September 3, 2023 - English Studies

Tragedy: Creating and Critiquing

“A tragedy is a tragedy, and at the bottom, all tragedies are stupid. Give me a choice and I’ll take A Midsummer Night’s Dream over Hamlet every time.” Stephen King

Introduction to Tragedy

Tragedy is is a literary and dramatic genre characterized by the portrayal of profoundly distressing events and the suffering of the central characters, often leading to their downfall or destruction.

It typically explores themes of human frailty, moral dilemmas, and the inevitable clash between individual desires and social norms or fate.

Tragedy serves as a reflection on the complexities of the human condition, eliciting deep emotional responses and providing insights into the inherent vulnerabilities of humanity. Writers of tragedy are often called tragedians such as Grecian tragedians.

Tragedy and Its History

Point	Details
Origins in Ancient Greece	Tragedy originated in ancient Greece as part of religious festivals with playwrights like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides contributing great works. They were great tragedians.
Aristotle’s Poetics	Aristotle’s influential treatise, *Poetics*, outlined the essential elements of tragedy, including the concept of catharsis and the structure of a tragic plot.
Shakespearean Tragedies	William Shakespeare’s tragedies, such as Hamlet, Macbeth, and Othello, exemplified the genre’s development during the Elizabethan era.
Neo-Classical Tragedy	The neo-classical period saw a revival of classical principles, and French playwrights like Corneille and Racine produced tragedies adhering to these rules.
Modern Tragedy	In the 19th and 20th centuries, authors like Arthur Miller (Death of a Salesman) and Tennessee Williams (A Streetcar Named Desire) introduced a shift in tragic themes, focusing on the common man’s struggles.
Tragedy in Literature and Film	Tragic themes expanded beyond theater to include novels, short stories, and films, allowing for diverse explorations of human suffering and fate.
Existential and Absurdist Tragedy	Existentialist and absurdist movements, led by authors like Albert Camus *(The Stranger)* and Samuel Beckett (Waiting for Godot), challenged traditional notions of tragedy and human existence.
Contemporary Tragic Themes	Contemporary literature continues to explore tragic themes, addressing social issues, personal struggles, and the complexities of the human condition.
Global Tragic Traditions	Tragedy’s influence has transcended cultures, with various global traditions contributing unique perspectives to the genre.
Relevance in the Modern World	Tragedy remains a potent form of storytelling, reflecting on the human experience, and prompting audiences to contemplate life’s fundamental questions.

How to Create Tragedy?

Creating tragedy is a complex process that involves several elements. Here are some general steps that help in creating a tragic story:

Develop a Tragic Hero: Create a character with admirable qualities but a fatal flaw leading to downfall. Explore motivations, backstory, and internal conflict.
Establish Inevitability: Create a sense of unavoidable tragedy. Utilize powerful antagonists, a chain of events, or the impact of flaws.

Build Tension and Suspense: Engage the audience emotionally. Employ foreshadowing, irony, and narrative techniques for heightened anticipation.
Use Powerful Symbolism: Convey deeper themes through symbolism. Integrate objects, animals, or weather to highlight central messages.
Create Catharsis: Provide emotional release for the audience. Develop a tragic yet satisfying resolution to facilitate closure and emotional processing.

Benefits of Tragedy

While tragedy is often associated with sadness and despair, it can also have several benefits. Here are some potential benefits of tragedy:

Catharsis: Tragedy provides a cathartic experience for the audience, allowing them to experience a release of emotions like pity, fear, and empathy. Witnessing the struggles and downfall of tragic characters helps viewers process their own emotions and gain a sense of emotional purging.
Insight into the Human Condition: Tragedies often delve deeply into the complexities of the human condition. They explore fundamental questions about life, morality, fate, and the consequences of human actions. Through these explorations, audiences gain insights into human nature and the dilemmas faced by individuals.

Moral and Ethical Reflection: Tragic situations in literature or theater often involve characters who grapple with moral dilemmas and ethical choices. The audience is encouraged to reflect on these dilemmas and consider the consequences of their own actions, leading to a heightened sense of social responsibility.
Empathy and Understanding: Tragic characters are often multi-dimensional, with strengths and flaws that make them relatable. By empathizing with these characters, audiences can better understand the struggles and complexities of others’ lives, fostering empathy and compassion in real-life situations.
Entertainment and Engagement: Tragedies are emotionally engaging and captivating. They keep audiences invested in the story, as they are drawn to the characters’ fate and the outcomes of their actions. This engagement contributes to the enjoyment of the literary or theatrical experience.

