Thursday, October 16, 2014
Literary Fiction and Empathy
Reading Literary Fiction changes things for the reader a lot in my opinion. For me personally, I find literary fiction quite boring and hard to follow, but the internal messages and lessons that I learn is why I also like literary fiction. Literary fiction allows the reader to make the decision and forces the reader to work its mind. For example, in Hamlet, I as the reader, am forced to question whether Hamlet feels anger and frustration towards his mother or resentment and betrayal. The author is not coming out and giving the emotions that the character will feel, the reader must infer what is happening. This helps many people because it is like they are practicing for real life situations. I believe that people can do better on the tests, in which the article is talking about, because they can practice the skills they need in real life while reading. Instead of putting themselves into the situation and seeing how they would react or what they would do, the reader is now trying to figure out how to read other people, which is very difficult at times. For example, in the Hamlet it is hard to read Hamlet or the other character's emotions because of the language and techniques the author uses. I believe the tricks that the author puts in the story to create the confusion within the reader resembles real life events or happenings that cause confusion when reading someones emotions. Like she is frowning, yet her face looks so relaxed. Well is she calm or angry. I find this article to be very accurate in that literary fiction can help readers with reading emotions and so forth. It's like practicing for softball every day, or in this case reading the literary fiction, and then playing the game, or reading someones real emotions in life. In all, this seems to be something that should be more recognized because it may be of benefit to some people. Although many people do not like literary fiction, it can be a great learning experience in which the reader is actively engaged with decision making on important topics of the book.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
Hamlet: Act 1 Scene 1 Reading Notes
The play starts at the changing of the guards. Bernardo is taking over for Francisco. We now know the time of the play which is midnight.
Horatio and Marcellus arrive and ask if Bernardo has seen anything suspicious and Bernardo informs them that he has seen nothing.
Marcellus has brought Horatio to witness the ghost because Horatio does not believe that this could possible by true.
The ghost enters and Marcellus and Bernardo see it to be the king. Horatio is very frightened tries to get the spirit to speak but it will not. It seems to be offended when Horatio asks it to speak therefore it leaves.
The dialogue also tells us that the story is taking place in Denmark.
Horatio now believes that the ghost story was true and that it resembled the king that had recently passed away.
Horatio explains that the ghost came to to warn the guards that the fortinbras seek revenge and will be coming to take back the kingdom soon. Horatio also explains how the king himself had been in combat before his death.
Allusion to Julius with vivid imagery
Usurpts: to take the thrown or give away power
The ghost enters again and the men try to get it to speak again, just as it was going to speak the cock crows.
The crow is known to keep the spirits away.
Horatio and Marcellus decide that they should tell young hamlet about their experience because they are sure that the spirit will soon visit him as well.
Exeunt: plural exit
Hamlet Act 1 Scene 2 Reading Notes
The play is now taking place in a more formal setting. They seem to be at a sit down dinner with the king and queen and hamlet.
The king talks about how everyone is sad about the death of the king but it is time to move on now and continue on with the line of royalty.
After king hamlet died the uncle became king and married Hamlet's wife.
King sends Cornelius to give a message to fortinbras.
King talks about laertes who is the child of a good family friend and how he encourages him to go to England to study more.
Hamlet "A little more than kin, and less than kind" situational irony from the aside audience knows something to be true while the character does not
Not letting him in just taking it in not being rude back. Denying his assumption
Hamlet is saying the things happening are just ritual not what is happening inside of him
Visage- facial expressions
Hamlet is acknowledging that you can do all those things but it doesn't mean you are unhappy. You don't know a persons inside. He is beginning to call out those who are or may be faking the ceremonies but don't feel the same inside. He feels horrible inside and is hiding them.
King (uncle) find something he can honor them stabbing his ideas. Grow up and snap out of it you are acting unmanly. And by the way you aren't going back to school. Your next to the thrown but we are going to treat you like a baby. Making hamlet seem crazy or mentally unstable. The idea of keep your friends close and your enemies closer. King is keeping Hamlet close.
He says he will try to obey his mother.
See directly into the mind of the character through Hamlets monologue
Hamlet is pissed. Characterizes his dad as such a great king then his uncle to satyr which is a goat and horrible acts. Hamlet implies that he wishes he didn't have to sit here and see all of this happen. Hamlet is now thinking about suicide because he doesn't have to see this not because he is sad or crazy. He's not giving up he's pissed. Also bashing on his mom. Implying that she did not love his father, that she was a slut, and recognizing incest. Ashamed of her and feels betrayed. Should have mourned a lot longer. Allusion to bible about suicide and being a sin. Against biblical references.
