by being with Daisy. Regardless of all the wealth he has, he realizes that he still doesn't have happiness which he can only gain by being with Daisy. Therefore, the green light symbolizes his pursuit of happiness.
Gatsby is a character that Nick pays a lot of attention to in the beginning of the novel and he portrays him as an admirable figure at first:
"He had one of those rare similes with a quality of eternal reassurance in it, that you may come across four or five times in life. It faced or seemed to face, the whole external world for an instant and then concentrated on you with an irresistible prejudice in your favor..."
This illustrates how Nick admires him upon meeting him at the party. Thus, he decides to help Gatsby meet up with Daisy again. However, will his perception of Gatsby change as the novel progresses still remains a question. Throughout this whole novel, Fitzgerald emphasizes the importance of rank mainly through the character Gatsby.

Jesse Young - The Great Gatsby Chapter 1 Essential Passage

“Something in his leisurely movements and the secure position of his feet upon the lawn suggested that it was Mr. Gatsby himself, come out to determine what share was his of our local heavens.

I decided to call to him. Miss Baker had mentioned him at dinner, and that would do for an introduction. But I didn’t call to him, for he gave a sudden intimation that he was content to be alone — he stretched out his arms toward the dark water in a curious way, and, far as I was from him, I could have sworn he was trembling. Involuntarily I glanced seaward — and distinguished nothing except a single green light, minute and far away, that might have been the end of a dock. When I looked once more for Gatsby he had vanished, and I was alone again in the unquiet darkness.” (20-21)


An exhilarating moment indeed, ladies and gentlemen, has marked this reading of the opening scenes to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s superlative accomplishment, The Great Gatsby! To elaborate, it is a truly glorious and exhilarating day—at least to an inspiring objectivist like me—when Ayn Rand’s philosophy is combined with Fitzgerald’s artistic writing style and malicious social commentary to produce such a poignant scene evocative early 20th century society and rich in subtle characterization.

Perpetually anchored to an Objectivist frame of reference, I chose this passage—though some may say it was outshined by other relevant, pithy statements regarding gender relations, the superficiality of wealth, and other themes that we’ve explored—because I believe that once one considers the time period, envisages the scene described, and connects The Great Gatsby to other momentous works of literature of the 20th century, it is easy and quite necessary to ascribe meaningful symbolic value to Jay Gatsby’s open, trembling arms.


Recall the opening scene of Ayn Rand’s novel, The Fountainhead. “Howard Roark laughed,” the scene begins, and from there the reader is presented with the image of a man standing naked atop a cliff, steady eyes fixed upon the breathtaking vista of abounding trees, marbles stones, flowing water, fertile soil, and other elements of nature. Though he is just one man immersed in such a vast expanse of nature, however, Roark will not for the slightest fraction of a second allow a sense of belittlement or of that overwhelming, sublime fear Romantics harped about to overtake his frame. Instead, Roark dispels these sensations and derives a sense of empowerment from nature—he, as a man, is above and beyond the influence of nature, and must assert his superiority over that static entity by conforming it into whatever shape he chooses. From the marble on which he stands, Roark could make a brick, a home, a railing or any shape his heart desires; he could bend, shave, burn, exhume, and mold the timber that surrounds him; the flowing water beneath him conjures image of hydroelectric plants, of the great gears and levers of industry turning to shell out the products of man’s most ingenious and inventive minds. Roark, in short, basks in his innate capacity and the free will to make whatever he wants of the world around him and thus forge his own existence based solely on his values and ideals. No external force may dictate the course of Roark’s life; he stands atop the mountain, untouchable to others, as the master of his fate. The same can be said of Jay Gatsby in this passage.


