Intro-"How'd He Do That?"
When reading literature it's easier to comprehend the story when one can identify what symbols and patterns mean. These concepts are what hide the true meaning of what the author wanted to say without directly saying it. In "The Great Gatsby," Fitzgerald uses symbols numerous times in his story. For example, Dr. Ekelburg's eyes representing that someone is always watching or the green light at the end of the Buchanon's dock symbolizing hope for Gatsby. Both of these ideas helped me put the story together. The symbols and patterns in this book illustrated what Fitzgerald wanted his book to be about.
When reading literature it's easier to comprehend the story when one can identify what symbols and patterns mean. These concepts are what hide the true meaning of what the author wanted to say without directly saying it. In "The Great Gatsby," Fitzgerald uses symbols numerous times in his story. For example, Dr. Ekelburg's eyes representing that someone is always watching or the green light at the end of the Buchanon's dock symbolizing hope for Gatsby. Both of these ideas helped me put the story together. The symbols and patterns in this book illustrated what Fitzgerald wanted his book to be about.
Chapter 1: "Every Trip Is a Quest (Except When It's Not)"
The five steps in QUEST apply to any book when the character needs to go somewhere. The steps include: 1.) a quester, 2.) a place to go, 3.) a stated reason to go there, 4.) challenges and trials, and 5.) a real reason to go there. In the last book I read, "Time Between Us," one of the protagonists, Bennett, goes on a "QUEST."
1.) Our Quester: Bennett is a teenage boy from 2012 who can travel through time, although it is limited to only the length of time he's been alive.
2.) A place to go/reason to go there: In one of Bennett's time traveling stunts with his sister, Bennett gets forced back from the past to his present because he wasn't traveling within his lifetime. His sister however, was alive during this time and gets forced to stay behind. In order to find his sister, Bennett travels back in time to 1995 Chicago where he hopes to run into her.
3.) Challenges and trials: Not long after going back in time, Bennett discovers he doesn't have a firm grasp on the past. He is constantly getting pushed back to his future causing him to get killer migraines (which occur every time he travels back.) He also learns that it's not as easy as finding his sister as he hoped and ends up staying in the past much longer than he anticipated.
4.) The real reason to go: On his first day at his new school in 1995 Bennett meets Anna, a girl who has never left the midwest. After desperately trying to stay away from her, because he knows that the time difference would prove to be difficult, he gets to know her. And after spending more and more time with her he begins to realize she's the true reason he keeps going back to 1995.
The five steps in QUEST apply to any book when the character needs to go somewhere. The steps include: 1.) a quester, 2.) a place to go, 3.) a stated reason to go there, 4.) challenges and trials, and 5.) a real reason to go there. In the last book I read, "Time Between Us," one of the protagonists, Bennett, goes on a "QUEST."
1.) Our Quester: Bennett is a teenage boy from 2012 who can travel through time, although it is limited to only the length of time he's been alive.
2.) A place to go/reason to go there: In one of Bennett's time traveling stunts with his sister, Bennett gets forced back from the past to his present because he wasn't traveling within his lifetime. His sister however, was alive during this time and gets forced to stay behind. In order to find his sister, Bennett travels back in time to 1995 Chicago where he hopes to run into her.
3.) Challenges and trials: Not long after going back in time, Bennett discovers he doesn't have a firm grasp on the past. He is constantly getting pushed back to his future causing him to get killer migraines (which occur every time he travels back.) He also learns that it's not as easy as finding his sister as he hoped and ends up staying in the past much longer than he anticipated.
4.) The real reason to go: On his first day at his new school in 1995 Bennett meets Anna, a girl who has never left the midwest. After desperately trying to stay away from her, because he knows that the time difference would prove to be difficult, he gets to know her. And after spending more and more time with her he begins to realize she's the true reason he keeps going back to 1995.
