The novel 5th Business is part of "The Depford Trilogy", by Robertson Davies. Originally published in 1970. The story is written as a letter to the headmaster of Colborne College. He was mad at a tributary farewell he received on his retirement. The story starts with Mary Dempster's snowball incident. Percy Boyd Staunten through a snowball aimed at Dunstable, but he dodged it and it impacted Mary Dempster, who fell to the ground and hit her head on the ice and sent her into labor with Paul Dempster. Ramsay spends a lot of time helping out the Dempsters. He starts to baby sit Paul at a local library job while Mary begins to go insane. Amasa (husband) is a blame heavy type of guy (like Dunstable's Mother) who prays for people to be forgiven for their sins in front of them. After realizing that Dunstable was teaching Paul magic tricks and about saints, Amasa never let them chill out togethor. This is especially troublesome to Dunstable because he was in love with Mary.
Meanwhile, Mary went nuts and started wandering around town. The final straw came when she sleep with a homeless guy. She said on it, "he was so civil...he just wanted it so badly". The homeless guy's name was: Joel Surgeonor, who goes on to become a priest. He sneaks in the window to be with Mary Dempster when Amasa is out to work (who becomes defeated).
Dunstable becomes injured in the great war at the third battle of Ypres, he becomes a decorated veteran. Instead of returning home he falls in love with a woman named DIANA MARFLEET, who was his nurse. He changes his name to Dunstan. He knows he will not marry her, and loses a wife but gains three friends (her parents). He returns to Depford where he learns that Paul has run away and that Amasa is dead, along with his own parents. He goes back to school and then gets the job that will last him the rest of his life.
He finds Mary Dempster, being cared for by her aunt: Bertha Shanklin.
Meanwhile, Boy has his new name, and he becomes rich selling foods. He's a really bad parents/ husband though and his wife doesn't fit the part. Dunstan finishes his first book (a travelers companion to saints) and it sold actually well. Leola dies! (Oh no).
Dunstan then gets reacquainted with Paul Dempster as Magnus Eisengrim. Liesl convinces him to write a ghost-written biography of Magnus, which also sells well.
In part six, Dunstan tells Mary that he found Paul (horrible idea). Eventually she dies fyi.
Boy dies with a stone in his mouth. "Who killed Boy Staunton?"
There's a lot of materialism versus actually spirituality in the novel, broadening what is considered material to interests and pursuits. Also, though we may not know what actions do, all of our actions have the possibility of returning to us years down the road.
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The American Dream Summary
The American Dream is a play by Edward Albee written in 1961. The main characters are Mommy, Daddy, Grandma, Mrs. Barker, and Young Man. The characters don't work very well together. First of all , Mommy completely and absurdly dominates Daddy. She toys with him, provoking his masculinity in the description of opening the door for someone. He fails though, even at mustering up the manliness to open the door. Mommy and Daddy had a child once, but they mutilated it to the point of death, chopping off everything, including emasculation. Mommy and Daddy have a horrible time remembering anything at all. They trip over each other awkwardly at many points. Mommy baits daddy like a little girl, saying stuff like, "Well, I got satisfaction", with Daddy replying, "That's right, Mommy. You did get satisfaction, didn't you?" Mommy has replaced true sexual gratification with shopping as her way of achieving satisfaction. Mommy also seeks gratification in retelling her times to Daddy, like when she bought the hat. Grandma is the only person close to being sane, and she's moving out. She's "pops the balloons" in the banter between Mommy and Daddy, mocking them, "shivered and fainted did she? Humph!". No one remembers Mrs. Barker especially. She has complete control over Mommy and Daddy. And Daddy has a weird thing for control, he has an obvious crush on Mrs. Barker and Mommy can't stand it one bit. With an awkward drop of, "Now, now; you seem to forget who I am", and Mommy drops arguments about hats. Grandma, at the arrival of the Young Man proclaims, "Yup. Boy, you know what you are, don't you? You're the American Dream, that's what you are. All those other people, they don't know what they're talking about. You...you are the American Dream." The young man winds up taking the place of Grandma in the home.
