Metamorphosis Response and Questions

Questions
1.  Why is Gregor so nonchalant about being a bug at the beginning of the novel?

2. Why is Grete so obsessive about being the caretaker of  Gregor?

Response: Why does Gregor abandon speaking in the story?

When Gregor first transforms into the beetle he can still speak. He notes how his voice sounds more high pitched so he attempts to speak slowly. He abandons this when trying to tell the manager why he was not at work. Then after this Gregor seemingly abandons speaking for the rest of the novel. I believe this was done to show Gregor detaching himself from humanity. At the beginning he still tries to act like a human. Examples of this are Gregor getting out of bed and trying to walk upright. Then as the story progresses he begins to accept his bug instincts such as being in tight spaces and crawling on the ceiling. He wrestles with staying human when the family tries it take his furniture away. At first he is in favor of this, but when it actually happens he hates it because it shows his acceptance he will be a bug forever. I believe that Gregor accepted his bug instincts in the end because he comes to terms with being a bug. At the end his family wishes he could understand them, which he can. He still does not speak then because he has become immersed in his new body and has accepted he will never be a human again. Even though he still dreams of being a human again to help out his family Gregor knows this is not possible.

Response and Two Questions for "Death of a King's Horseman"

Response: Contrast Between the First Two Acts

 The first act of "Death of a King's Horseman" shows the tribal customs as everything to the natives. If Elesin does not sacrifice himself the whole world will be thrown out of balance. The people around him are doing everything to make sure he follows through. This includes Iyaloja giving up her daughter for marriage just to make sure Elesin is happy. In this first act the reader is also convinced that  Elesin's sacrifice is extremely important. Then the author takes us to the perspective of a British citizen in the second act. From the point of view of  Pilkings the once important sacrifice is ridiculed as some pagan act. This shows the disconnect between the natives and the British. This disconnect is also furthered in the costumes of Pilkings and his wife. The officer, a native, who comes to see them is spooked by this as it seems to be disrespecting the dead even though he is a converted Muslim. While Pilkings views these cotumes as funny. Even the tension between Pilkings and Elesin shows the disconnect. Elesin is mad at Pilkings because he allowed Elesin's son to be sent to medical school. This act would be seen as extremely generous to us westerners, but the action is views as despicable by some natives because it took Elesins eldest son away from him. The contrast between the first two acts set up the tension throughout the play as the two parties, Pilkings and Elsein, have fundamental differences in thought process's 

Questions: 

1.  How do the tribal customs and British laws interact in everyday life?

2. What are Elesin's true motives for marrying someone so close to death?

Analysis of Post-Colonial Reading of the Tempest

1. The de-colonization movement in the 60's and 70's led to intellectuals looking at Caliban more as the rightful heir of the Island and Prospero the European oppressor.

2. Caliban is the embodiment of the "savage" that European sailors claimed they saw when colonizing new places.

3. Prospero's justification of  the enslavement of Caliban represents how Europeans believed that the natives had no culture and they were saving them from barbarism.

4. The enslavement of  Caliban also represents how if the Natives did not conform to European values they were lost causes.

5. European writers rewrote the tempest to put more emphasis on Caliban's words against Prospero and his justification for ownership of the Island. This represents the shift of peoples view on the Tempest and how Caliban is now shown in a more positive light.


Questions
1. Does Prospero's magic that he uses to keep Caliban obedient represent something physical such as guns or the perceived intellectual superiority of the Europeans?

2. With this newfound knowledge of the relationship between colonization and the Tempest what does the final interaction between Caliban and Prospero represent?

"As I Lay Dying" Questions

1. Why do you think Faulkner chose Cash to narrate the last chapter of the novel?

2. What role does the gramophone symbolize in regards to the Bundren family?

Questions for As I Lay Dying

1. Why does Addie have such a severe reaction to Jewel buying the horse?

2.  What is Faulkner trying to explain in having the pastor be the man that Addie was cheating with?

Why is Anse so Transfixed on Bringing Addie Back To Jefferson?