In this passage, as he stands next to his lavish mansion--a marked symbol of the wealth and social status he has accrued by virtue of his own productive skill—and gazes towards the open sea, Jay Gatsby stands as the physical embodiment of mankind’s freewill to devise their own future and dictate their own existence. As the passage clearly indicates, Gatsby exudes a sense of self-confidence and independence in his “leisurely moments,” thrusting him above the reach and influence of all other men. Much like Roark, Gatsby experiences an extreme moment of realization in which he determines that mankind possesses the unbridled capacity and individual autonomy to overcome his surroundings and make what he wants of the world. The ambiguity of the world trembles—one could either tremble from extreme fear, happiness, or sadness—allows us to surmise that Jay is going through such a significant, emotionally uplifting experience. Nick, ignorant to emotions brewing within Gatsby, sees nothing in the expanse of nature but blank space and a green light: the blank slate, possessing now tangible shape until Gatsby assigns it one, upon which Gatsby has the freedom to build and sculpt his own life, and the green “go-ahead” signal to bend the world into whatever shape he fancies.


As Gatsby stares head-on and confident at Her beauty, even nature herself takes on significant symbolic value. The water, for example, is described as “dark” and by implication, mysterious, thereby representing the uncertainty and mystery with which individuals in the 1920s viewed their society and the future. Having just witnessed unprecedented bloodshed in the European country side, Americans returned home from the Great War a fragmented lot disillusioned with their society and anxious about the future. Advancements in technology and the weapons that ensued, such as mustard gas and tanks, gave the American government and society in general a new, alien monstrosity that inspired fear in our soldiers coming back home, while Communism, Freudian Psychology, and thriving genetic research tore traditional American ideals asunder. Between Marx, Freud, and Griffith (research scientist who, in 1918, proved that some external material now known as DNA could be absorbed by our cells and could actually change our genes), belief in an omnipotent God was no longer went blindly adhered to and unquestioned by all. All of these changes generally left people feeling out of place in their own society and therefore powerless over their fate. Jay Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s representation of the ideal man, who confronts these mysteries head-on, and forges ahead to realize his values. By chapter five, however, I can’t help but question whether or not Nick is attracted to Gatsby for this aspect of his personality, or if he simply lusts for the wealth and power that Gatsby represents?

Tom Henson’s Passage Analysis Within Chapter 3 of The Great Gatsby:

“There was dancing now on the canvas in the garden; old men pushing young girls backwards in eternal graceless circles, superior couples holding each other tortuously, fashionably, and keeping in the corners—and a great number of single girls dancing individualistically or relieving the orchestra for a moment of the burden of the banjo or the traps.” (pg 46)

My two favorite scenes in this chapter were the owl eyed man in the library and then again on the side of the road. However even after reading this book once before, this passage contained many symbols that I had noticed for the first time. At first glance, one would think Fitzgerald is describing dancing, but it could be argued that he was describing society in the jazz age.

The older generations with all they had accomplished left nothing for the next generation. Coupled with the accomplishment of “manifest destiny” and the dawn of industrialization, the previous generation had pushed themselves across the frontier and left the younger people to move about blindly and backwards in circles rather than forward towards a goal or principle. The “old rich” were still in arranged relationships, rather than loving ones, but they were also the ones who controlled the fashionable behavior of their society. Their wealth allowed them to remain the “corners” or strength of American culture.

The single girls dancing and performing showed the new independence of women during that period. They did not need a partner or a man and they were not afraid of putting themselves front and center in society. Women during this time as we all know wore clothing that caught society’s’ attention (i.e. clothing that revealed a neckline or the woman’s calf). It is within this concept that we see the women drawing attention to themselves and can draw the parallel between the simple ceremony of dance to the larger picture of the “modern woman’s independence.”

In reference to a “larger picture,” the final point I wish to highlight is that all of this complex symbolism took place on a canvas. Obviously it was not the literal artist’s canvas which I am implying, but the coincidence was far too eye-catching for me to leave it unnoticed. From my interpretation, it was as if Fitzgerald wanted to deconstruct the fundamental aspects of The Great Gatsby’s setting, and the era he lived in…this dude was profound…as the saying goes.

...why do I feel like I wasn't supposed to post this blog here :O

Book Review of Lucy by Jamaica Kincaid

Jamaica Kincaid's novel, Lucy, is a story about a girls experience in a new country as a nanny. As a whole, the novel is a little slow moving and at times can be boring. But, the overall story is interesting.
The first person narration from Lucy allows the reader to see exactly how Lucy feels about her new life. Although, the first person point of view shows the reader a very bias and unpleasant view America. At most times the throughout the novel Lucy is unhappy with her new life. She is not a reliable narrator; she hated her old life as well, she was an unsatisfied character.
If you are interested in learning about experiences of immigration, then this would be a great book to read. It will also teach you a little about how new comers sometimes view America.