His tone of the questions was now investigative detective, asking very detailed questions. Fact based questions. Dispassionate more interested in details. Contrast between passionate and dispassionate. Very intelligent teenager who is in his wits. Very appropriate and mature conversation with Horatio and Marcellus.
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Connecting With the World Around Me
In order to have resources from other students and/or classes studying Hamlet, I emailed two teachers from within the United States to inform their students about my blog and explain to them what I am looking for, which of course was with someone to collaborate with. I also signed up to comment on this website that talked about teaching Hamlet through digital media. I commented on one of the posts and hope to hear back from the people who had already commented. This took me quite awhile as I was unaware how or where to find other people studying Hamlet. After about an hour looking and browsing the Internet, I found three contacts to try and get in touch with. I am now awaiting their responses and will get back to you on what they responded or if they responded at all!
Monday, October 13, 2014
Vocabulary Fall List 6
1. abase - verb cause to feel shame; hurt the pride of
The teacher abased the students when she told them that her prior classes were much smarter than her class this year.
2. abdicate - verb give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
The king abdicated his throne to his brother because he was unable to fulfill his responsibilities.
3. abomination - noun an action that is vicious or vile; an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence; a person who is loathsome or disgusting; hate coupled with disgust
The abomination from the crowd, resulted in the performers decision to never return.
4. brusque - adj. marked by rude or peremptory shortness
The brusque comment really upset the co-worker, which resulted in no affiliation between the works for many weeks.
5. saboteur - noun someone who commits sabotage or deliberately causes wrecks; a member of a clandestine subversive organization who tries to help a potential invader
The saboteur was torturing the journalists for writing about his country and people.
6. debauchery - noun a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity
The basketball team had a debauchery after winning the NCAA championship, as they deserved it.
7. proliferate - verb cause to grow or increase rapidly; grow rapidly
The plant proliferated due to the excessive amount of sun that it was exposed to.
8. anachronism - noun an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age; something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
The man said that he had seen dinosaurs in the park, which was obviously an anachronism.
9. nomenclature - noun a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline
The scientist talked of the nomenclature, which was used to name all of the possible theories he had come up with.
10. expurgate - verb edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
The teacher expurgated the personal statement, leaving a lot of work for the student.
11. bellicose - adj. having or showing a ready disposition to fight
The group of bellicose boys were always getting in trouble for fist fighting during physical education.
12. gauche - adj. lacking social polish
The gauche girl had no friends and was very difficult to talk with, many felt bad for her.
13. rapacious - adj. excessively greedy and grasping; devouring or craving food in great quantities; living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey
The rapacious lion was taking all of the food supply and eating all of the animals in the jungle.
14. paradox - noun (logic) a statement that contradicts itself
Many authors use paradox in their writing to reveal a truth in an unusual way.
15. conundrum - noun a difficult problem
In Advanced Placement Chemistry, the students come across conundrums every day, due to the difficulty of the course.
16. anomaly - noun (astronomy) position of a planet as defined by its angular distance from its perihelion (as observed from the sun); a person who is unusual; deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
The writing was very anomaly, which the teacher really appreciated because it wasn't the original five paragraph essay.
17. ephemeral - adj. lasting a very short time; noun anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
The ephemeral holiday only lasted one week and then everyone was headed back to reality.
18. rancorous - adj. showing deep-seated resentment
The rancorous player was still bitter that someone had taken her starting position.
19. churlish - adj. having a bad disposition; surly; rude and boorish
The churlish student always made fun of the students who needed help and did not understand the lesson.
20. precipitous - adj. characterized by precipices; extremely steep; done with very great haste and without due deliberation
The precipitous mountain was very intense and only the expert hikers would attempt to tackle this mountain.
The teacher abased the students when she told them that her prior classes were much smarter than her class this year.
2. abdicate - verb give up, such as power, as of monarchs and emperors, or duties and obligations
The king abdicated his throne to his brother because he was unable to fulfill his responsibilities.
