Frankenstein

"Pardon this gush of sorrow; these ineffectual words are but a slight tribute to the unexampled worth of Henry, but they soothe my heart overflowing with the anguish which his remembrance creates" (pg 114). This foreshadows the death of Henry. He begins talking about Henry in the past tense, giving the reader the clue that Henry died. Victor also interupts the story to convey his grief for his lost friend. This also shows his deep grief for the loss of his friend because he interupts the story to tell Walton how good of a friend Henry was. It was after the death of Henry that Victor's health suffered greatly. He was almost to the point of death. Victor reacted more severely to Henry's death than to his wife, Elizabeth's death. Victor does not refer to anyone else in the past tense other than Henry. He does not reflect on the death of Elizabeth, but he reflects on the death of Henry.

Frankenstein-Health

"The human frame could no longer support the agonies that I endured, and I was carried out of the room in strong convulsions" (pg 129). Victor's health rapidly declines after he agrees to build another creature for his monster. When he decides not to go through with it, the monster kills his best friend Henry. Victor is charged with the murder and he goes crazy. He becomes delusional and cannot handle the emotional turmoil Henry's death caused. His health had almost recovered from the shock when Justine and William were killed, but he was still weak. Victor seems very emotionally unstable and has many relapses. Victor even passed out when he found Elizabeth's body. He dies in the end because he works too hard to find the monster.

Frankenstein-Irony

"Let the cursed and hellish monster drink deep of agony; let him feel the despair that now torments me" (pg 150). Victor curses the monster and vows he will avenge the deaths of his loved ones. He pursues the monster so that he can kill him. It is ironic that he curses the monster to feel the despair he feels now when the monster is also in despair. He only killed Victor's friends and family because of his loneliness. He wanted Victor to build him a female so he would not be lonely so he threatened Victor. Victor agreed but later changes his mind so the monster goes on a rampage. He wanted Victor to feel the pain of being alone, the same pain he feels. It is ironic that Victor wants the monster to feel his despair after his loved ones were killed when they were killed so that Victor would feel the pain the monster endured. The monster and Victor had similar pain, but neither would sympathize with the other.

Frankenstein-character similarities

"Seek happiness in tranquility, and avoid ambition, even if it be only the apparently innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries" (pg 162). Walton and Victor shared many similarities. They were both ambitious and their expeditions did not go as planned. Victor created a terrible monster and Walton ventured into the uninhabitable north pole and failed. He had to return and he wasted many months sailing on a pointless journey.Victor's life was haunted by his creation and he died very young. Walton will always be affected by his journey. he knows the terrible things the monster did and that the monster might still be alive. Walton and the monster also had some similarities. The monster was terribly lonely and wanted a friend, but he could not find a friend because everyone was scared of him. Walton wanted a friend and found Victor, but Victor died.

Frankenstein part II-Ending

"But soon I shall die, and what I now feel be no longer felt" (pg 166). Walton finds the monster by the coffin of Frankenstein. He acts as though he was sorry that Frankenstein died and stated that it was his fault he had died. He knew that if he murdered Victor's family and friends he would ruin Victor's life, but he did it anyway. The monster also vows to kill himself. He said he was sorry for what he had done and he was going to commit suicide. I do not trust the monster to actually carry out his deed because he has many mood swings. He purposely killed Victor's friends and then said he was remorseful, but he ends up killing more people. He said he would kill himself because he was remorseful but he has proven that remorse is not enough. The story ends and the reader does not know what happens to Walter or the monster.

Frankenstein-Winter

"In a thousand spots the traces of the winter avalanche may be perceived, where trees lie broken and strewed on the ground..." (pg 66). The setting in the book has mainly taken place during the winter. Robert is sailing to the North Pole so he is surroundings are covered with ice and snow. After the death of Justine, Victor travels into the snow covered mountains. Creature also spends the beginning of his life in the snow. He clears the path covered in snow for the family living in the house he watches. Winter is often described as cold, harsh, and desolate. Robert felt friendless and isolated from the ones he loved. Victor was consumed by a harsh guilt of creating Creature who caused the death of William and Justine. Creature was physically cold as he struggled to stay alive in the forest and he was also alone. Winter is also a sign of hopelessness.

