Childhood is something that marks each and every person. The way kids grow up and how their parents were can greatly affect the adults they will become tomorrow. This is a theme that can be found in Karoline Leach’s play Tryst. George Love, one of the main characters is a criminal because of the way he was treated as a child. He refuses commit to a relationship because of trust issues and low self esteem and doesn’t let anyone see who he really is.
George Love came from an abusive home. Because of that, he has never been able to commit to someone. Ever since he was eighteen years old, he has made a living out of seducing women and stealing their money. He used that same scheme with Adelaide. His father, the person who is supposed to love him unconditionally was very violent towards him and his mother. This is the source of his behavior. Had he been born into a loving and nurturing family, he would’ve never turned out to be the man he is now. He doesn’t want to trust people because he fears that he might get hurt in the process. Every time George gets close to a woman, he ends up deceiving her by lying and stealing. He does that because he doesn’t see himself worthy of love. In his mind, it’s better if he fails the woman now purposely rather than have a relationship and deceive her by being himself. This pattern that he does has become an addiction. Since he’s been doing this every since he was a teenager and he is now a middle aged man, it means that he’s accumulated a lot of money. That means he could possibly stop stealing and just enjoy his wealth. However, he keeps doing it over and over again because it’s the only way for him to feel wanted and loved. He is too scared to start a real relationship so he lies and steals because for a short moment, it makes him fell better. Not only did his childhood made him afraid of commitment, it also made him keep everyone at arm’s length.
The way George sees himself is quite pitiable. He doesn’t seem to think he is interesting enough to be around. He lies to every woman he meets. He tells them he has a very important job and that he’s fluent in French. He lies about where he traveled and who he knows. It’s a way for George to protect himself. By creating this façade, he makes sure that no woman can get to him and hurt him. By keeping everyone away, he’s preventing himself from being hurt. His father was probably verbally abusive towards him and told him that he was worthless and stupid. After being told that over and over again, he ended up believing it .Near the end of the play, George revealed to Adelaide how bad his childhood was. He also told her all about his ruse and his lies. She is the only woman with whom he had ever been completely honest. This is why he drowned her in the bathtub. He could not live knowing that someone else knew the “real” him. He couldn’t bear the thought of her knowing what a horrible person he had become.
George’s personality and behavior are direct results of his childhood. He lies to feels admired and loved by women. Low self esteem and trust issues are also consequences of the abusive he was subjected to as a kid. This is an important issue in today’s society. Juvenile delinquents and criminals often come from abusive homes. When they grow up in these kinds of families, they become murderers, killer, rapist. There needs to be more awareness of this in the media so that people can recognize when a child is being abused.
642 words
mercredi 6 mai 2009
mercredi 29 avril 2009
Introducing a litterary essay
1. Biography information
-Raised in a difficult environnement
-Suffered from alcoholism
2. Quotation
"To be or not to be, that is the question."
3. Definition
Insanity is doing the same thing all the time and expecting different results.
4. Elements of fiction
-Irony
5. Life experiences
6. Very brief plot summary
7.Philosophical concept
Everyone seeks _______?________
8.Historical background
The American civil war lasted for 5 years and saw 500 000 deaths
Read the opening lines of student essays. Write the number of the suggestion that fits best.
___5___ Human emotions are complex and sometimes inexplicable, as are our behaviours. It is hard to understand why people often try to impose themselves on others, taking others` freedom, as the main the husband does in this story.
___7___ It is in human nature to seek freedom. And we have no control over the fact that we are born to be free. That is what the author realizes in this story.
____1__ The author was a young widow. And so she was able to understand the many emotions of a woman who learns that her husband has died unexpectedly.
___8___ In the story, the author presents the role and the feeling of women in the nineteenth century. As the author suggests, women at the time had very few rights.
___2___‘Free! Body and soul free!’ Every human being is born free, according to the author.
___3___ What is freedom? According to The American Heritage Dictionary Dictionary, freedom is ‘the capacity to exercise choice.’ In this story, the author presents the main character as a woman without freedom, one who could not make her own choices in life.
___6___ The story by the author shows us the unexpected reaction of the main character after she loses her husband. She grieves at first, then surprisingly becomes cheerful at the thought of her husband being around no longer.
___4___ Spring is the time of year when nature becomes vivid again after long months of cold, gray, sad weather. In this story, the spring scene offers a parallel to a personal situation.
-Raised in a difficult environnement
-Suffered from alcoholism
2. Quotation
"To be or not to be, that is the question."
3. Definition
Insanity is doing the same thing all the time and expecting different results.