3. abomination - noun an action that is vicious or vile; an action that arouses disgust or abhorrence; a person who is loathsome or disgusting; hate coupled with disgust
The abomination from the crowd, resulted in the performers decision to never return.
4. brusque - adj. marked by rude or peremptory shortness
The brusque comment really upset the co-worker, which resulted in no affiliation between the works for many weeks.
5. saboteur - noun someone who commits sabotage or deliberately causes wrecks; a member of a clandestine subversive organization who tries to help a potential invader
The saboteur was torturing the journalists for writing about his country and people.
6. debauchery - noun a wild gathering involving excessive drinking and promiscuity
The basketball team had a debauchery after winning the NCAA championship, as they deserved it.
7. proliferate - verb cause to grow or increase rapidly; grow rapidly
The plant proliferated due to the excessive amount of sun that it was exposed to.
8. anachronism - noun an artifact that belongs to another time; a person who seems to be displaced in time; who belongs to another age; something located at a time when it could not have existed or occurred
The man said that he had seen dinosaurs in the park, which was obviously an anachronism.
9. nomenclature - noun a system of words used to name things in a particular discipline
The scientist talked of the nomenclature, which was used to name all of the possible theories he had come up with.
10. expurgate - verb edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
The teacher expurgated the personal statement, leaving a lot of work for the student.
11. bellicose - adj. having or showing a ready disposition to fight
The group of bellicose boys were always getting in trouble for fist fighting during physical education.
12. gauche - adj. lacking social polish
The gauche girl had no friends and was very difficult to talk with, many felt bad for her.
13. rapacious - adj. excessively greedy and grasping; devouring or craving food in great quantities; living by preying on other animals especially by catching living prey
The rapacious lion was taking all of the food supply and eating all of the animals in the jungle.
14. paradox - noun (logic) a statement that contradicts itself
Many authors use paradox in their writing to reveal a truth in an unusual way.
15. conundrum - noun a difficult problem
In Advanced Placement Chemistry, the students come across conundrums every day, due to the difficulty of the course.
16. anomaly - noun (astronomy) position of a planet as defined by its angular distance from its perihelion (as observed from the sun); a person who is unusual; deviation from the normal or common order or form or rule
The writing was very anomaly, which the teacher really appreciated because it wasn't the original five paragraph essay.
17. ephemeral - adj. lasting a very short time; noun anything short-lived, as an insect that lives only for a day in its winged form
The ephemeral holiday only lasted one week and then everyone was headed back to reality.
18. rancorous - adj. showing deep-seated resentment
The rancorous player was still bitter that someone had taken her starting position.
19. churlish - adj. having a bad disposition; surly; rude and boorish
The churlish student always made fun of the students who needed help and did not understand the lesson.
20. precipitous - adj. characterized by precipices; extremely steep; done with very great haste and without due deliberation
The precipitous mountain was very intense and only the expert hikers would attempt to tackle this mountain.
Sunday, October 12, 2014
Canterbury Tales Transmedia Final Essay
Geoffrey Chaucer, the author of the Canterbury Tales, writes about the tales of others with different tones and syntax in order to reveal the irony that extends throughout the story and shows the bad or negative side of society. Through the actions of the characters individually and as a whole,Chaucer can both question and honor the literary and social traditions. By using different stories and social statuses, Chaucer shows how unity can be found in unusual circumstances.
This picture resembles all of the different personalities and social statuses coming together into one. In a puzzle there are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of puzzle pieces that come together to make one picture. Chaucer uses the same idea to show how even totally different people can be connected in some way. In the Canterbury Tales, all of the characters are very different, but all there for the purpose of paying respects.
This video represents the excessive amount of irony used throughout this story, specifically as a literary technique. Chaucer uses irony to reveal the message. He uses irony when discussing the group as a whole, but also throughout each individual story. One example of irony is in the Cook's Tale, he is kicked out of his apprenticeship and ruins his reputation, but still does not care and continues with his bad decisions.
This picture reveals the irony in the story as an overall message of the story. All of these people are essentially the same, but the contrast between light and dark show the differences between them. This is shown in the Canterbury Tales when the entire group of people are going to pay their respects to the dead, but they are in it for winning the competition. The irony reveals that all humans have flaws and are the same in never being perfect. Chaucer shows this by first separating the group entirely by class and appearance, but brings them together through the journey.
