Blog #3

The Interpreter of Maladies exemplifies a work of post modernism in many ways. One of the main characteristics of post modernism is only thinking about one self. Mrs. Das is self-absorbed and indifferent to her children and husband. She did not share her food with her children, was reluctant to take her daughter to the bathroom, and dismisses her daughter when she asks to have her nails painted. ”Eventually Mrs. Das relented when Mr. Das pointed out that he had given the girl her bath the night before....She did not hold the little girl's hand as they walked to the rest room” (Interpreter of Maladies 43). Instead of tending to her children, she spent most of the time talking to Mr. Kapasi. 

Mrs. Das and Mr. Kapasi are both unhappy in their lives. They both use each other by romanticizing each other in different ways to create alternate worlds to escape reality. Before being married, Mr. Kapasi dreamt of being an interpreter for diplomats and diplomats. After his son became ill and died he had to keep this job to pay the bills. Mr. Kapasi sees his life as a failure and longs for something more. In an effort to lift himself out from his day to day, monotonous grind, he creates a fantasy. The fantasy begins when Mrs. Das deems his job “romantic” and a big responsibility. She changes his feelings of being ordinary to something much more. Mr. Kapasi interprets Mrs. Das’s comments and actions as slightly flirtatious. He completely misconstrues Mrs. Das’ actions and develops a far-fetched illusion about him and Mrs. Das having a deep rooted friendship and saving him from his loveless marriage. Mr. Kapasi’s other job enables him to understand the pain and give correct treatment for patients through his interpretation. Mrs. Das looks at Mr. Kapasi as a way to “cure” her pain and to seek absolution for her adultery. "It means that I'm tired of feeling so terrible all the time. Eight years, Mr. Kapasi, I've been in pain eight years. I was hoping you could help me feel better, say the right thing. Suggest some kind of remedy"(Interpreter of Maladies 65). She thinks that by confiding in him she will gain forgiveness and consolation. 

Both parties look at the situation to better themselves, neither take it for what it really is. Mr. Kapasi was not a doctor he could not cure Mrs. Das’ feelings of pain. Reality is she was not happy in her marriage and Mr. Kapasi was not going to fix that problem. He was a tour guide and an interpreter, that was all. Instead of facing the misery and guilt she has she hides behind it. When Mr. Kapasi asks Mrs. Das, "Is it really pain you feel, Mrs. Das, or is it guilt?"(Interpreter of Maladies 66), she leaves the car and joins her family. She realizes she is not going to get what she wants from him. As she walks to her family she spills a trail of food behind her causing the monkeys to follow and end up attacking her son. Mr. Kapasi even warned her earlier about the monkeys. "They are more hungry than dangerous, Do not provoke them with food, and they will not bother you" (Interpreter of Maladies 61). She does not really care about her family, if she did she would not be so careless. Through her selfish characterization you can see that Mrs. Das just uses people and things to better herself. Mr. Kapasi was not selfish like Mrs. Das. He just wants to be happy and thought that a friendship with her might just alleviate some of his unhappiness. After Mrs. Das’ confession though his fantasy crumbles and disappears. His way of looking at her completely changes and he no longer looks at her as his savior in a way but accepts the person she is and lets go of his fantasy. Mrs. Das’ though will not accept the fact he cannot help her. She moves on just waiting for the next person she thinks that will help alleviate her pain. Instead of just dealing with her life and speaking to her husband about her pain and unhappiness.

Response #1

we explored the Literary Devices in “The Birthmark”.  The most prominent device to me from the lesson is the human flaw as a theme.  Humans do not realize that the quest for perfection will be an incessant one.  Instead of accepting imperfections, they try to criticize or change them.  Alymer in “The Birthmark” puts all of his focus on on the 1 imperfection his wife possesses, her birthmark. Instead of admiring all of Georgiana’s other beautiful attributes.  His feelings of obsession and disgust for the birthmark end up destroying Georgiana’s self confidence and she views herself as being unattractive.  She herself becomes obsessed with the birthmark and wants to do anything to remove it.  In the end Alymer gets his wish and he removes the birthmark but he also kills his wife in the process.  Human just like Alymer focus so much on the one negative attribute about someone that it blinds them from all the beautiful positive traits they possess.  They also do not realize the affect it has on other people.  What if Georgiana spoke up against her husband and opposed removing the birthmark? She still might be alive today.  This reminds of me of all the bullying going on in schools today.  So many kids are mocked and belittled because they do not fit into what is considered “cool”.  Those kids end up being depressed and feel like outcasts and sometimes do drastic things to retaliate.  The recent suicides and shootings really make me feel like more needs to be done to make kids feel accepted. Or another alternative is come down much harsher on the kids who do the bullying.  The hardest thing in school should be getting good grades, not worrying about if today is the day you will be bullied because of what others feel are your imperfections.  

