"Hassan didn't struggle. Didn't even whimper. He moved his head slightly and I caught a glimpse of his face. Saw the resignation in it. It was a look I had seen before. It was the look of the lamb."
(pg. 76)
"But I walways watch. I watch because of that look of acceptance in the animal's eyes. Absurdly, I imagine the animal understands. I imagine the animal see that its imminent demise is for a higher purpose. This is the look.." (pg. 76-77)
Over these two pages, Hassan is compared to a lamb that has to be sacrificed to attain a means. In this book, Amir brings about this thought. "Maybe Hassan was the price I had to pay, the lamb I had to slay, to win Baba." Lambs are sacrificed usually for religious ceremonies or rituals. Hassan's dignity was being sacrificed for Amir. Hassan ha the option to get out of this sacrifice by handing over a material good, a kite. This kite was the possession that had te potential of changing the relationship between Amir and his father and Hassan knew that. He sacrificed himself.
In the text, it talks about the "look of acceptance" on the lamb's eyes. The animal understands that this has to happen. Hassan thought so low of himself and his "servant" people that he thought this was the way it had to go. He accepted it.
Showing posts with label extended metaphor. Show all posts
Showing posts with label extended metaphor. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Miss. Brill = Fur
7. What function does Miss Brill's fur serve in the story? What is the meaning of the final sentence?
Miss Brill's and her fur share many characteristics. They both are alone and shoved away from the world. Whether this be in a box or just confined in a room. Then, there is a time when Miss Brill and the fur get enough courage to come of of hiding, brush themselves off, and prepare to present themselves in public. When this happens they find a meaning to their life. The fur "feels wanted" and looks good on the older woman. At the same time, Miss Brill finds a purpose in her life. She feels that she is a part of life's big drama and without her, everyone would notice. Once she hits this climax in the drama she is in, she lets two other characters bring her and her fur down. Miss Brill looked upon this young boy and girl as the wonderful hero and heroine in the story, until she overhears them. They speak of her as a "stupid old thing" and they wonder " Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?" Not only do they criticize her, they speak of her fun in a poor manner too. "It's her fur which is so funny, it's exactly like a fried whiting (fish)." This completely kills Miss Brill's mood. She returns to her home and her dark room as her fur is also returned to its dark box.
The last line says, "But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying." Since Miss Brill and the fur are parallels, I believe that this last line indirectly shows how Miss Brill wept after her Sunday encounter.
Miss Brill's and her fur share many characteristics. They both are alone and shoved away from the world. Whether this be in a box or just confined in a room. Then, there is a time when Miss Brill and the fur get enough courage to come of of hiding, brush themselves off, and prepare to present themselves in public. When this happens they find a meaning to their life. The fur "feels wanted" and looks good on the older woman. At the same time, Miss Brill finds a purpose in her life. She feels that she is a part of life's big drama and without her, everyone would notice. Once she hits this climax in the drama she is in, she lets two other characters bring her and her fur down. Miss Brill looked upon this young boy and girl as the wonderful hero and heroine in the story, until she overhears them. They speak of her as a "stupid old thing" and they wonder " Why doesn't she keep her silly old mug at home?" Not only do they criticize her, they speak of her fun in a poor manner too. "It's her fur which is so funny, it's exactly like a fried whiting (fish)." This completely kills Miss Brill's mood. She returns to her home and her dark room as her fur is also returned to its dark box.
The last line says, "But when she put the lid on she thought she heard something crying." Since Miss Brill and the fur are parallels, I believe that this last line indirectly shows how Miss Brill wept after her Sunday encounter.
Phoenix
I found an article about this story that I thought was quite interesting. Just as the name Tub represented his glutenous character, the name phoenix represents her persevering character. A phoenix is a mythological bird that is said to live 500 or more years, die in flames and rise again from the ashes. Just as the phoenix bird has a cycle of life, death, and rebirth, phoenix takes a dangerous journey through the woods. She falls, gets back up and keeps on toward the goal of getting her grandson's medicine. The phoenix bird and Phoenix Jackson are also alike for other reasons. When both arrive at an obstacle, they persevere through it.
