Chapters 10-13
In these chapters I have como to understand the lovely Cunegonde. At first I felt bad about her, but than reading about how she complained about her life and not having hope and than marrying Don Fernando, changed my opinion. Cunegonde is a woman who does not respect herself. After everything she went through she could have become happy again with Candide. Caunegonde was there for her while the others just wanted her physically. She messed with men. She used her sexuality and her beauty to win the men, but after having been so possessed by them, how could she do this again with Don Fernando? The old woman wanted to help Cunegonde by giving her advice. I like the old woman, I like that after everything she went through she still had hoped and made people feel hope and love life. But I don’t agree with her advice to Cunegonde. I really hope that Candide is not found and that he can find a place where he will not have to keep running.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
One Thing For Another (Candide)
Chapters 6-9
Candide in these chapters keeps going through problems. He gets attacked, he moves. But yet he find Cunegonde. Once again they get caught together and Candide is the one who gets attacked by Don Issachar. But why would Don Issachar attack Candide. He obviously didn’t even care for Cunegonde. She was bought by him under his possession and under another mans possession too. Candide kills Don Issachar, but does killing make things better? Does this mean that he will be with Cunegonde? I don’t understand what the meaning of this attack, than death, and than running away means. I am not sure if I am understanding Candide so well. I understand the situations I understand what is going on. But in Voltaire’s writing everything means something. Everything has its reason for happening and is connected to something and I am not finding the connection in some chapters.
Candide in these chapters keeps going through problems. He gets attacked, he moves. But yet he find Cunegonde. Once again they get caught together and Candide is the one who gets attacked by Don Issachar. But why would Don Issachar attack Candide. He obviously didn’t even care for Cunegonde. She was bought by him under his possession and under another mans possession too. Candide kills Don Issachar, but does killing make things better? Does this mean that he will be with Cunegonde? I don’t understand what the meaning of this attack, than death, and than running away means. I am not sure if I am understanding Candide so well. I understand the situations I understand what is going on. But in Voltaire’s writing everything means something. Everything has its reason for happening and is connected to something and I am not finding the connection in some chapters.
Everything Happens For a Reason (Candide)
Chapters 1-6
Voltaire has a very strong sophisticated way of writing. I admit that I did have to read over some chapters because I did not understand what the point was or what was being said. These chapters have a lot of change. Candide goes from being banished by the Baron to being whipped, than to war and than to Lisbon. The way everything starts out seems weird to me because Candide didn’t do anything bad to get banished by the Baron and have to suffer so much. The baron’s daughter witnesses Pangloss and the maid “experimenting” she told Candide and they just kissed. Why does someone have to leave because of a kiss? In those days was it such a big deal?
“There is no effect without a cause,’ replied Candide modestly. " (p.26) I love this quote because I agree with Candide. Everything happens for a reason. If there is no cause there will be no effect. That’s his philosophy and mine too. Many people do not really thing like that. But people can not try to make things the way they want, something’s just happen. I do wonder now with so much going on in Candide’s life to what will happen next. I hope things get better because everything for him seems to be going wrong.
Voltaire has a very strong sophisticated way of writing. I admit that I did have to read over some chapters because I did not understand what the point was or what was being said. These chapters have a lot of change. Candide goes from being banished by the Baron to being whipped, than to war and than to Lisbon. The way everything starts out seems weird to me because Candide didn’t do anything bad to get banished by the Baron and have to suffer so much. The baron’s daughter witnesses Pangloss and the maid “experimenting” she told Candide and they just kissed. Why does someone have to leave because of a kiss? In those days was it such a big deal?
“There is no effect without a cause,’ replied Candide modestly. " (p.26) I love this quote because I agree with Candide. Everything happens for a reason. If there is no cause there will be no effect. That’s his philosophy and mine too. Many people do not really thing like that. But people can not try to make things the way they want, something’s just happen. I do wonder now with so much going on in Candide’s life to what will happen next. I hope things get better because everything for him seems to be going wrong.
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Blinded By Ignorance (Cathedral)
Cathedral
I find it very interesting that a blind man could know so much. Robert the blind man, he does not want to be treated differently by the narrator and his wife. He just wants company. His wife has died and he does not want to be alone. It surprises me that a blind man could know so much, he can not see anything, but just the way he feels things and hears them is very impressing. He is just as aware about anything as any other person who is not blind. Why pitty a person if they know just as much as you do? The narrator is stubborn. He is like the other characters in this book. He drinks, watches TV and is indifferent with his wife. He is weak, because he feels jelousy towards the blind man and he feels uncomfortable. Only a weak person would not know how to act around a disbale person. Robert changes him. Robert puts the narrator in his shoes. Its incredible how both fo them with their eyes clothes are able to draw a Cathedral. The secret must be trust, you don’t have to see something to know how it is, but maybe you just have to feel it and then be able to imagine it. That is exactly what these two men did. It is important to always trust your instics. The narrator is able to feel emoptional at the end, when at the beginning he was just annoying to his wife and did not care for a blind man’s visit. This blind man probably changed his life, he probably changed the narrators way of looking at life.
I think that this story is ironic, because it has to do with a blind man, but the message being that people are blind. The blind man has a better life and a better way of looking at life, while the others live in a world full of jealousy, alcohol, and ignorance. They don’t care about anything. I think the whole book has to do with this. All of the characters are so ignorant. The book ends with Cathedral, because that’s how Carver makes his point. That how he shows that some people just don’t know where they are standing, but the a blind man does. It is not the blind man who is blind, but the other people who are blind. They have their eyes wide open and they can not even see the world as it is.
I find it very interesting that a blind man could know so much. Robert the blind man, he does not want to be treated differently by the narrator and his wife. He just wants company. His wife has died and he does not want to be alone. It surprises me that a blind man could know so much, he can not see anything, but just the way he feels things and hears them is very impressing. He is just as aware about anything as any other person who is not blind. Why pitty a person if they know just as much as you do? The narrator is stubborn. He is like the other characters in this book. He drinks, watches TV and is indifferent with his wife. He is weak, because he feels jelousy towards the blind man and he feels uncomfortable. Only a weak person would not know how to act around a disbale person. Robert changes him. Robert puts the narrator in his shoes. Its incredible how both fo them with their eyes clothes are able to draw a Cathedral. The secret must be trust, you don’t have to see something to know how it is, but maybe you just have to feel it and then be able to imagine it. That is exactly what these two men did. It is important to always trust your instics. The narrator is able to feel emoptional at the end, when at the beginning he was just annoying to his wife and did not care for a blind man’s visit. This blind man probably changed his life, he probably changed the narrators way of looking at life.
I think that this story is ironic, because it has to do with a blind man, but the message being that people are blind. The blind man has a better life and a better way of looking at life, while the others live in a world full of jealousy, alcohol, and ignorance. They don’t care about anything. I think the whole book has to do with this. All of the characters are so ignorant. The book ends with Cathedral, because that’s how Carver makes his point. That how he shows that some people just don’t know where they are standing, but the a blind man does. It is not the blind man who is blind, but the other people who are blind. They have their eyes wide open and they can not even see the world as it is.