The American Dream is related to many absurdist theatre works, but this one is closer to a satire. The American Dream is a critique of 60's consumerist values, saying that Americans fill voids in their lives with unnecessary and destructive nothings while corrupting what is really important in people's lives.
The American Dream is related to many absurdist theatre works, but this one is closer to a satire. The American Dream is a critique of 60's consumerist values, saying that Americans fill voids in their lives with unnecessary and destructive nothings while corrupting what is really important in people's lives.
Summary Of Macbeth
MACBETH!!! Was written by Stephen King in 1978. It's notable because it's his turn away from circular Leninism and a more conventional asterisk turn to the space program. With out its terrific prisms this piece of white chalk would've crumbled beneath the synovial fluid death march.
Alright, now with that out of the way! Macbeth was written by Shakespeare and is considered one of his best works. Opening up with the apperence of his father (who was murdered by his uncle) as a ghost to guardsmen in Denmark. His uncle has claimed the throne and married his mother. "There's something rotten in the state of Denmark" for sure! Hamlet is VERY unhappy with his mother Gertrude. He is told by the guard that they saw his father and he agrees to meet them the next night. His daddy tells him that he should kill his uncle King Claudius, and get revenge. He spends the rest of the play deciding whether or not to do so, the entire time feigning madness. First his girlfriends and him break up (Ophelia). Then his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive to help. (They don't do very much). To convince himself that his father is right about his death, he watches a traveling theatre troup play "the murder of Gonzago" to watch his reaction. His uncle leaves the play at the murder scene and Hamlet finds this enough evidence. Hamlet comes upon Claudius praying, but cannot bring himself to kill him because he'd go straight to heaven. Polonius is Ophelia's father fyi, he told Ophelia to break up with Hamlet nearer to the beginning. Hamlet confronts his mother about marrying so quickly, very quickly reduces her to an emotional puddle, and accidentally kills Ophelia's father. Calling him a "wretched, rash, intruding fool". Claudius fearing, sends Hamlet to England.
While on the trip to England, Hamlet escapes and exclaims, "O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!" Meanwhile at the castle, Laertes has come back horrified, and Ophelia's gone nuts hinting that she's pregnant. Then she kills herself, by drowning but the death is covered up as an accident. Laertes and Hamlet are scheduled to dual (after a scene IN OPHELIA'S Grave). Desptie a plot to kill Hamlet, EVEYONE dies. (the queen by poison, Laertes, and Hamlet by poisened sword, and the king by Hamlet.) Fortinbras arrives to the scene a little late.
Overall I think that this play highlights how over-thinking things can destroy the possibility of action, and how uncertain humans really are in our motives for action. We grapple and grapple and the world turns around under our feet without us noticing, whether or not to kill the King became larger then it deserved either way he chose.
Alright, now with that out of the way! Macbeth was written by Shakespeare and is considered one of his best works. Opening up with the apperence of his father (who was murdered by his uncle) as a ghost to guardsmen in Denmark. His uncle has claimed the throne and married his mother. "There's something rotten in the state of Denmark" for sure! Hamlet is VERY unhappy with his mother Gertrude. He is told by the guard that they saw his father and he agrees to meet them the next night. His daddy tells him that he should kill his uncle King Claudius, and get revenge. He spends the rest of the play deciding whether or not to do so, the entire time feigning madness. First his girlfriends and him break up (Ophelia). Then his friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern arrive to help. (They don't do very much). To convince himself that his father is right about his death, he watches a traveling theatre troup play "the murder of Gonzago" to watch his reaction. His uncle leaves the play at the murder scene and Hamlet finds this enough evidence. Hamlet comes upon Claudius praying, but cannot bring himself to kill him because he'd go straight to heaven. Polonius is Ophelia's father fyi, he told Ophelia to break up with Hamlet nearer to the beginning. Hamlet confronts his mother about marrying so quickly, very quickly reduces her to an emotional puddle, and accidentally kills Ophelia's father. Calling him a "wretched, rash, intruding fool". Claudius fearing, sends Hamlet to England.
