Poetry by Marianne Moore

I never thought that, I, of all people, would say that I liked poetry. However, after reading "Poetry" by Marianne Moore, I not only can say that I appreciate poetry but I now have a favorite poem. From the title on, I was intrigued. I have always been apprehensive about poetry. It has always been a sort of writing beyond my comprehension. There was nothing about poetry that seemed worth reading to me. I guess it was just above my head. Not to mention poetry analysis just flat-out gave me a headache.

It was interesting to me that in her poem, Moore didn't force or even seem to want the reader to like poetry. It wasn't an expectation that you liked poetry to be reading this. It was easy to understand and grasped my attention. Here you have a poet, saying that she doesn't like poetry. Stop at that first line, would be like putting a book down right after reading a gripping cliff-hanger and you just don't do that. So, naturally I kept reading. By the end of the poem, I decided that if this is poetry, then there must be some hope for the genre. Honestly, I'm not sure how you can not like poetry after reading it. Thank you Marianne Moore for making poetry interesting!

The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost

The poem "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost is an extremely well known poem. There is something about the poem that is just appealing to read. I think that a lot of people can relate to this poem, in that they want to take the road less traveled. It is the nature of our society for each person to want to be unique and be independent. The image of a path is a common metaphor for life. I don't think there are many people who consciously want to follow everyone else. Well, I am sure some people out there do. However, there is more of a sense of adventure in taking the road less traveled. I think that is the reason that this poem is so well liked that it is now cliche. I am not a huge fan of poetry, but I do like this poem. I like to think of myself as a person who chooses to take a different path, and I hope it will make a difference in the end.

"The Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Ernest Hemingway

"The Snows of Kilimanjaro" by Ernest Hemingway was about a man's safari in Africa. The man became injured by a thorn, and the wound became infected, because of his remote location he was unable to get treatment and it was slowing killing him. He was with a women, with whom he argued quite a bit. While he was stranded and dying, he began to reflect on his life. He had a lot of regrets about his life. You could even go as far as to say that at this point in his life, Harry is a man of regrets.

He regrets that he didn't live his life in a way in which he would have lived up to his potential. This played out in several ways throughout the expression of his thoughts in the story. He believed that he had "killed his talent" (1075). This death of his talent a provided him with a blanket of loneliness that stayed with him. According to Harry, he had "failed to kill his loneliness."(1075). Tied into this lonely regret was another element of regret about his inability to hold on to love and relationships. His perception of the problem was that "He had loved too much, demanded too much, and wore it out."(1079) In a sense his regrets could be summarized as a feeling that he just hadn't quite lived up to his potential.

The typeface played a strong role in expressing the feeling of regret presented. Henry in the italics is remembering how things used to be or specific events, whereas in the normal typeface his regret in the present moment of not writing of more of his experiences shines through. I think that this showed that his experience of dying impacted his view on the world and himself, which was interesting.

Babylon Revisited by F. Scott Fitzgerald

In our class discussion on this story, we debated for a while on whether or not Charlie had changed and should get his daughter back. I, personally, do not think that Charlie has really changed or should receive custody of his daughter. I don't believe that the three years time is enough to prove you are changed, especially when he had only been limiting his drink for "over a year" (1032). When it comes to the relationship between man and alcohol or any other addictive substance or behavior, it is a complete fallacy to believe that one is alright while still consuming it on a daily basis. There is a middle ground between full out alcoholism and recovery, but that in-between place is not the end. Steps need to continue to be taken to release Charlie from his dependence on alcohol, which he seems to have come to terms with. For this reason, it was disconcerting to hear him say: "I take that drink deliberately, so that the idea of alcohol won't get too big in my imagination." (1032) Drinking "responsibly" for a drunk, is irresponsible. The justification of his daily drink, proves that there is an unhealthy relationship with the substance.