This picture resembles how Chaucer used each character to represent the different levels of society, yet they were all together doing the same thing, accomplishing the same thing. Chaucer does this by using different point of views. One story may be told through the red people's point of view or the blue people's point of view, yet it is the same topic. The group is only doing better and making more understanding by using all of the point of views together.
These two videos show characterization in a way that every one can understand. This is similar to how Chaucer uses both direct and indirect characterization. Chaucer uses this technique to show the different sides of people and to develop a character more profoundly. By doing this Chaucer can reveal the similarities within the mass of different people.
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This picture shows how Chaucer reveals the negative side of humanity and how humanity is connected through their flaws and mistakes. Chaucer focused on the negative aspects rather than the positive aspects because it is easier to find flaws in people than it is to find positive things. The trees unite in the picture in the dark side and as the light becomes more noticeable, the trees start to separate, yet they all lie within the same field.
This pictures shows the unity that Chaucer hoped to achieve. His purpose was to show all the differences and bring them together by the end. The story overall resembled unity in that they all came together to accomplish the same thing. The point being no matter how different and/or rich or poor people are they can all come together in order to be bigger and better, but also can unite through the flaws that each person has.
This picture resembles all of the different personalities and social statuses coming together into one. In a puzzle there are hundreds, sometimes thousands, of puzzle pieces that come together to make one picture. Chaucer uses the same idea to show how even totally different people can be connected in some way. In the Canterbury Tales, all of the characters are very different, but all there for the purpose of paying respects.
This video represents the excessive amount of irony used throughout this story, specifically as a literary technique. Chaucer uses irony to reveal the message. He uses irony when discussing the group as a whole, but also throughout each individual story. One example of irony is in the Cook's Tale, he is kicked out of his apprenticeship and ruins his reputation, but still does not care and continues with his bad decisions.
These two videos show characterization in a way that every one can understand. This is similar to how Chaucer uses both direct and indirect characterization. Chaucer uses this technique to show the different sides of people and to develop a character more profoundly. By doing this Chaucer can reveal the similarities within the mass of different people.
This pictures shows the unity that Chaucer hoped to achieve. His purpose was to show all the differences and bring them together by the end. The story overall resembled unity in that they all came together to accomplish the same thing. The point being no matter how different and/or rich or poor people are they can all come together in order to be bigger and better, but also can unite through the flaws that each person has.
Literature Analysis #2
The Color Purple
By: Alice Walker
1. Exposition: Nettie and Celie are sisters that live in the South with their mama and pa. Celie is the chunky and unattractive sister that no one really likes, while Nettie is the extremely pretty and intelligent sister that everyone likes. The sisters pa is only their step-father, which they find out later. Celie and Nettie's mom die, which means pa aims his focus on Celie. Celie is raped by her pa multiple times, which was why her mother had resentment towards her before her death. Celie has two children, which are both from her pa. As soon as the children are born they are taken from Celie and she never sees them again. She never knew if they were killed or given away, she only knew that she would never see them again. Pa starts to get tired of Celie and wants to have sexual relations with Nettie, but Celie tries to keep him satisfied for as long as possible.
Rising Action: Mr. is a neighbor of the family, who recently lost his wife. She was cheating on him and ran home to go be with her husband and her "boyfriend" shot her. Mr. needed someone to take care of his children for him so he went looking for a new wife. He went to pa and asked if he could purchase Nettie from him. Pa refused to give Nettie away as he still wanted to have sexual intercourse with her. Pa offered Celie to Mr. , who at first did not want her whatsoever. Finally, Mr. decided to take Celie, not because he loved her or wanted her, but because he needed someone to take care of his children for him. His children were very evil and extremely mean, which is why it was hard for him to find a "wife." Celie does not want to leave her sister with pa and is afraid she will never see her again.
Conflict: While Celie is living with Mr. , she is physically abused, forced to have sex with him, and treated very poorly by his children. She hates her life with him and always obeys everything that he says, so that she wont be beaten. Nettie escapes from pa's house and comes to stay with Celie. They enjoy their time together, but Mr. tells Celie that Nettie must leave and find another place to stay. Celie doesn't want her sister to leave, but rather would leave with her and live a much better life. Also, Celie had gone to the market with Mr. and saw her daughter with another women; she was absolutely sure that it had been her daughter just by her looks and personality. Celie wants to try and find her daughter again and take her back.