Artistic Expression and Creativity: Tragedies allow writers, playwrights, and artists to explore complex themes, character arcs, and intricate plotlines. Crafting tragedies requires a high level of artistic skill and creativity, enabling artists to showcase their talents and create compelling narratives.
Social and Cultural Commentary: Tragedy often serves as a medium for social and cultural commentary. Through tragic events and character arcs, writers can address and critique societal issues, norms, and values, fostering discussions and introspection.
Intellectual Challenge: Tragedies often challenge audiences intellectually, as they grapple with profound questions and themes. This intellectual stimulation encourages critical thinking and a deeper engagement with the work.

Preservation of Cultural Heritage: Many classic tragedies have endured over centuries, contributing to the preservation of cultural heritage. They offer valuable insights into historical perspectives, beliefs, and values of different societies and periods.

Tragedy and Literary Theory

Literary Theory	Interpretation of Tragedy	Example from Literature
Aristotle’s Poetics	Emphasizes plot, character, and spectacle. A successful tragedy evokes pity and fear with a clear structure.	Example: Oedipus Rex by Sophocles
Feminist Theory	Explores gender representation and power dynamics. Tragedies may depict women and marginalized groups as victims of societal norms.	Example: Medea by Euripides
Psychoanalytic Theory	Analyzes characters’ motivations and actions through the lens of their unconscious mind and past experiences.	Example: Hamlet by William Shakespeare
Marxist Theory	Examines the role of class and economic structures in shaping tragic events.	Example: Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Structuralism	Explores underlying structures and themes that contribute to the impact of a tragedy.	Example: Macbeth by William Shakespeare
Postcolonial Theory	Analyzes how the legacy of colonialism and cultural oppression influence tragic events and characters.	Example: Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

Tragedy: A Literary Device

Tragedy is a genre of literature or art that deals with serious themes, involving the downfall of a protagonist. It evokes feelings of pity and fear in the audience.

Etymology of Tragedy

The word “tragedy” has its origins in ancient Greek theater. It is derived from the Greek word tragōidia, which combines tragos (meaning “goat”) and ōidē (meaning “song” or “ode”).

Tragedies were originally performed during religious festivals in the honor of god, Dionysus. They used to feature the chorus singing and dancing while wearing goat skins.

Evolution in Tragedy

Evolution of the Term: The term “tragedy” evolved to refer to a specific genre of dramatic art characterized by serious and sorrowful themes, often dealing with the downfall of a noble protagonist due to a flaw or fate.

Enduring Prominence: Despite centuries having passed, tragedy continues to be a prominent literary and theatrical genre, exploring the human condition through the depiction of profound suffering and emotional catharsis.

Meaning of Tragedy

Classical Meaning	Modern Meaning	Postmodern Meaning
Ancient Greek Origins: Classical tragedy originated in ancient Greece as a form of drama depicting the downfall of a noble character due to a tragic flaw or fate.	Contemporary Usage: In modern usage, tragedy refers to any catastrophic or disastrous event or situation, often unrelated to drama.	Challenging Conventions: In postmodern contexts, tragedy challenges traditional notions of storytelling and structure, often blurring genres and subverting expectations.
Catharsis: It aimed to evoke pity and fear in the audience, creating a cathartic emotional release and a deeper understanding of the human condition.	Literary Genre: It also denotes a literary genre focused on serious and somber themes, marked by a sense of inevitability and impending doom.	Absurdity and Irony: Postmodern form may incorporate elements of absurdity and irony, reflecting a fragmented and uncertain worldview.
	Multimedia Expression: It finds expressions through various media, including plays, novels, films, and television, and can feature tragic heroes or heroines in diverse settings.	Deconstruction of Meaning: It explores the deconstruction of meaning, questioning the stability of truth and the reliability of narratives in a postmodern, fragmented reality.

Tragedy in Grammar

Grammatical Nature: Grammatically, it is a singular noun.
Plural Verb Usage: However, it often takes a plural verb when used in a sentence because it refers to a collective noun or a group of events such as tragedies and its noun is a tragedian.

Example 1: For instance, in the sentence “Tragedies have occurred throughout history,” “tragedies” is the subject and takes a plural verb to agree with the subject.
Example 2: Similarly, in the sentence “The tragedies of war affect many people,” the word “tragedies” is the subject and also takes a plural verb to match it in number.

Definition of Tragedy

It is a genre of literature or art that deals with serious themes, involving the downfall of a protagonist. It evokes feelings of pity and fear in the audience and aims to provide insight into the human condition.