The only clear goal a hundred pages into As I Lay Dying  is for Addie to be buried in Jefferson. Anse is disregarding everybody's advice and going to extreme lengths to find a way to transport Addie to Jefferson. Characters such as Tull comment how Anse has never been this motivated in his life and something has changed. I believe that Anse is so motivated because he did something terrible to Addie in her past. This comes from a comment Tull made,"Wherever she went, she has her reward in being free of Anse Bundren."(Faulkner, 59) Addie made the wrong decision. She regretted marrying Anse and I believe tried to get out of the marriage or she cheated. I believe this because she wants to be buried no where near Anse, but with her parents. Anse did not allow Addie to leave so she was stuck in some sort of hell where she had nowhere to go. After Addie's death, Anse is filled with regret for his actions and believes that bringing Addie back to Jefferson is a way to atone for his sins. I think the kids have some idea of this because Jewel rides on a horse alone when attempting to make it back to Jefferson. This would also explain why Jewel was Addie's favorite; Jewel knew what hell Addie was going through. In conclusion, Anse is so intent on bringing Addie back to Jefferson as a way to atone for his actions that he committed during their marriage.

Single Word From "As I Lay Dying"

Bevel

Two Questions About "As I Lay Dying"

1. How does the language used by Faulkner affect the readers understanding of the text and their first impression of Dewey Dell?

2. What is Faulkner trying to convey about Anse's character when Anse explains God's reasoning for using roads to travel?

Public Opinion vs. Personal Belief

In the fourth chapter of The Things They Carried O'Brien tells the story of his struggle of whether to draft dodge or not. O'Brien does not agree with the war and has no drive to go to Vietnam, but the main reason he does not leave for Canada is his towns opinion of him. O'Brien can not imagine the embarrassment that comes with dodging. He fears that he would be ostracized, and even imagines the conversations townsfolk would have once he was gone. However, like most teenagers in the country he personally does not agree with the war. He does not want to lay his life down in some foreign land. O'Brien's conflict of public opinion vs personal belief took  hold of the many of the young men drafted. The conflict is epitomized when O'Brien is 20 yards from Canada's shore. He of course could swim to the shore, get away and never step foot in Vietnam. However, getting to the shore would be cold and uncomfortable for him. O'Brien does not go to Canada because he can not bear to live the rest of his life with a chip on his shoulder. He wants the approval of the people around him, so he has to go to war. His personal beliefs are pushed down by a fear of not being loved. While today people might call O'Brien cowardly for going against his beliefs, few wanted to go against public onion during the draft.

Symbolism in the Arrangers of Marriage

In the novel The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the short story called The Arrangers of Marriage contains multiple symbols including the American cookbook. After their neighbor comments on the smell of foreign food in the complex Dave immediately goes and buys an American cookbook for Agatha to learn. This American cookbook represents Dave's wanting to blend in to America. From the very beginning of the story Dave attempts to erase everything that has to do with his Nigerian heritage. While Dave does appear to enjoy the traditional Nigerian meal," even smacking his lips like Uncle Ike sometimes did to show Aunty Ada how pleased he was withher cooking," (Adiche, 179),  he does not want her to cook like a Nigerian again because people took notice. He does not want to be known as "those foreigners" but a part of a uniform machine. The American cookbook is a way to become part of the machine.  The American cookbook also represents Agatha's disappointment in the marriage. As she attempts to cook American food she complains how she did not expect life to be like this, " Another thing the arrangers of marriage did not tell you- the struggle of brown beef in oil." (Adiche, 179) Agatha was told she won the lottery in marrying a American doctor. It was every Nigerian girl's dream. However the marriage has only been filled with disappointment as her Nigerian ways are being pushed away for a shallower American culture.

Does your novel represent a particular non-American culture? What does it say about that culture?