Chapter 2: "Nice to Eat with You: Acts of Communion"
A meal does more than just supplement the needs that one may have to make it through the day, when shared with people it creates a common connection between the people eating it. At one point in "Left Drowning" by Jessica Park, Blythe, and her new friends that year, the Shepherds, meet for dinner to reunite after Christmas break. Although initially Blythe was not informed of the dinner, she runs into Chris and they have a rather unexpected reunion. Blythe tags along to the family dinner to hear all about her friends' vacation to Hawaii and to share the time she spent with her brother over break. Among the five of them, they all take the time to relax and have fun after their eventful vacations. Both Blythe and the Shepherds come from damaged families, and to have a family dinner that actually seems normal is good for them. They all need the sense of normality, even if it comes from a single meal out together.
A meal does more than just supplement the needs that one may have to make it through the day, when shared with people it creates a common connection between the people eating it. At one point in "Left Drowning" by Jessica Park, Blythe, and her new friends that year, the Shepherds, meet for dinner to reunite after Christmas break. Although initially Blythe was not informed of the dinner, she runs into Chris and they have a rather unexpected reunion. Blythe tags along to the family dinner to hear all about her friends' vacation to Hawaii and to share the time she spent with her brother over break. Among the five of them, they all take the time to relax and have fun after their eventful vacations. Both Blythe and the Shepherds come from damaged families, and to have a family dinner that actually seems normal is good for them. They all need the sense of normality, even if it comes from a single meal out together.
Chapter 5: "Now Where Have I Seen Her Before?"
Intertextuality is when works of writing reference or parallel previous works, but they don't directly state it. One example where I have noticed intertextuality is in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" which bases it's story off of Jesus' crucifixion. Knowing that Aslan was intended to represent Jesus helped the rest of the story make sense. The actions that Edmund makes when he betrays Aslan then link to Judas who also betrayed Jesus. Another example is between "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Hunger Games," in both stories the two protagonists are said to be "star-crossed lovers." Peeta finally declares his love for Katniss, but the night before they have to participate in the Hunger Games, which will likely leave them both dead. This parallels the Shakespeare story, Romeo and Juliet just get married and both end their lives at the end of the play. Understanding these references and connections among the stories makes it easier to recognize the patterns and make more sense of the plot.
Intertextuality is when works of writing reference or parallel previous works, but they don't directly state it. One example where I have noticed intertextuality is in "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" which bases it's story off of Jesus' crucifixion. Knowing that Aslan was intended to represent Jesus helped the rest of the story make sense. The actions that Edmund makes when he betrays Aslan then link to Judas who also betrayed Jesus. Another example is between "Romeo and Juliet" and "The Hunger Games," in both stories the two protagonists are said to be "star-crossed lovers." Peeta finally declares his love for Katniss, but the night before they have to participate in the Hunger Games, which will likely leave them both dead. This parallels the Shakespeare story, Romeo and Juliet just get married and both end their lives at the end of the play. Understanding these references and connections among the stories makes it easier to recognize the patterns and make more sense of the plot.
Chapter 7: "...Or the Bible"
In "Araby" James Joyce indirectly uses many Biblical allusions. One that stood out to me was how Magnus' sister took up all of the boy's thoughts, almost as if that he had no control over it. This reminded me of when the Devil took over Eve in the Garden of Eden, the serpent was completely in control. However at another point of the story the girl appears to be angelic in the following line: "The light from the lamp opposite our door caught the white curve of her neck, lit up her hair that rested there and, falling, lit up the hand upon the railing." Another allusion is at the beginning when the boy is describing the garden behind his house that "contained a central apple-tree." The garden in the boy's yard parallels the Garden of Eden in which the serpent tricked Eve into eating the apple from the tree. "Araby" is full of Biblical allusions that help illuminate how the boy feels about the girl.
