Fences

“Some people build fences to keep people out . . .  and other people build fences to keep people in” (Wilson 1768). Troy Maxson builds fences to do both. In this play, Troy tries so hard to trap his family, namely his son Corey. His focus is to maintain control and create his version of an ideal life in those around him. However by doing this, he is merely isolating himself from everyone else.

Troy Maxson is stuck in the past. He is constantly discussing his success in the good ole days but refuses to see that he is no longer able to achieve such things. This leads him to project his goals onto Corey, which, by forcing him into this role, pushes him even further from his father. It is this mentality in Troy that also prevents him from connecting with Rose. He is not able to see her hurt and desire for freedom because he is too busy remembering how she once was-- what they once were. Troy attempts to force his family to conform to his beliefs and slowly fence them in. Bound by his routines, he allows no changes to be made. He worked, therefore his boys must work, and every Friday, he drinks with Bono. Troy restricts himself to tradition. All of this is his way of pushing forward—of, as he says, “cut[ting] it [the world] down to where I could handle it” (Wilson 1765).

The fence Troy builds not only keeps out his family and friends but his race as well. Every Friday as Bono and Troy sit on the porch conversing about life, Troy has something negative to say about the black community. He even insults Jackie Robinson, a hero, by saying, “Jackie Robinson was a nobody” (Wilson 1746). Troy talks himself up in such a way that he aligns himself with the whites. He also puts down his race by referring to everyone as “nigger”. This derogatory term would force the characters to be beneath him, again keeping him isolated. This is only further emphasized in Troy’s promotion. Lifting is beneath him, and he asks to be a driver, which he is not even qualified to do. However, he feels that if the white man can do it, he can too. After said promotion however, he feels lonely and even loses touch with Bono. Thus, another fence has been built. 

            The only way in which the characters can achieve freedom is in Troy’s death. Corey finally realizes that his father is a part of him, but he has the ability to break the cycle. As Gabe sings to heaven, the gates are opened, and Troy and his family are finally free from their confinement.

"The Story of an Hour"

I decided to go back and blog about "The Story of an Hour" because there were a lot of elements Chopin included in this short story that I enjoyed. The manner in which Chopin ended the story was fantastic; I love reading a story with an unexpected twist! I had read this story in another literature class, so sadly, the ending was no longer a surprise. This, however, did offer new insights. I think that, first and foremost, it made the story much sadder. Knowing that everything she was dreaming of would never be attained made me pity her. She was not able to enjoy the life she was given because of the societal rules that trapped her.  The reread also allowed me to focus on details I had not previously noticed. The fact that Mrs. Mallard is noticing the beauty in life through a window could suggest that she wouldn't be able to reach it. She would merely view the freedom and imagine the hope of a new life. The main character is also mainly referred to as Mrs. Mallard and not by her first name. She is still bound by her husband and identified as such.
Another characteristic of the story I admired was Chopin's ability to write so much in so little. This story is barely two pages, yet the impact of every word is evident. Because of its length, everything she includes -all the details about the market, the armchair, the sky- have a purpose. I think that too often writers (Hawthorne!!!) add mass amounts of unnecessary details to their stories, clouding the important ones.

The Hairy Ape

O’Neill uses his play “The Hairy Ape” to highlight the issues of the American social classes. He especially focuses on the poorer working class by juxtaposing this with Mildred from the American aristocracy. As she sits on deck staring up at the sky, she notes the clouds of smoke and calls them beautiful. Yank and the workers in the coal room see nothing but smoke and do not find it appealing. To them, it is toxic. Mildred’s ability to relax constantly is another contrast between her and the workers. O’Neill writes that the men “Cannot stand upright. This accentuates the natural stooping posture which shoveling coal and the resultant over-development of back and shoulder muscles have given them.” The upper class would not have this problem. Mildred even wears white to the coal room and is willing to pitch her dress.

One of the key aspects to portraying the social divide is played out in Scene II. Mildred tells her aunt how she wishes to “discover how the other half lives.” She then journeys to the coal room to watch the men work. It is this that embodies a monumental element to the plot and O’Neill’s theme. Mildred is viewing the men as if she is at a zoo and the men are the animals. She constantly expresses her desire to help bridge the social gap or at least help those less fortunate than herself; however, she contradicts this by treating them as people that are beneath her and are to be observed.

                By paralleling the workers, namely Yank, and apes, as well as incorporating binary opposition of the Mildred and the workers, O’Neill comments on class in America. He dehumanizes them. They are no longer people but animals or “Neanderthals”. Yank cannot think; he cannot speak. He, unlike Mildred, is uneducated. In the end, he is killed by the gorilla, which may symbolize some sort of redemption. Perhaps, he does not belong in the animal; therefore, elevating his previous state. 

