Young Goodman Brown

                The entire story of “Young Goodman Brown” is a religious allegory, containing names and events that represent a deeper religious meaning.

                First, Goodman Brown constantly faces temptation throughout the story which results in him going against his faith and beliefs. Hawthorne wrote the story in the time period of the Salem witch trials in which people believed the woods to be evil. Goodman Brown felt curious, however, and felt his first temptation to enter the woods. As Goodman Brown first enters the woods, he says to his self, “What if the devil himself should be at my very elbow!” Goodman Brown understands that entering the woods is against his faith, but he continues on his journey through the woods. Then, a man approaches Goodman Brown and notifies him that he is late. Goodman replies, “Faith kept me back awhile.” Goodman Brown’s faith helped him question whether he should enter the woods and continue through them, but he continued anyways. He changes his faith based on others and based on temptation, representing a religious allegory.

                Next, the character of Goodman Brown’s wife, Faith, is a major religious character. The name Faith contains the meaning in itself. When Goodman Brown mentions the word “faith” in the story he is not only talking about his wife but also about his literal religious faith. At the beginning of the story, Goodman Brown tells, “Faith kept me back awhile.” However, as his journey continues and his faith weakens, he loses faith. Goodman cried out, “My faith is gone. There is no good on earth; and sin is but a name. Come, devil; for to thee is this world given.” Goodman’s trust in his wife, Faith, is gone along with his religious faith. The name of his wife has a religious meaning and adds a deep effect to the short story.

                Through the middle of the story, Goodman Brown continues to travel through the forest. As he “lifted his hands to pray, a cloud, though no wind was stirring, hurried across the zenith and hid the brightening stars,” he once again loses faith and hope to avoid temptation. In the Christmas story, the star of Bethlehem led the wise men to the birthplace of Jesus. In Goodman Brown’s case, he had the opportunity to follow the star and follow his faith, but instead the dark cloud of the devil and temptation covered the star.

Soldier's Home - 12/6/13

Krebs struggles to re-enter normal life after he returns from the war. Since none of his family or all of the citizens surrounding him has no understanding of his struggles from the war and receives absolutely no appreciation from them, Krebs feels apathy towards life. He constantly reflects on his own life and his opinions regarding different struggles he faces when he returns home. The constant repetition that Hemingway utilizes throughout the short story “Soldier’s Home” emphasize the theme and purpose of the story and help the reader understand how Krebs truly feels.

                Krebs begins with repetition about girls for a few pages within the short story. He began with mentioning, “Nothing was changed in the town except for the young girls had grown up. But they lived in such a complicated world of already defined alliances and shifting feuds that Krebs did not feel the energy or courage to break into it.” This line accentuates Krebs change that he encounters when he returns to his hometown. The town did not change but the people around him did, and nobody understands him, not even the young girls. Since nobody appreciated his service in the war once he returned, he has no courage or ambition to even approach any of the girls. Krebs also tells later that “he did not want to get into the intrigue and politics…did not want to have to do any courting…did not want to tell any more lies.” He does not want to explain to a girl what he has dealt with and the struggles he constantly deals with after returning from the war. The repetition of the girls and “lies” help explain why Krebs really struggled returning home. 

The Story of an Hour

Irony is a major element in the short story “The Story of an Hour”. The story introduces Mrs. Mallard as a woman with heart trouble and also introduces her husband’s death. Throughout most of the story, Mrs. Mallard has the belief that her husband died in a railroad disaster. Once Mrs. Mallard finds out about her husband, she cries. Her tears were not the typical tears that respond to death, but rather tears of joy. She began to visualize a new life on her own, and “monstrous joy” overtook her. Vivid details such as “new spring life,” and “delicious breath of rain” and “countless sparrows were twittering in the eaves” illustrate the enlightening mood that overwhelms Mrs. Mallard. Mrs. Mallard’s reaction to her husband’s death is quite ironic as most people would typically become deeply saddened over a close death. Also, another ironic moment is the closing of the story. As Mrs. Mallard dreams and celebrates her new, free life now that her husband is gone, a major shock occurs. Mr. Mallard shows up at the house. He was not actually involved in the railroad accident and it was just a misunderstanding; Mrs. Mallard dies in shock as a result of his appearance. This particular moment shows irony as Mrs. Mallard dies at the same time as she realizes that her husband is actually alive.