A New Life (Cathedral)
Fever
This short story is extremely sad, but at the same time the ending is very beautiful. Carlyle starts out the story being very weak and sad. His selfish wife leaves him for his colleague. She leaves him and the children. What kind of a mother could do such a thing? Leave your husband, but don’t leave your children. She’s an artist, and artists tend to have a stereotype to be crazy. She calls him every day, trying to cheer him up, but she ruined his life. She doesn’t realize how horrible she is for leaving her family behind. She calls to tell Carlyle how happy she is. It’s like as if rubs her happiness in his face. She is evil I do not like her. Although, I do think the problem in this relationship is that they fell in love to young. They were in college, she was 18 and he was 19. Many young marriages usually do not work out. There’s always one person who feels that they have missed out on a lot of their life.
“They need someone, you see. We need someone we can count on. I guess that’s our problem.” (p.170) For Carlyle and his children, their mother/wife has left them. They can get a descent babysitter to actually stay or that they like, and Carlyle just feels so sad and frustrated. Mrs. Webster is an angel for them. She comes into their lives making things better and easier for all of them. At the end she leaves, but she leaves and Carlyle becomes a stronger man being ready to let go of his past and just focus on his future and his children. Carlyle is a good person. I like this story a lot because I feel that it brings out a message that nobody should give up. You can be very weak, but in the end there is always a way to become stronger. You just have to try.
This short story is extremely sad, but at the same time the ending is very beautiful. Carlyle starts out the story being very weak and sad. His selfish wife leaves him for his colleague. She leaves him and the children. What kind of a mother could do such a thing? Leave your husband, but don’t leave your children. She’s an artist, and artists tend to have a stereotype to be crazy. She calls him every day, trying to cheer him up, but she ruined his life. She doesn’t realize how horrible she is for leaving her family behind. She calls to tell Carlyle how happy she is. It’s like as if rubs her happiness in his face. She is evil I do not like her. Although, I do think the problem in this relationship is that they fell in love to young. They were in college, she was 18 and he was 19. Many young marriages usually do not work out. There’s always one person who feels that they have missed out on a lot of their life.
“They need someone, you see. We need someone we can count on. I guess that’s our problem.” (p.170) For Carlyle and his children, their mother/wife has left them. They can get a descent babysitter to actually stay or that they like, and Carlyle just feels so sad and frustrated. Mrs. Webster is an angel for them. She comes into their lives making things better and easier for all of them. At the end she leaves, but she leaves and Carlyle becomes a stronger man being ready to let go of his past and just focus on his future and his children. Carlyle is a good person. I like this story a lot because I feel that it brings out a message that nobody should give up. You can be very weak, but in the end there is always a way to become stronger. You just have to try.
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Looking For Luck (Cathedral)
The Bridle
In this short story nothing really goes on. The Holits family moves to Arizona looking for luck. From what I read and understood, I think they have lived in many places before Arizona and Minnesota. The narrator seems like a good person. She rents out the apartment to them and also does Betty Holits hair. She knows that there is something weird about the Holits family and so we know it too. They seem to be running away from everything. What are they running from? Why do they immediately leave after Holits accident? Nothing bad happened, no one got in trouble. Holits got hurt, but it was not such a big deal. Betty also seems like a good person. I can tell she is a very strong person, but at the same time very weak. She keeps her family moving forward. She works day and night shift while Holits does nothing, while he drinks and gambles the family money away. I could never imagine being the Holits kids and having to move quickly without even knowing where my parents are taking me. I would not like that life at all. The kids know that they are moving, they have no idea where to, but they know that it is because there is no more money. This life style seems so sad. “ I think they’re going somewhere else to try their luck.” (p.206) this quote is at the end. You can just run away from your problems. You cant keep things behind, your life, your problems behind. Life has solutions and you can not rely on luck. Does luck even exist?
In this short story nothing really goes on. The Holits family moves to Arizona looking for luck. From what I read and understood, I think they have lived in many places before Arizona and Minnesota. The narrator seems like a good person. She rents out the apartment to them and also does Betty Holits hair. She knows that there is something weird about the Holits family and so we know it too. They seem to be running away from everything. What are they running from? Why do they immediately leave after Holits accident? Nothing bad happened, no one got in trouble. Holits got hurt, but it was not such a big deal. Betty also seems like a good person. I can tell she is a very strong person, but at the same time very weak. She keeps her family moving forward. She works day and night shift while Holits does nothing, while he drinks and gambles the family money away. I could never imagine being the Holits kids and having to move quickly without even knowing where my parents are taking me. I would not like that life at all. The kids know that they are moving, they have no idea where to, but they know that it is because there is no more money. This life style seems so sad. “ I think they’re going somewhere else to try their luck.” (p.206) this quote is at the end. You can just run away from your problems. You cant keep things behind, your life, your problems behind. Life has solutions and you can not rely on luck. Does luck even exist?
Looking For Luck (Cathedral)
The Bridle
In this short story nothing really goes on. The Holits family moves to Arizona looking for luck. From what I read and understood, I think they have lived in many places before Arizona and Minnesota. The narrator seems like a good person. She rents out the apartment to them and also does Betty Holits hair. She knows that there is something weird about the Holits family and so we know it too. They seem to be running away from everything. What are they running from? Why do they immediately leave after Holits accident? Nothing bad happened, no one got in trouble. Holits got hurt, but it was not such a big deal. Betty also seems like a good person. I can tell she is a very strong person, but at the same time very weak. She keeps her family moving forward. She works day and night shift while Holits does nothing, while he drinks and gambles the family money away. I could never imagine being the Holits kids and having to move quickly without even knowing where my parents are taking me. I would not like that life at all. The kids know that they are moving, they have no idea where to, but they know that it is because there is no more money. This life style seems so sad. “ I think they’re going somewhere else to try their luck.” (p.206) this quote is at the end. You can just run away from your problems. You cant keep things behind, your life, your problems behind. Life has solutions and you can not rely on luck. Does luck even exist?
In this short story nothing really goes on. The Holits family moves to Arizona looking for luck. From what I read and understood, I think they have lived in many places before Arizona and Minnesota. The narrator seems like a good person. She rents out the apartment to them and also does Betty Holits hair. She knows that there is something weird about the Holits family and so we know it too. They seem to be running away from everything. What are they running from? Why do they immediately leave after Holits accident? Nothing bad happened, no one got in trouble. Holits got hurt, but it was not such a big deal. Betty also seems like a good person. I can tell she is a very strong person, but at the same time very weak. She keeps her family moving forward. She works day and night shift while Holits does nothing, while he drinks and gambles the family money away. I could never imagine being the Holits kids and having to move quickly without even knowing where my parents are taking me. I would not like that life at all. The kids know that they are moving, they have no idea where to, but they know that it is because there is no more money. This life style seems so sad. “ I think they’re going somewhere else to try their luck.” (p.206) this quote is at the end. You can just run away from your problems. You cant keep things behind, your life, your problems behind. Life has solutions and you can not rely on luck. Does luck even exist?
