The Art of Drowning by Billy Collins

In Billy Collins's poem The Art of Drowning, he begins by negatively introducing the flashes of our lives one believes to see before they die. He declares that "while you drown," your life flashes before your eyes; however, he attributes panic or submergence to "startle" and commence this vision. Collins personifies "time" when he explains that it is panic which "startles time into such compression." Time, as a result of a sudden, unpredictable emotion, panic, is forced to hastily collect constituents of a person's life without being given much notice, and so "decades" must be crushed. The use of crushed connotes that these flashes are violently assembled to a dying person; furthermore, the construction of these last visions appear to be forced and irrelevant to one's life. Thus, our "desperate, final seconds" conclude in "vice," or wickedness. Collins subtly communicates already at the start of the poem that these last flashes of our lives are in fact not as brilliant as many "survivors" have indicated. Although these survivors also proclaim that the flashes are "bolts of truth," the only flash one will see "will probably be a fish." Collins rejects the possibility of these supernatural visions to exist by degrading them to be nothing more than a fish. One questions then how Collins perceives the human race. Does he believe that society construes theories so that people are less frightened by death? Or is he trying to eliminate a person's fear of the flashes they are supposed to receive before they pass?

Travels to the Light

As Janie desperately seeks for her "world to be made," Ree also dreams of fulfilling her aspirations. This picture illustrates how each character possess a dark, gloomy side, but at the same time they aspire to obtain a life of content and light. Within the picture, both Janie and Ree begin on the left, in darkness, and throughout the novel and their journeys; however, they always see illumination and brightness ahead of them. Their travels are driven in hope of reaching lightness, whether it to obtain contentedness or peace.

Essay Topic

"Nothing on the place nor in her grandma's house answered her. She searched as much of the world as she could...Looking, waiting, breathing short with impatience. Waiting for the world to be made" (Hurston 11).
"She'd never get away from her family as planned, off to the U.S. Army...She'd never have only her own concerns to tote. She'd never have her own concerns" (Woodrell 15).

Essay Topic: How do the living situations of Ree and Janie compare? How does this affect their feelings of fulfillment?

Winter's Bone (131-162): Teardrop's Tears

Woodrell continues to give insight to Teardrop's character in the next few chapters of Winter's Bone. After Teardrop picks up Ree from Hawkfall, he exposes a facet of his character that he typically masks from the world: his sentimentality. When Woodrell first introduces Teardrop, he focuses on Teardrop's scars and tattoos. The scars on Teardrop's face disallow him from forgetting about the past or the dangers of his family's business. More importantly, Woodrell notes the three tattooed teardrops on his face, which "folks" believed "told you everything you had to know about the man" (24). Although they believe his teardrops represent the three times he is sentenced to prison, one questions why he would choose teardrops to represent shameful deeds. However, after learning more about Teardrop, and although he tries to maintain an intimidating and unsympathetic disposition, one identifies that perhaps the purpose of his teardrops is to give insight to his unveiled, emotional self. In fact, Teardrop proves he does respect his family and blood even though he is originally unwilling to help Ree search for Jessup. He now comforts Ree by telling her that he will "help [her] some" and that she "owns [him] now" (140-141). Furthermore, he explains his unwillingness to help her originally because if he were to know who killed Jessup, he will not be able to restrain himself from killing the murderer. Teardrop exposes that he does care about Ree and Jessup, and he originally purposefully tries to stay away from conflicts to not cause more problems. Thus, one returns to Woodrell's introduction to Teardrop to question how his tattooed teardrops "told you everything you had to know about the man." Unlike most folks, Woodrell divulges that Teardrop's tears represent that despite his horrifying countenance, he has compassion and love within his soul.