Raft Assignment

March 22,1950

The Censorship Committee

165 Main Street

Farmingdale, NY

11798

Dear Committee:

My name is Courtney Palazzolo.  I am a member of the National Organization for Women. I am writing you in regards to the recent issue of not publishing “The Yellow Wallpaper”.  I would like to take just a few minutes of your time to show you how positive and helpful the piece really is and why it should be published.

For obvious reasons I can see your hesitancy of not wanting to publish the literary piece.  Your concerns of young women not adhering to medical treatment and becoming distracted from their every day duties is quite understandable.  Instead of looking at the piece as being negative and having a bad outcome, I would like to focus on the positive message of the story.  During World War II  millions of women were hired in factories to make up for the domestic manpower shortage.  After the war the number of working women dropped, but by 1950 it began to rise again, at the rate of a million a year.  During this time women worked and still took care of their household.  By women stepping in and helping out, women kept the economy stimulated by working in factories and aiding in the war effort.  These responsibilities did not distract women from their household duties, but shows women going above and beyond what is expected of them to help out. 

In “The Yellow Wallpaper”, Gilman is only trying to show how the narrators positive qualities of having a lively imagination and being creative are being stifled.  Yes, for some the rest cure does work but for her it did not.  She wanted to share with other women what worked for her.  If it did not work for her, one might think, how many other women out there has it not worked for as well?  I fully understand men are superior and we are to be obedient and subservient to you, but put yourself in women’s shoes.  Imagine going through hysteria and being told the “rest cure” was your only option for recovery and it ended up not working.  You would want to make yourself feel normal again.  Gilman was one of the only females who has the courage to write about it. 

Gilman is not the first and will not be the last woman that goes against the every day norm.  Men never thought they would see the day that a woman would hold a spot in our presidential cabinet, yet in 1933 Frances Perkins served as the Secretary of Labor through out all of Roosevelt’s presidency.  Go even further back to 1912, Juliette Gordon Low established the Girl Scouts of the USA, it engaged them in outdoor activities, encouraged them to be self-reliant and resourceful, and prepared them for their future adult roles later on in life.  As you can see women are constantly coming up with new ways to reinvent themselves and it is only to benefit them and the people around them.  So I ask you to please rethink your decision on not publishing Ms. Gilman’s work. “The Yellow Wallpaper” will help women have the courage to have a voice and that is a positive outcome. 

Sincerely,

Courtney Palazzolo

30 Dixie Lane

East Islip, NY

11730

Paper # 3

Communication: The Power to Mend and Tear Down Relationships

Communication is the key foundation in every relationship and plays a large role in the exchange between people. The exchanged information can come in the form of ideas, wants, desires, and feelings.  When communication is stopped or incomplete it can cause a block or rift in a relationship.   Communication or the lack thereof is the root of most relationship problems.  It is just as important to communicate your message as to ensure the correct message is being received.  Communication is more than just spoken words.  It is verbal, mental, and physical.  In the “Hills like White Elephants” by Ernest Hemingway lack of correct communication will result in being the demise of Jig and the American man’s relationship. While misdirected communication in the “Interpreter of Maladies” by Jhumpa Lahiri prevent Mr. and Mrs. Das marriage from being repaired.  Both of these relationships have different types or problems in communication but they both cause a rift or block in the relationships.

In “Hills like White Elephants” there is a communication problem caused by an unexpected pregnancy.  Jig and the American man have much difficulty conveying how they truly feel about the situation they are in.  Rather than telling Jig he does not want a baby, he manipulates the situation.  Firstly by making her feel like he will always love just her by saying, “I don’t want anybody but you”( Hemingway 97), and then by downplaying the abortion.  “It’s really an awfully simple operation...not really an operation at all”(Hemingway   42).  He chooses his words very precisely and carefully in order to make her think his decision was the correct.  In her attempt to persuade him that they should keep the baby, she tells him how unexciting and monotonous their lives have become.  “That’s all we do,isn’t it-look at new things and try new drinks?”( Hills like White Elephants 30).  Unlike the American man, she is not assertive and is timid when trying to get her point across.  When she tries to show the benefits of the pregnancy, he ignores her and keeps pressing the issue of the “operation”.  They never come to a conclusion about what to do because neither persons actually listen or try to understand the other’s point of view.  This story is a conversation between two people, but not much was really spoken or heard.  