Climax: After many years with Mr. and Shug, which was a friend of Mr. who lived with them for a few years, Celie finally announces that she is going to leave Mr. . She had tolerated his abuse for too many years and now Shug was helping her to get away from him. What triggered Celie to leave was when she found all of the letters from Nettie from over the years that Mr. had been hiding from her. She was so upset that he had taken her sister from her that she decided to leave.
Falling Action: Celie goes to live with Shug and spends a lot of her time sewing pants. She makes pants for all of her friends and family, but then starts to make a business out of it. She is extremely happy and enjoying life, writing letters back and forth with Nettie, who was now in Africa with Celie's children. Celie gets a call from pa's new wife and finds out that he had passed away and the house was left to her and her sister. Celie decides to move away from Shug who had now become her secret lover. She goes to live in her new house after being heartbroken by Shug who decided to be with a young guy that was half her age.
Resolution: While living in her new house, Celie begins to talk to Mr. again but in a way that they respected each other. She would sit with him and joke, talk, and sew pants all day. He was all she had since Shug had left her and Nettie had not come back from Africa. After a long time she accept Mr. as a friend again and they hung out every day. Shug comes back and wants to be with Celie again and Nettie returns from Africa with Celie's children. They all live together between Celie and Mr. 's house.
The story fulfills the author's purpose of wanting to break through the barriers of always being held back and treated poorly. Also, to show the connection between two loved ones and how no matter how far away they are from each other, they will always be together in their hearts. The author shows these messages through the relationships between Celie and Nettie and Celie and Mr. .
2. The theme of this story is to show people that if you keep trying and keeping working for what you want, no matter what comes across your path, you will get what you want someday. Celie is raped, cheated on, physically and mentally abused and is still an amazing, loving person that finally has her own house and own business. Another potential theme is that true and real love will always keep a connection. Nettie and Celie did not talk for over ten years and were at opposite ends of the world, but still prayed to each other and used each other as inspiration every day without knowing if the other one was still alive.
3. The tone is bitter and tragic because Celie is so angry at all of the bad things that have happened to her and her family.
"I say it cause I'm a fool, I say, I say it cause I'm jealous of you. I say it cause you do what I can't." Pg 40 This shows how Celie is bitter towards Sophia because she can stand up for herself, while Celie cannot.
"My daddy lynch. My mama crazy. All my little half brothers and sisters no kin to me. My children not my sister and brother. Pa not pa." Pg 177
This quote shows all the tragic and horrible things that Celie has been through. She is almost giving up, but Shug helps her to get back to herself.
"You a lowdown dog is what's wrong, I say. It's time to leave you and enter into the Creation. And your dead body just the welcome mat I need." Pg199
This shows Celie's anger towards Mr. and all of her resentment towards him for everything that he has done to her.
4. Imagery: "First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sory of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and git used to it." Pg 1
This quote creates vivid pictures in my mind and shows just another struggle that Celie must face throughout her life.
Anaphora: "By time I git back from the well, the water be warm. By the time I git the tray ready the food be cold. By the time I git all the children ready for school it be dinner time." Pg 2
This use of repetition is used to show and reiterate that Celie is unattractive and not liked by many people.
Vernacular: "Don't nobody come see us. She got sicker an sicker. Finally she ast Where it is? I say God took it." Pg 2
This shows how Celie was uneducated and talked with a southern accent, which was yet another struggle she encountered, not being intelligent enough.
Metaphor: "And your dead body just be the welcome mat I need." Pg 199
This shows how bitter Celie really is even though she had never expressed it out loud before.
Point of View: "When I told Shug I'm writing to you instead of to God, she laugh." Pg 198
This shows that Celie talks in first person and is the narrator of the story.
Idiom: "Such good peoples, that's the truth. The salt of the earth. But-time to move on." Pg 199
This explains why Celie needs to leave and move on to something that doesn't remind her of all the pain she has endured.
Symbolism: "I remember one time you said your life made you feel so ashamed you couldn't even talk about it to God, you had to write it, bad as you thought your writing was. Well, now I know what you meant." And whether God will read letters or no, I know you will go on writing them; which is guidance enough for me." Pg 130
God symbolizes Celie's safe place and where she can vent about how horrible and tragic her life is, but God also symbolizes the relationship between Nettie and Celie. Through God, the sisters were able to stay united and be connected.