While on the trip to England, Hamlet escapes and exclaims, "O, from this time forth, my thoughts be bloody, or be nothing worth!" Meanwhile at the castle, Laertes has come back horrified, and Ophelia's gone nuts hinting that she's pregnant. Then she kills herself, by drowning but the death is covered up as an accident. Laertes and Hamlet are scheduled to dual (after a scene IN OPHELIA'S Grave). Desptie a plot to kill Hamlet, EVEYONE dies. (the queen by poison, Laertes, and Hamlet by poisened sword, and the king by Hamlet.) Fortinbras arrives to the scene a little late.
Overall I think that this play highlights how over-thinking things can destroy the possibility of action, and how uncertain humans really are in our motives for action. We grapple and grapple and the world turns around under our feet without us noticing, whether or not to kill the King became larger then it deserved either way he chose.
Ceremony
Ceremony was written in 1977 by Leslie Marmon Silko. It focuses on the plight of half-white, half-Laguna main character named Tayo. Tayo struggles the entire novel with finding himself, and finding his true culture. He has a series of memories on a loop, that emerge and reappear later on. Tayo has troubles with sickness and is a frequent vomiter. He survived (for one) the Bataan Death March, and that and a lot of other stuff are messing with him. Chiefly he believes that since he cursed off the rain in Southeast Asia, that he's cursed rain from his Laguna people. Silko starts every "part" off with a laguna traditional story (some in interesting shapes, people/animals). He has his friends (some will betray him), Harley, Leroy, EMO, and Pinkie. His friends deal with the war chiefly by drinking a lot of alcohol and playing "make-believe" about how the U.S.A. feels about them. betonie is a medicine man who really starts to help Tayo. He tells him that they must complete a new ceremony. Oh and white people destruction was started by witches. Tayo meets a woman named Ts'eh (mountain) and he has sex with her. She's actually nature and shes helps him more than anyone connect with nature. Emo is a pretty crappy person. While tayo has been spending time with Ts'eh he's been telling everyone that he's crazy. He runs from the numerous white people looking for him and is fooled into trusting Harley and Leroy.
He hides in an abandoned mine watching Emo kill Harley. Then he realizes that since he didn't kill Emo and spread the whiteness, that his ceremony is complete.
A couple really great quotes were: "The word he chose to express "fragile" was filled ith the intricacies of a continuing process, and with a strength inherent in spider webs woven across paths through sand hills where early in the morning the sun becomes entangled in each filament of web." I like this quote because it explains so much about how native peoples think, and how the novel is structured. The memories appear out of order, with much of it appearing at the beginning stage almost like word vomit. Gradually Tayo begins to straighten out chronologically all that has happened in his life.
Another really good quote was: "Here they were, trying to bring back that old feeling, that feeling they belonged to America the way they felt during the war." I really like this one, because it shows the Natives separation with the United States around them. But Silko takes it a lot deeper then that. She believes that all these outside influences, be they American, White, Mexican, or Christian don't matter because they're all destructive; they're not Laguna. The novel says that a person can be all of these things and still have Laguna faith (except maybe on her portrayal of Christianity, that I'm not so sure of).
The main theme of this novel is "finding oneself" in a world of misleading directions. It can be hard to sort out the witchery from the natural order, the Laguna side, and Silko makes it clear that most Laguna peoples haven't really discovered who they are.
He hides in an abandoned mine watching Emo kill Harley. Then he realizes that since he didn't kill Emo and spread the whiteness, that his ceremony is complete.
A couple really great quotes were: "The word he chose to express "fragile" was filled ith the intricacies of a continuing process, and with a strength inherent in spider webs woven across paths through sand hills where early in the morning the sun becomes entangled in each filament of web." I like this quote because it explains so much about how native peoples think, and how the novel is structured. The memories appear out of order, with much of it appearing at the beginning stage almost like word vomit. Gradually Tayo begins to straighten out chronologically all that has happened in his life.