In "Araby" James Joyce indirectly uses many Biblical allusions. One that stood out to me was how Magnus' sister took up all of the boy's thoughts, almost as if that he had no control over it. This reminded me of when the Devil took over Eve in the Garden of Eden, the serpent was completely in control. However at another point of the story the girl appears to be angelic in the following line: "The light from the lamp opposite our door caught the white curve of her neck, lit up her hair that rested there and, falling, lit up the hand upon the railing." Another allusion is at the beginning when the boy is describing the garden behind his house that "contained a central apple-tree." The garden in the boy's yard parallels the Garden of Eden in which the serpent tricked Eve into eating the apple from the tree. "Araby" is full of Biblical allusions that help illuminate how the boy feels about the girl.
Chapter 8: "Handseldee and Greteldum"
A recent book, "Cinder," is set to parallel the story "Cinderella" in a futuristic Utopian world. Like in "Cinderella" the main character in "Cinder" (Cinder) is also left an orphan and forced to stay with her stepmother who despises her. Cinder also has two stepsisters, one who adores her and the other she can't stand. And following the original story, the sisters and their mother are going to attend a ball where Cinder is forced to stay behind. However in this story Cinder is a cyborg, part human part robot, and lives in a future where technology flourishes. Also Cinder sneaks into the ball just like in "Cinderella" and dances with the prince, but she leaves unexpected for another reason than to get home by midnight. The parallelism between the two stories deepened my appreciation for "Cinder," it was able to add a modern tone to the classic story that made it impossible to put down.
A recent book, "Cinder," is set to parallel the story "Cinderella" in a futuristic Utopian world. Like in "Cinderella" the main character in "Cinder" (Cinder) is also left an orphan and forced to stay with her stepmother who despises her. Cinder also has two stepsisters, one who adores her and the other she can't stand. And following the original story, the sisters and their mother are going to attend a ball where Cinder is forced to stay behind. However in this story Cinder is a cyborg, part human part robot, and lives in a future where technology flourishes. Also Cinder sneaks into the ball just like in "Cinderella" and dances with the prince, but she leaves unexpected for another reason than to get home by midnight. The parallelism between the two stories deepened my appreciation for "Cinder," it was able to add a modern tone to the classic story that made it impossible to put down.
Chapter 9: "It's Greek to Me"
Siren Song
BY MARGARET ATWOOD
This is the one song everyone
would like to learn: the song
that is irresistible:
the song that forces men
to leap overboard in squadrons
even though they see the beached skulls
the song nobody knows
because anyone who has heard it
is dead, and the others can't remember.
Shall I tell you the secret
and if I do, will you get me
out of this bird suit?
I don't enjoy it here
squatting on this island
looking picturesque and mythical
with these two feathery maniacs,
I don't enjoy singing
this trio, fatal and valuable.
I will tell the secret to you,
to you, only to you.
Come closer. This song
is a cry for help: Help me!
Only you, only you can,
you are unique
at last. Alas
it is a boring song
but it works every time.
The Sirens were one of the monsters that Odysseus met on his journey, they would sing songs claiming they needed help and the men of ships would be attached to them. But then, crash! Most of the time the men's ships would crash straight into their island. Odysseus however created a plan so that he, nor his men, would become drawn to the Sirens' wails. Knowing the myth of the Siren's puts the poem together. In the first stansa the speaker refers to his or her song as "irresistible" and in the second states that it "forces men to leap overboard in squadrons." The entire poem is explaining the Siren's songs and the effect they have on men, but from the Siren's point of view. Without the knowledge of the Siren's myth, the poem would just seem to be of a random song, but if one were to know the myth, then he or she would understand the poem's true theme.
Siren Song
BY MARGARET ATWOOD
This is the one song everyone
would like to learn: the song
that is irresistible:
the song that forces men
to leap overboard in squadrons
even though they see the beached skulls
the song nobody knows
because anyone who has heard it
is dead, and the others can't remember.
Shall I tell you the secret
and if I do, will you get me
out of this bird suit?