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
People and a Train (Cathedral)
The Train
I wonder who the narrator is. I wonder if he was just a person in the public watching everything go on. We learn about Miss Dent, obviously a furious leady holing a gun and threatening a man for some reason. But who is this man? What did this man do to her that made her so mad? Obviously she knew the man, because she asked him many questions about a girl and what had happened. But could this man have been something close to her or close to a friend of hers? Because she seemed extremely mad. She wanted to teach him a lesson. She wanted to teach him a life long lesson about how to treat people’s feelings. She was violent. She wanted him to suffer. There were other different characters. There was the shoeless man on a hurry to catch a Train, and the Italian woman. But why are these people being talked about? I don’t understand this story. I don’t understand the point of it. We have a Train Station and a Train, so what is next? What happens? This story was meaningless to me.
I wonder who the narrator is. I wonder if he was just a person in the public watching everything go on. We learn about Miss Dent, obviously a furious leady holing a gun and threatening a man for some reason. But who is this man? What did this man do to her that made her so mad? Obviously she knew the man, because she asked him many questions about a girl and what had happened. But could this man have been something close to her or close to a friend of hers? Because she seemed extremely mad. She wanted to teach him a lesson. She wanted to teach him a life long lesson about how to treat people’s feelings. She was violent. She wanted him to suffer. There were other different characters. There was the shoeless man on a hurry to catch a Train, and the Italian woman. But why are these people being talked about? I don’t understand this story. I don’t understand the point of it. We have a Train Station and a Train, so what is next? What happens? This story was meaningless to me.
An Important Call (Cathedral)
Where I'm Calling From
Where are you calling from? You’re calling from a rehab, because you are an alcoholic. What more is there to do when you have to be in rehab? You can’t do your daily drinking, or going out to bars. So its best if you just find a partner to talk to. The narrator is in his second visit at rehab. He finds a buddy. He has J.P. J.P tells his story. All alcoholics’ stories are very sad. I don’t understand why J.P would ruin his life by drinking so much. For him, it all started out with beers leading to getting wasted and aggressive. In these Short stories by Carver all of our main characters are married. But is it true marriage? J.P falls in love with a Chimney Sweeper. He joins her family business, has everything he wants and needs. A wife, children, a house, and a job. But he seems to throw it all away by becoming an alcoholic. Why do people do that? If your life seems almost complete, why do you have to ruin it by throwing it all away?
“But I didn’t know if the could help me or not. Part of me wanted help. But there was another part.”(p.138) to be a recovering addict the person must want to change. An addict needs help and should ask for help. But I think there is always going to be a part of vey addict who ahs there seconds thoughts of just not asking for help and not changing. I feel bad for the narrator it seems as if he doesn’t know what he wants. He doesn’t know how to resolve his problems. He wants to call his wife; he wants to tell her where he is. But than at moment he wants to call his girlfriend who is also a drunk and who drove him to rehab drunk. But what is the point of calling the bad influence girlfriend? He should call his wife, tell her where he is. Maybe she might want to help and be there supporting him. Maybe what he needs is good support. He listens to J.P tell his stories trying to see how he can solve or fix his own problems. I can tell that he wants to call. He plans it.
Once again the story ends just like the other ones, with not a real ending. It keeps us wondering did he ever call his wife. I really hope he did. It would be good for him. The worst thing that could happen would be her hanging up, but she already shut him out of her life once. I don’t think it would be a change or shocking for him.
Where are you calling from? You’re calling from a rehab, because you are an alcoholic. What more is there to do when you have to be in rehab? You can’t do your daily drinking, or going out to bars. So its best if you just find a partner to talk to. The narrator is in his second visit at rehab. He finds a buddy. He has J.P. J.P tells his story. All alcoholics’ stories are very sad. I don’t understand why J.P would ruin his life by drinking so much. For him, it all started out with beers leading to getting wasted and aggressive. In these Short stories by Carver all of our main characters are married. But is it true marriage? J.P falls in love with a Chimney Sweeper. He joins her family business, has everything he wants and needs. A wife, children, a house, and a job. But he seems to throw it all away by becoming an alcoholic. Why do people do that? If your life seems almost complete, why do you have to ruin it by throwing it all away?
“But I didn’t know if the could help me or not. Part of me wanted help. But there was another part.”(p.138) to be a recovering addict the person must want to change. An addict needs help and should ask for help. But I think there is always going to be a part of vey addict who ahs there seconds thoughts of just not asking for help and not changing. I feel bad for the narrator it seems as if he doesn’t know what he wants. He doesn’t know how to resolve his problems. He wants to call his wife; he wants to tell her where he is. But than at moment he wants to call his girlfriend who is also a drunk and who drove him to rehab drunk. But what is the point of calling the bad influence girlfriend? He should call his wife, tell her where he is. Maybe she might want to help and be there supporting him. Maybe what he needs is good support. He listens to J.P tell his stories trying to see how he can solve or fix his own problems. I can tell that he wants to call. He plans it.
Once again the story ends just like the other ones, with not a real ending. It keeps us wondering did he ever call his wife. I really hope he did. It would be good for him. The worst thing that could happen would be her hanging up, but she already shut him out of her life once. I don’t think it would be a change or shocking for him.
Carefully Popping An Ear And A Bottle Of Champagne (Cathedral)
Careful
Lloyd is a very careless person who lives his life carelessly. Lloyd reminds me a lot of Mersault. They just don’t care. The story starts out with Lloyd and Inez separating. Did Inez want this separation for having such a careless husband? I noticed that Lloyd with any problem he had, he just had no way to face his problem. He did not know how to face life. Maybe he was scared of solving problems and changing his life. Just the perfect example would be his ear problem. His ear is plugged, he has trouble hearing, and he doesn’t care for this. It’s his health his hearing. He just tries to pop his ear always just the way he is always popping open his champagne bottle. Just by popping and trying to unplug his ears he thinks he is going to fix his problem. “He couldn’t hear anything clearly, and he seemed to have lost his sense of balance, his equilibrium, in the process.” (p.113). Lloyd lived a very unstable life. I couldn’t imagine knowing someone who just watches TV and drinks cheap champagne all day. And not to forget always trying to get his ear to hear. What a life! I don’t like Lloyd I think he is useless. When Inez goes to visit him he does have trouble hearing some stuff that she says, but he is basically at the point that he only hears what he wants to hear. She should just stay away from him and be happy that she got rid of him.
At the end the only thing popping was his champagne bottle, because hes ear went bak to being unplugged again. He could hear again, so he did not have anymore problems to deal with. He could go back to hi boring useless life of drinking and watching TV. The only thing worrying him, being that his ears can get plugged again. I understand the title being “Careful” with the story, because Lloyd has to do many things carefully. He has to be careful getting out of bed, because his roof is so low. He has to be careful with his ear problem.
I have noticed now that Carver writes a lot about life. He writes about honest everyday situations. He seems to like to write about Alcoholics and amusing moments, but with a story or ending that goes nowhere.
