Grendel: The True Character of a Gruesome Monster

Overall, I think Grendel by John Gardner is truly a compelling novel that is truly engaging and captivating in its entirety.  I am most definitely a fan of this novel because Gardner’s Grendel never fails to surprise me or shock me continuously. Although many of the philosophies presented throughout the book are exceptionally complex and oftentimes perplexing, Gardner’s writing style definitely engages me to think outside the box and to read between the lines in order to discern the meaning of the novel, just as Grendel is trying to discern the meaning of the universe and his role in it.

With that said, there are many aspects of the novel that are worth addressing such as Grendel’s constantly transforming thoughts and impressions about art. The role of art and the artist in the novel is largely significant throughout the text as Grendel jumps back and forth between the dragon’s ideals and mankind’s enduring beliefs. I think it is so interesting that Grendel falls somewhere between humanity and in a sense, godliness. It is definitely no coincidence that Grendel possesses this impenetrable charm in Ch. 6 that renders him invincible in a way, like God. Throughout the novel, we get the sense that Grendel is just trying to understand the world and how it works, and where he belongs in it, just on a whole other level. We see Grendel still trying to define himself in comparison to humans and their world, then in contrast to the dragon and the infinite universe, then in terms of Grendel himself as a mechanical creature…an animal.

The shift in Grendel’s notions and philosophies regarding his own existence are evident throughout the novel. Initially, Grendel has no concept of the world outside his own mother, who to him, is the source of his being. It is not until Grendel’s monumental realization of his independence (when he gets stuck in the tree in Ch. 2) that we see his impressions of the world transform and modify. Soon enough, Grendel comes to realize the “meaningless objectness of the world, the universal bruteness” of it (Gardner 28). Grendel gradually develops his theory of solipsism, in which he is convinced that only he exists and that everything around him is merely a fabrication of his own mind, and nonexistent.

However, after a brief lapse in Grendel’s notion of good vs. evil through the Shaper’s persuasive art, Grendel’s beliefs quickly change when Grendel encounters the dragon in Ch. 5 (which is arguably his own unconscious mind). After his encounter with the dragon, Grendel is convinced of the dragon’s belief that the duration of time ceases to prolong the importance of things that are important now.  The dragon alters Grendel’s beliefs from being primarily based on solipsism to now centering on nihilism and the idea that everything is unimportant and doomed to perish eventually in the grand scheme of things. This theory resonates with Grendel for a long time (especially throughout Ch. 7), as he progressively builds on the dragon’s ideas and comes to many realizations of his own.

Eventually, he comes to assume his role as the ultimate monster and destroyer of society…he accepts his role as the enemy, the ruiner, the cursed creature. Although Grendel’s notions of art continue to develop incredibly fast throughout chapter 9 and 10, he is still somehow bound to humanity through this mutual recognition of art and its impact.

John Gardner's Monstrous Creation: Grendel

After our brief introduction to John Gardner’s contemporary fiction novel, Grendel, I was curious to see how (according to Gardner) fiction should truly be written: with a purpose. Initially, I did not really regard Gardner to be the gentlest of people, considering that he bashed the majority of fiction writers by degrading their works and everything they have ever achieved in their lifetime. However, after reading the first couple chapters of Grendel, I’m kind of starting to see the more sympathetic side of Gardner and the regret and guilt he felt due to his liability in his brother’s unprecedented death.

Truthfully, I do not blame Gardner for defending his beliefs that fiction should solely be life-affirming and significant, not meaningless and empty. Although I admit he could have been a little less harsh and disrespectful to other writers, his genuine concern for the importance and profound meaning of fiction actually seems valid. With that said, I think it is perfectly acceptable to have any form of fictional work whether it is momentous or not. Everyone is entitled to their own opinions and interpretations of fictional merit, but for some reason I can’t help but agree with Gardner in his declaration that a worthwhile piece of literature is so much more inspirational and encouraging to readers than a work of fiction that possesses no relevance to real life at all.

In any case, I am thoroughly enjoying his concoction of the “evil” creature Grendel, who is frequently considered to be an abominable monster who wreaks havoc upon the innocent residents of Denmark in the epic Beowulf. I love the fact that Gardner explores Grendel’s side of the story as an outsider who struggles to discern the meaning of life and his purpose in the universe. I think Gardner makes Grendel’s character very relatable on many levels (which seems highly unexpected actually), as he considers himself an ugly, worthless, detested, and  undesirable creature who has no meaning or sense of belonging in the world. Grendel is a very self-loathing and insecure monster who calls himself a “ridiculous hairy creature” (Gardner 44), who oftentimes cannot bear the existence of other “natural things” like humans (Gardner 8), specifically the Danes.

I found it extremely significant to note that Gardner choses to develop Grendel’s character almost as an equal and an opposite to mankind. This is because Grendel shares a common language with humans, but his efforts to communicate remain futile, as the humans neglect to understand the creature. At the same time, Grendel’s feelings and emotional states also resembles that of humans, such as sentiments of loneliness, despair, pain, and fear. Furthermore, Grendel’s similarities with humans are only overshadowed by their differences that seem to thwart Grendel’s endeavors to befriend them. Thus, as Grendel struggles to discover his identity and role in this chaotic world, we see Gardner unravel the true nature of a lost and self-doubting soul who seeks to discover a sense of community and belonging to the world.

