Insanity

It is irrefutable that Jean Rhys created a post-colonial master piece. Her ability to capture the truth of the West Indies through both the eyes of the oppressor and oppressed is astonishing, giving a real and deep emotional connection with the place. But she does so much more. She also engages with social injustice and economic issues. Most effectively she deals with the role of women in society, and the role of the colonized. And her most effective instants of this occurs through insanity. Through the use of character interactions, and personal development throughout the novel, Jean Rhys portrays Insanity as a fully justifiable and reasonable reaction as a way to highlight the oppressive nature of both the patriarchy and the colonizer.
Rhys characterizes insanity is a product of the various forms of oppression and seclusion Antoinette faces throughout her life. The first instances of such oppression occurs at Anette’s ad Mr. Mason wedding. Specifically through the gossip of the proper English women present at the wedding. She clearly does not fit in with these women, and is present to some nasty commentary on her mother and herself. This is the first instance of her struggle to keep her identity as a Creole. Her fortitude of mind comes from the familiarity of the setting, especially as it is a reflection of the identity she is attempting to inhabit. Thus, the next instance of her struggle for identity is present when the estate is “cleaned up”. She took refuge and found solace in the place she knew best, this is also true of her perception of herself as a native, but is challenged when the estate is made tidy and proper again. This is also reflective of her own attempts to be the perfect English women. Her conversion is unsuccessful. She is rejected by the black community, specifically when Tia throws a rock at her. This, though certainly not the first time she is rejected, it is the most meaningful rejection as she is has finally chosen who she wants to be. This leads to the seeds of insanity being placed in her head. This insanity is furthered by the “conventional” convent school. This is a version of indoctrination reduces Antoinette to little more than a drone. This starts her for her blow up. Her insanity happens in response to being locked up in the basement by Mr. Rochester, a man she was forced to marry by her brother. Who, after the passing of the only other man in the family, Mr. Mason Sr., is in control of all of her finance. So she marries Rochester, he for the money, and her because she has to. He then sleeps with another women, and when she is enraged and screams and attempts to hurt him, she is locked up. Now her “insanity” is not even that. It is, in more honest terms, a legitimate and appropriate reaction to the circumstance she is in. But because she begins to assert herself, by fully expressing her opinion and acting on it, she is insane, acting like a man, or someone with power. Because as a creole women, she is the literal bottom of the totem pole. But this is not the solitary example.
Rhys demonstrates the idea of insanity as a product of oppression and seclusion in Anette as well, not only to reinforce the idea, but to lend it a certain universality. The first example of this, is again, Annette’s marriage to Mr. Mason. After the ceremony is complete, she assumes a passive role in every sphere. Though it is unclear what role she held earlier, it is clear that she is now subjected to a dual oppressor. She does this out of necessity to provide for her family, but loses all identity and power. She becomes the English wife, as opposed to the strong creole women. She is then further derived of power as her husband has final say in all family decisions. As opposed to listening for to her and leaving he insists upon staying. No only stepping on her opinion, but spitting in the face of her local knowledge. The implications that she is inferior due to sex and a poor education from a backwards country occurs throughout the novel. This ultimately leads to the destruction of Coulibri and the deaths of Coco and Pierre. This finally drives her over the edge. She begins to rave and threaten and bite. She yells that she repeatedly told him to leave. And that in his arrogance he refused her. That her killed her child and ruined her life. She is put away, out of the sight of the public as a lunatic. But yet again, we see that her reaction is totally justified. Her screaming and crying, and yes even actual insanity is normal. But before she truly snaps, she acts out. She finally reasserts herself as dominating. And again, we see this classified as insanity. Her efforts, ignored until then, are to reflective of a role she can’t play. One of the colonizer or the man. Her insanity gives light to the cruel and relentless system that controlled her life. Effectively producing both a post-colonial and feminist text.
Possibly the most important point of this novel is not in the novel itself, it is instead the context of creation that lends this book all of its power and legitimacy. Jean Rhys herself is the power behind the book. She is able to bring the obvious flaws to light because she has lived the life Antoinette is in. She was a creole women who moved to Europe, and never belonged anywhere. She tried to be an actor, but was refuted for her accent. When asked she even said she had no sense of home. Couple that with failed marriages and a lot of drinking and the inspiration for the novels message and plot become obvious. And most of all, she is able to take this to bounds unknown by making the story the explanation for the classic Jane Eyre. To which, Antoinette plays counter-part. The dark reflection of both Jane Eyre and Jean Rhys.
In conclusion, Jean Rhys is able to effectively create a post-colonial and feminist text. She does this through her own life as well as characterization, conflict, and inter character interactions. The mental illness that befalls Annette and Antoinette is reflective of their circumstance, and of the tyrannical rule of the patriarchy itself. She is able to craft a beautiful world that the audience can engage with, then shatter it to emphasis the insanity only brought to light in this era of post colonialism.

WWS Outline

Prompt B
How is prejudice in its various forms evident in Wide Sargasso Sea? How does it contribute to the novel’s tragic outcomes?
Thesis Statement: The prejudices against women, Creoles, and people of color greatly influence the tragic outcome of the novel, and thus give it all of its value as a new voice.

Topic Statement 1: The prejudices against women and womanhood are highlighted through the patriarchal narration of Mr. Rochester.
• Sly, Intelligent, and Malignant Creature.
• I wanted her, but I did not love her
• [Amélie's] expression was so full of delighted malice, so intelligent, above all so intimate that I felt ashamed and looked away

Topic Statement 2: The superior attitude of the English to the Creole Results in the Primary conflict of the story, as revealed by the actions of Mr. Rochester.
• Her Dark, sad, long alien eyes.
• She was part of the mystery and magic
• I hated her
• Bertha
• "Her coffee is delicious but her language is horrible and she might hold her dress up. It must get very dirty, yards of it trailing on the floor."

