Both Jason's and Benji's dads don't exactly have perfect relationships with their sons. Both dads are also somewhat controlling. In Jason's case, his father is always ordering his mother around. He wants people to acknowledge him, such as when he acts up at the dinner with their relatives. He always wants to be correct. When Jason's mother messes up in redesigning the yard, Jason's dad immediately puts her down. At the same time, Jason's dad does care about Jason and Julia, such as when he defends Julia's choice of college and when he goes to fly a kite with Jason and spends time with him. In the end, I think Jason doesn't hate his father, but he definitely doesn't love him either.
As Benji said, his family was a Cosby family, perfect on the outside, problems on the inside. It is clear many of the problems have to do with Benji's dad. The rest of Benji's family have to "prevent flare-ups" by tiptoeing around Benji's dad. Benji's dad and Reggie also don't have a healthy relationship. Instead Reggie avoids his dad as much as possible and his dad calls him "Shithead." There is also the drama with the TV. It seems the main problem in Benji's family is communication. They are not able to talk to each other to solve their problems. Instead, they have problems like the TV, Reggie and his dad, and the fact that their dad is just not a good griller, but everyone is afraid to tell him so.
Although communication is mainly an issue in the Cooper family, the Taylor family also has that issue. With the dad hiding the financial records and the parents hiding the affair and the inevitable divorce from the kids (or at least Jason), tensions are only worsened. I think the main difference between the Taylors and Coopers is that the Coopers are already subdued and under the father. With the Taylors, Julia and their mother try to stand up against the father. Generally, it also seems that Jason's dad is more pleasant with his kids, although whether this is because he is guilty about the affair I don't know.
Both novels end with an anticipation of the future, but I think only one family solved its problems by the end of the novel. The Taylors are able to separate amicably and Jason doesn't seem too much worse for it. Benji on the other hand just doesn't mention his family dynamics in the end, perhaps because that's just the way things are and he sees no changing it.
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Monday, May 13, 2013
Sag Harbor as a Coming-of-Age Novel
The ending of Sag Harbor makes me think this novel isn't really a coming-of-age novel. He has learned something about his community and his place in it; that much is true. In that sense he has gained a clearer sense of his identity. He has realized that the passing of Sag Harbor from generation to generation is in fact a cycle. He has taken the place of someone of the previous generation. Some kid will eventually take Benji's place. But I don't think he has come of age. And I don't think this novel was meant to be a coming-of-age-novel. Not too much happens plot-wise. Most of the novel is giving the reader descriptions of Sag Harbor, the people in it, and the culture. It's like Whitehead wants to show us the essence of Sag Harbor. But through showing how Benji describes the essence of Sag Harbor, Whitehead is able to capture the teenage spirit in one summer. This book is really more like a memoir. Whitehead uses just one summer to convey his point. Just like Benji describes the essence of Sag Harbor, I think Whitehead is trying to show the essence of being a teenager. And he does that very well.
All the growing and adapting that Benji does over that summer doesn't culminate to a coming-of-age. Rather, it is an example of teenage life, as teenagers are always growing (mentally and physically) and as they become more aware of their surroundings they must change.
Because this novel's purpose is broader than a demonstration of coming-of-age, I think more people can relate to it. Teens can look at it and see similarities in their current life. Adults can read it and remember what it was like being a teenager. In some ways, this dynamic is similar to that between the adults and kids in Sag Harbor. Both groups are part of the same cycle. One group takes over one stage while the other group moves on to the next stage.
All the growing and adapting that Benji does over that summer doesn't culminate to a coming-of-age. Rather, it is an example of teenage life, as teenagers are always growing (mentally and physically) and as they become more aware of their surroundings they must change.
Because this novel's purpose is broader than a demonstration of coming-of-age, I think more people can relate to it. Teens can look at it and see similarities in their current life. Adults can read it and remember what it was like being a teenager. In some ways, this dynamic is similar to that between the adults and kids in Sag Harbor. Both groups are part of the same cycle. One group takes over one stage while the other group moves on to the next stage.