The Hero's Journey (the Joseph Campbell version)

Today we were briefly introduced to the scope of the hero’s journey and how this encompasses a prevalent and common archetype in countless myths, even from the beginning of time (from the time when the Epic of Gilgamesh was engraved on stone tablets, as Mrs. Clinch says). I found John Campbell’s profound interpretation of this hero’s journey to be extremely enlightening and noteworthy, as I can now see this depiction of the archetypal hero in pop culture’s most epic stories such as Star Wars and Harry Potter in a way I never have before. Campbell’s theory regarding the explicit stages which a typical hero undergoes is referenced in The Hero with a Thousand Faces, the book that Campbell wrote in order to accentuate the connection between modern psychology and a more thorough understanding of ancient mythology. I think this depiction of a true hero is already so commonly accepted in society (like Christ) that we don’t even realize its significance until it is clearly presented to us in the form of a set structure or “sequence of events” if you will.

For instance, how many die-hard Harry Potter fans immediately recognize Dobby as a helper/amulet (one of the stages of the hero’s journey) in Harry’s heroic adventure? Or that Dumbledore is the wise old mentor who serves as the source of courage and wisdom for Harry? Or that Hagrid is technically the herald in the hero’s journey, as he is the one who brings the call to adventure by telling Harry he is a wizard, opening up the possibilities of a whole new realm of existence (wizarding world)? Perhaps initially we don’t identify Professor Lupin as a shapeshifter, Draco Malfoy as one of the threshold guardians, or Voldemort as the shadow, but once we are presented with these ideas, it is much easier to distinguish and associate the characters to the typical archetypes of a hero’s journey.

In the interview with Joseph Campbell that we watched in class, Campbell explains the duration of the hero’s journey as something of a cycle, in which the hero must ultimately make a massive sacrifice for the sake and of others, whether that be spiritually or physically, in order to undergo this heroic transformation to consciousness and understanding. In some aspects, the hero’s journey is comprised of many psychological references and concepts. The hero/heroine not only must face physical obstacles and impediments he/she is presented with such as a monster or a dark force, but he/she must also learn to overcome his/her inherent and mental  obstructions such as fear and a dramatic, unanticipated change. It is not until one discovers and overcomes one’s internal conflict of opposing feelings and thoughts that one can truly achieve some great deed that renders one a hero.

In addition to the psychological realization that a hero must endure, Campbell addresses other various aspects of the hero’s journey in the interview, such as the three stages usually contained within all myths: departure, fulfillment/initiation, and return, which together epitomize the entire span of the hero’s journey. Campbell emphasizes the importance of these three crucial points of the hero’s journey as they essentially structure the entire course of the hero’s journey.

Overall, I think Joseph Campbell’s depiction of the hero’s journey is extremely interesting and meaningful, and I look forward to applying these concepts in our analysis of literary works. J

Shutter Island vs. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest

Despite the fact that I have been so incredibly busy and overwhelmed with homework this week, I still managed to take a little time for myself to watch a movie. So, instead of the usual comedy or typical cliché drama, I decided to with a mystery/psychological thriller: Shutter Island. Not only did this suspenseful and perplexing film immediately spark my interest in its ominous and eerie nature, but it also displayed some similar qualities as the novel One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest by Ken Kesey.

Appropriately titled, this movie is about a U.S. marshal, Teddy Daniels, and his partner Chuck Aule, who travel to Ashecliff Hospital on Shutter Island to investigate the disappearance of a criminally insane patient, Rachel Solando. Shortly after their arrival on this ghostly and foreboding island, Teddy finds himself questioning the strange doctors who are in charge of the hospital and its mentally-ill prisoners, including the psychiatrist Dr. John Cawley, who seems very suspicious from the start. In an effort to solve this mysterious case, Teddy finds himself trapped on the island by a violent storm, as he becomes conflicted with disturbing instances of his past as a former WWII veteran, while also suffering from delusions of his deceased wife Dolores, whom he believes was killed by a man named Andrew Laeddis. The tension mounts when Teddy finds himself discovering clues to the mystery of Rachel Solando and what he believes to be the secret conspiracies behind the hospital’s classified experiments. As the thrilling plot unravels, Teddy’s paranoia grows until he is ultimately faced with the truth behind his past as he begins to question everyone and everything on this island—including his own sanity.

Like this creepy and riveting movie, Cuckoo’s Nest possesses a similar mental hospital setting that seems to drive the characters more insane and psychotic than they were to begin with. Although Shutter Island and Cuckoo’s Nest encompass very different plots and themes, there are still some prevalent parallels between the two works.

First of all, the main characters, Teddy in Shutter Island and Randle McMurphy in Cuckoo’s Nest, both seem to be rather sane and rational initially, until they are somehow forced into confinement at a mental hospital, as they are surrounded with patients who are mentally-ill (and prisoners in Teddy’s case). In this respect, I think many aspects of Cuckoo’s Nest resemble those of the film as well, except that the movie is much darker and more peculiar than the novel. In any case, the chief of the hospital in Shutter Island, Dr. Cawley, is much like Nurse Ratched, the oppressive and heartless woman who demands authority and runs the mental hospital in Cuckoo’s Nest. Both of these characters come off as though they are trying to help the patients recover, when in reality, they are both secretly tormenting the patients through their domineering and manipulative ways.