On another level, I don't see that Honoria's return to her father is a welcomed by the ones who know the circumstances better then the reader does. Those who are taking care of Honoria are against it. They know that she might have access to more money, but at the same time the danger and instability is there. When Charlie was talking to Marion and Lincoln about the possibility of taking Honoria back to live with him, his nerves began to strain and "for the first time in a year Charlie wanted a drink." (1034) I think that the fact that when he gets into an uncomfortable situation, he almost immediately wants a drink shows that he still has work to do. While it may be a nice thing for Honoria to have visits from her father, because she clearly loves him: I don't believe that a custody switch is in her best interest at this time.

A Streetcar Named Desire by Tennessee Williams

"A Streetcar Named Desire" by Tennessee Williams contained very unique characters that contrasted each other, so each scene had some element of surprise in interactions. The character that was the most interesting to read about for me, was Blanche. Her character was unstable but bold which I liked. While her relations with men, both past and present, have fed into her instability and insecurities, she still has an extreme dependence on men.

She sees men as her only way to survive and have some semblance of stability. Even though she willingly flirts with the delivery boy, she immediately puts on her prim and proper facade on for Mitch because she sees him as her way to have a stable life. Her desire to have a proper and stable life is thwarted by her promiscuous behaviors of the past that gave her a bad reputation. So, despite her attempts to make a new start with Mitch, her past eventually caught up with her: making her undesirable to the men who might provide her the stability she seeks.

I think that her long baths and concern with appearances show that at some level she knew that her past hadn't left her. She tried to escape in the bath to wash it away, but she had to come out and face life. Her way of dealing with this was to cover her insecurities over with a Chinese lantern and be bold in her escape of reality.

Birches by Robert Frost

The poem Birches by Robert Frost was absolutely fabulous in my opinion. I'm usually not a big poetry fan by any means, but for whatever reason I really appreciated this poem. It might be in part that I used to love to swing on the trees as Frost brought up in his poem. There is just a pure and unspoiled childish joy in leaping up and grabbing a tree branch. I'm not even sure what about it is so much fun. It kind of sounds ridiculous, if you haven't experienced it. However, once you've done it you just know the feeling and it is hard to explain. I really liked that I was able to relate to this poem's imagery, it made it more interesting to read.

I think that most people can relate to the part of the poem, where the speaker wanted to just escape from life to get reinvigorated. He didn't want to die, but just to somehow float away for a while and then come back more able to cope with life. It was as if he knew that life was worth living, but was so stressed out that he just needed an escape from reality. Since we know that Frost suffered from depression, that understanding of the poem seems to make contextual sense. Sometimes the world can get a little overwhelming and I can sometimes find myself wishing for a mini-escape to just take a break. I don't want to die by any stretch of the imagination. It is just that sometimes I feel like if I could just get a break from reality, I'd be more sane. I believe that life is totally worth living and "the right place for love", despite the hard and painful parts. Perhaps, even because of the hard parts? I'm not really sure.

Occurence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce

Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge by Ambrose Bierce was a quite disturbing story. When I first read it, I got pulled into the romantic mind of the main character Peyton Farquar. The tale is set in civil war Alabama and Peyton is a well-to-do plantation owner. He thinks of himself as a respectful southerner who would do anything to serve the south, when in-fact, he refused to serve in the army feeling that it was for lesser men.

Regardless of his view of himself, the story begins with the beginning of his death. He was to be hung on the bridge, an execution of the utmost pain. The perspective that the story is told from is third person omniscient, and describes a cold and unfeeling bridge with soldiers preparing the noose and guarding the ends of the bridge. Once the noose is around his neck though, it switches into the thoughts of Peyton.


He becomes distracted by the ticking of his watch. He doesn’t know what the sound is but it overwhelms him. Then slowly his thoughts turn into a vivid escape. Somehow he manages to bring the reader with him off the bridge and into the water, escaping the eminent death a waiting him. This illusion is pretty well conveyed and his escape quite believable. When he gets close to his house though, he is almost in the arms of his wife when he is jerked back into reality.

The next line tells you that he is now dead, hanging from the bridge, as he had been throughout. It was rather difficult to read that part and not cringe at the thought of him swinging there back and forth like the pendulum of a grandfather clock. I personally had creepy images in my head after reading this story and was somewhat upset that I didn't pick up on the clues that he was indeed dead, while reading the escape. I wished that somehow he had managed to do the impossible.