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Two Pair
Reading Sag Harbor, I realized that, in the beginning, Reggie and Benji are much like Lucille and Ruth. However, as the novels progress, the pairs diverge. In the beginning of Housekeeping, Ruth and Lucille are one. The term "we" is always used. Slowly we see Lucille and Ruth separate, such as when Lucille decides to skip school, but even then the separation is slow, as shown when Ruth joins Lucille in skipping school. Eventually, due to the influence of her friends, Lucille becomes thoroughly disgusted by Sylvie and her lifestyle and leaves. Lucille also tries getting Ruth to come with her, but Ruth refuses; she sticks with Sylvie. Ruth and Lucille go onto live vastly different lives, with Ruth joining Sylvie as a transient, and Lucille getting married.
In Sag Harbor, we are told from the start that Reggie and Benji are already separating. At first, they were almost identical; they were twins. Benji acknowledges the two of them separating, even calling it a good thing as he tries to form his own identity, but is still surprised by Reggie as he goes down his own path. Benji and Ruth are similar in this way. Both see their siblings changing, but don't really like it. However, I think ultimately Benji is fine with the change. He sees that his brother still cares for him, such as after Benji gets hit by a BB gun, and the separation is mutually agreed. With Ruth and Lucille, the separation is more strained, drawn out, and neither sibling is pleased with the other. Another difference is that with Benji as narrator, we get a clear idea of how he feels towards Reggie and a more defined picture of his and Reggie's relationship. In Ruth and Lucille's case, where Ruth is narrator, while it is clear Ruth does not like the separation, we don't get much detail into their relationship; it does not seem as complex as Benji's and Reggie's does.
Although Ruth's and Lucille's separation was painful, I hope to see Benji's and Reggie's separation develop into a positive and perhaps even greater relationship than the one they had when they were twins.
In Sag Harbor, we are told from the start that Reggie and Benji are already separating. At first, they were almost identical; they were twins. Benji acknowledges the two of them separating, even calling it a good thing as he tries to form his own identity, but is still surprised by Reggie as he goes down his own path. Benji and Ruth are similar in this way. Both see their siblings changing, but don't really like it. However, I think ultimately Benji is fine with the change. He sees that his brother still cares for him, such as after Benji gets hit by a BB gun, and the separation is mutually agreed. With Ruth and Lucille, the separation is more strained, drawn out, and neither sibling is pleased with the other. Another difference is that with Benji as narrator, we get a clear idea of how he feels towards Reggie and a more defined picture of his and Reggie's relationship. In Ruth and Lucille's case, where Ruth is narrator, while it is clear Ruth does not like the separation, we don't get much detail into their relationship; it does not seem as complex as Benji's and Reggie's does.
Although Ruth's and Lucille's separation was painful, I hope to see Benji's and Reggie's separation develop into a positive and perhaps even greater relationship than the one they had when they were twins.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
Race in Black Swan Green
The chapter "knife grinder" is the first time (I think) that race is brought up as an issue in the novel. The first Gypsy we meet is the knife grinder, and it is obvious Jason doesn't know who Gypsies are, describing the knife grinder just as "an old man in a tweed cap...His suit had no obvious color. He had no obvious color..." When Jason brings this up with his parents, his father is shown to be quite racist, calling Gypsies "layabouts who pay nothing to the state and flout every planning regulation in the book." It is clear that Jason's mother does not share the same sentiments as his father, and the two again get into an argument about Jason's mother doing business with the knife grinder. The scene in the village hall once again demonstrates the racism of many of the villagers, who think eating hedgehog is uncivilized and believe that the Romani coming into the village would only lead to chaos. We see Jason again isolated from the rest of the village in his views. He does not share the racist ideas of many of the villagers.
Later, Jason gets lost in the woods hiding from Ross Wilcox and stumbles into a Gypsy camp. Here, Jason gets a better understanding of the Gypsies. They are not as bad as many of the villagers led him to believe. He does make an interesting point about how the Gypsies and villagers are similar. He says he had been "thinking how the villagers wanted the gypsies to be gross, so the grossness of what they’re not acts as a stencil for what the villagers are." About the Gypsies, he says "I'd been thinking how Gypsies wanted the rest of us to be gross, so the grossness of what they're not acts as a stencil for what they are." He realizes that the villagers and Gypsies share a dislike for each other and becomes a sort of ambassador for both sides. I found it fitting that he ended up gaining friends from the Gypsies, people who, like him, have often been marginalized.