Another really good quote was: "Here they were, trying to bring back that old feeling, that feeling they belonged to America the way they felt during the war." I really like this one, because it shows the Natives separation with the United States around them. But Silko takes it a lot deeper then that. She believes that all these outside influences, be they American, White, Mexican, or Christian don't matter because they're all destructive; they're not Laguna. The novel says that a person can be all of these things and still have Laguna faith (except maybe on her portrayal of Christianity, that I'm not so sure of).
The main theme of this novel is "finding oneself" in a world of misleading directions. It can be hard to sort out the witchery from the natural order, the Laguna side, and Silko makes it clear that most Laguna peoples haven't really discovered who they are.
Monday, April 16, 2012
Death Of A Salesman Summary
Death of A Salesman Summary:
Death of A Salesman was written in 1949 by Arthur Miller, winning both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony for best play. It centers around the Loman family, with Willy being the main character (the father), Biff and Happy being the two sons, and Linda the Mom. Biff had some talent in football and that was the "highlight" so far of his life in his father's eyes. He can't seem to defeat his fathers influence, he wants to go out west while his father wants him to become a salesman, continuing some hope of the Loman familys "Willy like" version of a success. Happy is always telling Linda that he's getting married, but of course never does. He has a Madonna-Whore complex and will lie his way into bed. His father completely ignores him. Linda is a sweet and strong caring mother who lives for Willy entirely. SHe's the glue that keeps everyone from killing each other (most of the time).
Biff failed out of school, not taking summer math and we latter learn has HUGE personal issues when he catches his Dad with another woman, and adding insult to injury, she's wearing stockings that Willy gave her (symbolic value WIN).
Happy in the end though decides to carry on the "family tradition" of getting swallowed by the belly of the "American Dream" as Willy sees it, no doubt putting a shadow on the rest of Happy's life.
Throughout the play, Willy shifts from reality to fantasy, with numerous allusions to him wanting to kill himself (what's in the basement eh?). He drifts into the past where things didn't seem so bleak, a time when he could be hopeful about something, even if he never really understood his sons (or even tried on Happy). Uncle Ben is one of the deep-seated reasons behind Willy's "dreams". He is symbolic of the American success story. and apparently he , " walked into the jungle. And by twenty-one, I walked out, rich!".
This is so rooted into Willy's mind that anything else isn't possible. "...was rich! That's just the spirit I want to imbue them with! To walk into a jungle! I was right! I was right!
Arthur Miller was a communist, a person who didn't believe the hype about capitalism and through his magnum opus, makes a convincing argument on how the pursuit of blind success (without factoring in what people actually want to do with their lives), is wrong and is doomed from the start.
At the beginning Willy's suicidal tendencies are made clear. They spend time uncovering Biff's troubles (and the incident), and Biff's struggle with his fathers wishes and his own dreams. Willy asks to get a desk job, and is fired (in a heated scene). They come up with a last minute dream of getting work, Biff snaps out of it upon entering the interview and they basically abandon their Dad at a restaurant, with Happy hopelessly lying to women. Willy, in the end, simply says of Biff, 'He likes me", and drives off into the night, killing himself to Ben's voice calling him.
The play, unlike Shakespeare, uses many specific directions in achieving Miller's vision. Everything is precise and there is less varying of interpretations then with Shakespeare's works. The play slips between Willy's past and the present, his dream ends with his death and the death of the American Dream.
Death of A Salesman was written in 1949 by Arthur Miller, winning both the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony for best play. It centers around the Loman family, with Willy being the main character (the father), Biff and Happy being the two sons, and Linda the Mom. Biff had some talent in football and that was the "highlight" so far of his life in his father's eyes. He can't seem to defeat his fathers influence, he wants to go out west while his father wants him to become a salesman, continuing some hope of the Loman familys "Willy like" version of a success. Happy is always telling Linda that he's getting married, but of course never does. He has a Madonna-Whore complex and will lie his way into bed. His father completely ignores him. Linda is a sweet and strong caring mother who lives for Willy entirely. SHe's the glue that keeps everyone from killing each other (most of the time).
Biff failed out of school, not taking summer math and we latter learn has HUGE personal issues when he catches his Dad with another woman, and adding insult to injury, she's wearing stockings that Willy gave her (symbolic value WIN).
