Saturday, February 13, 2010
The Storm Question 9 (pg 259)
I do not think the storm excuses the actions of the characters during the story. I do not feel what they did was right because of the storm or because the husband and son were not at home, and I do not think in any given situation would their actions be acceptable. Alcee wrote to his wife and he realized “their health and pleasure were the first things to be considered” (Chopin,259) , and the other family had a feast and enjoyed themselves and “laughed much and so loud that anyone might have heard them” (Chopin, 259). It seems as though nothing ever happened and that the storm just temporarily separated Calixta from her husband and son and as soon as they returned everything was back to normal. The last sentence states that “So the storm passed and everyone was happy” (Chopin,259), and it leaves one to wonder if everyone knew what had happened would they still be so happy? It also makes me feel like the storm was their excuse for committing adultery and as soon as the storm was over so was the actions they shared, thus leaving everyone else in the dark about what went on during that storm. The storm does is not an excuse for what they did and should not be used as an excuse if they have confessed.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
"I Stand Here Ironing"
P. 298; QST. #3
Emily’s mother feels guilty for not always being there for her daughter and making her into the cold child she became. Partly, I do believe she is to blame; however, like Emily’s mother had said “She is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear” (Olsen, 289). This means that there isn’t much that could be done to save Emily; people were lucky to have held a job during the depression. Her mother admits “I was at the terrible growing years. War years. I do not remember them well. I was working, there were four smaller ones now, there was not time for her” (287). Apart from that, Emily’s father left her mother who was nineteen years old at the time (288). I don’t think it helped Emily to be sent to a convalescent home. We know that her mother really loved her, but if Emily was in her best interest she would have understood that it wouldn’t help Emily any. I do understand that times were hard and she was a single mother raising five children, but I think she could have done better for her eldest daughter. Emily could have benefited her by really helping to raise the younger children and do chores. However, maybe Emily would still have the same lonely feeling inside. Either way, being sent away couldn’t have done anything good to her, only force her to grow cold. Overall, Emily’s mother did what she could to survive. Things could have been better, but as Emily got older she must have grown warmer inside. “…she comes back in, kisses me, and says quite lightly, “in a couple of years when we’ll all be atom-dead they won’t matter a bit” (288).
Emily’s mother feels guilty for not always being there for her daughter and making her into the cold child she became. Partly, I do believe she is to blame; however, like Emily’s mother had said “She is a child of her age, of depression, of war, of fear” (Olsen, 289). This means that there isn’t much that could be done to save Emily; people were lucky to have held a job during the depression. Her mother admits “I was at the terrible growing years. War years. I do not remember them well. I was working, there were four smaller ones now, there was not time for her” (287). Apart from that, Emily’s father left her mother who was nineteen years old at the time (288). I don’t think it helped Emily to be sent to a convalescent home. We know that her mother really loved her, but if Emily was in her best interest she would have understood that it wouldn’t help Emily any. I do understand that times were hard and she was a single mother raising five children, but I think she could have done better for her eldest daughter. Emily could have benefited her by really helping to raise the younger children and do chores. However, maybe Emily would still have the same lonely feeling inside. Either way, being sent away couldn’t have done anything good to her, only force her to grow cold. Overall, Emily’s mother did what she could to survive. Things could have been better, but as Emily got older she must have grown warmer inside. “…she comes back in, kisses me, and says quite lightly, “in a couple of years when we’ll all be atom-dead they won’t matter a bit” (288).
Monday, February 8, 2010
I Stand Here Ironing
In the story “I Stand Here Ironing” by Tillie Olsen the narrator was overwhelmed by guilt. I believe this is because the narrator really realized what she has done during Emily’s whole life.
I think she thinks she should have been there more for her daughter. She had to try later on to make everything better but it was hard to do. “I had to work her first six years when there was work, or I sent her home to her relatives. There were years she had care she hated. She was dark and thin and foreign-looking in a world where the prestige went to blondeness and curly hair and dimples. She was slow where glibness was prized. She was a child of anxious, not proud, love. We were poor and could not afford for her to soil of easy growth. I was a young mother, I was a distracted mother. There were other children pushing up, demanding. Her younger sister seemed all that she was not. There were years she did not want me to touch her. She kept too much in herself, her life was such she had to keep too much in herself. My wisdom came too late. She has much to her and probably little will come of it. She is a child of her age of depression, of war, of fear” (Olsen 288-289). This shows that she had such a big guilt and wish she could have made it up to Emily and to have her understand what she was truly going through during this war.
I think she did some things wrong like at least spend some time with Emily as much as she did to the rest of her children. I think she wasn’t the greatest mother, but I think she really did do the best she could meaning it was the Great Depression era. She had to give up some of the time suppose to be for Emily so she could work to keep them fed and keep them alive. I don’t think she was the best mother but she tried and learned from her mistakes.
I think she thinks she should have been there more for her daughter. She had to try later on to make everything better but it was hard to do. “I had to work her first six years when there was work, or I sent her home to her relatives. There were years she had care she hated. She was dark and thin and foreign-looking in a world where the prestige went to blondeness and curly hair and dimples. She was slow where glibness was prized. She was a child of anxious, not proud, love. We were poor and could not afford for her to soil of easy growth. I was a young mother, I was a distracted mother. There were other children pushing up, demanding. Her younger sister seemed all that she was not. There were years she did not want me to touch her. She kept too much in herself, her life was such she had to keep too much in herself. My wisdom came too late. She has much to her and probably little will come of it. She is a child of her age of depression, of war, of fear” (Olsen 288-289). This shows that she had such a big guilt and wish she could have made it up to Emily and to have her understand what she was truly going through during this war.
I think she did some things wrong like at least spend some time with Emily as much as she did to the rest of her children. I think she wasn’t the greatest mother, but I think she really did do the best she could meaning it was the Great Depression era. She had to give up some of the time suppose to be for Emily so she could work to keep them fed and keep them alive. I don’t think she was the best mother but she tried and learned from her mistakes.
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