Additionally, in both the book and the movie, the two main characters undergo some form of self-realization and personality change that both mount to completely unexpected plot twists, thus altering the endings. In the movie, Teddy is essentially on the path of self-discovery, as he is forced to accept that he is Andrew Laeddis, his wife’s murderer, and that he is actually one of the disturbed and psychotic patients of Ashecliff Hospital. This surprising and completely unexpected plot twist led me to reconsider and question the whole movie, as I did for Cuckoo’s Nest, when McMurphy is forcibly lobotomized under Nurse Ratched’s orders, for his rebellion and aggressive behavior, in a final effort to exert her tyrannical powers and authority over McMurphy. In both cases, the movie and the novel, the main characters undergo a prefrontal lobotomy in the end, which ultimately symbolizes the demise and the defeat of both Teddy Daniels and Randle McMurphy.

Short Story Analysis: Reflection on My Paper

Overall, I am pretty pleased with my short story analysis paper on “Teenage Wasteland” by Anne Tyler. I do think, however, that there are some weaknesses throughout my paper that could have been avoided altogether. Throughout my paper, I tend to resort to the emphasis on Cal’s corrupt character rather than effectively demonstrating the “loss of innocence in vulnerable youths” through Donny's character. I could have incorporated more analysis on Tyler's characterization of Donny in addition to Cal, in order to capture the meaning of the work as a whole, in terms of Tyler’s “so what.”

Also, I agree that I need more support to substantiate my claim about Cal’s destructive influence on Donny in the story, and how that ultimately manifests in Donny’s escape/downfall. I also need support for proving the “cracked foundation” of the Coble family because I neglected to provide evidence of the tension between Donny and his parents. In my argument about Donny’s compliance to evil and Cal’s “teenage wasteland,” I was very vague about how Donny’s corruption came to be. For example, in my third paragraph (second body paragraph), I discuss Donny’s “submission to sin and corruption,” but I don’t go into detail about how this is done or when this takes place. I could’ve used the example when Daisy is notified of Donny’s progressing unsatisfactory performance in school which occurs under Cal’s supervision and “mentoring.”There are many instances throughout the text that can corroborate this negative influence that Cal has on Donny throughout the story.

Additionally, most of the comments I received on my paper addressed the insufficient and lack of support/evidence that I need in order to fully develop my idea and to prove my thesis. I was unable to effectively demonstrate Cal’s motives in the grand scheme of things, and how that exactly leads to Donny’s corruption. I agree with Mrs. Clinch, there are many gaps, or loose ends that need to be tied, in my story, which I could have probably easily done just simply by using more TEXT SUPPORT! I think I could’ve done such a better job in tying my claims back to my thesis and Tyler’s “so what.” I don’t know why I was reluctant to include more evidence throughout my paper because it does seem like I am making assumptions about Cal’s rapacious nature just by notciting more text.

For the most part, I wrote more about “what” and failed to acknowledge the “how” in the story. I needed to address HOW Cal is manipulative and HOW Donny losses his innocence, not just that he did. I make a lot of unconvincing and inadequate statements regarding Cal’s character throughout my paper without actually proving HOW he is like a vampire. I merely accused Cal of being one without actually proving it, or his motives in that case. In effect, I agree that I had a great argument and interesting assertions, but I should have put more focus on how my claims can be seen in Tyler’s story.

"The Unreturning" by Wilfred Owen (Happy Halloween!)

I thought I might take the pleasure in dedicating this blog post to the fast-approaching holiday, Halloween! What better way to do so than with the discussion of a completely Halloween-appropriate, creepy, and haunting poem? Thus, in honor of the scariest night of the year, I have chosen the poem, “The Unreturning,” by Wilfred Owen. This eerie poem contains an abundance of frightening imagery and spine-chilling literary devices that render it quite suitable for Halloween.

On that note, Owen’s spooky poem begins with a strange description of the night as it “crushed out the day and hurled her remnants over cloud-peaks, thunder-walled” (1-2), clearly implying the extent to which the night seemingly viciously and violently conquers the clearly vulnerable day. Owen’s use of the words “crushed” and “hurled” evoke a sense of ferociousness and cruelty in its connotation as he personifies the night and its act of aggressiveness towards the daytime, which has a positive and cheerful connotation.  In addition to this blunt contrast between night and day, Owen goes on to say that a “stillness such as harks appalled when far-gone dead return upon the world” fell upon the dead of night (3-4). This chilling line suggests that perhaps the dead are bound to return in the dead of night, which seems to be foreshadowed by the stillness of the night.

Thus, Owen intensifies the terrifying nature of this scene as it says “there watched I for the Dead; but no ghost woke” (5), introducing us to the narrator, who seems to anticipate the rise of the Dead. The poem delves into the narrator’s perspective, in which the narrator remarks that “each one whom Life exiled I named and called. But they were all too far, or dumbed or thrilled, and never one fared back to me or spoke” (6-8).  The voiceless dead and the emptiness that fills the poet echo the desolation that the narrator internally feels as he calls out the names of the dead, but they remain unresponsive. The narrator’s seemingly despondent and longing nature exhibits the inherent desire that the narrator has in calling out to the dead. However, I can’t seem to understand why he summons the dead, and why are they uncommunicative and silent? Also, what interest does he have in those “whom Life exiled”? I can only assume that the narrator himself feels abandoned and forgotten by Life itself, thus, he seeks comfort in the Dead, who have also endured a similar sense of neglect and abandonment. However, the dead are out of reach for the narrator, they cannot answer his call of what seems to be desperation.