Lloyd is a very careless person who lives his life carelessly. Lloyd reminds me a lot of Mersault. They just don’t care. The story starts out with Lloyd and Inez separating. Did Inez want this separation for having such a careless husband? I noticed that Lloyd with any problem he had, he just had no way to face his problem. He did not know how to face life. Maybe he was scared of solving problems and changing his life. Just the perfect example would be his ear problem. His ear is plugged, he has trouble hearing, and he doesn’t care for this. It’s his health his hearing. He just tries to pop his ear always just the way he is always popping open his champagne bottle. Just by popping and trying to unplug his ears he thinks he is going to fix his problem. “He couldn’t hear anything clearly, and he seemed to have lost his sense of balance, his equilibrium, in the process.” (p.113). Lloyd lived a very unstable life. I couldn’t imagine knowing someone who just watches TV and drinks cheap champagne all day. And not to forget always trying to get his ear to hear. What a life! I don’t like Lloyd I think he is useless. When Inez goes to visit him he does have trouble hearing some stuff that she says, but he is basically at the point that he only hears what he wants to hear. She should just stay away from him and be happy that she got rid of him.
At the end the only thing popping was his champagne bottle, because hes ear went bak to being unplugged again. He could hear again, so he did not have anymore problems to deal with. He could go back to hi boring useless life of drinking and watching TV. The only thing worrying him, being that his ears can get plugged again. I understand the title being “Careful” with the story, because Lloyd has to do many things carefully. He has to be careful getting out of bed, because his roof is so low. He has to be careful with his ear problem.
I have noticed now that Carver writes a lot about life. He writes about honest everyday situations. He seems to like to write about Alcoholics and amusing moments, but with a story or ending that goes nowhere.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
A Messy Life (Cathedral)
Vitamins
This short story is full of mini stories that all connect. I feel bad for Donna and Patti. It must be very hard having to live of off selling vitamins. I couldn’t even imagine how much these women make just going door to door selling vitamins. They must make very little money, exactly why Donna need to quit. The vitamins just did not give her enough to maintain her life. I did not like Donna at all as soon as she started thinking about prostitution. Women have to respect themselves, the only fu control that humans have is over there body. Your body is yours and nobody else’s. I could never imagine having to sell my body to be able to eat. I think that there are so many other job opportunities out there. Women should not turn to prostitution for money. I am totally against it.
“I mean, when I was a girl, this is the last thing I ever saw myself doing. Jesus I never thought I’d grow up to sell vitamins.” (p.97) I think that this stuff happens to so many people. They study one thing and there life ends up having to do with something different. This always makes me wonder if that could happen to me. And if it does I hope it’s different I hope that my change in the future will be better than what I expected. I just want to stick to what I want to do with my life and be the best. Patti tries her hardest, but Donna is just stupid.
Once again Carver keeps us wondering at the end. What happens to Donna? Hopefully she does not turn to prostitution. What was deal with Nelson? At the end I was so curious to just know what else happened. But like all the other short stories in Carver’s writing, the endings always keep you thinking.
This short story is full of mini stories that all connect. I feel bad for Donna and Patti. It must be very hard having to live of off selling vitamins. I couldn’t even imagine how much these women make just going door to door selling vitamins. They must make very little money, exactly why Donna need to quit. The vitamins just did not give her enough to maintain her life. I did not like Donna at all as soon as she started thinking about prostitution. Women have to respect themselves, the only fu control that humans have is over there body. Your body is yours and nobody else’s. I could never imagine having to sell my body to be able to eat. I think that there are so many other job opportunities out there. Women should not turn to prostitution for money. I am totally against it.
“I mean, when I was a girl, this is the last thing I ever saw myself doing. Jesus I never thought I’d grow up to sell vitamins.” (p.97) I think that this stuff happens to so many people. They study one thing and there life ends up having to do with something different. This always makes me wonder if that could happen to me. And if it does I hope it’s different I hope that my change in the future will be better than what I expected. I just want to stick to what I want to do with my life and be the best. Patti tries her hardest, but Donna is just stupid.
Once again Carver keeps us wondering at the end. What happens to Donna? Hopefully she does not turn to prostitution. What was deal with Nelson? At the end I was so curious to just know what else happened. But like all the other short stories in Carver’s writing, the endings always keep you thinking.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
An Unexpected Death (Cathedral)
A Small, Good Thing
I could never imagine having an accident on my birthday, or someone very close to me having an accident on there birthday. I really like this story. I like how it made me feel a mix of emotions, and how it really kept me focused and reading without stopping.
Howard and Ann spend the whole day worried about Scotty. Being in a coma must be so hard to see. When will he wake up? That’s the only thing a person could think. Or just the fact that no one wants to leave because the person might wake up any moment, but sometimes they never even do wake up. I didn’t expect Scotty to die. I believed the doctors just as Howard and Ann did. The Doctor sad that nothing was going to happen that he was okay, but he was not. It was so unexpected.
“Our Franklin, he’s on the operating table. Somebody cut him. Tried to kill him” (p.74). At that moment that I read this quote, Scotty was ok. Scotty was just asleep. All I could think was that there is always someone worse or in more trouble than you are. A hit and run is pretty bad. But being stabbed is even worse. Franklin dies first. It’s always the other person who suffers more. People all around have troubles and problems.
The baker has nothing to do with the problem of the boy’s death. He is just doing his job. He baked a cake that was not paid for. But he does feel for Howard and Ann. Who wouldn’t? You try to get your job done, you try to make things right, and in the end you end up making a mistake. He really aggravated this couple at the beginning, but how was he suppose to know? At the end I think the baker gives Howard and Ann the comfort that they needed. Just an ordinary baker with nothing to do in there problem, helps them. There is always someone there that can help and comfort you. That person doesn’t even have to be close to you, but there is always someone willing to help.
I could never imagine having an accident on my birthday, or someone very close to me having an accident on there birthday. I really like this story. I like how it made me feel a mix of emotions, and how it really kept me focused and reading without stopping.
Howard and Ann spend the whole day worried about Scotty. Being in a coma must be so hard to see. When will he wake up? That’s the only thing a person could think. Or just the fact that no one wants to leave because the person might wake up any moment, but sometimes they never even do wake up. I didn’t expect Scotty to die. I believed the doctors just as Howard and Ann did. The Doctor sad that nothing was going to happen that he was okay, but he was not. It was so unexpected.
“Our Franklin, he’s on the operating table. Somebody cut him. Tried to kill him” (p.74). At that moment that I read this quote, Scotty was ok. Scotty was just asleep. All I could think was that there is always someone worse or in more trouble than you are. A hit and run is pretty bad. But being stabbed is even worse. Franklin dies first. It’s always the other person who suffers more. People all around have troubles and problems.
The baker has nothing to do with the problem of the boy’s death. He is just doing his job. He baked a cake that was not paid for. But he does feel for Howard and Ann. Who wouldn’t? You try to get your job done, you try to make things right, and in the end you end up making a mistake. He really aggravated this couple at the beginning, but how was he suppose to know? At the end I think the baker gives Howard and Ann the comfort that they needed. Just an ordinary baker with nothing to do in there problem, helps them. There is always someone there that can help and comfort you. That person doesn’t even have to be close to you, but there is always someone willing to help.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Useless Train Ride (Cathedral)
The Compartment
I am finally seeing Carver’s patterns in each short story. I feel that it is in each ending that he keeps the reader wondering, so what next?