 Certain lines throughout the story foreshadow the turn of events that are about to occur. For example, “There was something coming to her and she was waiting for it fearfully. What was it? She did not know; it was too subtle and too elusive to name. But she felt it, creeping out of the sky, reaching toward her” foreshadows that death is coming to her. Also, “she was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her” is another example of foreshadowing that sets up Mrs. Mallard’s death.  Mrs. Mallard’s “heart troubles” also foreshadow what will happen. The author introduces her character and instantly mentions her heart disease. The story closes with “When the doctors came they said she had died of heart disease—of the joy that kills.” People originally thought that Mrs. Mallard would die of heartbreak at the death of her husband, but instead she actually dies when she finds out that her husband is alive. The first line foreshadows the events ahead and helps represent irony at its finest. 

1984 - pg 217-260 (10/2/13)

In 1984, Julia and Winston have a constant relationship throughout a major part of the book. At first their relationship was strictly sexual in a time where everyone was constantly being watched. They constantly met up and spent time together. They claimed that they loved each other, but did Winston truly love Julia? Different parts of the book might mislead people to believe that Winston might actually have loved Julia, but Winston did not truly love her.

Relationships between a man and a woman in 1984 were an issue. In the time period, the government and "Big Brother" forbid relationships, especially anything sexual. Since Winston hated the Party and constantly tried to rebel against them, his relationship with Julia was a major act of rebellion to him. This part of the story might indicate that Winston did not truly love Julia. He only used her simply for his own pleasure, and she was just another way for Winston to rebel against the government. If they loved each other, they would not have betrayed each other and would have tried to stay side by side even after they were caught. Did Winston truly love her for who she was or simply because she was another person who wanted to rebel?

Winston constantly goes back and forth between his feelings for Julia. Sometimes he believes that he is deeply in love with her, and at other times he believes their relationship is strictly for fun and rebellion. Winston’s constant swaying and not knowing whether he loves her proves that the government can change people and their beliefs. He does not know whether he even loves her or not because they are so preoccupied in rebelling against the government.

After the two were caught and brought to the Ministry of Love, they turned on each other so quickly. On page 229, the book reads” He [Winston] felt no love for her, and he hardly even wondered what was happening to her.” A couple that is truly in love would constantly worry after being separated by the government and placed in different rooms. Also, on page 259 O’Brien tells, “She [Julia] betrayed you, Winston. Immediately—unreservedly. You would hardly recognize her if you saw her.” The fact that Julia changed so quickly and “betrayed” Winston is one last bit of evidence that proves the couple was not in love. Julia did not love Winston, and Winston did not love her either. 

1984 blog 3 - 9/22/2013

At this point in the book, Winston and Julia are just beginning their relationship, and still trying to sneak around in order to see each other. Winston still refers to her as “girl” and doesn’t know her name yet. The author includes different scenes within these few pages to show how serious Winston and Julia are about meeting up and how their relationship will start to develop. The different scenes he uses also somewhat develop their personality.

On page 112, Winston once again saw Julia sitting at a table. While he was about to approach her, another man sat down before Winston had the chance to do so. Using quotes such as “His hopes sank again” and “with ice in his heart Winston followed,” the reader can easily understand that Winston cares about Julia and hopes to be with her. Julia also obviously cares about meeting up with Winston since she decides a time and place to unite with him.

Pages 112 through 117 also characterize Julia very well. She is always extremely cautious about meeting up with Winston, but always knows the right thing to do. She seems experienced with sneaking around against the government, with proof on page 113 where Winston and Julia discuss when and where to meet up. Julia wants to meet up in Victory Square when she is done with work, but Winston does not think Victory Square is a good place to meet up since it is full of telescreens. Julia, though, says, “Don’t come up to me until you see me among a lot of people. And don’t look at me. Just keep somewhere near me.” She is clearly used to sneaking around behind the government’s back and is very wise in nature. She wants to develop a relationship with Winston also, but acts very nonchalant about it to keep it on the down low. After meeting up in Victory Square, Julia and Winston plan another time and place to meet up in which Julia gives Winston directions to a very private place. Their dedication to meeting up with each other is yet another piece of evidence to show that their relationship is about to evolve. Julia’s directions of “to the secret meeting spot once again show how wise and secretive she is.

These scenes and dialogue should help foreshadow what is to come of Julia and Winston’s relationship. At the end of page 116 and beginning of page 117, Winston describes the feeling of meeting up and holding Julia’s hand. The book reads “But at the last moment, while the crowd still hemmed them in, her hand felt for his and gave it a fleeting squeeze. It could not have been ten seconds, and yet it seemed a long time that their hands were clasped together. He had time to learn every detail of her hand.” This specific section of the book identifies his relationship with Julia and how they begin to get to know each other. The closing of this chapter helps the reader picture Winston and Julia together and the start of their relationship. Describing them holding hands, the author wants to imply that Winston and Julia will come together as one to go against the government. 