Types of Tragedy

There are several types of tragedy, including:

Type	Definition	Example in Literature
Classical	Ancient Greek and Roman plays following specific rules with a tragic hero and fatal flaw.	Sophocles’ Oedipus Rex
Domestic	Tragic events within a family or household, involving conflicts between family members.	Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman
Revenge	Revolves around a character seeking revenge for a perceived wrong.	William Shakespeare’s Hamlet
Melodrama	Characterized by exaggerated emotions and dramatic plotlines.	*The Count of Monte Cristo* by Alexandre Dumas
Modern	Explores themes of social injustice, political corruption, and disconnection in modern society.	Arthur Miller’s The Crucible
Shakespearean	Works of William Shakespeare with tragic heroes and fatal flaws.	William Shakespeare’s Macbeth
Existential	Focuses on an individual’s struggle to find meaning in an indifferent universe.	*The Stranger* by Albert Camus
Tragicomedy	Blends tragedy and comedy, resulting in a bittersweet ending.	William Shakespeare’s The Tempest
Catastrophe Tragedy	Emphasizes sudden and unexpected tragic events like natural disasters or accidents.	Sophocles’ Antigone
Philosophical Tragedy	Explores philosophical ideas and questions through characters’ experiences.	Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment
Heroic Tragedy	Focuses on the struggles of a heroic figure brought down by uncontrollable forces.	Friedrich Schiller’s Mary Stuart
Tragedy of the Commons	Refers to the depletion of shared resources due to selfish actions, leading to crises.	Garrett Hardin’s The Tragedy of the Commons
Tragedy of Blood	Involves violent and bloody downfall of characters, often through revenge or betrayal.	William Shakespeare’s Titus Andronicus
Historical Tragedy	Based on real historical events or figures, exploring political or social forces in downfall.	William Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar
Satirical	Uses satire and irony to critique societal norms, often leading to a tragic outcome.	Jonathan Swift’s “A Modest Proposal”

Literary Examples of Tragedy

Literary Example	Type	Explanation
Oedipus Rex	Classical	Oedipus Rex is a classic Greek tragedy that explores themes of fate, free will, and the consequences of human actions. It ends with Oedipus being blinded and exiled after unknowingly fulfilling a prophecy of killing his father and marrying his mother.
Hamlet	Revenge	Hamlet, a renowned Shakespearean tragedy, delves into themes of mortality, madness, and the consequences of inaction. The play ends with the deaths of several key characters as Prince Hamlet seeks revenge for his father’s murder.
Death of a Salesman	Modern	Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman examines the American Dream, struggle of the working class, and the father-son relationship. It concludes with Willy Loman’s suicide, depicting the harsh realities of a salesman’s life.
Macbeth	Shakespearean	Macbeth, another Shakespearean tragedy, revolves around themes of power, guilt, and the consequences of unchecked ambition. The play culminates in Macbeth’s downfall and death as his ambition leads him to commit murder.
The Great Gatsby	Tragedy of the Common Man	F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby explores the American Dream, class struggle, and the corruption of the wealthy elite. The novel concludes with the deaths of several major characters, exposing the dark underbelly of the American Dream.

Isocolon: Creating and Critiquing It

Isocolon is a literary device characterized by the use of parallel structures in a sentence or phrases, each having similar structure.

Introduction

Isocolon is a rhetorical and literary device characterized by the use of parallel structures in a sentence or series of sentences where each part or clause has a similar grammatical structure and length. It often creates a sense of balance and symmetry in writing, emphasizing equivalence or contrast between the ideas presented. This device is frequently employed to enhance the rhythmic and stylistic qualities of a text, making it more engaging and memorable for the reader.

How to Create Isocolon

Step	Explanation	Example
1. Identify the Key Concepts:	Determine the key concepts or ideas you want to emphasize in your writing.	“Justice, equality, freedom.”
2. Craft Parallel Structures:	Create parallel structures by using similar grammatical patterns, sentence structures, or lengths for your chosen key concepts.	“She was intelligent, compassionate, and dedicated.”
3. Maintain Balance:	Ensure that the elements in your Isocolon construction maintain balance, both in terms of structure and length.	“He worked hard, played hard, and loved hard.”
4. Use Repetition:	Repeat the parallel structures to reinforce the intended impact.	“It was a time to remember, a time to reflect, a time to rejoice.”
5. Emphasize Meaning:	Consider how Isocolon enhances the meaning, rhythm, or impact of your message.	“His speech was passionate, his actions were sincere, his impact was profound.”
6. Revise and Edit:	Review your Isocolon for clarity, coherence, and effectiveness. Make necessary revisions to refine your writing.	“She aimed for the stars, the moon, and beyond, but she never lost sight of the earth.”
7. Consider Context:	Adapt the use of Isocolon to fit the context and purpose of your writing, whether it’s for rhetoric, poetry, or prose.	“In poetry, Isocolon can create a mesmerizing rhythm; in persuasive writing, it can make your argument more compelling.”
8. Seek Feedback:	If possible, seek feedback from others to gauge the impact and effectiveness of your Isocolon construction.	“After presenting my Isocolon to the group, I welcomed feedback on its impact and clarity.”
9. Practice:	Like any writing technique, practice Isocolon to become more proficient at using it effectively in your writing.	“Through consistent practice, she mastered the art of Isocolon and became a skilled rhetorician.”