Later, Jason gets lost in the woods hiding from Ross Wilcox and stumbles into a Gypsy camp. Here, Jason gets a better understanding of the Gypsies. They are not as bad as many of the villagers led him to believe. He does make an interesting point about how the Gypsies and villagers are similar. He says he had been "thinking how the villagers wanted the gypsies to be gross, so the grossness of what they’re not acts as a stencil for what the villagers are." About the Gypsies, he says "I'd been thinking how Gypsies wanted the rest of us to be gross, so the grossness of what they're not acts as a stencil for what they are." He realizes that the villagers and Gypsies share a dislike for each other and becomes a sort of ambassador for both sides. I found it fitting that he ended up gaining friends from the Gypsies, people who, like him, have often been marginalized.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Two Tests
Jason has undergone two tests so far. Although they test two different aspects of Jason, they are actually quite similar. In one, he attempts to join the Spooks. In the other, he seeks to improve his poetry. Both start with an invitation. The Spooks send him a magazine-cutout message to begin his initiation and "vicar" calls Jason to the vicarage. Both tests require him to go through a sort of obstacle course: with the Spooks it is a physical one, but with Madame Crommelynk it is a more mental one. Interestingly, Jason has to hide while he performs both these tests. If he gets caught running the race for the Spooks, he fails. If he is caught visiting Madame Crommelynk, it will be the end of whatever social reputation he once had. He does end up passing both tests: he completes the race for the Spooks and has to some extent earned Madame Crommelynk's respect.
But in the end, both tests force him to make a choice. If he rings Mr. Blake's doorbell, he will lose his status as a Spook and the Spooks will hunt him down. If he doesn't ring the doorbell, then he is abandoning his friend. In the case of Madame Crommelynk, Jason realizes he's no great poet, and wonders whether he should just give up poetry. In some ways, he went through these tests for nothing. He lost his Spook status for not abandoning Moran and does not understand the lessons Madame Crommelynk has taught him. Although both tests end on a uncertain note, I hope Jason will be able to conquer any fears he has as a result of the tests. Hopefully he will be able to stop worrying about his social standing, either by not caring or doing something about it. And hopefully he does not give up poetry and better understands the lessons Madame Crommelynk was trying to teach him.
But in the end, both tests force him to make a choice. If he rings Mr. Blake's doorbell, he will lose his status as a Spook and the Spooks will hunt him down. If he doesn't ring the doorbell, then he is abandoning his friend. In the case of Madame Crommelynk, Jason realizes he's no great poet, and wonders whether he should just give up poetry. In some ways, he went through these tests for nothing. He lost his Spook status for not abandoning Moran and does not understand the lessons Madame Crommelynk has taught him. Although both tests end on a uncertain note, I hope Jason will be able to conquer any fears he has as a result of the tests. Hopefully he will be able to stop worrying about his social standing, either by not caring or doing something about it. And hopefully he does not give up poetry and better understands the lessons Madame Crommelynk was trying to teach him.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
"Like" or "as" and more
More so than in previous novels, Housekeeping is full of comparisons, metaphors, and similes. This is how Ruth guides the reader through her world and life.
"I saw the three of us posed in all the open doors of an endless train of freight cars--innumerable, rapid, identical images that produced a flickering illusion of both movement and stasis, as the pictures in a kinetoscope do."
"It seemed then and always to be the elaboration and ornamentation of the consensus between them, which was as intricate and well-tended as a termite castle."
She also uses them to describe her philosophies.
"...memories are by their nature fragmented, isolated, and arbitrary as glimpses one has at night through lighted windows."
"For even things lost in a house abide, like forgotten sorrows and incipient dreams, and many household things are of purely sentimental value, like the dim coil of thick hair, saved from my grandmother's girlhood...In the equal light of disinterested scrutiny such things are not themselves. They are transformed into pure object, and are horrible, and must be burned."
Not only do these comparisons give us insight into whatever Ruth is describing, but also into Ruth herself. They tell us a bit about Ruth's character. I feel that Ruth is able to make all of these connections because she sees everything in her world as interconnected. Like Sylvie, (and unlike Lucille) Ruth is more willing to blur the boundary between humans and nature. The use of comparisons also suggest a strong familiarity--almost mastery--of her world. She has observed enough of the world to make all these connections.
She is also so unlike the other protagonists in the novels we've read. She is almost the opposite of Stephen the artist, who maintains a distance from the world, his subject. Unlike Holden, she never feels lonely and is not too interested in other people. And unlike Esther (aside from not being depressed) she never has to face a conflict between what she wants and what society expects of women. I suppose she has to face society's ill-will towards transients, but it does not bother her like Esther. Whether or not we can attribute these differences between Ruth and the other protagonists to location, circumstance, or personality, it still makes Ruth a very unique and interesting person.