"When they don't hold their dress up it's for respect," said Antoinette. "Or for feast days or going to Mass."

"And is this a feast day?"

"She wanted it to be a feast day."

"Whatever the reason it is not a clean habit […] And she looks so lazy. She dawdles about."

"Again, you are mistaken. She seems slow, but every move she makes is right so it's quick in the end."
• For a moment Antoinette looked very much like Amélie. Perhaps they are related, I thought. It's possible, it's even probably in this damned place.

Topic Statement 3: The prejudices against the Blacks is the ideal that sets the whole story in motion.
• You can vacation, but there is no point in leaving.
• "They invent stories about you, and lies about me. They try to find out what we eat every day."

"They are curious. It's natural enough. You have lived alone far too long, Annette. You imagine enmity which doesn't exist. Always one extreme or the other. Didn't you fly at me like a little wild cat when I said nigger. Not nigger, nor even negro. Black people I must say."

"You don't like, or even recognize the good in them," she said, "and you won't believe in the other side."

"They're too damn lazy to be dangerous," said Mr. Mason. "I know that."

"They are more alive than you are, lazy or not, and they can be dangerous and cruel for reasons you wouldn't understand."
• But how can she know the best thing for me to do, this ignorant, obstinate, old negro woman, who is not certain if there is such a place as England?

Antoinette

Wide Sargasso Sea's Antoinette is undoubtedly made an outsider. Caught between the traditional Englishmen and the Jamaican Natives, she exists without a culture of her own at the beginning of the emancipation act. This is done from the start, the very first sentence is “They say when trouble comes close ranks, and so the white people did. The Jamaican ladies had never approved of my mother, ‘Because she pretty like pretty self’”. So immediately the entire family are made into freaks, and odd half-breed that is worse than either half that comprises it. It goes on to state “She was my father’s second wife, far too young for him they thought, and, worse still, a Martinique girl.” This begins to give a cultural and historical context to their isolation. Bringing to bare not only the hatred of the oppressed, but also that of the nation. It begins to involve the bloody history of the islands, incorporating the battles fought over possession of these. This is the external medium of isolation, and it goes on with phrases like “White cockroach” and actions like the burning of Coulibri Estate and “I will live with Tia and I will be like her. Not leave Coulibri. Not to go. Not. When I was close I saw the jagged stone in her hand but I did not see her throw it. I did not feel it either, only something wet, running down my face. I looked at her and saw her face crumple as she began to cry. We stared at each other, blood on my face, tears on hers. It was as if I saw myself. Like in a looking-glass.”

But there is an internal aspect to her isolation as well. Her own fear and indecisive action make her a wholly independent being. One without culture or purpose. “Our garden was large and beautiful as that of the bible- the tree of life grew there. But it had gown wild. The paths were overgrown and the smell of dead flowers mixed with the fresh living smell.” Is used as parallel to her mental state. One in which she cannot reach one cultural purity. I was certain that hidden within the room (behind the big black press) there was a dead man’s dried hand, white chicken feathers, a cock with its throat cut, dying slowly, slowly.” Contextualizes her as an outsider even in the culture she choose to identify with later in the story.

Now the key question is why? Why make this confused little girl a victim of her circumstance? The answer is rather simple and comes from what the character becomes, not what she is. That little girl becomes the depraved and manic Bertha Mason of Jane Eyre. In doing this, Jean Phys gives a voice to the voiceless creole who fell into disrepute after the emancipation act. And to further this, she writes herself into Antoinette. The lack of identity, failed marriages, and the absence of a true home all stem from her own life. This is highly relevant to context as it is a similar context to Things Fall Apart. This solidly places it as the postcolonial literature, meant to shed light on the forgotten past. Bring to the world the injustice formerly painted as an uplifting from savagery and hardship. Thus the theme, revealed by the lack of the characters own ability to realize this, is the necessity of a personal identity. It does not matter where you come from, what matters is who you are. Allowing where you come from to dictate who you are leads only to hardships and strife, be it internal or external.