“ I gave you life ,and I can take it back.”(p. 48) .This quote is harsh, a father saying that to his son. This short story starts out with a fight of Myers his son and his son’s mother. In the description it seems like a rough, crazy family fight. It separates them and changes them. I could not imagine hearing those words from my father and to top it off having to be getting beaten at the same time. It really makes me wonder what kind of person is Myers? This is a family that does not keep in touch for eight years, not a call, not a post card. How could that even be normal? I know that there are families that don’t keep in touch, but eight years is such a long time. Something really bad must have happened to lead to such a family fight and break a family up like Myers family was separated.
“He stayed awake after that and began to think of the meeting with his son, which was now only a few hours away. How would he act when he saw the boy at the station? Should he embrace him? He felt uncomfortable with that prospect. Or should he merely offer his hand, smile as if these eight years had never occurred, and then pat the boy on the shoulder?” (p.49). I like this quote a lot because it seems so real. Everything Myers is saying is typical. When you haven’t seen a person for a very long time you really do not know how to act in the moment, and especially thinking about how you will embrace that person makes things even worse. Those situations are tough, but I don’t think that Myer made the right decision of not even seeing his son. I don’t know exactly what happened, but avoiding a situation or a problem is not going to fix or solve anything. And that is what Myer did. Myer avoided the risky unpredictable situation moment of seeing his son. Things could have changed. Things could have been fixed, but Myers decided to avoid it.
I am finally seeing Carver’s patterns in each short story. I feel that it is in each ending that he keeps the reader wondering, so what next?
“ I gave you life ,and I can take it back.”(p. 48) .This quote is harsh, a father saying that to his son. This short story starts out with a fight of Myers his son and his son’s mother. In the description it seems like a rough, crazy family fight. It separates them and changes them. I could not imagine hearing those words from my father and to top it off having to be getting beaten at the same time. It really makes me wonder what kind of person is Myers? This is a family that does not keep in touch for eight years, not a call, not a post card. How could that even be normal? I know that there are families that don’t keep in touch, but eight years is such a long time. Something really bad must have happened to lead to such a family fight and break a family up like Myers family was separated.
“He stayed awake after that and began to think of the meeting with his son, which was now only a few hours away. How would he act when he saw the boy at the station? Should he embrace him? He felt uncomfortable with that prospect. Or should he merely offer his hand, smile as if these eight years had never occurred, and then pat the boy on the shoulder?” (p.49). I like this quote a lot because it seems so real. Everything Myers is saying is typical. When you haven’t seen a person for a very long time you really do not know how to act in the moment, and especially thinking about how you will embrace that person makes things even worse. Those situations are tough, but I don’t think that Myer made the right decision of not even seeing his son. I don’t know exactly what happened, but avoiding a situation or a problem is not going to fix or solve anything. And that is what Myer did. Myer avoided the risky unpredictable situation moment of seeing his son. Things could have changed. Things could have been fixed, but Myers decided to avoid it.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Too Much ToTolerate! (Cathedral)
Preservation
“ My god , a person couldn’t live the whole rest of his life in bed, or else on the sofa.” (p.38) how is it that sandy can tolerate living and being married to such a bum. I respect Sandy for being strong and being the worker, so basically making her the head of the family, but as soon as their refrigerator breaks I think that, that is the moment Sandy realizes that everything is broken.
“ Hell, yes. We need one, don’t we? We can’t get along without one.”(p. 41). This quote caught my attention because Sandy knows that he broken fridge was a sign or that it could have been one. It breaks all of a sudden, and she is asking her looser husband what to do about it and he insists on getting a cooler. She knows that if her fridge problem is not fixed than her marriage life will be without a future. How can a person manage to live with someone who watches T.V all day and sleeps on the sofa all day. What makes me very mad about Sandy’s character is that he is a bum, he doesn’t do anything and when the fridge breaks he reminds Sandy that he does not have a job and that it will not be easy to get a new one. That is selfish. Sandy should have left that man the day he lost his job threw himself on the couch, took his shoes off and chilled out.
Carver has a weird way of ending his stories, its almost like you have to dig and look for the message made. I like his writing and I liked this short story a lot because it is very descriptive and almost real. It was so easy to picture every scene in my mind, even the last sentence. I could see that puddle of water next to his feet, but what did it mean?
“ My god , a person couldn’t live the whole rest of his life in bed, or else on the sofa.” (p.38) how is it that sandy can tolerate living and being married to such a bum. I respect Sandy for being strong and being the worker, so basically making her the head of the family, but as soon as their refrigerator breaks I think that, that is the moment Sandy realizes that everything is broken.
“ Hell, yes. We need one, don’t we? We can’t get along without one.”(p. 41). This quote caught my attention because Sandy knows that he broken fridge was a sign or that it could have been one. It breaks all of a sudden, and she is asking her looser husband what to do about it and he insists on getting a cooler. She knows that if her fridge problem is not fixed than her marriage life will be without a future. How can a person manage to live with someone who watches T.V all day and sleeps on the sofa all day. What makes me very mad about Sandy’s character is that he is a bum, he doesn’t do anything and when the fridge breaks he reminds Sandy that he does not have a job and that it will not be easy to get a new one. That is selfish. Sandy should have left that man the day he lost his job threw himself on the couch, took his shoes off and chilled out.
Carver has a weird way of ending his stories, its almost like you have to dig and look for the message made. I like his writing and I liked this short story a lot because it is very descriptive and almost real. It was so easy to picture every scene in my mind, even the last sentence. I could see that puddle of water next to his feet, but what did it mean?
A Meaningless Stay (Cathedral)
Chef's House
“I want you to try and be the Wes I used to know . The old Wes. The Wes I married.” (p.27) this quote caught my attention quickly because right away we learn that Wes has problems, and Wes is married. Wes is a man so therefore our narrator throughout the story is a woman. Also as we have been learning in class to write with short sentences instead of long descriptive sentences with comas and very little periods in between., this quote is a great example of that short almost cut offs of sentences.
This short story is short and descriptive about the alcoholics and Wes and his wife staying at Chef’s house. But what is the point of the story? Was I supposed to learn something, what point was being made? I had to read this short story two times to come to the decision that either I really did not understand it, or that it was just the story of a vacation at Chef’s House with a meaningless point.
“I want you to try and be the Wes I used to know . The old Wes. The Wes I married.” (p.27) this quote caught my attention quickly because right away we learn that Wes has problems, and Wes is married. Wes is a man so therefore our narrator throughout the story is a woman. Also as we have been learning in class to write with short sentences instead of long descriptive sentences with comas and very little periods in between., this quote is a great example of that short almost cut offs of sentences.