"I saw the three of us posed in all the open doors of an endless train of freight cars--innumerable, rapid, identical images that produced a flickering illusion of both movement and stasis, as the pictures in a kinetoscope do."
"It seemed then and always to be the elaboration and ornamentation of the consensus between them, which was as intricate and well-tended as a termite castle."
She also uses them to describe her philosophies.
"...memories are by their nature fragmented, isolated, and arbitrary as glimpses one has at night through lighted windows."
"For even things lost in a house abide, like forgotten sorrows and incipient dreams, and many household things are of purely sentimental value, like the dim coil of thick hair, saved from my grandmother's girlhood...In the equal light of disinterested scrutiny such things are not themselves. They are transformed into pure object, and are horrible, and must be burned."
Not only do these comparisons give us insight into whatever Ruth is describing, but also into Ruth herself. They tell us a bit about Ruth's character. I feel that Ruth is able to make all of these connections because she sees everything in her world as interconnected. Like Sylvie, (and unlike Lucille) Ruth is more willing to blur the boundary between humans and nature. The use of comparisons also suggest a strong familiarity--almost mastery--of her world. She has observed enough of the world to make all these connections.
She is also so unlike the other protagonists in the novels we've read. She is almost the opposite of Stephen the artist, who maintains a distance from the world, his subject. Unlike Holden, she never feels lonely and is not too interested in other people. And unlike Esther (aside from not being depressed) she never has to face a conflict between what she wants and what society expects of women. I suppose she has to face society's ill-will towards transients, but it does not bother her like Esther. Whether or not we can attribute these differences between Ruth and the other protagonists to location, circumstance, or personality, it still makes Ruth a very unique and interesting person.
Thursday, March 7, 2013
Mind and Body
Twice in the novel does Esther use the phrase "I am I am I am.": once in Chapter 13 and again in Chapter 20. These two phrases (the first without commas and the second with) mean two very different things in context. In Chapter 13, Esther is fighting against her body as she tries to commit suicide by drowning and then by hanging. Esther sees her body as separate from her self. She notes her heart beating "I am I am I am" as she unsuccessfully attempts to drown herself. While Esther does not have a will to live, her body affirms its existence with "I am I am I am." She again tries to commit suicide by hanging, but again her body thwarts her: "Then I saw that my body had all sorts of little tricks, such as making my hands go limp at the crucial second, which would save it, time and again, whereas if I had the whole say, I would be dead in a flash. I would simply have to ambush it with whatever sense I had left, or it would trap me in its stupid cage for fifty years without any sense at all." She even gets books on "abnormal psychology" to match symptoms and better understand her body: "I could learn all I needed to know about my case to end it in the proper way." However, it seems she starts doubting herself and agreeing with her body as she wonders whether or not to just turn herself into a psychiatric facility. She is told to volunteer at a hospital to distract herself and thinks about going to church to be convinced of not committing suicide. However, she eventually decides to attempt once more to kill herself with sleeping pills after seeing her father's grave. Again she is unsuccessful and is moved to a psychiatric facility.
The other time the phrase "I am, I am, I am." comes up is when Esther is at Joan's funeral. This time, Esther seems much more in tune with her body: "I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart." That she anthropomorphizes her body ("old brag") suggests better knowledge and familiarity with it--not surprising considering she has just experienced sex for the first time. Perhaps her heart is bragging because Esther has just had a friend of hers die. While Esther was seeking death earlier with a curious fascination, she now sees the reality of death and is drawn away from it.
I think Esther's loss of her morbid curiosity shows how she has progressed since the beginning of the novel. This might not be a typical development in coming-of-age novels, but Esther is also not a typical girl.
The other time the phrase "I am, I am, I am." comes up is when Esther is at Joan's funeral. This time, Esther seems much more in tune with her body: "I took a deep breath and listened to the old brag of my heart." That she anthropomorphizes her body ("old brag") suggests better knowledge and familiarity with it--not surprising considering she has just experienced sex for the first time. Perhaps her heart is bragging because Esther has just had a friend of hers die. While Esther was seeking death earlier with a curious fascination, she now sees the reality of death and is drawn away from it.