Winter's Bone (81-109): Sources of Belief

In the next few chapters of Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone, Woodrell introduces a new character, April Dunahew who was Jessup's former girlfriend. Interestingly enough, Woodrell divulges much information about April through her living situation. He describes that when Ree took care of her while she was sick, she induces "smoking sage" to add a "churchy oomph." As a result, she "cleansed" the house "of lingering angers...that clung to old shadows" (90). Woodrell reveals that through April's religious conviction, she is capable of cleansing the house of "old shadows," and therefore "lingering angers." In order to become well again, April lets go of past irritations so that she may move on and once again progress and flourish. In the end, she does become well again; thus, Woodrell exposes that through April's religious conviction, she is allotted the necessary hope and optimism to help her rise above her present obstacles. Through faith, April is able to continue living. April's positivity and vivacity greatly contrasts Ree's home. When Woodrell first illustrates Ree's home, he emphasizes that the house's oldness disallows Ree and her family from letting go of the past. "The furniture...had been in use since Mom was a child" while "warped shadow-shapes lay all across the floor and walls and bulged in the corners" (7). In addition to the worn-out furniture from bygone years, Woodrell's depiction of the "warped shadow-shapes" makes the house's environment unsettling and uncomfortable. One questions whether it is the over-used furniture or the Dollys that cast these distorted and "warped" shadows. Furthermore, unlike April, the Dollys are stuck in the past. Their old furniture further fosters an uneasy atmosphere because in addition to evoking memories of Ree's mother's "good" days, it reminds them of their dead Aunt bernadette and dead Uncle Jack who both died tragically. Yet, it is Ree's lack of spiritual faith that provides her home with such a dreary environment. She, unlike April, discovers faith within nature, specifically among the "pine trees with low limbs." Ree claims that these trees "made a stronger vault for the spirit than pews and pulpits ever could," which directly reveals that she does not gain strength or belief through organized religion. After introducing April, one questions what role religion and faith play in the novel and how such a theme develops and influences the growth of each character.

Winter's Bone (20-81): Dreams

In our next reading of Daniel Woodrell's Winter's Bone, Woodrell begins to illustrate the theme of desire. Woodrell introduces a new character, Gail Lockrum, who is Ree's best friend and is confined to her current lifestyle and cannot attain her dreams. Woodrell writes that she "had been required by pregnancy to marry Floyd Langan," and at a young age, she must care for her child, Ned. Even before Gail gave birth to Ned, Woodrell explains that she and Ree grew close by spending "idle hours of each passing year happily swapping clothes and dreams" (31). Ree and Gail are capable of maintaing a friendship built upon "swapping" their dreams because they are both continuously unable to attain their dreams "each passing year." While Gail is forced to take care of Ned, although Ree does not have a child of her own, she is obliged to take care of her brothers, mom, and house. Sadly, Woodrell reveals that while both girls are so young, their liveliness and vivacity has already halted. Similarly to a person of an older age who must focus on their responsibilities, such as work, kids etc., both Gail and Ree bond well because they dream. Like Gail and Ree, Sonny and Harold share the same desire to dream. When Ree teaches them how to wash their mother's hair, they are distracted by the their favorite program that is shown on tv. Woodrell describes the show to possess a "smiley dog" who was "chasing adventure" while "wearing a suit of shining armor" (40). Their love for this program reveals that they are absorbed with the hope of also "chasing adventure." Interestingly enough, Woodrell also adds that the "smiley" dog wears a "suit of shining armor." So far, Woodrell has not included any characters by their "smiley" faces, which further exposes that the boys also aspire to be so happy that they can be described as smiley. One questions whether all the characters in Woodrell's novel escape their current dismal lives to finally obtain their dreams.

Winter's Bone (1-19): An Introduction to the Characters

At the start of Daniel Woodrell's novel, Winter's Bone, he introduces the main character, Ree Dolly, and begins to describe her lifestyle. Because she has two parents who are incapable of taking care of her and her brothers, Ree is left to take care of the house. She splits the wood, takes care of her sick siblings, cooks, cleans, and more. While Woodrell depicts Ree as an independent and mature being, he also divulges that she lacks much happiness or peace. From the start, Woodrell suggests that Ree's home is very dismal and depressing. The "cold front steps" and frigid climate suggest that Ree is uncomfortable in her environment which therefore makes her restless. In addition, it is Ree's home atmosphere that shapes Woodrell's development of each character. Woodrell writes, "The house was...chill in the shadows," and thus he suggests that by being in "the shadows," Ree and her family are stuck in the past; however, the chillness of the past indicates that their lives are negatively "frozen" and they struggle to rise to a better position. This halt in the past is further seen through Ree's mom. Woodrell proposes that she is ill and is losing her memory. Woodrell proclaims that she was "lost to the present," and he suggests that at one point she had a sense of direction and purpose. At the same time, Ree's dad, Jessup, is described as a "broken-faced" man, which further encourages the Dolly's struggle to move from the past. By being "broken," Jessup does not have the strength to help his family rise above their present problems. Thus, it is up to Ree to help her family, however, because of her parents, Ree also struggles to progress into the future.

