The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn--Reviewed by Joshua

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1884) by Mark Twain picks up where the prequel, The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, leaves off.  In The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, we follow the life of Huck after he was adopted by the Widow Douglas and Miss Watson.  As usual Huck isn’t that thrilled about his new life of cleanliness, manners, church, and school.  However, Tom Sawyer asks him to stick it through.  All is well until Huck’s drunken father kidnaps and holds him in a cabin across the river from St. Petersburg.  Huck successfully escapes from the cabin, and thus begins his adventures along with Miss Watson’s runaway slave, Jim.  They run into many several problems, which you would have to read to find out about. 

Many people, including myself, could relate to the characters from the story.  Take Huck for example. Sometimes we feel that we are being forced to conform to a society that we disdain.  I, for one, feel the same way as him.  Huck wanted to be able to be free and away from society. That’s why I really like this book.  I could easily understand where Huck is coming from when he says that he decides to run away from society, the corrupt and racist society that once prodigiously existed back then.  If I could change something about the book, it would probably be the kinds of “ugly” words used.  Throughout the whole book, the word “nigger” is strongly used.  It’s because of that reason that this extraordinary book was strongly criticized.  I would definitely recommend this book for others to read.  I would recommend this book to people who would have already read The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and to people who would like to learn about Mark Twain’s style of writing. 

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley

Currently being read and analyzed by me, Joshua Ilustre. From our class discussions, I really expect a lot from this book. Kazzandra and Alana's description of the book made me want to read it. I expect to learn about Aldous Huxley's style of writing, hoping that reading this book is well worth it. Aldous Huxley came from an educated family, and so I'm sure this book is very rich in terms of content and as Alana quoted "yummy."

Book Review: "Brave New World" By: Aldous Huxley

Brave New World by Aldous Huxley makes you think about what the future has in store for us. The saying, “everyone belongs to everyone else” isn’t a far cry to what’s going on around the world and again, you wonder, is this book a science fiction, or is it something greater? Women do not give birth (they take pills), people are being manufactured in laboratories, soma is being taken to relieve depression, and death is not grieved after (because you have an expiration date.) From birth the children are being “conditioned” to be a certain part in society and nothing else. Individuality, love, family, and art are given up for the perfect society. You ask yourself: Is it worth it? Ford replaces God because he is, in essence, efficiency because of the invention of the assembly line (and life is being processed in an assembly line). Moreover, someone in this novel is drivel to the point of ultimate sacrifice because of how the world has turned out. His selfess act of love will serve as a guide to the future. (Doesn't this sound familiar? Didn't Jesus sacrifice his life for us? To serve as a guide?) Is this not a far cry from what’s already happening? This amazingly daunting and scary-perfect book will get you mesmerized and will help you put life into perspective. If happiness is found in a drug and love is abhorred, what kind of life do you lead? Where’s your purpose? I just adore how my philosophy and the philosophy of this book clash causing me to really see who I am. This book is not only yummy, but it allows you to do a bit of “self-realizations.” What more can you ask about a book who uncovers, unearths who you truly are inside?

George Orwell's "1984"

