Friday 22 March 2013

Similaries in "Araby" and "Eveline"

The stories "Araby" and "Eveline", both written by James Joyce have a lot of similaries. The two stories are set in Ireland and surrounds different people who are outsiders in their society. They both dream of how they wish their life was.

In both stories, the boy and Eveline, both wish they could live their lives differently. The boy is infatuated with Mangan's sister, and he believes this is love. He goes to the Araby to buy her a gift, which he thinks Mangan's sister wants and hopes this will mean shes loves him too. While Eveline who is in love with Frank, and wants to run away with him, thinks of her brother and abusive father. Both these characters are looking for a way out of their lives, or a way to make it better.

Both characters have a meltdown just when they have a way out of their lives, and wouldn't see themselves as outsiders anymore. They both second guess themselves and what they feel, the boy second guessed whether he should buy Mangan's sister the gift, and if she actually asked for it. Eveline questions if she really wants to leave her brother and father and go against her promise to her dead mother.

Friday 8 March 2013

Theme

A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor

Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" tells a story about the grandmother's struggle to find the qualities of a good person both in others and in herself.      
           1. The general idea of the Misfit not being a good man
                       1. The Misfit never fit in anywhere, the grandmother thinks there is a "good man" still in him.
                       2. The grandmother is also a misfit, she labels herself but her actions specks against her and she doesn't fit in with her family. 

           2. The Misfit had a better idea of what it meant to be a Christian than the grandmother.
                       1. The Grandmother claimed to be a good Christian, but she manipulated her family, used racial slurs, and lied. She was only being a "good man" when saying "why you're one of my babies"
                       2. The Misfit chose to be unchristian, he made no pretensions about his morals and knew what he did was wrong. He compares himself to Jesus, saying Jesus is the good man.
                           
           3. The dress of the grandmother
                       1. Her hat and lace shows shes a lady, also old fashioned and delicate. She is a good person except for a couple mistakes and the way she dress represents this.
                       2. After her hat breaks, it shows her change in being a lady, both ideas fall apart.

Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway

Ernest Hemingway's "Hills like White Elephants" is a story about the conflicts of responsibility and communication.
           1. Jig have to make the best decision for everyone
                       1. Jig feels as though she needs to be responsible and not let her emotions get in the way of making the decision and thinks about what the American wants before herself.
                       2. The American feels his responsibility is to make sure Jig has the abortion.

           2. No matter what Jig or the American says they can't express their true feelings.
                       1. The American uses persuasive dialogue to try to convince Jig that the operation is not a big deal, he feels he can't come right out and with everything he says, hes telling her to get the abortion.
                       2. Jig wants to know what the American wants and wants to make him happy, but neither are saying what they actually wants to. She wants to make sure whatever she decides, he will be there for her.

           3. Jig takes the responsibility for what seems to be the American's decision
                       1. The American tells Jig having the abortion will make everything go back to normal and they will be happy, this is his way to make up for his mistake.
                       2. Jig holds the responsibility for the baby but is influenced by what the American wants, she do hold the overall decision, and feels that the abortion is the only right answer.