A.) One of the most interesting scenes in this novel was the scene with Jim Trueblood. This scene was both disturbing and frightening but it represented the ways in which the whites are maintaining their power hold on the black race. Trueblood says himself that since the incident the whites have paid ten times more attention to him; they never cared or bothered with him before but now they are suddenly interested in assisting him and listening to his story. The white society enjoys when horrible things like these are done by the blacks because it justifies their prejudice against them. It makes it easier for them to rationalize their actions by considering the black race almost savage and being able to use such evidence as that in the case of Trueblood as backup. The whites are suddenly paying attention to Jim Trueblood because they know that he is their ticket when asked why the black race is still kept oppressed even though they were supposed to be "liberated". Instead of looking on progressive events such as the experiences of the founder or the achievements of the school, the whites are going to find the lowest denominator (Trueblood, in this case) and dwell on that as their basis for continued segregation and withholding of rights. It is situations like these that anger the narrator because he realizes that these repulsive stories are essentially what is hindering the black race from progressing. Although it is not Trueblood's fault that the whites pick out the worst to accomodate themselves, he just adds to the insult.
This same type of theme is shown with the Battle Royal scene where the black men are scrambling around like animals to get the money thrown on the electric wires. They are treated like complete fools and yet some of them continue to fight through the pain to grab the coins. This is another symbol of how the white race, through acting truly ignorant and cruel themselves, are using their power to manipulate the black race. They are having the black men fight each other for the money because they feel that they can show that the blacks still have not advanced and are basically still far behind the white race. These events help the whites to feel superior.
B.) Bledsoe's hands-
"Then he sat before me, making a cage of his fingers and nodding for me to begin" (Ellison 148).
"His hand was large and strangely limp" (150).
Though they may seem insignificant and be easily overlooked, Bledsoe's hands definitely symbolized the type of power he held at the school and over the fate of the students. Bledsoe was not one for the progression of the race; he was for the progression of himself. Bledsoe really only cared about maintaining his own control over the school, he could care less about the actual advancement of its students. The first quote represents his power over the ultimate fate of the narrator. He makes a cage with his hands symbolizing that he has the authority, he has the capacity to make or break the narrator. He is keeping the narrator in the dark by basically sending him on a wild goose chase to find a job and a place in society. He is giving him false hope in order to keep control over him and students like him. Bledsoe does not want change, he does not want the white people to see the types of conditions the black people around the school are subject to because he only cares about keeping his position in control of the school. Mr. Norton being exposed to the harsh reality of the conditions the black people face threatens his own position in the school and he just cannot have that. He therefore wants to keep people like the narrator, who may threaten his role, in a "cage".
The second quote shows that Bledsoe really has false power. He believes that he has more power than anyone else, even the white people, in that he can manipulate them by bowing down and basically acting as a slave to them. He has a large hand but it is strangely limp means that he comes across as having a lot of power but when you really analyze his position, he is still subject to the white race. He is limp in that he does not hold the power he believes he does. I also think this represents how Bledsoe is shaking the narrator's hand but obviously does not care about his future. He is acting as though he is a generous and helpful friend to the narrator when really again he is 'limp' because he is merely filling the narrator with a false sense of hope. He is cold-hearted and does not feel any guilt or grief over sending a man out with inspiration when really his fate has already been sealed.
C.) I liked the theme of the novel and liked the way Ellison employed symbolism into his writing although I thought the symbolism may have been taken a little too far. While reading the story I found myself preoccupied with trying to find all the hidden meanings of the words and I felt that this may have taken away a little from the story itself. Some of the symbolism was really amazing like with the Liberty Paints scene, which was probably my favorite, or the Battle Royal or Clifton's death, but some of the symbolism just started cluttering up the pages. I believe Ellison could have spent more time keeping his overall message at the center of attention by incorporating less detail and hidden meanings.
Overall I really liked the story because it had so many interesting and different scenes. Most books tend to focus around one big event but this novel took us through several important scenes that all contributed to the work as a whole. The events were all extremely significant and were crucial to the novel which was interesting because it kept my attention. Ellison did an excellent job of developing scenes that would actually capture the audience and his ability to develop several was really impressive.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
PLAYER PIANO
A.) The theme of class separation played a large role in this novel. The way the less intelligent group of people were separated from the "engineers and managers" led to an adversary and uneasy relationship between the two sides. Paul had to choose whether he should continue his work and prominence as a highly regarded intellectual and ignore the growing fear of a completely mechanized world or lead the rebellion to fight the machines. The class separation and use of machines had already replaced the need for the less intelligent and I think Paul could probably see a near future where the engineers and managers were unnecessary as well.