However, as a reader I did just what Bierce, in his realistic writing style, wanted me to do and got caught up in the romantic ideas of Peyton: only to have them dominated by the true reality of the situation. All in all it was a very well-written piece that was definitely thought provoking and is an excellent example of realistic writing.

The Storm by Kate Chopin

The Storm by Kate Chopin was a very interesting piece that gave insight into the life of two couples, although, perhaps they could be considered three couples because of the affair that put them together. The plot was rather simple. The husband and son of Calixta, Bobinot and Bibi respectively, went off to the marketplace. A storm blew in and during the storm a man, Alcee, comes to the house in which Calixta is furiously sewing. When he arrives at the door she welcomes him in with an initial reluctance. That reluctance wears off after a short bit, and they have quite the romantic scene together. Then the storm calms down. Alcee rides off. Bibi and Bobinot return and Calixta quite warmly welcomes them. They had brought her favorite shrimps and taken the time to clean up before they arrived home, so as not to be a disgraceful presence. They begin about preparing for dinner. Meanwhile, Alcee goes home and writes a letter to his wife, Clarisse, who is happily visiting relatives with their children. At the end, no one is the wiser or at all unhappy with the circumstances. The storm blows over completely.

During our class discussions my question was, “What happens in part 6 of the story?” To which I got little clear response but a lot of heated discussions on the long term sustenance of such relations. I’m not married, nor have ever been, but I believe that honesty is paramount to strong and lasting relationships. I found the interactions of Alcee and Calixta quite honestly deplorable. I understand that there was a storm and at the end of it everyone seemed pretty satisfied with themselves. So there is the calm after the storm, but how will this calm last. When Clarisse comes back will she still possess her tranquil disposition about the circumstances? Will Bobinot continue to be oblivious to the fact that his wife completely betrayed him? I was simply filled with questions about the future of this calm upon finishing reading this story.

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Perkins Gilman

The Yellow Wallpaper by Charlotte Gilman was a very interesting story. What particularly stuck out to me were the vivid descriptions of the main character’s perceptions of what was going on around her. The descriptions that allowed the reader to see inside her head, figuratively speaking, was quite a testament to the challenging and misunderstood reality she was facing. That reality was postpartum depression, then diagnosed as simply hysteria. The common belief at the time by the distinguished professionals was that a brief rest with no mental stimulation would be the cure all for such maladies. It was rather unfortunate for the main character that her husband and brother were both physicians of high standing and were quite confident in their treatment protocols for her.

The irony in the situation is that from the very beginning she disagrees with their advice, but the knowledge of their love for her forces her into compliance. Compliance at least on the superficial level, as she is writing the very text the reader is experiencing, when she is alone in her room and can bring out her writing without being disturbed. Writing is one of her ways of escaping the circumstances, but in the end her limited mental stimulation leads her to have a strong mental preoccupation with the wallpaper: the yellow wallpaper in the room that confines her.

What is so interesting about her thoughts about the wallpaper is that she starts to go completely insane but the wallpaper is her escape from reality. It allows her something to focus on when she is supposedly supposed to be resting her mind. She starts to believe that it is almost alive and that she is the only one who truly knows it. It is the utmost irritant to her, yet, following the patterns becomes her prime pastime and insanity. In some parts she realizes that this has become a “bad habit” but as her husband continues to dote on her with his uninformed knowledge and care, it is her escape. Her inability to engage her mind on anything but the wallpaper in the room causes her some paranoia about her caregivers.
As the story progresses, her writing and descriptions become more bizarre and disjointed. Essentially, it seems as though what should be making her well is just driving her further and deeper into insanity. From a more modern psychological perspective that makes sense, because when someone is suffering from depression the very opposite is recommended.

The suggestion that someone with postpartum depression in modern times should be locked up in a room alone with no mental stimulation would be considered absurd, if not abusive. Yet, because of their understanding of the illness at the time it was considered to be an act of love and done out of deep care for the sufferer. I think it is really interesting how the different advances in psychological studies have completely turned around the approach to this condition. I am sure that the writings of Gilman were a contributing factor in the awareness and understanding of the women subjected to this treatment.