In the Heart of Darkness the natives are presented in a negative light for a majority of the novel. When Marlow is heading down to the Congo he passes a boat full of Africans rowing. At that time he almost admires them and takes note of their strength. However, as Marlow journeys farther into the Congo the Africans begin to be presented as savages. When Marlow overhears the conversation between the Manager and his Uncle the Africans are seen as violent and bloodthirsty. Then the culture of Africa is shown in a negative light again when cannibals become crew members of the ship. This stokes the fears of readers that Africans are inhumane as no European would ever think of eating a human. Then when it is revealed that the the natives will not let Kurtz leave the readers are led to believe that the Africans are imbeciles who believe a regular guy is their god. The Africans are made out to be the villains who are too ignorant to understand western culture. In conclusion, the Africans in The Heart of Darkness are presented as savages which would align with the European public's beliefs at the time.

Is there a puzzle in your story that the main character is trying to solve?

In the Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad the main character, Marlow, is trying to solve the puzzle of who is this mysterious Mr. Kurtz.  When Marlow first hears of Mr. Kurtz at the companies headquarters he is interested how this one man can produce more ivory than the rest of the other outposts combined. However as he arrives at the next camp he becomes more and more captivated by Mr. Kurtz and it starts to become an obsession. Marlow is bewildered how Mr. Kurtz turned the canoes with the ivory around or how he is living without anymore white people. It just does not make sense to him and this becomes one of his main motivations as he goes farther down the river. The second chapter only heightens Marlow's obsession as they are attacked for the purpose of keeping Kurtz with them. Marlow now admires this man as many others see Kurtz as a rogue.  However, with all the time Marlow had on the river he builds up Kurtz to be larger than life. In trying to find out who Kurtz is Marlow imagines Kurtz as a savior. The puzzle of who Mr. Kurtz is was solved, but not to the excitement of Marlow. After being shown around the camp by the harlequin Marlow starts to believe that Kurtz has become savage. The skulls on the spears combined with Kurtz's unholy obsession with ivy has tarnished Marlow's opinion of him. This resentment is seemingly abandoned shortly after when a Marlow allies with Kurtz instead of the manager. I believe Marlow did this because he was still obsessed with the character of Kurtz, and in trying to find out Kurtz was he built a false pretense of who Kurtz actually was. Marlow never solved the puzzle of who Kurtz was, but instead used the image he had created for Kurtz on the way to his camp.

How Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche Ties All of the Stories together

The Thing Around Your Neck was the first novel I ever read of its kind. Each story is looking through a different lenses of how Nigerians are living in the world . At first this novel appeared disjointed as the setting and times periods changed every short story, and characters of a previous short stories were seemingly forgotten. However, as the novel progressed similarities began to appear. Adichie appears to break the short stories into separate categories all linked by their Nigerian heritage. One of the most prominent  groupings of short stories are the Nigerians immigrating to America. These stories all deal with retaining their Nigerian identity and adapting to the different culture of the U.S.A. In the story On Monday of Last Week Kamara notes how different it was to raise a child in America. The child she babysits, Josh, is always told he is a winner and his father constantly frets about his well being. Josh's diet changes daily as new health fads come and go. Kamara views this as ludicrous and how her childhood diet was what her parents could put on the table. Kamara also disagrees that you should never hit your child. She believes there is a different between discipline and abuse that has been lost in this country. Her preconceptions of how to raise a child clash fundamentally with how Neil believes a child should be raised. Then later on the story The Arrangers of Marriage is the most notable in relation to Nigerians immigrating to America. Dave, the husband, plans on completely abandoning his roots and fully embracing American culture. He fears difference and wishes to be invisible. However his wife, Agatha, is just like Kamara,  she keeps Nigeria in her heart throughout he time in America. She goes along with Dave's changes at first but harbors resentment of her lost Nigerian ways. Agatha and Kamara both hold on to their Nigerian roots and use that belief system to view the outside world.

