The central theme of this chapter seems to be the difference between reality and fantasy. As I read this chapter, I was constantly questioning whether or not I believed what was happening to Oedipa was real. Not just during her dream-like nighttime wandering in Part II, but throughout the chapter. The whole thing seems absurd to me. The whole novel does.
There is no such thing as a perpetual motion machine. No one in their right mind (though it seems very few characters in this novel are in their right minds) would believe in or invest in Maxwell's Demon. I don't believe it. Doesn't feel real.
The existance of a secret organization whose members communicate by delivering letters to a trash can under a bridge seems rather fantastic. I don't believe it. Doesn't feel real.
Randomly, out-of-the-blue, dancing with a group of deaf-mutes in perfect harmony for a full 30 minutes doesn't seem like something that happens in real life. I don't believe it. Doesn't feel real.
Arriving at a psychiatrist's house to find him firing a rifle at you is not something that most people experience. I don't believe it. Doesn't feel real.
The life of Oedipa feels like some kind of dream. Meaningless and disjointed yet, simultaneously, seemingly, and misleadingly, connected. It's unsettling.
Friday, September 30, 2011
Thursday, September 22, 2011
The Crying of Lot 49 (Ch. 1) by Thomas Pynchon
The first thing that stuck out to me when I started reading The Crying of Lot 49 was the name of the the protagonist: Oedipa Maas. I was reminded (as I presume I ought to have been) of the Greek tragedy of Oedipus, who unknowingly killed his father and married his mother. I've only read one chapter so far, so I'm not yet exactly sure why Pynchon decided to link his protagonist to this classical tragic hero, but I do believe that Oedipa will turn out to be a tragic character. She seems to have a negative outlook on things. When she thinks back to her relationship with Pierce, she imagines that she was like Rapunzel trapped in a tower, and when Pierce attempted to rescue her by climbing her hair, that it was only a wig and he fell. This leads me to believe that she places a lot of blame on herself for things. She is pessimistic about her influence on the lives of the people around her.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
"Howl" by Allen Ginsberg
This was an extremely pessimistic poem about life, the United States, New York City, humanity, and existence. There is a clear hatred for the world around him, including the masses of people who co-inhabit New York City. The poem is dedicated to Carl Solomon, who Ginsberg met in a mental institution where they became friends. They seem to share a common loathing for the human condition, especially their own personal conditions, including incarceration. Throughout the poem, there is graphic, even pornographic, imagery.
"who sang out of their windows in despair, fell out of the subway window, jumped in the filthy Passaic, leaped on negroes, cried all over the street, danced on broken wineglasses barefoot smashed phonograph records of nostalgic European 1930s German jazz finished the whiskey and threw up groaning into the bloody toilet, moans in their ears and the blast of colossal steamwhistles,"
This poem is not for those of weak constitutions. Some of Ginsberg's rhetoric suggests a hatred or disgust for male homosexuality.
"Cocksucker in Moloch!"
Most of part II of the poem suggests that he despises his own religion, or perhaps religion in general, or perhaps the idea of god, or perhaps God himself. Ginsberg is certainly angry. At least he has a friend who he can confide in; and so to him he dedicated this poem.
"who sang out of their windows in despair, fell out of the subway window, jumped in the filthy Passaic, leaped on negroes, cried all over the street, danced on broken wineglasses barefoot smashed phonograph records of nostalgic European 1930s German jazz finished the whiskey and threw up groaning into the bloody toilet, moans in their ears and the blast of colossal steamwhistles,"
This poem is not for those of weak constitutions. Some of Ginsberg's rhetoric suggests a hatred or disgust for male homosexuality.
"Cocksucker in Moloch!"
Most of part II of the poem suggests that he despises his own religion, or perhaps religion in general, or perhaps the idea of god, or perhaps God himself. Ginsberg is certainly angry. At least he has a friend who he can confide in; and so to him he dedicated this poem.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
"The Glass Menagerie" by Tennessee Williams
(Scenes 1-5)
None of the characters in this play seem to be happy. Tom, Amanda, and Laura each have their own flaws and issues. There is an interesting interaction between the members of the dysfunctional Wingfield family.
Tom hates his job. He is always butting heads with his domineering mother. He feels caged within his own life. He feels unfulfilled and longs for adventure, longs for escape from the appartment and his family and his routine. His description about the magician's trick of escaping a sealed coffin is very relevant to his own life. He doesn't know how to escape his coffin without hurting Laura, who he cares for deeply.