Benefits of Using Isocolon

It is a rhetorical device where a series of phrases or clauses have a similar structure or length. There are several benefits to using isocolon in writing or speaking:

Emphasis: Isocolon can help emphasize important points or ideas by repeating a structure or pattern in a series of phrases or clauses. This repetition can make the ideas stand out and become more memorable.

Clarity: It can make writing or speaking more clear and concise by organizing thoughts in a logical and structured manner. This can help readers or listeners understand complex ideas more easily.
Rhythm: Isocolon can create a pleasing and rhythmic pattern in writing or speaking, making it more engaging and memorable to the audience.
Balance: Isocolon can help balance the weight of phrases or clauses in a sentence, making them sound more symmetrical and even.

Aesthetic appeal: Isocolon can add an aesthetic appeal to writing or speaking by creating a sense of symmetry and balance in the text, which can make it more enjoyable to read or listen to.

Isocolon in Literary Theory

Isocolon is a rhetorical device that has been used in literature for centuries. Here are six to eight literary theories that discuss the use of isocolon:

Literary Theory	Critique	Example
Rhetorical Theory:	Rhetorical theory focuses on the use of language and rhetoric to persuade and influence an audience.	Isocolon is often used in rhetoric to create a sense of balance and symmetry, which can make a message more memorable and effective.
Structuralism:	Structuralism is a literary theory that focuses on the underlying structures and systems of a literary text.	Isocolon can be seen as a structural element in a text, creating a pattern that adds to the overall meaning and impact of the work.
New Criticism:	New Criticism is a literary theory that emphasizes close reading and analysis of a text, focusing on its formal elements and how they contribute to the work’s meaning.	Isocolon can be seen as a formal element that contributes to the overall structure and organization of the text.
Reader-Response Theory:	Reader-Response theory focuses on the role of the reader in interpreting a text.	Isocolon can be seen as a device that guides the reader’s attention and interpretation, creating a sense of emphasis and importance.
Feminist Theory:	Feminist theory focuses on the role of gender and power in literature.	Isocolon can be seen as a device that reinforces gendered power structures, particularly when used to emphasize masculine or dominant themes.
Postcolonial Theory:	Postcolonial theory focuses on the legacy of colonialism and its impact on literature and culture.	Isocolon can be seen as a device that reinforces cultural and linguistic hierarchies, particularly when used to emphasize dominant languages or cultural traditions.
Deconstruction:	Deconstruction is a literary theory that emphasizes the instability and ambiguity of language and meaning.	Isocolon can be seen as a device that creates a sense of stability and order in a text, potentially concealing or obscuring its underlying complexities.
Marxist Theory:	Marxist theory focuses on the role of social and economic structures in literature.	Isocolon can be seen as a device that reinforces class hierarchies, particularly when used to emphasize the language and values of the ruling class.

Isocolon: A Literary Device

As a literary device, isocolon refers to the use of parallel structure in a series of phrases or clauses that have the same length and structure.

Etymology of Isocolon

The word “isocolon” comes from the Greek words “isos” and “kolon,” which mean “equal” and “clause,” respectively. In literary terms, an isocolon is a rhetorical device in which a series of phrases or clauses are of equal length and follow one another in quick succession.

Meanings of Isocolon

Isocolon can take many different forms, but one of the most common is the use of parallel structure, in which phrases or clauses are repeated with slight variations.
For example, in the famous phrase “veni, vidi, vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered), each of the three phrases is an isocolon, with three words of equal length and the same grammatical structure.

This repetition creates a sense of momentum and power, emphasizing the speaker’s swift and decisive actions.
Isocolon is also commonly used in poetry, where the use of parallel structure can create a sense of balance and harmony in a poem’s structure and meter.

