Journal #16

Read the following quote and discuss how it applies to the main characters in both stories. In the course of this discussion, address how each of the characters is both similar and different:

“Determinisim governs everything … The writer must study the inherited traits of individual characterand the social condition of the time. Together, these elements determine the course of any action, the outcome of any life. Free will or self-determination is mostly an illusion, although chance is granteed a role in human affairs. Still, even the effects of chance are obliterated in the inevitable course determined by the interaction of inherited character traits and the social environment.“

In the “Blue Hotel” the Swede was from a different place then the rest of the people. Also in “To Build a Fire” the man was not from those parts he was just searching for gold. Being an outsider somewhere is hard because people aren’t used to you or the culture. Some people inherit bad traits like alcoholism for the Swede and stubbornness for the man. People judge us based on what we look like and then after how we act but first impressions are hard to erase and renew. The Swede had free will to keep pushing the stranger to the edge and that would everntually get him killed. Also the man didn’t listen to the locals to not go out alone and with that kind of weather. He chose by his own free will not to listen to them which eventually led to his demise. It’s hard being an outsider and luck goes the other way in this case but that’s just how society is now a days and we need to learn how to adapt with its every changing ways.

Journal #15

1. Write a sentence that summarizes the story’s overall message, and provide three direct quotes from the story that best illustrate this message.

Don’t just look at the world in your idealistic view but the realistic view as well. Look at the pros and cons because nothing turns out the way you expect.

“To take the part that her whole soul willed him to take, for the completion of her ideal of him”

"I shall always love you, and therefore I shall never

marry any one else. But the man I marry must love

his country first of all”

“I should like to kill a man; but now I

shouldn't care; and the smokeless powder lets you

see the man drop that you kill. It's all for the country”

2. What tactics does Editha use to make George believe as she does about the war?

She uses a lot of religion and patriotism to get him to want to go to war. Because she compares this to being God’s war and God wants him to fight he gives in and then wants to go to war. She also takes him to the rally and he sees all the good stuff like brotherhood and being a captain that war could bring him. She also says a lot of times that if you love your country you will go to war and he loves his country so that convinces him more to go to war.

3. Is there ever a time in which Editha truly understands what she has done? Does she ever experience an epiphany?

I think she does realize what she has done when she finds out that George has died in the war. She starts crying frantically and tells his mom right away like George told her to do if he were to die. She does realize that she never thought that she would die but I don’t think she had an epiphany because she just goes right back to moving on and persuading people at the end. She never really grieves over him as much as she would if she truly realized what she had caused.

Journal #14

“Richard Cory“ (497)

Richard Cory is written from the point of view of some townspeople who used to see him coming to town. They idolized him and thought he had the ideal life. He was rich and gentleman-like and the entire town wanted their lives to be like his.

One day Richard Cory shot himself. This story shows realism over idealism but has elements of both. Richard Cory appeared to have an ideal life but he was actually depressed and lonely. His name symbolized that he was rich, hence “Richard” but at his core he was lonely; “cory”

“Miniver Cheevy” (497)

Miniver Cheevy is about a man who dreams of living in the past and wants to have been born at another time. Miniver spens all his time drinking and thinking and never does anything with his life. This poem again show realisim over idealism as Miniver spends his life obsessing over an ideal when his real life wastes away. His name symbolizes “minimal achievement” as the words sound similar.

“Mr. Flood’s Party” (498)

Mr. Flood’s party is about a lonely man who’s friends have all died and is shunned by the townspeople. He is so lonely he holds a drinking party for himself as a way to make the most of what little time he has left. His first name “Eben” sounds like the word “ebbing” symbolizing that Mr. Flood is ebbing away. Flooded in his alcohol.

Brian Cadden