I don't enjoy it here
squatting on this island
looking picturesque and mythical
with these two feathery maniacs,
I don't enjoy singing
this trio, fatal and valuable.
I will tell the secret to you,
to you, only to you.
Come closer. This song
is a cry for help: Help me!
Only you, only you can,
you are unique
at last. Alas
it is a boring song
but it works every time.
The Sirens were one of the monsters that Odysseus met on his journey, they would sing songs claiming they needed help and the men of ships would be attached to them. But then, crash! Most of the time the men's ships would crash straight into their island. Odysseus however created a plan so that he, nor his men, would become drawn to the Sirens' wails. Knowing the myth of the Siren's puts the poem together. In the first stansa the speaker refers to his or her song as "irresistible" and in the second states that it "forces men to leap overboard in squadrons." The entire poem is explaining the Siren's songs and the effect they have on men, but from the Siren's point of view. Without the knowledge of the Siren's myth, the poem would just seem to be of a random song, but if one were to know the myth, then he or she would understand the poem's true theme.
Chapter 11: "...More Than It's Gonna Hurt You: Concerning Violence"
According to Foster there are two types of violence that is presented in literature. One of those types is authorial violence, a very strong example of this would be the book "If I Stay." In the book Mia goes on a car ride with her family and they get in a fatal crash, leaving everyone else dead while Mia is in a coma. The second type of literary violence is specific injury that characters do on others or themselves. There's a book, "Tandem," where Prince Callum opts to poison himself in order for him and his "fiancee" to be rescued. With the entire book of "If I Stay" being about Mia's accident and if she''ll live or not, the violence creates a lot of drama and also a lot of eye-opening things for Mia as she sees what's going on around her while she lies in a coma. However in "Tandem" the reader does not expect Prince Callum to be brave nor bold, so when he poisons himself to protect Sasha (or has he known her as Julianna) it's eyeopening to the person Callum truly is. Both violences are necessary to the story's they're in, as with the certain types that they are.
According to Foster there are two types of violence that is presented in literature. One of those types is authorial violence, a very strong example of this would be the book "If I Stay." In the book Mia goes on a car ride with her family and they get in a fatal crash, leaving everyone else dead while Mia is in a coma. The second type of literary violence is specific injury that characters do on others or themselves. There's a book, "Tandem," where Prince Callum opts to poison himself in order for him and his "fiancee" to be rescued. With the entire book of "If I Stay" being about Mia's accident and if she''ll live or not, the violence creates a lot of drama and also a lot of eye-opening things for Mia as she sees what's going on around her while she lies in a coma. However in "Tandem" the reader does not expect Prince Callum to be brave nor bold, so when he poisons himself to protect Sasha (or has he known her as Julianna) it's eyeopening to the person Callum truly is. Both violences are necessary to the story's they're in, as with the certain types that they are.
Chapter 12: "Is That a Symbol?"
Magnum's sister stands behind a fence in the short story "Araby." Every time that she would call for Magnum to come inside there would be the fence that separated her from Magnum and the boy. Being that Magnum's sister is older than both of the boys the fence symbolizes a barrier, a crossing almost. The two boys still have their innocence, they have yet to be corrupted. But the sister however, has been she's old enough to have seen things that have taken her innocence away. Therefore, there's a wall between the boys and the sister, and in this case it's the fence. Once the boy goes to the bazaar and finds the young girl with the two boys at the booth his innocence is removed, and he too, is now on the other side of the fence.
Magnum's sister stands behind a fence in the short story "Araby." Every time that she would call for Magnum to come inside there would be the fence that separated her from Magnum and the boy. Being that Magnum's sister is older than both of the boys the fence symbolizes a barrier, a crossing almost. The two boys still have their innocence, they have yet to be corrupted. But the sister however, has been she's old enough to have seen things that have taken her innocence away. Therefore, there's a wall between the boys and the sister, and in this case it's the fence. Once the boy goes to the bazaar and finds the young girl with the two boys at the booth his innocence is removed, and he too, is now on the other side of the fence.