Isocolon in Grammar

In grammar, “isocolon” is a noun that refers to a figure of speech or rhetorical device in which a series of clauses or phrases have the same length and structure, creating a sense of balance and symmetry in the sentence.

For example, the sentence “His purpose was to impress the ignorant, to perplex the dubious, and to confound the scrupulous” is an example of isocolon, with three phrases that are of equal length and follow a parallel structure.
This creates a sense of balance and rhythm in the sentence, emphasizing the speaker’s purpose and intentions.

Definition of Isocolon

As a literary device, isocolon refers to the use of parallel structure in a series of phrases or clauses that have the same length and structure. It is often used to create a sense of balance, symmetry, and rhythm in writing, and to emphasize key ideas or themes.

Examples of Isocolon

Shakespeare used isocolon frequently in his plays to create rhythm and emphasis. Here are a few examples from his works:

Example with Reference	Explanation as Isocolon
1. “Fair is foul, and foul is fair.” – Macbeth, Act 1, Scene 1	This famous line spoken by the witches in Macbeth is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the play’s central theme of deception.
2. “To be, or not to be: that is the question.” – Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1	This famous soliloquy by Hamlet is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that emphasize the character’s internal struggle and the central question of the play.
3. “Out, out, brief candle! Life’s but a walking shadow, a poor player that struts and frets his hour upon the stage and then is heard no more.” – Macbeth, Act 5, Scene 5	This line spoken by Macbeth is an example of isocolon, with three phrases of equal length and structure that convey the character’s sense of despair and the fleeting nature of life.
4. “Some rise by sin, and some by virtue fall.” – Measure for Measure, Act 2, Scene 1	This line spoken by the character Escalus is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the play’s central theme of justice and the corrupt nature of power.
5. “To weep is to make less the depth of grief.” – Henry VI, Part II, Act 3, Scene 2	This line spoken by the character Clifford is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the character’s sense of loss and the futility of tears.
6. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…” *– A Tale of Two Cities* by Charles Dickens	This famous opening line is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that introduce the novel’s central themes of duality and paradox.
7. “She was young, she was pure, she was new, she was nice, she was fair, she was sweet seventeen.” – Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov	This line describing the character Lolita is an example of isocolon, with six phrases of equal length and structure that emphasize the character’s youth, innocence, and beauty.
8. “It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife.” *– Pride and Prejudice* by Jane Austen**	This famous opening line is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the novel’s central theme of marriage and social status.
9. “It was a dark and stormy night; the rain fell in torrents — except at occasional intervals, when it was checked by a violent gust of wind which swept up the streets.” *– Paul Clifford* by Edward Bulwer-Lytton**	This opening line is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the setting and atmosphere of the novel.
10. “She was one of those pretty and charming girls, born, as if by an error of fate, into a family of clerks and copyists.” *– Madame Bovary* by Gustave Flaubert**	This line describing the character Emma is an example of isocolon, with two phrases of equal length and structure that convey the character’s beauty and misfortune.

Suggested Readings

Kennedy, George A. Classical Rhetoric and Its Christian and Secular Tradition from Ancient to Modern Times. University of North Carolina Press, 1999.

Murfin, Ross, and Supryia M. Ray. The Bedford Glossary of Critical and Literary Terms. 3rd ed., Bedford/St. Martin’s, 2008.

Music in “Sonny’s Blues”

Music in “Sonny’s Blues” is related to blue music, immensely popular among African Americans during the decade of the 50s.

Introduction to Music in “Sonny’s Blues”

Music in “Sonny’s Blues” is related to blue music, immensely popular among African Americans during the decade of the 50s. The story and characters demonstrate that Blues and Jazz are more than just types of music Baldwin presents. The story revolves around two brothers, the elder family-oriented person, and teacher, and the younger, a musician, singer, and drug addict. The elder man marries a girl, Isabella from a good family. The younger brother loves music but plays truant from school which leads to his expulsion from home, too. When the narrator discovers that his younger brother, Sonny is enthusiastic about music and nothing else, and he gets furious. Like a typical middle-class man, he thinks that after education, a young man can lay his hands upon a decent job to marry a girl like Isabela, have kids, and home. Although the narrator does not seem entirely against music, he seems to think that he should “go to finish school” and pursue some future which Sonny says lies in music (11). Music in “Sonny’s Blues” is associated with an artistic expression devoid of material gain which arouses hostility of the narrator but becomes a passion of life for Sonny and helps readers understand that it assists in communication where language fails.

