Thematic Statements

Sonnet 130: Love is more than how a person looks.

The Passionate Shepherd to His Love: Love will make people do anything to maintain the relationship's happiness. 

Death Be Not Proud: Life will always overpower the darkness of Death. 

To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time: People should make the most of life before they no longer have their youth.

The Author to Her Book: Only so many corrections can be made before someone has to try to accept a finished product.

To His Coy Mistress: People should not be too proud to share their feelings with others, because someday it will be too late and they will not have that chance.

Sound and Sense: There is a major difference between having ambition and imitating that of others' ambitions.

The World Is Too Much With Us: Humans should appreciate nature, rather than take it for granted.

She Walks in Beauty: Personal opinion deems the qualities that people define as being "beauty." 

Ozymandias: Every leader's reign eventually crumbles.

When I have Fears that I may Cease to Be: People should make the most of the world they live in before they die.

The Children's Hour: Children have a special place in their parents' lives.

Annabel Lee: Love can survive beyond the grave.

O Captain, My Captain: Honor comes with serving justice for the people.

I Heard a Fly Buzz When I Died: No one can predict what will come to be when a person dies.

Dover Beach: People consistently change their mindset, which alters their faith in constants.

Dulce et Decorum Est: War is a continuous torture that haunts those who have served.

Mending Wall: Lack of communication cannot fix a barrier between people.

Mirror: Transformation of appearance can reflect a person's experience throughout life.

The Grapes of Wrath Action Project

For this project, I decided to focus on the Bath & Body Works corporation. As a frequent customer at their stores, I have often been concerned with the products I buy. I decided this would be a good time to raise a question I’ve always wanted to ask Bath & Body Works; what exactly are they doing to improve their products to make them more environmentally friendly? 

I first tried to contact the company on Monday, April second by email. Within five hours, I received a polite response informing me that “We're flattered that you have spent time thinking about new items for our stores. It's a compliment that you have faith in our abilities to bring your innovative idea to life. We, too, are always thinking of new items and fragrances to offer our customers. In fact, one of the best things about working at Bath & Body Works is the time dedicated to brainstorming and experimenting…” Therefore, I counted that attempt as a failure. I waited until Friday, April sixth to try contacting the customer service phone number provided. I went through twenty minutes of automated voices only to finally be given the opportunity to leave a voice message. Once I completed my message, asking my question, I was awarded with an automatic message from a customer service relations machine thanking me for my feedback and telling me to have a nice day. 

Since I had experienced two failures in a row, I decided to next try another email on Sunday, April eighth. I once again asked my question, and received a reply within seven hours about how Bath and Body Works unfortunately is “unable to pay for unsolicited ideas, we would like to thank you for your time and energy and hope you will visit our stores soon.” I’ll admit that I was a bit confused with that response, so then I decided to call the company again to see what they would respond to in person. I waited fifteen minutes to reach the CEO office contact and I was told by the secretary that unfortunately the CEO can only talk to specified officials. 

I sent another email on April ninth, this one directed at the Customer Relations Supervisor. A minor success was achieved! Lu Ann Ray, the supervisor, gave me a lot of background information on the company. She informed me that seventy-five percent of the products’ ingredients are made of “wholesome, natural ingredients” and that “Bath and Body Works and The White Barn Candle Co. are headed by the CEO Nick Coe.” I consider this a minor success, because I was informed that the Bath and Body Works products are fairly environmentally friendly (I was also proud to be informed that they do not use animal testing), and I was also given the name of the CEO. I tried a final contact on April tenth through email, an attempt to get more information about the CEO’s goals for the company, but within an hour I received a generic email saying that the company could not give out that information. 