The division between the two groups also added to the lack of confidence the working class people already experienced due to a feeling of inadequacy after essentially being replaced by machines. The way the Shah of Bratpuhr continually referred to them as "slaves" was representative of how poorly they were treated. The engineers justified themselves in separating the two classes with the fact that they provided for the working class but in reality nothing can make up for the self-esteem and feeling of self-importance that was taken away for them. This is what leads to the working class' opposition to the engineers. Paul is caught in between the two because I think he recognizes that society is headed in the wrong direction if it is dividing the race by intelligence but, being one of the most intelligent, has a hard time rebelling against this because of the opportunities he has for self-achievement if he just goes with the flow. It is much easier to fight against something when you don't have it but Paul has intelligence and therefore has to make more of a moral decision on whether or not to stand up against the obvious inequalities. I think part of his decision is also made on the fact that the engineers can be as easily replaced by machines as the working class were at one point.
B.) "When you doctors figure out what you want, you'll find me
out in the barn shoveling my thesis."
I really liked this quote because Haycox was definitely the most honest person introduced in the novel. He was a real person; he was not putting on a show or trying to impress anyone and therefore I respected him alot more than most of the other self-consumed characters in the novel. Most of society was concerned only with how they appeared in comparison to others, as shown by the way many of the upcoming managers were faking drunk at the competitions in order to "fit-in" but not make a complete fool of themselves. Society is so materialistic and Haycox represents the regular guy. He is not engulfed by all of the ridiculous concerns over being the best and kissing up to those who hold high positions.
Haycox is ridiculing the way society now considers the managers and engineers "doctors". He doesn't believe they deserve this type of prestigous title and basically proves that they are not quite as good as they think they are because Haycox is the one who knows how to fix the things they cannot. Haycox is mechanically talented and he proves that he is just as necessary as the doctors who obviously do not have all the skills to run the society on their own. Haycox depicts that there is still a need for human labor and human knowledge of machines. Not everything is always going to run smoothly; things break and someone is going to have to be there to fix them when they do. There is obvious irony in this scene because Haycox, who is pretty much looked down upon in this society, is the one who has more knowledge than the doctors. This is also portrayed when the "Reeks and Wrecks" know how to fix Paul's car but he does not. I think Vonnegut put these kinds of scenes in the novel to show that the working class people who are separated and treated unequally are of the same importance in society as the managers and engineers. The 'simple' man's work and skill is still a necessary part of life.
C.) Although I got somewhat tired of reading this having read several futuristic novels already, I enjoyed the various characters and overall plot. I really like Finnerty because he was the guy who could be smart and get really far in this society but chooses not to because he just does not like the way things are done. Finnerty is obviously a pretty moral person because he sticks to what he believes in and he ends up being a large inspiration to Paul. Paul is obviously the one who is caught in the middle and the novel is essentially centered around which side of the spectrum will appeal to him most.
Anita was a very interesting character because she was solely about materialistic value and where she stood in the social ranking. Anita, though she did not have the brains to achieve her own personal advancement, was insistent upon climbing to the top through Paul. When Paul proved not to be what would get her furthest in life she automatically left him and moved on to the next potential breadwinner. Anita was both annoying and amusing. She was humorous in that she was the most materialistic character I've ever been exposed to but also annoying because she gave up true love and the things that really matter in life just to get to the highest possible social ranking possible. She cared more about what others thought of her than what she thought of herself. Overall I liked the way these characters were all introduced with very different personalities; it set up an interesting platform for the novel because there really were not two characters that were much alike.
The division between the two groups also added to the lack of confidence the working class people already experienced due to a feeling of inadequacy after essentially being replaced by machines. The way the Shah of Bratpuhr continually referred to them as "slaves" was representative of how poorly they were treated. The engineers justified themselves in separating the two classes with the fact that they provided for the working class but in reality nothing can make up for the self-esteem and feeling of self-importance that was taken away for them. This is what leads to the working class' opposition to the engineers. Paul is caught in between the two because I think he recognizes that society is headed in the wrong direction if it is dividing the race by intelligence but, being one of the most intelligent, has a hard time rebelling against this because of the opportunities he has for self-achievement if he just goes with the flow. It is much easier to fight against something when you don't have it but Paul has intelligence and therefore has to make more of a moral decision on whether or not to stand up against the obvious inequalities. I think part of his decision is also made on the fact that the engineers can be as easily replaced by machines as the working class were at one point.