Quotes Throughout the Novel

Chapter 1: "Now, women forget all those things they don't want to remember, and remember everything they don't want to forget. The dream is the truth. Then they act and do things accordingly" (1)

"Ships at a distance have every man's wish on board. For some they come in with the tide. For others they sail forever on the horizon, never out of sight..." (1)

"An envious heart makes a treacherous ear" (5)

Chapter 2: "Janie saw her life like a great tree in leaf with the things suffered, things enjoyed, things done and undone. Dawn and doom was in the branches" (8)

"But before Ah seen de picture Ah thought Ah wuz just like de rest" (9)

"The rose of the world was breathing out smell" (10)

"She had glossy leaves and bursting buds and she wanted to struggle with life but it seemed to elude her" (11)

"She searched as much of the world as she could...Looking, waiting, breathing short with impatience. Waiting for the world to be made" (11).

"De nigger woman is de mule uh de world so fur as Ah can see" (14)

"us colored folks is branches without roots...But nothin' can't stop you from wishin" (16)

Chapter 3: "There is a basin in the mind where words float around on thought and thought on sound and sight. Then there is a depth of thought untouched by words, and deeper still a guld of formless feeling untouched by thought" (24).

"She knew that God tore down the old world every evening and built a new one by sun-up" (25).

"Janie's first dream was dead, so she became a woman" (25).

Chapter 4: "A pretty doll-baby lak you is made to sit on de front porch and rock and fan yo'self" (29).

"He spoke for change and chance" (29).

"A bee for her bloom" (32).

Chapter 5: "Us colored folks is too envious of one 'noter. Dat's how come us don't git no further than us do" (39).

"And furthermo' everything is got uh have uh center and uh heart tuh it" (40).

Chapter 6: "I god, Ah can't see what uh woman uh yo' stability would want tuh be treasurin' all dat gum-grease from folks dat don't even own de house dey sleep in" (54).

"She was a wind on the ocean" (70).

"She had an inside and an outside now and suddenly she knew how not to mix them" (72).

Chapter 7: "Plenty of life beneath the surface but it was kept beaten down by the wheels" (76).

"Janie had robbed him of his illusion of irresistible maleness that all men cherish" (79).

"But Ah ain't goin' outa here and Ah ain't gointuh hush" (86).

"All dis bowin' down, all dis disobedience under yo' voice-- dat ain't whut Ah rushed off down de road tuh find out..." (87).

"The young girl was gone, but a handsome woman had taken her place" (87).

Chapter 9: "She sent her face to Joe's funeral, and herself went rollicking with the springtime across the world" (88).

"It was important to all the world that she should find them and they find her" (89).

"She had found a jewel down inside herself and she had wanted to walk where people could see her and gleam it around" (90).

Chapter 10: "Yuh can't beat uh woman. Dey jes won't stand fuh it" (96).

Chapter 11: "She felt like a child breaking rules" (102).

"Ah betcha you don't never go tuh de lookin' glass and enjoy yo' eyes yo'self" (104).

"You'se got de world in uh jug and make out you don't know it" (104).

Chapter 12:  "Still and all, she's her own woman" (111).

"Ah done lived Grandma's way, now Ah means tuh live mine: (114).

Chapter 13: "She was broken and her pride was gone" (119).

Chapter 14: "Work all day for money, fight all night for love" (131).

"She could listen and laugh and even talk some herself if she wanted to" (134).

Chapter 15: "A little seed of fear was growing into a tree" (136).

"Janie never thought at all. She just acted on feelings" (137).

Chapter 16: "He kin take most any lil thing and make summertime out of it when times is dull" (141).

"Through indiscriminate suffering men know fear and fear is the most divine emotion" (145).

Chapter 17: "Being able to whip her reassured him in possession. No brutal beating at all" (147).