I think Esther's loss of her morbid curiosity shows how she has progressed since the beginning of the novel. This might not be a typical development in coming-of-age novels, but Esther is also not a typical girl.
Wednesday, March 6, 2013
Freedom
Throughout the novel, Esther has been plagued by society's expectations for her, as a woman, to remain pure for a man. Constrictive like the bell jar over Esther, these expectations contribute in some part to her depression. However, in Chapter 18, she decides to take action. She is inspired by Dr. Gordon's denouncing the article "In Defense of Chastity" written by a "married woman lawyer with children."
Esther decides to get fitted for birth control. After doing so, she gains a sense of self-ownership, breaking away from society's expectations: "I was my own woman." No longer worrying about having a baby, Esther decides to lose her virginity on her own terms, so that society can't hold that over her: "The next step was to find the proper sort of man." And that she does. She meets Irwin, a young intelligent math professor with plenty of sexual experience who meets Esther's criteria. After seeing him and his study, she "decide[s] to seduce him." This is quite the opposite of her encounter with Constantin, whom she lets seduce her. Esther is much more in control, in some ways going against what society expects of her. When she actually has sex, she is surprised, having expected a "miraculous change to make itself felt," similar to Stephen. What changes happened to her were not through some miracle, but through herself. It is through her own actions that she was able to free herself from the constraints she felt society had on her. Now, without her virginity to worry about, Esther has removed the "millstone" from around her neck.
Despite Esther dealing with depression throughout most novel, I found these actions of hers a good sign that she is recovering, despite the ambiguous ending of the novel.
Esther decides to get fitted for birth control. After doing so, she gains a sense of self-ownership, breaking away from society's expectations: "I was my own woman." No longer worrying about having a baby, Esther decides to lose her virginity on her own terms, so that society can't hold that over her: "The next step was to find the proper sort of man." And that she does. She meets Irwin, a young intelligent math professor with plenty of sexual experience who meets Esther's criteria. After seeing him and his study, she "decide[s] to seduce him." This is quite the opposite of her encounter with Constantin, whom she lets seduce her. Esther is much more in control, in some ways going against what society expects of her. When she actually has sex, she is surprised, having expected a "miraculous change to make itself felt," similar to Stephen. What changes happened to her were not through some miracle, but through herself. It is through her own actions that she was able to free herself from the constraints she felt society had on her. Now, without her virginity to worry about, Esther has removed the "millstone" from around her neck.
Despite Esther dealing with depression throughout most novel, I found these actions of hers a good sign that she is recovering, despite the ambiguous ending of the novel.
Saturday, March 2, 2013
Before Plath, there was Gilman
While reading The Bell Jar, I was reminded of Charlotte Perkins Gilman's The Yellow Wallpaper (a very good book, by the way). The Yellow Wallpaper depicts a woman suffering from postpartum psychosis as she descends into madness. Her husband, a physician, suggests she go on a rest cure to relieve her suffering. Deprived of any stimulation, the woman slowly goes mad as she becomes fixated on the yellow wallpaper of the bedroom. The novel ends with her walking in circles around her room, tearing down the wallpaper, which she believes is trapping a woman on the other side.
The rest cure was commonly used in the 19th century, having been created by Silas Weir Mitchell. It was mostly prescribed to women suffering from depression or hysteria. It involved keeping the patient in bed and denying them any mental or physical stimuli. Unfortunately, the cure was not very effective and caused many patients' conditions to worsen, leading to insanity or death. Gilman herself, suffering from postpartum depression, was prescribed the rest cure by Silas Mitchell, who told her to live "as domestic a life as possible." Gilman depression worsened, and she eventually took herself off the treatment, noting immediate improvement. She soon wrote The Yellow Wallpaper.
Both novels contain elements of feminism and share many characteristics. I would say that the unnamed protagonist of The Yellow Wallpaper is the person who Esther is afraid she might become if she ends up in a traditional marriage. Similar to the scene of the birth in The Bell Jar, The Yellow Wallpaper criticizes the male-dominated medical profession and their methods. Gilman felt that the rest cure reflected men's beliefs on how a woman should be. She even sent a copy of her novel to Silas Mitchell, hoping to convince him of the error of his ways. The narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper also looks negatively upon marriage, similar to Esther. Both protagonists suffer from mental illnesses aggravated by outside factors, which the respective author criticizes. These similarities between the books are not surprising. Gilman was one of the first feminist writers, and probably served as a model for later writers like Plath. Whether Plath will end her novel like Gilman did, I look forward to finding out.