Laura is physically and socially handicapped. She lacks self-esteem. She does not believe she will have any gentleman callers, and she doesn't let on that she even wants to. She lives in a fantasy world, and doesn't mind staying there. She does however care about her brother Tom. She understands his unhappiness and sympathizes greatly. She is constantly under pressure from her mother Amanda to be more like she was.
Amanda is a single mother who wants the best for her children. But she doesn't understand that what they want is not what she wants for them. She worries that Tom will become like his drunkard father and leave the family. She worries that Laura will never become self-reliant, and worse, will never find someone to rely on. She does what she can for Laura, but doesn't understand that they are completely different people.
Tom and Amanda are reconciled by their mutual love for Laura. She depends on them. While she needs him, Tom cannot leave the family.
At the end of scene 5, the family is preparing to host one of Tom's co-workers so that he can meet Laura. Call me crazy, but I do not believe things are finally about to work out for the Wingfields...
None of the characters in this play seem to be happy. Tom, Amanda, and Laura each have their own flaws and issues. There is an interesting interaction between the members of the dysfunctional Wingfield family.
Tom hates his job. He is always butting heads with his domineering mother. He feels caged within his own life. He feels unfulfilled and longs for adventure, longs for escape from the appartment and his family and his routine. His description about the magician's trick of escaping a sealed coffin is very relevant to his own life. He doesn't know how to escape his coffin without hurting Laura, who he cares for deeply.
Laura is physically and socially handicapped. She lacks self-esteem. She does not believe she will have any gentleman callers, and she doesn't let on that she even wants to. She lives in a fantasy world, and doesn't mind staying there. She does however care about her brother Tom. She understands his unhappiness and sympathizes greatly. She is constantly under pressure from her mother Amanda to be more like she was.
Amanda is a single mother who wants the best for her children. But she doesn't understand that what they want is not what she wants for them. She worries that Tom will become like his drunkard father and leave the family. She worries that Laura will never become self-reliant, and worse, will never find someone to rely on. She does what she can for Laura, but doesn't understand that they are completely different people.
Tom and Amanda are reconciled by their mutual love for Laura. She depends on them. While she needs him, Tom cannot leave the family.
At the end of scene 5, the family is preparing to host one of Tom's co-workers so that he can meet Laura. Call me crazy, but I do not believe things are finally about to work out for the Wingfields...
Friday, September 2, 2011
"Girl" by Jamaica Kincaid
I interpreted this piece as a mother talking to her young daughter. The style helps show the relationship between the mother and daughter. The mother's instructions dominate the piece, while the daughter's responses are few and far between. There are no paragraph breaks, and the entire piece is one long sentence. This illustrates how the daughter perceives the constant instruction; it's impossible to remember everything from the seemingly non-stop bombardment upon her ears. She doesn't have time to ask questions. And when she does, they do not receive helpful responses. In fact, it doesn't seem like the mother even listens. The mother doesn't seem to WANT a relationship with the daughter. However, that's not to say that she doesn't love her. She tries to equip her daughter with the lessons she will need to have what she herself considers a decent life. It makes you wonder about the relationship the mother had with her own mother. Did she treat her the same way? Did she call her a slut? Did she teach her to be content with a mundane and loveless life?
"...if they don't work don't feel to bad about giving up"
This to me was the most powerful line in the piece. It gives us a depressing glimpse of the life the mother has, the life she is preparing her daughter to have. This is the only life she knows. She doesn't know how to help her daughter have a better life. All she feels she can do is teach lessons at her daughter so that she will be prepared to follow in her shoes.
It makes you wonder whether the cycle will ever be broken. Will the daughter grow up to be just like her mother? It also makes you reflect upon how influential parents are on their children, and how many, many parents are themselves unequipped with the wisdom necessary to equip their offspring.
"...if they don't work don't feel to bad about giving up"
This to me was the most powerful line in the piece. It gives us a depressing glimpse of the life the mother has, the life she is preparing her daughter to have. This is the only life she knows. She doesn't know how to help her daughter have a better life. All she feels she can do is teach lessons at her daughter so that she will be prepared to follow in her shoes.
It makes you wonder whether the cycle will ever be broken. Will the daughter grow up to be just like her mother? It also makes you reflect upon how influential parents are on their children, and how many, many parents are themselves unequipped with the wisdom necessary to equip their offspring.
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