Huck Finn

So pretty much at this point, Huck and Jim are still found with the dauphin and the duke. They're rehearsing lines of Hamlet but obviously, they don't know too much about it, but Huck still seems to find all of this very interesting. We're then taken over to a scene where some man has killed another and a mob forms to lynch him. Huck witnesses this and it sort of still shows the whole idea that there is chaos and drama wherever he goes. After that, the duke and the dauphin post flyers that they will perform a play but they don't seem to do too well. They then post another one, but only intended for men. The performance is short though and the crowd feels as if they were ripped off, but tend to take it out on the other towns people, claiming that the play was actually good so that they get ripped off as well. They earn well over 400 dollars but make their escape on the third night. Huck also witnesses a circus, where one man is doing a dangerous task. While everyone else is cheering though, Huck can't bare to watch because he is afraid for the mans life and doesn't understand why anyone would want to do anything so dangerous. Jim is now complaining that he's always tied up while everyone else leaves and goes out. They enter into the next town and find out about some guy who has just died but left an inheritance for his two brothers. The duke and the dauphin take this opportunity and go to the Wilks', claiming to be the two brothers. The plot works and they both receive 6,000 dollars. Huck feels great disgust towards them and how low they can be in performing something so terrible. This shows that Huck is a truly good person and even though he has done many things to lie and run away, he still has a conscience and manages to keep a hold of his morals.

Othello Questions

1. Evidence that is added to the case now is that Iago claims that Cassio has told him he has slept with Desdemona.

2. I feel as if it was way too planned out and perfect timing for Iago. I mean, there are some instances where that could just be a major spot on timing thing but the actuality of something like that happening isn't too great. The handkerchief is very important because it is sort of like a symbol of Othello's love for Desdemona. Othello tells the story of how his father gave it to his mother and it was supposed to be some type of magical handkerchief which is supposed to keep Desdemona in love with Othello which to me just proves how insecure he really is.

3. He feels as if there is no forgiving a "whore" and Iago has pretty much convinced him that all of these accusations are true.

5. Emilia and Desdemona are both very loyal to their husbands and not willing to cheat on them for any reason.

6. The speech where Othello calls Desdemona a cunning whore of Venice who would only marry Othello but in all actuality, she has been extremely faithful to him.

       Part V
1. The events that led to Iago's demise would have to be when all of them are in Desdemona and Othello's room where Desdemona lays dead and they are having a conversation on the handkerchief and Emilia brings up that she was the one who gave Iago the handkerchief in the first place and that is pretty much when they all realize that Iago has been the one behind all of this.

4. I would say that a lot of factors play into Othello wanting to kill Desdemona. Mostly because he feels betrayed and extremely hurt and also seeks revenge but I also feel as if his pride gets in the way.

5. He is saying that he didn't necessarily love in the wisest fashion but he did love her deeply.

6. I feel as if it does because you get to see his noble side which is very calm and collected instead of frantic and in a trance like state and he seems to have recovered from his jealous passions that caused him to kill his wife.

I'm running out of titles here...

So I guess the article that I would have to find the most compelling would probably be by E. R. Dodds. I felt like that one caught most of my attention and made the most sense to me. I strongly believe that Oedipus uncovers the human illusion of happiness and the human thirst for wanting to solve every riddle, just like this dude mentions. I feel like all of the other articles make good points but I guess I sort of had some trouble seeing exactly where they were going but this one went straight to the point, which I liked. The most compelling point that he brings up is the one of how if every man could do what Oedipus did and uncover the truth, we all would be able to see human life as the gods and time sees it. I feel like that's pretty much right. That we are all just stuck in this illusion of life and most of us are too afraid to uncover it and see it for what it really is.

Oedipus Questions

1. Tiresias seems to give massive detail into Oedipus' guilt. He describes how he is his own downfall and that he killed his father alone. I felt as if at that point, Oedipus should have realized that what Tiresias was saying was true but he needed more proof I guess? It was very long and dragged out but it definitely helped build suspense and also pity towards Oedipus.

3. I do agree with this but I also feel as if he should have known sooner. Why wait that long to try to uncover the mystery? Why not want to find out which man you killed in the first place? I feel as if though these events could have possibly been prevented but then again, I don't feel as if he had much control over these things until it was too late.