The Sheik

The Sheik is one of the most relevant characters of The thief and the Dogs. He is a symbol of redemption, as religious figures tend to be. And no he is not directly related to the church, but he is religious. The light that reveals Said character, dispute what Said thinks there is a rift between thoughts and interactions. And finally, ritualistic failing of the internal struggle between his perceived fate and free will.
His symbolism as redemption is clear from the start. Religion is traditionally painted as the great redeemer. Brothers and sisters repent your sins and have the evil washed off you in their acceptance and forgiveness of god, or ala, or Buda, or what have you. Halt your sins and ask for redemption, and the past is forgotten. It seems, that in a world where friend, mentor, and love all betray, redemption and acceptance are the one thing he needs. The Sheik offers nothing but wisdom and guidance to our hero lead astray. Well that as well as a bite to eat, and a roof to sleep under. But the abstract way he offered his advice and his forgiveness was beyond Said ability to see.
The Sheik, as mentioned before, brings some light into the question of Said Mahran. The Sheik, on numerous occasions, assists characterize Said in a more reliable way then Said does himself. From Said, we learn that he is the embodiment of the fair, the righteous, the vengeful, the great, and the infallible hero of the masses. By any definition a great man. Of course, we also learn from his untimely demise that he is delusional. So what do we make for our great hero? How do we know who he really is? The answer lies in characters like the Sheik. He as well as Nur, Illish, and Rauf give us our knowledge of Said, or that is the only knowledge to be trusted.  The Sheik gave wisdom and sympathy. Said seemed to acknowledge either. This allows us to see he is hot-headed and just a little thick. He is also stubborn and insensitive. This is revealed through his intolerance for things like prayer, even out of respect for the man who houses him, he refuses these things that seem unnecessary to him. He is of course progressive, wanted something more just, but his is cold and confrontational, not a comforting figure. All of this is revealed through the interactions Said has with the Sheik. And his mannerisms give us our insight into the theme of fate versus free will.
The fate versus free will is one theme thoroughly seen throughout. Now I readily admit to bias, I honestly believe the words spoken by Ben Franklin are true. He said “There are only two things that are certain, death and taxes”. So my thoughts on fate are skewed. But I believe that there is always a choice. Always an alternative for every decision. And each one creates even more alternatives, and the resulting chaos is the thing we call life. That is to say, every man women and child does have control over their destiny, their fate. Whatever they want to achieve is achievable, as long as they are willing to bid their time and be smart about it. In this way, a person can act in a singular way, to a singular goal. And this is where Said fails. His mind is made up from the moment he walks out of prison. Not only on his end goals but on his methods. Acting upon this, he led himself to the gallows. So my view is, there was never any set fate for the Egyptian Robin Hood. He decided his path and his goals and died by them. His fate was to follow his will to the letter. As was the fate of the other characters he fought with. And so he sealed his fate and lost the chance be live and die happy.

Significant Passage, Chapter 5

Nur is one of the most important characters in The Thief and the Dogs. Her necessity is twofold, presenting both a symbol and a humanizing factor. Thus the passage I choose is the one where Nur and Sa’id first see each other again in Mr. Tarzans café. She then agrees to assist Said in stealing a car from the young gentleman she has accompanied. And then later, goes onto vent her disgust and outrage with the former wife of Sa’id.

"How are you, Nur?" he asked.

               "As you can see," Tarzan said for her with a smile, "She's all light, like her name."

               "I'm fine," she said. "And you? You look very healthy. Only what's wrong with your eyes? They remind me of how you used to look when you were angry."

               "What do you mean?" he said with a grin.

               "I don't know, it's hard to describe. Your eyes turn a sort of red and your lips start twitching!"

               Said laughed. Then, with a touch of sadness, he said, "I suppose your friend will be coming soon to take you back?"

               "Oh, he's dead drunk," she said, shaking her head, tossing the hair from her eyes.

               "In any case, you're tied to him."

               "Would you like me," she said with a sly smile, "to bury him in the sand?"

               "No, not tonight. We'll meet again later. I'm told he's a real catch," he added, with a look of interest that did not escape her.

               "He sure is. We'll go in his car to the Martyr's Tomb. He likes open spaces."

               So he likes open spaces. Over near the Martyr's Tomb.

               Her eyelashes fluttered, showing a pretty confusion that increased as her gaze met his. "You see," she said with a pout, "You never think of me."

               "It's not true," he said, "You're very dear to me."

               "You're only thinking about that poor fish."

               Said smiled, "He forms a part of my thinking of you."

Though it may seem it at first, it becomes clear rather quickly that it is more than polite conversation. It is made clear that Nur understands Sa’id more than even we do, as people with access to his mind. When she mentions he looks mad, and is right, based on a twitching lip and prior experience from 4 years ago at the least. He is made genuinely sad when he thinks she has to go back and talk to the man she arrived with, whom she promptly brushes off. She then offers to ditch him in favor for Sa’id. Even from here, it is very clear she loves Sa’id, without even hearing the rant to come, or the comfort he finds in her later in the tale. She even flirts with him after he insists she has to stay with the person she arrived with. This seems rather forward, even for very old friends.

She furthers Sa’id humanity. To clarify, it is possible to say that Nur is a representation of Said happiness and trust, as he losses both with her later in the story. Without Nur, we would Said as nothing more than an animal, anger, vicious, driven, and blood hungry. Nur provides the good that is present in humans, emphasizing that we are at our best in small groups which we trust. With specific focus on Sa’id, Nur represents the light that died in him when he was put into jail. She also represent the future he cannot have, after his actions, but wants desperately. This connection is made very clear later, but is more than subtly hinted at in the fifth and sixth chapter. The manner of their interaction is indicative of at least a long term friendship, if not an actual physical attraction.

She is also useful as a symbol in the greater story arch. In the ideal of the whole, she represents the powerless. She is the manifestation of the public who suffers greatly in the senseless violence. And, those who continue to suffer after the reality of revolution and its dehumanizing products come about. This is better represented in near the end of the story, when she speaks to Said in her home. However, her turn to manipulation and survival in any manner possible, such as with the young rich man, is similar to the way the working classes were treated under Nasser, or so the story goes. She is hopeful but resigned later on, again as a reflection of the hopes of the people, and their subsequent disillusionment with the government that rose to “protect them”.