B.) "When you doctors figure out what you want, you'll find me
out in the barn shoveling my thesis."
I really liked this quote because Haycox was definitely the most honest person introduced in the novel. He was a real person; he was not putting on a show or trying to impress anyone and therefore I respected him alot more than most of the other self-consumed characters in the novel. Most of society was concerned only with how they appeared in comparison to others, as shown by the way many of the upcoming managers were faking drunk at the competitions in order to "fit-in" but not make a complete fool of themselves. Society is so materialistic and Haycox represents the regular guy. He is not engulfed by all of the ridiculous concerns over being the best and kissing up to those who hold high positions.
Haycox is ridiculing the way society now considers the managers and engineers "doctors". He doesn't believe they deserve this type of prestigous title and basically proves that they are not quite as good as they think they are because Haycox is the one who knows how to fix the things they cannot. Haycox is mechanically talented and he proves that he is just as necessary as the doctors who obviously do not have all the skills to run the society on their own. Haycox depicts that there is still a need for human labor and human knowledge of machines. Not everything is always going to run smoothly; things break and someone is going to have to be there to fix them when they do. There is obvious irony in this scene because Haycox, who is pretty much looked down upon in this society, is the one who has more knowledge than the doctors. This is also portrayed when the "Reeks and Wrecks" know how to fix Paul's car but he does not. I think Vonnegut put these kinds of scenes in the novel to show that the working class people who are separated and treated unequally are of the same importance in society as the managers and engineers. The 'simple' man's work and skill is still a necessary part of life.
C.) Although I got somewhat tired of reading this having read several futuristic novels already, I enjoyed the various characters and overall plot. I really like Finnerty because he was the guy who could be smart and get really far in this society but chooses not to because he just does not like the way things are done. Finnerty is obviously a pretty moral person because he sticks to what he believes in and he ends up being a large inspiration to Paul. Paul is obviously the one who is caught in the middle and the novel is essentially centered around which side of the spectrum will appeal to him most.
Anita was a very interesting character because she was solely about materialistic value and where she stood in the social ranking. Anita, though she did not have the brains to achieve her own personal advancement, was insistent upon climbing to the top through Paul. When Paul proved not to be what would get her furthest in life she automatically left him and moved on to the next potential breadwinner. Anita was both annoying and amusing. She was humorous in that she was the most materialistic character I've ever been exposed to but also annoying because she gave up true love and the things that really matter in life just to get to the highest possible social ranking possible. She cared more about what others thought of her than what she thought of herself. Overall I liked the way these characters were all introduced with very different personalities; it set up an interesting platform for the novel because there really were not two characters that were much alike.
Thursday, January 17, 2008
Heart of Darkness
A) The Congo River and references to water in this novel were prevalent symbols due to their representation of rebirth. As Marlow is taken on a journey into the depths of his soul, he is faced with a choice between morality and evil. Marlow is forced to face his dark side and is given the opportunity to see the consequences of evil as represented by the character Kurtz. "The brown current ran swiftly out of the heart of darkness, bearing us down towards the sea with twice the speed of our upward progress" (Conrad 151).
This quote describes how Marlow is confronted with the evil within himself and has choosen to deny it; though he was tempted at first to succumb. With his choice, Marlow is reborn. He started out unsure of himself and not aware of his capacity to lose control, as Kurtz did. He had been niave and in search of nothing more than adventure and gratification. Marlow is met by the good vs. evil within while taking his journey and he is cleansed in that he comes out a different person; one more secure in his own personality. Marlow says he leaves the heart of darkness with twice the speed of entering it. He hurries out of the "heart of darkness" because of the frightening experiences he encountered and does not want to have to face again. Marlow chose to retain his morality and humanity and no longer wants to be anywhere near the kind of horror he has now been exposed to.
B.) " 'You show them you have in you something that is really profitable, and then there will be no limits to the recognition of your ability,' he would say. 'Of course you must take care of the motives-right motives-always.' " (Conrad 152).
