Part two

A Doll's house- Henrik Ibsen's play, commenting on the role of women in the household. Torvald, Nora's husband, treats her like a doll and his little pet, never truly understanding her. Years ago when he is sick Nora takes him to Italy and forges her father's signature. This criminal act becomes her darkest secret and when Mrs. Linde comes to town and Krogstad is in danger of losing his job, a series of events unfold leading to Torvald finding out. Instead of being a caring husband he immediately lashes out against her, quickly apologizing when he realizes that the situation can be fixed because Krogstad is not blackmailing them. Even though Torvald is willing to move past the incident, his reaction sparks something within Nora, causing her to see life as it truly is. She is no longer a doll and this exposure to reality causes her to abandon her family to find herself, a selfish but necessary act. 

Hamlet- William Shakespeare's play where Hamlet's uncle Claudius kills his father and marries his mother. This invasion in Hamlet's life drives him mad as all those around him plot his destruction. His friends Rosencrantz and Guildenstern spy on him for payment and his love Ophelia ends their relationship in order to obey her father. This play demonstrates the infection that Claudius is to Denmark, his devil acts of murder and incest causing the country to rot and eventually collapse. The end of the novel ends with all of the characters dead except for Horatio, the voice of reason throughout the play. 

Invisible Man- Ralph Ellison's novel written about an unnamed narrator who moves to Harlem after being tricked by Dr. Bledsoe into thinking he would find a nice job because of his experience with Mr. Norton. The narrator eventually joins the Brotherhood, giving speeches to encourage people about unity. This novel goes much deeper than just the racial struggle in the time period, it also demonstrates oppression from authority and the struggle to acquire power. The narrator retreats and descends into a cave where he cleanses himself from society and all that he once valued, losing morality and his sanity along the way, still making his point valid because there is truth in madness. 

The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (contemporary work)- Junot Diaz's novel narrated by Yunior commenting on Trujillo's corrupted reign over the Dominican Republic and the long lasting effects as seen through the de Leon family. A curse, fuku, brought on Abelard Cabral because of his resistance to submit to Trujillo's desire to see his daughter. Oscar, Lola, and Belicia suffer miserable lives at the hands of this curse, fighting against those who try to oppress them. 

The Importance of Being Ernest- This comical play written by Oscar Wilde is a "trivial comedy for serious people". Algernon and Jack act as doubles, paralleling eachother along with Ernest and Bunburry. Cecily and Gwendolyn also act as doubles in this play which repeats scenes between various doubles to increase the comical effect and to draw comparisons. This play criticizes the upper class's fixation on appearances. Wilde uses code and various puns to demonstrate his views on freedom of sexual orientation, religion, and marriage. 

Quick novel review. Part one

A quick review of the major works we've read this year in AP Lit- so that I don't space out on my exam...

Frankenstein- Mary Shelley's novel about Victor Frankenstein's abandoned creation demonstrates the relationship between victim/victimizer, creator/creation, and society/isolation. An allusion to the creation story, the creature and Adam turns vengeful against his creator and destroys Frankenstein's family because of his lonely and wretched life. Victor, a flawed character who creates the monster for his own prideful purposes, cowardly runs away and doesn't take responsibility for it, causing the consequence of the deaths of his friends and family. He refuses to build his creation a mate because he is ashamed of what he has done and because he wishes to continue holding the power in that relationship, rebelling against being under the control of his creation. He is chased to icy climes, eventually dying because of his arrogant actions in the beginning of the novel. The book is told as a story within the story of Walton, Victor's foil, writing letters to his sister. The DeLacey family, brief characters in the story of the creation, are parallels to the Frankenstein family and to the failed father/son relationship between Victor and his creation. Shelley demonstrates how society values the exterior, yet the lines for good and evil are not so obvious as Victor is the flawed creator and his creation is the wronged victim turned vengeful. 