In “Interpreter of Maladies”, Mrs. Das has a different problem with communication than Jig and the American man.  She does not have a problem expressing the way she feels and communicating it.  Her problem is her intentions behind her reasoning for communicating with others.  Mrs. Das feels like she is in a loveless marriage.  She feels like her life is a disappointment due to getting married in college, having kids, and not being able to have a career of her own.  She uses this as an excuse to put down her husband and to negate the responsibilities of motherhood.  Her actions are starting to weigh down on her and causing her pain, a pain she thinks only affects her and only her.  As she begins talking to Mr. Kapasi she sees a way out of the pain.  She misconstrues  Mr. Kapasi’s job as an interpreter and thinks he can heal her.   “I told you because of your talents”( Lahiri 65). She treats him like he is a priest, the car is a confessional, and she is here to confess her sins.  By telling him about her affair, she thinks he will grant her absolution and make her pain go away.   He does the exact opposite by asking her, “Is it really pain you feel Mrs. Das, or guilt?” ( Lahiri 66).  She will have to reflect on her actions and what she has done.  She will not gain the resolution she thought she was going to.  He shows her the true nature of her problems which is her guilt.  When Mrs. Das does not get the answer she wants, she gets out of the car and joins her family.  She never wanted to truly communicate with Mr. Kapasi about her past and what was going on in her life and how to fix it.  She wanted a quick fix to not feel guilty anymore and move on.  The only person who can give her absolution is her husband.  

Anthony Robbins said, “ The way we communicate with other and with ourselves ultimately determines the quality of our lives.”  The better we communicate, the better one’s life will be.  Better understanding someone’s emotions, leaves less risk for miscommunication and one will know how to respond appropriately.  In order to communicate well with others, one must communicate well internally.  By obtaining self understanding, we can explore all our feelings and the reasonings behind them.  After one has achieved self understanding, communicating with others will be much easier.  Effective communication includes active listening, engaging wit the person your listening to and responding appropriately.  A lot of positive things come from good communication that effect both your personal and professional life. It can bridge one’s relationship together.  Good communication is the core of intimacy and without it one will never fully know your partner.  It will leave one more relaxed, satisfied with life, and having more self control.  In the professional aspect it will make a person more successful.  In the 2002 Teaching of Psychology Journal, students were asked what their most important skill obtained in school.  The response was interpersonal skills.  Someone with these skills understand other’s feelings and wants, and that is something that jobs look for in a person.  

As seen in both stories, there was much error in communicating.  In “Hills like White Elephants”, both characters spoke but nothing was really said.  If Jig told the American man her honest feelings about keeping the baby countless things would have occurred.  He could have realized that he needed to step up and be a father, and Jig might have gotten the family she truly wanted. He also could have wanted nothing to do with the situation and left her.  The American man should have told  Jig how he did not want the baby and she could make her decision off the truth.  By not addressing the true issue, Jig would have kept the baby thinking she would have a family.  When in reality, he might abandon her.  In the “Interpreter of Maladies”, Mrs. Das uses her form of communication to act as a confession of her sins.  If she communicated properly to her husband a long time ago their marriage might be salvageable.  Her self-centered attitude and pride get in the way and she uses a lonely cab driver to try to get rid of her pain and be happy.  Anthony Robbin’s says the better our communication, the better quality of life we will have.  If Jig and the American man would have communicated better, they could have had a beautiful family together or gone amicably their separate ways.  If Mrs. Das would have put her selfishness and pride to the side and spoke with her husband, then her marriage would have been possibly saved.  Both stories are about people who are not satisfied with the quality of their lives and try to do things to change it. They use manipulation, pity, isolation, and ignorance to try to take the dissatisfaction out of their lives. When all along, all they really needed was better communication.  

Blog #1

Antigone is written during a time period consisting of male domination. Women are expected to take on a subservient role and do as they are told. They are inferior and had no say whatsoever in anything. Sophocles uses Antigone’s character to portray women who are courageous and can make their own decisions. He uses Creon’s character to represent the arrogant and stubborn viewpoint of men during this time period. 

When Creon is told of the burial of Polyneices’ body, he tells Sentry, “If you do not bring light to the those men who have done this...” (Sophocles 1139). Creon automatically assumes it is a man thus influencing Sentry that it must be a man as well. When Sentry comes back he explains what he saw. “For there was no mark of axe’s stroke nor casting up of earth of any mattock; the ground was hard and dry, unborn; there was no signs of wagon wheels” (Sophocles 1137). Since there seemed to be no aid in the moving and burial of the body, it appeared to them it absolutely has to be a man. Even when Sentry brings Antigone to Creon, he still is not sure. He doubtfully asks, “Do you know what you are saying? Do you mean it?” (Sophocles 1141). He is in disbelief that a women would disobey him so. Antigone tells Creon without fear or hesitation she is the one who buried the body. It would be immortal to leave it to rot on the streets. The only laws she is submissive to was those of the Gods. Only they could make laws over life and death. Hearing this enrages Creon, causing his actions to be affected by his pride as a man and not his thinking as a leader. 