Personification: "It all I can do not to cry. I make myself wood. I say to myself, Celie, you a tree. That's how come I know trees fear man."
This shows how Celie truly fears all men because of the bad experiences she has been through.
Motif: "Dear God. Dear stars, dear trees, dear sky, dear peoples. Dear everything. Dear God." Pg 285
Letters are the recurring motif in this story, whether the letter are between Celie and Nettie or Celie and God. The letters allow for emotion and inside thoughts, rather than just the simple events being told.
Allusion: "It's time to leave you and enter into the Creation." Pg 199
Celie refers to going into the Creation in which she is referring to heaven. She is finally being lifted by God and into a better place, her Heaven, away from her past.
Characterization:
1. Direct Characterization: "I am fourteen years old. I have always been a good girl. Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me." Pg1
This quote shows how innocent and confused Celie was in the beginning about why this was all happening to her.
"I ain't never struck a living thing, I say. Oh, when I was at home I tap the little ones on the behind to make 'em behave, but not hard enough to hurt." Pg 41
This quote shows how Celie is against violence because she has experienced it so much in her own life.
Indirect Characterization: "I think bout this when Harpo ast me what he ought to do to her to make her mind. I don't mention how happy he is now. How three years pass and he still whistle and sing. I think about how every time I jump when Mr. call me, she look surprise. And like she pity me. Beat her. I say." Pg 36
This quote shows Celie's hate and jealousy towards Sophia because she had never been beaten like Celia had. She had so much anger and resentment in her, that she made a foolish decision and gave bad advice to Harpo.
"I talk to myself a lot, standing in front the mirror. Celie, I say, happiness was just a trick in your case. Just cause you never had any before Shug, you thought it was time to have some, and that it was gon last. Even thought you had the trees with you. The whole earth. The stars. But look at you. When Shug let, happiness desert." Pg 259
This quote shows that Celie has a hard time finding happiness because all she has ever known is sadness and tragedy.
The author uses both approaches to show the opposite sides of her. The direct characterization makes Celie seem so innocent and unaware, but the indirect characterization shows her evil and resentment side. I feel like I was able to see both sides of Celie through the authors approach.
2. When Celie is describing someone close and important to her the diction and syntax change in that there is a light rather than the darkness that is often revealed throughout the story. Throughout most of the story, the diction and syntax stay the same; she is still uneducated and still has resentment because she is the ugliest and least intelligent, but when she talks about Shug and Nettie, there is a sparkle that isn't seen throughout the rest of the story. Example: "Shug Avery was a woman. The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She more pretty then my mama. She bout ten thousand times prettier then me." Pg 6
3. Celie is the protagonist of this story. She is dynamic because she goes from being taken advantage of and always obeying others, even when she didn't want to do what they said, to holding her own and doing what was right for herself. She is a round character because she is fully developed and her true person is shown, whether it be her good side or her bad side.
4. I believe that I truly met a person. Celie tells her story as if she is talking to someone extremely close to her. I feel like I am her best friend and she is sharing all of her problems and struggles with me. "First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and git used to it." When Celie said this, I felt like she was directly talking to me because people don't just share these stories with anything or anyone. They only share these types of experiences with people that are really close to them. So already at page one I felt like I was Celie's close friend.
By: Alice Walker
1. Exposition: Nettie and Celie are sisters that live in the South with their mama and pa. Celie is the chunky and unattractive sister that no one really likes, while Nettie is the extremely pretty and intelligent sister that everyone likes. The sisters pa is only their step-father, which they find out later. Celie and Nettie's mom die, which means pa aims his focus on Celie. Celie is raped by her pa multiple times, which was why her mother had resentment towards her before her death. Celie has two children, which are both from her pa. As soon as the children are born they are taken from Celie and she never sees them again. She never knew if they were killed or given away, she only knew that she would never see them again. Pa starts to get tired of Celie and wants to have sexual relations with Nettie, but Celie tries to keep him satisfied for as long as possible.
Rising Action: Mr. is a neighbor of the family, who recently lost his wife. She was cheating on him and ran home to go be with her husband and her "boyfriend" shot her. Mr. needed someone to take care of his children for him so he went looking for a new wife. He went to pa and asked if he could purchase Nettie from him. Pa refused to give Nettie away as he still wanted to have sexual intercourse with her. Pa offered Celie to Mr. , who at first did not want her whatsoever. Finally, Mr. decided to take Celie, not because he loved her or wanted her, but because he needed someone to take care of his children for him. His children were very evil and extremely mean, which is why it was hard for him to find a "wife." Celie does not want to leave her sister with pa and is afraid she will never see her again.