Well, first quarter has come to pass and so has Independent Reading #1 (well, that’s what I’m hoping for all of you). Now, we move on to second quarter and also to Independent Reading #2. As you can see by the picture posted above (also the only picture that I could scrounge up from Google that looked anything remotely like the book I have), I am currently reading a novel called 1984 by George Orwell. Why have I chosen this book? Some of you (like Kazzandra) amusingly thought that I chose this book because it reminded them of the song 1985 by Bowling for Soup. Although that thought did fleetingly passed through my mind and that 1985 happens to be a really good song, “surprisingly”, that was not the reason of my choice. As most of you may know, I am guilty of having pleasure in reading science fiction. I did particularly enjoy devouring Brave New World by Aldous Huxley, and since Mrs. Griffin suggested (since I loooved sci fi) that I tackle 1984, I made up my ever indecisive mind and signed the book out.
Since then, I must say, I am quite happy with my choice. Even though I have read half of the first section of my book, I still have many expectations from this book. I have already grown attached to the protagonist Winston Smith, who is a “happy” civil servant responsible for perpetuating the Party’s propaganda by revising historical records to render the Party omniscient always correct. Already, he has gained thoughts of rebellion even though he confessed that he took pride in his work. (Ok, I’m starting to gush. Enough of that incessant rambling Alana! I’m terribly sorry. You wouldn’t understand much of what I’m saying.)
I have a funny feeling that he’s going to get together with that sexy brunette that swore herself to this anti-sex league (intriguing to all males right?). I also believe that that small act of rebellion is going to grow. I guess I’ll have to read to find out…
**Food for thought: George Orwell was not always against totalitarianism (even though he really detested authority), but a lot of several things led to his decision of finally being against totalitarianism and being for democratic socialism. (Which also lead him to write several of his books including 1984) I read some excerpts of his essay, “Why I Write” which was published in1947. Some of the initiators would be Hitler, the Spanish Civil war, etc. The Spanish war and other events during 1936-37 turned the scale and thereafter, he knew where he would be standing. After writing a book that would fuse political purpose and artistic purpose into one whole (Animal Farm), he hoped to write another that would expose the lie that he wants to draw attention to and to initially get a hearing. Then he wrote 1984. This miraculous book has been translated to 62 languages. Along with Animal Farm, they had sold more than 40 million copies by 1984. In the US, it sold 1,000 copies a day that year. (That is AMWAZING!) What was sad about what had occurred while he was writing this book was: he experienced a bout of tuberculosis. He was then admitted to the hospital where even then they took away his typewriter. Ever determined and undaunted, he wrote longhand and with ball-point pen and continued his work. Sadly, he was administered a newly developed drug to which he suffered severe allergic reactions. Because of this allergic reaction, his skin flaked, his mouth became painfully ulcerated, and his hair and nails fell out. After several months of recuperation in the hospital, he was allowed to be discharged and returned to his home on the remote Scottish island on Jura. There, he finished writing 1984 in December 1948. After that, he went immediately back into the hospital and was never again healthy enough to return home. 1984 was published in June 1949 and Orwell died several months later on January 21, 1950 at the age of 46.
What did I say, isn’t he amazing or what? The book should have already relayed this fact right?
Anyway, that was just a fun fact that I learned about.

Rhetorical Precis--Bob Greene's "Cut"

Here below, posted as comments, are the precis generated by our class.  Enjoy!

Emily Bronte's Wuthering Heights

It's me, Arielle! I know, I finally got started with blogging. I've currently been reading Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. I bought the book a couple years ago (never read it), we were assigned IR#1, I found it on my floor, and figured... why not read it? It's supposed to be a tale of twisted romance between two people, Catherine and Heathcliff. I was quite certain that it would be a tough read (as it usually is with such awesome classics), but I still have a good feeling that the serendipity of choosing this book will have an interesting outcome. Besides, a tale of complicated, dreary, demented romance? How can a typical angst-ridden teenage girl resist?

The Scarlet Letter--Erica's Review

Upon picking up The Scarlet Letter, I was thrown into a new world. One very different from the beliefs and customs of the world I live in today, which is expected considering the book was first published in 1850, and the story set in the 1600s. The story takes place in the Puritan town of Boston. In this strict puritan town, any sin, petty or significant, is not tolerated. In this town, everyone is scrutinized and it seems like everyone is forced to live a pious life style. The views of this town play a very important role in the actions and attitudes of each town member including the main characters. For instance, in order to keep his honor and respect of the town’s people, Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale hides his sins, which would be shamed by all if he were to expose them. 

