"A caddy retracted his statement, and the only other witness admitted that he might have been mistaken." (Page 58)
My friends and I have a little thing we like to do called "sketch hands." I created them when we were walking in a weird alley downtown at night during NCYC on our way to dinner. We were in a big group, so we were perfectly safe, but it still felt a bit sketchy. They are like awkward hands, except instead of impersonating Ricky Bobby when he doesn't know what to do with his hands, you make one of your hands look like a gun, and then you hold the thumb of your hand that is making the gun as if you don't know what to do with it. Basically, you hold your thumb of your right hand between your pointer finger and your thumb of your left hand. Go on, try it. You know you want to.
What's the point of these ramblings? Well, I threw up my sketch hands when I read the passage about Jordan Baker being clever enough to evade punishment or reproach. To be honest, I just don't like her. I feel like the whole narration about her on pages 58-59 are foreshadowing a time when she is going to cause something bad to happen and get away with it. She makes me nervous, and I just don't trust her.
Monday, April 23, 2012
Great Gatsby: Juxtaposition
"I began to like New York, the racy, adventurous feel of it at night, and the satisfaction that the constant flicker of men and women and machines gave to the restless eye." (Page 57)
It's no coincidence that good ole F. Scott put Nick's description of New York right after his first encounter with one of Gatsby's parties. He wanted to juxtapose the energy and excitement generally connected with both places. At Gatsby's party, there are ridiculous amounts of people wandering about the house and grounds. Some are famous and all are engrossed in their own little world of entertainment for the evening. The same is true of New York. There are certainly famous people roaming around New York, and all of the citizens are trying to live their lives in their own way while also enjoying themselves. There is quite a hustle and bustle in both situations, and Nick likes to sit back and watch the comings and goings of each is he is not presently engaged in some conversation or activity. Fitzgerald knew what he was doing when he equated Gatsby's home to New York simply by placing them page to page in the book.
Looks a bit like the front cover of the book, doesn't it?
It's no coincidence that good ole F. Scott put Nick's description of New York right after his first encounter with one of Gatsby's parties. He wanted to juxtapose the energy and excitement generally connected with both places. At Gatsby's party, there are ridiculous amounts of people wandering about the house and grounds. Some are famous and all are engrossed in their own little world of entertainment for the evening. The same is true of New York. There are certainly famous people roaming around New York, and all of the citizens are trying to live their lives in their own way while also enjoying themselves. There is quite a hustle and bustle in both situations, and Nick likes to sit back and watch the comings and goings of each is he is not presently engaged in some conversation or activity. Fitzgerald knew what he was doing when he equated Gatsby's home to New York simply by placing them page to page in the book.
Great Gatsby - indirect characterization
"You look at him sometimes when he thinks nobody's looking at him. I'll bet he killed a man." (Page 44)
All of the opinions floating around about Gatsby are almost comical considering how many friends he has. (Or quasi-friends since no one knows anything concrete about him.) Descriptions abound as to what he does and from where he came, but nothing seems to be absolute. The author did not do this by accident. All of the misconceptions and guesses as to what defines Gatsby's life actually define and characterize him. He is elusive, to say the least. He is also extremely private and prone to leaving things to the imagination.
This scene reminded me of the song by Adele "Rumour Has It." It's all about exactly what the title states - a rumor. Gatsby's character is preceded by rumors no matter where he goes, and he seems unwilling to quell the confusion with a few simple statements about his life. He definitely keeps his acquaintances guessing. Which, of course, only adds to the mystique swarming his every move.
All of the opinions floating around about Gatsby are almost comical considering how many friends he has. (Or quasi-friends since no one knows anything concrete about him.) Descriptions abound as to what he does and from where he came, but nothing seems to be absolute. The author did not do this by accident. All of the misconceptions and guesses as to what defines Gatsby's life actually define and characterize him. He is elusive, to say the least. He is also extremely private and prone to leaving things to the imagination.
This scene reminded me of the song by Adele "Rumour Has It." It's all about exactly what the title states - a rumor. Gatsby's character is preceded by rumors no matter where he goes, and he seems unwilling to quell the confusion with a few simple statements about his life. He definitely keeps his acquaintances guessing. Which, of course, only adds to the mystique swarming his every move.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
The UNimportance of being Ernest.
"...he was unable to rise from his bed, and in a few days he died in my arms." (Page 147)
This reminds me of when I had two guinea pigs. One of them had to be put to sleep because it was too old to function, and the other one died about a week later because it was lonely. (At least, that's what my parents told me. I was about 4, and they might have just been protecting from the truth that they didn't want our guinea pigs anymore.) Either way, the death of Victor's father particularly upset me because I like Victor's father. He was a passionate, loving man who cared for his family above all things. He supported his son and encouraged him to find his way in the world. However, it wasn't the loss of the father that upset me most but the loss of a guardian for Ernest. The poor kid got kicked to the curb in the wake of his father's death and Victor's departure to track down and kill the creature. I almost wish Ernest hadn't even been written into the story so he wouldn't have had to be abandoned and forgotten amid Victor's plans and travels. Or the creature should have just killed him off too to save him a lifetime of sorrow.
Not that I want Ernest to die, but I know he would have some serious mental and emotional problems from literally watching his entire family die. The kid deserves an Oscar or something for his hardships.
So here you go, Ernest. I'm sorry for your loss...es.