         The other short stories deal with the Nigerians who stayed. These short stories showcase the violence and corruption that has overtaken Nigeria. Whether it is, bribes being required to visit your son in jail or the riots that overtake the markets and leave hundreds injured or missing. Nigeria is rarely shown in a positive light as these characters strive to survive not prosper. A prime example of this is the short story The American Embassy. As a woman waits in line to interview for asylum the reader is brought through the dark side of Nigeria. Her husband whisked out of the country and her son killed by corrupt soldiers. Freedom of speech is nonexistent as dissidents disappear and criminals are flogged in the streets. This short story lines up with others that cope with the failures of Nigeria.

The stories in The Thing Around Your Neck can be split into two groups: The Nigerians who left the country and the Nigerians who stayed. However, all these stories are linked by the Nigerians attempting to find an identity and how to live in the new world.

Are there any generational conflicts in your novel?

In the novel The Thing Around Your Neck, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie presents 12 short stories connected not by characters, but by common themes of Nigerian heritage and finding your place in the world. One short story that highlights generational conflicts was The Headstrong Historian. This story follows Nwamgba and her family as they experience the European colonization of Africa. The divide between generations is clear cut in this story as Nwamgba, after interacting with the European missionaries, hopes to hold on to her African roots. However, her son, Anikwenwa, abandons his families tribal ways for the Anglican church. Horror overtakes Nwamgba as Anikwenwa abandons tribal customs that were so integral to her lifestyle viewing his once friends and family as backwards savages. The mission has made him act as if he is above the savage practices of the other youth. He wants nothing to do with his ima mmuo ceremony, but instead looks forward to salvaging souls from hell. Watching this transformation is heartbreaking for Nwamgba as her families roots are being destroyed before her very eyes. Nwamgba never abandons her beliefs, but instead hopes for her traditions to be passed on to Anikwenwa's daughter. The generational gap between these two characters was recurring throughout the novel as Nigerians struggle with whether to become more western or stick to their Nigerian roots. An example of this is the short story Tomorrow is Too Far. While not the main point of the short story, the grandmothers distaste of how her grandchildren are being raised is a prime example of a generational divide. The grandmother fears her grandchildren have become too western and attempts to correct this. She never allows her granddaughter to climb trees because it is a "man's job". While she favors the only grandson, who is able to carry on the family name, Nonso. When Nonso dies the grandmother mourns the loss of her family name, not her grandchild. This shows a stark difference in just two generations her Nigerian mother staunch in her cultural beliefs, while her grandchildren are Americanized.  In conclusion, the generational divide between Nigerians is clear as younger generations start to abandon their beliefs and become more western in their ideology.

Are there any passages that stand out for you? Why?

In the novel The Thing Around Your Neck by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the short story called The Arrangers if Marriage really stood out for me. This passage stood out to me not because of the arranged marriage which is viewed as a barbaric practice in America, but how Dave, the husband, tries to hide their African roots. Immediately upon arrival in America Dave tries to blend in to American culture and not embrace his differences. America is a country of immigrants and their differences have added to this countries composition. However Dave does not want to be a part of this and longs to be a cog in a uniform system. Instead of enjoying Agatha's homemade dish he fears that the other tenants with view them differently because they eat Nigerian food. He wants to erase all traces of his Nigerian descent even in the homestead, he doesn't allow Agatha to speak in Igaboo or use slang that makes her stand out such as calling biscuits cookies. Dave's wanting to blend in to America encompasses everything even his choice of wife. One of the reasons he chose Agatha was due to her lighter skin and how light skin Africans are more prosperous in America. The other reason that this passage stuck out to me is that my grandfather went through the exact same dilemma as Agatha and Dave . When my Grandfather immigrated from Iran in 1968 he introduced himself as Michael instead of Manocher. He feared his name was to hard to pronounce and scared people. However, he did not try to erase his cultural differences. He still celebrates Persian New Year and teaches his grandchildren about life in Iran growing up and how it has changed so much in his lifestyle. Dave and my Grandfather's views on how to live in America represent immigrant's struggles on how to live in America. Some immigrants want to erase who they were before while others want to keep in touch with their culture.