Frankenstein-Health

"For this I had deprived myself of rest and health" (pg 35). One of the themes in Frankenstein is health, or lack of it. Frankenstein works hard day and night to give life to his creation. His health declines and when Creature comes to life, he flees from it in realization of its horror and disgust. He health fails him even more and he is confined to his bed. He receives a letter from his father and finds that William had been killed. Justine is charged for the murder and is killed although she was innocent. Elizabeth succumbs to grief as does Victor, but for different reasons. His health further declines because of his agonizing guilt for creating the creature who murdered his little brother. Had he of been in the right mind and perfect health when he hatched the plan to bring life to the creature, he might have thought twice about his plan.

Frankenstein-Sympathy

''I saw few human beings besides them; and if any other happened to enter the cottage, their harsh manners and rude gait only enhanced to me the superior accomplishments of my friends" (pg 79). The monster spends his life in the forest watching this family for most of the day. He has never met the young couple or the old man before but he considers them to be his friends. When the little boy, William, was killed, Victor immediately blames Creature. The reader also feels compelled to hate Creature because Victor describes him as wretched and disgusting. When Creature becomes the third narrator, the reader feels more sympathy towards him. He wants friends and is depressed and lonely. He is very similar to Robert because Robert was also in desperate need of a friend. Monster could not even talk to anyone because everyone was so frightened.

Frankenstein-POV

"You will rejoice to hear that no disaster has accopmanied the commencement of an enterprise which you have regarded with such evil forebodings" (pg 1). Robert Walton is the first narrator in the story and he speaks through the letters he writes to his sister, Margaret. He is an explorer journeying to the north pole to reveal and understand its mysteries. During his travels, he finds a man emaciated and close to death. He nurses him back to health and the reader discovers that the man is Victor Frankenstein, the person who created the monster. In Walton's letter to his sister Frankenstein tells Walton about his life and what he had done in creating the monster. The story is in Victor's point of view until page seventy. The monster tells Frankenstein what he had done in his life so far and how he had survived by himself. The reader feels more sympathetic toward the creature because he expresses his sadness and misery because of his loneliness.

Frankenstein-Benevolence

"And yet you rescued me from a strange and perilous situation: you have benevolently restored me to life" (pg 9). Robert had found Victor emaciated and near dead and he decided to help him out. Victor has many benevolent people in his life. He describes his parents as benevolent and his professor. Robert was benevolent to Victor because he nursed a stranger back to health and gave him food and shelter. It adds a contrast to how he treated his creation. He immediately abandons the monster after it was brought to life. Victor did not even know how his creation would act and did not take the time to observe him. The reader would think that Victor would extend common courtesy toward his creation and look after him because of all the benevolent people in his life, but he does not.

The Great Gatsby-Characters

" 'They're a rotten crowd,' I shouted across the lawn. 'You're worth the whole damn bunch put together.' I've always been glad I said that. It was the only compliment I ever gave him, because I disapproved of him from beginning to end." I really liked Nick Carraway. I think I liked him a lot because of this line. He spends most of his time with people like Tom and Daisy, but he realizes they are not the best people. He was also genuinely kind to Gatsby. He did not talk to Gatsby because he wanted anything. He was one of the few people who actually took the time to find out past events in Gatsby's life. He actually knew the truth about him and how he was James Gatz before he was Jay Gatsby. Nick seemed genuine and honest and as a result, Daisy and Tom were portrayed as shallow and fake. The Great Gatsby has become one of my favorite books.

Gatsby-Metaphor

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly into the past" (pg 180). The boat in this sentence is a metaphor for all the people. The boat against the current signifies the struggle to escape from the past or trying to relive the past. Some people run from their past, but do not succeed as well as those who try to relive their past and fail. People will always carry their past with them whether they try to forget it or not. Events from a person's past made them what they are today. Gatsby was a man who lived for the past. He wanted to marry Daisy and start their life right where they left off five years ago. He could not accept that he could not relive his past and it led to his demise. He had lived almost his entire life building his fortune so that he could marry Daisy. He did not have anything in the present to live for.

Gatsby-simile

"Daisy and Jordan lay upon an enourmous couch, like silver idols weighing down their own white dresses against the singing breeze of the fans" (pg 115). Idols are to be worshipped and admired, but nothing else. This stands for a common view of women in that time period. Tom often states that he believes women should not have equal rights. He does not encourage indpendence for women either and thinks that they have to much at that point. In the Roaring Twenties, women began to gain independence and they wore shorter dresses, had shorter hair cuts, and no longer hid in the shadow of their husbands. The twenties offered many changes for women, giving them more independence. Tom did not like Daisy to have too much independence because he was afraid she would leave him. When he found out about her affair with Gatsby, he was angry.

