Summary & Analysis of Literature:

The American Dream

Author:  Edward Albee

Setting:  Mommy and Daddy’s apartment

Characters:

Mommy: masculine/ sadistic person who has more authority than daddy. She believes that she has more power than anybody and she tends to throw a fit when she doesn’t get her way.

Daddy: Feminine type character, always submits to Mommy’s demands

Grandma: wise but very blunt character

Plot:  In this play, Mommy plays a sadistic, masculine role and Daddy plays a more humbled feminine role. The reversal of roles symbolizes a backwards society, in which Albee wanted his audience to see how ridiculous society can stereotype males and females.  Mommy is always in search of satisfaction, but never fully receives it until the end of the play. Here, Albee pokes fun at how society is always desiring something, but is never fully satisfied with the product. He depicts the innate greed that is manifested in people, such as when Mommy buys a “beige” hat but Mrs. Barker told her that is was a “wheat” color. Mommy goes back to the store and throws a fit, when she herself was aware that there is no major difference between  the colors “beige” and “wheat”. When Daddy encourages this type of behavior, Albee pokes fun at the level of immaturity that society tends to have for no significant reason.                 Mommy and Daddy had a son in which they had adopted and very well mutilated. They then requested another child from the adoption agency. The Young Man is the mutilated child’s long lost twin who is essentially emotionless. Mommy and Daddy’s urge to be satisfied was completed towards the end of the play when they adopted the Young Man who was nearly an adult.

Tone: comic

Themes:  The American Dream. – This is unachievable but desired by all in the play, especially Mommy.

Emasculation- Mommy has more authority than most characters, but Mrs. Barker has the most power. She has authority over every organization that exists.

Important Quotes: “WHAT a masculine Daddy! Isn't he a masculine Daddy?” -  Mommy is belittling Daddy’s character by not only talking about him in a condescending tone, but also by mocking the fact that he is “masculine”.

Pride and Prejudice

Author: Jane Austen

Setting: Longbourne, rural England

Narrator: 3^rd person

Characters:

Elizabeth: Protagonist who falls in love with and marries Darcy. She is known to be a very arrogant and proud character.

Jane: oldest of the five sisters who falls in love with Bingley and marries him. She is the richest.

Darcy: arrogant character who has a persona that conflicts with that of Elizbeth’s. He eventually falls in love with her and marries her.

Wickham: Friend of Elizabeth’s and enemy of Darcy. He is indirectly the reason Elizabeth realizes that Darcy isn’t a bad character after all.

Mrs. Bennet: Character who provokes humor throughout the play, overly concerned with money and inheritance, constantly seeking husbands for her daughters.

Mr. Bennet: Rationale character who is not overly concerned with money or inheritance, married to Mrs. Bennett.

Plot:  This book is written from Elizabeth’s point of view and takes on a sarcastic tone as it describes the humorous aspects of women having more power than men in the nineteenth century.

            Jane is the oldest of the five sisters who is in a relationship with Charles Bingley, who is known to be wealthy. Elizabeth is the second oldest who is closest to Jane but herself feels strongly independent and in no need of a husband. However, Elizabeth’s mother makes it very well known that she is adamant on getting her married to someone with wealth and a high social status. Darcy is a friend of Charles who is visiting and fits the scheme well, but has a high self esteem in which Elizabeth despises. Throughout the events of the novel, Elizabeth and Darcy show their distaste for each other. Later on, Elizabeth meets Wickham, a dashing soldier who also despises Darcy but for other reasons. Both Elizabeth’s and Wickham’s distaste for Darcy brings them closer together. Meanwhile, Bingley leaves Jane but without an accurate reason as to why. When Darcy confesses that he was the sole reason why Bingley had left Jane and that Wickham had gotten Darcy’s sister pregnant, she reevaluates her feelings for him and realizes that under the façade of ego lays a kind hearted and honest man. Jane Austen subtly adds in humor by letting Elizabeth realize that her ego is just as high as Darcy’s and one of the main reasons why she was unwilling to get involved with him. In the end, Jane marries Bingley and Elizabeth marries Darcy. They both are wealthy and maintain a high social status.