The book focuses on the lives of four people living in the town. The first being Hester Prynne, who is being punished for committing adultery with an unknown person, which as a result, gets her pregnant. As her punishment, she is forced to serve jail time, is displayed on the town scaffold with her child for all to ridicule, and must wear a scarlet A upon her bosom as a symbol of her infidelity. She bears a child named Pearl who becomes her one true treasure and a beauty. Another character is Reverend Dimmesdale, who is one of the town’s most respected clergymen but who withholds a sin from the knowledge of the public. The last main character is Roger Chillingworth. He is a physician and Hester’s estranged husband, who came into town just in time to witness his wife stand on the scaffold in all her shame.

The story takes place over the next seven years, in which Hester Prynne loses her natural beauty and continues to bear her penance for all to see, Pearl grows up to become a mischievous and perceptive child, Reverend Dimmesdale finds himself struggling with the guilt of the sin he has performed and has been put under the care of Roger Chillingworth, and Chillingworth becomes so obsessed with revenge, that it’s all he cares for making him seem truly evil. You soon learn that Reverend Dimmesdale is the other adulterer and once Chillingworth learns this, he tortures and toys with the Reverend. Dimmesdale decides to run away with Hester and Pearl to become a family, but their plan of escape falls short when Dimmesdale decides to declare his sin to the town and dies soon after on the scaffold in Hester’s arms with Pearl and Chillingworth around him. Chillingworth dies just a year later and leaves Pearl all his property, allowing her and her mother to finally leave the town. Prynne returns a few years later, still wearing the scarlet A and spent the rest of her life in the town.

Sin, love, revenge, social organization, and human nature are all major attributes found in Nathanial Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Each one of these parts plays a key role in making the book effective and worth reading. Through Hawthorne’s somewhat complex writing, which becomes easier to understand as you continue reading, the reader explores the dreadful effects of sin especially when living in such a devout town. Each character has their own unique traits, giving the story a more realistic feel and allowing the reader to identify with the characters. Hawthorne was able to intertwine the aforesaid attributes well and allowed me as a reader to become engaged with the text. As the story progressed, I was able to formulate my own opinions about the actions of the characters as well as the attitudes of the town’s people. It is easy to see why this book is timeless, because although the story was set four hundred years ago and our society different from their generally pious nature, many people can recognize the want to fit into society unscathed, protecting the ones you love, and ultimately the struggle of trying to do the right thing.

  

Huxley’s “Brave New World”- Prose Analysis 2 of 2

Example:
Art, science- you seemed to have paid a fairly high price for your happiness,” said the Savage, when they were alone. “Anything else?”
“Well, religion, of course,” replied the Controller. There used to be something called God-before the Nine Years’ War. But I was forgetting; you know all about god I suppose. (Pg. 230)

Theme is the central idea of message of a work and offers insight to life. The theme of Brave New World is freedom and how people want it. The people want poetry, danger, good and bad things. This novel shows that when you must give up religion, high art, true science, family, love and other foundations of modern life in place of a sort of unending happiness, it is not worth the sacrifice. These are all also unique marks between humans and animals that were abolished here. In exchange, they received stability with no wars, social unrest, no poverty or disease or any other infirmities or discomforts. However, they only live with an artificial happiness, which they have been brainwashed to love since infancy.

Huxley’s “Brave New World”- Prose Analysis 1 of 2

Example:
““To-morrow,” he would add, smiling at them with a slightly menacing geniality, “you’ll be settling down to serious work. You won’t have time for generalities. Meanwhile…”
Meanwhile, it was a privilege. Straight from the horse’s mouth into the notebook. The boys scribbled like mad” (Pg. 4)

Animal imagery is out of control in Brave New World. Just look at the first chapter. There's the repetition of "straight from the horse's mouth," Foster's claim that "any cow" could merely hatch out embryos, the dullness that "Rams wrapped in theremogene beget no lambs." Later, when John goes to the hospital, he sees the Delta children staring at Linda with "the stupid curiosity of animals." The hordes of identical bokanovskified twins seem to him "maggots." It looks like Huxley's message is clear: the new world has so dehumanized its citizens that they now resemble little more than animals. The irony is that "civilization" should seek to bump up man, to make him less prehistoric, to put some distance between him and the other creatures of the world.