The Great Gatsby-Disgusting Daisy

"I tried to think about Gatsby then for a moment, but he was already too far away, and I could only remember, without resentment, that Daisy hadn't sent a message or a flower" (pg 174). Up to the point of Daisy and Tom's fight about Gatsby, I kind of liked Daisy. She was shallow and selfish at times, but she never did anything drastic to make me hate her. When Gatsby was shot, I was disgusted that Daisy never sent any message or flowers for her funeral. Even though she stated through her actions she was not going to leave Tom and marry Gatsby, she should have at least sent flowers. I felt so sorry for Gatsby because no one comes to his funeral. He tried to relive the past and he failed. He expected Daisy to still love him, but she did not. She loved money and would not wait for him. I do not think she ever loved him because she was so selfish. If she truly loved him, she would have married him when he was poor.

Gatsby-Irony

"I suppose the latest thing is to sit back and let Mr. Nobody from Nowhere make love to your wife. Well, if that's the idea you can count me out... " (pg 130). Tom is extremely angry to find out Gatsby loves Daisy and she likes him too. He wants Daisy to remain faithful to him, but he does not have to remain faithful to her. He has a mistress, Myrtle, and he goes to see her often. It is ironic that he gets angry at Daisy for doing the same thing he is doing. He is having an affair, but does not think women should be able to have affairs. He is strongly against women becoming more independent and he is also racist. The situation he is in should give him more of a perspective on how Daisy feels about his mistress. Another event which is ironic is that both Daisy and Tom have their lovers die. Myrtle is hit by Gatsby's car, though Daisy is driving, and Gatsby is shot.

Gatsby- Gatsby's Parties

"But I can still read the gray names, and they will give you a better impression than my generalities of those who accepted Gatsby's hospitality and paid him the subtle tribute of knowing nothing whatever about him" (pg 61). I thought this was very strange. Typically people have parties and invite people they know very well and like. Gatsby barely knew any of the people at his parties and the guests did not know him either. The guests talked about him and told rumors about him in attempt to decipher is mysterious character. Nick even talks to Gatsby and did not realize that is was Gatsby. Gatsby seems detached from the other characters. He can be cold and impersonal at times. He loves Daisy and is humanized through is nervous actions when he waits for her to come to tea. I think he becomes cold when he is showing his house to Daisy and he 'commands' Klipspringer to play the piano. He does not ask, he demands. He wants things done the way he wants it, when he wants it.

Gatsby-Relationships

"Neither of them can stand the person they're married to" (pg 33). Tom is having an affair with Myrtle. Myrtle and Daisy are very similar in some aspects. There is a part where Tom and Daisy are talking that is very similar to a scene with Tom and Myrtle. Daisy is talking to Tom and uses the word 'hulking' to describe him and he states that he hate that word so she repeats it. Tom and Myrtle are arguing because Tom does not want Myrtle to say Daisy's name but she keeps repeating it and he breaks her nose. If Tom was unhappy with Daisy, why would he have an affair with a woman like Myrtle. He is obviously annoyed more by Myrtle because he did not break Daisy's nose. Another strange relationship is between Nick and Daisy. Nick is Daisy's cousin but he describes her as if he was attracted to her. He describes her voice as "the king of voice that the ear follows up and down" (pg 9). He describes her as beautiful and is always commenting on how lovely her voice is.

Gatsby-structure

"Reading over what I have written so far, I see I have given the impression that the events of the three nights several weeks apart were all that absorbed me" (pg 55). The narrator, Nick Carraway, is reflecting on past events in his life. In the beginning of the story, he talks about Gatsby and gives the reader a hint of why he was writing a story about Gatsby. Because he is writing about past events, the events he writes about must be of important significance. The stories he uses show the development of relationships between characters. He also writes about the different reactions the characters have to their surroundings. Nick speaks of Gatsby's nervousness as he waits for Daisy to come to tea and of Tom's anger with Myrtle as she repeats Daisy's name and he ends up breaking her nose. These events show the progression of the different characters' development. In the beginning of the story, Gatsby is not introduced until page forty-seven. Then the reader slowly sees glimpses of what Gatsby is like.

Gatsby-Irony

"I have been drunk just twice in my life, and the second time was that afternoon; so everything that happened has a dim, hazy cast over it..." (pg 29). Nick states that he cannot clearly remember everything that happened. He was at a gathering with Tom and Myrtle and some of their friends come over. Nick meets Myrtle's sister and describes her as "a slender, worldly girl of about thirty, with a solid, sticky bob of red hair, and a complexion powdered milky white" (pg 30). He states his memory is hazy and yet he describes this person with great character. He also meets another man and notices that he had "a white spot of lather on his cheekbone" from shaving (pg 30). If a person was drunk, these details would not be as clear or memorable. This supports the author's descriptive style. All of the characters in this story are described with great detail, showing the Nick's perceptiveness.

