Jonathan Harrison February 24, 2009

Samuel L Clemens " Mark Twain"

"Twain enjoyed immense public popularity. His keen wit and incisive satire earned him praise from both critics and peers. American author William Faulkner called Twain "the father of American literature." (wikipedia)

This quote is a perfect example of everything that turns Samuel Clemens into the great Mark Twain for he really was the father of American literature. His ability to reach all class levels throughout society sets him apart from most intellectuals and the fact that he can reach such a broad range of people elevates him to such a stature as the Great American author. Mark Twain is the first man to deal with problems such as race head on and his ability to do so will forever leave his mark upon American History and its literature which it helped produced.

Huck Finn, chapter 31, starts off with Huck and his male companion Jim, a black man from the south, floating along the Mississippi on a journey in which both parties wish to receive their freedom. Jim goes ashore and is promptly captured as a run away slave, and while this is going on Huck is faced with the dilemma of dealing with the situation he is in. Huck is troubled with the fact that he has helped a black man escape from a master that has never done him any harm and this act goes against everything he has been taught up to this point. Huck actually thinks he is now going to hell for helping a black man escape and this reality troubles him deeply. The story reaches its climax here as Huck tears up the letter to Jim's former slave owner and decides that going to Hell is a better option than turning on his friend. The chapter ends as Huck goes ashore in the hope of stealing Jim back from his new capture and continuing along on their journey towards freedom.

Huck Finn chapter 31 is the most important chapter in the book and maybe U.S. history on the whole. It is imposable to not be effected by the power of Huck Finn's choice to go to Hell, rather than turn his Black friend Jim into the authorities. This was the first time in written United States History that the black man is seen as more than a piece of property. Huck is astonished to see all the humane characteristics that are apparent in Jim, who happens to be a black men.The fact that Jim cries about the separation from his wife, children and his overall compassion, father like tendencies towards Huck, depict not just a man but a very good man on an equal par to any white man. Huck's realization of this fact is, in a sense, the awakening to the truth to the whole country that black people and white people are not that different after all. Huck starts to take a second look at the teaching he has received as it goes in stark contrast to the reality that Jim has presented him with. The climax, where Jim tears his letter to Jim's former slave owner up, projects a new sense of optimism into a country s o riddled with past injustice's. This story, and this line itself, are the beginning to a fresh start for the United States as we all move together as one group of people in hopes of reforming this Great Nation the United States.

Jonathan Harrison February 18, 2009

Edith Wharton

"He began spending money on younger women and this began to take a toll on Wharton's mental health. They divorced in 1913, after she suffered a nervous breakdown and was confined to a hospital." (wikipedia)

This quote represents the sad truth about Edith Wharton's personal life , and ramifications of such a life are written all over her stories. " The Other Two" is an in depth look at the factors that go into a marriage other than love. Edith , as the quote above recognizes, was a victim of such factors and these issues that she had to deal with are problems with which we can all relate.

The story " The Other Two" starts out by painting a picture of two newlyweds happy in their home. Mr. Waythorn, can't wait to see his wife as his mind is free, at the moment, from the issues that dampen ones excitement. The story takes a turn downhill when Mr. Waythorn realizes that his new wife's ex lovers will be forced upon his life forever. For starters Mrs. Waythorn, Alice, has a kid with her first husband and this complicates matters for Mr. Waythorn now sees the first husband on a weekly basis reminding himself that his wife is somewhat used goods. He starts to think what is wrong with this man that she has discarded and sees no faults in him, instead the opposite reaction occurs, and he starts seeing the negative in his wife. Situations only get worse as Mr. Waythorn has to work with Alice's second husband. The same thoughts and negative consequences arise and one can get a sense that the new relationship is doomed for failure. The book ends with all three men in Mr. Waythorn's house and Alice serves each men the tea, her husband last, which leave the husband to chuckle about the fact that he feels that his wife is nothing but used goods.

The story "The Other Two" is a real good glimpse into the total package that we call a relationship. Mr. Winthorn is whole heartedly in love with his wife at the beginning only to fall out of love upon learning about her ex lovers. This tactic is the way that Edith Wharton attacks the system and society that merits male permiscueness and crucifies the same actions by a women. None of the man's ex lovers is even mentioned throughout the story signifying the total lack of regard towards the fact that these men have had pasts too. Alice could care less about who her husband had been with but that is all that dominates Mr. Winthorn's mind. A women, at that time and unfortunately still today, can be judged by one act whether it be a mistake or not, and her entire life can lay on the balance of such a judgement.Edith, in her real life, must felt true pain as her husband moved from one young hussy to the next. The ironic and sad fact that came of all of this is that Edith was the one locked up in the hospital while her husband ran free. The double standard and injustice that Edith dealt with her entire married life must have eaten away at her sole and made her realize the unjust position that women are refined to. "The Other Two" is a cry for recognition, if not change, to the unfair treatment by a civilized society to a whole half of its population.

