Neddy Merrill, the main character in John Cheever's "The Swimmer" is one of the most unique characters in literature to analyze. While many, including Rose in her post on the story, suggest that Ned is swimming to escape his problems and re-present himself to society as a legendary figure, I believe that it is the total opposite.
I maintain that it is evident by the plot of the story that Ned is not swimming away from the harshness of reality, but rather straight toward reality's blunt force. For example, as the story develops, Ned's realization about his situation becomes more and more evident to all involved - the reader, those around Ned, and Neddy himself. If it were truly the case that his swimming were a sign of his furthering alcoholism, the Ned's fantasy world would continue and persist. Rather, the oppoiste occurs. The cold (figuraetively and literally) reality sets in more and more with each pool passed along the journey. Only after this journey is complete does Ned realize fully the negative repercussins that his problems have had on his life. He is not a decorated neighbor as he desired to become at the outset of his swim. Rather, he thoughts for the very first time seem sober and clear, and reality (for better or worse) wins out over fiction.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
The Glass Menagerie
It has been said by multiple people in the class (both through posts and in-class discussions) that Tom has lived a trapped and enclosed existence in which he longs to be personally free to achieve whatever goals that he sets. I, however, through careful analysis of the last scene in the play (Tom after he has finally left his family behind), argue differently than those who make the above point.
I believe that Tom has lived a life not of entrapment, but rather one in which he has been running from reality for quite some time. Tom is afraid to enter into the world where on the surface he says that he longs for. He hides this fear by blaming both Laura and Amamda for him still remaining home and in a job that he despises. It is Tom, though, that is holding himself back. He is holding himself from truly understanding that problems afflicting both his mother and sister. He is holding himself back from escaping a fantasy world in which he is the victim. He is holding himself back from confronting reality head-on. And finally, and most importantly (after reading the end of the play), he is holding himself back from expressing the feelings such as these that lie deep within his character. He truly cares for Laura (and Amanda to some extent). It is only after he leaves for good that he lets his mind capture the truth - with this truth being that he has run from the one thing that he truly has longed for the entire time.
I believe that Tom has lived a life not of entrapment, but rather one in which he has been running from reality for quite some time. Tom is afraid to enter into the world where on the surface he says that he longs for. He hides this fear by blaming both Laura and Amamda for him still remaining home and in a job that he despises. It is Tom, though, that is holding himself back. He is holding himself from truly understanding that problems afflicting both his mother and sister. He is holding himself back from escaping a fantasy world in which he is the victim. He is holding himself back from confronting reality head-on. And finally, and most importantly (after reading the end of the play), he is holding himself back from expressing the feelings such as these that lie deep within his character. He truly cares for Laura (and Amanda to some extent). It is only after he leaves for good that he lets his mind capture the truth - with this truth being that he has run from the one thing that he truly has longed for the entire time.
"Barbie Doll" by Marge Piercy
In response to Richardson's last post commenting on the different themes expressed by poet Marge Piercy in "Barbie Doll," I would have to wholeheartedly echo the sentiments written. "Barbie Doll" indeed raises questions to the reader on the effects of society on a woman's self-image.
I wanted to elaborate on what Richardson was contemplating in terms of the poem. It is most interesting to me that at the end of poem, there is not combattance by the protagonist to society's sterotypes. In fact, it seems that there is no way out at all for the girl trying to escape her personal reality in attempts to achieve what others deem to be "right" or "beautiful." Only in death, both literally and figureatively, can she attain acceptance with those around her. Furthermore, upon the achievement of those around her finally noticing her, Piercy plays on the great irony of the situation. While most of her life (she was assigned toys from infancy, as Richardson points out) is centered around playing the role assigned by society, the person who finally achieves societal acceptance is not the same girl that was born in the firts stanza of the poem. She needed to fully transform her persona, physically and otherwise, to attain what she had been longing for. In this way, is the completion of her goal in the last few lines of the poem tainted because the "victor" was not even herself?
I wanted to elaborate on what Richardson was contemplating in terms of the poem. It is most interesting to me that at the end of poem, there is not combattance by the protagonist to society's sterotypes. In fact, it seems that there is no way out at all for the girl trying to escape her personal reality in attempts to achieve what others deem to be "right" or "beautiful." Only in death, both literally and figureatively, can she attain acceptance with those around her. Furthermore, upon the achievement of those around her finally noticing her, Piercy plays on the great irony of the situation. While most of her life (she was assigned toys from infancy, as Richardson points out) is centered around playing the role assigned by society, the person who finally achieves societal acceptance is not the same girl that was born in the firts stanza of the poem. She needed to fully transform her persona, physically and otherwise, to attain what she had been longing for. In this way, is the completion of her goal in the last few lines of the poem tainted because the "victor" was not even herself?
"Everyday Use" and heritage
In response to Rose's post regarding the concept of heritage in Alice Walker's "Everyday Use," I would have to say that it is undeniable to argue that Walker goes out of her way to make a distinct difference between what heritage means to sisters Dee (later Wangero and Maggie).
However, I would have to vehemently disagree with one of Rose's points - namely, that "the longer generations stay in America, their language, culture and traditions begin to fade." I believe that this is precisely the opposite of what Walker attempted to convey in her story. Through her description of Maggie and Dee, Walker certainly seems to choose sides between the two sisters. To her, Maggie's understanding of heritage is the right and true form. This culminates in one of the final scenes when the narrator and mother of the story stands up and defends Maggie's understanding of the importance of their family history.
Thus, in this case it is not that language, culture, and traditions are fading. Walker makes a point through her story to depict that Maggie and her mother and their family have created a new culture - not a culture any worse than that which Dee chooses to look back upon. The history of the family as slaves in America is just as important as their beginnings in Africa. The whittled wood, worn bench, or old quilt do not need to be ways to look back on what used to be - they are ways to recognize what has been and what is in the present.
However, I would have to vehemently disagree with one of Rose's points - namely, that "the longer generations stay in America, their language, culture and traditions begin to fade." I believe that this is precisely the opposite of what Walker attempted to convey in her story. Through her description of Maggie and Dee, Walker certainly seems to choose sides between the two sisters. To her, Maggie's understanding of heritage is the right and true form. This culminates in one of the final scenes when the narrator and mother of the story stands up and defends Maggie's understanding of the importance of their family history.
Thus, in this case it is not that language, culture, and traditions are fading. Walker makes a point through her story to depict that Maggie and her mother and their family have created a new culture - not a culture any worse than that which Dee chooses to look back upon. The history of the family as slaves in America is just as important as their beginnings in Africa. The whittled wood, worn bench, or old quilt do not need to be ways to look back on what used to be - they are ways to recognize what has been and what is in the present.
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