Nevertheless, Owen goes on to depict this thought that clouds the narrator’s mind when “then peered the indefinite unshapen dawn with vacant gloaming, sad as half-lit minds” (9-10), clearly undermining the narrator’s certainty. The hesitant and looming dawn that creeps up almost mirrors the narrator’s state of mind. The narrator seems to be conflicted with the thought of Death and eternal damnation as he questions “the weak-limned hour when sick men’s sighs are drained” and he wonders “on their being withdrawn, gagged by the smothering Wing which none unbinds, I dreaded even a heaven with doors so chained” (11-14). This last stanza is extremely powerful as it reveals Owen’s pessimistic views on life and death and what they each entail. He describes the voice of man as being “gagged” and smothered as if despair, sorrow, and misery are inevitable in darkness and even in light, which he conveys as a “heaven with doors so chained” (14).

All the King's Men: The Strange Parallels in Chapter 4

As I was reading All the King’s Men, I kept pondering Robert Penn Warren’s purpose in abruptly but purposefully including the story of Cass Mastern, who is seemingly the main character of chapter 4. I have desperately been trying to decipher Warren’s message in strangely incorporating the complex nature of Cass Mastern’s life, because I truly do believe there is a more profound purpose than what I perceive it to be.

Chapter 4 in All the King’s Men is essentially a trip to the past, as we are introduced to a Jack Warden from the past, the graduate student “working for his Ph.D. in American History” at the State University of his unnamed and unidentified home state, which frustratingly remains unspecified throughout the book. This particular chapter also incorporates some third person point of view narrative style, as Jack is temporarily no longer the chief narrator interestingly enough.

Nonetheless, Warren weaves this intricate web of what emerges to be the focus of Jack Burden’s first excursion into the past which Jack renders to be unsuccessful as he was unable to comprehend Cass Mastern’s motives and true intentions in the grand scheme of things. Then, Jack goes on to explain that the reason he ceased his research in the excursion of Cass Mastern’s history was merely because he became too immersed in trying to “discover the truth and not the facts,” that he found it almost unbearable to continue the assignment.  

The chapter initially introduces Jack’s disappointing and unsatisfactory college life. This is described in detail by the mysterious narrator who depicts Jack’s college-student self as, in a nutshell, invulnerable to everything, which is potentially “the curse of Jack Burden.” On a side note, I found the irony in this line particularly amusing considering the fact that Jack’s last name is Burden (like an inconvenience or a bother), and he is cursed with being invulnerable. After a quick introduction to the context of Jack’s fascination with Cass Mastern as a college graduate student, Warren launches into this elaborate description of Jack’s initial excursion as Jack recalls the facts that he discovered about this man in his “historical research” of what he considers simply “a job,” when it is clearly more significant than that.

Later, Cass Mastern’s character is defined to be one of the two uncles of Jack’s father, Ellis Burden, aka the Scholarly Attorney. Gradually, Cass’s life is slowly unveiled as the story reverses back to the late 1800s, when Cass was just a young man who winds up in Lexington, Kentucky, and finds that “there is an education for vice as well as for virtue.”  Soon enough, Cass greets one of his close friends, Mr. Duncan Trice, who happens to live a very wealthy and opulent lifestyle. Shortly after encountering Mr. Trice’s wife, Annabelle Trice (aka “the pursuer”), Cass is mesmerized by her beauty and her goddess-like persona. From the beginning, we see the influence that Annabelle has on Cass, as they engage in a scandalous affair that ultimately results in Duncan Trice’s suicide. The secrecy and deception behind Cass and Annabelle’s affair is very similar, and almost parallel to the private relationship between Sadie and Willie Stark in the novel. However, I keep finding contradictions that oppose this theory because Annabelle’s manipulation is disguised by her luring and seductive figure that entices Cass in his naivety. This is considerably different from Sadie’s brazen, self-assured, and assertive character that is depicted as dangerous to Willie’s morals and goodness. Overall, I am still perplexed by Annabelle’s and Cass’s role in the chapter as I’m trying to discern whether Annabelle is a symbol of appeal and temptation or not, and whether Cass is inherently good or not. In essence, a lot of the contradictions and contrasts seen in these two characters can also be seen in Jack and Willie’s innate natures.  

All The King's Men: Dynamic Between Jack Burden and Willie Starks

The novel All the King’s Men is truly baffling to me when it comes to discerning the roles of Jack Burden and Willie Stark in the grand scheme of things. I am very captivated by this complex and somewhat mutual relationship that Willie and Jack share in the novel that is very intricate and difficult to scrutinize as they both epitomize two crucial characters in regards to the developing plot, and essentially, the overall story in its political setting. Regardless, it does seem as though Robert Penn Warren establishes the dynamic between Jack and Willie as virtually indispensable in some respects. In other words, Warren justifies the nature of both characters through the experiences and challenges that they have both faced in the past, whether it is personal struggles or emotional obstacles that have ultimately shaped them to be a certain way.