Jonathan Harrison February 13, 2009

Stephen Crane

"Commodore's lifeboats were lowered in the early hours of the morning on January 2, 1897 and the ship ultimately sank at 7 a.m. Crane was one of the last to leave the ship in a 10-foot (3.0 m) dinghy. In an ordeal that he would recount in the short story "The Open Boat", Crane and three other men (including the ship's Captain) floundered off the coast of Florida for a day and a half before attempting to land the dinghy at Daytona Beach. The small boat, however, overturned in the surf, forcing the exhausted men to swim to shore; one of them died"

This quote is significant for it directly mimics the tragedy depict in "The Open Boat." Crane must have come out of this ordeal a changed man, for it is imposable to live through such an extreme situation without a change in one's self occurring. Its really remarkable that he faced the tragedy he wrote about in his story head on in real life, and is a reminder to us all of how short and cherished life really is.

"The Open Boat" by Stephen Crane, was a real life tale about four men who are stuck on a dingy after their ship has sunk. These men float aimlessly along while taking turns rowing, in hopes of finding land. The men drift for a couple of days until they reach the coastline where there journey continues on in agony. The men are teased by a man on the beach who is twirling his jacket around vigorously, to their dismay, instead of actively pursuing a rescue attempt. The men ponder for a while their cruel fate of being brought so close yet so far from their salvation, until being forced into action by means of the dingy sinking. The four men proceed to jump off the boat and make a swim for land. Three of the men are successful in reaching this goal, but tragically the oiler dies in an attempt to save the other three. The story ends with the three men being given blankets and food, but the dire situation that these men had just endured was forever ingrained into their memories.

"The Open Boat" has such a tremendous impact on readers by the simple fact that it is the retelling of an actual true event. The Naturalism is almost forced upon the reader for one feels as though he too is stuck in that horrible little dingy. One can get a real sense of the bond, in which Crane describes, that these men have for each other as they each take turn rowing the boat, unless injured, and they console each other on a regular basis. An example of this fact is that everybody takes refuge in the calmness that the captain displays. He realizes this and never relinquishes his duty as captain and this act gives the situation a feeling of being normal, which in turn provides the crew with a sense of relief from this heavy burden. The bond that is represented in this story grow even stronger with the fact that the oiler sacrifices his life in order to save the others. This positive outlook on humanity, for how else could such a selfless act be committed, is a new and more optimistic view that Crane has undoubtedly come up with after being through this situation himself. "The Open Boat" is an intense view at the positive side of human nature and the incredible endurance in which it is held.

Jonathan Harrison February 10, 2009

Stephen Crane

" Prolific throughout his short life, he wrote notable works in the Realist tradition as well as early examples of American Naturalism and Impressionism. He is recognized by modern critics as one of the most innovative writers of his generation" (wikipedia)

This quote reminds us that Stephen Crane lived to be only 28 years old yet still he accomplished so much in this brief lifetime. He paints a real picture with incredibly bleak scenery and unfortunate circumstances while forcing one to deal with the ugliness of real life.

"Maggie" was the sorrowful tale of a young Irish woman and her rode to destruction. She is forced into bleak circumstances from the beginning of her life in which she witness her brother, and sometimes herself, receiving beatings from her mother and father occasionally taking a break to chastise each other. Maggie continues along this dreary path she called a life, working boring jobs and fantasizing of better more exciting days. Maggie's life seems to take an upswing upon meeting her brother's friend Pete. Pete whisks her off her feet by taking her out to experience the nightlife of the city. The plays and performers dazzle Maggie as she decides that Pete is the one. Jimmy, Maggie's brother, and her mom are outraged about the connection in which Pete and herself had made and disown her from the family. Upon the arrival of a newer, better looking, girl Pete dumps Maggie like she was a sack of potatoes. She is heartbroken and unsure of what to do or where to go, being disowned by her family, she is driven to prostitution and all the ill effects that come with it. The story comes to an abrupt and depressing halt as the news that Maggie is dead is relaid upon Jimmie and her Mother. The mother distraught over the news sobs and swears that she finally forgives Maggie.