When Creon says, “I am no man and she the man if she can win this and not pay for it,” (Sophocles 1143) it shows his true hubris. Even if he feels Antigone’s actions were justifiable, he could not allow her to live because she is a woman. In his eyes if he lets her get away with defying his edict, he is be losing power to a mere woman. His decision is based on pride alone and automatically condemns her to death. By killing Antigone it will restore the balance of power back to him. The conflict between Antigone and Creon is not solely based on her breaking his edict. If the same incident occured but a man committed the crime, a different outcome most likely could happen. By Creon saying, “Die then, and love the dead if thou must; No woman shall be the master while I live” (Sophocles 1144). His rage and disgust that a woman would defy him makes him come to his verdict. He no longer is worried about his law being broken. His reasoning is not based on what is right or rational but on man maintaining the power over woman.

Response #3-Writing Prompt on Desire

There are two kinds of desire, created and inherent.  I remember this being a little bit more on the difficult side for me because I could not distinguish between the two kinds.  After the class discussion though it was clear there was a difference.  Created desire is controlled.  It is controlled by being exposed to certain environments, our psych, and any ideas given to us by an outside source.  I relate this to “A Streetcar Named Desire” and the character Blanche.  Her desire for material things is created desire.  Blanche and Stella grew up in a mansion on a huge plantation.  They were accustomed to the finer things in life. Blanche’s desire for nice things is because she was a product of her environment.  This can be controlled as we see in Stella who is not materialistic at all and is very happy with her average lifestyle.  The second kind of desire is inherent.  It is uncontrolled and cannot be created. It is based on our instincts, love, justification, and spiritual fulfillment.  I feel you can compare inherent desire to the love I have for my nieces.  I desire the absolute best for them and want to give them anything I can.  I do not do things because I feel I will get something in return.  I act the way I do towards them based on my instincts, I do not have to force myself.  It is effortless.  I feel created desire is almost a more selfish desire because it is all things you want but do not really need.  Inherent desire I feel is a little more selfless because you are not looking to gain anything and it comes naturally to a person.  

My 2 nieces..well technically 3 including Sophie the dog : )

Blog #2

America’s financial crisis and the involvement of Wall Street, the Occupy Wall Street protesters, and every day Americans will be compared to Blanche, Stanley, and Stella. Illusion, denial, and displacement are all key components that tie these completely different subjects together. 

American politics have been dominated by displacement and denial for years especially with the whole issue of economic crisis. The Occupy Wall Street protesters have been trying to change that. They are trying to make Wall Street take the blame for what they are responsible for. Wall Street uses the defense mechanisms of denial and displacement to further keep their illusion that they were not the problem alive. Denial is the most basic of defense mechanisms they use to their advantage. The refusal to accept the external reality and their own personal reaction to reality. When they try to pretend millions are out of work because there is something wrong with them individually, rather than there being a problem with the economy as a whole. Displacement or blame shifting is something else they also use. Wall Street displaces the blame of the economic crisis onto other less powerful targets, instead of manning up and taking responsibility for their actions. There is also a group that is neither with the Wall Street or the protesters. Whether they believe either of the parties to be right is not the issue. They rather just go on living their lives the way they always do and do not want change of any kind. They do not want to be forced to face reality and deal with what really could be going on. 

Blanche represents Wall Street. She is in denial of what is really going on in her life. She has lost Belle Reve, has no money, no job, and is all alone. “Mr Graves is the high superintendent-he suggested I take a leave of absence” ( Blanche 1170). She knows she has been fired but still tries to protest she has a job. When the plantation is brought up in conversation, Blanche immediately pushes the blame on Stella. She says, “But you are the one that abandoned Belle Reve, not I! I stayed and fought for it, bled for it, almost died for it” (Blanche 1172). Stanley represents the protesters in how he wants to get past the distortion of the truth and have Blanche come to terms with reality. He never believed Blanche’s lies from the beginning. He tells Blanche, “I’ve been on to you from the start! Not once did you pull any wool over this boy’s eyes!” (Stanley 1129). Both Stanley and the protesters are raw brutes just trying to look past illusions and trying to get to the truth. Stella represents the people who know what is going on with the economy and Wall Street, but choose to just believe whatever makes their lives easier. By her saying, “I couldn't go on believing her story and live with Stanley" (Stella, 1232), she shows she would have to change her life if she believed Blanche. By her siding with Stanley her world does not change and she is not forced to face the reality of what really happened.