Artistic Expression of Music in “Sonny’s Blues”

As far as music in “Sonny’s Blues” is associated with artistic expression, some of the narrator’s words clearly show that he does not think that music will give his brother some monetary benefit to live with. When he brings his brother home, they have a conversation about what Sonny is going to do to live, and he says “I can make a living at it” which the narrator does not believe (11). There is a reason behind it because Harlem was the ghetto of New York where African Americans never dreamed of coming out except through education. Sonny’s sudden passionate love for music alerts the narrator that he is going to ruin his career, but little does he know that his brother has already made music his career. When they both talk about music again and the narrator takes some interest in Sonny’s choice, he notices that it does not give him monetary gains, but it does give him a sense of completeness, “In order to keep from shaking to pieces” (16). For Sonny, music in “Sonny’s Blues” is an artistic expression of his sufferings, his pains, and his personal griefs.

Passion of Music in “Sonny’s Blues”

On the other hand, this passion of Sonny arouses a sort of hostility in the narrator for music. This hostility shapes their relationship. Little does enter his mind that music is an artistic expression and that if his brother has decided to pursue it as his career in life, he must support him. He thinks that music is just a pastime, and that Sonny should do something tangible which could bring bread and butter for his family. A typical middle-class person, the narrator, rather thinks about “free will” and beautiful life. It, though, is very interesting to note that despite his antipathy toward music and his resolve that he would not fail his brother, all his pragmatic conversation seems to him “empty words and lies” (17). The narrator, about music in “Sonny’s Blues” feels the hollowness of his anti-music policy toward his brother through his failure to achieve the intended objective. However, as far as Sonny is concerned, he has made it a passion of life, a matter of “life or death for him” (11). It is because the harsh realities of the world have forced Sonny to find refuge in Jazz and Blue. His Harlem context does not let him succeed in the outside world which is “as hungry as a tiger” (21). His view is that if they, the narrator and his family, listen to his music, they would feel free of the suffering, pains, and grief they have gone through in their lives. It is a healing touch that he suggests them will heal their wounds.

Function of Music in “Sonny’s Blues”

Another especially important function of music in “Sonny’s Blues”is that it communicates meanings where language fails to do so. Whenever the narrator tries to become articulate about the career and future of Sonny’s life, both brothers fail to make each other understand what Sonny says and what the narrator wants. Whereas the narrator is concerned, his concern about his brother and his career seems quite genuine. On the other hand, Sonny thinks that his brother does not understand his career choice which has provided him not only refuge but also a healing touch. This conflict reaches its climax when Sonny asks the narrator to see him performing live. It is there in the nightclub that the narrator says, “I understood, at last, that he could help us to be free if we listen, that he would never be free until we did” (21). Both brothers understand each other during this performance and the narrator, finally, feels proud of his brother’s performance. Language could not bridge this gap of communication that music in “Sonny’s Blues” has filled at last.

Conclusion

Baldwin thus leaves this lesson that sometimes arts and artistic skills fill the communication gaps though they hardly become liabilities. Music in “Sonny’s Blues” provides an incredibly good reference that though the music does not provide money, it provides refuge, relief, and communication media to understand each other. By inviting his brother to the nightclub, Sonny finally succeeds to convince his brother that he has chosen music as his career and that it will provide freedom if they listen to him. It does provide freedom to him by the end of the story. That is how music is a great motif of “Sonny’s Blue.”

Works Cited

Baldwin, James. “Sonny’s Blues.” WMV. n. d. Web. 30 Jun. 20.17.

Relevant Questions about Music in “Sonny’s Blues”

How does the theme of music in “Sonny’s Blues” contribute to the emotional depth and character development of Sonny and his brother, and what does it symbolize in their lives?
In “Sonny’s Blues,” how does the character of Sonny use music as a means of expressing his inner turmoil and finding solace, and what impact does it have on his relationship with his brother?

What role does the jazz club in “Sonny’s Blues” play in shaping the narrative, and how does the music performed there serve as a catalyst for personal and emotional revelations for the characters?

Communication in “Speech Sounds”

Communication in “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler demonstrates that in the absence of communication, it is all chaos and disorder.

Introduction to Communication in “Speech Sounds”

Communication in “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler demonstrates that in the absence of communication, it is all chaos and disorder. Rye, the protagonist of the story, goes through a series of hassles, witnesses dispute in the bus when going to meet the children of her brother in Pasadena, and sees the constraints and consequences of “limited ability to communicate” (02). When the disputes do not end, she finds Obsidian. Finding him a positive person, she leaves with him for his home but on the way meets another accident where a woman happens to shoot Obsidian. She is then left with three children where she comes to know communication and becomes optimistic. Meanwhile, it is clear that the absence of communication in “Speech Sounds” leads to chaos and destruction though its reversal brings hope and the ability to resolve issues.

