Analysis of "The Mother" & "The Man He Killed"

I selected to analyze Gwendolyn Brooks "The Mother" because I was drawn to its content due to personal experience. The subject matter of the poem is abortion. The narrator of the story is a mother who has aborted not one, but several of her children, "I have heard in the voices of the wind the voices of my dim killed children" (line 11). Though her children have been long aborted she cannot seem to get the images or voices of the children out of her head.

The poet's careful use of words such as "stilted", "pulps" and "scuttle" convey the true feelings of the narrator in relation to the abortion. "Stilted" supports the fact that the narrator views the abortions as a self-conscious yet unnatural act. She utilizes the word "pulp" to describe the fetuses as soft moist shapeless matter removed from her body. "Scuttle", as in to scrap or discard, describes the actions the narrator has taken in getting rid of the fetuses.

Brooks' "The Mother" is written in the Clerihew form of poetry, named after inventor Edmund Clerihew Bentley. This form of poetry is a four-lined poem wherein the name of the subject appears in the first line of the work, "Abortions will not let you forget". The first line is the premise to the work, which states that the memories of the children are still apparent in the mother's mind.

The rhyme scheme of "The Mother" is written in (a)(a)(b)(b) form. The rhyme sound in the first line is forget which is repeated at the end of the second line with the word get. Remorse and personal reflection is the tone of the work, "Believe that even in my deliberateness I was not deliberate" (line 21). It is through this line that she directly explains her actions to the children she aborted.

 "The Man He Killed"

 

My analysis of "The Man He Killed" did not appeal to me due to the subject matter of war and death.

The narrator is a young soldier, who had he not been unemployed and penniless, would not have enlisted in the war. "Off-hand like--just as I---Was out of work--had sold his traps" (lines 14, 15). This passage infers that young men viewed war as a positive opportunity without understanding the true meaning or sacrifices of war.

Hardy utilized words such as "nipperkin" and "half-a-crown" to convey the attitudes of many young soldiers going to war. "You shoot a fellow down, You'd treat if met where any bar is" (line 19). The poet implies that it was common for young soldiers, enemies in war, to use drinking as a common coping mechanism as they faced  the duties of war.

The form of Hardys' "The Man He Killed" is written in a Quatrain stanza form wherein lines are grouped by four. With this stanza lines one and three may or may not rhyme; lines two and four most always rhyme. On the other hand, the rhyme scheme of the work is written in (a)(b)(a)(b) form. The rhyme sound in the first line is met (a), followed by the second rhyme sound inn (b)in line two. This pattern continues in line three with the word wet (a).

Though both poems speak to the idea of death I have contrasting views about the works. While both narrators speak remorsefully within the work "The Mother" aims to selfishly explain the poet's action in aborting numerous babies. "The Man he Killed", in comparison, speaks to the reader in stating that the soldier's only choice was to kill or be killed.



Fences

The play is called Fences because each character within the play  straddles on one side of the fence or the other.  Lyon, the eldest son, wants to prove his father wrong about his intentions; he borrows money that he has every intention of paying back.  His father, on the other hand, does not believe he is capable. Cory, the second child, born into wedlock, wants to show his dad that he is worthy of his father's love through his love of sports, as his father once emboddied.

 Symbotically, the idea of the father not finishing the fence, represents unfinished business within the family. Troy's father was a wanderer, he slept and left many of the women he encountered. Troy wanted different for his life; he met Rose whom he thought was the best thing that happened to him and envisioned  a life wherein he would be faithful and loving.

Jesus  is a fence within the union of Rose and Troy because through Rose, Troy was able to forgive and  move pass his father's  sin (infedelity). Though Rose appeared to forgive him, as his wife, due to death of the child's mother,  she worked through foregivene to  raise the child her husband fathered within their marriage.

Fences seperates Troy and Cory due to Troy's inability to understand the plite of his son. Like most father's, sometimes it is difficult to understand the mindset of a son when there is a  generational gap of understanding; difficulties one might face.  Troy was unable or unwilling to comprehend the differerences, goals or attributes that his son brought to the table. Cory, was more like his father, than his father cared to recognize.

There is a fence between Troy and Lyons because Troy is no longer married to Lyon's mom. Troy views Lyons as a mistake that he made when he was a young man. Troy felt that he was barely able to feed himself when Lyons was born. As Troy feels most of his life; he sacrificied alot for his family.

There are alot of fences that apply to this play, fences between husband and wife, between parents and children and amongst life and destiny; Love is unconditional built upon fences, meant to keep the one's we love in and the one's we hate out!





 

Hamlet III, IV, V

Claudius is not purely evil. He is a flawed human being; as are many of the humans depicted in the Bible following the initial sins committed by Adam and Eve. Jealousy was the motive for Claudius  killing his brother; Hamlet's father, the former King of Denmark.  Claudius, envied Hamlet's father as an emperor and loathed with passion for his brother's wife.  This scenario is parallel to the biblical story of Cain and Abel.

After marrying his brother's wife and becoming the current King of Denmark, Claudius attends his brother's funeral and hints at the fact that he has carried on an affair with his brother's wife.   "Your better wisdom, which have freely gone with this affair along --for all our thanks" (1361). Claudius appears to be happy at his brother's demise and thus inherits his brother's throne, valor and wife
Adultery is the first sin that Claudius commits under the commandments of God. 

Though Claudius justifies, and at times, denies the fact that  he has killed his brother, he attempts to reassure Hamlet that he will inherit the throne of his father.  "As of a father, let the world take note,  you are the the most immediate to our throne" , stated the King (1363). Claudius displays remorse for his late brother by recognizing, in light of his sinful action, his brother's son will still become King. 

