The three stories to be discussed in this essay are “The Bouquet” by Charles W. Chesnutt, “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, and “Gimpel the Fool” by Isaac Bashevis Singer. It’s interesting to dissect these pieces of literature to see how they reflect the time period they were written in, by whom they were written, and if the stories they read have any abnormalities outside what is expected.
So first up is “The Bouquet”; I sympathized mainly for the young girl named Sophie. Society’s faults stunted her growth as an individual, and kept her from bonding with those she desired relations. The whole culture surrounding her took away most of the attributes that make oneself human- such as love, happiness, and human connection.
…show more content…
She loses herself, as I would imagine Sophie to do after a life time of oppression. Jane saw a woman in the wall, and then became her. She took on that identity, and in her mind, then became free of ruling and imprisonment. All of my sympathy for any of the other characters in this work went solely to Jane. Her obvious mental instability made the story difficult for me to read- not because it’s what’s wrong with her, but what’s wrong with professional medical abuse, which especially back then was an ongoing problem in addition to today. I almost wonder if Gilman was trying to speak out facetiously through the story about how mistreatment of the mentally ill is a phenomenon that will continue to take place in the future. Furthermore, Jane was ill, and having been mistreated in her circumstance only made her existing condition and also the unpleasant topic for me worse. Looking at this story with Feminist theory in mind would be fitting, as her husband dismissed her voiced needs because he believed he knew what was best for her and she did not. I interpret this selection of text as sexism; though I’m sure he loved her very much, he was still controlling and believed she couldn’t think for herself for she was a woman. Psychoanalytic Criticism may also be applied, as her actions and thought patterns were heavily influenced by her sickness, "Better in body perhaps--" I began, and stopped short, for he sat up straight and looked at me with such a stern, reproachful look that I could not say another word. "My darling," said he, "I beg of you, for my sake and for our child 's sake, as well as for your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind! There is nothing so dangerous, so fascinating, to a temperament like yours. It is a false
There are many similarities and differences between the stories “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant and “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst; however, “The Scarlet Ibis “is the story that is entitled to be called “great.” A great story is one that has a structure plot-conflict that the reader can easily follow and a character that the individuals can relate to. Elements of literature, such as settings can convey the emotions the reader may feel by describing the environment from the dead of autumn to the shabbiness of an apartment. In addition, point of view gives individuals a chance to walk in the characters shoes to see and experience how they feel. In “The Scarlet Ibis” and “The Necklace,” structure plot, elements of literature, and point
The short story, “Marigolds” exhibits a variety of literary devices that increase the quality of the story. It was in the first person point of view, and seeing through the perspective of a child was unique in its own right, considering that seeing through the eyes of an adult is considerably different. Eugenia W. Collier, the author, makes excellent use out of similes and metaphors to thicken the plot of the piece, aid in the reader's understanding of the story, and to fully develop the lesson she wished to convey. The similes’ purpose was making the reader contemplate the feelings of the narrator and how those emotions led to the eventual destruction of a small piece of beauty that dared to grow in the midst of ugliness, sterility, and poverty,
Jane Addams life as a child was not easy, she had a congenital spinal defect which led to her never being physically strong and her father who served for sixteen years as a state senator and fought as an officer in the Civil War always showed that his thoughts of women were that they were weak, and especially her with her condition. But besides that she lived a very privileged life since her father had many famous friends like the president Abraham Lincoln. Jane was determined to get a good education which she ended up getting. She went to Rockford sanitary for women which is now called Rockford University and she also studied to be a doctor but had to quit because she was hospitalised too many times. Being sick affected her life very much so when she got older she remedied her spinal defect with surgery.