The rest cure was commonly used in the 19th century, having been created by Silas Weir Mitchell. It was mostly prescribed to women suffering from depression or hysteria. It involved keeping the patient in bed and denying them any mental or physical stimuli. Unfortunately, the cure was not very effective and caused many patients' conditions to worsen, leading to insanity or death. Gilman herself, suffering from postpartum depression, was prescribed the rest cure by Silas Mitchell, who told her to live "as domestic a life as possible." Gilman depression worsened, and she eventually took herself off the treatment, noting immediate improvement. She soon wrote The Yellow Wallpaper.
Both novels contain elements of feminism and share many characteristics. I would say that the unnamed protagonist of The Yellow Wallpaper is the person who Esther is afraid she might become if she ends up in a traditional marriage. Similar to the scene of the birth in The Bell Jar, The Yellow Wallpaper criticizes the male-dominated medical profession and their methods. Gilman felt that the rest cure reflected men's beliefs on how a woman should be. She even sent a copy of her novel to Silas Mitchell, hoping to convince him of the error of his ways. The narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper also looks negatively upon marriage, similar to Esther. Both protagonists suffer from mental illnesses aggravated by outside factors, which the respective author criticizes. These similarities between the books are not surprising. Gilman was one of the first feminist writers, and probably served as a model for later writers like Plath. Whether Plath will end her novel like Gilman did, I look forward to finding out.
Thursday, January 31, 2013
By Jove!
Throughout the novel, Joyce makes quite a few allusions to
classical/classically-based works, from the Father's description of Hell (Dante's Inferno), to
Stephen's very name and his epiphany. After Stephen’s revelation at the end of
Chapter 4, we see Stephen being open about his doubts of Christianity. He no longer possesses that devotion (if you can call it that) to God he once had. He has
lost faith.
Much of Stephen's earlier life was centered around the Church. Now what? Is he that artist of independent spirit completely separate from the rest of the world? This might be a stretch, but I would say that Stephen's revelation reflects a change in his source of inspiration. After his revelation, I think Stephen turns to the classics for inspiration. As his friends tease him, he realizes the significance of his last name, and all the symbolism that comes with it (flight, freedom, the artificer, etc...). He begins to view the world differently and becomes the “artist”, like Daedalus of Greek myth. Also, much of his aesthetic theory is based on Aristotle and Aquinas (who drew on Greek philosophy for a lot his work). The last line of his journal even says "Old father, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead." Perhaps the "father" he mentions refers to God (maybe he still has some faith), Daedalus of Greek myth, or even Simon Dedalus. Either way, he sees this father figure as an artificer, like Daedalus of Greek myth. It shows his changed view of the world. Earlier he was under a vengeful God and much of his faith in this God was through fear. Now, this new father figure is a creator, an artificer. Stephen sees him in a much more positive light and feels free to view the world as he sees fit, as opposed to mortifying his senses in his devotion to the Christian God.
Much of Stephen's earlier life was centered around the Church. Now what? Is he that artist of independent spirit completely separate from the rest of the world? This might be a stretch, but I would say that Stephen's revelation reflects a change in his source of inspiration. After his revelation, I think Stephen turns to the classics for inspiration. As his friends tease him, he realizes the significance of his last name, and all the symbolism that comes with it (flight, freedom, the artificer, etc...). He begins to view the world differently and becomes the “artist”, like Daedalus of Greek myth. Also, much of his aesthetic theory is based on Aristotle and Aquinas (who drew on Greek philosophy for a lot his work). The last line of his journal even says "Old father, old artificer, stand me now and ever in good stead." Perhaps the "father" he mentions refers to God (maybe he still has some faith), Daedalus of Greek myth, or even Simon Dedalus. Either way, he sees this father figure as an artificer, like Daedalus of Greek myth. It shows his changed view of the world. Earlier he was under a vengeful God and much of his faith in this God was through fear. Now, this new father figure is a creator, an artificer. Stephen sees him in a much more positive light and feels free to view the world as he sees fit, as opposed to mortifying his senses in his devotion to the Christian God.