The novel encompasses several contradictions in terms of the personalities of Willie and Jack and the way in which they are influenced throughout the novel. Many instances of duality occur throughout the novel such as individual vs. society, knowledge vs. ignorance, and good vs. evil, which are arguably evident in both Jack and Willie alike. For example, due to the corrupt influences of society, Willie eventually comes to realize the brutal truth about politics and what it entails.

The conflicting forces of knowledge and ignorance are evident in Willie’s character in Chapter 2, when he learns that Tiny Duffy has tricked Willie into running for governor in order to split MacMurfee’s votes so that Harrison wins the election. It is only when Sadie Burke reluctantly informs Willie that he was the “sacrificial goat…the ram in the bushes” (Warren 81), that Willie must accept the ugly truth, in that he was being duped into becoming a candidate only to reap benefits for the opposing side (Harrison’s team). When Willie learns of this betrayal, he suddenly comes to realize the inherent evil in people when politics are involved, and he no longer seeks to find the good in others. Moreover, this monumental shift in Willie into the character of “The Boss,” emphasizes the striking contrast between knowledge vs. ignorance, and even good vs. evil. Jack recalls this memory of Willie’s innate transformation from good old Cousin Willie into a political figure through his recollection of a past event, which took place in the early 1920s.

The way Jack confronts this alteration in Willie’s character is very interesting, but still difficult to fully decipher. I still do not understand why Willie persists in seeking the title of “governor” when it is clear that the political world is just a web of lies and inevitable deceit that will most likely sequester his ability to acquire this title in the first place, and eventually inhibit his rise to power. Likewise, I am still perplexed by Jack’s role in Willie’s rise to power, and why he does not stop Willie from making a foolish decision to continue this political path when it is obvious that Willie intends to conform to the rules of the “political machine” by employing manipulative and conspiring tactics in order to get what he wants.

Applying Literary Theories to Disney Movies and Fairytales

What really interested me last week was the discussion about the different literary theories or lenses that various works of literature can be interpreted in. After reading Cinderella, and analyzing it through the gender, Marxist, psychoanalytical, reader response, archetypal, formalist, and historical theories, I feel like I've grasped a better understanding of what literary criticism entails. Moreover, scrutinizing the well-known fairytale Cinderella got me thinking about other Disney movies/fairytales such as Hercules and Snow White and the Seven Dwarves.

The Disney movie Hercules is about the son of Zeus, who is raised as a mortal, but struggles to prove himself a true hero in order to retain his title as a god. Through this, Hercules feels the need to live up to society's expectations of what a man should be: strong, attractive, muscular, and heroic. This movie could effectively be criticized through the archetypal lens, as there are many references to the hero's journey and Greek myths, which reflects the significance of mythology in the Greek culture. Under the guidance of his mentor, Philoctetes (aka Phil), Hercules battles many mythological characters, including Zeus's enemy Hades, in order to obtain his god-like strength that was bestowed upon him as birth, and to reclaim his title as Zeus's son. It is not until Hercules must sacrifice his own life for the sake of his beloved Meg, that he truly does become a hero as he learns the value of selflessness.

Likewise, the depiction of Hercules's character through the archetypal lens fulfills all the requirements of the archetype of a typical hero's journey. Furthermore, through the gender theory, it is clear that the gender roles given to men and women in this movie are typical of society's ideals. The common "damsel in distress" is represented by Meg, Hercules's true love who is rendered helpless and weak, until Hercules sweeps her off her feet. Similarly, Hercules is portrayed as a strong, tough, and powerful guy who perfectly fits society's mold of what the ideal man should be.

Additionally, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves is about a charming and loving princess whose youth and beauty is envied by her evil and scheming step-mother, the queen. However, with the help of seven dwarves, Snow White is able to escape from the ravenous claws of the queen who seeks to be the fairest of all in the kingdom. In criticizing this story through the gender lens, one can find that there are many significant allusions to stereotypical gender roles that exist in society. For example, Snow White is displayed as a vulnerable, dependent, and frightened girl who seeks to be saved from the wicked queen's wicked plans to kill Snow White. Lost and scared, Snow White is discovered by seven dwarves, technically seven men, who agree to help her and protect her from the evil queen. This act displays the true nature of gender roles as Snow White is also exhibited as a "damsel in distress" desperately in need for help. In addition, through the psychoanalytical theory, one can detect the underlying malicious, egocentric, and covetous motives of the queen as she secretly yearns for eternal youth and beauty. This envious mentality demonstrates the possible insecurities that the queen may have regarding her appearance, and the desperate urge she feels to hide or disguise her inherently ugly self.  

King Solomon and His Commended Wisdom

Last week I presented my allusion project to the class, which was in fact a biblical allusion. The biblical figure that I researched and bestowed my knowledge upon to my fellow AP Lit classmates was King Solomon, better known as the great King of Israel. Prior to presenting this revered and sacred individual whose story only persists through the pages of the Old Testament, I was thoroughly engaged in my extensive research to discover the importance of this hugely popular and powerful figure in the bible.

Luckily, I was able to come across various sources that elaborated on the story of Solomon in a concise and understandable way, which really made my research all the more intriguing. Before long, I stumbled upon several websites that were dedicated to the explication of such biblical figures and their role in history as it pertains to religion and God.