Overall, I understand why Mr. Currin had us pursue this action project. We are much like the Okies who didn’t know where to place the blame when they found out they were getting kicked off of their land by the banks of the East. As American consumers, we really never know where direct blame or questioning should go to major corporations of today.  It’s so hard to actually get into contact with a major official, and at that an official who actually values your personal concerns and opinions. Any headway that we make in questioning a corporation has such a minor impact, because a united front must be made for a corporation to actually begin to take their consumers seriously (in most generalized cases.) This also connects to how the Joads were upset with the unfair price increases at the stores on the work camps. The person running the store couldn’t really give any good reason for why the prices were hiked up so unfairly, and also was forced into keeping specified regulations. There was not a single person working for the company that did not try to make some sort of an excuse and hinted at regulations that kept them from telling me information. As consumers, shouldn’t we be able to know about corporation regulations, as well as what companies are doing to improve their products? This project was very beneficial in helping me learn about commercialism tactics and the true rationale behind corporate affairs.

Reflections on Heart of Darkness through West Africa

Chinua Achebe, the author of both this critical essay and Things Fall Apart, believes that Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness is a racist work of literature and does not portray Africans in a positive viewpoint.I tend to support Achebe's accusation, however I do not feel that this is necessarily Conrad's fault as a person or a writer.

Emily Shriver and I were just discussing the importance of a Socratic question pertaining to whether or not every book truly has some sort of racism hidden between the lines. Achebe is deeply passionate about the African people and infuriated with the "savage" image tied to Africans, yet we wondered as readers if Achebe ever evaluated his own work. Consequently, Things Fall Apart is somewhat of a "through the looking-glass" perspective of Heart of Darkness. In Achebe's novel, the Umofians are considered the superior, dominant culture. The traditional Umofians view the Europeans as the inferior race coming in to destroy their culture. It is this same uncooperative behavior that Achebe categorizes as defining Heart of Darkness as a "racist" novel. As a reader, one passage that stood out to me was when the Africans made fun of the white man by referring to how a leper is known as a white man. In the same way as leprosy, the white men are viewed as a people carrying an infectious burden, this being a new culture instead of an illness.

One of the most interesting points I felt Achebe brought up in his article was almost at the very beginning. He mentioned that he had received letters from high-school students that had read his novel. Achebe commented on how one of the students said he enjoyed learning about the customs and superstitions of an African tribe, and then went on to say that the student is unaware that the life of his own tribesmen is full of odd customs and superstitions. Why do we feel we'd need a trip to Africa to encounter such things? So many world cultures have assimilated into today's melting pot of cultures, regardless of what an individual believes "American culture" to be. There is so much of the world that we still do not know about, even with all of the advancements we have made to society today. Perhaps our mission as people, readers, and students is to try to dismiss this "racist" tendency and learn to utilize our cultures to our best advantage.

Analyzing Edna Pontellier with a Negative Viewpoint

The critical essay I read, authored by Hugh J. Dawson, is centered around the thesis that Edna Pontellier is the main reason why a reader is unable to enjoy The Awakening by Kate Chopin. Through my own reading of the novel and the examination of this critical essay, I thoroughly agree with this statement.

Edna Pontellier is stuck in an adolescent mindset for the entirety of her life. A reader can argue that due to her exposure to the way in which her father oppressed her mother for being a woman had a heavy impact on the way in which Edna views herself as needing independence as a woman, but one must also blame Edna for the decisions she has chosen to make with her own mind. Edna is notoriously selfish and extraneous. She supposedly does not care for the extravagant possessions her husband purchases for their household, but she has no qualms with buying her own house or hosting a very expensive dinner party. Her stubbornness is exemplified throughout the entirety of the novel. She decided on her own future before she even left her parents' household. She selected her husband by herself, despite his being a dozen years her senior, an act of rebellion that she did not weigh the consequences of before finalizing the decision. Edna was not forced into an arranged marriage; she chose a man of a different culture and lifestyle because she felt that she did not want to continue the 'Presbyterian' lifestyle, and was adamant to convert to the milder 'Catholic' lifestyle. In turn, Edna feels herself to be too 'unique' to conform to the Creole culture, therefore subject to treatment as an outsider by the more motherly Creole individuals, who have no qualms with living up to the societal expectations. 