4. Elements of fiction
-Irony
5. Life experiences
6. Very brief plot summary
7.Philosophical concept
Everyone seeks _______?________
8.Historical background
The American civil war lasted for 5 years and saw 500 000 deaths
Read the opening lines of student essays. Write the number of the suggestion that fits best.
___5___ Human emotions are complex and sometimes inexplicable, as are our behaviours. It is hard to understand why people often try to impose themselves on others, taking others` freedom, as the main the husband does in this story.
___7___ It is in human nature to seek freedom. And we have no control over the fact that we are born to be free. That is what the author realizes in this story.
____1__ The author was a young widow. And so she was able to understand the many emotions of a woman who learns that her husband has died unexpectedly.
___8___ In the story, the author presents the role and the feeling of women in the nineteenth century. As the author suggests, women at the time had very few rights.
___2___‘Free! Body and soul free!’ Every human being is born free, according to the author.
___3___ What is freedom? According to The American Heritage Dictionary Dictionary, freedom is ‘the capacity to exercise choice.’ In this story, the author presents the main character as a woman without freedom, one who could not make her own choices in life.
___6___ The story by the author shows us the unexpected reaction of the main character after she loses her husband. She grieves at first, then surprisingly becomes cheerful at the thought of her husband being around no longer.
___4___ Spring is the time of year when nature becomes vivid again after long months of cold, gray, sad weather. In this story, the spring scene offers a parallel to a personal situation.
mercredi 22 avril 2009
Self assesment - Book report
Grade : 7,5/10
I think I should get 7,5/10 because I was prepared. Also, me and Alice improvised a bit because we were missing a team member but we did very well anyway. I tried to tell the story without revealing the ending while keeping the class interested.
I think I should get 7,5/10 because I was prepared. Also, me and Alice improvised a bit because we were missing a team member but we did very well anyway. I tried to tell the story without revealing the ending while keeping the class interested.
mardi 31 mars 2009
Hills like white elephants
Plot summary:
In this short story, a man, know as The American and his female partner are at the bar of a train station. While they are waiting for their train to arrive, they drink and have a conversation about a certain operation that the girl is to undego.
Themes and recurring elements :
-The conflict between personal responsibility and hedonism
-Coming of age
-Manipulation
Symbolism and setting :
-The hills in distance can be seen as an obstacle for the couple
-When Jig says :"That's all we do, isn't it--look at things and try new drinks" , it means that new things she wanted to try have become ordinary or boring to her
-White elephants can symobolise the swollen stomache of a pregnant women
Dialogue :
-The dialogue doesn't let us know much about the backstory of the characters. We have to figure it out by analysing their body language.
-Since the narrator is not omniscient, we do not know what the american and Jig are thinking. Therefore, we can analyse the story many different ways.
The Author :
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Illinois. He was raised into a strictly religious household. His first writing experience was for his school's paper. He finished high school in 1917 but instead of going to college, he got a job as a reporter for the Kansas City Star. He later joigned the Red Cross Ambulance corp and went off the World War I. Hemingway published many books such as Men Without Women (1927) and The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories (1938).
In this short story, a man, know as The American and his female partner are at the bar of a train station. While they are waiting for their train to arrive, they drink and have a conversation about a certain operation that the girl is to undego.
Themes and recurring elements :
-The conflict between personal responsibility and hedonism
-Coming of age
-Manipulation
Symbolism and setting :
-The hills in distance can be seen as an obstacle for the couple
-When Jig says :"That's all we do, isn't it--look at things and try new drinks" , it means that new things she wanted to try have become ordinary or boring to her
-White elephants can symobolise the swollen stomache of a pregnant women
Dialogue :
-The dialogue doesn't let us know much about the backstory of the characters. We have to figure it out by analysing their body language.
-Since the narrator is not omniscient, we do not know what the american and Jig are thinking. Therefore, we can analyse the story many different ways.
The Author :
Ernest Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899 in Illinois. He was raised into a strictly religious household. His first writing experience was for his school's paper. He finished high school in 1917 but instead of going to college, he got a job as a reporter for the Kansas City Star. He later joigned the Red Cross Ambulance corp and went off the World War I. Hemingway published many books such as Men Without Women (1927) and The Fifth Column and the First Forty-Nine Stories (1938).
The Catcher in the Rye
Author : J.D. Salinger
This book's main character is Holden Caulfield. He is rebelious and out of ordinary 16 year-old teenager. The story starts with Holden, narrating what happened to him the year before from a mental hospital. He gets kicked out of his private school a couple of weeks before Christmas and there begins a series of aventures.