Sunday, January 27, 2013
Pride
Throughout Stephen's life, from childhood to adolescence, from extreme sin to piety, Stephen maintains one major flaw: pride. In class, we discussed how as a child Stephen seems to sense something unique about himself, something that makes him different (if not better) than his fellows. We see him imagining his own funeral as he lays sick in bed, giving himself much importance. Perhaps this is only a childlike self-fixation, but I think it develops into the pride of his later years. Later on, in Blackrock, we see Stephen musing about a great transformation that will happen to him. As we talked about in class, Stephen adopts a passive attitude to this change, believing that he doesn't need to do anything to be transformed: "Weakness and timidity and inexperience would fall from him in that magic moment." There is some arrogance in Stephen's belief that he is almost destined to become greater.
He soon writes his first poem "To E---- C---" and stares at himself in the mirror. Perhaps he thinks of himself as already changed and is admiring the new him. We later see him and his father on a train. Stephen is annoyed by his father's sentimentality as he reminisces about his younger days. Stephen feels that his father is acting immaturely. He thinks of himself as better than his father in some ways. I would say that it is at this point that Stephen's sense of being special develops into pride.
We then see Stephen enter a life of sin. He feels too lost, too self-pitying, too prideful to seek God's forgiveness: "A certain pride, a certain awe, withheld him from offering to God even one prayer at night though he knew it was in God's power to...hurl his soul hellward...His pride in his own sin...told him his offence was too grievous to be atoned for..." He is also contemptuous of his classmates.
Eventually, Stephen seeks God's forgiveness and feels renewed and pure. Perhaps now he won't be so arrogant? Not so. As he enters a life of piety and asceticism, we see he still hasn't reigned in his sense of pride. He feels disdainfully irritated at those who distract him from his prayers, but at the same time knows this irritation is characteristic of his teachers, and does not want to be like them. Like how Stephen "talked" directly to God during his life of sin, he views his life of piety as a one-on-one battle between him and the Devil as he defends himself from temptation.
Even after meeting another mysterious women in a magical transformation, we see him still arrogant. He is quite flippant about his university education, overall feeling that he is not learning much. We see a new aspect of Stephen's pride as he talks to some fellow students. For not taking an Irish language class, Davin calls Stephen out on not being an Irish nationalist like himself: "In your heart you are an Irishman but your pride is too powerful."
Already nearing the end of the novel, we see that Stephen remains prideful. Maybe by the end we will see him lose his arrogance. Or perhaps he will mold his pride into a defining trait as an artist.
He soon writes his first poem "To E---- C---" and stares at himself in the mirror. Perhaps he thinks of himself as already changed and is admiring the new him. We later see him and his father on a train. Stephen is annoyed by his father's sentimentality as he reminisces about his younger days. Stephen feels that his father is acting immaturely. He thinks of himself as better than his father in some ways. I would say that it is at this point that Stephen's sense of being special develops into pride.
We then see Stephen enter a life of sin. He feels too lost, too self-pitying, too prideful to seek God's forgiveness: "A certain pride, a certain awe, withheld him from offering to God even one prayer at night though he knew it was in God's power to...hurl his soul hellward...His pride in his own sin...told him his offence was too grievous to be atoned for..." He is also contemptuous of his classmates.
Eventually, Stephen seeks God's forgiveness and feels renewed and pure. Perhaps now he won't be so arrogant? Not so. As he enters a life of piety and asceticism, we see he still hasn't reigned in his sense of pride. He feels disdainfully irritated at those who distract him from his prayers, but at the same time knows this irritation is characteristic of his teachers, and does not want to be like them. Like how Stephen "talked" directly to God during his life of sin, he views his life of piety as a one-on-one battle between him and the Devil as he defends himself from temptation.
Even after meeting another mysterious women in a magical transformation, we see him still arrogant. He is quite flippant about his university education, overall feeling that he is not learning much. We see a new aspect of Stephen's pride as he talks to some fellow students. For not taking an Irish language class, Davin calls Stephen out on not being an Irish nationalist like himself: "In your heart you are an Irishman but your pride is too powerful."
Already nearing the end of the novel, we see that Stephen remains prideful. Maybe by the end we will see him lose his arrogance. Or perhaps he will mold his pride into a defining trait as an artist.
Monday, January 21, 2013
Joyce's Divine Comedy
Midway upon the journey of our life
I found myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost.