Huxley's "Brave New World"--Response 4 of 4

The last chapters of this book were incredible! The conversation that John had with Mutsapha Mond was really incredible. John questions the Controller’s philosophy and vice versa. John cannot believe that the controller would give up something like individuality, art, God, and science for other people’s happiness. They discussed a lot about how God can be absent even if the Controller himself believes that there might actually be a god. John believes that a lot of what the Controller does is immoral and ungodly. The Controller believes that people believe what they are conditioned to believe. It is just like how people believe God because they were conditioned to believe in god. Again, I really must say that their conversation was invigorating. Why was it invigorating? I really must admit that I am a sucker for the talk of philosophy and anything to do with life in general. It was incredibly fascinating the way Mutsapha Mond shone some light on the subject about why people believed in God. His words were illuminating and as a devout Catholic, it made me see and realize that what he was saying is true. Logically, it is true! I was raised to be a Catholic, so Catholicism is what I believe in. If I was raised as a devout Mormon, then logically, I should believe in the ways of a Mormon. These thoughts made my head spin so fast, I had to take several moments to pause and regain a sense of balance in my mind. It felt like a hurricane just blew in an wreaked havoc amongst my thoughts. These words actually made me stop and think. Not a lot of books have this effect on me, and that is why I fell in love with this book.
Continuing on the story, John has yet again, proven to be one of the best characters in this novel. He believes in how horrifying he has been that he has prepared to make himself suffer for it. He made himself suffer for his mother’s death by purifying himself the Indian way: drinking mustard and boiled water. Then he “forced” himself to not think of Lenina and how much he loved her, even if he thought she was an “impudent strumpet.” I am awed by his passion and belief of what wrong he has done. I cannot believe he brings upon himself physical pain just to get the gods to forgive him. It just goes to show that you cannot expect someone who has been raised and “conditioned” differently to take a whole new way of life with grace, poise, and gusto.
There are many things that I do not get from this book, but it has managed to shaken me to think the unthinkable words, “what if…”
There’s one thing that I don’t get though. I don’t get the ending. What’s with the directions? Why were they so important? What did the last paragraph mean?

The Awakening by Kate Chopin: Prose Analysis 2 of 2

A passage from pg. 136-137


         The water of the Gulf stretched out before her, gleaming with the million lights of the sun. The voice of the sea is seductive, never ceasing, whispering, clamoring, murmuring, inviting the soul to wander in abysses of solitude. All along the white beach, up and down, there was no living thing in sight. A bird with a broken wing was beating the air above, reeling, fluttering, circling, disabled down, down to the water.
         Edna had found her old bathing suit still hanging, faded, upon its accustomed peg.
         She put it on, leaving her clothing in the bath-house. But when she was there beside the sea, absolutely alone, she cast the unpleasant, prickling garments from her, and for the first time in her life stood naked in the open air, at the mercy of the sun, the breeze that beat upon her, and the waves that invited her.
         How strange and awful it seemed to stand naked under the sky! how delicious! She felt like some newborn creature, opening its eyes in a familiar world that it had never known.
         The foamy wavelets curled up to her white feet, and coiled like serpents about her ankles. She walked out. The water was chill, but she walked on. The water was deep, but she lifted her white body and reached out with a long, sweeping stroke. The touch of the sea is sensuous enfolding the body in its soft, close embrace.
         She went on and on. She remembered the night she swam for out, and recalled the terror that seized her at the fear of being unable to regain the shore. She did not look back now, but went on and on, thinking of the blue-grass meadow that she had traversed when a little child, believing that it had no beginning and no end.
         Her arms and legs were growing tired.
         She thought of Leonce and the children. They were a part of her life. But they need not have thought that they could posses her, body and soul. How Mademoiselle Reisz would have laughed, perhaps sneered, if she knew! "And you call yourself an artist! What pretensions, Madame! The artist must posses the courageous soul that dares and defies."
          Exhaustion was pressing upon and over-powering her.
          "Good by-because I love you." He did not know;he did not understand. He would never understand. Perhaps Doctor Mandelet would have understood if she had seen him-but it was too late; the shore was far behind her, and her strength was gone.
          She looked into the distance, and the old terror flamed up for an instant, then sank again. Edna heard her father's voice and her sister Margaret's. She heard the barking of an old dog that was chained to the sycamore tree. The spurs of the cavalry officer clanged as he walked across the porch. There was the hum of bees, and the musky odor of pinks filled the air.