Stream of Consciousness

The Thief and the dogs is a work of beauty. The complexities in meaning, coupled with the dynamic and life like characters is truly astonishing. And the stream of consciousness technique employed on the novel server to augment that greatly.
Firstly it is necessary to outline the underlying allegory of the book. It is a tale of civil unrest and a failed revolution. That is not to say the revolution did not occur. In fact, as a result of this revolution Nasser took power in Egypt. However, it was held by the common folk that their ideals had been betrayed by exploitative intellectuals, who betrayed the ideals of the revolution in the face of censorship. These intellectuals are represented by Rauf. He was Said, the main characters former mentor. Said finds his teacher has become an ‘intellectual’ who sold his former communist, Robin Hood mix of values for a posh life style. Said is a thief, the Robin Hood and a revolutionary. He is rejected by the system he created, and, as a symbol, his daughter. Said who life after escaping prison is a pass of the government Mahfouz disagreed with as a revolutionary.
The narration of the novel was unique in Arabic literature at the time of its creation. It uses the stream of consciousness technique. This is highly relevant as we switch from third person, direct and indirect mental narration, and soliloquy. Each of these are reflect of differing levels of Said’s mind. The direct and indirect narration are his thoughts. They are eloquent and relatively stable, not making too many impossible or unexplained leaps to different issues. The third person narration is plainly put, and completely factual, with no instability represented. The soliloquy is very extravagant, and highly unstable, fliting from idea to unrelated idea. And is reflective of his sub and unconscious mind. Said is not only a revolutionary, he is the embodiment of the revolutions ideals. And his eventual insanity, as represented by increased use of soliloquy, is a representation of the failed ideals of the revolution. He begins seemingly stable, however it is quickly revealed that he is spiteful and vengeful. And at first he is rational and highly aware. However as the story progresses, we see more indirect and direct narration, then as mentioned before, the madness of the soliloquy. Though this crookedness is mentioned from the beginning, when his thoughts turn to his daughter on the very first page of the book. It is a representation of the slow descent of the public, at the hands of Nasser.
Though it provides a unique perspective, as seen above, it’s limited in several areas. Firstly, we only see one event. Our knowledge of the life Said held before is tainted by his own rage. The traditional character, the hero archetype, is dead in Said. And the traditional characterization, that which leaves no doubt, is not present. Normally, the characters of a book are well defined. Through traditional writing, the traits of a character are revealed by the other characters, or directly by the author. This produces a sort of certainty, and security in what is said of the characters. Through this, there is no such thing. It becomes clear that Said thoughts and actions are desperate, so as a character, we really know nothing about him, except that he is insane. And the traditional story died. The hero often seek to rid the world of some great injustice, and we see his or her life from its humble beginnings, to the extravagant end of relevance after lessons have been learned and everyone has grown. Again, this is not represented. But the most important point is, in this story neither of these things are relevant. Both the nontraditional characterization and the inconclusive plot are reflections of real life. There is no certainty how the failed revolution will affect the affairs of Egypt and maybe the world. There is no way of really forming an authentic opinion of Nasser and his revolution now, with the past as biased as it is.
The final thing to look at is the relation to Things Fall Apart. There are two main points for this relation. Both are a counter to and existing social norm, and both are told in the same way. Things Fall Apart is a counter narrative to the demonization of colonized lands that occurred until several years before colonial powers retreated. The Thief and the Dogs is a counter revolutionary tale. It speaks of the failings of its past, much as the counter narrative brings to light the failing of others to recognized basic human rights, as the revolution did. And both are told as if one with the former culture. Things fall apart is styled as a traditional Igbo tale, on why things are the way they are. It language and unusual plot progression reflect on of the many tales told in the story. And Thief is similar to the stories told by bards in Arabic culture.

Culture

Culture. The only way to sum up any entire peoples thoughts, feelings, actions, history, and customs in one word. The beauty and extravagance held by just one of these beacons of light is indescribable. And it can only really be described and understood through direct experience. But in order to be compassionate beings, we need to see and understand the cultures that may not be our own. This is done through things like documentaries and stories. Most importantly in the stories category are books. But are they accurate? Can one really take some much and put it between two covers? The answer, in short, is no. At least not completely. It is undisputedly valuable to learn and understand the customs and meanings behind other culture. What better way than to hear the tales of tragedy and awe that exist in the world? What better way than to see the politics and intrigue behind every story? But there are two major issues. First, everything is subject to the interpreter’s interpretation. As is evident from the issues raised by Feng Tang in 2014. He retranslated “Stray Birds” a collection of 300 poems by Tangore. He did not except this to be his most controversial work, as his previous works were known to be blunt to say the least. However, this work was called vulgar on multiple occasions by multiple people. All that done on the basis of three slightly, what is the word, sensual poems. He received multiple death threats and media heat from both hi native China and India as well. Though not necessarily a bad thing, it does remind us that the translator has the ultimate power overt the hidden meanings and inflections in the work. The second, and far more dangerous problem, is the loss meaning. It is often said that there are words that cannot be directly translated. For example, in German there is a word for the feeling of being lost in the woods. This word cannot be directly translated as it also implies all of the emotions that can occur in that situation. Another example is the use, in context, of Igbo words in Things Fall Apart. This is done as there was not suitable substitute in English. This furthers the previously made point. This is not to say it is not valuable to study other cultures and translated works. As was said in the earlier, there is much to be learned, but the reader must be aware of the possible loss or distortion of meaning before studying such works.

Comparative assignment

These texts have quite a few similarities and differences. One is an advertisement for a summer cruise in the 1920’s, with such loft locals as Jamaica, Cuba, Panama, Central America, and Colombia. The other is a news article from the Miami Herald from 2007 regarding the encroachment of developers on the squatting place for Panama’s poor. These texts are linked through their opposing stances on colonialism. One of course, is an encouragement to continue the actions of the oppressor. While the other is a call of injustice against him. These articles are greatly removed in audience, purpose, content, theme, tone, mood, style, and structure, and this essay will examine both of them with regards to these things.