Chapter 18: "...their route was definite" (155).

"Night was striding across nothingness with the whole round world in his hands" (158).

"...the wind and water had given life to lots of things that folks think of as dead and given death to so much that been living things" (160).

Chapter 19: "Death had found them watching, trying to see beyond seeing" (170).

"She could either run or try to take it away before it was too late" (182).

"They were all against her, she could see" (186).

"It was not death she feared. It was misunderstanding" (189).

Chapter 20: "Love is lak de sea. It's uh movin' thing, but still and all, it takes it shape from de shore it meets, and it's different with every shore" (191).

"You got tuh go there tuh know there" (192).

"They got tuh go tuh God, and they got tuh find out about livin' fuh theyselves" (192).

"The place tasted fresh again...The wind through the open windows had broomed out all the fetid feeling of absence and nothingness" (192).

"She pulled in her horizon like a great fish-net" (193).

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 19+20): Duality

In the final chapters of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston provides a thorough analyzation of Tea Cake's character. While she has subtly divulged Tea Cake's yearning to control Janie in chapter 13, she continues to expose his hunger for power through chapter 17. Throughout these chapters, one has questioned whether they view Tea Cake positively or negatively. Ultimately, Tea Cake appears to possess to separate identities which allows him to be both a good and bad husband simultaneously. At the end of chapter 18, one learns about Tea Cake saving Janie, and while doing so, he gets bitten by a stray dog who he finds to be "frightenin'" and full of "pure hate" (167). As Hurston illustrates Tea Cake becoming gradually sicker, he becomes steadily animalistic through Hurston's diction. However, when Janie identifies  a "changing look" on Tea Cake's face, one questions whether she was blinded by love before and now sees Tea Cake's true character. She previously shows that she is not bothered by Tea Cake's abuse and never loves him any less even when he behaves barbarically; yet, Janie no longer feels safe in Tea Cake's presence. The tone of Hurston's language has become more concerned and fearful as Janie notes that Tea Cake "could watch her every move" (182). Despite her concerns, Janie reassures herself that "Tea Cake wouldn't hurt her," however, she decides that "it did no harm to play safe" (182). Thus, Janie exposes that because she loves Tea Cake, she wishes to cloud her worries with doubt; at the same time, her subconscious urges her to "play safe." Hurston exposes that Janie sees her husband's dual-personality at last because she simultaneously trusts and distrusts Tea Cake. In the end, Hurston reveals that Janie overcomes her doubt and fully recognizes how dangerous Tea Cake is. One questions whether she is right to blame his animalism on his sickness, or whether his true character can no longer be hidden from her sight.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch16+17): Power

In chapter 17 of Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston further discusses the role men and women play in society. In chapter 16, she reveals that Tea Cake gains popularity and respect once the men in his community know that he beats Janie regularly. Thus, Hurston portrays the setting of the novel to take place during a strongly male-dominated society which has little to no respect for women. At the same time, Hurston gives insight to Mrs. Turner's character. Since Mrs. Turner was first introduced, Hurston has divulged that Tea Cake despises her and eventually abuses Janie as a result of his frustration with Mrs. Turner. Tea Cake claims, "Ah didn't whup Janie 'cause she done nothin'. Ah beat her tuh show dem Turners who is boss" (148). Tea Cake discloses that he feels threatened by the Turners, he must beat his wife to "show dem" that he is the boss. Although Hurston barely illustrates confrontations between the Turners and Janie and Tea Cake, Tea Cake is frightened by their presence. By beating Janie, perhaps Tea Cake hopes to communicate to the Turners that he is more aggressive and dangerous than they believe. Furthermore, Tea Cake explains that he is "mad at her for thinkin" (149). Tea Cake exhibits that he dislikes women challenging his authority. He beats Janie to ensure that he controls her, but at the same time he also hopes to stop Mrs. Turner from "thinkin'." One questions what Hurston is trying to illustrate about the men and women in society in her novel Their Eyes Were Watching God. Is she foreshadowing the eventual strength and equality women will gain?