Chapter 14: "Yes She's a Christ Figure, Too"
Even though characters may not be said to be Christ figures, doesn't mean that they're not. For example in the "Harry Potter" series, Dumbledore may be seen by some as a Christ figure. Although he is not young, he's quite old in fact, he does match with many items that are on Foster's list. Dumbledore is incredible with kids, he would have to be to be headmaster of a school, and many of these kids one could also say are his "disciples." They follow him deeply and trust him with their lives, however there was one that had betrayed him. Also Dumbledore had faced the Harry Potter world's own version of the devil, Voldemort, and Dumbledore proved to be stronger that him. Even though Severus Snape killed Dumbledore (there's the crucifixion) Dumbledore forgave him, knowing that it had to be done in order for Harry to defeat Voldemort in the seventh book. J.K. Rowling never stated that Dumbledore was a Christ figure, but portrayed him to be with all the actions and the kind of person that he was.
Even though characters may not be said to be Christ figures, doesn't mean that they're not. For example in the "Harry Potter" series, Dumbledore may be seen by some as a Christ figure. Although he is not young, he's quite old in fact, he does match with many items that are on Foster's list. Dumbledore is incredible with kids, he would have to be to be headmaster of a school, and many of these kids one could also say are his "disciples." They follow him deeply and trust him with their lives, however there was one that had betrayed him. Also Dumbledore had faced the Harry Potter world's own version of the devil, Voldemort, and Dumbledore proved to be stronger that him. Even though Severus Snape killed Dumbledore (there's the crucifixion) Dumbledore forgave him, knowing that it had to be done in order for Harry to defeat Voldemort in the seventh book. J.K. Rowling never stated that Dumbledore was a Christ figure, but portrayed him to be with all the actions and the kind of person that he was.
Chapter 15 "Flights of Fancy"
Humans can't literally fly, but in fiction or in a different sense they can. Generally it tends to be from a plane, but in Harry Potter they use brooms. In the "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" George and Fred Weasley are in their last year at Hogwarts and Professor Umbridge is determined to make it hell. During the OWL exams which are tests that all fifth year students are required to take, Fred and George pull a stunt like no other. The twins started a joke and trick business and have been trying to start it out all year but Umbridge keeps putting blocks against them. So on the day of the OWL exams Fred and George make a gigantic fireworks show in the school, flying around on their brooms setting off new ones left and right. And then they make their grand exit with a dragon and fly off their brooms. The twins are finally free from Umbridge's grasp and are at last aloud to be the boys they are. This flight the boys make signify their last hurrah and that even Umbridge couldn't hold them down.
Humans can't literally fly, but in fiction or in a different sense they can. Generally it tends to be from a plane, but in Harry Potter they use brooms. In the "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" George and Fred Weasley are in their last year at Hogwarts and Professor Umbridge is determined to make it hell. During the OWL exams which are tests that all fifth year students are required to take, Fred and George pull a stunt like no other. The twins started a joke and trick business and have been trying to start it out all year but Umbridge keeps putting blocks against them. So on the day of the OWL exams Fred and George make a gigantic fireworks show in the school, flying around on their brooms setting off new ones left and right. And then they make their grand exit with a dragon and fly off their brooms. The twins are finally free from Umbridge's grasp and are at last aloud to be the boys they are. This flight the boys make signify their last hurrah and that even Umbridge couldn't hold them down.