Analysis:
           What beauty and enrichment this text gives to the story; especially as an ending! Kate Chopin had created this last portion of the story to tie the plot together. After reading this ending, the whole story had finally been tied together, and this "full-circle" ending had shown me the idea and value in how the story was structured in the first place. This concluding style provided emphasis in bringing about the story's meaning and Edna's end, along with the thoughts that ran through her mind before her suicide.
            I had discovered the extended metaphor of the bird with a broken wing that flapped in the air above the ocean in all its weakness, and had taken its last dive, falling into the ocean. This idea or ironic occurrence had symbolized Edna's fate. She was a bird who had a broken wing. She was weak through her sexual urges and her need to have someone there to satisfy those urges. In contrast to the beloved and dear strength that her children have to her, the weakness in her marriage life was definitely the broken wing because it tied her down. And, in place of the bird falling into the ocean, Edna swims farther out until she had used up all her strength and might and drowns in the ocean just as the bird has undergone.
            Chopin lines these ideas through the paragraphs above, recalling Edna's life. Chopin retells of her feminism through Edna's nakedness, then returns to describing Edna's proceeding into the ocean. Then again, she goes on and retells of Edna's first time being one with the ocean; bringing back the idea of her feeling as a child in the blue-grass meadow. Kate Chopin continues with Edna, then reflects back on Edna's history and memory, and so forth, until the moment of truth and fate strikes, the feeling of terror takes over, and Edna is gone.
            Lastly, the very last paragraph reminding us of her father and sister's voices, a dog chained to a sycamore tree; these sounds and a fresh odor, ends the story and leaves the trials and graciousness of Edna's soul in lingering in our minds. Through this passage, Kate Chopin has delivered to me the most ideal, feminist novella (along with its experience) with such a quality that allows me to put my life as a young woman back into its preferred perspective.

How To Kill A Mockingbird Response 3 of 4

I’ve been reading “To Kill a Mockingbird” and I drew many conclusions. This book is not only a classic because of who wrote it, but because every page of every chapter has a significant meaning to it. This section of the book that I read, chapters 11-21, was fairly interesting. The main event that stood out was the court hearing of Tom. Since he was black, he was accused of a crime that he didn’t commit. The all-white jury, just judged Tom without hearing his side of the story. Atticus is by far my favorite character in this novel, due to his courage and self-instinct. Atticus stood up for Tom during his court hearing, and made major points to the jury. While he was speaking to the jury, he was emotional which showed how strong he felt for Tom and the situation that he’s in. Atticus doesn’t care what people think of him and his believes; he sticks to what’s right for him and what he believes is true. Although in maycoumb, blacks aren’t allowed to feel sorry for whites, Tom felt sorry for the women. The jury still found Tom guilty even though he had enough evidence to plead not-guilty. Comparing this situation to every-day life of a teenager, in this century, helps me understand the text more. When something bad happens in life, you tell your friends, and of course they’re going to take your side and back you up, even though you started it/ you are the cause. They won’t care to hear the other person’s side of the story because they’re close to you and they will follow you. That’s how it was in the courtroom during Tom’s case. It wasn’t fair because Tom was the ONLY colored person and he had to face an all-white jury. Atticus made sure that someone was able to stand up for Tom and put a fight for him without losing the case without a fight. I simply admire Atticus!