Lack of Communication in “Speech Sounds”

The lack of communication or better to say the absence of language creates chaos and destruction. Rye has experienced it when going down to Pasadena to meet the children of her brother. The disagreement between two young men on the bus shows her how the lack of ability to speak has affected the people. This causes a commotion in the bus and leads to more disputes and brawls. However, what she carefully observes during this entire episode is that people are unable to communicate. They are talking with fists and punches. Therefore, when she finds the Ford man, Obsidian signaling her, she uses her insight of identifying his good intentions and instantly moves out of this situation where she could have faced problems. Even here communication does not work as “She returned his gaze” when he gazes at her (02). Even the bearded man on the bus shows that he can only “shout in wordless anger” (03) which points to his inability to communicate. It means that lack of communication in “Speech Sounds” has made characters such as Rye and the bearded man struggle to understand each other.

Understanding Communication in “Speech Sounds”

Lack of communication also means that it takes a long time for characters to understand each other. When Rye sees Obsidian, she does not understand his true intentions. She takes time in understanding him through his looks, his uniform, his ways of dealing with the situation, and with her. She identifies him after a while that as a left-hander he could be trustworthy. When she finally moves with him, their conversation through signals and motions, makes it possible for them to make love and move to some other place. However, it is another thing that Obsidian is killed on the way, but it gets clear that the ability to communicate works faster than the language of signs and moves. Although some signs are universal such as she “shook her head in a universally understood negative” though the man does not pay heed to it (04). This again points to the fact that Rye and Obsidian must struggle very hard to get to each other’s point, while conversation would have taken time shorter than the signals have taken. It also points out the fact that communication in “Speech Sounds” means a civilized way of dealing with others.

Communication Means Civilization

The fact that communication means civilization becomes clear by the end of the story where Rye finds three children after Obsidian is killed. She is left with the children to take care of them. It is not clear how communication comes back to her after the children speak with each other for “She has lost reading and writing” after the outbreak of the illness (06). At this point, however, when she hears the children talking and the girl says to her to “Go away” she becomes rather startled. It immediately dawns upon her that she can also communicate and exclaims saying “Fluent speech” (11). Then she takes very little time in telling the boy that “It is all right” after she has introduced her as “I’m Valerie Rye” (11). It becomes clear at this moment how she has reacted to the speech sounds of the boy and the girl by making her own meaningful speech sounds regarding communication in “Speech Sounds”.

Conclusion

Concluding the argument, it can be stated that communication is and seems a gift for human beings. It points to the civilized ways of human beings to deal with each other. Rye shows that when there is a lack of communication, people often take up brawls and disputes. It also shows that lack of communication causes a delay in conveying the real meanings as it happens between her and Obsidian. She becomes hopeful when she finds that the children have the ability to communicate and that her ability has returned to her.

Works Cited

Butler, Octavia. “Speech Sounds.” Future-lives.net. Accessed 13 Mar. 2019.

Relevant Questions About Communication in “Speech Sounds”

How does the breakdown of communication in “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler reflect the broader themes of isolation and societal collapse?
In “Speech Sounds” by Octavia Butler, how do the characters’ struggles with communication highlight the fragility of human connection in a post-apocalyptic world?
What insights does Octavia Butler’s “Speech Sounds” offer into the essential role of communication in maintaining order, empathy, and understanding, and how is this significance emphasized throughout the story?

Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Critique and criticism of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” is very strong though Nathaniel Hawthorne satirized it in “The Young Goodman Brown.”

Introduction to Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Critique and criticism of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” is very strong though Nathaniel Hawthorne satirized it in “The Young Goodman Brown.” Yet, he has been singled out as the best one in a tone that is mild and the satire that is latent in sweet words. Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” revolves around the character of Reverend Father Hooper who wants to become an icon of religious piety. He wears a black veil to prove his piety to the world around him. However, it dawns upon him that this veil is serving a great purpose – hiding his true face from the people who also wear different masks in life. The speculation it stirs among the people ranges from his mysterious thinking to his mysterious life and his being a sinner, or having a sense of shame. Even it seems to some a “terrible thinking” (Hawthorne) though not when worn by women. The open and broadminded atmosphere of Milford suddenly erupts into abuzz on account of this fanciful idea of wearing a black veil and the speculations it causes reach his fiancé as well who meets him in her final meeting to entreat him to show her his face. However, Father Hooper does not budge and loses her. He continues with this mask, making the atmosphere more suspenseful and exciting until his end nears when he again tries to save his face and speaks that “every visage [has] a Black Veil” (Hawthorne) by which he means that all are sinners. Through his character and commentary of the other characters, picture of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” show the Puritan’s belief about the existence of evil in the world but also demonstrates the belief that all people are sinners and that there is a constant conflict between good and evil.