Themes:             The main themes in this novel include reputation, class and love.

The theme of love is prevalent in the relationship that Darcy and Elizabeth foster. Both of these characters had to overcome numerous obstacles, including their own personal ego, to elope. Both of these characters possess pride and Jane possess prejudice, one of the main reasons Jane Austen decided to give this novel that title.

Reputation and class arecritical in not only Mrs, Bennet’s eyes, but in fact the eyes of the town. Women were to behave in a certain manner in public and were expected to be on their best. In this aspect, they would be able to be chosen to be married and given wealth and social class. This theme is depicted when Elizabeth is in the presence of Darcy in ragged clothing to take care of her sister Jane. Jane Austen mocks at this idea of always being in your best uniform to show that one should not be judged by appearance.

Symbols:  One of the most symbolic objects in this novel is Darcy’s estate, Pemberley which represents the owner itself. The estate itself was considered to be very beautiful, and the stream that flowed beside the mansion was considered to be “…of some natural importance was swelled into greater, but without any artificial appearance…” (p.242). This alters Elizabeth’s perception as Darcy from the arrogant man she thought he was to the sensible man she considers him to be towards the end of the novel.

Quotes:  “. It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”  This is the first quote in the novel and it foreshadows the rest of the plot. The men in this novel seek women who are of their social class and can sustain a high reputation such as themselves.This quote also implies that women are equally opportune to this attitude. Elizabeth seems to possess the same arrogant persona as Darcy, and thus begins the main conflict of the novel.

“She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me; and I am in no humour at present to give consequence to young ladies who are slighted by other men.” This quote is spoken by Darcy and shows his ego and how he feels that Elizabeth is inferior to him.

Death Of A Salesman

Author: Arthur Miller

Setting: Brooklyn, New York, Boston

Narrative: 3^rd person

Plot:      Willy is a business man who is confused about life, not knowing where he stands in society as a salesman as his son Biff is a high school graduate and a failure in life. Linda is an all knowing character who serves as a mother like figure to Willy and takes care of the family in times of need.  Happy is a character who is successful but neglected. Willy recognizes Biff’s failure as one of his own faults and considers it to be the biggest mistake in his own life. When Happy suggests to Biff that they could both work at a company together and that they should go achieve their “american dream”, the family suddenly becomes closer; the idea of achieving the American dream brings the family closer. However, Biff and Happy never get the job.  Willy’s past successes were attributed to his charming good looks. These looks allowed him to sleep with the receptionists of big businesses but as time passed, his charming features diminished. His depression then spurs, and his attempts of suicide with a rubber hose were later discovered by Linda. Although Linda became very concerned for Willy and cares for him, he does not seemingly feel the same way. He even cheated on Linda and when Biff found out, he was highly disappointed in his father. Betrayal is a common theme in this novel and is not only prevalent here, but also when Biff does not become successful it betrays Willy’s ambitions. Towards the end of the novel, Willy is driving subconsciously and gets in a car accident and dies. The family then morns the loss of Willy, who in the end was alleviated by all the stresses of life by dying. He achieved his American dream; to be free. 

Tone: sincere, honest

Themes: The American Dream- Unattainable yet extremely desirable to Willy. Eventually leads to his own death.

Betrayal: Willy betrays Linda by having an affair with another woman. Biff betrays Willy by not achieving the success that he once promised his father.

Symbols: Seeds- represent a new beginning and a better life

Rubber hose- death

Quotes:  “Nothing’s planted. I don’t have a thing in the ground.”  The plant symbolizes a new beginning for Willy once he realizes that this is his last ditch substitute for all of his failures in his son and in his work.

“He’s a man way out there in the blue, riding on a smile and a shoeshine . . . A salesman is got to dream, boy.” This quote discusses the rough nature of the capitalistic market in which Willy is competing in.