This short story is short and descriptive about the alcoholics and Wes and his wife staying at Chef’s house. But what is the point of the story? Was I supposed to learn something, what point was being made? I had to read this short story two times to come to the decision that either I really did not understand it, or that it was just the story of a vacation at Chef’s House with a meaningless point.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Change Always Comes With Consequences (Cathedral)
Feathers
One moment that you have can change your whole life. I’m not sure if I understood this short story right, but I defiantly understand how Fran and Jack is a couple with no need of anything in their life. They are happy they don’t want children and they enjoy making silly wishes together. One dinner at Olla and Bud’s house makes they change their point of views. Olla and bud’s ugly baby finds away to make Fran feel love towards having children of her own. One little ugly baby smile changed her thoughts about children. At the end of this short story we learn that Fran and Jack have their kids. They keep living their life together, but a life they did not hope for. They had one happy moment that made them change their life to one big disaster. Fran’s beautiful hair that Jack loved so much had been changed, she was sad so she cut it. Why is it that when you see that people are happy because of something and you try to do the same, it does not complete you? Changing your life because of sudden decisions is hard, I think when a person wants change they must think about it and know that there are always consequences.
One moment that you have can change your whole life. I’m not sure if I understood this short story right, but I defiantly understand how Fran and Jack is a couple with no need of anything in their life. They are happy they don’t want children and they enjoy making silly wishes together. One dinner at Olla and Bud’s house makes they change their point of views. Olla and bud’s ugly baby finds away to make Fran feel love towards having children of her own. One little ugly baby smile changed her thoughts about children. At the end of this short story we learn that Fran and Jack have their kids. They keep living their life together, but a life they did not hope for. They had one happy moment that made them change their life to one big disaster. Fran’s beautiful hair that Jack loved so much had been changed, she was sad so she cut it. Why is it that when you see that people are happy because of something and you try to do the same, it does not complete you? Changing your life because of sudden decisions is hard, I think when a person wants change they must think about it and know that there are always consequences.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
To Live A Life With Knowledge (The Handbook)
41-53
These last sections are mostly about the Philosophy of life. The Handbook ends with examples of the philosophy of life and your everyday conduct. Reading these sections I kind of got the idea of just reacting to something or any issue with knowledge. Life is all about using Knowledge and everyday should be lived with good discipline. We learn that the only abuse you get from another person is not to harm each other, but only because that person abusing is disappointed or having trouble with themselves. From this I learn not to hate r get back at a person who is being evil, bad, or mean to me, but I learn to control myself and understand that the person is aching inside and they are not fighting with me but with themselves. I agree with this, because in my opinion I think that people who are angry with themselves or have issues inside of them are those who are always fighting and offending others. It is a way of taking there anger out on the world. “Starting from these considerations you will be gentle with the person who abuses you.” A person does not have to get back at the angry person. Here we are learning to just be there for that person. Things can get better.
Section 44 is about those in society who do not know the difference between being richer or superior to another person. “I am richer than you; therefore I a superior to you.” People can have that difference of having more money than others or being superior in different things, but if you are richer than some one it will not make you more superior to them. To be superior to others is hard, people have there superiority in many different things but that will never make them any better than any person. To be better at something is a gift, but a gift to teach the others so they can be just as good. Those superior people are made to teach and make things better, not to just shove it in someone’s face or to the world that they are superior to others. Power, authority, and money you are still a normal person like anybody else.
In conclusion to The Handbook, I have learned from Epictetus that it is important to always be thinking about your thoughts and actions every single day. It is important to live your on good life with good conduct and knowledge.
These last sections are mostly about the Philosophy of life. The Handbook ends with examples of the philosophy of life and your everyday conduct. Reading these sections I kind of got the idea of just reacting to something or any issue with knowledge. Life is all about using Knowledge and everyday should be lived with good discipline. We learn that the only abuse you get from another person is not to harm each other, but only because that person abusing is disappointed or having trouble with themselves. From this I learn not to hate r get back at a person who is being evil, bad, or mean to me, but I learn to control myself and understand that the person is aching inside and they are not fighting with me but with themselves. I agree with this, because in my opinion I think that people who are angry with themselves or have issues inside of them are those who are always fighting and offending others. It is a way of taking there anger out on the world. “Starting from these considerations you will be gentle with the person who abuses you.” A person does not have to get back at the angry person. Here we are learning to just be there for that person. Things can get better.
Section 44 is about those in society who do not know the difference between being richer or superior to another person. “I am richer than you; therefore I a superior to you.” People can have that difference of having more money than others or being superior in different things, but if you are richer than some one it will not make you more superior to them. To be superior to others is hard, people have there superiority in many different things but that will never make them any better than any person. To be better at something is a gift, but a gift to teach the others so they can be just as good. Those superior people are made to teach and make things better, not to just shove it in someone’s face or to the world that they are superior to others. Power, authority, and money you are still a normal person like anybody else.
In conclusion to The Handbook, I have learned from Epictetus that it is important to always be thinking about your thoughts and actions every single day. It is important to live your on good life with good conduct and knowledge.
Life Actions with Eyes Wide Opened (The Handbook)
31-40
Many of these sections have a lot to do with being you and not letting the others interfere with what you are doing or thinking. For me these sections made me realize or learn that as long as you are sure of something nothing else matters, especially what other people are going to say or think. Do what you are capable of doing and always be aware of what you are doing. A person must always stand out.
“Just as in walking about you pay attention so as not to step on a nail or twist your foot, pay attention in the same way so as not to hard your ruling principles. And if we are on guard about this in every action, we shall set about it more securely.” This is section 38, and it is a perfect example of what I learn from Epictetus. Everything being a person is doing can be done cautiously, not just little things but in general everything. Things would be so much easier if they were to be done with special attention. As to other sections I have interpreted that these sections are for learning the rules of just paying more attention to life. I do not know if other interpret these sections the same way, but reading through this I have learned the values of being conscious of what I am doing.
Many of these sections have a lot to do with being you and not letting the others interfere with what you are doing or thinking. For me these sections made me realize or learn that as long as you are sure of something nothing else matters, especially what other people are going to say or think. Do what you are capable of doing and always be aware of what you are doing. A person must always stand out.
“Just as in walking about you pay attention so as not to step on a nail or twist your foot, pay attention in the same way so as not to hard your ruling principles. And if we are on guard about this in every action, we shall set about it more securely.” This is section 38, and it is a perfect example of what I learn from Epictetus. Everything being a person is doing can be done cautiously, not just little things but in general everything. Things would be so much easier if they were to be done with special attention. As to other sections I have interpreted that these sections are for learning the rules of just paying more attention to life. I do not know if other interpret these sections the same way, but reading through this I have learned the values of being conscious of what I am doing.
No Grieving (The Hanbook)
16-30
Epictetus so far has shown a variety of cautisous yet in a way meaningless rules. I do not mean meaningless as careless, but menaingless to not care so much or make somehting such a big deal. Everything jsut happens because it happens and you must deal with it. Epictetus is not sentimental just like Mersault in The Stranger is ot sentimental. There are things that just do not mean anything and rae not worth worrying for or changing your life for.
Death for both men is something that is not an issue. Not being sentimental means not grieving at all for death. Mersault's mother dies and it does not effect him, it does not change him. In The Handbook, Epictetus makes it clear that if anyone dies it is not worth grieving, it is just better to keep living. Be yourself and worry only about yourself.