The Great Gatsby-Point of View

"I lived at the West Egg, the-well, the less fashionable of the two, though this is a most superficial tag to express the bizarre and not a little sinister contrast between them" (pg 5). Nick Carraway is the narrator in the story and it is told from his point of view. We, the readers, see the other characters the way he perceives them to be. He is writing about past events in his life and reflecting on a few people in particular. Nick witnesses different dimensions of the characters. He sees Tom and Myrtle together as well as Tom and Daisy together. Daisy does not know much about Myrtle, but Nick knows more. Nick knows many things about the different characters that even the other characters do not know about each other. Nick also meets Gatsby, an elusive host unknown to many of his party guests. With the use of first person, the reader experiences Nick's perception of these characters.

A Raisin in the Sun

I enjoyed reading this play and it is my favorite so far. The characters were complex and showed many dimensions of family relationships. Their life was not perfect although they each dreamed of a better life. I was expecting an unhappy ending where the family gave in and took the money instead of moving into the house. Walter's character was redeemed when he refused to take the money from Lindner. Mama was very mean though and she beat both of her children within the play. She slaps Beneatha across the face when she says there is no God (page 51) and she "beats him [Walter] senselessly in the face" (page 129). Although she was very angry in both situations, a mother should never revert to hitting her children. I thought her actions were heartless, abusive,and immature.

A Raisin in the Sun

Question 6
In the play, A Raisin in the Sun, the stage directions and gestures are very important. They help set the tone of the play. There is a scene in the beginning of the play where Ruth is making Walter breakfast. Ruth is angry with Walter. "RUTH (maximum indifference) Did they?" "(Affecting tea-party interest) Is he now? Poor thing" (page 26). Her tone is described in the play and it helps the reader understand her thoughts and feelings. If 'maximum indifference' was not noted, the reader might think she was actually interested in what Walter was talking about. This shows the stress between the relationship of Walter and Ruth. She is angry and she wants him to know she is angry so she changes her tone and then turns on him.

A Raisin in the Sun

Question 3
The protagonists of the story are Ruth, Walter, and Beneatha. Although Mama and Travis are important characters, they are not considered protagonists of the story. Ruth and Beneatha are foil characters. Ruth is calm and composed and more mature than Bennie. Ruth is older than Bennie and has a child so she should be more mature. Mama is a very important character because she brings the large sum of money into the story. Her husband died and she was getting insurance money. Walter wanted the money for his liquor store, but Mama did not want to give him the money for it. She, in Walter's eyes, is the person holding him back from his dream of owning a business. Walter and Bennie are both very immature for their age and are very similar to Tom and Laura from the Glass Menagerie.

The Glass Menagerie

I enjoyed reading this play. It was easy to read and the characters were colorful and dynamic. Though the play did not have a happy ending, Laura did not seem as helpless as she was in the beginning of the story. I was disappointed to find that Tom was following in his father's footsteps. He had left and was travelling. He was unhappy and tried to forget his family, but could not. He had always imagined that his father was happy to go and he enjoyed being away, so he thought that was how he was going to be. His father might have been miserable after he left, just like he was. I enjoyed Tennessee Williams' unique style of writing. It was a nice change from Shakespeare.

The Glass Menagerie #6

The stage movements and gestures are very important throughout the play. Many of the emotions described in the play are not in the dialogue. "Laura turns away, nearly faint with the novelty of her emotions" (pg 1283, vii). If the play had just stated, ''Laura turns away,'' the reader would not understand her emotions as she turned away. The lighting is also important to pay attention to. There is one instance when Tom is talking about a magic trick he saw involving a coffin, the light shines on the photo of Tom's father. Tom says, "But who in hell ever got himself out of one without removing one nail? As if in answer, the father's grinning photograph lights up" (pg 1249, iv). The light shining on the photograph answers Tom's question.

The Glass Menagerie #1

The play involves many nonrealistic conventions. Tom says, "I am the narrator of the play, and also a character in it" (pg 1236, i). Most characters do not know that they are a part of a play because the play is their reality. The time span in the story is unclear. Time moves very fast. Amanda asks Tom to bring someone home to dinner for Laura. He does bring someone home and she cannot believe it and he asks her, "Don't you remember asking me to fetch one?" (pg 1256, v). Amanda had just told Tom not long before he asks this question which makes it seem that a lot of time has passed since Amanda had asked the favor.