The Awakening: Response 4 of 4

          Why is Edna messing around with these men?! Her husband and children are away, she has a doctor trying to figure her out, she gave herself to a man other than the one she is married to AND the one she clearly states that she loves! This is chaos in my mind, but coming to the end of this story shows me a beauty in a female's life. Of course, if it were to take place in today's society, the woman could get awfully hurt and abandoned, however I see beauty in the events held by Edna Pontellier.
           First of all, I feel this wonder knowing that she had the courage to stray away from her possessive, societally-serious husband, but also understood the lifelong love, nurture, and compassion she's long to give to her two sons. Secondly, she gained a new love where she felt this dream-like reality, which is so endearing to my heart. I, too, believe that I can somehow relate because every single time love is involved in my life, whether it be with God, family, or a significant relation, it seems as if it were a dream that I get to live every second of the day; a joy in my life that sparks my heart every second of the day. The Awakening showed me and clarified the signals to knowing when something is right; when something comes along and nourishes your heart and soul. Thirdly, I do see that Mrs.Pontellier had had an affair with Alcee. This shows me just how crazily emotions can play a role in a woman's life, no matter how young or old. We feel so deeply, even if we are the most hard-headed or heavy-hearted; however, we take risks and chances to fulfill our needs in some way that may be very much out of desperation, but we realize that we can only learn, and that we will learn, sooner or later. Lastly, I am appalled that Edna Pontellier had committed suicide. But the suspicion occurred when Mademoiselle Reisz gave insight on a bird that soared high above the waters, but had unfortunately taken a weakened fall into those waters gaining bruisings and death...I'd say this is a beautiful and heart felt tragedy.
          Oh, for the love of womanhood! During the time of my read of such an outstanding novel, I have gained so much, and feel a sense of inspiration that floods my mind indirectly. After finishing this book, I feel as if there is so much for me to think of and establish insight to in relation to my own life being a female. The actions, the awakening, makes me feel proud to be a young lady. I feel the urge to provide myself a successful, lovely, and full-lead life! Not only has Edna Pontellier-the "awakened" in the awakening- revealed to herself her moral and societal truths, but so have I, even though this book originates from earlier times long before my lifetime. Who would've known just how much a literary work can affect one's life! I feel so strong and empowered when it comes to how I wish to lead my life even more than I already have decided. I also have gained the will to encourage and guide other young girls in this discovery-or better yet- this AWAKENING!

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Analysis 2 of 2

This text was found in the last chapter at the end of the book when everything has come to a happy ending. Tom is recovering from his bullet wound, Jim is considered a hero now and is freed, Huck gets to go on another adventure, etc… In the text, Huck is saying that Aunt Sally is adopting him and he knows that she’s going to try and “sivilize” him. He’s already thinking about going on another adventure when he said, “But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest…” The significance of this passage is that it shows that Huck has learned from his previous adventure. He knows what it’s like to be living life on the raft, free to do whatever he pleases. Huck knows that being civilized by Aunt Sally is like saying that he’s going to be conformed to the society that he has come to distrust and fear. It means that he’s going to be conformed to the society that already has education, religion, etc… planned out for him.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin: Response 4 of 4

The last one-fourth of the book is really interesting to me. In the beginning of these pages, it starts off with Huck and Tom meeting up at the Phelps’ house. It’s awesome that Tom is back into the story, and I never imagined it in this way. Huck is pretending to be Tom, the nephew of the Phelps. Tom is pretending to some other guy. It’s quite funny, but maybe I’m just not making it sound funny. Well, I think it’s really nice that Tom agreed to help free Jim. I mean, in this white society back in the days, it’s hard to imagine that another white person would be so kind to help a black person. I’m glad that Huck has some open-minded friends. Then again, Tom is just looking to have fun, and that fun is the way they’re going to free Jim. It’s idiotic how they’re trying to free Jim by digging with knives and pick-axes, but it’s just a book I guess. I was surprised when they were successful in doing so (in making a hole). I like how the auntie, Aunt Sally, notices missing things and blames it everyone except Tom and Huck when in fact they are the two to blame. Well, the story continues on, and it gets even crazier. Tom is asking Jim to do all these things like tame a rattlesnake or a rat and to water a flower with his tears, which I’m not sure is even possible. I like how Tom is playing with Jim’s freedom in a way. The whole point of helping Jim escape is to do it quickly and furtively, but Tom is “by the books.” I can’t believe Tom would go as far as write a letter to his uncle and auntie, warning that trouble is to come. I highly doubt the events in this story would actually happen in real life, and that’s why I admire Mark Twain’s stories because I myself imagine events that most likely won’t happen. Later in the story, Aunt Sally and Uncle Silas invite armed local farmers because of that letter Tom wrote to them. It’s truly hard to believe that Tom sees it as an adventure even if he does get shot in the leg trying to escape with Huck and Jim. It’s nice that Jim is worried about Tom’s well-being and recommends that Tom see a doctor. To me, the ending was kind of boring to read, but it was nice that it turned out to be a happy ending for everyone. Tom recovers at the hospital, Jim is seen as a hero as he is given credit for helping nurse Tom and such, and Huck got to spend another adventure with Tom. Another great novel from Mark Twain comes to an end.