"If We Must Die"

      McKay’s poem “If We Must Die” contains such a sense of hope, courage, strength, and determination. This is most notably done through vivid language and powerful diction. Claude McKay incorporates strong pronouns that emphasize a sense of community.  “If we must die”, “Oh, Kinsmen!”, and “the common foe” highlight the bond he feels with those fighting the same adversity.  It also pushes the reader to align with the narrator. By using words such as “we” and “our”, readers are those that “must die”, and therefore, fight. A united front is the only way to achieve their common goal. If they cannot gain rights or freedom, they will at least have the glory of dying men.

     He also portrays those they face as “murderous, cowardly” and “mad and hungry dogs”. This sharp contrast allows readers to focus on the intensity of their battle. He describes them as “hunted” and “penned”. They are “pressed to the wall, dying”. This harsh language also emphasizes the horrors of their social situation. However when all seems lost, they push on. They fight.

    McKay sends a message of hope in a battle that seems bleak. By publishing literature such as this, he was able to empower those around him to help promote change by “fighting back!”

   The language and imagery in this poem was so powerful. I feel that it made the poems message that more poignant. Obviously, he is discussing Civil Rights, but this can be applied to so many problems in the world today. I think I enjoyed this poem, not only because of the message and writing style, but because it is a fantastic example of the power of words. This poem stirs up feelings of hope, empowerment, and duty through his incredible word choice and syntax. 

A Jelly-Fish

       “A Jelly-Fish” by Marianne Moore is a short, concise poem with a much deeper theme. Moore opens it with a juxtaposition of opposites, “visible, invisible, / a fluctuating charm” (1-2). This second line provides insight into the use these contrasting adjectives. The jellyfish shifts. It is unstable. It “quivers” (7). Thus, Moore employs this technique to portray the altering state of the jellyfish. Its “ fluctuating charm” (2) is seen again in Moore’s contrasting word choice of “opens / and it closes” (5-6). These lines also mimic the  movement of the jellyfish. This undulation is seen, not only in the word choice, but the structure of the poem as well. The lines alternate from no indentation to an indentation. By doing this, Moore further emphasizes the jellyfish’s swimming pattern.

      Another way Moore illustrates the swimming of the jellyfish is through the rhyme scheme. Moore rhymes lines 2 and 4 (“charm” and “arm”), as well as 6 and 8 (“meant” and “intent”). This variation highlights the changes in the jellyfish and human. The jellyfish is not the only creature in this poem that changes. The person begins with the intention of grabbing the jellyfish, which he then deserts.

The human and the jellyfish are also paralleled through movement. As the hand opens and closes, it imitates the manner in which the jellyfish swims.

     I was unsure how to take this poem. After reading it the first time, I thought Moore was referencing a human’s ever-changing, and sometimes fickle, desires. Just as the person in “Jelly-fish” gives up his plan to grab the jellyfish, many people abandon their dreams or ideas. I then read it a second time and thought a little more about the metaphorical use of the jellyfish. When one touches a jellyfish, they get stung. Perhaps, Moore uses this animal for more than what I initially assumed. A jellyfish is beautiful, yet harmful to the touch. What if its purpose was to exemplify the idea that not everything that is attractive and the one desires should be attained? Maybe it is a cautionary tale. I am still uncertain on this.  

Lucinda Matlock

"It takes life to love Life." This very powerful, yet simple, statement highlights the matter-of-fact manner in which the poem "Lucinda Matlock", by Edgar Lee Masters, is written. The poem is fairly straightforward. Masters' language is nothing complicated, and he refrains from including anything overly detailed. This enhances the candid nature of the poem. Even his handling of death is blunt. “At ninety-six I had lived enough, that is all.”  Lucinda describes her life in a series of verbs and simple statements, again avoiding any excessive description. (“Enjoying, working, raising the twelve children, / Eight of whom we lost”) By paralleling the plain style and language to the theme, Master’s emphasizes the simplicity of Lucinda Matlock’s life and of the world around her. She took long aimless walks through fields, gardened, and gathered flowers. Lucinda enjoyed the beauty of the “wooded hills” and “green valleys”.  It is for this reason, that she welcomed death as a “sweet repose”- or peaceful sleep- uniting with nature in death. Perhaps, Masters also hints at a healing side to it as well. The "flowers and medicinal weed" could, in fact, be a reference to how Mother Nature can heal a soul. Nature is the world in its most basic form. A life lived valuing this and void of “sorrow, weariness, anger, discontent, and drooping hopes” is a life worth living.

     I quite enjoyed this poem. Masters’ suggestion to the younger generation that one must live life in order to love it is so true. How can one really enjoy something they have yet to experience? Opening one’s eyes to the world around them and living in the moment makes life much sweeter. I think that far too often humans allow materials, problems, and feelings to cloud their thoughts. Sometimes, it is better to view the world in black and white rather than color.