Author: Jorge Lopez

Yehuda Amichai relates himself to the ideas that he is trying to express within his poems by writing in first person. His use of the word “I” also allows the read to feel more connected since they are reading in first person and better relate to the emotions that Amichai is trying to present. In regard to the relationship with history, he seems to show a want of acceptance and peace between the Israeli and Palestinians. He shows how there are differences between them, but overall are all the same. Amichai makes connections between the past and present within his poems showing how times have changed, but that the good of the past should not be forgotten.

In “Mending Wall,” the speaker and the neighbor have to get together once again during the spring in order to repair their broken wall. The speaker talks about the different ways that the wall gets ruined and how they have to be fixed. Though, when the speaker examines the circumstances around the wall he realizes there is no point in having it if the speaker and the neighbor have different trees on their properties. And so this adds a comedic aspect to the poem in that they have for years fixed a wall which is not needed. This comedic aspect to the poem could be a way for Frost to liven up the tragic aspect that the poem also has. The tragic aspect being that the speaker realizes that he will never get through to the neighbor in understanding that a wall is not needed.

Joyce changes one’s expectations by subtly shifting the narrative from one character to another. He starts out the story by focusing on Lily and describing the apparent rush that she’s in trying to do various things. Based on this it seems that the story will be focusing on Lily and possibly her life as the housemaid. But then Joyce shifts the story onto the Misses Morkans and their party. From this transition I figured that an issue might arise from the party affecting the three sisters, but as the story progresses it then shifts onto Gabriel. As the story starts to focus more and more on Gabriel it becomes apparent that he’s submissive in thought and emotional expression. Knowing and starting to understand his personality based on his interactions at the party foreshadow how this could be an issue later on in the story, of which it is. Once the party comes to an end the story shifts focus from solely Gabriel and onto his wife, Gretta, as well. While I wasn’t expecting Gretta to reveal the love she still had for the guy from her hometown, it did add an interesting twist to the story. This twist also being one that mentally and emotionally challenges Gabriel in a certain way because of his personality.

According to Hurston, forgiveness is something that does not happen instantly, but rather takes time if it does occur. Joe and Missy May lived their lives pretty distantly for a while that it appeared as they were not even in a romantic relationship together with Missy May not even considering them to be man and wife anymore. Joe asking Missy May to rub home down for his back pain and later having Missy May find the piece of money with the bit of chain attached was his way of reconciling with her. Rather than talking about the situation directly, which is something that had been avoided since it happened, Joe was leaving clues. Acceptance is tricky because it’s often assumed that it also means forgiveness, which is not true. Accepting a situation is pertinent to one own’s ability to move on. Considering the love that Joe had for Missy May, and the son that he very much wanted, Joe chose to accept what had happened and moved on. He never brought up the subject and instead chose to resume living their lives together as it was in the beginning. Joe showed his ability to move on from what had happened by using that four-bit piece to buy Missy May candy, something that she loved.

The way that Hurston describes the roles of forgiveness, reconciliation, and/or acceptance fits that of a Catholic marriage perfectly. Catholicism is big on forgiveness and moving on from whatever issues may arise during a marriage, no matter its’ gravity. It appears to me as though she describes how these roles should occur in an ideal relationship when presented with such a grave situation like cheating.

Yalta, to Anna and Dmitri, is a place where they can be different people and escape the “boring” routines of their everyday lives. Yalta, a resort town, is described by Anna and Dmitri as being “dull” which is ironic considering that a resort town is meant to be a place to have fun. Although, since this is a vacationing spot, it’s also a place where people can experiment and find themselves. Such being the case with Anna and Dmitri. As their relationship starts to progress they become more aware of their environment and develop a different perception about the town, with Yalta starting to bring a comfort to them. Yalta is also neutral territory for both which better allows for a relationship to develop between them. Anton Chekhov, in describing their developing relationship, uses imagery as a way to show their state of minds and growing affection for one another.

How is his work a commentary on the mores, religious temperament, and society in which he lived in late eighteenth century England? What aspects of this commentary are still relevant today?

Throughout his poems, William Blake was able to comment on English customs and society and how they were dominated by religion in late eighteenth century England. Blake compares those that ruled to Satan because they were corrupt and cunning. For this reason, he says that “…dost not know the Garment of the Man” meaning that rulers did not know their people. Blake further says that these rulers are even able to get others that are good like Jesus or Jehovah to worship them, albeit wary. William Blake also comments on the fact that the church is used to justify bad behaviors or illicit acts. In “The Chimney Sweeper,” a child, dressed in “clothes of death,” was left alone or abandoned in a heath because he seemed happy to be there. “Clothes of death” is meant to describe the dirty black clothing that the child is wearing because they are a sweeper. However, the child is singing “notes of woe,” which shows their discontent with their situation. The church accepts what the parents do (possibly abandoning their child or letting them work at a young age in a dangerous job) since they are allowed to go back to “praise God and his priest and king.” Blake’s line of “who make up a heaven of our misery” is meant to reflect that the church functions as a result of the suffering of others.

One aspect that is still relevant today is that there are still people in charge who should not be. These people are corrupt, to some extent, and still have people who follow them blindly. In regard to religion I’d say that the church still dominates the lives of many and dictates the actions of those devotees. Some of these people in following their religious morals and teachings may go against what society has set as a norm. Although they may go against, they have their church to fall back on.