A White Heron by Sarah Orne Jewett

I recently finished reading “The White Heron” by Sarah Orne Jewett. I found it to be a rather light read, that both embodied the romantic ideas of the author and didn't force them upon the reader. Which left it up to the reader to ultimately decide what they thought of the young girl's final decision. 

It began on a June evening, with nine year old Sylvia's venture to the woods to collect the dilatory cow belonging to her Grandmother, Mrs. Tilley. Sylvia has spent the previous two and a half hours searching for the cow, Mistress Moolly, who often wandered off and stood so still that her cow bell would not ring and her location would remain undisclosed. Sylvia's childlike patience was wearing off, and she was hurrying home with the cow when she heard a loud whistle. This whistle was the somewhat intimidating introduction of the traveling ornithologist to young Slyvia. He wanted to a place to spend the night so he could continue his gunning in the Morning. When he approached the house and made his request, Mrs. Tilley was more then happy to accquiese his plea.

His interest in Slyvia was based solely in her knowledge of the birds in the woods, and was remarkably indifferent to the family sorrows that her Grandmother alluded to. His ultimate goal, was finding the White Heron. He clearly stated that he would give ten dollars to whomever could show it to him. During the following few days Slyvia's initial reaction to the man, which was one of hesistant alarm, changed to one of love and admiration--albiet with some hesitation when the bird's bloody corpses fell from the sky solely for the sake of his research collection. She knew that he wanted the White Heron, and was rather grieved at the elusiveness of the bird. She wildly imagined all that she could do with the ten dollars and also the feeling of triumph and delight that would come when she finally found the White Heron.

It was this anticipation that coursed through her entire body, that drove her up the familar tree in the pre-dawn moonlight, where she found the White Heron's nest. Her experience of connection to the tree as she climbed and ultimately the wonder of the White Heron in the approaching daylight overwhelmed her. Somehow this short period of time high up in the tree endowed a renewed spirit of wonder at the natural beauty of the world in young Slyvia and the secret of the White Heron's nest lamented in her heart. She wondered what the reaction of the stranger would say to her when she told him exactly how to reach the nest. When she made her way down and out of the tree and eventually back to her home, her grandmother and the stranger were awaiting her. She was torn as she did desire the approval of the stranger, yet at the same time she couldn't sacrifice the life of the heron by giving up her secret. So she kept her secret for the sake of her forest friend.

From my interpretation of the story and my own personal view of nature (and love of animals!), I believe that Sylvia made the “right” choice in the circumstance. I put right in quotes, because I truly believe that depending on one's own view of the story there perhaps isn't a “right” or a “wrong” choice to be made in that situation. However, regardless of whether it is right or wrong, I agree with it. Given the current state of affairs in our world, I think a great many people disagree with me (in our class discussion this was proved correct). It would be unfair to say that the opposing side doesn't have some valid arguments about the decision for example: her grandmother needed the money, it was just one bird, and the scientific community would likely be able to study this bird and perhaps learn more to save the lives of other birds. My own view is that perhaps the money would have been useful in their life and there may have been some scientific advancements as a result, but at the end of the day the bird would be dead.

I guess this brings me to the essential point of my argument, which is actually more of a question. At what point does the need for money and desire for research justify or even warrant the sacrifice of the wonder and beauty found in the natural beauty of life? Perhaps it is just the naturalistic nature of my personality, but I believe that as a society we have gotten so obessed with our money and our scientific research that we forget to see the world through the eyes of a child. We've outgrown our wonder of natural beauty and our suffering from the affliction of dispair as a result. So as idealistic as it sounds, I agree with the lonely country child's choice to keep the secret of the White Heron and I think that if more people embraced life in that way we would have a better world.

First Posting.

Hey Everyone!

I am starting this blog for my American Lit. class. Basically, the purpose of this blog is to write responses to the literature we are reading. I look forward to sharing my thoughts on the various pieces. If you have stumbled upon this, feel free to read! :)

Thanks,
Caitlyn