Although she does not offer subjective opinions on her experiences, these experiences clearly affect her in a negative manner. She attempts to disconnect herself from the world around her, but instead becomes a silent victim of the turmoil of the chaotic
Jane being ignored is a reason why she has some mental issues. She feels ashamed of what she is feeling and society makes it hard for her to want to talk about this with anyone. Not being able to talk about it, causes Jane’s depression to get worse with
Gilman intentionally tried to make Jane a typical woman of the time period. She is economically dependent on her husband, as she does not work out of the house. She is not allowed to make her own decisions, John will not let her out of bed, even though she wishes to do so; and she is often treated like a child, John gives her a dirty look when she expresses that she is still not well when he believes that she is getting
Her subtle deception is first apparent when she’s a child under the care of her aunt, Mrs. Reed. Mrs. Reed frequently abuses her, claiming that Jane is a disagreeable girl. When in reality, Jane is not disagreeable in the slightest. Here is when she deceives: Jane doesn’t deny the false accusations against her when she’s blamed for something she didn’t do, but rather she accepts the words of disapproval and pretends that she fits the mold that she is thought to be a part of.
Faith Heathcote Period 7 November 5, 2015 We have studied three stories: the short story “The Scarlet Ibis” by James Hurst, Freak the Mighty, a novel, by Rodman Philbrick, and Simon Birch, a film, by Mark Johnson. These three stories are conveyed through very different forms, but they share many character traits, literary devices, and themes. Doodle, Kevin and Simon all have disabilities. This makes life a challenge for them, but they each have a special friend to help.
In her short story “Marigolds”, Eugenia Collier, tells the story of a young woman named Lizabeth growing up in rural Maryland during the Depression. Lizabeth is on the verge of becoming an adult, but one moment suddenly makes her feel more woman than child and has an impact on the rest of her life. Through her use of diction, point of view, and symbolism, Eugenia Collier develops the theme that people can create beauty in their lives even in the poorest of situations. Through her use of the stylistic device diction, Eugenia Collier is able to describe to the reader the beauty of the marigolds compared to the drab and dusty town the story is set in.
She realized that it was important to embrace the imperfections and complexities of the body, and reject societal norms that tell us how we should look and feel about ourselves. This is because of a moment in time where she thought how she “suddenly saw [her] body as [she] would any animal that had been so mistreated” (39). It allowed her to see her body in a new light, as though it were an animal that had been mistreated. This sudden shift in perspective allowed her to recognize the harm she had been doing to her body by trying to control it and conform to societal norms. It was a moment of realization that her body was not just an object to be manipulated but a living entity deserving of respect and care.
Everything from how her interactions with her family to her perception of her environment and how it evolves throughout the story allow the reader to almost feel what the narrator is feeling as the moves through the story. In the beginning, the only reason the reader knows there may be something wrong with the narrator is because she comes right out and says she may be ill, even though her husband didn’t believe she was (216). As the story moves on, it becomes clear that her illness is not one of a physical nature, but of an emotional or mental one. By telling the story in the narrator’s point of view, the reader can really dive into her mind and almost feel what she’s feeling.
The story focuses on the main character who is a woman suffering from mental illness. It is very clear that the woman is ill when she states, “You see, he does not believe I am sick!” (677) speaking of her husband who is a doctor. So first she admits she is sick then later she states, “I am glad my case is not serious!”
Eventually, we realize that the woman in the wallpaper is the narrator. Throughout the story, the narrator 's mental state continues to deteriorate. Being both the narrator 's husband and physician, John assumes that he knows what’s best for his wife. However, in this essay, I will argue that Gilman portrays John as an antagonist or “villain” in her story because, through his actions, he is the main reason for his wife 's descent into insanity which proves that he didn’t know what was best for his wife after all.
First, Jane Eyre’s attributes displays women in our society who are still in search for meaning and love in their lives. Just like Jane’s spirit of passion despite abuse, these women continue to search for respect from other
Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” critiques Victorian womanhood in several ways throughout the text. Victorian women were expected to be pure, dainty, and perfectly angelic. They were also expected to be perfect mothers, wives, and hostesses at all times. If a woman were to express too much emotion, she would be called hysterical. Hysteria was considered a medical condition which rendered a woman incapable of reason or generally thinking like an adult.