Happy in the end though decides to carry on the "family tradition" of getting swallowed by the belly of the "American Dream" as Willy sees it, no doubt putting a shadow on the rest of Happy's life.
Throughout the play, Willy shifts from reality to fantasy, with numerous allusions to him wanting to kill himself (what's in the basement eh?). He drifts into the past where things didn't seem so bleak, a time when he could be hopeful about something, even if he never really understood his sons (or even tried on Happy). Uncle Ben is one of the deep-seated reasons behind Willy's "dreams". He is symbolic of the American success story. and apparently he , " walked into the jungle. And by twenty-one, I walked out, rich!".
This is so rooted into Willy's mind that anything else isn't possible. "...was rich! That's just the spirit I want to imbue them with! To walk into a jungle! I was right! I was right!
Arthur Miller was a communist, a person who didn't believe the hype about capitalism and through his magnum opus, makes a convincing argument on how the pursuit of blind success (without factoring in what people actually want to do with their lives), is wrong and is doomed from the start.
At the beginning Willy's suicidal tendencies are made clear. They spend time uncovering Biff's troubles (and the incident), and Biff's struggle with his fathers wishes and his own dreams. Willy asks to get a desk job, and is fired (in a heated scene). They come up with a last minute dream of getting work, Biff snaps out of it upon entering the interview and they basically abandon their Dad at a restaurant, with Happy hopelessly lying to women. Willy, in the end, simply says of Biff, 'He likes me", and drives off into the night, killing himself to Ben's voice calling him.
The play, unlike Shakespeare, uses many specific directions in achieving Miller's vision. Everything is precise and there is less varying of interpretations then with Shakespeare's works. The play slips between Willy's past and the present, his dream ends with his death and the death of the American Dream.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Pride and prejudice
Taking place in victorian England, This novel is about the love story between Mr. Darcy (wealthy), and Elizabeth Bennet (semi middle class). At the beginning Mr. Darcy's appearance at balls and in public turn people away from him turn people (including Elizabeth) away from him. But they slowly learn more about each other, (mainly Elizabeth realizing he's not a tool) and then they get married at the end. Mary Bennet is a humorous but sad thorn 3rd child. Lydia elopes with Mr. Wickam and they are caught and forced to marry in London. mr. Darcy pays for the wedding, this is one of the first acts that turns Lizzy on to him. Jane falls in love with Mr. Bingley, they also get married in the end but even in defeat their story is boring. (He's also very wealthy). Then Mr. Bennet is somewhat removed from Mrs. Bennet (because she's a childish gargoyle), but his lack of being a good father surfaces in how "hands off" he is. (he's partially to blame for the eloping).
Some great quotes were, "A lady's imagination is very rapid, it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment" (Darcy) I like this because some things never change fully.
and just cuz it's so famous, "it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" (Darcy puts this quote into question).
Jane Austen was from a well-off family, with a happy life she never married, though had many love affairs. Her novels were mainly intended for friends and family so I think that that's where some of this "story book ending" stuff might have its roots. Since nothing goes wrong we get happy, but it could have easily gone wrong, in which case I'm not sure how famous it would be today. Most of the novel is focused on jokes, and interest centered around manners and norms of the times. It seems to support the individual woman (for the time), but with dark undercurrents (Lizzy's bes friends marriage to Mr. Collins for one).
Some great quotes were, "A lady's imagination is very rapid, it jumps from admiration to love, from love to matrimony, in a moment" (Darcy) I like this because some things never change fully.
and just cuz it's so famous, "it is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife" (Darcy puts this quote into question).
Jane Austen was from a well-off family, with a happy life she never married, though had many love affairs. Her novels were mainly intended for friends and family so I think that that's where some of this "story book ending" stuff might have its roots. Since nothing goes wrong we get happy, but it could have easily gone wrong, in which case I'm not sure how famous it would be today. Most of the novel is focused on jokes, and interest centered around manners and norms of the times. It seems to support the individual woman (for the time), but with dark undercurrents (Lizzy's bes friends marriage to Mr. Collins for one).
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