Invisible Man

- "It's you young folks what's going to make the changes," she said. "Y'all's the ones. You got to lead and you got to fight and move us all on up a little higher. And I tell you something else, it's the ones from the South that's got to do it, them what knows the fire and ain't forgot how it burns."


This quote is take from the scence in the Invisible Man when he is being helped by a nice old lady Mary from along the street. Although she had never seen him before, Mary helped him by making him soup and even offerring him a place to stay. She also gives him advice on how to stay in the city and just about life in general. This is often not seen in our society today....most people would probably just past him by. It is people like Mary that make a novel like the Invisible Man so interesting. I, myself, born in the 1980's and not experiencing anything so complicated, such as the racial issue that was so prevalent in our society back then, it is certainty interesting/helpful to learn about it now. When I was reading through this novel, the quote "history always repeats itself" will often sporadically pop in my mind. We must learn about our past before we can decide our future.

The House of the Spirits

- "During the months of separation, he had been toughened by the hard job of becoming a mna, while she had been shut within the walls of her house and her convent school, preserved from the wear and tear of life and nursing her romantic fantasies while she knit with Scottish wool, but the image of her dreams had nothing to do with this tall young man who was walking toward her murmuring her name."


The novel, The House of the Spirits, is a very interesting one to say the least. Throughout the entire novel, the author Isabel Allende, uses much symbolism and other creative writing techniques. One of the main themes that is relevant throughout the story is the idea of an arranged marriage between Blanca and the Count Jean de Satigny. Blanca is madly in love with Pedro Tercero, which is prevalent in the quote listed above. Her father will not allow her to marry him though. According to Esteban, it is against "tradition ways" and they would bring shamed upon the entire upper class of society. Instead, Esteban forces his daughter Blanca to marry the Count, going against not only his daughter's wishes, but his family's as well.

In our society today, having an arrange marriage is pretty much unheard of. To be a college student today and even comprehend two people getting married against their own will is beyond me. Allende takes this setting though and spices it up to make it interesting for reader's like myself today.

Rachel Blau Duplessis

If I could ask Rachel Duplessis any question, it would probably be about the type of poetry she has written. When she first begins writing a poem, I wonder what she does to plan/prepare or if she just writes whatever comes to mind. I think it's amazing how some people can think of things with little or no time needed. When I write, it usually takes me forever. I have to think about what i want to say first and make sure it makes sense before I write it down. It would be interesting to learn some techniques of a real poet....

"Antigone"

- "Don't give me advice! Live your life, but let me at least do what I can to honor those of us who have been shamed. I hope that I'm not so particular that I couldn't bear to die an unbeautiful death."

The novel "Antigone" is an interesting tale of the city of Thebes and the battle between the ruler Kreon and Antigone. Antigone's brother Polyneikes has died in war and Kreon has ordered not to give him a proper burial. Antigone is furious about this and plans on giving a funeral by herself if she has to. The quote above is from this scene. She askes her sister Ismene for help, but Ismene is afraid and can't understand why Antigone wants to disobey the law. Without her sister's help, Antigone goes through with it anyway.... She soon gets in trouble with Kreon, but defends herself and stands up for what she believes in. In the end, Thebes falls and Kreon has lost everything. Kreon had finally realized what torture he had not only done to his family, but also the city as well. All Kreon wanted was victory, therefore listening to no one. When I was reading "Antigone," I pictured Kreon being Hitler....what a scary thought! I think Antigone was pretty brave for doing what she did. For once, it was nice to see a woman as the tradegic hero. This, in our day and age, is uncommon.

Ballad of Gregorio Cortez

- "What did he look like? Well, that is hard to tell. ....But I'd say he was not too dar and not too fair, not to thin and not too fat, not too short and not too tall; and he looked just a little bit like me. But does it matter so much what he looked like? He was a man, very much of a man; and he was a Border man."

In the Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, we learn about the famous Gregorio Cortez and his many adventures as a Border man. Always on the run, Gregorio was portrayed as if he was a superhero. No matter how many men, sheriffs, and rangers sought after him, he could always get away. Everyone in town knew of him. The women fell in love with his charming looks while the men envied his strenght and ability. I thought it was interesting to learn that everyone wanted to be like him. Whenever someone asked to describe Cortez, they would always make him out to look like the person telling the story, and the person who was listening as well. Although dieing of poison late in his life, the legend of Gregorio Cortez would go down in history. It was also interesting to see parts of the story played out through the movie in class. We first analyzed the scene through what we heard in English. Then we analyzed what was really said in Spanish. The difference was amazing....


"They still sing of him-in the cantinas and the country stores, in the ranches when men gather at nightto talk in the cool dark, sitting in a circle, smoking and listening to the old songs and the tales of other days. ...And that is how, in the dark quiet of the ranches, in the lighted noise of the saloons, they sing of Gregorio Cortez."

Blood Wedding

- "I was a woman burning with desire, full of sores inside and out, and your son was a little bit of water from which I hoped for children, land, health; but the other one was a dark river, choked with brush, that brought near me the undertone of its rushes and its whispered song."

The play, Blood Wedding, is a epic love story that sadly ends in tragedy. Coming from two families with much history, the mother of the bridegroom is very concered. Her husband, along with the rest of her sons except one have died tragically by knives. The bridegroom is not worried though as the bride and bridegroom plan to be married. All the while though, the bride is also being secretly pursed by Leonardo. After much planning, the bride and bridegroom are married. During the receptiong though, the bride is wisped away by Leonardo. The bridegroom frantically goes after them, for he is willing to risk his life for his beloved wife. In the end, both Leonardo and bridegroom die tragically, leaving the mother and bridegroom alone....

This is one of those stories that you would never see in the movie theaters, for there is not a happy ending. From the novel, "Three Tragedies," it is obvious what is going to happen before even reading this play. The quote I used above is taken from the bride when she expresses how she felt during the whole saga. I love this quote because I have never seen love expressed in that form before. By the end of the story, I could sorta understand/relate to the bride. She was playing a game of tug of war....battling between the love of two men. Unfortunely though, no one won in the end. I think both of the men's actions were in the wrong doing....therefore leaving the love of the bride to neither.

"The Awakening"

"I would give up the unessential; I would give my money. I would give my life for my children; but I wouldn't give myself. I can't make it more clear; it's only something which I am beginning to comprehend, which is revealing itself to me."


In the novel, "The Awakening," Kate Chopin writes an interesting tale depicting the psychology of a woman and the challenges she faces with her family, friends, and the "traditional" rules of being a woman. The main character, Mrs. Pontellier, lives with her husband and children at Grand Isle in the summer and then in the city for the winter. A woman in search for herself, Mrs. Pontellier goes through many experiences, including the hardship of loving another man and the attempt to break through the walls of being a typically "wife/mother figure" to her husband and children. While her husband is working all the time, she is expected to look presentable 24/7, along with taking care of the children. In the end, Mrs. Pontellier finally can't take it any longer begins to break out of the mold....sending her children to stay with other family members, painting, and selling her house. She was determined not to be trophy wife....

I really enjoyed reading "The Awakening." When I think about how much the roles of women in society have changed from back then to today, I can't even begin to image what Mrs. Pontellier must have experienced. Now in our society, it is not uncommon to see the husband stay at home while the wife is the one who provides for the family. I would consider Mrs. Pontellier a role model. It is the characteristics like Mrs. Pontellier's that have advanced women to the position/title of society we are in today. A woman knowing what she wanted in the end but just not knowing the path to get there.....