The audience of the advert is the upper middle and upper classes of America in the 1920’s. This is evident through the picture as well as the elevated language, and direct targeting. For example, the title read “Reduced Rates for Summer Cruises”. This is not the manner of speech of the common man at that time. Additionally, the ad directly targets richer audience saying things like “Extra Large staterooms” and “cuisine that is noteworthy for its excellence”, both of these are not concerns for the poorer people, suggesting that the cruise is only for the rich. And finally the people in the photo at the bottom of the ad are all dressed very posh, in the recent fashion, with good quality make. This is purposeful as the upper and middle classes are the ones who can pay for the trip. The “Squatters versus Developers” article is addressed to the modern counter part of the last. This is quite obvious for several reasons. The placement of the article, in the business section of the Miami Herald, is only a concern to businessmen and their families. Immediately, with this knowledge, are out of the scope of the lower class. The article then must concern the middle and upper classes. This has to be the case as only those in the middle and upper classes have the power or the money. The advert itself is almost transferring the prestige of those classes into the idea of going on the trip. The article reads as a call to action, this implies that the reader has the ability to act, again implying that the article is targeted towards the upper and middle classes, they have enough funds and voice to affect change. This leads into the purposes of the texts.

 The purpose of the advert is to, as is common amongst adverts, to sell a product. In other words to persuade the reader to purchase tickets for the cruise. This is clear through the persuasive language used, as well as several common advert techniques. The diction is highly persuasive, saying things like “for no more than your average summer vacation” and “the coolest ships afloat”. This makes the reader associate a cool and cheap summer vacation with the trip, something only the rich could do. In addition to furthering the transfer of the prestige onto the reader. On the whole it is almost an ego stroke for those who will attend. The latter is mentioned as something others say, to gain credibility and recognition. The former is a way to paint the cruises as far better for the same price. Further examples include the use of the Great White Fleet, a famous American fleet during WW1, and the mention of the “extra-large staterooms” and “exceptional cuisine”. These are all examples of ethos. They appeal to the baser parts of humanity, being pride and greed, to make the reader need to appear rich and savvy. The newspaper article is similar in that it is a persuasive piece. But the end result is very different. The article, specifically, attempts to persuade the reader that the developers are doing evil things to the poor and helpless poor of Panama. It does this through emotional appeal, both with regards to the people in particular and their commitment to their home. It does this quite effectively in the very start of the article. It say “Jimenez, a 61-year-old retired banana pruner who earned $1 an hour, did not own the waterfront land.” This appeal is strong as it applies force in our desire to assist the weak. Further enforcing the purpose of the article. And, as a whole, this also ends up being ethos as we all compelled to feel sorry for the poor squatters and their families.

The contents differ greatly. One contains information on a cruise line. Where it goes, when it goes, what to expect from the ship, and a few pictures. The other contain information in the plight of those less fortunate. The themes are also very different. The advert has a positive theme. It says “take a luxurious trip into the untamed Central and South America” attempting to make the reader feel like a doper businessman. While the news article is one of grim determination against an injustice unseen until now. It is a call to action against an evil revealed. “Fight for the rights of those less fortunate” so to speak.

The tone varying greatly from one to the other. The advert is very bright and cheery. It seems to say “We are the ticket to your dream vacation in variety of locals”. This is done through several means. Firstly the diction is very bright. Words like tropics, staterooms, and cuisine are used to paint the princely experience as all the more grand. It depicts a group of doper young men and women all smiling and happy, and provides the invitation to join them on a wonderful cruise, with all of the prestige and power associated with the upper classes, truly the opitimy of the American dream at that time.. And of course the trusty granted by a military title such as the great white fleet. The whole is a rather appealing plea to join in the fun. This creates a mood of whimsy and joy. This is an effective way to sell the product. The news article however is very different. Its tone is one of outrage and sorrow, at what these people have had to endure in the past and in the present. Its emotionally charged phrases are geared much differently than that of the other. Its phraseology is very different, geared towards the pity generated by situations less fortunate than ours. The diction is far less positive, saying things like displace, low income, shacks, and cracks to create the depressed image we see. This creates a sorrowful but determined mood. This serves to insight action from the readers to help the squatters gain equality.

The style and structure of the two texts are very different. In the ad, there are three noteworthy components to the structure. There are two pictures, the main body of text, the bolded titles and relevant information. The pictures are a map of the relevant tropical locations, a good way to remove and make them all the more special. The other is one of young men and women happily living the life. This is an incentive almost, a call to come fulfill your dreams. The bolded and enlarged words give the hasty reader all they need to know to buy the tickets and set sail. The main body merely provides the detailed information for those whose interest are piqued . This is done so that only those who want to go see them. The main body itself uses multiple different lit devices and persuasive techniques. The primary being transferal, glittering generalities, and bandwagon. The transferal comes in as the trip being a symbol of prestige and power. The generalities occur in the uniform mention of the ports as similar despite being of many different backgrounds. And the Bandwagon is shown through the picture of the large group of young men and women. The primary literary device is the ethos appeal throughout. It plays upon the desire we have for companionship and fun, as well as darker things like our pride. It is styled as an advertisement from a newspaper. The other is a news article. Its only structural components are the bolded title and the main body. However, within the body several literary devices and persuasive technique are used. The persuasive technique include source manipulation, testimonial, plain folk, and glittering generalities. The source manipulation is evident form the uniformity of the bias within the quotes and statistics, making the problem and resolution seem very one sided. The testimonial and the plain folk are presented by man and his normal family. This generates pity and creates a bond between the reader and the people on the beach. And the generalities come in a no specific companies are named making them all evil. The primary literary device is again ethos. This time however the ethos is used to evoke pity and rage for those who have been wronged and so well painted. The title again severs to give a brief summary, as well as pique the interest of the reader. While the main body develops the ideas and biases while informing on the issue at hand. The second is styled as a wordy advertisement .