Book Review of Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre (Kathleen Gonzales, Jessica Satin, Alishya Thomas, Jesse Young)

Needless to say, those fortunate specimens whom I grace with the apparition of my masculine countenance, a glimpse of my most dignified conduct, or a demonstration of my virile fortitude, would all conclude that I am the most rugged of all manly men ever to tread the hills of Elmsford. When not wrestling lumberjacks, commandeering pirate ships, or head-butting machetes, however, I am often seen lying prostrate on a bed of hot coal, snuggled up with a classic work of literature. The copious testosterone flowing through my veins commands that I read the most macabre of novels, filled with gratuitous violence, pillaging, explosions, adultery, or any other type of abuse and stimulation minds like Stephen King and Edgar Allen Poe could formulate. If I may put it simply, I am typically not one for romance novels. It is a marked testament to her genius and adept writing ability, therefore, that 19th century novelist Charlotte Bronte was able to execute a “Romantic novel of passion” that stimulates the mind, excites the passions, and titillates the heartstrings of even the coldest and most hardened reader. Though Bronte’s 1847 published magnum opus Jane Eyre may seem like nothing but a dull fairy tale and an arduous chore to read upon cursory glance, delving deeper into the literary work reveals an enthralling story teeming with beautiful imagery, social criticism, and even some very dramatic symbols and allegorical elements. Rich in culture, abounding in social commentary, and rife with classic examples of nearly every literary technique out there, Jane Eyre is a must-read for any lovers of literature; or anyone who plans on taking the AP English: Literature exam at some point in their lives.
Charlotte Bronte builds each and every sentence in Jane Eyre with a masterful command of the English language, a command sadly absent, in my humble opinion, from literature of this and the last century. Using this mastery, Bronte weaves together the complicated stories of many seemingly disconnected characters around one central heroine, and goes on to describe the triumphs and travails of that heroine as she falls in and out of love, defies expectations by moving readily between social classes (castes, really, in that society) and in general interacts with the rigid social customs of 19th century England.
The novel begins by describing the living conditions and background of its heroine and namesake, Ms. Jane Eyre. When we first meet Jane, she is young, not yet in her teens, and has already been orphaned by the tragic loss of both her mother and father to typhus. Jane is thus brought up by her mother’s sister-in-law, the wealthy, albeit cold and continually oppressive, Mrs. Reed. Born of extremely humble beginnings, at least compared to the affluence of the Reed family, Jane is made the frequent victim of much physical abuse and teasing at the hands of cousins John, Georgiana, and Eliza Reed, and even at those of her aunt Mrs. Reed. Ever-cognizant of her inferiority, both in the physical realm, for her appearance is lackluster, and in the social world, for she is not yet trained in the graces associated with wealth, Jane leaves her adoptive family to study basic English, French, Music, Drawing, and History at Lowood School for Orphans. From there, Jane’s triumphs and travails intensify ten-fold, as she goes on to work as a governess, or teacher, in the Rochester abode at Thornfield. Quickly falling in love with her perpetually burdened, melancholy, yet passionate and exceedingly blunt master Mr. Edward Fairfax Rochester, Jane is abruptly thrust into adulthood as she explores the themes of true, sacrificial love versus individual autonomy, the proper place of religion in society, mobility within 19th century society, gender relations, and the balance between one’s inward fire and one’s inward ice. When a dark, foreboding secret is discovered literally in Mr. Rochester’s attic, Jane is forced to cast her passions aside and quit his society, doomed to a life of introspection, unbridled courage, and the fragile balance between reason and passion.
Originally titled Jane Eyre: An Autobiography, this novel affords readers a glimpse into the nature, the very ebb and flow, of 19th century society through the unique perspective of a poor, then wealthy, then poor again, then wealthy again governess forced to endure the most poignant of human emotions and the basest conditions of human existence. Though distinguished for its brave commentary on the 1840s status quo, and controversial for its description of a love affair between a 19 year-old governess and her nearly-40 year-old master, the hallmark of Jane Eyre and its most ingenious element is not that it looks outward towards society, but that it looks inward, portraying the essence of human nature, courage, zeal, sacrifice, and love. Serving as a beacon of rationale and the truest embodiment of persistence and passion, the character of Jane Eyre has earned her place in the annals of literary history right next to Hamlet, Atticus Finch, Piggy, and other quintessential, world-renowned characters. Lying at the heart of a revolution in the scope of the romance novel, Jane Eyre treads where no novel before it treaded before with the most unorthodox love story and the most direct, sometimes vitriolic commentary on 19th century class rigidity and materialism. Though such themes undoubtedly appeal to all individuals, let me be the first to forewarn timid readers: Jane Eyre is not for the faint of heart. I back this novel with the utmost recommendation only if you could enjoy 450 pages of small-print filled with apt vocabulary and unnecessarily complex syntax. When all is said and done, shining through the complicated structure of this literary behemoth is a truly enjoyable read with all the ingredients for a page-turning, enthralling romance novel for the ages.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy Review: Allison, Sydney, Thomas, Ebere