Ceremony

Author:  Leslie Marmon Silko

Setting:  Laguna Reservation

Narrator: 3^rd person

Characters:

Tayo- protagonist who tries to bring back rain on the reservation. Also tries to reunite the American and Native American culture and portray the belief that they can coexist.

Ts’eh- teaches Tayo lessons on how to live and also how to love.

Josiah-  Tayo’s uncle who teaches Tayo how to raise cattle and be more involved in his culture.

Rocky- deceased half brother who served in the army with Tayo. Invokes memories in Tayo’s mind and always leaves Tayo in a nostalgic form.

Plot:  Ceremony, written by Leslie Marmon Silko, is about the protagonist Tayo trying to bring back rain on the Laguna Pueblo reservation by creating a new ceremony. The main themes of this novel include the clash of two cultures and the importance of storytelling. Tayo is half native American and half white, and is confused about where he fits in with the clash of two cultures. He morns the loss of his adopted brother, Rocky who was lost in world war one. Tayo idolized Rocky. He felt that Rocky was the perfect example of one who integrates a white society into the native American culture. Tayo had cursed the reservation to bring about no rain, and a heavy drought had been haunting the land ever since. He sees that throughout this journey that he is the only one who has stamina to preserve his culture.

                Upon his journey, Tayo discovers the love of his life, Ts’eh. She teaches him how to gather food, love, and warding off his enemies. Although Ts’eh had left him, “… the love he felt from her, remained” (p.217) as a part of him that motivated him to move on in life. Tayo is also assisted by the medicine man, Betonie whose wisdom helps Tayo bring about a new ceremony. Throughout the novel, Tayo assists his uncle Josiah with raising cattle. In this aspect, the cattle symbolize his dedication to family and his involvement in the Native American culture.  Towards the end of the novel, the audience discovers that grandma has been the one telling the stories. This signifies the importance of storytelling and shows how the culture is preserved.

Tone: Hopeful

Themes:

Importance of storytelling- oral tradition is critical to pass down the native American culture from generation to generation.

Clash of Cultures: Tayo’s orientation of being a part of the American culture and the Native American culture forces him to seek out his true value in both cultures. He finds himself bringing back customs, such as the ceremony to bring back rain, in order to unite the people of the Laguna reservation and bring about reassurance in his own position in society.

Quotes:

“The word he chose to express "fragile" was filled with the intricacies of a continuing process, and with a strength inherent in spider webs woven across paths through sand hills where early in the morning the sun becomes entangled in each filament of web. It took a long time to explain the fragility and intricacy because no word exists alone, and the reason for choosing each word had to be explained with a story about why it must be said this certain way.” Ku’oosh, the medicine man,  says this quote to tell Tayo that words of primary importance in the oral tradition of the Native American Culture. All words can be spoken in a certain manner, but the true nature of a story cannot simply be revealed through words, but rather action.

“Here they were, trying to bring back that old feeling, that feeling they belonged to America the way they felt during the war. They blamed themselves for losing the new feeling; they never talked about it, but they blamed themselves just like they blamed themselves for losing the land the white people took.”  In this quote, Tayo and Emo are reminiscing over the days when they used to serve in the army. Emo reveals to Tayo his internalized racism. This forces Tayo to see that in turn for this internalized racism is the horrendous way that the whites treat the Native Americans.

Hamlet

Author: William Shakespeare

Setting: Denmark

Characters:

Hamlet- protagonist, whole play portrays his psyche and his intentions on killing his uncle.

King Cladius- Killed his brother, King Hamlet, and marries the Queen Gertrude.

