Journal 21

The Great Gatsby is a famous tragedy and Some Like It Hot is a famous comedy. Although they are a different genre, they have many similarities. The Characters, plot, scene, and theme are all similar. For example, both stories take place during the 1920's in a rich towns. In Some Like It Hot each character can be compared to characters in The Great Gatsby. Joe/Josephine/Junior is similar to Gatsby. They both use their wealth to win over the girl of their dreams. They are different because, unlike Gatsby, Joe is not actually rich. Jerry and Nick are similar because they both are side-kicks in the story. Jerry and Nick are different because they have different goals. Sugar and Daisy portray similarities in both stories because they both want to marry a rich man. Osgood is similar to Tom and Spats is similar to Wolfshien because they both are gangsters in the stories. They both are involved in crime, but Spat ends up dying at the end of the story and the results of Wolfshein remained unstated. The plot in both stories are focused around money, love, and death. Money plays a large role in each character's life, whether they have a lot of money, spending it, or trying to marry into it, it becomes an issue among several of the characters. Another huge issue in both stories is love. In The Great Gatsby there is a love triangle between Daisy, Tom, and Gatsby. In Some Like It Hot love plays a big role between Joe, Sugar,  and Jerry. Sugar falls in-love with Joe who is dressed as a girl. Jerry likes sugar, but he also is dressed as a girl and attracts a rich man. So love is very intertwined with the plot in both stories. Both stories also involve a lot of death. In The Great Gatsby Myrtle and Gatsby die due to certain events in the story and they change the whole situation. In Some Like It Hot death forces Joe and Jerry to move and start over as girls in a new town, which ultimately starts a new story. Although the stories are not the same and focus on different things, they can easily be compared and found similar if comparing the plot, scene, or characters. 

Journal 20

Read the novel’s last passage (beginning with, “Gatsby’s house was still empty when I left”) and discuss the use of imagery and symbolism that is being employed by Fitzgerald. In your response, specifically address what Nick is saying about the green light and the connection that he is making between Gatsby and the Dutch sailors who “discovered” Long Island. As Nick is getting ready to move away from New York, he takes a second to reminisce and say goodbye to that lifestyle. His mind flashes back to the Saturday nights he spent in New York, especially at Gatsby's parties. Nick uses imagery to describe the lavish house Gatsby lived in and the glamorous parties he threw. Through the use of imagery, one is almost able to imagine themselves standing in Gatsby's beautiful yard, surrounded by several people laughing and dancing to music. Nick is also able to use imagery to describe his moments before getting on the train and heading off to a new life. He describes what life was after Gatsby's death. The taxi driver that was rumored to take Daisy and Tom away, the last of the guests that attended this summers' parties, the failure of a house, the beach that is now isolated, the empty town: Nick is able to use these things to help one imagine how dead the East Egg became once Gatsby was killed. Nick also connects Gatsby and the Dutch sailors through symbolism. He describes how the Dutch sailors discovered Long Island and what a huge accomplishment for them. The sailors built themselves up from nothing and became prosperous from the land they came upon. This story is symbolic of Gatsby because, in some sense, he did the same. He built himself up from nothing and was able to come close to his dreams through the house he built. Nick was able to make a connection through the Dutch sailors foreshadoweding Gatsby's journey.

Nick Carraway: Tolerant Nick's physical appearance is not described because he was the narrator. He is often involved in everyone else's problems and is very tolerant. Tom Buchanan: Arrogant Tom was full of himself. He was superior over Daisy and often frightening because he would become aggressive with her. He had a large amount of wealth, in which he won Daisy over with. His physical appearance can be described as large and frightening. Daisy Buchanan: Superficial Daisy was beautiful socialite and fawned upon by several men. Money seemed to be more important to Daisy then love. Jordan Baker: Mysterious Nick described Jordan as a beautiful young lady. Although she talked little and was often in the background, she knew a lot of secrets. She also had a cunning personality. Jay Gatsby: Wealthy Gatsby is known for his lavish lifestyle and parties that he threw. His name was popular around New York, but only a few people really knew Gatsby's personality. His physical appearance can be described as young and handsome.

Journal 18: In Another Country

1. What is the significance of the story’s title?

The significance of the title “In Another Country” shows isolation. The main character attempts to learn Italian language, but is not able to understand the grammar fully. He realizes that everything is not as easy as it seems on the outside. Being American in another country isolates him, along with being injured. He is not able to participate with the rest of the troops.


2. Which character do you think best represents the “Hemingway hero”? Why?

Hemingway’s hero can be described as someone who suffers with grace and dignity and their sense of defeat is inevitable, but they still fight hard until the end. The major is considered to be the “Hemingway Hero” because he has suffered the most with the loss of his wife and his hand, but he still continues to live his life.



3. What can you infer about the photographs the doctor hangs up? What is the significance of the major’s reaction?

You can infer that the pictures the doctor hangs up are fake. They are used as a motivational tool for the people who will be working on them. The reactions of the characters help the reader to infer this. The characters are shocked by these pictures because they are the first people to use these machines. The major does not acknowledge these pictures, but rather looks out the window because he is no longer hopeful that he will get better.

Journal 17: "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock

Journal 17 - “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” – T.S. Eliot (p.775)
 
1. What is the significance of the poem’s epigraph? How does it relate to Prufrock?
Prufrock and the author of the epigraph both are the same, they do not put their feelings and thoughts out for the public. Both keep things to themselves and are self-conscience.
I think that the poem is significant because it relates back to the speaker. It is described as if it was meant for Prufrock’s ideal listener. The epigraph describes one who is lost but will never betray to the world the secrets of Prufrock, although nothing like that exists, and one is left to silent reflection.
 
 
2. Make a list of questions that Prufrock asks. Do you see a pattern/theme to these questions or are they random?
 
a. "What is it?"
a. "Do I dare?"
b. "Do I dare Disturb the universe?"
c. "So how should I presume?"
d. "To spit out all the butt-ends of my days and ways?"
e. "And how should I presume?"
f. "is it perfume from a dress that makes me so digress?"
g. "And should I then presume?"
h. "And how should I begin?"
i. "Of lonely men in shirt-sleeves, leaning out of windows?"
j. "Have the strength to force the moment to its crisis?"
k. "Shall I part my hair behind? Do I dare to eat a peach?"
 
These questions form a pattern that may be focusing on Prufrock’s compulsiveness, lack of self-esteem, and isolation.
 
 
3. What do you think is Prufrock’s main flaw/problem?
I think Prufrock faces many flaws/problems, one being his lack of self-confidence, anxiety, indecisive, and he comments made up in his mind. Another flaw/problem Prufrock faces is his motivation to peruse something. Instead he talks himself out of a situation, thinking of all the negative instead of the positive. Overall, Prufrock is unable to further relationships because he is emotionally distance from the rest of the world.
 
 
4. Why do you think this is called a love song? In what way is it a love song?
I think that it is called a love song as an irony. Prufrock is not in love and does not have relationships with other people. It is ironic because he is lonely, not in love.

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.