great works ii – 2850 jta 12:25-2:05: love letters from the world

1.) In the novella “Aura” by Carlos Fuentes, Aura is revealed as a projection of Consuelo, the second person narrative helps reveal the strong desire to recapture eternalness of beauty.

2.) . In “Aura,” by Carlos Fuentes, the second person narrative draws us closer to power of pure desire to overcome the limitations of external reality, we become the dreamer and are experiencing the story as it unfolds.

3.)  Carlos Fuentes writes his novella “Aura” in the form of second person to give readers a dream-like experience, this helps visualize Consuelo’s strong desire to recapture eternalness beauty through Aura.

Chaya, Simona, Krystal

The play “Endgame” by Samual Beckett is often seen as an expression of Absurdism however some may see it as an expression of Nihilism. Clov and Hamm seems to be absurdist’s, which creates a stage for lengthy dialogue of questions which have no concrete answers, ultimately leaving both Clov and Hamm confused about life. When the play begins and Clove says, “Finished, it’s finished, nearly finished, it must be nearly finished…I’ll lean on the table, and look at the wall, and wait for him to whistle me” (767). From this quote we can see that Clove wanted to leave the “endgame” of his life, but he hesitates to do so. Death is near, but Clove can’t seem to leave as we see he keeps telling Hamm that he is leaving but then he returns. There are many unanswered questions which they both seem to express with one another, yet they always come to conclusions that there is no meaning to life, because everything is “gray” or “dead” as we keep seeing those words repeated in the play. Thus, they must be absurdist’s, because if they were nihilists, they would agree that nothing needs to be questioned, because everything just is and for no reason.

Taking a little different turn to what was said about absurdism above; there is a sense that Endgame explores the idea if people really have a purpose in life or if life is just filled with nothing. Throughout the play, the characters keep asking themselves why they are doing what they are doing, and if it is actually worth it. At one point Hamm, goes on a long tangent about a person who is sitting at home and comes to a conclusion saying, “Infinite emptiness will be all around you, all the resurrected all of all the ages wouldn’t fill it…” (779). This quote stood out, as it gave the idea of emptiness in the life of one. It came out of a long tangent that described someone sitting on a chair and debating if they should get up and eat, which resulted in them actually not getting up and just sleeping there. Making us question, if that is all there is to life and if that is all there is to life than is there a purpose to our lives.

You both make notes of how they feel like their lives have no purpose, hence why they describe everything to be “gray” or “dead.” I would definitely agree with both statements, but I will also say that this play is nihilistic. It is because their thought process encourages them to think things do not have purpose. The title itself refers to the ending of a game of chess. Endgame is when the opponent already knows they have lost, but they persist through the game, simply for the sake of finishing the game.  There is one key line that Hamm says that describes the title, “Old endgame, lost of old, play and lose and have done with losing” (1.799).  Here he is saying that he knows there is an end, he will play, but he knows it ends up with death. I argue that they are nihilists because they think that life has no purpose and they do not try to find meaning. The idea of meaninglessness is almost paradoxical.  They think there is no reason to life, it just is, and that they know death will face them, so therefore there is no reason for them to change anything. They don’t want to change anything because they believe it is out of their control.

In the story “Metamorphosis” by Franz Kafka there is a striking difference in how chief clerk and Gregor’s father react when they see Gregor as an insect. Their different reactions are ironic because the father is unsympathetic towards his son, while the chief is filled with horror. We can see the fear in the Chief Clerk in this line, “Without taking his eyes off Gregor, he moved towards the door, but terribly gradually…” (218). It is obvious he was in complete shock because he felt frozen and walked out of the room rather awkwardly. Sometimes when people are in fear they freeze up instead of running off. The Chief Clerk had more of a human like reaction when he saw Gregor as an insect. Although when we look at his father’s reaction it is the opposite. His father was merely concerned with finances and reacts to Gregor with no empathy. Gregor’s father even goes to lengths to hurt his son, in fact he attacks him, it is illustrated here, “When from behind his father now gave him a truly liberating kick and he was throw, bleeding profusely, far into his room” (220). In such an instance a more ‘normal’ reaction would be one of confusion and fear, not one of alienation, especially towards a son. The father seems to be more concerned about how he’s going to handle the family’s finances, instead of the fact that his son has morphed into an insect. One could justify that people react out of anger when they are deeply hurt, but his fathers reaction shows more of a disregard for his sons well being.

Tagore’s short story “Punishment,” tells the tale of a woman who is exhausted over her husband’s ruling over her. This story’s ethical problem is that women are looked at as inferior beings in comparison to the men. Chidam uses force and harmful language to intimidate his wife so that she obeys him. An example of Bengali women being inferior to men is shown here when Chidam says, “Thakur, If I lose my wife, I can get another, but if my brother is hanged, how I can I replace him” (895)? This shows that the men had little respect for women; they thought they were items that could be replaced and exchanged. They didn’t talk to their wives with mutual respect as they would to other men. The women in this story were oppressed, they were certainly treated unfairly.  Chandara’s determination to die rather than be married to Chidam is an indication that she was burdened psychologically.

Emily Dickinson, 465

Chaya, Krystal, Simona

Before someone dies there’s a vivid moment of awareness of their surroundings. In Emily Dickinson’s poem the narrator describes her surroundings while she was on her deathbed.  “I heard a fly buzz—when I died,” she was aware of the moments before her death that she remembered a fly was interrupting the last few moments she had. The narrator is aware she is going to die and there’s a moment of mental preparation where she sees that everyone around her is crying until their last tear. In her last moments she recollects that she has given all of her possessions in her will and a midst the stillness in the room, a fly starts to buzz in her ear and disrupts the stillness. Her sense of awareness is heightened because this is the conclusion of her life. When Dickinson writes, “There interposed a Fly- with Blue- uncertain stumbling Buzz-” she is mentioning the only sound that occurs in the poem. The only sense of life in the room is the fly buzzing; the ones who are watching her remain still and lifeless as she dies. The people witnessing are exhausted with grief and we can note that the fly is the central image in the poem.