Conflict: While Celie is living with Mr. , she is physically abused, forced to have sex with him, and treated very poorly by his children. She hates her life with him and always obeys everything that he says, so that she wont be beaten. Nettie escapes from pa's house and comes to stay with Celie. They enjoy their time together, but Mr. tells Celie that Nettie must leave and find another place to stay. Celie doesn't want her sister to leave, but rather would leave with her and live a much better life. Also, Celie had gone to the market with Mr. and saw her daughter with another women; she was absolutely sure that it had been her daughter just by her looks and personality. Celie wants to try and find her daughter again and take her back.
Climax: After many years with Mr. and Shug, which was a friend of Mr. who lived with them for a few years, Celie finally announces that she is going to leave Mr. . She had tolerated his abuse for too many years and now Shug was helping her to get away from him. What triggered Celie to leave was when she found all of the letters from Nettie from over the years that Mr. had been hiding from her. She was so upset that he had taken her sister from her that she decided to leave.
Falling Action: Celie goes to live with Shug and spends a lot of her time sewing pants. She makes pants for all of her friends and family, but then starts to make a business out of it. She is extremely happy and enjoying life, writing letters back and forth with Nettie, who was now in Africa with Celie's children. Celie gets a call from pa's new wife and finds out that he had passed away and the house was left to her and her sister. Celie decides to move away from Shug who had now become her secret lover. She goes to live in her new house after being heartbroken by Shug who decided to be with a young guy that was half her age.
Resolution: While living in her new house, Celie begins to talk to Mr. again but in a way that they respected each other. She would sit with him and joke, talk, and sew pants all day. He was all she had since Shug had left her and Nettie had not come back from Africa. After a long time she accept Mr. as a friend again and they hung out every day. Shug comes back and wants to be with Celie again and Nettie returns from Africa with Celie's children. They all live together between Celie and Mr. 's house.
The story fulfills the author's purpose of wanting to break through the barriers of always being held back and treated poorly. Also, to show the connection between two loved ones and how no matter how far away they are from each other, they will always be together in their hearts. The author shows these messages through the relationships between Celie and Nettie and Celie and Mr. .
2. The theme of this story is to show people that if you keep trying and keeping working for what you want, no matter what comes across your path, you will get what you want someday. Celie is raped, cheated on, physically and mentally abused and is still an amazing, loving person that finally has her own house and own business. Another potential theme is that true and real love will always keep a connection. Nettie and Celie did not talk for over ten years and were at opposite ends of the world, but still prayed to each other and used each other as inspiration every day without knowing if the other one was still alive.
3. The tone is bitter and tragic because Celie is so angry at all of the bad things that have happened to her and her family.
"I say it cause I'm a fool, I say, I say it cause I'm jealous of you. I say it cause you do what I can't." Pg 40 This shows how Celie is bitter towards Sophia because she can stand up for herself, while Celie cannot.
"My daddy lynch. My mama crazy. All my little half brothers and sisters no kin to me. My children not my sister and brother. Pa not pa." Pg 177
This quote shows all the tragic and horrible things that Celie has been through. She is almost giving up, but Shug helps her to get back to herself.
"You a lowdown dog is what's wrong, I say. It's time to leave you and enter into the Creation. And your dead body just the welcome mat I need." Pg199
This shows Celie's anger towards Mr. and all of her resentment towards him for everything that he has done to her.
4. Imagery: "First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sory of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and git used to it." Pg 1
This quote creates vivid pictures in my mind and shows just another struggle that Celie must face throughout her life.
Anaphora: "By time I git back from the well, the water be warm. By the time I git the tray ready the food be cold. By the time I git all the children ready for school it be dinner time." Pg 2
This use of repetition is used to show and reiterate that Celie is unattractive and not liked by many people.
Vernacular: "Don't nobody come see us. She got sicker an sicker. Finally she ast Where it is? I say God took it." Pg 2
This shows how Celie was uneducated and talked with a southern accent, which was yet another struggle she encountered, not being intelligent enough.
Metaphor: "And your dead body just be the welcome mat I need." Pg 199
This shows how bitter Celie really is even though she had never expressed it out loud before.