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 14-16): Black Racism

In chapters 15 and 16, Hurston mentions once again the racism that exists in the novel. For chapters 6 and 7, I had blogged about the prevailing white envy that exists among the black community, and I was intrigued to make such a discovery when Hurston does not include a white character. In the next class after we read chapters 6 and 7, we discussed the prominent themes thus far in the novel, and we went into great detail about racism; however, we identified this racism prominently between blacks and not the traditional black-white racism. Through Mrs. Tyler's character, Hurston returns to the theme of racism within the black community. Mrs. Tyler believes herself to be superior to her black peers and also sees Janie to be part of the upper-class society. She tells Janie that they "oughta class off" because "de black ones is holdin' us back" (Hurston 141). Although she is considered to be black and not white, Mrs. Tyler completely separates herself and does not group herself in the "black ones;" rather, she and Janie are part of their own class. Mrs. Tyler reveals a strong hate towards her community and greatly aspires to be white. She claims that she has "white folks' features" but still she is "lumped in wid all de rest" (Hurston 142). One questions whether the racism that exists in Hurston's novel is largely developed by white people, or whether black-black racism helps to enhance racist thoughts. In the end, Mrs. Tyler cannot belong to either community because she refuses to associate herself with blacks, however, she cannot be considered a white person.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 11-13): Joe or Tea Cake?

Throughout chapters 11 to 13, Hurston begins to give insight into Tea Cake's character. When Hurston first introduces Tea Cake in chapter 10, Janie remaks that although "she didn't know his name...he looked familiar" (Hurston 94). Throughout chapter 10, one supposes that Janie is so easily attracted and comfortable with Tea Cake because she considers Tea Cake to be "familiar." However, Hurston never communicates why Janie regards Tea Cake to be more of a friend than a stranger. By chapter 13, Hurston reveals a more intimate analyzation of Tea Cake once he must confess how and why he took Janie's two hundred dollars. He remarks that his first desire was to let "folks know who he was," and so he paid for a free supper for all (Hurston 123). Hurston divulges that Tea Cake's aspiration to become well known and respected is a result of the envy of whites that exists subtly throughout the novel but is never directly stated. Interestingly enough, Tea Cake's "generosity" becomes very similar to Joe's actions when he first arrives in Eastonville. Joe had informed Janie that "it had always been his wish and desire to be a big voice" (Hurston 29). In addition to their desire to become more distinguished, Tea Cake also begins to dictate Janie like Joe. When he proclaims that he was going to get Janie to come to the feast he was throwing, he is doubtful that she would have come and that she was too "skeered" (Hurston 124). Although it appears that Tea Cake is making excuses, Hurston begins to reveal that he thinks he can predict Janie's thoughts and desires and thus denies Janie her own voice. Thus, one can't help but question whether Janie feels Tea Cake is so familiar because she unconsciously recognizes similarities between him and Joe.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 8-10): A Man's Power

In chapter 8, Hurston reveals that as a result of Joe's illness, Janie gains authority and more of a voice than ever before. After disallowing Janie from visiting him, Janie finally insists on talking to Joe and enters his room although she has not been invited. The conversation between Janie and Joe exemplifies the theme of male dominance that Hurston has discussed throughout the novel so far. Although Janie is now given the opportunity to speak over Joe, she uses the opportunity to make Joe know that after twenty years he "dont half know [her] at all." Janie declares that she "ain't goin' outa here" and she "ain't gointuh hush" (Hurston 87). Sadly, after many years in marriage, Janie finally tells Joe that she disagrees with the way he has treated her; however, in the midst of her confession, Joe dies and Janie is never granted the ability to completely confess. One questions whether Hurston has Joe's death occur at this moment to disallow Janie from ever feeling that she has overcome Joe's control. If this were the case, Hurston would be further enforcing the male-dominant society that she has been depicting throughout the novel so far. After Joe passes away, Hurston remarks, "Janie knew the futile fight was not with her" (Hurston 87). Hurston describes the fight as "futile" because even if Janie disproved of all of Joe's controlling actions, their marriage was basically over already. One questions how this scene foreshadows later events in the book. Will women ever gain a more dominant position in Hurston's novel? Or will there be numerous incidents where women almost gain power but are prevented?