Beowulf- This Anglo- Saxon epic poem translated by Seamus Heaney is the original story that Grendel is based off of. This poem demonstrates the cultural aspects of the people in that time period, the Chiatus, and the interlocking seen within the text as with within their culture. 

Grendel- John Gardner's novel about an angsty monster that murders humans in a nearby village demonstrates a battle between good and evil along with the shades of gray. While Grendel may be considered evil because of his actions, his unfortunate and isolated youth and his sense of not belonging lead to a deeper understanding of his conflict. He simply wishes to find a place in the world in which he feels to be an outsider, a superior onlooker, and the dragon provides this for him when he offers him a role as the humans' torturer. Although Grendel seems to give in to the evil dragon, his death leaves an ambiguous message as he tells the animals that he's had an accident and "so may you all". This is either a blessing or a curse as Grendel dies, wishing the same for those who watch. 

Age of Innocence- Edith Wharton's novel takes place in an era where society values appearances and form above sincerity and true love. She writes a story in which Newland Archer, a young lawyer, is to marry May Welland when her cousin Ellen Olenska comes to the city. Ellen is a rebellion against the society in many ways, from wishing for a divorce from her husband to the way she dresses, and Archer falls passionately in love with her. They carry a secret emotional affair, each attracted to the freedom the other represents. Archer, afraid of his future and of the commitment and oppression of society, runs to Ellen as an act of rebellion. Their passion differs greatly from his agreement with May, who he eventually marries and stays faithful to. She is manipulative in getting Archer to stay with her, but he chooses to remain there for many years after. At the end of the novel when no obstacles exist between Archer and Ellen he still chooses not to see her, preferring instead his fantasy world to the reality of being with her. Archer choosing May over Ellen demonstrates the importance of social responsibility. 

So I guess life's not a fairytale.

Throughout Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, a fuku cast by Trujillo prevents the de Leon family from acquiring freedom. All the characters search for a source of power and control over their own lives, wishing to find independence. The women search for their own identities, getting trapped by the men in their lives, and Oscar is trapped within himself, unable to find freedom because of inner conflict and a need to please others. 

Belicia Cabral, the "bad omen" baby, the "negrita", suffers an unfortunate fate that is predestined for her. The family curse is cast before she is even born, leaving her life to be a miserable consequence of her father Abelard's actions. She seeks out men in her youth to give her the luxurious life she desires and the freedom she craves. Her relationship with the gangster leaves her almost dead and forces Beli into exile. Her next relationship with the father of her children does not last long either. These failures in her love life force her to work for herself, never fully free in the world. She suffers from breast cancer and eventually does from it, slowly killed by the curse of unfortunate relationships. 

Lola, Oscar's sister, struggles to establish her own identity and find individuality, especially since her mother oppresses her and leaves her voiceless. She too turns to men to find a freedom from her controlling mother, never truly getting anywhere. Although Lola survives at the end of the novel, Yunior prophesies the curse to continue on in her daughter, never leaving her truly free. 

Lastly, Oscar's journey to overcome his internal struggle and establish his independence is long and seemingly without progress. Many try to shape Oscar into who they think he should be, unsuccessful in their attempts because he can only change if he wants to change. Yunior's mission to get him fit and find him women is self- centered and since Oscar doesn't want to do it for himself, he is physically unable to go on. Later on in the novel he is able to lose weight because of his choice to do so. Also, his desire to not be a virgin anymore is representative of him wishing to establish his manhood, breaking free from the control of others. Oscar finally does this at the end of the novel when he defies his entire family to go back to Ybon. Although this rash act does lead to him fullfilling his wishes and losing his virginity and therefore gaining independence in his life, it kills him. 

There can never be too much of a good thing, and Junot Diaz demonstrates this in each of the character's search for freedom in a time period where oppression was the norm. Trujillo's reign influences every aspect of the family's lives, demonstrating how a curse is not always resolved. Zafa is not always achieved, good does not always win, and people don't always get the opportunity to go to their dream school. So I guess life's not a fairytale.