Edna is definitely a victim to her own insecurity and obsession with vanity. Because of this, she is restricted to living in the persona of a lifelong adolescent, acting in childish manners as a means of trying to feel equal to the other adults. In effect, these end up hurting Edna's reputation even more than if she had relented with acting cordial with her acquaintances. The most frustrating part of Edna for me is her adverseness to being a mother. There is no evidence provided in the novel that she did not want to be a mother when she became pregnant with her sons. Chopin leads us to believe Edna would rather die for herself than live for her children, which I have been conditioned to believe is beyond selfish. To restate the quote, "I would give up the unessential; I would give my money, I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself" (Chopin 113.) This attitude contradicts what others are asking of her; not once are the children or her husband directly asking her to give up her identity for them. They just want her to show that she cares for them. But Edna seems to always want to rid herself of the cares she willfully committed herself to, but decides are no longer of her concern. This, I think, is what instills all of the guilt she has, especially around her infatuation for Robert. Edna goes to absurd lengths to achieve his attention, which enlarges the estimate of the passion between the two. Robert understands that she should be more devoted to her family rather than wanting to engage in infidelity, and I believe that both consciously and subconsciously Edna understands this, too, but cannot bring herself to admit that she is in the wrong.

Dawson is very persuasive with his argument. He provides many parenthetical references which support his thesis. He also uses word choice to stir up the reader's opinion, which helps sway the reader to agree with his thoughts. I personally did not need much persuasion to agree with his standpoint, because despite arguments in favor of Edna Pontellier, I believe she was the cause of her own problems. Due to her obstinacy and overall moody behavior, I felt that I could not thoroughly enjoy reading The Awakening. Other than Edna's character, I felt that the novel was very well written and covered an important issue in society during the time period.

Reflection on "The Yellow Wallpaper"

This short story is without a doubt the most chilling short story I've ever read. I do admire the way that the author, Charlotte Perkins Gilman, wrote the horrifying twist at the end of the story, but it is that same shocking twist that makes the short story so alarming.

Early on in the short story, based on our previous classroom conversations regarding feminism, I believed that the speaker was seeing a woman behind the barred wallpaper because she subconsciously felt that women were oppressed during this time period. To discover that she eventually ended up being the woman behind the bars was shocking, but made absolute sense. Connecting details from the story, the speaker is trapped in a room with barred windows, and treated like a child by her own husband. Where is her husband actually disappearing to when he is gone all day? Why is the woman treated so unfairly? Truthfully, much medical advice from earlier time periods ended up being ridiculously inefficient compared to the advanced medical attention we as individuals receive today, but I feel as if her husband fully understands what is going on. Isn't it fairly easy to see the signs of depression blaring from an individual? A main warning sign for me would be the woman's distaste for her own child.

Let's also acknowledge the significance of the wallpaper itself. First of all, there's the connection of the heads that have been strangled trying to escape. What is the author trying to say? If women try to put up a fight and escape the imprisonments deemed suitable for them, they end up being unable to survive? What does this say about society during this era? When the speaker described the yellow hue of the wallpaper, I instantly made a connection to the medical condition of jaundice. Essentially, the way the woman is treated is growing on her like a sort of cancer; you can't really see it, but it's just as malignant and consistently breaks her down.

Analyzing Ethan Frome Through the Diversity of Life in Small Towns

Nancy J. Dutton, the author of the critical essay I studied, believes Ethan Frome analyzes the division between the poor and wealthy classes of small New England towns. I agree with the author's statement. The usage of societal mannerisms, familial obligations, the restrictions of poverty, and how the natural environment affects individuals' behavior is a necessary way of expressing Edith Wharton's own desperation within her own oppressive marriage.