The Road is a novel by Cormac McCarthy about a father and a son that survive the aftermath of the apocalypse of the world. Everything is burnt and covered in ash due to some unknown catastrophic event. In the desolation, all they have are each other, a cart of foraged food, and a couple of blankets. Their quest is to reach the southern coast, where they believe they will find other survivors. Together they face starvation, cannibals, snow and rain storms, and several near-death experiences.

The format in which McCarthy writes the novel makes it difficult to understand. Firstly, he uses nearly no punctuation. Contractions with apostrophes were rare and not a single quotation mark was used in the novel. This made it difficult to distinguish when somebody was speaking as opposed to narrating. However, it did give the novel a factual and to-the-point tone. Blunt phrasing was used and the boy usually accepted any answers to his questions with a simple "okay":

[The Boy:] It's really cold.
[The Man:] I know.
[The Boy:] Where are we?
[The Man:] Where are we?
[The Boy:] Yes.
[The Man:] I dont know.
[The Boy:] If we were going to die would you tell me?
[The Man:] I dont know. We're not going to die.

[The Boy:] Okay. (144.1-144.10)

The two had several conversations just like this throughout the novel. Phrases like "okay.", "I don't know.", "Are you scared?" are all used so often that the reader feels as though they are having the same conversation. The simplicity and repetition reflects how the two characters were concerned solely with surviving and their monotonous, repetitive life of building fires, searching for food, and finding shelter. Secondly, the narrator frequently had flashbacks, but there were no indications as to when this would happen. Using pronouns such as "she" and "he" made it a bit confusing as to who was involved in what was going on.

Overall, however, the book was interesting once you got into it. The first few dozen pages felt a little repetitive: They were on the road, they were hungry, they were alone. Despite the fact that the boy and his father remain nameless the entire story, the reader comes to understand and connect with the characters. The little boy knows nothing of the world as it used to be because he was an infant when the world "ended". His innocence evokes passion in the reader and they really want the boy to pull through the rough parts of the novel. In general, it was an interesting read and I would suggest it to a friend.

Silly, Edna.

I think there were plenty of other options for Edna other than to kill herself. Yes, she didn't fit into her society. But I feel as though the Creole society that she lived in was just in a really extreme case. They had rules about practically everything. Sure, there were expectations of women along those lines everywhere, but the Creole women took it to an extreme. They were their own breed:

"Mrs. Pontellier, though she had married a Creole, was not thoroughly at home in the society of Creoles; never before had she been thrown so intimately among them. There were only Creoles that summer at Lebrun's. They all knew each other, and felt like one large family, among whom existed the most amicable relations. A characteristic which distinguished them and which impressed Mrs. Pontellier most forcibly was their entire absence of prudery. Their freedom of expression was at first incomprehensible to her, though she had no difficulty in reconciling it with a lofty chastity which in the Creole woman seems to be inborn and unmistakable."