Interestingly enough, I found that King Solomon was renowned for his distinguished and exceptional wisdom and wealth, which he conveniently obtained from God in a dream. This particular element of King Solomon’s story struck me as somewhat odd and unexpected. Not only did God willingly approach Solomon, which seems contrary to other stories about encounters with God, but God was the one who voluntarily offered Solomon a wish. In discerning God’s clearly generous and unreasonably benevolent manner, I interpreted this particular occurrence almost as if God was being depicted as a genie in a way. I was curious to know more about the reasoning behind his charitable actions towards Solomon, as he was not any more worthy or honorable than anyone else in Israel, to my knowledge of course.

Regardless, another element of Solomon’s story that I found to be quite fascinating was the story of his iconic and remarkable wisdom, which is essentially his most noteworthy characteristic as he was “the wisest man of Israel.” Solomon’s wisdom was initially regarded as extraordinary when two women came to him, both claiming that they were the mother of a single baby. At an extremely young age, Solomon came up with a solution to distinguish who was the rightful mother of the baby. He proposed a solution to the two mothers. In his wisdom and shrewdness, King Solomon suggested that he chop the baby in half amongst the two women, in order to settle the matter. Solomon secretly anticipated that one of the self-proclaimed mothers of the baby would protest this act and object to killing the child, thus revealing who was the true mother of the infant. Sure enough, the mother who refused to let Solomon split the baby in half was declared the real mother of the infant, rendering Solomon a hero.

Throughout my research, I repeatedly questioned what the ultimate source of Solomon’s accomplishment in the Bible was and how this pertained to his attained wisdom from God. Thus, I found Solomon’s story to be fascinating because I was not formerly aware of his story or his significance to the Old Testament. Nevertheless, I found Solomon’s life and biblical prominence to be worthy of literary application and relevance.  

Winesburg, Ohio Lit Circles Live- "Adventure"

It’s definitely been made evident to me that Winesburg, Ohio is surely not a book that should be judged by its cover (which can actually be scrutinized as well). In other words, Anderson does not construct this novel to be interpreted with nonchalance and indifference, but rather with immense inquiry. With that said, after re-reading “Adventure” I am surprised to find so many literary elements that I failed to recognize the first time around. Anderson’s is most certainly not the simplest or most clear-cut novel that ever existed, but rather it possesses some underlying fundamental qualities that render it applicable to all aspects of human nature. Likewise, “Adventure” is one of the stories in the novel that exhibits some principal elements that inherently exist within all human beings, despite our differences.

 

Alice Hindman’s story illuminates Anderson’s theories, as exemplified by the old man in “The Book of the Grotesque,” of various life-contesting truths that occupy Alice’s mind and manifest the true grotesqueness of her character in this story. Thus, like many of Anderson’s other grotesque characters in the novel, the truths that trap Alice inside her own mind expose her grotesque soul, which is noticeably marked by ludicrous or incongruous distortion. In “Adventure,” Alice’s tendency to limit her own opportunities due to her child-like adamancy and tenacity gradually intensifies over time as she ultimately severs her ties with the world around her. In her own delusions, Alice becomes completely immersed in the absurd fantasy that she concocts of a picture-perfect life with Ned Currie, whom has left Winesburg to seek his fortune in Cleveland. Initially, Alice falls for Ned because she is so eager and restless to discover what she assumed to be love, to the point that the “outer crust of her life, all of her natural diffidence and reserve, was torn away and she gave herself over to the emotions of love” (Anderson 94). Her unnatural response to Ned’s affection indicates that she is clearly over-indulged in this ephemeral romantic affair with Ned Currie.

 

In Alice’s mind, the lines between dream and reality are blurred as she envisions a truth that plagues her mind and blinds her from the reality in front of her. Her reluctance to encounter other suitable men in Winesburg after Ned’s departure further embodies Alice’s unwillingness to accept the harsh reality of her situation. In her desperation to be with Ned and no other man, Alice is blinded by her “dreams of saving money so that the interest would support both herself and her future husband [Ned]” (Anderson 96), making her a grotesque. Essentially, she becomes so enveloped in her own little world, much like Alice in Wonderland, that she neglects to realize that she truly seeks love and revitalization from her monotonous life of misery and loneliness.

By succumbing to her unrealistic expectations of love and romance, Alice is blinded by what she perceives is the truth about life. Instead of liberating herself from these confining thoughts, she becomes adhered to the idea of living a long and fulfilling life with Ned, which further dug her into an abysmal hole of long-lasting loneliness, which could have been prevented. She becomes so caught up in this impossible truth that she does not realize that her dreams to be with Ned will never ensue, thus rendering them falsehoods and making Alice a grotesque.

Winesburg, Ohio: What is Anderson's Message?

After thoroughly analyzing the plethora of short stories or “mini”stories that join to create Winesburg, Ohio, a somewhat perplexing, yet innovative novel, I have hesitantly come to the conclusion that Sherwood Anderson has presented us with some form of unspeakable truth in the form of an almost unpromising jigsaw puzzle. Needless to say, this marvelous concoction of short stories that synthesize this enigma of a novel, if it is even that, serves to engage the reader in ultimately discovering the truths of humanity, which is initially introduced in the first story,“The Book of The Grotesque.” I think Sherwood Anderson was very clever in constructing such a collection of stories that can each individually stand on their own, but at the same time, can all be strung together in one coherent composition because of the fact that all the characters possess some connection to the town of Winesburg, Ohio.