Dante's Inferno, Canto I, lines 1-3
So Stephen finds himself in Chapter 3. After his first sexual experience, Stephen feels lost. He is full of sin--from lust the rest followed. "His pride in his own sin, his loveless awe of God, told him that his offence was too grievous to be atoned for in whole or in part by a false homage to the All-seeing and All-knowing." He is indeed "within a forest dark." Then, like Dante's Virgil, the school rector announces a retreat--a spiritual journey.
Although Chapter 3 could be argued to mainly reference Dante's Inferno (with the vivid descriptions of Hell), I would say that this chapter reflects the whole of Dante's Divine Comedy: from Hell to Paradise, from spiritual abjection to spiritual redemption.
The second part of Chapter 3 hurls us hellward. Soon after Father Arnall discusses the retreat, we see how Stephen suffers in mental anguish as he imagines Judgement Day. Already, even before the Father's sermon, Stephen is experiencing Hell--another step in Stephen's journey to Paradise. Then we get Father Arnall's sermon on Hell. Dante's Inferno is famous for its fiery and vivid description of Hell: its organization, its punishments, even its denizens. Father Arnall might as well be Dante. He masterfully describes Hell, with its "never ending storm of darkness, dark flames and dark smoke of burning brimstone, amid which the bodies are heaped one upon another without even a glimpse of air." Stephen is on a tour through Hell. Thanks to Stephen's rich imagination, as Father Arnall explains the tortures of Hell, it is almost as if we experience them ourselves. After a break, Father Arnall discusses the spiritual torments of Hell. Again, although it is just a description, we see Stephen suffering and experiencing these pains himself. At the end, he and the other boys pray to God for forgiveness.
Stephen finishes his tour through Hell alone. Full of fear, he goes to his room and falls asleep. This fear manifests itself in a nightmare where Stephen is surrounded by demons. When he awakes, he prays and cries. He is ready to enter Purgatory and cleanse himself. As he heads out we see he realizes the gravity of his sins. Finally, he enters Church Street Chapel and makes a heartfelt confession to the priest, who forgives him. Free of sin, Stephen enters Paradise and the next stage of his life:
"Another life! A life of grace and virtue and happiness! It was true. It was not a dream from which he would wake. The past was past."
I found myself within a forest dark,
For the straightforward pathway had been lost.
Dante's Inferno, Canto I, lines 1-3
So Stephen finds himself in Chapter 3. After his first sexual experience, Stephen feels lost. He is full of sin--from lust the rest followed. "His pride in his own sin, his loveless awe of God, told him that his offence was too grievous to be atoned for in whole or in part by a false homage to the All-seeing and All-knowing." He is indeed "within a forest dark." Then, like Dante's Virgil, the school rector announces a retreat--a spiritual journey.
Although Chapter 3 could be argued to mainly reference Dante's Inferno (with the vivid descriptions of Hell), I would say that this chapter reflects the whole of Dante's Divine Comedy: from Hell to Paradise, from spiritual abjection to spiritual redemption.
The second part of Chapter 3 hurls us hellward. Soon after Father Arnall discusses the retreat, we see how Stephen suffers in mental anguish as he imagines Judgement Day. Already, even before the Father's sermon, Stephen is experiencing Hell--another step in Stephen's journey to Paradise. Then we get Father Arnall's sermon on Hell. Dante's Inferno is famous for its fiery and vivid description of Hell: its organization, its punishments, even its denizens. Father Arnall might as well be Dante. He masterfully describes Hell, with its "never ending storm of darkness, dark flames and dark smoke of burning brimstone, amid which the bodies are heaped one upon another without even a glimpse of air." Stephen is on a tour through Hell. Thanks to Stephen's rich imagination, as Father Arnall explains the tortures of Hell, it is almost as if we experience them ourselves. After a break, Father Arnall discusses the spiritual torments of Hell. Again, although it is just a description, we see Stephen suffering and experiencing these pains himself. At the end, he and the other boys pray to God for forgiveness.
Stephen finishes his tour through Hell alone. Full of fear, he goes to his room and falls asleep. This fear manifests itself in a nightmare where Stephen is surrounded by demons. When he awakes, he prays and cries. He is ready to enter Purgatory and cleanse himself. As he heads out we see he realizes the gravity of his sins. Finally, he enters Church Street Chapel and makes a heartfelt confession to the priest, who forgives him. Free of sin, Stephen enters Paradise and the next stage of his life:
"Another life! A life of grace and virtue and happiness! It was true. It was not a dream from which he would wake. The past was past."
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