Moving north, perhaps, she could have found others like herself. There were other women advocating for women's rights and the like, and she would have fit in with them. No matter what's "accepted" in society, Edna was technically free to do what she wanted because she makes her decisions. If she was truly looking to live for herself, she wouldn't care what others had to say about how she lived her life. She could have left their society, she could have stayed and demanded a divorce, there were plenty of other options. Granted, they would have been unpopular with the people around her, but the reason she killed herself was to be free, and she shouldn't have been concerned with what others think. But she copped out and killed herself in the ocean that she had just recently learned to love. It's kind of sad because she was just figuring out who she truly was, figuring out what she wanted from life and what she loved. I think it was an impulsive decision on her part and she should have thought it over a little more. Then again, we don't exactly know what was running through her mind. Perhaps she did think of all of these options and still decided this was the best way for her. Whatever makes you happy, Edna.

Edna’s Cop Out

Edna’s real awakening is the realization that she is not sure of her place in a society ruled by man. Throughout the novel, Edna is described as a rebellious and rather selfish character: She cheats on her husband and often ignores her responsibilities to her children. At the beginning of "The Awakening", Léonce expresses that “he thought it very discouraging that his wife, who was the sole object of his existence, evinced so little interest in things which concerned him, and valued so little his conversation” (48). It bothers Léonce that his wife does not really pay attention to their conversations. Edna is a Creole woman and knows that the role of women is limited to the Cult of Domesticity. However, Edna thinks that her life is dull. In hopes of discovering a new and more exciting lifestyle which will satisfy her selfish desires, Edna slowly descends into a transformation, of which Léonce tells Edna that she is neglecting her household duties. He further emphasizes this by reminding Edna of society's expectations for women. He poses the question, “If it was not a mother’s place to look after children, whose on earth was it?”(48). He is not really worried about Edna at this point, but he questions her current state. Edna’s actions soon lead to mischief, and they are viewed as immoral and a disgrace to humanity. Edna has romantic relationships with other men, such as Alcée Arobin and Robert Lebrun. Edna’s affairs with these men become quite obvious, and her friend Adèle advices Edna to focus her attention back on her husband and her children. One day on Grand Isle, Edna learns to swim in the ocean. She displays pride admitting that, “she wanted to swim far out, where no woman had swum before” (73). This moment is significant for her because she feels empowered and in control of her life physically, mentally, and spiritually. She is holding herself up, and the fact that she achieves this independent of others makes the moment even greater. Edna feels encouraged to rebel against the ideals set for women, and she develops deeper feeling for Robert. Edna believes that her affairs with men, especially Robert further expound her intentions of rebellion. She claims that her willingness to end ties with her husband by moving out of their house and confessing her love for Robert shows that she dares to be independent. Yet, Edna commits suicide shortly after Robert ends his relationship with her. As Edna swims to deeper water she is similar to “some new-born creature, opening its eyes in a familiar world that it had never known” (175). In this last awakening it dawns on Edna that she has no place in society. She “steps” out of her realm, but she wants to hold onto this unrealistic fantasy of obtaining a forbidden lifestyle. She acts on this by allowing herself to drown. Still, Edna may not have ended her life if Robert decided to stay with her. Robert represents a chain that Edna does not want break free from, and therefore she can not be truly independent; she refuses to accept his departure from her. The bird with a broken wing, flying in the air before it crashed into the ocean (175) is Edna. Edna cops out knowing that she would be in some sense alone and misunderstood.

Wanna hear a joke...

Womens' liberation. LOLJKGRLZRULE

So although I don't condone suicide... or murder in any form for that matter (homicide, infanticide, etc) I do believe that for a woman as independent as Edna, it was the only way out.

The entire novel focuses on the idea that she is a revolutionary woman stuck in a very rigid society that has established social norms that no one dares to defy. Every woman is expected to be married, and to devote their lives to their children and families. Their very existence is expected to revolve around the idea of the family, and they're supposed to do everything for the benefit of their families. Most importantly, women were seen as the property of their husbands in this late 19th century Creole society, and for a woman to think it was okay not to do exactly what their husband asked of them every second of the day was considered blaspheme.