Essentially, I think Anderson’s tactics arguably suit his purpose in carefully implying or suggesting certain ideologies about humanity and all that it entails, while still allowing room for judgments regarding each story’s basis. In effect, I think Anderson was consciously aware of the fact that this book is fairly difficult to decipher since it contains so many different symbols, images, patterns, and motifs such as the reference to the old man, hands, facial hair, youth, and light (to name a few), which represent some notion or concept.

Although Winesburg, Ohio contains an array of biblical allusions such as the old man (who may exemplify God) and the reappearing image of the garden and poisonous apples (which may signify the Garden of Eden), I think it’s very challenging to determine exactly what Anderson is getting at, much less what he’s inferring. In any case, I do believe that Anderson is somehow trying to bring to light the harsh realities of life, whether it’s isolation, love, mortality, illness, destiny, or even continued unhappiness. While I was reading this book, I came across a lot of hints that could indicate some form of epic realization or understanding of life through experience and acquired knowledge.

For instance, in “Adventure,” Anderson tells the story of a young girl of sixteen years, Alice Hindman, who falls madly in love with Ned Currie, a man who sweeps her off her feet. Despite the obvious fact that Alice is far too young and naïve to risk getting heartbroken by Ned, Alice firmly establishes her desire to remain with Ned forever, as he is her one and only true love. Almost predictably, Ned must move to Chicago for his job, leaving young and vulnerable Alice behind, where she is eventually forgotten by Ned as he creates a new life for himself. Years later when Alice turns 22, she must endure her father’s death, along with her broken heart over the fact that Ned has neglected her for so many years. However, these burdens do not thwart Alice’s determination to win Ned back, as she grows desperate to mitigate her expanding loneliness without Ned in her life. In her despair and hopelessness to find happiness and love, Alice becomes lost in this fantasy, but eventually, she reluctantly accepts the fact that she “must live and die alone, even in Winesburg” (101). I think this short story in the book clearly depicts the message that transpires throughout the whole book regarding the brutal truths of life, whether it is loneliness, the betrayal of our loved ones, or the culminating misery and sorrow that may lie within us.

Family Dynamics to the Extreme

 

Lately, the more and more I read about families and family dynamics in literature, the more I’m tempted to consider my family dynamic, despite the fact that the families I’ve been reading about recently in “Teenage Wasteland” and “Fiesta” are so extremely disparate from mine.

In Friday’s discussion about “Teenage Wasteland,” we briefly mentioned the intricacy of the family relationships in the short story, and how each member of the Coble family is portrayed in that aspect. I was actually pleased to find that my fellow classmates observed and distinguished almost exactly the same explanation my group did for each character’s role in the short story. It was kind of unexpected (in a good way) to see the majority of the students in my class pensively examining and questioning the main characters, Daisy, Donny, and Cal, and their perceived objective/purpose in the short story. Especially since Daisy’s character is so crucial to the story’s progression and essential in its heightening plot. Plus, many seemed to discern Cal’s seemingly malicious and sinister character that distinctly possesses very questionable incentives and intents for Donny in the story. Fortunately, practically everyone detected vile Cal’s disconcerting and obscure role in the story as far as his particularly uncanny smile that strikes Donny’s mom Daisy as “feverish and avid—a smile of hunger,” accentuating Cal’s devious, peculiar, and parasite-like nature (106).

All in all, I was able to grasp a better understanding of the closing paragraph of the short story, which is arguably of the utmost significance, when we carefully went over it as a collective group and logically substantiated and concluded that Donny’s disappearance left a permanent and lasting impact on the family, especially Daisy, as she visualizes a basketball that “flies up, sinks through the hoop, descends, lands in a yard littered with last year’s leaves and striped with bars of sunlight as white as bones, bleached and parched and cleanly picked,” signifying Donny’s battle and conflict throughout the story through the basketball as it rises for an ephemeral moment, but then rapidly plummets down on a bed of leaves (112).

At first I couldn’t ascertain and comprehend the implication of this consequential description until it was thoroughly explained in the discussion. The significance of the “bars of sunlight as white as bones” was relatively difficult for me to assess because I didn’t fully associate the representation of innocence and purity of the white with the transitory, but powerful periods of happiness and serenity that Donny occasionally experienced throughout the duration of his visits to Cal’s house, or the ultimate “teenage wasteland.” The reference to the “cleanly picked bones” as a representation of Cal’s predatory motives is now apparent to me, as this could imply that alas, the rapacious Cal was successfully able to seize and ferociously “devour” his “prey,” the vulnerable, defenseless, and unsuspecting Donny, who never saw it coming.

What is a "Teenage Wasteland'?

Despite the burden of having such a hectic week, I found my short story, “Teenage Wasteland” to be a refreshing little escape from my teenage wasteland, in terms of insight and perspective. The short story is a creative and almost condensed composition by Anne Tyler that cleverly explores the instantly familiar feel of a typical family dynamic with an interesting twist. Tyler’s work ingeniously scrutinizes the complicated bonds and interactions that exist amongst ordinary families nowadays, as she divulges the source that these deep-rooted issues could possibly be derived from in everyday circumstances. Similarly, I think Tyler carefully and very accurately constructs the underlying tension that brews within Donny and Daisy Coble and how these sentiments eventually bubble to the surface, wrecking the family’s foundation forever. At first when I read the story, I couldn’t help but think about how strangely identifiable this household was in its intricate and delicate nature because Tyler truly uncovers the fundamental issues that many families must encounter when raising a teenager.

