The Things They Carried

In the story The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien, O'Brien talks about soldiers off in war. Throughout the story, the reader mentions all the things that the soldiers carried with them while they were at war. Some of the things that soldiers were physical items. "First lieutenant carried with him letters from a girl named Martha" (O'Brien, 1-2). Not only were the items that soldiers carried physical items, the soldiers also carried a great deal of internal conflicts. On page sixteen of the story, O'Brien mentions a great list of internal items that the soldiers are dealing with. Some of the internal items they carried with them were guilt, fear, memories, and reputations. At the end of the story, it talks about how the internal, not the physical items, were holding the soldiers back. Items such as memories were distracting the soldiers and not allowing them to truly focus on their works. At the end of the story, one of the characters takes a major step in taking away his distractions: he burns the letters. I think that the soldiers are going to succeed in overcoming their internal problems because taking the first step is the hardest. In burning the letters, he is taking the first step in putting the past behind him and moving on to better perform his job.

Death, Be Not Proud

In the poem "Death, Be Not Proud" by John Donne, the writer expresses death as a person. Death is personified throughout the course of the poem. In the first line of the poem, the writer gives death, as a person, advice. "Death, be not proud, though some though some have called thee mighty and dreadful" (Donne, 1-2). The author is warning death to not take pride in what they have done. Rather, the poem is telling death not to take pride in anything that they do. Another example of where death is personified is in line four where the poem talks about not dying. "Die not, poor death, nor yet canst though kill me" (Donne, 4).  Death is once again personified in the poem by Donne when it talks dealing with poison, war and sick. Poison, war, and sickness are daily issues that humans have to deal with. The personification throughout the poem gets the readers attention. The personification allows the reader to realize that they are the audience of the poem.

Crossing the Bar

In "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson, crossing the bar could symbolize so many different things. One thing that I think that Crossing the Bar means is crossing from this life onto the next. At the end of the poem where it talks about seeing the pilot's face after they cross the bar, the reader can infer that the pilot is dead. "I hope to see my Pilot face to face When I have crossed the bar" (Tennyson, 15-16). The reader can also infer that maybe the pilot symbolizes someone in the characters life who led them before they passed away. Just as the pilot of an airplane controls our path, the pilot could symbolizes a role model or leader who lead the character in his or her life before the "pilot" passed on. Seeing the pilot face to face could also symbolize other things. Seeing the pilot face to face could also symbolize the character finally being treated as equal to the pilot. The reader could infer that the character always felt inferior to those around him/her and once they pass away, they will finally be treated as not inferior, but equal. "Crossing the Bar" by Alfred, Lord Tennyson has a a variety of meanings and symbols throughout the poem.

That Time of Year

In The poem That Time of Year by William Shakespeare, a certain season is talked about. I think "that time of year" is referring to the end of fall. In the first few lines, it talks about the leaves falling from the trees and the cold coming. "When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang upon those boughs which shake against the cold, bare ruined choirs where late where late the sweet birds sing" (Shakespeare, 2-4). The yellow leaves symbolize the leaves changing colors during the fall and autumn season. When the poem talks about the none or few leves hanging, it's talking about the time of year when the leaves are all falling from the trees. The poem is also referring to to time when there are only a few are still on the trees. At this point, winter is quickly approaching. The bare ruined choirs symbolizes the bare, empty trees after all the leaves have fallen at the end of fall or autumn and beginning of winter. When the poem talks about the trees shaking in the cold, it is referring to the bits of winter breeze that are seen at the end of fall, right before the beginning of winter. Throughout the poem, the reader is shown many symbols that lead him or her to believe "that time of year" is the end of fall, beginning of spring. 

A Rose for Emily

The story A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner told out of chronological order. The story begins with what really is the end chronologically. The first line states, "When Miss Emily died, our whole town went to the funeral" (Faulkner, 282). The rest of the story is then an out of order flashback to the events leading up to Miss Emily's death. I think that it is told our of chrinigical order for two reasons. One reason that I think the story is told out of chronological order is to keep suspense throughout the story. If the story were told chronologically, the reader would better be able to predict the ending. Another reason that I think the story was told out of chronological order is to show mystery. Since no one ever really knows what is going on with Miss Emily or what is going on in her life, the story should be told told in a mysterious fashion. Just as the townspeople never know what Miss Emily is doing or why she is doing it, the reader should not know what is coming next! 