An example of Edna not cooperating with what was asked of her would be towards the beginning of the novel, where Leonce has just arrived home from a night out on the town, and he tells Edna that he thinks one of their children is sick and that she should go check on them. Any other "normal" mother would have jumped up at precisely that moment to go check on her child, but Edna is not a normal mother, and this scene evidences that clearly. She instead tries to argue, saying that there is nothing wrong with the child. Leonce is taken aback by his wife's behavior, and is confused as to why she truly does not think it necessary to be totally and utterly concerned with the welfare of her children. This shows that Edna really does not fit into this society, because she is too concerned with her own well-being to really devote herself 100% to her kids like she is expected to.

On page 97, Edna says: "I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life to my children; but I would not give myself." She is unable to do anything other than put herself highest on the scale of important in her mind, and for that reason she will never be content in such a confining society.

It is hard for us, as 21st century humans to relate to Edna's situation, since today she would fit in just fine, as there are many independent and successful women prominent in society that do not depend on any man for anything, including their husband or significant other. It's unfortunate that she instead lived in a time period that would never accept her for the free-thinking woman that she is, and for those reasons I'm sad to say that the only way for her to truly ever be happy would be to remove herself entirely from this life that she hated so much. It's unfortunate, and a part of me wishes that she had a snorkel and oxygen tank hidden beneath her dress, but I feel like what she did was all that a woman in her position would have been able to do if they truly ever wanted to be happy.

Edna Surrenders her soul before Nature

"Allez vous-en! Allez vous-en! Sapristi!," the parrot repeated over and over again because it realized that it was in a cage, locked up and therefore, wanted to be free. Similarly, Edna's behavior at the end of the novel wasn’t a cop out rather it was a self realization, a realization that she was defeated by the society because of her inability to hold onto her beliefs. She realized that she can't live a life according to the standards of the society she was in; a mother and wife who cares for her children and husband. This is what Madame Reiz was implying to when she said, "The bird that would soar above the level plain of tradition and prejudice must have strong wings. It is a sad spectacle to see the weaklings bruised, exhausted, fluttering back to earth"(138). She was trying to tell Edna that in order for her to be free as a free bird, then she needs to hold strong to her belief, no matter how much the society might oust her or criticize her. If she fails to stay strong, then she will fail before and be suppressed by society. Therefore, the ending illustrates her failure to hold on strongly to her belief when she decides to commit suicide. "A bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling disabled down, down to the water"(175), this quote clearly illustrates the "sad spectacle" Madame Reiz was talking about earlier in the novel. Therefore, the "bird with the broken wing" represents Edna and her inability to continue her life in a society that doesn't accept her beliefs and denies her the right to be free. Several times in the novel, Chopin uses birds to illustrate Edna's condition. Edna symbolizes the birds that are described in the novel: "green and yellow parrot" that is locked up in a cage, the pigeon house she decides to live in and the bird that beats its wing in the air. I think the author uses a bird in order to illustrate Edna's nature as similar to a free bird but at the same time, a bird that is trapped, hurt and struggling. According to her, one of the reasons she was trapped was due to her children:
"The children appeared before her like antagonists who had overcome her; who had overpowered and sought to drag her into the soul's slavery for the rest of her days."
She believed that the children are one of the reason that she couldn't be free and that her obligation towards them made her a slave. Even though she said she wouldn't give her soul for her children, after Madame Rat. told her to "remember the children" she realized that she had to love them, but she still didn't want to give up herself for them. This was one of the reasons she killed herself, so that she wouldn't have to be locked up due to her obligation towards her children. Therefore, it was a self realization that caused her to commit suicide because she realized that she wasn't free. Leonce was another reason she believed she wasn't free because her marriage forced her to live a life in the society has a Pontellier, which meant she had to live in a mansion and be a maternal women who cared for her husband and children only. She had to embrace the culture of the Creoles. However, she was a women who lived in the wrong place at the wrong time because she had no desire to exhibit any of that. Nevertheless, she committed the suicide because she realized that there was no one in the world who she could trust "except Robert; and she even realized that the day would come when he, too, and the thought of him would melt out of her existence, leaving her alone"(175). In the end it said that, "...for the first time in her life she stood naked in the open air, at the mercy of the sun...the waves that invited her"(175). This illustrates that she can only be free in one place and that is before nature. That is why she decided to express her freedom before nature. However, I still wonder? If she was determined to never give up her soul to anyone, then why did she give it up to nature? Her committing suicide by drowning in the water and standing before the sun naked is surrendering her soul before nature. Does it mean that nature was the only thing she was willing to give up her soul to? However, all these are self realizations she experienced before she died, therefore, it wasn't because she wanted to cop out but rather self realization is what powered her to accept defeat before nature and surrender her soul to nature.