The myth also states that the phoenix bird can heal a person with just a tear from its eyes, and make them temporarily immune to death When Phoenix notices the sun above her, she talks to it: "'Sun so high!' she cried, leaning back and looking, while the thick tears went over her eyes." This passage relates her tears to the phoenix bird's tears, and shows her effort to make her grandson temporarily immune from death. This whole story is an extended metaphor between the mythical Phoenix bird and Phoenix Jackson.
Personally I found learning about this bird to be interesting because a friend of mine just had a phoenix tattooed on her back. I am not a fan of tattoos in the first place and found a tattoo of a random bird to be quite pointless, but now that I have a background of this myth, it is kind of neat to think about now.
The myth also states that the phoenix bird can heal a person with just a tear from its eyes, and make them temporarily immune to death When Phoenix notices the sun above her, she talks to it: "'Sun so high!' she cried, leaning back and looking, while the thick tears went over her eyes." This passage relates her tears to the phoenix bird's tears, and shows her effort to make her grandson temporarily immune from death. This whole story is an extended metaphor between the mythical Phoenix bird and Phoenix Jackson.
Personally I found learning about this bird to be interesting because a friend of mine just had a phoenix tattooed on her back. I am not a fan of tattoos in the first place and found a tattoo of a random bird to be quite pointless, but now that I have a background of this myth, it is kind of neat to think about now.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Crossing the Bar
I really enjoyed this poem , but it was probably because I found it the easiest to interpret. The most prominent literary device in this poem would have to be the extended metaphor of crossing over to death throughout the piece. In the poem, I believe the "Bar" is actually a sand bar, but it serves as the point where one crosses into the afterlife. The "boundless deep" is referred to as home, so this has to be the unknown life of heaven where everyone is welcomed and feels comfortable. Lastly, the Pilot is Jesus or God, whom the narrator wants to meet.
Death in this poem is not looked upon as a terrible thing. It is quite the opposite actually. When speaking of life after man passes, the speaker has an optimistic and hopeful tone. There must be "no moaning of the bar" which means that people should not be sad. The speaker also says that "there be no sadness of farewell." The speaker is ready for that after life and I think it is fair to say that the speaker might even be looking forward to it.
Death in this poem is not looked upon as a terrible thing. It is quite the opposite actually. When speaking of life after man passes, the speaker has an optimistic and hopeful tone. There must be "no moaning of the bar" which means that people should not be sad. The speaker also says that "there be no sadness of farewell." The speaker is ready for that after life and I think it is fair to say that the speaker might even be looking forward to it.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
War vs. Checkers
"There was something restful about it, something orderly and reassuring. There were red checkers and black checkers. The playing field was laid out in a strict grid, no tunnels or mountains or jungles." (pg. 31)
Checkers. A game that most people associate with nursing homes or geniuses brought comfort to these soldiers in the wilderness. This game took their mind off of all the things they carried and worried about. It was a way to sit back and not have to worry about the war they were in.
Tim also brought up checkers so he could compare this strategic game to the strategic war they were in. He did this through an extended metaphor between the two. He makes war kind of look like a game. Both checkers and the war in Vietnam have two opposing sides attacking each other. The playing field of checkers was like the map of Vietnam. Tim implies that he would rather be playing checkers because "the playing field was laid out in a strict grid, no tunnels or mountains or jungles." He also said in checkers, one always knew where they stood and where the enemy stood, which was not true in their war. He liked that there were strict rules. All of these things he wished could be a part of the actual war they were in, but they all just settled for playing or viewing this much more enjoyable war when their actual war was on pause at night.
Checkers. A game that most people associate with nursing homes or geniuses brought comfort to these soldiers in the wilderness. This game took their mind off of all the things they carried and worried about. It was a way to sit back and not have to worry about the war they were in.
Tim also brought up checkers so he could compare this strategic game to the strategic war they were in. He did this through an extended metaphor between the two. He makes war kind of look like a game. Both checkers and the war in Vietnam have two opposing sides attacking each other. The playing field of checkers was like the map of Vietnam. Tim implies that he would rather be playing checkers because "the playing field was laid out in a strict grid, no tunnels or mountains or jungles." He also said in checkers, one always knew where they stood and where the enemy stood, which was not true in their war. He liked that there were strict rules. All of these things he wished could be a part of the actual war they were in, but they all just settled for playing or viewing this much more enjoyable war when their actual war was on pause at night.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)