This reminds me of when I had two guinea pigs. One of them had to be put to sleep because it was too old to function, and the other one died about a week later because it was lonely. (At least, that's what my parents told me. I was about 4, and they might have just been protecting from the truth that they didn't want our guinea pigs anymore.) Either way, the death of Victor's father particularly upset me because I like Victor's father. He was a passionate, loving man who cared for his family above all things. He supported his son and encouraged him to find his way in the world. However, it wasn't the loss of the father that upset me most but the loss of a guardian for Ernest. The poor kid got kicked to the curb in the wake of his father's death and Victor's departure to track down and kill the creature. I almost wish Ernest hadn't even been written into the story so he wouldn't have had to be abandoned and forgotten amid Victor's plans and travels. Or the creature should have just killed him off too to save him a lifetime of sorrow.
Not that I want Ernest to die, but I know he would have some serious mental and emotional problems from literally watching his entire family die. The kid deserves an Oscar or something for his hardships.
Badong, killing is badong.
"The murderous mark of the fiend's grasp was on her neck, and the breath had ceased to issue from her lips." (Page 145)
The creature is a killing machine. I was sitting in class today thinking about all of the people he had killed, and I wished I could think of a new, stronger word for killing. I was reminded of a scene from Kungpow when the protagonist makes an entire speech about creating a new word for killing because killing in bad and wrong. He comes up with "badong." I found a clip of him giving the speech on youtube, but it unfortunately had a cuss word in the title of the video, so I couldn't put it on here. So here's the speech he gives:
"Killing is wrong. And bad. There should be a new, stronger word for killing. Like badwrong, or badong. Yes, killing is badong. From this moment, I will stand for the opposite of killing: gnodab."
The creature is a killing machine. I was sitting in class today thinking about all of the people he had killed, and I wished I could think of a new, stronger word for killing. I was reminded of a scene from Kungpow when the protagonist makes an entire speech about creating a new word for killing because killing in bad and wrong. He comes up with "badong." I found a clip of him giving the speech on youtube, but it unfortunately had a cuss word in the title of the video, so I couldn't put it on here. So here's the speech he gives:
"Killing is wrong. And bad. There should be a new, stronger word for killing. Like badwrong, or badong. Yes, killing is badong. From this moment, I will stand for the opposite of killing: gnodab."
So it's not exactly a speech, but it is a few sentences. That counts. The creature was a bit of a jerk to Victor even though Victor rejected him from the moment he was born. They were a destructive relationship from the start. What a shame.
Motif - Is his stature gigantic?Really, I didn't know..
"...stature gigantic..." (Page 91)
"A grin was on the face of the monster; he seemed to jeer, as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of my wife." (Page 145)
If Mary Shelley tells me his stature is gigantic one more time... I get it! He's huge! Let's not dwell on it. Every single time the poor guy enters a scene the whole focus shifts towards how massive he is. Which I guess makes sense. The reader experiences the same internal shock at how huge the monster is...again and again and again. Also, what is with this guy and his creepy grinning. He gets a sick pleasure out of ruining Victor's day, and I'm sick of it. This motif of his "gigantic stature" alludes to any instance when the creature dominates a scene. Whether it be from his murderous ways or how frightened the rest of the characters are of him, the creature's height is emphasized when he is a threat. His stature and physical appearance are not as much of a focus when he is simply speaking to Victor or living in a weird, secluded hovel by a family that somehow doesn't notice their 8-foot neighbor. However, Shelley doesn't miss a chance to mention his height when it fits into the scene. (No pun intended.)
"A grin was on the face of the monster; he seemed to jeer, as with his fiendish finger he pointed towards the corpse of my wife." (Page 145)
If Mary Shelley tells me his stature is gigantic one more time... I get it! He's huge! Let's not dwell on it. Every single time the poor guy enters a scene the whole focus shifts towards how massive he is. Which I guess makes sense. The reader experiences the same internal shock at how huge the monster is...again and again and again. Also, what is with this guy and his creepy grinning. He gets a sick pleasure out of ruining Victor's day, and I'm sick of it. This motif of his "gigantic stature" alludes to any instance when the creature dominates a scene. Whether it be from his murderous ways or how frightened the rest of the characters are of him, the creature's height is emphasized when he is a threat. His stature and physical appearance are not as much of a focus when he is simply speaking to Victor or living in a weird, secluded hovel by a family that somehow doesn't notice their 8-foot neighbor. However, Shelley doesn't miss a chance to mention his height when it fits into the scene. (No pun intended.)
Conflict - where do I begin?
"How I have lived I hardly know; many times have I stretched my failing limbs upon the sandy plain, and prayed for death. But revenge kept me alive; I dared not die, and leave my adversary in being." (Page 149)
These guys have some serious issues between them. I feel like conflict isn't even the right description for the actions surrounding these two. It's more like a knock-down, drag-out, battle of the wills and senses to the death. With some internal conflicts mixed in. They remind me of a song.....surprise, surprise! It's from Wicked the Musical; what else?
It's a sketchy recording, but they're the absolute best. These two guys legitimately loath each other at times in their lives, but, like Glinda and Elphaba, they like each other sometimes too. Unfortunately, unlike the two leading ladies of Wicked, things do not end in the ultimate song of forgiveness and hope for the future. They just die. Better yet, the creature commits suicide. Not a good day for him.
These guys have some serious issues between them. I feel like conflict isn't even the right description for the actions surrounding these two. It's more like a knock-down, drag-out, battle of the wills and senses to the death. With some internal conflicts mixed in. They remind me of a song.....surprise, surprise! It's from Wicked the Musical; what else?
It's a sketchy recording, but they're the absolute best. These two guys legitimately loath each other at times in their lives, but, like Glinda and Elphaba, they like each other sometimes too. Unfortunately, unlike the two leading ladies of Wicked, things do not end in the ultimate song of forgiveness and hope for the future. They just die. Better yet, the creature commits suicide. Not a good day for him.
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