1984 - blog 2 (through pg 127)

The scene at the antiques shop is vital in adding to the storyline. I find irony in how the entire book is about Big Brother and the government controlling everyone’s lives and taking away their freedom as if that is what government is supposed to do. In order to convince citizens that government is supposed to be controlling and demanding, they have eliminated all reminders and stories of history and brainwashed older citizens into forgetting about the past and only knowing a controlling government. The only trace of history left is the antique shop, which is rather ironic that the antique shop has not been eliminated also. The store and its items in stock must have some sort of significance.

                Winston met the proprietor again as he stepped into the old antique shop in chapter 8, where the proprietor remembered him buying the diary that Winston has been keeping day by day. As Winston tells him that he is just stopping by, the proprietor states, “You see how it is; an empty shop, you might say. Between you and me, the antique trade’s just about finished. No demand any longer, and no stock either. Furniture, china, glass it’s all been broken up by degrees. And of course the metal stuff’s mostly been melted down. I haven’t seen a brass candlestick in years.” This particular scene is a sign that the government is trying to rid the country of any elements of history to brainwash citizens. If citizens knew how government used to be and how much freedom citizens had before Big Brother took over, many people would probably rebel and try to overthrow the government. By erasing all elements of history, citizens have no problem with the current government and obey the laws.

                Another interesting part of this scene was when the man took Winston upstairs to where he used to live. Winston noticed that there was no telescreen up there, in which the man replied, “I never had one of those things. Too expensive. And I never seemed to feel the need of it, somehow.” At some point, the man never had to have a telescreen in the prole district, where other areas are all constantly being watched on a telescreen. Why would the proles be able to have a choice whether they have a telescreen or not? This was a question I pondered as I read, and I came to the realization that the proles are prisoners and are not watched on telescreens since they are already in captivity.

                One last point of discussion occurs just after Winston notices the telescreen. The old man asks Winston if he is interested in any old prints. Winston looks at the picture described as, “a steel engraving of an oval building with rectangular windows, and a small tower in front. There was a railing running round the building, and at the rear end there was what appeared to be a statue… it seemed vaguely familiar, though he did not remember the statue.”  Winston began to remember what the picture was about and remembered it to be in Victory Square outside the Law Courts. Winston did not purchase the picture because it would be an “incongruous possession”, meaning that he may be rebelling against the government by purchasing the picture. Why is the picture still remaining on the wall and why is it screwed to the wall? Why is the picture still there when almost all other elements of history are diminished? The picture seems to be yet another symbol for the lost past that the government has erased. 

1984 - blog 1 (pgs 1-81)

                Since 1984 was written in the 1950’s, George Orwell was conducting a prediction of what he believes the government will eventually be like. His imaginative society is actually quite relative to today’s government with all of the tracking our government does, especially with advances in technology. 1984 is a dystopian writing because of the exaggerating, yet critical views and opinions that exemplify the government and political system.

                Multiple restrictions are enforced on the citizens. Big Brother is constantly overpowering and controlling every action. Characteristics of a dystopian society are rather relevant compared to the events that occur in the book at this point. The first characteristic of a dystopian society is the use of propaganda in order to control citizens. Between the different ministries, propaganda officers work for each one, including the main character, Winston, himself. The next characteristic, in which thoughts and freedoms are restricted, is also relevant to the book. Citizens may commit thought-crime and soon be arrested by the Thought Police. Winston tells how he has to be cautious of his every thought and move, and especially what he writes in his diary. Since Big Brother controls the citizens and is constantly watching, they are worshipped by the citizens and their communist ways are believed to be the best strategy for government control. Big Brother and communism is also another characteristic of a dystopian society, especially since they are worshipped and believed to be just and right. In a dystopian society, citizens are constantly under surveillance, and in the book Winston is constantly watched through a telescreen. Another quality includes citizens having a fear of the natural world or seeing the outside world as banished or distrusted. Adults living in the time period with Big Brother have no recollection of their childhood or memories they had before Big Brother originated. Children have never seen any other lifestyle besides the communist-based control that they are currently under. Therefore, the citizens have no connection to the outside world. All of the topics are factors of a dystopian society and definitely correlate with the events in the book and the description of the government.

 Although Winston seems to rebel against the government, especially with inscribing in his diary, he is still frightful of the government and the control they have over him. Although the government’s control is ruining the society, Big Brother fools citizens into believing that they are living in a perfect world. Winston and O’Brien seem to understand that Big Brother is secretly plotting against all citizens and society, which is why I would predict and anticipate them rebelling against the government and putting the government through a metamorphosis.