Much Madness is Divinest Sense

In the poem "Much Madness is Divinest Sense", we learn a lot about the personality of the writer Emily Dickinson. The poem talks about her frustration with the society that she lives in. The poem talks about people who are sane, versus the people who are insane or have madness. She is trying to say that what society believes is madness maybe might not be true. Maybe she is trying to tell the reader that maybe the societies view may be the opposite of reality. The poem's title suggest that madness can be a good thing. It suggest that madness is the "divinest sense" that all people should strive to achieve. She also talks about how madness is perceived differently by different people. "Much Madness is divinest sense to a discerning eye" (Dickinson, 1-2). Dickinson is implying that those who see the world differently than the rest of us,  may be the sane people after all.

Bartleby

Nicknames are used throughout the course of the story "Bartleby, the Scrivener" by Herman Melville. The reader learns throughout the course of the story that the narrator gives nicknames to all of his employees. Three of the characters mentioned in the novel are only mentioned by their nicknames. Turkey, Nippers, and Ginger Nut are all only referred by their nicknames based their personalities and jobs at the office. For example, Ginger Nut received his name from one of his main duties, which was to fetch Turkey and Nippers cake. "Not the least among  the employments of Ginger Nut... was his duty as cake and apple purveyor for Turkey and Nippers" (Melville, 647). The fact that all of the lawyers previous copyist have had nickname poses a question. Is Bartleby his real name or a nickname? As the reader ponders on this question, they must look at the background of Bartleby for the answer. Little is to be known about Bartleby's life outside the office. The reader will never know due to the lack of information. What do you think?

APO 96225

Sometimes the truth is better when it is concealed, such as in the poem "APO 96225" by Larry Rottmann. The poem starts out with a letter from the son fighting in the war saying "Dear Mom, sure rains a lot here" (Rottmann, 3). Throughout the course of the rest of the poem, the son continues to sugarcoat what is really going on in the place where he is fighting the war. But, no matter what he says, the mother always asks what is really going on there. It seems rather ironic that when the son finally tells his mother what his life is really like that the father replies saying "Please don't write such depressing letters. You're upsetting your mother" (Rottmann, 17-18). It is quite ironic because all he was doing was obeying her, yet he ended up hurting her. Sometimes the people in our lives know what is best for us. In this situation, it was best for the son to withhold the information about what it was really like in the place where he is in the war. Even though its tough, sometimes sugarcoating news can be better for someone than finding out the reality. The poem ends the same way that it begins stating "Dear Mom, it sure rains here a lot" (Rottmann, 19-20). Maybe, the poem ends the same way as it begins to show that even though the mother received new she did not want to hear, their lives are still the same as when they started. The information that the mother learned did not change the son's situation, but only changed the perspective of the mother.

I Felt a Funeral in my Brain

The poem "I Felt a Funeral in my Brain" by Emily Dickinson, begins talking about the great loss that the narrator suffers. In the poem, I think that she is having a funeral for her brain. She is coming to the consensus that she is losing her mind. Dickinson is saying that her mind has left her, similarly to how the mind leaves the body once they have passed away. The poem implies that Dickinson had been alienating herself, but the funeral has allowed her to be the person that she wants to be. The poem implies that she was trapped in her mind. It implies that what she was thinking consumed her life. But now that her mind has "died", she is set free. "And then I heard them lift a box" (Dickinson, 9) refers to her being set free from her alienation and from herself. She was finally able to answer the questions that had been consuming her. When the poem says "And finished-knowing...," (Dickinson, 20) it shows that she is now truly at peace and ready to break away from herself and stop alienating herself.

Miss Brill

Loneliness is a theme in the story Miss Brill by Katherine Mansfield. Throughout the course of the story, the reader learns a great deal about the character Miss Brill through her actions. The fact that Miss Brill is always sitting alone on a park bench expresses her loneliness. It also acts as a step to making conversation with others through her lonely time. Loneliness often time leads to desperation. Miss Brill continues to follow a band around to try and find someone. Despite her actions, he still ends up feeling alone in a sea of people. While she wishes for company on the park benches, Miss Brill is often joined by couples: couples who already have someone to be with. Loneliness is also expressed in the story when the only conversation that she ever hears is the talk about herself. She seldom converses with others and when she does, most of the talk is about her. Eavesdropping is a skill that Miss Brill uses to try and ease her loneliness. Often times, the plan of eavesdropping makes her feel even worse and even more lonely because people are talking about her negative pathetic life. "Miss Brill's eyes filled with tears" (Mansfield, 185).