Claudius is not purely evil because he is aware of his sins and seeks forgiveness through his belief in God and Christianity. "Is there not rain enough in the sweet heavens, to wash it white as snow? Whereto serves mercy but to confront the visage of offence?" (1411).  Claudius finally admits he murdered his brother and looks to God to wash away his sin.

Shakespeare's Hamlet could have been renamed "The Tragedy of Claudius, King of Denmark" due to the fact that it was a story of lust, betrayal and enlightenment. Though Claudius was successful in marrying his brother's wife, unlike his brother, he never experienced true love. Through Hamlet's play, Claudius sees his mistakes, and is enlightened to his own demise. The tragedy of Claudius is parallel to the "mark of Cain"; protected from a premature death, yet death succumbs.

 From the point of view of Claudius, Shakespeare biblically infers that brotherly betrayal and lust, yet not purely evil, amounts to sin, remorse and death.

BLOG #3 - It's ALL about Setting!

A short story can say a lot about the author‘s mindset in selecting the historical, geographical or physical setting of a work. Setting is important in understanding the point of view, motivation or overall perception of modern time during the penmanship of any writer. Many author’s during the earlier nineteenth century were precluded to write about novels, romance or transcendent literature. Women were often discouraged from reading or writing about Literature. Novels, which grouped people, set into their particular settings, developed characters and personalities realistically. Romance, on the other hand, developed characters less, while focusing on action and adventure. Lastly, “Transcendentalism” focused on a philosophy that reality was unknown; spirituality emphasized the importance of God.
　
The setting of “The Cask of Amontillado” by Poe, appeared to be an Italian novel about honor amongst knights, where 19^th century characters were destined to be honored or killed. “At length I would be avenged”. (p.525). The writer utilizes words such as “virtuoso“; a word meaning skilled, manliness and excellence, to mask the public perception of feminist analysis of Literature during this time. The “dusk” setting (p.525) is a great backdrop for allowing the reader to draw the opinion that “honorable men” ride into the sunset in efforts of gaining honor and respect.

In Chopin’s “The Story of an Hour” , the writer romantically misleads the writer into believing that she has a fine art of writing. Set in an “open square ---with new spring life” (p.337) , the writer implies that her work is related to the great Polish composer Frederic Chopin; “goddess of victory“ (p. 338). Her style “illumination” (p. 338), is how she would accomplish here fete. Frederic Chopin, during this era, was a skilled polish composer who was accomplished in the area of fine arts and musical instruments. It is understandable that the “she” Chopin would adapt to this persona as well as this style of writing. The writer is skillful at providing a romantic, mystical insight of classical music during the era of “Chopin”; “There stood , facing the open window---breath of rain was in the air” (p.338).

Lastly, and in contrast, Joyce’s “Araby” provides a work from a Christian standpoint where the “uninhabited house of two storeys” sets the stage between spiritual values of wrong and right; “Christian brothers’ school set free” (p.246). Under the “beautiful ever changing violet sky” there is hope for a better tomorrow. “Buckingham Street” (p.248), in the work, references the Evangelical Christians that migrated to England in the earlier nineteenth century. “Her name sprang to my lips at moment in strange prayers and praises” (p.247) is only evident of the writers perception of a Christian based England during this era, versus Catholicism.

"The Yellow Wallpaper"

Based on point of view, the narrator of a fictional piece of work is not always the author or vice versa. In "The Yellow Wall Paper" the author utilizes the first-person "I" to mask or expand the creditabilty of the work. The author assumes that first-person charactcher "I" advantage will draw readers into the posssibilty that the events taking place are possible, plausible and yet believable. As the story opens, the character is not defined! Who are we speaking about? The character does not appear to have a name or signifigance.  The main character does not have a sense of purpose; "John is a physician --- My brother is also a physician" (p. 565).

The narrator's version of events are questioned due to the fact that the physical capabilites of the character come into question. At the start of the story the character being described is dependant upon her spouse, Dr. John, both emotionally and physically. She has succumbed to her daily dose of drugs while her busy "lifesaving" husband is occupying his time saving lives worth saving. "So I take phosphates and phosphites--whatever it is"(p565). It was much deeper than the wallpaper. And her illness was just a mask for what lied beneath. The thoughts, repetition were sure to drive her crazy, if she dared to stay another day. Her husband cared for the sick each day, but it was his doubt that defined her illness. The lack of attention she received only personafied her lack of existence. To this fate, the more distracted she became by the pattern of the wallpaper. ; she was always spoiled by the things provided her in life. She must have been raised during an era where the men pursued their educations and provided for the family, while the women stayed home. Her only goal in life appeared to be living the good life and writing a book when time permitted. Pleasing her husband was not easy, especially if he weren't around! She was emotionally tormented in his absence. All she could focus on was the wallpaper. She was subject to the life as a lonely, Doctors wife with no goals and no life; her doctors could fix her physical ailments. She got around pysically most of the time or atleast that is what she made them believe. "There are things in that wallpaper that nobody knows but me, or ever will"(p569).
The reliabilty of the author does not remain consistent throughout the work. The author implies that Dr. John cares for his sick wife, when he is available, however the author also hints at the fact that Dr John's inlaw is also likely to provide his wife with what she needs emotionally or physically."My brother is also a physician". She dreams of having children of her own. At times you would think she actually has them. There's one comfort- the baby is well and happy ,and does not have to occupy this nursery"(p569). Perhaps her delusions come from the pill popping, the wallpaper or the emotions from being a lonely recluse. In this work, the author uses verbal irony as a narrative strategy to contradict what the character means versus what is being said. The character is happy with the benefits of being a Doctors wife but she was ill informed to the sacrifices that came along with the distinction.