Epictetus so far has shown a variety of cautisous yet in a way meaningless rules. I do not mean meaningless as careless, but menaingless to not care so much or make somehting such a big deal. Everything jsut happens because it happens and you must deal with it. Epictetus is not sentimental just like Mersault in The Stranger is ot sentimental. There are things that just do not mean anything and rae not worth worrying for or changing your life for.
Death for both men is something that is not an issue. Not being sentimental means not grieving at all for death. Mersault's mother dies and it does not effect him, it does not change him. In The Handbook, Epictetus makes it clear that if anyone dies it is not worth grieving, it is just better to keep living. Be yourself and worry only about yourself.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Thinking Before Acting ( The Hanbook)
1-15
“When you are about to undertake some action, remind yourself what sort of action it is.”
The Handbook is a guide. It’s full of rules that were for the soldiers, but at the same time it can guide all of us by making us wiser. The quote I have chosen is number 4 of the Handbook. I chose it because it reminds me of The Stranger. Mersault shot the Arab without thinking about his actions. It is always normal to not think before you act, but you have to know that there are things and actions that need to be controlled. Each action mad without thinking can get you I trouble or just ruin your life. As in Mersault’s case, because of not thinking of the consequences and what could happen right after killing the man. It’s very important to always be aware of what one is doing and take responsibilities of ones own choices.
“When you are about to undertake some action, remind yourself what sort of action it is.”
The Handbook is a guide. It’s full of rules that were for the soldiers, but at the same time it can guide all of us by making us wiser. The quote I have chosen is number 4 of the Handbook. I chose it because it reminds me of The Stranger. Mersault shot the Arab without thinking about his actions. It is always normal to not think before you act, but you have to know that there are things and actions that need to be controlled. Each action mad without thinking can get you I trouble or just ruin your life. As in Mersault’s case, because of not thinking of the consequences and what could happen right after killing the man. It’s very important to always be aware of what one is doing and take responsibilities of ones own choices.
Monday, February 25, 2008
The Stranger: Different people and Punishment
p.98-123
Mersault is different. He has a different way of looking and living life. Mersault at the end shows us his strong personality and character, but at the same time we do know he is feeling weak. He is going to be executed, and he is not happy for this, but he knows he can’t do anything about this. Is it his fault for being different? Is it his fault for making a mistake? Mersault is almost like Sisyphus because they are both punished for being different. Are those who think alike and always act alike the powerful ones who get away with anything?
¨But my heart felt nothing, and I couldn’t even return her smile.¨ (p.105). Mersault is broken into pieces inside. He knows his life is over, and this is when not caring is the answer. What is the point of crying, or fighting back, when you are told that your punishment is execution? It must feel like a hole in your body, knowing that it could be your last day of living.
¨As for me, I didn’t want anybody’s help, and I just didn’t have the time to interest myself in what didn’t interest me.¨ (p.117). In this quote Mersault was being offered to dedicate his last time to ask God for help. But what was the point of this? Why should he ask God to help him right before being executed? What good would it have done if he was not even religious? Mersault was not interested in turning to God, he just had no interest at all for anything. He was different, he was careless, and so at the end of the book at the end of Mersault´s life you ask yourself, what if Mersault was not like this? What if he was not careless and if he was not different? Would he be in this position of being executed, and if he were to be a person with feelings in this position it would just be so much harder to let go of life.
Mersault is different. He has a different way of looking and living life. Mersault at the end shows us his strong personality and character, but at the same time we do know he is feeling weak. He is going to be executed, and he is not happy for this, but he knows he can’t do anything about this. Is it his fault for being different? Is it his fault for making a mistake? Mersault is almost like Sisyphus because they are both punished for being different. Are those who think alike and always act alike the powerful ones who get away with anything?
¨But my heart felt nothing, and I couldn’t even return her smile.¨ (p.105). Mersault is broken into pieces inside. He knows his life is over, and this is when not caring is the answer. What is the point of crying, or fighting back, when you are told that your punishment is execution? It must feel like a hole in your body, knowing that it could be your last day of living.
¨As for me, I didn’t want anybody’s help, and I just didn’t have the time to interest myself in what didn’t interest me.¨ (p.117). In this quote Mersault was being offered to dedicate his last time to ask God for help. But what was the point of this? Why should he ask God to help him right before being executed? What good would it have done if he was not even religious? Mersault was not interested in turning to God, he just had no interest at all for anything. He was different, he was careless, and so at the end of the book at the end of Mersault´s life you ask yourself, what if Mersault was not like this? What if he was not careless and if he was not different? Would he be in this position of being executed, and if he were to be a person with feelings in this position it would just be so much harder to let go of life.
The Stranger: Disappointment or Murder?
Part 2: Chapter 3
¨…with such glee and with such a triumphant look in my direction that for the first time in years I had this stupid urge to cry, because I could feel how much all those people hated me.¨ (p.89-90) Mersault knows that he is guilty , he killed someone but was it just self defence? Or was he just not thinking? Did he not care at all? At this point I think Mersault doesn’t know why what eh did was done; he just knows that he killed the Arab and that he is guilty for it. With this quote we get to see a little bit of Mersault feeling sadness. He feels people are disappointed at him. Not only are they disappointed at him killing a man, but also at the way he is and lives his life. In court they talk and ask many questions about his mother’s death and the day after showing and trying to make a point. They want to show that Mersault is bad and careless. I don’t think these other issues of Mersault´s life should be brought into the court room. It is a case about a murder. Mersault killed a man, but did he kill him on purpose?
I admire and respect the way Mersault goes through his prison days. His carelessness towards life helps him out, because he just takes his long days to think about his life and his memories. He doesn’t think sadly, he just thinks. If I were in his case I would not like to think at all about my life outside of prison or about my memories. It would kill me; I think it would make me more depressed. In prison is he feeling so careless because he thinks that there is nothing that can be done?
¨…with such glee and with such a triumphant look in my direction that for the first time in years I had this stupid urge to cry, because I could feel how much all those people hated me.¨ (p.89-90) Mersault knows that he is guilty , he killed someone but was it just self defence? Or was he just not thinking? Did he not care at all? At this point I think Mersault doesn’t know why what eh did was done; he just knows that he killed the Arab and that he is guilty for it. With this quote we get to see a little bit of Mersault feeling sadness. He feels people are disappointed at him. Not only are they disappointed at him killing a man, but also at the way he is and lives his life. In court they talk and ask many questions about his mother’s death and the day after showing and trying to make a point. They want to show that Mersault is bad and careless. I don’t think these other issues of Mersault´s life should be brought into the court room. It is a case about a murder. Mersault killed a man, but did he kill him on purpose?
I admire and respect the way Mersault goes through his prison days. His carelessness towards life helps him out, because he just takes his long days to think about his life and his memories. He doesn’t think sadly, he just thinks. If I were in his case I would not like to think at all about my life outside of prison or about my memories. It would kill me; I think it would make me more depressed. In prison is he feeling so careless because he thinks that there is nothing that can be done?