Unfortunate Action

Edna makes the reader believe that suicide is her only way out of her confined lifestyle. When actually, Edna is simply unable to realize to how much freedom she really has. The main reason that Edna doesn’t view her rights to flirt, be married, have a social life, and care for her own children; as liberating is because it isn’t was she wants, nor what she is used to. It is shown throughout the novel that Edna is a very selfish character. When Edna states: “I would give up the unessential; I would my money, I would my life for my children, but I wouldn’t give myself.” This shows that one of the few things that have restrained Edna to her lifestyle is her children.

Edna basically presents a theory that the only thing keeping her from escaping her life is her children. She also expresses that she will not give up her strive for independence for anything. Edna feels that her independence and her children are at the same level of importance, although she also believes she can’t have both; her only option is suicide. Based on the era of the novel, her choices were limited.

It is simply unfortunate that Edna wasn’t couldn’t live in the current era. Here she would be able to have it all. She wouldn’t be left with a hard choice between her children and her independence. Although, if Edna still felt as strongly today she would have more options other than suicide. She could possibly just change her identity, stay on the island, and leave her children and old life behind.

The Not Cop Out

In today’s society, people view suicide as the only way to escape reality, the only way to leave all the problems behind and move to a new world. In fact, that is what it is- a way to leave the real world and all the troubles that comes with it. The world today also sees this way of leaving as a “cop out” because it is not a way to solve a problem head on. It is just running away and only a coward runs away from a challenge or a dilemma. However, in the case of The Awakening, is Edna really portrayed as a “coward?” She steals the readers’ hearts when she fights for what she truly believes in. Is that something a coward does; defending for what she believes in? The answer is no. In fact, a person would probably call that a heroic sacrifice. Edna’s suicide is not a normal one to escape problems; it is a symbolic gesture that involves her saving what is left of her. In the middle of the novel, Edna declares to Adele, “I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn’t give myself” (97). Edna is implying that she would sacrifice her life to save her children, however, the thought of giving up her “soul” is too much for her. It would be changing herself and not only is that unfair to her, but also to her children because they would not be getting who their mother really is on the inside. It is like changing one’s personality, no one wants that because they would not be getting that person, it would just be an illusion. Edna’s suicide is a way for her to keep her soul. If she did not kill herself, she would probably go back to Leonce and live like nothing happened with Robert. Would this “going back to normal” really be what Edna desired? She would have to go back to being the obedient wife and that is clearly not what she wants to be. She tried breaking free and it didn’t work for her. Her “wings” were not strong enough to push her forward. Ms. Ponteiller was already out of the bird cage, but she was still not free. How could she possibly continue with her life when she could not escape the clutches of the everyday routine? She would be living a lie and she could not live if that is what she had to do. She cannot pretend to be something she was not; this is what she meant when she said she could not sacrifice herself. By killing herself, she was able to keep herself. She realized this is the only way to do so.

This suicide was not a cop out, but a moment of self realization for her because “she understood now clearly what she had meant long ago when she said to Adele Ratignolle when she would give up the unessential, but she would never sacrifice herself for her children” (175). She knows that she must take this action in order to save herself. Edna may be afraid of dying, but she recognizes that it is a necessary action if she wants to remain herself. This brave woman even mentions to the doctor “perhaps it is better to wake up after all, even to suffer, rather than to remain a dupe to illusions all one’s life” (171). It is far better to accept the reality and truth than to live a lie for the rest of one’s life and that is exactly what Edna’s suicide represents; facing the truth and dealing with it.

-Kathleen :)