Krystal

Moria

Simona

1. “Each day his flattery makes us eat a toad” literally means that flattery causes us to consume things which are bad for us. This is a phrase which symbolizes the demon inside of every person which controls us like a puppet master, pulling our strings, causing us to make bad decisions which lead us to a dark place.

Each day refers not to literally every waking moment, but to many circumstances in life where flattery, in the literal sense can feed one’s ego, and cause him to perform a myriad of wrongdoings. Flattery may also be translated as the devil himself, who as a puppet master, and a master of evil inclinations, controls us by pulling our puppet strings, causing us to think, say or do things which are misguided. The toad symbolizes the evil deeds. As a whole, this phrase means that the devil is infecting us with evil impulses, every day.

Through this interpretation can be applied to today’s society. In which flattery can make someone’s ego grow bigger and bigger. Those are the consequences that come out of flattery to someone. Even though some people might see it as compliments to other and helping them build their confidence up, it also can bring out negativity and make their ego grow. For example, Donald Trump who is running for Presidency in 2016, from the republican side, already has an ego and thinks he is better than everyone else. When the media continues to cover him, continues to report about his growing numbers at the polls, which feeds into his ego. That flattery consumes him into becoming even more than what he already is. Each person has a dark side, and flattery is an aspect that can pull out that bad side out of them and show their true colors.

2. “Gangs of demons are boozing in our brain”

The denotative meaning of this would be that there are literally mob of demons swarming inside our heads. This figuratively means that our evil inclinations are so ample and can influence our ability to make rational decisions.

Gangs are known for being destructive and taking over towns that they enter and they accomplish this by coming in large packs. When we think of a “gang of demons” taking over a brain, we think of something negatively influencing our thought processes. The boozing symbolizes that the gangs of demons are filling our heads entirely. We were able to come up with this interpretation because demons are malignant spirits. If one has taken over your brain it becomes like a cancer and this cancer will slowly deteriorate your ability to make proper decisions.

This is relevant to today’s society with regard to social media. Usually a gang is made up of a large number of people, who are united for the same mission. Social media can be described as a gang of demon where people are influenced by it so much that they start believing stuff just because other people support it. It doesn’t necessarily mean that it is true or that it stands for a good cause. Social media can manipulate things and actually make them worse they what they already are. People already have a hard time making decision, so when they a majority of people on Twitter spreading something they go ahead and agree with it, thinking it is right. Our judgments are clouded because of how social media manipulates things.

Feng Menglong’s narrative, “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” shows money and power playing an influential role in society and romantic relationships, in this narrative it is fatal and is the breaking of a love story.

The importance of money in society and relationships plays a central role in Feng Menglong’s narrative, “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger” , the money centered mentality can be seen with the downfall of Du Tenth and Li Jai’s relationship.

In Henrik Ibsens play, Hedda Gabler, Hedda is a character whose obsession for freedom and power causes her to manipulate those around her. After learning more about her character we can conclude that her desires are driven by having control over people, she finds much satisfaction that Løvborg says she had power over him. In act two we can see how she enjoys using her manipulation over Løvborg, [Hedda]: “Because otherwise people might get the idea that you don’t, deep down inside feel really bold, really sure of yourself.” (2. 814) Here Hedda is manipulating Løvborg back to alcohol in hopes to ruin Thea’s trust in him. We can see her motives when she is talking to Mrs. Elvsted, [Hedda]: “Just once in my life I want to help shape someone’s destiny.” (816). Here it is obvious that she wants to be able to have control and she does that by urging Løvborg to commit suicide and providing him with one of her pistols so that he may do so. She makes it out to have an element of beauty, for her this is a provocative moment that is stimulating. Marriage, domestic life and middle class society all fail to satisfy her. Hedda sees herself as poor because of her emotional needs that aren’t met. Her ideas on life are very different to that of her family, she is driven to create her own life and be free which ultimately leads to her death.

The female character in Feng Menglong’s short story, “Du Tenth Sinks the Jewel Box in Anger,” and the narrator in Saikaku’s, Life of a Sensuous Woman could both be labeled as prostitutes. The difference are their outcomes and outlook on what love actually is. It is said that dreams and love go hand in hand; although I would say the narrator In Life of a Sensuous Woman was in a dream like state because she was unhappy with the choices she was making. We can conclude she was unhappy with her choices by this line, “It made me feel low and ashamed to go on living so long.” “My heart roared in my chest like a burning wagon in hell….suddenly I went into a sort of trance and no longer knew where I was.” (610) Saikaku’s narrator was never able to experience what love was like in comparison to Du Tenth.

Du Tenth experienced love and betrayal within a relationship. Du Tenth was upset with Li because she believed their love was strong, we can see that through her reply to Su Fu, “You with your lecherous intentions hatched a cunning plot that dissolved me and Li’s life together and destroyed the love and affections between us” (Menglong 515).Du Tenth was given up for money which is detrimental for any human being to experience. If someone can give you up for money they don’t love you with pure intentions. We can confirm that by this, “ Li Jia , who failed to recognize Du Tenth’s sincere devotion , was a vulgar person not even worth talking about.” (517).  They shared great feelings among each other, but true love is concrete, it doesn’t turn fickle and lack substance such as this.