"She would have it, this baby. She grabbed for the baby's other arm. She caught the baby around the wrist and leaned back."
I feel like the author of this story has a very unique writing style. His lines are all written short and simply, and they are usually dialogue. The story seems to be written in third person objective point of view. It is written as though the narrator is watching the fight take place but knows nothing else of the characters. I also thought it was interesting how the baby started out being viewed as a person and turned into more of an object by the end of the story. I think it kind of shows how rage can make people forget the dignity of others. The two people are completely malicious toward each other and they are unknowingly treating this baby maliciously. I also think that the baby symbolizes something as well. I think they see the baby as a sign of who came out better in the relationship. Whoever gets the baby is better off. It is also a sign that they are not willing to let go. Both of them fight over the child. If they were really over each other completely, they would not want anything, like a baby, that would remind them of the other person.
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Humor: You're Ugly Too
"She thought of the joke about the guy who visits his doctor and the doctor says, 'Well, I'm sorry to say you've got six weeks to live.'
'I want a second opinion,' says the guy. You act like your opinion is worth more than everyone else's in the class.
'You want a second opinion? OK,' says the doctor. 'You're ugly, too.'"
This story also made me somewhat sad. I think its supposed to have somewhat of a dry humor. It's really easy for people to hate Zoe, but I mostly just feel bad for her. Her life just kind of sucks. She is somewhat arrogant, but it seems like her students don't really respect her either. She has a sister who has someone to love her, but her sister is unhappy with that relationship, and I think it just makes her lose hope. She tries and tries to find a mate, but to her it seems pointless because the men are always terrible people and she probably won't be happy with them anyways. Not to mention, she has facial hair, which makes me question if she is a male or a female. By the way the story is written, I'm guessing it was written sometime during the later part of the 20th century when transgender and gay people were finding acceptance. That's just what it seems like to me. But, I think that even if this is true, even if she is a man who acts as a woman but she is accepted, she probably still feels inadequate and she has probably been often criticized. It has made her cynical and bitter. That's why I think the joke about the doctor is her favorite joke. It takes criticism like that which she has probably faced and makes it something to laugh about. It is more of a cover-up of emotions than something genuinely humorous.
'I want a second opinion,' says the guy. You act like your opinion is worth more than everyone else's in the class.
'You want a second opinion? OK,' says the doctor. 'You're ugly, too.'"
This story also made me somewhat sad. I think its supposed to have somewhat of a dry humor. It's really easy for people to hate Zoe, but I mostly just feel bad for her. Her life just kind of sucks. She is somewhat arrogant, but it seems like her students don't really respect her either. She has a sister who has someone to love her, but her sister is unhappy with that relationship, and I think it just makes her lose hope. She tries and tries to find a mate, but to her it seems pointless because the men are always terrible people and she probably won't be happy with them anyways. Not to mention, she has facial hair, which makes me question if she is a male or a female. By the way the story is written, I'm guessing it was written sometime during the later part of the 20th century when transgender and gay people were finding acceptance. That's just what it seems like to me. But, I think that even if this is true, even if she is a man who acts as a woman but she is accepted, she probably still feels inadequate and she has probably been often criticized. It has made her cynical and bitter. That's why I think the joke about the doctor is her favorite joke. It takes criticism like that which she has probably faced and makes it something to laugh about. It is more of a cover-up of emotions than something genuinely humorous.
Irony: The Drunkard
"'Never again, never again, not if I live to be a thousand!'
To this day I don't know whether he was forswearing me or the drink."
I thought that this story was much more ironic than humorous. I actually thought this story was somewhat sad. Either way, the main point was that it took the son getting fall-over drunk before the father could realize that he had a problem. That in itself is ironic. It reminds me of how in Health we learned that one is more likely to be an alcoholic if their parent is an alcoholic. People see the awful effects that alcohol have on their parents, but it is also the only example they have ever seen. Maybe that had something to do with why the father changed. He saw that he was making his son turn out the same way he did. He knew that his life when he was a "drunkard" was wrong but he didn't want anyone to worry about him or tell him what to do so he always acted like he was fine. However, once he saw the way that his son was getting drunk, it changed something in him. It is ironic that he had to see the same problem in someone else to recognize it in himself. It was also ironic how the father was acting superior at his friends funeral. He was almost joyous, and he acted arrogant. I think it was his own insecurities though. He knew that people were criticizing him, but he could be proud for at least that moment knowing that he was greater than the man who was dead.
To this day I don't know whether he was forswearing me or the drink."
I thought that this story was much more ironic than humorous. I actually thought this story was somewhat sad. Either way, the main point was that it took the son getting fall-over drunk before the father could realize that he had a problem. That in itself is ironic. It reminds me of how in Health we learned that one is more likely to be an alcoholic if their parent is an alcoholic. People see the awful effects that alcohol have on their parents, but it is also the only example they have ever seen. Maybe that had something to do with why the father changed. He saw that he was making his son turn out the same way he did. He knew that his life when he was a "drunkard" was wrong but he didn't want anyone to worry about him or tell him what to do so he always acted like he was fine. However, once he saw the way that his son was getting drunk, it changed something in him. It is ironic that he had to see the same problem in someone else to recognize it in himself. It was also ironic how the father was acting superior at his friends funeral. He was almost joyous, and he acted arrogant. I think it was his own insecurities though. He knew that people were criticizing him, but he could be proud for at least that moment knowing that he was greater than the man who was dead.
Point of View: The Lottery
"The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teenage club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers, who had time and energy to devote to civic activities."
This story is written in third person objective point of view. The author's choice to write in this perspective has a direct relation to the story told. The narrator speaks about the lottery very nonchalantly. It is treated as though it is a normal event, something familiar and traditional. It is something that no one questions. However, when one finds out that the person drawn in the lottery is sacrificed (the surprise ending), it seems completely ridiculous inhumane. But, the objective point of view reflects the views of the members of the town. They don't view it as something emotional or wrong. It is simply seen as unavoidable. By adding details about how the day was "clear and sunny" and talking about how the young children were playing around makes it seem like a normal day. For the people of the town, the lottery is nothing out of the ordinary. I think this work is somewhat satirizing how we follow traditions without questioning why we do them.
This story is written in third person objective point of view. The author's choice to write in this perspective has a direct relation to the story told. The narrator speaks about the lottery very nonchalantly. It is treated as though it is a normal event, something familiar and traditional. It is something that no one questions. However, when one finds out that the person drawn in the lottery is sacrificed (the surprise ending), it seems completely ridiculous inhumane. But, the objective point of view reflects the views of the members of the town. They don't view it as something emotional or wrong. It is simply seen as unavoidable. By adding details about how the day was "clear and sunny" and talking about how the young children were playing around makes it seem like a normal day. For the people of the town, the lottery is nothing out of the ordinary. I think this work is somewhat satirizing how we follow traditions without questioning why we do them.
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