External Conflict

In Lorraine Hansberry's A Raisin in the Sun, there is a cycle of external conflicts. Throughout the course of the novel, each of the characters express an external conflict that influences the rest of the family. Ruth's determining on whether or not to get an abortion affects Walter and Mama. It affects Mama because it brings back the memories of Big Walter. It affects Walter because he has to make the decision and stand up for his son just as his father (Big Walter) did. Another external conflict that affects multiple family members is when Willy takes Walter's money. It affects the family because not only do they not have the money that was for the liquor store, but Walter did not invest any money, so they lost all of the money. Walter states, "that money is made out of my father's flesh" (Hansberry, 128). It also affects Travis because they force Walter to explain this in front on his son. Travis learns to act like a man and take responsibility for the things he does both right and wrong in his life. The external conflicts throughout the course of the novel we learn not only impact the person individually, but also the people surrounding them.

Dreams

Throughout the course of the novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry, many of the characters have dreams. The character's dreams vary greatly. Mama's dream can be described as the typical american dream. She wants a big house, nice car, and a garden for her family. Her dream is a a better life for her family. “Well, I always wanted me a garden like I used to see sometimes at the back
of the houses down home" (Hansberry, 53) The garden symbolizes her dream growing more and more. Along with Mama's dream, Walter's dream deals with economic security. Throughout the course of the novel, Walter searches for self-happiness that he believes comes with opening the liquor store. Ruth is another character with a dream. Ruth's dream deals with having financial security and a happy marriage. We see this throughout the course of the novel when she wants to invest part of the $10,000 check. The many different dreams throughout the course of the novel symbolize the differences in the Younger Family.

Money

Money plays a huge role in the novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Money is connected to one of the major conflicts in the novel which is what to do with Mama's $10,000 insurance check. But even before the reader learns about the insurance check, there is an argument about the 50c that Travis needs for school. Even though it is just a small amount, the tension grows in the scene because of the money. Ruth states, "I don't care what teacher say. I ain't got it" (Hansberry, 28). The money continues to rip the family apart throughout the course of the novel. Walter wants to get the check in order to follow his dream of owning a liquor store. Walter is very selfish when it comes to the money. Some members of the family think that the money should be used for Beneatha's education. In the end, as the reader, I think that Mama should do with what she wants with the money. Besides, it is for her to use it for whatever she thinks is best for her family.

Symbolism

There are many symbols in the novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. One symbol in the novel is the plant. The plant symbolizes hope. Throughout the course of the novel, the plant symbolizes her hope for a better life for her family. Mama is constantly watering the plant symbolizing her always trying to to nurture her family and make them grow closer together. The fact that the plant is always in the darkness symbolizes the darkness that the Younger family is stuck in. The fact that even though Mama continues to water the plant in the darkness, she never gives up hope on her family. It also shows how she is constantly caring for her family. Even when Mama tries to leave the plant behind at the old to symbolize her leaving her behind, she goes back and gets the plant. After she leaves the plant behind, "The door opens and she comes back in, grabs her plant, and goes out for the last time," (Hansberry, 151). She takes the plant with her because it symbolizes the struggles that their family has overcome and the constant love that she has had and will always have for her family. 

Father

The father plays an essential role in the novel A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry. Even though the father is deceased, his presence is key in  parts of the novel. His death has significantly impacted the family and their financial status. Because of his death, conflict and tension has developed with the family. The family is constantly bickering and disagreeing on how to use the $10,000 insurance check that Mama will receive from the death of Big Walter. He is also influential in his son Walter's life. When Ruth is considering the abortion, Mama talk to Walter about standing up for his soon to be child, just like his father stood up for him. Mama states,"I’m waiting to see you stand up and look like your daddy" (Hansberry, 75). Even though Big Walter is gone, Walter is still constantly being compared to his father. He is expected to be the man that his father was, before he was taken away from the family. The term gone but never forgotten perfectly describes Big Walter in the Younger household.