Point of View: "When I told Shug I'm writing to you instead of to God, she laugh." Pg 198
This shows that Celie talks in first person and is the narrator of the story.
Idiom: "Such good peoples, that's the truth. The salt of the earth. But-time to move on." Pg 199
This explains why Celie needs to leave and move on to something that doesn't remind her of all the pain she has endured.
Symbolism: "I remember one time you said your life made you feel so ashamed you couldn't even talk about it to God, you had to write it, bad as you thought your writing was. Well, now I know what you meant." And whether God will read letters or no, I know you will go on writing them; which is guidance enough for me." Pg 130
God symbolizes Celie's safe place and where she can vent about how horrible and tragic her life is, but God also symbolizes the relationship between Nettie and Celie. Through God, the sisters were able to stay united and be connected.
Personification: "It all I can do not to cry. I make myself wood. I say to myself, Celie, you a tree. That's how come I know trees fear man."
This shows how Celie truly fears all men because of the bad experiences she has been through.
Motif: "Dear God. Dear stars, dear trees, dear sky, dear peoples. Dear everything. Dear God." Pg 285
Letters are the recurring motif in this story, whether the letter are between Celie and Nettie or Celie and God. The letters allow for emotion and inside thoughts, rather than just the simple events being told.
Allusion: "It's time to leave you and enter into the Creation." Pg 199
Celie refers to going into the Creation in which she is referring to heaven. She is finally being lifted by God and into a better place, her Heaven, away from her past.
Characterization:
1. Direct Characterization: "I am fourteen years old. I have always been a good girl. Maybe you can give me a sign letting me know what is happening to me." Pg1
This quote shows how innocent and confused Celie was in the beginning about why this was all happening to her.
"I ain't never struck a living thing, I say. Oh, when I was at home I tap the little ones on the behind to make 'em behave, but not hard enough to hurt." Pg 41
This quote shows how Celie is against violence because she has experienced it so much in her own life.
Indirect Characterization: "I think bout this when Harpo ast me what he ought to do to her to make her mind. I don't mention how happy he is now. How three years pass and he still whistle and sing. I think about how every time I jump when Mr. call me, she look surprise. And like she pity me. Beat her. I say." Pg 36
This quote shows Celie's hate and jealousy towards Sophia because she had never been beaten like Celia had. She had so much anger and resentment in her, that she made a foolish decision and gave bad advice to Harpo.
"I talk to myself a lot, standing in front the mirror. Celie, I say, happiness was just a trick in your case. Just cause you never had any before Shug, you thought it was time to have some, and that it was gon last. Even thought you had the trees with you. The whole earth. The stars. But look at you. When Shug let, happiness desert." Pg 259
This quote shows that Celie has a hard time finding happiness because all she has ever known is sadness and tragedy.
The author uses both approaches to show the opposite sides of her. The direct characterization makes Celie seem so innocent and unaware, but the indirect characterization shows her evil and resentment side. I feel like I was able to see both sides of Celie through the authors approach.
2. When Celie is describing someone close and important to her the diction and syntax change in that there is a light rather than the darkness that is often revealed throughout the story. Throughout most of the story, the diction and syntax stay the same; she is still uneducated and still has resentment because she is the ugliest and least intelligent, but when she talks about Shug and Nettie, there is a sparkle that isn't seen throughout the rest of the story. Example: "Shug Avery was a woman. The most beautiful woman I ever saw. She more pretty then my mama. She bout ten thousand times prettier then me." Pg 6
3. Celie is the protagonist of this story. She is dynamic because she goes from being taken advantage of and always obeying others, even when she didn't want to do what they said, to holding her own and doing what was right for herself. She is a round character because she is fully developed and her true person is shown, whether it be her good side or her bad side.
4. I believe that I truly met a person. Celie tells her story as if she is talking to someone extremely close to her. I feel like I am her best friend and she is sharing all of her problems and struggles with me. "First he put his thing up gainst my hip and sort of wiggle it around. Then he grab hold my titties. Then he push his thing inside my pussy. When that hurt, I cry. He start to choke me, saying you better shut up and git used to it." When Celie said this, I felt like she was directly talking to me because people don't just share these stories with anything or anyone. They only share these types of experiences with people that are really close to them. So already at page one I felt like I was Celie's close friend.
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