Chapter 18: "If She Comes Up It's Baptism"
Percy Jackson had always imagined he was just ordinary boy, well as ordinary as he could be with dyslexia and a habit for getting kicked out of schools. But when he gets told he's the son of the Greek God Poseidon at Camp Half-Blood his look on things changes. In "Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief" Percy begins his stay at Camp Half-Blood as the new supposed "hero" to be born from the Big Three. However Percy can't do anything great that everyone expects of him, he's still the odd one out at Camp Half-Blood, until they play capture the flag. Percy is just about to be the hero he's supposed to be by getting the other teams flag when Annabeth gets to him first, fights him, and wins. Landing close to a river, his dad's territory, he's able to heal himself from the water, finally digging into his powers and fights Annabeth back off. After winning the game Percy discovers that he is finally in a place where he belongs. Because of his incident with the water from the river, Percy finally feels a connection to his father. And this connection is what makes Percy who he is and helps him conquer his future quests.
Percy Jackson had always imagined he was just ordinary boy, well as ordinary as he could be with dyslexia and a habit for getting kicked out of schools. But when he gets told he's the son of the Greek God Poseidon at Camp Half-Blood his look on things changes. In "Percy Jackson: The Lightning Thief" Percy begins his stay at Camp Half-Blood as the new supposed "hero" to be born from the Big Three. However Percy can't do anything great that everyone expects of him, he's still the odd one out at Camp Half-Blood, until they play capture the flag. Percy is just about to be the hero he's supposed to be by getting the other teams flag when Annabeth gets to him first, fights him, and wins. Landing close to a river, his dad's territory, he's able to heal himself from the water, finally digging into his powers and fights Annabeth back off. After winning the game Percy discovers that he is finally in a place where he belongs. Because of his incident with the water from the river, Percy finally feels a connection to his father. And this connection is what makes Percy who he is and helps him conquer his future quests.
Chapter 19: "Geography Matters..."
Foster explains that the geography of a story isn't just about where the place is, it depicts plot, symbolism, and the characters themselves. In "Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse the story takes place in rural Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. The families of this area are already filled with hardships and grief, but the dust storms increase these times. Having the story take place in an already rough situation from the dust storms, makes the sorrow and hardships of young Billie Jo's life even more vivid. The book "Elsewhere" by Gabrielle Zevin takes place in a heaven type world after the protagonist, Liz, dies after getting hit by a car. The world of Elsewhere is supposed to perfect, the vision of what heaven is supposed to be. But this world clashes with Liz's feelings. Liz wants to go back to Earth and be a real person again, she doesn't want to live in a Utopian world anymore. With Liz having contradictory feelings toward Elsewhere, makes the place even more interesting. "Divergent" by Veronica Roth is separated into four groups called factions. Each of these factions have their own separate area where only they are aloud to be. The city itself, which is in a future Chicago, is surrounded by one giant fence in order to keep everyone in. After living in such a confined space for so long the people in "Divergent" rebel, leaving their government a mess. In "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner the majority of the book is spent in a locked down area full of teenage boys. In order to escape their said prison these boys must find the way out of the maze. The maze is dangerous and is basically impossible to get out of. Being so complicated and frustrating, the boys begin to feel the delay of not getting out, they begin to fight with one another, thus making another obstacle that they have to solve. Setting of a story is everything, it creates the original idea, the climax, and the problems that characters face, without it books would lose most of their context.
Foster explains that the geography of a story isn't just about where the place is, it depicts plot, symbolism, and the characters themselves. In "Out of the Dust" by Karen Hesse the story takes place in rural Oklahoma during the Dust Bowl. The families of this area are already filled with hardships and grief, but the dust storms increase these times. Having the story take place in an already rough situation from the dust storms, makes the sorrow and hardships of young Billie Jo's life even more vivid. The book "Elsewhere" by Gabrielle Zevin takes place in a heaven type world after the protagonist, Liz, dies after getting hit by a car. The world of Elsewhere is supposed to perfect, the vision of what heaven is supposed to be. But this world clashes with Liz's feelings. Liz wants to go back to Earth and be a real person again, she doesn't want to live in a Utopian world anymore. With Liz having contradictory feelings toward Elsewhere, makes the place even more interesting. "Divergent" by Veronica Roth is separated into four groups called factions. Each of these factions have their own separate area where only they are aloud to be. The city itself, which is in a future Chicago, is surrounded by one giant fence in order to keep everyone in. After living in such a confined space for so long the people in "Divergent" rebel, leaving their government a mess. In "The Maze Runner" by James Dashner the majority of the book is spent in a locked down area full of teenage boys. In order to escape their said prison these boys must find the way out of the maze. The maze is dangerous and is basically impossible to get out of. Being so complicated and frustrating, the boys begin to feel the delay of not getting out, they begin to fight with one another, thus making another obstacle that they have to solve. Setting of a story is everything, it creates the original idea, the climax, and the problems that characters face, without it books would lose most of their context.