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
The Stranger, Part 2: Chapter 2
In this Chapter Marie visits Mersault for the first and last time. She would have been able to visit him more, but she is not his wife. So imagine if they would have gotten married, imagine if Mersault would have not been so stubborn and so careless and would have just fallen in love with Marie and married her, he would not have to be alone in jail without visitors. “I was feeling a little sick and I’d have liked to leave. The noise was getting painful. But on the other hand, I wanted to make the most of Marie’s being there.” (p.75). this quote interests me a lot because he seems to always be satisfied with Marie’s presence. But at this moment he is feeling that he really needs to take advantage that Marie is visiting him, because he liked her visit a lot. He does not like jail, I think at this point he is annoyed, and might just start finding meaning and care for everything that goes on around him.
The Stranger, Part 2: Chapter 1
In this part of the book I have basically confused myself with believing if Mersault has feelings or not. At the end of Part one he tells us that he was happy at the beach and ruined his day buy killing the Arab, but why does he have to not care about anything now? Chapter 1 of Part two shows us how disturbing he is of really not caring about anything. He is so careless, so ready for anything that is coming towards him without even being ready. “He asked me if he could say that that day I had held back my natural feelings. I said, “No, because it’s not true.” He gave me a strange look, as if he found me slightly disgusting.” (p.65). Mersault obviously does not want to lie. He feels that he has no need to. His lawyer is telling him to lie; he needs to lie so that they can win the case. If Mersault really did care about himself, he should lie and save himself. He does not want to tell the truth because he feels bad lying; he just doesn’t feel like lying because he does not care about what can happen. So what is going to Happen? How Far will Mersault go with his carelessness?
The Stranger: Chapter 6
“I knew that I had shattered the harmony of the day, the exceptional silence of a beach where I’d been happy.” (p. 59). This quote is exactly where we learn that Mersault does have feelings. He had felt happy during the day he liked the beach, although, he had to ruin this happiness by killing the Arabs. What confuses me a lot is that right after he says this he shoots the Arab four more times. Why would he want to ruin the moment even more? After making sure the Arab is dead, he knows that from that moment on there’s no more happiness. Mersault obviously has no ambitions, and does not care so much for life. He has Marie a girl he has so much fun with and cares so much for that he doesn’t even care for what will happen with her. Raymond is his friend, but to kill someone brutally because of what had happen to Raymond is awkward, its to much. I feel that something is always going on in Mersault’s heard, but we do not know what it is. Its like as if he were scared to be happy.
Monday, February 11, 2008
The Stranger: Chapter 5
For any person the job offered to Mersault would have been a great excitement, but of course to Mersault it made no difference. His boss offered him the same job in Paris, and with traveling included part of the year. Mersault didn’t even care; he didn’t even give his boss a simple yes or no answer. He was not interested. His boss couldn’t believe that with such an offer given, an offer that could change his life, and Mersault did not even care, he could not find a reason to change his life, he did not believe in people changing their lives. After this Marie asks Mersault to marry him, which I thought was very weird because why would a woman have any reason to ask a man to marry her, especially when this man accepts that he does not love her. His answer to Marie is “sure” Mersault does not care to marry her, just like he does not care to get a better job with great opportunities. Everything to him is meaningless. Love, work, life it’s all meaningless and not an interest for him. At the end of the chapter he has a small connection with Salamano, which is nice because Salamano is lonely and they have a nice chat about Maman. So far, I really do not like Mersault he stresses me out. He is so indifferent and does not care about anything, that it just makes hi such a bad person. He doesn’t care about anything, and it just makes him even more hateful.
The Stranger: Chapter 4
Chapter four is a very shocking chapter. As it starts out you think that the same as always is going to happen, but no. Here we are given a little steam in the story. It all starts with a working day, movies with Emmanuel, and of course the comment of Raymond telling Mersault that he sent the letter. Mersault and Marie get together again. He really likes her and really desires her. On the weekend they planned a beach day. They had a fun day once again full of splashing and flirting. With a kiss on the beach they decide to take it to Mersault’s house quickly. As they have fun, cooking and just desiring each other the heat starts steaming with screams of Raymond and his mistress fighting. They cause a commotion, having people outside just staring with no reaction what so ever to call the police. Marie tells Mersault to call, but he does not because according to him he just does not like cops. After some time of show a cop shows up, breaks the beating up and the show for the people ends. Raymond asking his new pal Mersault for another favor, just ask him to say if he is asked that he is a witness to this woman cheating on Raymond. It is amazing, shocking, and disturbing to me that so much is taken into this little problem between Raymond and his girl. He does pay for her stuff, but it is not his duty to beat her up because she has cheated on him. It could be that its not even true. Men tend to treat woman like animals all the time. Just as old Salamano treated his dog: with disgust and hate. That’s how Raymond treated his lady. So much hate that Salamano had for his dog but in this chapter when he loses him, he feels sad and he cries alone, because he knows and realizes that from that moment on he was on his own without his company. You need to value the company that you have and the people around you. Raymond slapped around his mistress before she cheated on him, so maybe he did not treat her right. Maybe, he deserved to be cheated on and she definitely did not deserve to be beaten on.
The Stranger: Chapter 3
In Chapter three, Mersault tells us about his long day of work and how hard he was working since he got back from him long weekend. He mentions how nice his boss had been with him and the unusual small talk that they both had. Mersault introduces us to new characters which are his neighbors. Salamano is his old neighbor who has a dog. Mersault practically knows their daily routine perfectly. He says that both the man and the dog are very much alike, but that they hate each other. I think it very weird that Mersault has no relationship with this old man and his dog, but yet he is so observant to what they do every single day. Clearly he has no interest in them, but they always seem to catch his attention. Another neighbor he introduces to us is Raymond, he is a working man who beat his mistress and proudly invites Mersault for a bite in his apartment and tells him the story. He tells him the story with pride and basically saying that his mistress deserved a beating and more just because she was cheating on him and he gave her money for food and a place to live. Raymond asks Mersault to be his pal and for a favor. He asked Mersault that as a pal to write his mistress a letter. Mersault does it, and the chapter ends as he walks out Raymond’s apartment. Mersault’s neighbors are just as different as he is.
The Stranger: Chapter 2
Chapter two is short and careless. In this chapter Mersault talks about his extra days off from work given to him by his boss for his mother’s funeral. Mersault does not grieve and talk about the fact that he is tired and sad, but instead he mentions his two extra days of being able to just hangout. Mersault has a long, fun beach day with Marie whom he very much is attracted too. They spend a great day of flirty fun at the beach, than enjoy a movie being Marie’s choice, and end the day sleeping together. What a way to forget about his mother’s death. Although, he did not even think about it during the whole day, is that normal? The only time he mentioned his mother’s death was when he got dressed and Marie saw his suit and asked if he was in mourning. The next day Mersault spends his Sunday alone. He reacts to the fact that everything is all real again. Maman is dead and he has to go back to his simple everyday working life. He thinks about this, but does not care for it. Mersault is indifferent and careless. He is a stranger to the world and to himself.
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