The Adventures of Huckleberry Fin: Response 3 of 4

After reading these pages, I have to admit that these pages show how cruel these two con artists are. I didn’t like them from the beginning, and I still don’t like them, especially because of what they did in these chapters. These pages start off with the chapter when the duke and the dauphin are still ripping off the people with their play. It’s really selfish of these people to tell everyone that the show was a success when it really was a scam for their money. I guess that’s the reason why the duke and dauphin’s play was a success. The part that really shows how messed up these con artists is the whole Peter Wilks’s scene. It is surprising that the two men were able to pull off such a prank of being the deceased Peter Wilks’s brothers from England. Well, they manage to continue this charade until the real brothers of Peter Wilks comes, which was so awesome. It reminds me of some comedy television shows where the imposter is unmasked because the real ones are there to expose them. I’ve noticed that Huck’s moral standards are changing in a good way, too. He also thinks that the duke and the dauphin are disgusting. I thought Huck would be worshiping the two men for doing such actions. Mark Twain is gradually showing Huck’s character development as the story progresses. Huck went out of his way and took the $6,000 that the two con artists received by pretending to be Peter Wilks’s brothers and hid it in his coffin. He even rats the con artists out by telling Mary Jane, one of Peter Wilks’s surviving nieces. Well, the story progresses with Huck running away to the raft, which was where Jim was at throughout this time. I was so relieved that they got away without the two con artists, but I was just as shocked as Huck when they caught up to their raft on a boat. I thought the two men were going to kill Huck for ditching them. The last chapter of these pages is really sad because this is where Jim gets captured for being a runaway slave. It’s really heart-wrenching when I found out that it was one of the con artists who made Jim get captured. Again, I admire Huck’s character development in these pages as he decides to rescue Jim from slavery. During this time, it was not right for a white society to help slaves. That’s why I admire Huck. It’s because of his friendship bond with Jim that he decides to do something to help Jim.