Chapter 20: "...So Does Season"
"How The Flowers Grow"
by Gariel Setoun
This is how the flowers grow:
I have watched them and I know.
First, above the ground is seen
A tiny blade of purest green,
Reaching up and peeping forth
East and west and south and north
Then it shoots up day by day,
Circling in a curious way
Round a blossom, which it keeps
Warm and cozy while it sleeps.
When the sunbeams find their way
To the sleeping bud and say,
"We are children of the sun
Sent to wake thee, little one."
And the leaflet opening wide
Shows the tiny bud inside,
Peeping with half-opened eye
On the bright and sunny sky.
Breezes from the west and south
Lay their kisses on its mouth;
Till the petals all are grown,
And the bud's a flower blown.
This is how the flowers grow:
I have watched them and I know.
Spring is a season of rebirth, of new things coming to the earth. In "How the Flowers Grow" Setoun describes the process in which flowers bloom, but in a motherly way. Creating the flowers as children makes the poem follow spring that much more. The words "tiny," "peeping," "curious," "little one," and "leaflet" all depict the image of a child, just learning the way of the world. Setoun illustrates the flowers beautifully explaining that they too are little children, learning how things work and becoming something in this giant world at its time of rebirth.
"How The Flowers Grow"
by Gariel Setoun
This is how the flowers grow:
I have watched them and I know.
First, above the ground is seen
A tiny blade of purest green,
Reaching up and peeping forth
East and west and south and north
Then it shoots up day by day,
Circling in a curious way
Round a blossom, which it keeps
Warm and cozy while it sleeps.
When the sunbeams find their way
To the sleeping bud and say,
"We are children of the sun
Sent to wake thee, little one."
And the leaflet opening wide
Shows the tiny bud inside,
Peeping with half-opened eye
On the bright and sunny sky.
Breezes from the west and south
Lay their kisses on its mouth;
Till the petals all are grown,
And the bud's a flower blown.
This is how the flowers grow:
I have watched them and I know.
Spring is a season of rebirth, of new things coming to the earth. In "How the Flowers Grow" Setoun describes the process in which flowers bloom, but in a motherly way. Creating the flowers as children makes the poem follow spring that much more. The words "tiny," "peeping," "curious," "little one," and "leaflet" all depict the image of a child, just learning the way of the world. Setoun illustrates the flowers beautifully explaining that they too are little children, learning how things work and becoming something in this giant world at its time of rebirth.
Chapter 26: "Is He Serious? And Other Ironies"
Irony can generally be found in three different ways: verbal, dramatic, or situational. "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum is one giant example of situational irony. First of all, Dorothy wants to go home and travels all across the world of Oz just to find a way. But it turns out that she, herself, had the power to do so all along. Also the Scarecrow explains how the only thing he wants is a brain, but yet he was actually a genius the entire time. The same goes with the Lion and the Tin-Man, the Lion turned out to be incredibly courageous and the Tin-Man indeed did have the feelings that a heart would give. And lastly there's the wizard, who was supposed to be the one to grant these four their greatest desires, but he was just an old man who didn't have any powers at all. The entire book these four were looking for something that they deeply wanted, when all along they already had it, and this is an exceptional example of situational irony.