5. I feel as if Jocasta is sort of in between. She is a queen and we don't necessarily see her develop too much until she realizes that Oedipus is her son. She also isn't stuck up like a queen usually would be. We see her develop more of a personality when the shepherd and messenger are uncovering the truth of Oedipus' birth.

6. Dramatic irony is when the words and actions of the characters have different meaning than what they are meant to mean. Examples that I find in this play would be when Oedipus says he's going to kill the man that murdered King Laius when in all actuality, the man he is searching for is himself. The audience is then aware of this while the character goes on and on, making you feel pity for him.

7. It sort of gives the audience an advantage of being creative and imagining in their own minds how everything went down but more of a disadvantage because people like to see that sort of stuff. Sure, it may be pretty gruesome but it just adds more intensity to the play.

8. He blinds himself because he claims that his eyes have never been able to see anything but pain and the will never see happiness or fortune.

9. I actually feel really bad for him at this point and sort of like him a bit more. I wouldn't say he got what he deserved because I don't think anybody deserves to go through anything that dramatic.

11. It leaves me with pretty much the same attitude that I've always had towards the gods. That they are all knowing and really can see everything that goes on. In a way they sort of do but life isn't easy. And it doesn't always end on a happy note.

12. The normal person would say that it would but I don't. I feel as if now that they finally have found the man who killed King Laius, the land and the people will now prosper in his exile.


Theme Statement: People tend to be blind to what is so clearly brought to light.

.....

So I guess we're onto reading plays now? Sweet. Well this dude, Oedipus, is pretty arrogant and worst of all, he doesn't even  realize. You know what else he doesn't seem to realize? The fact that it's because of him in the first place that his people are now suffering. Nice one, man. How ironic. And he probably looks like an idiot when he finds out the killer is himself.
So not only is his hamartia the reason for why he killed his so called father but also the reason for why pain and suffering is upon his people and supposedly himself. I haven't necessarily seen any catharsis yet so I'm guessing that's more towards the end of the play? And I'm guessing pathos is used because even though this guy is really cocky and has brought all of this upon himself, you should sort of still feel sorry for him.

They get married....and then they do it!

Well, we now find out about Rochester and how his father is refusing to give him money. He's sort of forced to marry Antoinette and really has no other choice. But, at least he get's paid about 30,000 pounds to do it. At this point they're really getting to know each other but also realizing that they are very different. Rochester is more interested in money and social class while Antoinette is more kind hearted. Rochester does seem to view her as fairly beautiful and also has lust for her, not love. The novel then continues to have scenes with fire in it, so I'm guessing this a pretty obvious motif that you can tie into Jane Eyre and WSS. Rhys probably switches points of view so we can also learn about Rochester's story and how he has arrived at this point. It pretty much just gives you more insight.

Oh boy, it's been a while.

Sweet! We finally get to read more about Bertha ( the AIDS ). At first I was like whaaat? This dude got some chick locked up in his attic. And now finally, we get to see her side of the story.

At first it starts off with us being introduced to her family. We automatically find out that the other white's and also blacks in Spanish Town don't neccessarily like Antoinette and her family. They say that her mother, Annette, is way too young and pretty for her father but come on. No such thing as too young, bro. Ha, totally kidding but yeah. The guy has game so they shouldn't hate. Antoinette always seems to wonder about why people never come to visit  them and her mom just gives some excuse about how the roads aren't so great to travel on. Um, Antoinette seems to find her mom's horse dead under a tree and she soon finds out that he was poisoned. We're introduced to Christophine and a few others. We meet Pierre, Antoinette's disabled younger brother. Her mom get's a new horse from some more white people. She goes to town a lot. She meets Mr. Mason, they get married, blah blah blah. Eventually their house is set on fire by angry black people which ends up killing Pierre. Antoinette get's sick for a few weeks, she goes to see her mother but soon finds out that she has become increasingly violent so she ends up going to some Spanish covenent. Mr. Mason arranges for her to get married and we pretty much leave off from there.

Now, for starters, slow down! I'm kind of having trouble keeping up with everything. It's pretty fast paced cause it's like one night her mom is out dancing and the next she's getting married? Anyway, I definitely see some connections to this and Jane Eyre. For starters, the setting of where Rochester meets Antoinette and how it's going to be an arranged marriage. Also the foreshadowing of how Annette goes crazy after the death of her son.