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 6+7): White Envy

In chapter 6 of Hurston's novel, Hurston reveals a subtle and hidden desire within the black characters to be white. She first illustrates the local men in Eastonville to engage in numerous philosophical conversations, such as wether caution or nature "keeps uh man from gettin' burnt on uh red-hot stove" (Hurston 65). While the local black men attempt to sound intelligent and pensive, their conversation ironically makes them seem less intelligent; however, Hurston reveals that while the reader identifies a lack of education, the townspeople believe men such as Sam and Lige to be extremely bright, which discloses that most of the town lacks much education. One questions why Sam and Lige choose to engage in these conversations, and one supposes that they strive to be respect by their town. Sadly enough, although they attempt to obtain a sense of intellectuality similar to white people, Sam and Lige will never be as knowledgeable or as respected. Furthermore, when Hurston introduces Daisy, she announces that Daisy takes the "center of the stage" away from the other women (Hurston 67). Throughout Daisy's description, each characteristic is associated with white. Although her skin color is black, "she know that white clothes" suit her, or her "big black eyes with plenty shiny white," and even her "negro hair" has "got a kind of white flavor" (Hurston 67). After describing Daisy, one learns that she is highly desired by all the men in town. One questions whether her "whiteness" is what makes her so appealing, and thus one wonders what blacks in Hurston's novel really strive to become.

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 3-5): Who is Joe?

In chapter 5 of Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, Hurston divulges the nature of African Americans during the time of the novel. Interestingly enough, this temperament is later seen through the residents views of Joe in Eastonville. Hurston reveals that "colored folks" are "too envious of one 'nother," and therefore it is not in fact whites who keep blacks down, but they keep their "own selves down" (Hurston pg 39). Instead of working together, Coker discloses that envy disallows a black community from developing. Interestingly enough, the blacks in Hurston's novel don't feel this bitterness towards whites but towards people of their own race; however, one questions whether African Americans behave in continuously envious manner as a result of not possessing the same rights as whites during the time. Nonetheless, as Joe rises to power as mayor in Eastonville, Hurston displays the black temperament he discusses earlier when he conveys the town residents' sentiments towards Joe's authority. Despite the many negative thoughts many men have towards Joe, there was something about him that "cowed the town" (Hurston pg 47). He "weakened" people through his mannerisms and presence, and so the town inevitably bows down to him because no one has the courage to challenge his power ( Hurston pg 47). Because Hurston earlier reveals that blacks always feel great envy of each other, one questions the legitimacy of the town residents' complaints. Are their feelings justified and real, or are they simply exaggerating as a result of their nature?

Their Eyes Were Watching God (Ch 1+2): Insight to Janie

In the first chapters of Zora Neale Hurston's Their Eyes Were Watching God, one quickly learns about the main character, Janie. Hurston first introduces Janie as she returns home form Tea Cake and is criticized by the local, envious women. When Pheoby visits Janie, Janie begins to recount her childhood and story. At sixteen, Janie retains dreams of becoming "a pear tree," or, in fact, "any tree in bloom" (Hurston pg 11). She mentions earlier that she seeks "confirmation" but is incapable of discovering an answer to her restlessness. She comes across flies who were "marrying and giving in marriage" (Hurston pg 11). Thus, Janie quickly aspires to become "any tree in bloom" so that she will encounter the flies who marry and give in marriage. She wishes to meet the "kissing bees" who will mark the "beginning of the world" (Hurston pg 11). Janie wishes to discover these singings bees so that her life can "begin," but she believes only by maturing and "blooming" into a woman will she be able to meet the bees, flies, and therefore marriage. Thus, Hurston gives insight to Janie's character because one recognizes a feeling of loneliness which produces Janie's desire to be loved. She reveals that she does not believe her life has begun and so she is waiting restlessly. Janie does not long to be tree but specifically a tree "in bloom." Hurston divulges that Janie is waiting to not only "bloom" into womanhood, but also to blossom into her life. One questions whether Janie's aspirations will eventually lead her to break away from the traditional lifestyle that slavery sets during the time period Hurston creates.