Irony can generally be found in three different ways: verbal, dramatic, or situational. "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by L. Frank Baum is one giant example of situational irony. First of all, Dorothy wants to go home and travels all across the world of Oz just to find a way. But it turns out that she, herself, had the power to do so all along. Also the Scarecrow explains how the only thing he wants is a brain, but yet he was actually a genius the entire time. The same goes with the Lion and the Tin-Man, the Lion turned out to be incredibly courageous and the Tin-Man indeed did have the feelings that a heart would give. And lastly there's the wizard, who was supposed to be the one to grant these four their greatest desires, but he was just an old man who didn't have any powers at all. The entire book these four were looking for something that they deeply wanted, when all along they already had it, and this is an exceptional example of situational irony.
Chapter 27: "A Test Case"
Mansfield's story "The Garden Party" signifies many little things, but the main thing that it signifies is realization. The realization that life is marvelous and that it simply shouldn't be taken for granted.
With the story signifying the realization that the life Laura lives is wonderful and that it's not fair to others who don't get to experience it that way, there are many reasons I came to this conclusion. First of all, the example of situational irony that in Laura's luxurious life her family is having a lovely garden party, but the family almost next door has suffered the terrible loss of a husband and a father. Also the scene itself brings out Laura's innocence, her home is extraordinary and the garden is simply beautiful, as if in that house not a single ounce of wrong could happen. But the cottages next door are full of poverty and hardships, their lives don't include Godber's cream puffs. Once Laura discovers of the man's death, she wants to stop her party, realizing that they shouldn't be enjoying themselves when the family will be grieving. But when she drops off her basket to the man's family and sees they man lying there is when she discovers her realization. That man didn't care so much for the luxuries Laura's family had, but for the luxuries his family had. And after seeing this Laura truly understands that life is "simply marvelous" to each person in their own way.
Reading the three examples that followed the questions I understood that story signified a clash of social classes. However, in mine I discussed Laura's lack of innocence because of the social classes. Although I do believe that the examples written in the book are very well thought and make complete sense, I still would not change my point of view. When I read the story, this is how I depicted it, that Laura discovered realization through the garden party and of the man's death. Seeing the parallel between Laura and Persephone creates a new view of the story. At first the garden did not seem like a prison, but the mother created it to be, in order to keep Laura in her place. But Laura, however knew there was more to the world than just her lovely garden and she wanted to see it.
Mansfield's story "The Garden Party" signifies many little things, but the main thing that it signifies is realization. The realization that life is marvelous and that it simply shouldn't be taken for granted.
With the story signifying the realization that the life Laura lives is wonderful and that it's not fair to others who don't get to experience it that way, there are many reasons I came to this conclusion. First of all, the example of situational irony that in Laura's luxurious life her family is having a lovely garden party, but the family almost next door has suffered the terrible loss of a husband and a father. Also the scene itself brings out Laura's innocence, her home is extraordinary and the garden is simply beautiful, as if in that house not a single ounce of wrong could happen. But the cottages next door are full of poverty and hardships, their lives don't include Godber's cream puffs. Once Laura discovers of the man's death, she wants to stop her party, realizing that they shouldn't be enjoying themselves when the family will be grieving. But when she drops off her basket to the man's family and sees they man lying there is when she discovers her realization. That man didn't care so much for the luxuries Laura's family had, but for the luxuries his family had. And after seeing this Laura truly understands that life is "simply marvelous" to each person in their own way.
Reading the three examples that followed the questions I understood that story signified a clash of social classes. However, in mine I discussed Laura's lack of innocence because of the social classes. Although I do believe that the examples written in the book are very well thought and make complete sense, I still would not change my point of view. When I read the story, this is how I depicted it, that Laura discovered realization through the garden party and of the man's death. Seeing the parallel between Laura and Persephone creates a new view of the story. At first the garden did not seem like a prison, but the mother created it to be, in order to keep Laura in her place. But Laura, however knew there was more to the world than just her lovely garden and she wanted to see it.