On that note, I think it’s very worthwhile of Anne Tyler to unravel these challenges through the window of literature by depicting actual familial relationships in a thoughtful and sensible manner that can be open to various interpretations. Not only does her work induce thorough deliberation and consideration, but it also requires a certain level of understanding of both sides of the story.

“Teenage Wasteland” commences with an intriguing introduction that instantly captures the Coble home dynamic between the parents, Daisy and Matt, and their children, Amanda, and their troublesome teenager, Donny. Immediately, the reader’s focus is drawn to Donny, a “noisy, lazy, and disruptive” student who is “always fooling around with his friends” at school (par. 2), already implying Donny’s teenage irresponsibility and insolence from the get-go. Soon enough, we discover that the story, told by the third person, mostly emphasizes the mother’s standpoint and mindset which is understandably very realistic and maternal-like.

As the story progresses and further dives into the difficulties that Daisy must face in justifying Donny’s rash and reckless behavior, I find myself empathizing with the mother and the magnitude of concern and distress she must feel because of Donny’s actions. No matter how hard she tries to understand and help Donny clean up his act at school and to stop getting into different pickles, the constant presence of miscommunication clearly obstructs her futile efforts. Unfortunately, Donny’s misconducts only worsen throughout the story, regardless of Daisy’s final attempt to restore Donny’s decency in her employment of the most suspicious and untrustworthy tutor, Calvin Beadle, who, in my opinion, possesses the most questionable motives.

Ultimately, after a hectic and unbearable few months of intense emotional encumbrances of trying to alter Donny’s unreasonably rebellious personality, Daisy finds herself emotionally drained. In the end, I was shocked to find that one day after school, Donny decides not to return home, and completely disappears. It was a sad ending that took me by surprise, but really made me think about the story as a whole and what inherently triggered Donny’s decision to run away in such a turbulent chain of events.        

Summer Reading Blog

The national bestseller Empire Falls by Richard Russo and Forgive the Moon by Maryanne Stahl are two exceptionally distinct, praiseworthy, and commendable novels that effectively seized my attention and certainly satiated my growing thirst for a pleasant and enjoyable literary novel to dive into this summer. Not to mention, both of these endearing and sensational novels possessed an unanticipated literary prominence that was quite memorable to say the least. I am pleased to assert my approval of both of these spectacular and brilliant novels and their authors, whose style of writing promptly grasped my interest so from the very beginning and sustained it throughout the course of the novels.

In Maryanne Stahl’s Forgive the Moon, Stahl depicts the seemingly complex life of a middle-aged woman, Amanda Kincaid, who relishes in her get-away to a much-wanted and needed prolonged summer vacation spot in Long Island, New York. Throughout the extension of the novel, Kincaid begins to rediscover herself and the obscured truth behind her innermost desires and yearnings. As Kincaid’s unconventional, yet enticing family surround her throughout Kincaid’s temporary escape from reality, she finds herself confronting the same relapsing issues she had so desperately attempted to evade.

Through Kincaid’s stirring and encouraging journey to introspection and understanding, one is easily able to associate with Kincaid’s fundamentally universal and mutual dilemmas such as marital pressures, familial tensions, and irrepressible inner wishes. In Stahl’s laudable literary work, she truly establishes a very heartfelt and meaningful literary work that truly embodies the harsh and unremitting impediments, devastations, and misfortunes that one may unpredictably endure in life, despite one’s unwavering drive to elude them permanently. Stahl’s amplification of the unalterable reappearance of the woes and sorrows of one’s life serves to expose the firmness and determination one must possess in order to approach one’s encumbrances in the most constructive and optimistic way, and come to terms with the unpredictability of life and what the future holds. In other words, Stahl skillfully shapes a story that implies and signifies some particular insight about life and our awareness and recognition of its impact on us and the people around us. Overall, Stahl’s realistic, inventive, and inspiring interpretation of the reality of life through Amanda Kincaid’s chaotic life evidently suggests the makings of a worthy literary fiction novel that by no means deceives the creditable title of a work deserving literary merit.

Likewise, Richard Russo’s Empire Falls competently fulfills the requirements of a well-deserving novel earning literary merit in its entirety. The representation of the work as a cleverly disguised revelation regarding the decisions one might face in one’s life truly validates the significance of this novel as a unique and inventive piece of literary fiction that has the capacity to captivate the reader’s attention while enlightening the reader with a universal declaration about life. In effect, Russo’s novel encapsulates very plausible events and comprehensions of life that are likely to occur to anybody through the character of a humble and modest man named Miles Roby. Russo vividly deciphers this universal element through the conventional and rather mundane life of Roby as he undergoes the same day-to-day routines, such as running the Empire Grill, in the small and secluded town of Empire Falls, Maine. Russo proficiently portrays the intimate bond we tend to inadvertently form with our habitual activities in an attempt to cope with our problems while skirting any type of change in our lives. By depicting the life of an ordinary middle-aged man and the decisions he must face in salvaging the broken pieces of his love life, healing the wounds in his familial relationships, uncovering the significance of the events in his past, and seeking to mend fences with his former enemies, Russo is fully able to capture the essence of a literary fiction in Empire Falls and its function to unveil frank realities of life.      

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