A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 10: Stanley's Animalism

In Scene 10 of A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams continues to portray Stanley in an animalistic manner. While Stella is at the hospital getting ready to give birth, Stanley and Blanche are left alone at the apartment. Once Stanley starts staring at her and as "his mouth slowly [curves] into a grin," Blanche is overcome with a feeling of fear (Scene 10 160). Stanley becomes creepy and alarming once Williams depicts him to be grinning at Blanche. By describing his smile to be a "grin," Williams displays that Stanley is not withholding himself anymore, and he now allows him to indulge in the sight of Blanche. Early on, Williams publicized that the "center" of Stanley's life "has been pleasure with women" (Scene 1 25). Since then, one sees through Stanley's deception, and now, Williams divulges that Blanche sees through Stanley's mask as well. Stanley "springs toward her, overturning the table" to grab Blanche (Scene 10 162). The use of spring to describe Stanley's motion is very inhumane and once again contributes to his animalistic behavior. In addition, by "overturning the table," Stanley's actions are barbaric. Thus, by grinning, and therefore no longer restraining his desires, Williams divulges that Stanley suppresses a barbaric behavior. The person who eventually rapes Blanche is in actuality Stanley's "real" self.

A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 8: Blanche's Presence

In Scene 8, Williams divulges that Blanche's presence has negatively affected Stanley and Stella's marriage.  It is both Blanche's character as well as her shadiness that irks Stanley and ultimately makes him appear to be a cruel person in Stella's perspective. After Stanley gives Blanche her birthday present, a bus ticket home, Stella is once again caught in the middle of one of their arguments. Stella cannot help but protect her sister, but she also tries to understand and believe her husband. When she protects Blanche she remarks, "You didn't know Blanche as a girl...But people like you abused her, and forced her to change" (Scene 8 136). Stella reveals that she sympathizes with Blanche, while at the same time she publicizes her own opinion of "people like" her husband. One questions how Stella will be able to maintain the same loving perspective of Stanley now that she associates his behavior to be both abusive and cruel. Stanley discloses to Stella that he dislikes Blanche staying with them because he feels they are not happy together anymore. He mentions, "...wasn't we happy together, wasn't it all okay till she showed here?" (Scene 8 137). However, although Blanche has caused disorder in their household, is Stanley able to blame Blanche for his change in behavior? One questions whether Stella is convinced by Stanley's excuse, or if she herself is questioning whether Blanche has revealed a hidden side of Stanley.

A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 4-5: Blanche's Secret

Although in the beginning of the play Williams illustrates Blanche to arrive at Stella’s house and behave haughtily, in scenes four and five of A Streetcar Named Desire, Blanche’s rivalry with Stanley ultimately gives insight to her secrets. Because Stanley is determined to figure out what happened to Belle Reve now that it is “lost,” he discovers that a man named Shaw believes he knows Blanche from “Hotel Flamingo.” When he asks Blanche if she knows Shaw, Williams’s scene directions reveal that she “laughs breathlessly” before she responds (Scene 5, 89). By describing her laugh to be breathless, Williams depicts Blanche to be overcome with worry and concern, and one begins to question what she is hiding from Stella and Stanley. When Stanley leaves, Blanche aggressively questions what gossip Stella has been hearing about her, but there is none. Blanche then admits that a “good deal” of gossip arose in Laurel as a result of her not being “so good the last two years” (Scene 5, 91). By declaring that she has not been “so good,” Blanche begins to divulge that her strong desire for men is the cause of her naughtiness. She later shows that she cannot help but attempt to seduce the young man from the local paper, and soon after she meets Mitch. One starts to question the connection between Blanche’s promiscuity and the loss of Belle Reve. 

A Streetcar Named Desire Scene 1: Analyzing Blanche

In Scene 1 of A Streetcar Named Desire, Williams introduces two main characters, Stella and Blanche. As they reunite, Williams suggests that their reconnection is not very affectionate but is rather awkward. The source of their unease arises from the many differences that set them apart. Blanche haughtily arrives at Stella's house and continually criticizes the environment of Elysian Fields. When Stella returns home and finds Blanche, Blanche does not hesitate to call Stella's home a "horrible place" and asks Stella why she didn't tell her that she "had to live in these conditions" (Scene 1 pg 11-12). Williams reveals that Blanche views the lifestyle her sister has chosen in a condescending manner. Rather than letting her sister be happy, Blanche cannot accept the very different atmosphere Stella has set for herself. She regards Stella's home to be "horrible" because of how different it is from what she is used to. Williams suggests that perhaps Stella is not open to change but is too scared. In addition, Williams later publicizes that Blanche's grievances arise over her bitterness from the past. While Stella left home to obtain a happier life, she did not hesitate and rather left her sister to take care of disorder at home where "all the burden descended on [her] shoulders" (Scene 1 pg 20). One questions whether Blanche is truly condescending or if her bitterness transforms her character to behave disdainfully.