This story is an all to accurate account of the horrible lifestyle which was on display at the Irish tenements in New York. Crane using Naturalism does a great job in describing the people, environment and the struggles which come along with the package. One gets the sense that Crane has a deep level of concern for these people and their situations by the vivid accounts given in describing the living conditions in which the Irish literally had to survive. Poverty and the effects of its nature are the underlying tone in this story. Crane simply suggest to the reader that their is no hope of success when one comes from such depths. What other choice did Maggie have other than prostitution, would be the main question Crane is trying to evoke from readers in an attempt to draw empathy and understanding when confronted with these types of people. Crane realizes that the Irish should be treated just as any other man would be, but instead they are in fact treated like garbage and seen as a lower class. The Naturalism and the effect of showing all aspects of life opens our eyes to the fact that people come from all different places and have different problems, and the story "Maggie" is a clear representation of just this.

Jonathan Harrison January 4, 2009

Maria Amparo Ruiz De Burton

"María Ruiz de Burton has a few consistent themes running through her major works. These are the subordination of race, gender, and class. Class, gender, and race are all intertwined to illustrate the cultural constraints on women and how they should submit or be rejected. It also demonstrates the construction of the upper class and how Chicanos are viewed" (wikipedia)

The themes discussed in the above quote, are portrayed all throughout "The Squatter and the Don." It was clear to see that Don Mariano was the smartest of all the characters, but because of his Mexican heritage his opinions were tossed aside by ignorant white squatters, and this clearly reveals Ruiz disdain towards the U.S. government and their treatment of Chicanos.

"The Squatter and the Don" is a story about a wealthy Mexican landowner, Don Mariano, who holds a meeting with local squatters in hopes of reaching a compromise. The squatters had been stealing and killing the Don's cattle while adding to the problem by rotting the land by planting grain fields which are at the mercy to the elements. Don offers to give the squatters half of all his remaining cattle and help these new settlers in learning the ways of cattle raising. He is generous enough to promise that he will relay his knowledge about orchards and agriculture , more appealing to the native land, to these white settlers, but his generous offerings are discarded solely on the basis that he is Chicano. It is a sad set of circumstances but one all to realistic.

The story, The Squatter and the Don, was an all too real depiction of life in California and the struggles over land that were fought between Chicanos and white men. Ruiz clearly shows how mistreated and misunderstood Chicanos at this time really were. Don Mariano is easily the most knowledgeable man in terms of knowing the land and how to cultivate it best, but his knowledge is tossed aside as ignorant babble by white squatters who have no clue about how to get by in California. Mariano has lived and benefited from the local resources yet the ignorant squatters insist on planting grain and slowly rotting the land. This atrocity is Ruiz's cry to the fact that the American government is similar to the monarchy of England, which it detests in so many ways. The new settlers should respect and learn from the locals, Ruiz argues, but instead the government mistreats Chicanos and treat them like a lower class which is a gross misrepresentation of who they really are.

Jonathan Harrison January 4, 2009

Sarah Orne Jewett

"Her literary importance arises from her careful, if subdued, vignettes of country life that reflect a contemporary interest in local color rather than plot. Jewett possessed a keen descriptive gift that William Dean Howells called "an uncommon feeling for talk—I hear your people." ( wikipedia)

This quote holds extreme importance into the insight of Sarah Orne Jewett's true character. She was a country girl from Maine living in a time period of American history where the old ways of farming, and subsisting by oneself, was being pushed aside by rapidly increasing industries not only gaining power in her state but in the whole country itself. Her writings are a reminder to honer and value nature, and are easily relateable to the everyday man.

The story " A White Heron" is the tale of an eight year old girl walking through the woods on her her way home when she encounters a hunter who politely asks if he can have lodging for the night. Upon arrival at her cabin the grandmother of the little girl eagerly displays her hospitality towards the young hunter. The hunter than offers the little girl 10 dollars if she can show him where the elusive white heron lives. At first, the girls seems excited at the proposition of such a large amount of money, but an encounter with the heron on top of a huge tree, rapidly changes her mind. The little girl comes to the conclusion that no amount of money is worth this birds life.

"A White Heron" is reminder to us all that material possessions hold no value in comparison to the wonders of nature themselves. Their are constant examples given by Jewett to show the extent of this beauty. The majestic Tree that towers over the rest of the forest, but used to be one of many, and is now invaded by the new young pines that have invaded it's said territory subtly Que us to the fact that once nature is gone in can never be replaced the same way. The large tree is often described as having enormous beauty and the personification of it is the way Jewett tries to relate nature to the common man. This is an effort to conserve nature before we hastily destroy it and all the wonders it has to behold. The fact that Sylvia, is much more at home with nature compared to the hustle and bustle of the city, reveals to the reader that city life might not be the best way and a closeness to nature is what was intended for us. In a world hell bent on industrialization, Jewett would like us all to take a step back and soak in nature for all its worth, for if we don't do it now it may be too late. This frightening realization is brought home by the echo of the hunter's whistle, the fast growing presence of industry, which haunts Sylvia for the rest of her life.