The Awakening: Response 3 of 4

        Edna Pontellier has definitely undergone an amazing transformation; however, all of this surprises me. I notice that few people notice Edna's relations with Robert Lebrun, but do not correct the actions due to the fact that Edna is married! I am greatly confused in the ways of these characters when it comes to this issue. What is interesting, though, is how Edna and Robert spend more and more time together with that something growing inside of them drawing an attraction. This urges me to read because such an attraction reminds me of my generation, or rather, the point in my life (as well as my peers) where we uncover the youthful innocence in attraction and relationships. Once again, this is a step in Edna's awakening when it comes to self-discovery and confidence. Basically, it's like being single but setting your eyes on someone who seems to spark this rush in you; someone who gets you, or who you can spend hours to days of enjoyment with. This is Robert.
         Oh, my goodness! Now I have to find out that Robert is leaving to Mexico, after he's spent a day with Mrs. Pontellier! He hadn't even told her while he was with her. What a shame. This is a total, crushing moment. This point left me speechless. Being a female, I really don't appreciate when someone seems to enjoy being with you as much as you enjoy being with them, and then they end up changing the whole idea on their part. It makes you question, "Don't you...remember what we've just been through?" It doesn't matter if it's your best friend, boyfriend, or classmate. It can really be anyone, and it hurts. I feel so much pity because Mrs. Pontellier was finding herself again after taking a few moments to break out of her possessive marital status. She was sensing happiness, pleasure, and relief. She was refreshed, only to find out that Robert is leaving. It all seemed to be a dream. And, when he says "goodbye", he said it as if she were just some acquaintance he had a nice chat with. Since then, thoughts of him had invaded her mind.
          In addition to what maddens me, Mr. Pontellier is just so much of a jerk because he holds Mrs. Pontellier to their societal expectation that she is driving away from. This takes me back to the time I watched and read The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks. Allie dropped the superficial societal expectations of her parents because she was madly in love with Noah Calhoun, and he is the man who made her happy! I feel as if Mrs. Pontellier has yet to uncover this meaning of love in her awakening for this emotion is strong- this whole idea of finding a supporting and passionate love, other than her current possessive and passionate love with Leonce Pontellier. This seems to be a common conflict in every woman's life; to fight off the temptation and realize what's out there to keep her true to herself, happy, supported, and deeply in a love that she cannot let go of in terms of heart, not mind.

The Awakening by Kate Chopin: Prose Analysis 1 of 2

A passage from p.21; Line 6


        Her marriage to Leonce Pontellier was purely an accident, in this respect resembling many other marriages which masquerade as the decrees of Fate. It was in the midst of her secret great passion that she met him. He fell in love, as men are in the habit of doing, and pressed  his suit with an earnestness and an ardor which left nothing to be desired. He pleased her; his absolute devotion flattered her. She fancied there was a sympathy of thought and taste between them, in which fancy she was mistaken. Add to this the violent opposition of her father and her need to seek no further for the motives which led her to accept Monsieur Pontellier for her husband.
        The acme of bliss, which would have been a marriage with the tragedian, was not for her in this world. As the devoted wife of a man who worshiped her, she felt she would take her place with a certain dignity in the world of reality, closing the portals forever behind her upon the realm of romance and dreams.



Analysis:


        I seem to gain so much from this passage in the book, deemed that Kate Chopin uses the accurate adjectives in accordance with her overall diction. For example in the first sentence of the first paragraph here, where she writes, "Her marriage to Leonce Pontellier was purely an accident..." When I took some time to think about how the word "purely" plays a part in that sentence in connection to the awakening in the novel, I saw that this pure accident is what helps shape Edna's position and point of view/emotions in this position. Also, from Chopin's adjectives, I find such a delicate touch in her lines. While reading this passage I found a sense of corruption, and perhaps the root of her corruption; that being her marriage. That's when I thought, how can I feel corruption from a passage, but move along knowing that it left a mark of a feminine grace in my memory. 
        From this passage, I was also able to discover Leonce's position in Edna's life-from Edna's perspective, which really benefited me. In other words, this passage revealed to me the picture I had anxiously been awaiting. "It was in the midst of her great passion that she met him. He fell in love, as men are in the habit of doing, and pressed his suit with an earnestness and an ardor which left nothing to be desired." I quickly looked up these words, and once again, Chopin has a way with her adjectives-just as other authors- but yet again with this delicate aura. Earnestness is equal to having a non-humorous and serious state of mind. Ardor is somewhat an intensity of sexual desire. Look here! Leonce is a total man! Chopin helps me question the situation of Mr. and Mrs. Pontellier. Have they gotten married for the wrong reason? Which one of them has the problem? Does Mrs. Pontellier need to move on? Does she want to? Oh, so many endearing questions! I thank Kate Chopin for her use of adjectives this way for it surely fills me with clues to the characters and directs me to enlightenment of their human nature. With this, comes CONFLICT! And this conflict, all the more sparks my INTEREST! This is the magic of reading, and with her diction, Chopin truly grasps my imagination, opening up my eyes for this awakening.