Later, in the story, Holden goes to his teacher's house. During the night, Mr. Antolini, the teacher, starts touching Holden, in a way that that makes him uncomfortable. This part is confusing because, in the book, it's not explicitally said that the teacher was molesting him. It also confuses Holden because before the incendent, he really respected his teacher. He doesn't know what to think of him because he is not sure that what he thinks happened really did. Therefore, it is up to us, the readers, to decide whether or not, the teacher was out of line.
One of my favorite parts is when Holden explains that he sees himself as a «Catcher in the rye». He imagines that he's garding a rye field on a cliff. He watches out for all the kids playing in the field so they don't fall off the cliff. If the kids when to get too close to trhe edge, he would catch them. Holden wants to protect the kids from becoming adults. He wants to preserve their innocence. Before that, he says: "I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would’ve, too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory." Here aswell, Holden wishes to preserve the innocence of others. He wouldn't want anyone to have to witness his dead body. He want sto protect them from this sight.
I think that every teenager and young adult can relate to Holden in some way. He has friends and a family yet, he feels so lonely. He doesn't seem to be able to connect to people in real way because he thinks most people are phoney. He is constantly changing his personnality, depending on who he's talking to. He is closed off but that's not entirely his fault, given that he has a mental illness. The only person he genuinly loves is his little sister, Phoebe. Holden is, by no means, an role model. He drinks, swears, and does drugs throughout the story. At one point, he even hires a prostitute. Thats why, when «The Catcher in the rye» was first published, it was one of the most banned books in America. Schools didn't want their students to behave the way Holden does. By doing all this, I believe he is trying to fill a void. Being under the influence of drugs and alchool takes him away from reality. It helps him forget how alone he thinks he is.
This book's main character is Holden Caulfield. He is rebelious and out of ordinary 16 year-old teenager. The story starts with Holden, narrating what happened to him the year before from a mental hospital. He gets kicked out of his private school a couple of weeks before Christmas and there begins a series of aventures.
Later, in the story, Holden goes to his teacher's house. During the night, Mr. Antolini, the teacher, starts touching Holden, in a way that that makes him uncomfortable. This part is confusing because, in the book, it's not explicitally said that the teacher was molesting him. It also confuses Holden because before the incendent, he really respected his teacher. He doesn't know what to think of him because he is not sure that what he thinks happened really did. Therefore, it is up to us, the readers, to decide whether or not, the teacher was out of line.
One of my favorite parts is when Holden explains that he sees himself as a «Catcher in the rye». He imagines that he's garding a rye field on a cliff. He watches out for all the kids playing in the field so they don't fall off the cliff. If the kids when to get too close to trhe edge, he would catch them. Holden wants to protect the kids from becoming adults. He wants to preserve their innocence. Before that, he says: "I felt like jumping out the window. I probably would’ve, too, if I’d been sure somebody’d cover me up as soon as I landed. I didn’t want a bunch of stupid rubbernecks looking at me when I was all gory." Here aswell, Holden wishes to preserve the innocence of others. He wouldn't want anyone to have to witness his dead body. He want sto protect them from this sight.
I think that every teenager and young adult can relate to Holden in some way. He has friends and a family yet, he feels so lonely. He doesn't seem to be able to connect to people in real way because he thinks most people are phoney. He is constantly changing his personnality, depending on who he's talking to. He is closed off but that's not entirely his fault, given that he has a mental illness. The only person he genuinly loves is his little sister, Phoebe. Holden is, by no means, an role model. He drinks, swears, and does drugs throughout the story. At one point, he even hires a prostitute. Thats why, when «The Catcher in the rye» was first published, it was one of the most banned books in America. Schools didn't want their students to behave the way Holden does. By doing all this, I believe he is trying to fill a void. Being under the influence of drugs and alchool takes him away from reality. It helps him forget how alone he thinks he is.
mercredi 4 mars 2009
Mid-term writing test
1.What is Louis Mallard’s opinion of marriage? Indicate the paragraph that suggests it?
In the 12th paragraph, Louise says that marriage is basically a crime. She thinks that being married means living for someone else and not be free.
2.Explain how Louise can feel joy and sadness at the same time?
Despite the fact that Louise felt free, she still feels sad because she did love her husband. She is, however, glad at the same time that he’s gone because now, she can start living for herself.
3.Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
At the 3rd paragraph, Louise stops crying. She does so because she does not feel sad anymore.
4.How does Louise’s sister and his friend, Richards, feel about the Mallard’s marriage.
They think that their marriage is strong, especially Josephine. She has a hard time telling Louise that her husband’s dead because she thinks that Louise loves him.