Good Guy Dies While Evil Guy Lives?

As I was reading the last act of Othello, I thought that Iago might end up dying. I thought Othello might kill him and then kill himself after. I imagined that Othello would be raging and end up killing Iago because he suggested that he kill Desdemona, who was faithful to Othello to the very end. Iago does face a future that could be worse than death because he is a prisoner (V.ii.281). Everything eventually fell apart for Iago and he does not get away. This makes the ending a little happier because the reader knows that Iago was caught and does not live his life happily ever after. I was sad that Emilia died because she was just starting to stand up for herself. She told Othello that Desdemona was faithful and she accused Iago of planting false rumors in Othello's mind. She tells Othello the truth about the handkerchief and Iago stabs his own wife and then makes a run for it (V.ii.224-234). I enjoyed reading this play and would recommend it to anyone who enjoys reading Shakespearean plays. Who will I recommend this play to? I bet I could find someone if they gave Shakespeare a chance. They could hate Shakespeare because of a preconceived notion, and you know that never turns out well.

Question #6

The stage directions in Act IV are extremely important. Iago tells Othello that he will talk to Cassio about Desdemona but he really talks to Cassio about Bianca. He tricks Othello and he becomes angry because he believes in Desdemona's infidelity. The stage directions are important because Othello is hiding as Iago talks to Cassio. If the reader missed the stage direction, (OTHELLO retires), there would be a great deal of confusion because Othello is talking out loud to himself (IV.i.90). He speaks his feelings as Iago and Cassio talk and it would be confusing to think that Othello was contributing to the conversation and the other characters were ignoring him. Many characters also leave and then return and it is important to note which characters are present and which are not. It is important for the reader to see which characters are present in a scene to understand which characters know certain information.

Question 2

The play, Othello, is a tragedy. The main character Othello dies as well as Desdemona, Emilia, and Roderigo as a result of Iago's evil plan. It is important for the audience to know that the play is a tragedy. Because I knew it was a tragedy, I understood the plot better and I could understand why certain events occurred. I knew that Desdemona would die because Iago persuaded Othello to kill her because Iago hated him. Because I knew it was a tragedy, I knew that a few characters would die. I expected it to happen and I could mentally prepare and try to figure out each motive, reason, or cause of the character's death. If I did not know the play was a tragedy, I would not have paid as close attention to Iago's reactions to certain characters or his true feelings about them.

Iago

In this play, Iago is the villain. He is the evil character that plots against the 'good guy' to meet a selfish desire. He wanted to be lieutenant, but he was denied this position. He made sure Cassio was no longer in the good grace of Othello. Iago heard a rumor that Othello slept with his wife, so he is making Othello suspicious of Desdemona's fidelity (I.iii.367-368). I like Iago's character. He is cunning and wise. He knows how to turn people against each other without them realizing who caused them to act that way. "He's a king mixer" and will do anything to get what he wants (A Hard Day's Night). Iago has gotten away with his deceit for a long time and no one suspects him.

Othello #5

Iago is very angry at the beginning of the play because Cassio was made lieutenant and he was not. He was jealous of Cassio; therefore, he plotted his revenge. In act II, Iago plans to get Cassio drunk so he will be discharged as Othello's lieutenant. Iago's jealousy overcame him and he could not accept the fact that he was not Othello's lieutenant and that someone younger was chosen. Another theme in this play is that hatred is often based on preconceived notions. Iago does not know much about Othello's character. Iago hates Othello because it was "thought abroad" that Othello slept with his wife, Emilia ( I.iii.367). This only fueled his hatred for Othello after he was not chosen to be lieutenant. He constantly refers to Othello as 'the Moor' which dehumanizes him.

Othello #3

The protagonist of the play is Othello and the antagonist is Iago. Othello and Iago are foil characters. Othello is honest and does not hurt others to get ahead. Iago is dishonest and is only concerned about personal gain. Roderigo is an important minor character. He is Iago's puppet. He does whatever Iago tells him to. Iago is cunning and uses Roderigo to turn people against each other. Iago tells Roderigo to "provoke him [Cassio]" to that Cassio will be dismissed as Lieutenant (II.i.255). Iago uses his 'friend' Roderigo to get what he wants. He knows Roderigo is easily manipulated if Iago promises that Roderigo will get Desdemona. Roderigo said, "I will incontinently drown myself" (I.iii.302). Iago uses his friend in his moment of weakness. Othello respects his friends and earns the respect of others.