In general, old New England towns are considered to be very quaint forms of civilization, filled with individuals who wish the best for the whole of their community. This is evident in the scene from the novella where Ethan Frome purchases glue from one of the general stores, and the woman running the store makes a good-natured comment of concern regarding his wife, Zenobia. If the community did not place so much emphasis on being courteous of other civilians' ongoing events, perhaps Ethan would not have felt so obligated to be aware of his self-restraint. I feel that part of Ethan's tragic flaw was the emphasis he placed on putting others before himself. He was stressed by the responsibility he had for both the well-being of Zeena and Mattie, and I believe that whenever his thoughts strayed to be in his favor rather than for the favor of others' benefit, Ethan felt weighed down by a heavy conscience. From previous literature, I believe that New England towns put an emphasis on religious values, so although religious institutions were never really mentioned in the novella, I believe there was still an underlying driving force of religion guiding Ethan Frome, which is why he was so hesitant when thoughts of temptation and passion entered his mind. In essence, I feel that Ethan Frome knew he had obligations to the two women because they were both family, as well as because of his marital connection (Zeena) and affectionate feelings (Mattie.)

A large part of New England culture centered around the architecture of the house. In the novella, Wharton wrote about the importance of the "L," and how it was considered the center of the New England farm due to the way the adjunct connected the main house to the wood-shed and cow-barn through the means of storerooms and a tool-house. Within the critical essay, the author noted that as New England farms prospered, the families added a larger front house at right angles to it and outbuildings connecting it to the barn. Rural inhabitants place a high value on the landscape surrounding their home and the centrality of the "L" to comfort in family life. Wharton as a whole believed that architecture greatly impacted family life, and felt that the setting of the house can either make or break an individual's happiness and personal success. Through reading Ethan Frome, it is easy to determine that due to the barren surroundings, Ethan Frome felt trapped and unhappy with his life. If he had taken the opportunity to leave Starkfield, perhaps he might have prospered and achieved his full potential. However, his lack of monetary means left him to not only be tied to his family farm, but to also be unable to have the critical "L" addition to his farm. In this way, he felt very oppressed and began to wither as an individual. It is also important to note the effect that the winter weather had on the town of Starkfield. The author of this essay noted that Seasonal Affective Disorder was most likely one of the most difficult stresses Ethan Frome had to deal with. The winter heavily impacted the decisions Ethan made; whether it was the spontaneous marriage to Zeena because he did not want to be alone in the winter, the passion he had for the refreshing youth of Mattie, or the attempted suicide. Maybe after examining all of the issues presented within the novella, winter ends up being the villainous force that led to the deterioration and ultimate unhappiness of Ethan Frome.

In my opinion, the author presented her argument extremely well. She connected both real life examples and quotations from the original novella to back up her analysis of the novella Ethan Frome. By putting emphasis on the division between the poor and wealthy classes of small New England towns, Wharton essentially wrote about how oppression based on one's own actions or uncontrollable elements leads to the success or failure of individuals.

Reflection on Sonnet One Hundred and Thirty

When examining this sonnet within class, a lot of people said they would be insulted if they were the subject Shakespeare had written this sonnet for. However, I believe that there is a genuine meaning behind this sonnet. If an individual prizes their worth all on their appearance, it's a truly insecure person that would find this poem to be degrading. Perhaps Shakespeare's comparisons can seem harsh to some readers, but I find that this sonnet has underlying meaning. 

Essentially, Shakespeare is saying that in the terms of beauty defined by the society at the time, the subject of the poem would not be considered "beautiful" by the judgmental people. However, I believe that what Shakespeare is trying to highlight is that the subject is beautiful in their own way. Is everything based on appearance? If the subject is the dark lady, is her music not beautiful? Just because her skin is not so fair and her hair isn't the ideal color, does that make her unsuitable? Due to the critical lens of society, anyone who would find this particular subject to be appealing would be in a rare form. But Shakespeare is a man who can be assumed to examine subjects thoroughly, learning about their true personalities and ways of living. Perchance it is for the reasons that cannot be visible to the naked eye that Shakespeare indefinitely feels love for the subject.