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:
3rd 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: 3rd 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: 3rd 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.
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: 1st
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.