Ophelia: Hamlet’s lover who commits suicide

Laertes: Ophelia’s brother

Polonius: father of Ophelia and Laertes

Narrative: play

Plot: Hamlet returns from college to the state of Denmark for the first time after his father’s death only to discover that his uncle has married his mother and is crowned as the King. Old King Hamlet’s ghost haunts Hamlet and confesses to  him that his brother Claudius has killed him and  asks his son to avenge for his death. Infuriated, Hamlet then sets out a scheme to kill his uncle, King Claudius. Meanwhile, Hamlet’s lover, Ophelia, has agreed to her father, Polonius, to stop seeing Hamlet under the false pretense that Hamlet does not actually love Ophelia. This creates a state of insanity in Hamlet’s mind, and forces him to question “the pains of despised love…” ( Hamlet, 3.1). He does not know whether or not love actually exists, and if life is worth living when he is an isolated prisoner who has been betrayed from the one he loves.  However, Ophelia still possesses strong feelings for Hamlet and goes into a state of insanity when she passes out flowers to everyone around her. Each of these flowers symbolizes a significant emotion such as the rosemary representing remembrance of King Hamlet and the rue symbolic of regret. She gives the rue to Gertrude to make her feel verily guilty for marrying King Claudius.

                Hamlet then casts a play for the events of father’s death in order to aggravate his uncle. The theme of love and death remain prevalent in Hamlet until all the significant characters in Hamlet die towards the end of the play.

Tone: Dark, melancholy

Themes: Incest: the two main incestuous relationships in this novel exist between Laertes and Ophelia, and Hamlet and Gertrude.

The mystery of Death: Hamlet often ponders the meaning of life and wonders if life is worth living if all must day. From this existentialist point of view, Hamlet invokes the idea that suffering to survive is not worth a life to live. Life would be easier if there was no stress at all, that is to say, death is a better option than life itself.

Quotes: “Something is rotten in the state of Denmark” (Marcellus,  1.1). – this quote foreshadows the chaos and struggles that are about to exist in the state of Denmark up until the end of the play.

“To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer…” – this quote supports the main theme of the novel, the mystery of death. Hamlet contemplates if death is better than life, even though he has not experienced it.

Fifth Business

Author: Robert Davies

Setting:  Deptford

Narrative: 1^st person

Plot: Dunny’s friend and enemy, Percy Staunton, ruined Mary Dempster’s and her son, Paul Dempster’s, life by throwing a rock at her and causing her to go into labor. Paul Dempster was then born prematurely,  and Mary had fallen into a condition where she was considered to be “insane”. However, Dunny viewed her as “… a wise woman… she seems to [him] to have a breadth of outlook and a clarity of vision that were strange and wonderful…” (p.44).  Dunny had become strongly attached to the Dempsters and felt obligated to look after Mary and Paul since the rock was intended to hit him, not Mary. In this aspect, he is considered to be the fifth business in her story, where he plays no major role in her and Paul’s life. He taught Paul how to do card tricks, in which Amasa, Paul’s father, strongly disapproved of. Dunny soon lost his position as caregiver and abandoned Paul and Mary to serve as a veteran in world war one. During his journey, he fostered a relationship with Leola who he did not truly. His nurse Diana also fell in love with him, and he once again did not show any affection towards her. Neither of the women where suited for him in the end, signifying the loneliness that Dunny felt in his life. He later returned to Deptford, where the town still stood in silence and isolation. He then soon discovers that Percy Staunton had married Leola and changed his name to Boy Staunton in which he became a high shot business man. His success only belittled Dunny’s emotions and made him realize that he had also played a fifth business role in Boy’s and Leola’s life. As life goes on, Dunny discovers that Paul had become a great magician and changed his name to Magnus Isengrim.   Towards the end of the novel, Boy drives off a cliff with the rock that he had hit Mary with in the beginning of the novel, and thus killed himself.

Paul and Percy changing their names to Magnus and Ingram is symbolic of rebirth to a new life and social status.  Boy killing himself with the rock shows that the rock brings about life and death.  Mary giving birth to Paul is an allusion to virgin Mary giving birth to Jesus. Robertson Davies intended to purposefully make these allusions to give the novel a sort of sarcastic tone and reinforce the theme that humans create their own miracles, not God.  

Tone: independent.

Themes: People create their own fate – this theme in the novel is the driving force behind everyone’s actions. The fate the Dunny created for himself and the way he views himself sd “fifth business” in society is his own perception.