In conclusion, these are very different texts. The only similarities are the purposes, and only to the extent that both are persuasive. The audiences are similar but removed in time. The purpose vary in that one is colonial and one is not. They are styled differently but have a few structural components that are similar. They both use very powerful persuasive techniques, and rely heavily on the use of ethos to push their relative agendas. But the only real link is that of the oppression and freedom of the South American countries like panama and their poor. However, despite their differences, both are very powerful versions of their text types.

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Comparative Texts

A:

The audience of the article are the uninformed masses. This is evident as it does not serve a particular candidate, so it is not a campaign ad, and it is not a scientific paper. Instead it is a form of critical satire without a solution, only complaints.

The purpose of the piece is to persuade. It attempts to use the transfer technique to move the feelings of brutish stupidity to the idea of global warming. And, through that, to discredit the claim that global temperatures are rising.

C:

The content is a picture of two dinosaurs talking about the climate. One is meant to represent congress, and it is saying that we should monitor global temperature. The other dinosaur says that the congress has a brain the size of a walnut.

The theme is global warming is stupid.

T:

The tone of the piece mocking. This is enforced by the words of the normal dinosaur.

The mood of the piece disbelief.  It causes doubt of the evidence for this argument that ha been presented before.

S:

The style of the piece is a cartoon. It has a relatively warped manner of drawing, further adding to the “unreal” claim made by the words. Further, there is no division between the words and the picture, which is common amongst cartoons, especially inside a newspaper. Likely that is where this picture appeared in print.

The structure is relatively straight forward. It is a cartoon with a speech bubble and a dialogue bubble over the dinosaurs.

http://news.discovery.com/earth/global-warming/new-nasa-tool-displays-earths-co2-1511201.htm

A:

The audience is the informed reader. To clarify, the information is available to all. However its placement in a very scientific newspaper makes it more geared towards the knowledgeable reader. This is reinforced by the mention of several of NASA’s other projects, with the assumption that the reader already knows of them

The purpose is to inform, and persuade. It mention data and quotes. However it is a biased piece.

C:

The content of the article is a few paragraphs, regarding the station itself, NASA’s aims, and plans for the future. As well as several pictures from the station itself, showing the CO2 levels throughout the world.

The theme of the article is CO2 levels are rising. This is represented through the higher concentration areas as well as the justifications for them. Every area of high concentration is mentioned, and what is occurring there.

T:

The tone of the article is neutral. This is done to make the article seem more credible and less opinionated. And in enforced through the neutral diction and permeation of facts.

The mood of the article trusting. The use of many facts as well as neutral diction and big names make the article seem valid. As a result the reader finds themselves trusting what is said.

S:

It is styled like a news article. With the images at the front and the development and relevant information given below in the paragraphs.

The structure is simple. Images followed by paragraphs abbreviated by um up sentences as headings for each section. With a few cleverly placed links and ads along the margins, some of which deal with clean energy or efficient use of energy.

4 corners of Propaganda

It is acceptable for the government to try to shape public opinion through information campaigns is a false statement. It is very much not ok for the government to do so. This is when media and news become uniform propaganda outlets. Now this is not to say government and media do not do so, in fact it is a very prevalent problem. Especially in America. Ever since the attack on the twin towers, America’s views have been uniform. We are goo they are evil, no more. Of course, many of the things that outraged the US public are mutual. Americans wept at the dead soldiers, even though more horrific images of Iraqi civilians were present. The American people solidly believed they were doing the right thing while being consistently being lied to. The only way to know if a news outlet is neutral is if both ideas of a conflict claim it is propaganda for the other side. As Al Jazeera was during that Iraqi war. Now the American people are better educated though this does not make them media literate. At times of course it is a necessity to polarize the public opinion. Such as in times of war. This is not to say it is ok. But unfortunately this lack of diversity occurs in times when it is unnecessary. But to readdress the question at hand governmental information campaigns are too likely to become a propaganda parade for them to be a good things. This is furthered proved through the stories of Jessica Lynch and Pat Tillman. Both of which were manipulated to suit the government. How could they admit that a star had been shot by his own when he volunteered to fight? Or that the captured heroine had gotten herself captured and was then left by the men who captured her.

Crackpots and Doomsayers

Asia McClain. A key witness in the “Serial” case of Andan Syed. For years she has been silent. Syed was convicted of the murder of Hae Min Lee in 1999. On grounds of newly discovered evidence and misconduct and fraud in the persecution, Judge Martin P. Welch declared that the case would be reopened.

She wrote to the man while he was in prison, saying she had seen him in the library of his high school on the day and at the time the murder was taking place. She was never contacted by his lawyer, and she did not step forward until earlier this year when she signed an affidavit confirming her testimony. Additionally, the method used to determine his location before, some sort of tracking of his podcasts, proved unreliable and inaccurate.

