Journal 16: Determinism

“Determinisim governs everything … The writer must study the inherited traits of individual character and the social condition of the time.  Together, these elements determine the course of any action, the outcome of any life.  Free will or self-determination is mostly an illusion, although chance is granted a role in human affairs.  Still, even the effects of chance are obliterated in the inevitable course determined by the interaction of inherited character traits and the social environment.“  

The quote listed above applies to the main characters in The Blue Hotel and To Build a Fire. The quote’s overall meaning says the actions a person takes leads them in their course of life. In both stories, the individual character and social conditions of the time determine the outcome of their life. Simarlities between the main character’s in The Blue Hotel and To Build a Fire involve their social conditions and the setting. Both of the stories settings are in a blizzard and the social conditions involve a situation where a character is forced to stay put where they are. Another similarity between the two stories is the outcome of the situation. Both men get killed after many radical situations they are forced to face. The differences between the two stories would include the plot and the individual character. The plot in The Blue Hotel deals with more social conditions and involvement with other characters which effect the course of life. The plot in To Build a Fire does not deal with social conditions, rather is focused on a one man and his way to survival. The individual character’s in both stories have different mind sets and different ways at looking at their situations. Both men are in danger, but handle the situation differently. 

Journal 15: Editha

Journal 15 – William Dean Howell’s “Editha”

1.  Write a sentence that summarizes the story’s overall message, and provide  three direct quotes from the story that best illustrate this message.

While reading William Dean Howell’s story, Editha, the message that war is not glorious appeared to me several times. Editha thinks that God put man on this earth to go to war and that war is glorious and her fiancé should join. George does not think the same way. He illustrates this message by questing Editha, "But war! Is it glorious to break the peace of the world?"

Editha is not convinced that war is bad, even after George’s death, until she is approached by Mrs. Gearson. Mrs. Gearson’s husband had lost his arm in war and raised her son to be anti-war. He was corrupted by Editha, convincing him that war was glorious. He was convinced that all men must prove themselves by going to war. While speaking to Editha, she says, “I suppose you would have been glad to die, such a brave person as you! I don’t believe he was glad to die.” This took a tool on Editha and made her realize that war is not all good.

"No, you didn't expect him to get killed," Mrs. Gearson repeated, in a voice which was startlingly like George's again. "You just expected him to kill some one else, some of those foreigners, that weren't there because they had any say about it, but because they had to be there, poor wretches--conscripts, or whatever they call 'em. You thought it would be all right for my George, your George, to kill the sons of those miserable mothers and the husbands of those

girls that you would never see the faces of." This brought Editha to tears and made her realize that war is not as glorious when you lose your loved ones.

2.  What tactics does Editha use to make George believe as she does about the war?

Edith glorifies war and does two things to make George believe as she does about war. She guilts him into it, writing him a letter and returning him the ring he bought her until he decides because she only wishes to marry a war hero. She also tells him that this is what God believes is the right things in life and that is the reason he put man on earth.

3.   Is there ever a time in which Editha truly understands what she has done?  Does she ever experience an epiphany?

I don’t think there is ever a time Editha truly understands what she has done. I think she feels sorrow for the death of George and somewhat responsible for the death but does not understand that she was the reason he went to war and ended up dying. She experiences an epiphany at the end that changes her sorrowful views on war back to her heroic views of war. 

Journal 14: "Richard Cory"

“Richard Cory“ (497)

Richard Cory’s name is ironic because:

-      Had the word rich in it

-      Rich in a material matter

-      Poor in a spiritual matter

-      What not rich inside (Cory)

Apperance VS. Reality.

This poem is an example of situational irony. The people of the town narrate this story, saying wonderful things about Richard Cory. They thought he had the perfect life, he was wealthy, and many people looked up to him. Although he presented himself as a well put together man, with a perfect life, things were not like that in reality. He did not see what everyone else saw in him and ended up killing himself. This shows that things are always what they seem they are.

Real VS. Ideal

This shows that he was a real character because he had strong feelings. It showed that he may have seemed to have the perfect life to everyone, but in reality, he did not. It showed life how it really was. If it were ideal, the appearance and reality would match with Richard Cory, the wonderful, happy man that everyone looked up too. The story would not end in the same way if it were an ideal setting. 

“Miniver Cheevy” (497)

Minimal Achiever

“Miniver Cheevy” is narrated in 3^rd person. This story talks about a man named Miniver Cheevy that  wished to live in the middle ages, but he does not. The idea that his life is not what he dreams it to be drives him to drink in excessive amounts. He escapes his reality by living a fantasy and instead of doing anything about his life, he just thinks and thinks.
The ideal would be living in the past, but this is impossible for Miniver Cheevy. The reality is Miniver Cheevy is unhappy with his present life because he does not try to fix it.

"Mr. Flood's Party"

His name “Flood” can symbolize the sadness of being lonely or the drinks he consumes by himself.

This is ironic because Mr. Flood’s party only consists of himself. He engages in conversation by himself because he no longer has friends. The people that surround him are new and he doesn’t know them very well, so he doesn’t not invite them to the party. His life is lonely, but he is reaching the end of his life.

Ideal to Mr. Flood would be his past, having his friends surround him.

The reality is that he out-lived the people he knew, is stuck in the present, and is now lonely. 

Journal 13: "George Gray"

1. What object symbolizes George Gray’s life? How is this object representative of him?

A boat is used to symbolize George Gray’s life in the epitaph. This object represents him because the boat is not out at sea and has not traveled or done anything exciting. This is representating his life because, like the boat, George Gray had not done anything exciting or worth noting in his life.



2. How was Lucinda Matlock’s life different than George Gray’s? How do you interepret the last line of the poem?

Unlike George who refregeted his boring life, Lucinda Matlock cherished her life and had no regrets even though it was difficult at times. George Gray spent much time regretting what he did not do with his life, but Lucinda Matlock did the opposite.


3. How are “George Gray” and “Lucinda Matlock” examples of realism?

George Gray and Lucinda Matlock are both examples of realism because they talk about the hardships in their everyday life. They do not try to sentimentalize or ideal it, instead they show life as it really is.