This quote was particularly ironic coming from Kurtz who clearly did not have the right motives in mind at all. This represents how even though Kurtz fully understands the cruelty and horror he committed, he believes it was worth it in order to achieve personal recognition. He does not seem to regret his actions but embraces them as the price for glory. I believe Kurtz has become mentally ill in an obsession to be recognized at all costs. Through this quote it is fairly evident that he does not believe what he did was so horrible. He does not appear to mind that he had to acheive recognition through a complete loss of morality. Kurtz let his ego take over, essentially allowing his inner evil to dictate his actions.
Conrad uses diction by writing "motives-right motives". He rephrases Kurtz's original statement in order to emphasize the absurdity of Kurtz's words. No one in their right mind would consider Kurtz's actions as taking care of the right motives; he lost complete control of himself in a mad attempt for power. His absurdity is evident in that he actually believes he made an appropriate choice in reverting to savagery.
C.) Although Heart of Darkness was difficult to comprehend and took some time to break down, I enjoyed the symbolism represented through Kurtz. When analyzed closely it is pretty safe to say that Kurtz was a figurative representation of the evil in Marlow's soul. The way Kurtz is never really referred to as a solid human being and generally mentioned as a 'voice' or a 'shadow' is indicative of Kurtz being a symbolic figure. I think Marlow is able to confront his inner evil through his figurative journey to the depths of his own soul.
I did not really like the way Conrad portrayed women in the novel. He depicted them as innocent and unaware of the presence of evil. Kurtz's girlfriend and Marlow's aunt are both representative of this viewpoint. Kurtz's girlfriend is made out to be extremely niave and ignorant of the true nature of Kurtz's personality. Marlow's aunt is portrayed in a similar way in that she has no comprehension of the Company or any of the evil associated with it. The women in the novel seem to have a rosy picture of the world. This kind of annoyed me because women can be just as evil as men and this portrayl of women as niave and innocent is biased.
This quote describes how Marlow is confronted with the evil within himself and has choosen to deny it; though he was tempted at first to succumb. With his choice, Marlow is reborn. He started out unsure of himself and not aware of his capacity to lose control, as Kurtz did. He had been niave and in search of nothing more than adventure and gratification. Marlow is met by the good vs. evil within while taking his journey and he is cleansed in that he comes out a different person; one more secure in his own personality. Marlow says he leaves the heart of darkness with twice the speed of entering it. He hurries out of the "heart of darkness" because of the frightening experiences he encountered and does not want to have to face again. Marlow chose to retain his morality and humanity and no longer wants to be anywhere near the kind of horror he has now been exposed to.
B.) " 'You show them you have in you something that is really profitable, and then there will be no limits to the recognition of your ability,' he would say. 'Of course you must take care of the motives-right motives-always.' " (Conrad 152).
This quote was particularly ironic coming from Kurtz who clearly did not have the right motives in mind at all. This represents how even though Kurtz fully understands the cruelty and horror he committed, he believes it was worth it in order to achieve personal recognition. He does not seem to regret his actions but embraces them as the price for glory. I believe Kurtz has become mentally ill in an obsession to be recognized at all costs. Through this quote it is fairly evident that he does not believe what he did was so horrible. He does not appear to mind that he had to acheive recognition through a complete loss of morality. Kurtz let his ego take over, essentially allowing his inner evil to dictate his actions.
Conrad uses diction by writing "motives-right motives". He rephrases Kurtz's original statement in order to emphasize the absurdity of Kurtz's words. No one in their right mind would consider Kurtz's actions as taking care of the right motives; he lost complete control of himself in a mad attempt for power. His absurdity is evident in that he actually believes he made an appropriate choice in reverting to savagery.
C.) Although Heart of Darkness was difficult to comprehend and took some time to break down, I enjoyed the symbolism represented through Kurtz. When analyzed closely it is pretty safe to say that Kurtz was a figurative representation of the evil in Marlow's soul. The way Kurtz is never really referred to as a solid human being and generally mentioned as a 'voice' or a 'shadow' is indicative of Kurtz being a symbolic figure. I think Marlow is able to confront his inner evil through his figurative journey to the depths of his own soul.
I did not really like the way Conrad portrayed women in the novel. He depicted them as innocent and unaware of the presence of evil. Kurtz's girlfriend and Marlow's aunt are both representative of this viewpoint. Kurtz's girlfriend is made out to be extremely niave and ignorant of the true nature of Kurtz's personality. Marlow's aunt is portrayed in a similar way in that she has no comprehension of the Company or any of the evil associated with it. The women in the novel seem to have a rosy picture of the world. This kind of annoyed me because women can be just as evil as men and this portrayl of women as niave and innocent is biased.
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