People who invest their time in gaining pecuniary strength are never satisfied.

Examples to support the prompt:
1. Gatsby: He always assume the position as the host and wants to ensure a stronger status.

2. Myrtle: Has an alter ego in New York but she never gets to live that ideal life to the fullest extent.

Examples to oppose the prompt:
1. Nick: He attends Gatsby's parties but never aspires to become a host.

2. Daisy: She is willing to marry Gatsby even though he was not wealthy

The Great Gatsby Chapter 9: The Foibles of the East

“Even when the East excited me most…even then it had always for me a quality of distortion…I see it as a night scene by El Greco: a hundred houses, at once conventional and grotesque, crouching under a sullen, overhanging sky and a lusterless moon. In the foreground four solemn men in dress suits are walking along the sidewalk with a stretcher on which lies a drunken woman in a white evening dress. Her hand, which dangles over the side, sparkles cold with jewels. Gravely the men turn in at a house—the wrong house. But no one knows the woman’s name, and no one cares” (Fitzgerald 176).

At the end of the novel, Nick finally discloses that despite his excitement and desire to live in the East, he has always found the eastern environment to be very distorted. He depicts his perspective of the east as if it were a painting produced by El Greco, a Greek Renaissance artist who was well known for dramatizing his paintings by warping images. Nick emphasizes the distortion he discovers by “painting” the environment through El Greco’s eyes. Nick regards the houses in the east to be “conventional and grotesque.” Like eastern people, the “conventional” houses are created according to what is commonly accepted; furthermore, Nick’s use of grotesque reveals that he dislikes how easterners conform to conventionality. The houses are crouched under a “sullen, overhanging sky” and a “lusterless moon” because their lack of individuality does not grant them contentedness. Like the houses, the woman who lies drunk on the stretcher possesses a hand that “sparkles cold with jewels.” Describing the jewels to radiate coldness suggests that materials and wealth do not grant a person warmth or happiness. Like the woman, the four men who pass by reveal another foible of eastern society: that no one cares about anyone but himself or herself. Nick reveals this conviction by describing how effortlessly the four solemn men walk by the drunk women without knowing her name or caring about her well being. 

The Great Gatsby Chapter 7: Myrtle's Doomed Life

Earlier in the novel, Nick recognizes Myrtle’s duplicity when he goes to New York with Myrtle and Gatsby. Nick remarks, “…her personality had also undergone a change. The intense vitality…was converted into impressive hauteur” (Fitzgerald 30). When he first meets Myrtle in Wilson’s garage, Nick identifies a unique vivaciousness despite the dreary atmosphere of her home. Once they arrive in New York, Nick describes her overpowering vitality to be “converted into impressive hauteur.” Now that she is in a city environment, Myrtle’s behavior becomes haughty and arrogant. Although he initially does not see Myrtle’s duplicity, Fitzgerald discloses that Wilson has now become aware of Myrtle’s dual nature. Nick notes, “He had discovered that Myrtle had some sort of life apart from him in another world…” (Fitzgerald 124). Nick describes New York as “another world” because its urban environment enables citizens to behave as they desire without being confined. In New York, Myrtle is capable of creating a life that is independent from Wilson; furthermore, Wilson ultimately grows sick by recognizing his wife’s desire to have another life. Ironically, when Myrtle gets hit by a car, the police inform Tom that there were two cars on the road, one that was going to New York and one that was coming from the city. The cars represent Myrtle’s life because she possessed two lives at once. Since the car which was coming from New York ultimately kills her, Fitzgerald attempts to represent that her duplicity is deathly. Furthermore, one questions whether Fitzgerald tries to divulge the fatality that cities engender.