Andan Syed may finally be free after 16 years in prison for a murder he did not commit. This may seem a good thing. However such misconduct in the justice system is deeply concerning. A man was convicted upon at best shady evidence. And who knows how often it happens without the court catching its own mistake. Just remember that when you walk down the street. Cause no one really knows what the people around could have gotten away with in the past.

http://national.suntimes.com/national-world-news/7/72/2078136/judge-grants-motion-reopen-serial-case-adnan-syed

Usable IOC Links

Please review this one
Part 1
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7HzPakM3xK2NGFkcERoMDFuQWs/view?usp=sharing
Part 2
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7HzPakM3xK2bW5jWU44Rm55Y28/view?usp=sharing


Boys and Girls
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7HzPakM3xK2aE9oek40V3J1MFE/view?usp=sharing

Lady Lazarus
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7HzPakM3xK2SVNKV2ZGcDk0aVE/view?usp=sharing

Edge
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B7HzPakM3xK2VU5NVW96RW5hZlk/view?usp=sharing

Edge

Link to the IOC
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7HzPakM3xK2VU5NVW96RW5hZlk

IOC#2 Alice Munro

Part one link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7HzPakM3xK2NGFkcERoMDFuQWs
Part Two link
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7HzPakM3xK2bW5jWU44Rm55Y28

Lady Lazarus by Sylvia Plath

Link to the IOC below
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7HzPakM3xK2SVNKV2ZGcDk0aVE

IOC #1 Link

 https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7HzPakM3xK2aE9oek40V3J1MFE

Things Fell Apart in the Sargasso Sea

Note: This was supposed to be done over the summer holiday.

Things Fell apart in the Sargasso Sea

One of the summer readings was the Wide Sargasso Sea, by Jean Rhys. Now, you are probably wondering about the odd title. Well it is a reference to the purpose of the texts. In the classic, Jane Eyre, by the famous Bronte, the wife of the “honorable” Mr. Rochester is portrayed as a raving monster who is determined to kill. It was believed, by the noble Jean Rhys, that the culture presented by the lunatic was one of barbarians, not the one she had desired to join as a child. She, much like the would-be offspring of Mr. Rochester and Mrs. Mason, was part Creole part English. She learned the customs of a land she had never visited, while being taught of the world around, she learned a language not used by the general population. She experienced an ambiguity of being both a participant and an observer.

Thus, when she saw the demonization of the Creole women, she decided to defend the culture she had experienced and revealed at. She experienced many such dualities as a child. Of being white, but not from Europe or England. Of being a native of the West Indies, but not black, as the majority of the population was. Of being a women in a time of turbulence for women with a voice. She was able to channel the frustrations of the inconsistences of her life, as well as the indefinite pleasures, into her writing. Particularly the personal narrative, the representation of her inner most conflict, in Wide Sargasso Sea.

In essence, the book follows the life of Antoinette Mason, the third generation after the freeing of the slaves, from a family of slaves owners. As such her life is very insecure, and eventually the natives burn down her home, killing her “special” brother in the process. After this her mother goes insane, and the young women is left to eh care of her stepfather, who finds her a suitable marriage with the wealthy Rochester Family. Through her own desire for affection, after the hardships of her life, she ends up destroying her marriage and is forcibly moved to England where she is imprisoned until the events of Jane Eyre.

But, in the end, Jean Rhys is attempting to fight the demonization of her culture, much as Chinua Achebe does in Things Fall Apart.

Munro's Place in History

It is a worthy premise to mention the role of the study of literature. Literature contains all of the wisdom of the past, all of the original stories, all the smiles and tears of millennium. So asking what the purpose and benefits are is a borderline useless question. As well as being able to enjoy the things that kept thousands entertained without electricity, add the facts that it allows you to see literally into the past and through the eyes of other, and contain the wisdom of generations, to see your answer.
Women's literature is a small category amongst millions, a pebble on a rocky beach. It is literature about women, for women, and mostly by women, though that has some exceptions. And no, I cannot define it better than that because, to be honest, I have little exposure to it. But what I have seen is something akin to a passionate debate against many for things one should have by default. Almost like fighting your brother so you can sleep on YOUR bed. We should have achieved equality in experience and every other ring long ago, so the fact that this genre needs to exist to this day is shameful. But there is value in studying it. It is an important chronicle of the adversities faced by half the population for centuries, it is one of the many ways people become aware of the problems around them every day, and it informs of a shadow within our society that one might not otherwise see. So it is very valuable a course of study, though it may be better if it's content was ancient history.
Alice Munro, a critically acclaimed writer since before I was born, has penciled more masterpieces than can be counted and has won the highest honor achievable for short stories something like three times now. But what is it that made her work such a hit? What made her a voice to feminism despite claiming not to be? It was the very fact that she did not identify as a feminist, and that she, like so few other women, had managed to make her voice heard, that gave her the brand she has made on history. She wrote only of her experiences, and crafted beautifully evolving characters for each story she wrote. It was only circumstance that made her experiences into the things feminists sought. That chance fact is perhaps the only reason that the feminist movement made it so far at the time. Her work made leaps in bounds in the direction of equality, and I have thoroughly enjoyed her short stories, or at least the ones I have read. She, through the characters on the farm in Boys and Girls, informed me of a struggle I could not have even imagined.

IOC Best Song Lyrics, Land of Confusion

A link the the official music video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vkpzl_IX2r0

Heavy metal, as scream filled and loud as it may be, is very rarely without meaning. Land of Confusion, originally by Genesis, is no exception. Its every word is saturated with imagery, repetition, and hyperbole. The end result is a fantastic sounding piece of satire. The dramatic style, the changing literary tone, and the brutally honest content of the song Land of Confusion, modern version by Disturbed, achieves the call to action set out by the lyrics themselves.

 The song, Land of Confusion, calls for a young person’s revolution against oppressive governments, to distinguish themselves from the errors of past generations, and create a better place for all. This is made clear very early on, in the phrases, “I must’ve dreamed a thousand dreams Been haunted by a million screams But I can hear the marching feet They’re moving into the street.” Now where this takes place is unspecified. However, it is a safe assumption that this is done in order to emphasize the fact that justice should be universal. But the message goes even further. It implies that it is time for everyone to control their own fate and rebuild on the rubble of the old. These two ideas are seen at the end of the song in the last two stanzas. The first comes from the final stanza, “This is the world we live in And these are the names we’re given Stand up and let’s start showing Just where our live are going to.” The message of rebellion and rebuilding is grounded in the second to last stanza, in the phrases “Now this is the world we live in And these are the hands we’re given Use them and let’s start trying To make it a place worth fighting for” and “…these are the hands we’re given Use them and lets start trying To make it a place worth living in.” The audience is intended to be the oppressed and silent mass. Those who have experienced wrongs at the hands of another, with no repercussions for those in power.