The story of an hour by Kate Chopin is a short story about a woman who learns that her husband was killed. All of the events happen in a matter of an hour. The irony used in this short story and the way marriage is perceived is what makes it so captivating.
Louise Mallard learns that her husband, Brently Mallard was killed in an accident. You would expect her to be sad, completely heart-broken. However, it is not the case. Louise feels this peculiar joy, this freedom emanate from her. She feels that she can finally live for herself. This is particularly ironic. She feels reborn, like she has been given a second chance at happiness when her husband dies. At the 14th paragraph, she says : "Free! Body and soul free!". The death of someone else freed her. Instead of thinking that something was taked from her, she feels like her life was given back to her : « Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own». The irony in this story is strickingly present at the end of the story. Louise dies of happiness and right after, her husband returns, alive. Her joy will be the source of her death.
When Louise goes alone to her room, she feels strange. What she mistook for joy, was actually the beginning of a heart attack : « She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will ». The fact that she tried to fight « joy » means that , for a short moment, she feels guilty of being so happy.
At the beginning of the story, Josephine doesn’t know how to break the news to her sister : « It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing.». Josephine probably thought that Louise loved her husband. That means Louise was faking her marriage. She made it seem as though she was happy being married. She felt happy in the end because she was relieved; faking must’ve been exausting.
From Louise’s point of view, marriage is like being emprisoned. She felt trapped. She feels that, alone, she can be completely happy and enjoy the rest of her life.
This short story is very different from what I’ve read before. It’s unsettling to read about a woman who dies of happiness upon learning her husband’s death.
415 words
In the 12th paragraph, Louise says that marriage is basically a crime. She thinks that being married means living for someone else and not be free.
2.Explain how Louise can feel joy and sadness at the same time?
Despite the fact that Louise felt free, she still feels sad because she did love her husband. She is, however, glad at the same time that he’s gone because now, she can start living for herself.
3.Why does Louise Mallard suddenly stop crying? Indicate the place in the text?
At the 3rd paragraph, Louise stops crying. She does so because she does not feel sad anymore.
4.How does Louise’s sister and his friend, Richards, feel about the Mallard’s marriage.
They think that their marriage is strong, especially Josephine. She has a hard time telling Louise that her husband’s dead because she thinks that Louise loves him.
The story of an hour by Kate Chopin is a short story about a woman who learns that her husband was killed. All of the events happen in a matter of an hour. The irony used in this short story and the way marriage is perceived is what makes it so captivating.
Louise Mallard learns that her husband, Brently Mallard was killed in an accident. You would expect her to be sad, completely heart-broken. However, it is not the case. Louise feels this peculiar joy, this freedom emanate from her. She feels that she can finally live for herself. This is particularly ironic. She feels reborn, like she has been given a second chance at happiness when her husband dies. At the 14th paragraph, she says : "Free! Body and soul free!". The death of someone else freed her. Instead of thinking that something was taked from her, she feels like her life was given back to her : « Spring days, and summer days, and all sorts of days that would be her own». The irony in this story is strickingly present at the end of the story. Louise dies of happiness and right after, her husband returns, alive. Her joy will be the source of her death.
When Louise goes alone to her room, she feels strange. What she mistook for joy, was actually the beginning of a heart attack : « She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will ». The fact that she tried to fight « joy » means that , for a short moment, she feels guilty of being so happy.
At the beginning of the story, Josephine doesn’t know how to break the news to her sister : « It was her sister Josephine who told her, in broken sentences; veiled hints that revealed in half concealing.». Josephine probably thought that Louise loved her husband. That means Louise was faking her marriage. She made it seem as though she was happy being married. She felt happy in the end because she was relieved; faking must’ve been exausting.
From Louise’s point of view, marriage is like being emprisoned. She felt trapped. She feels that, alone, she can be completely happy and enjoy the rest of her life.
This short story is very different from what I’ve read before. It’s unsettling to read about a woman who dies of happiness upon learning her husband’s death.
415 words
mercredi 25 février 2009
Poetry
1. Setting : temporal and geographical
2. Subject/Theme
3. Genre : sonnet, balad, lyric, ode, epic............
4. Voice/persona
5. Distance from the poem : historical and cultural
6. Diction/Use of words : imagery, symbolism, figures of speech(simile, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, personnification, consonance), pun
7. Structure
2. Subject/Theme
3. Genre : sonnet, balad, lyric, ode, epic............
4. Voice/persona
5. Distance from the poem : historical and cultural
6. Diction/Use of words : imagery, symbolism, figures of speech(simile, metaphor, alliteration, assonance, personnification, consonance), pun
7. Structure
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