Most of the themes of the song revolve around justice, overpopulation, and unjust control of humanity by oppressive government.  Overpopulation and the related human suffering is highlighted in the quote, “There’s too many men Too many people Making too many problems And not much love to go around Can’t you see it is a land of confusion.”   It deals with humanity’s population issues as well as the tendency humans have for causing trouble. The control of unjust autocratic government is revealed to be infirm by the stanza, “Ooh Superman where are you now When everything has gone wrong somehow The men of steel, the men of power Are losing control by the hour.” The theme of justice receives repetition and focus, “My generation will put it right We’re not just making promises That we know, we’ll never keep.”  In this, we see two things at work. One being the new active promise made to take care of each other and our world, and the second being the fact that the entire generation was given an obligation to do better.

The tone and mood are relatively simple. At the beginning of the song, the tone characterizes pain and conflict, speaking of the nightmares the man has seen, and the mention of marching feet, evoking an army moving through town. The mood at this point is rather outraged, the outrage is rooted in the lines, “They say the danger’s gone away But I can see the fire is still alight There burning into the night.” This seems to be an allusion to the lies dictatorships employ when censoring the media, such as what is done in North Korea. This phrase “There’s too many people Making too many problems And there’s not much love to go around” are repeated throughout to emphasize this tone. We see our first shift in tone in the fourth stanza. This is the first hint of the revolt to come. This stanza goes “This is the world we live in And these are the hands we are given Use them and lets start trying To make it a place worth living in.” The next greatest shift in the tone and mood comes in a later stanza, when they say “My generation will put it right We’re not just making promises That we know, we’ll never keep.” This is the first real powerful revolutionary statement made in the song. It expresses a need to become new and more than that which the past has wrought. It seeks a return to the paradise, the epitome of happiness described above, in which the protagonist is in the sun, and under the stars, with the person most dear laughing in his/her ear, and in their arms. Though this is proceeded by the stanza about the reality of the old humanity.  The final to stanzas call upon a sense of duty to create and protect that perfect world, it even goes so far as to mention specifically which generation will do it, making a promise we are almost sworn to keep.

The style is inflammatory. It seeks to rile the masses by presenting them the true injustice and the disgusting greed all around them, in the bluntest way possible. And it furthers this goal by including calls to action, and even some blame laid on people’s inaction, throughout. The way everything is laid out makes it seem as though it is also a revolution in the souls of people, one where the need for the common good clashes with one’s inherent self-interest. And it presents itself as the perfect struggle for freedom, almost like propaganda. It presents itself much as a real revolution would, in the best light possible, and in the hearts of all. Much, for example, as Lenin’s Bolshevik revolution and as the American Revolution did. But neither was perfect. And it is clear, despite the fact that it claims to be, it is not a perfect revolution. This is made clear when instead of seeing himself as the hero saving the day, the protagonist asks “Ooh Superman where are you now When everything has gone wrong somehow.”  The structure makes several great contributions as well. Mainly, the fact that the bleakest most honest stanzas are proceeded by calls to action as well as the most uplifting, hopeful things said. This is strategically done as the contrast makes it obvious that the solution is to fight, but making it seem more like the conclusion of the listener.

The literary devices used do an excellent job furthering these goals. The hyperboles used, such as “losing control by the hour” and, “Too many men, Too many people” are employed to emphasize the themes they are associated with. The repeated use of imagery, like “Ooh when the sun was shining Yes and the stars were bright through the night” and “Ooh Superman where are you now” created a far more personal feel, as the listeners were able to relate on a personal level to these things. The repetition of the main themes made them all the more clear to anyone. The best symbol came in the repetition of the sun and the stars, being the bright light in the darkness, much as the revolution appeared to be the light amongst the gloom of humanity’s failures.

In conclusion, Land of Confusion is a meaningful song. It was composed by Genesis and modernized by the highly skilled heavy metal band Disturbed. It emphasizes the need to be better than one’s self and one’s predecessors. The artists encourage us to crusade for equality and create a more perfect world. That is why I believe that Land of Confusion belongs in the archive of greatest lyrics of human history. 

Vengeance Sucks

Vengeance is sweet. That is what villains always say, laughing maniacally and walking away, right before the hero rallies his allies and defeats the menace with the power of friendship. Are we done being Children? Good. So let's really look at what revenge is. Revenge, by meaning, is taking an action against another because of something done in the past, or some approximation of that. The reason we see it as the motive for many comic and TV criminals is the tendency for it to pop up as a motive behind real tragedy. In fact, unless we are talking about some antisocial serial killer, it is a motive behind most misdeeds performed now, and throughout history. And history remembers these people as evil doers. Mostly because they failed at their goal. Why did they fail you ask? The answer is relatively simple. Revenge is not a strong enough motivator. In order for any person to get something done, they need a reason. For things like homework, the reason is often avoiding the wrath of mom, or the promise of a better future. But for big things, like world domination, revenge is insufficient. Revenge has a tendency to eliminate everything else within a person. Revenge is not sweet in the slightest. It is, in reality, a bestial monster that exists only as a parody of a human life. So remember that the next time you plan to kill your arch nemesis or take over the world.