Commentary on Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

The first point of argument about the commentary on Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Nathaniel Hawthorne is that he has presented the figure of Father Hooper to show how clergymen considered themselves superior to all others that “The first glimpse of the clergyman’s figure was single for the bell to cease its summons” (Hawthorne). Considering all others inferior in piety, he starts wearing a black veil which rather stirs serious rumors about his personality. In a way, he attempts to raise a curtain between himself and the outside world in an attempt to create an aura of his religiosity. In this connection, it seems correct that his assessment of the public reaction proved true in that several sinners “cried aloud for Father Hooper” (Hawthorne) and that it has transformed him into an “efficiency clergyman” – a post that he much desired (Hawthorne). In other words, both of these references show that he has created his aura of an efficient representative of God whose word is final for the salvation of all other sinners. This is the commentary on Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” by Hawthorne that evil exists in the world in the shape of everyone being a sinner. However, it is also interesting that this belief of a person about himself being a pious and another a sinner is at the heart of the Puritan dilemma.

Double-Faced People in Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

Hawthorne intends to show that every person has two faces; one is good to show to the people and the other is evil that he tries to hide. The dilemma of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” is that clergymen often find themselves at odds when facing the common people whom they consider sinners. This battle between the sinners and the pious seems to start very early when Father Hooper tries to separate himself from others by drawing a veil on his face. However, this battle continues only in rumors and the impacts that it has on the people. It reaches its peak when Elizabeth tries to ask the minister to come down from his pedestal of piety and remove that veil asking “What grievous affliction hath befallen thee” (Hawthorne). However, he is so much adamant that he does not budge from his stand and simply refuses her, entreating that she should not leave him. As a representative of the uncovered public, she, too, does not withdraw from her position and ultimately separation happens between the sinners Elizabeth is representing and him, the pious clergy community to whom Father Hooper is representing. This has been due to the differences drawn by Puritanism in the community to divide it on religious bases. The division in the community led to a war between the religious and the supposedly impious minds.

Public and Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

In fact, the minister has, from the very start, thought of other people as less pious and having drawn masks on their faces. Although it is not an open conflict, it has led to some type of friction between those who considered themselves pious such as the clergymen, and those who are the common people of Milford. Father Hooper here separated himself even from the clergymen and ended up creating conflictual relationships not only with the people but also with his religious counterparts. This tension between the people and Father Hooper has led to speculations between both parties; the father is generalizing all the people as sinners and masking their evil natures, and people are thinking of Father Hooper as a mystery. Elizabeth refuses to marry him on the same ground saying “Lift the veil but once, and look me in the face” (Hawthorne). The other conflict is between him and his counterparts that does not end even when Reverend Mr. Clark tries to remove his veil and Father Hooper springs up to stop him saying “on every visage a Black veil” (Hawthorne). In fact, this is the same wedge of rift created by Puritanism on which Hawthorne has built his commentary through Father Hooper and his veil.

Conclusion

Briefly stating it, Hawthorne has used not only the description and situation of Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” but also the characters to comment on the state of Puritanism and its impacts on dividing the people on religious lines, making them turn against each other merely on metaphysical thinking. The story has shown that it was thought that the world is full of evil and evil exists in the world. This has led the more religious people to think of other people as sinners, making them fear God and be obedient. It has also created a sort of war between the supposed pious and supposed sinners, making them stay at the mercy of the clergymen who consider them less pious. In the merrymaking world of Milford, the veil has torn apart all the notions of Puritanism and laid them bare for the people to see as given in the note about such clerical eccentricities.

Works Cited

Hawthorne, Nathaniel. “The Minister’s Black Veil.” PDC. n. d. https://pdcrodas.webs.ull.es/fundamentos/HawthorneTheMinistersBlackVeil.pdf. Accessed 25 Sep. 2022.

Relevant Questions About Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil”

How does Puritanism in “The Minister’s Black Veil” influence the community’s perception of Reverend Hooper and his mysterious black veil?
In “The Minister’s Black Veil,” how does Nathaniel Hawthorne use Puritanism to explore the themes of sin, guilt, and judgment in the story?
What role does Puritanism play in shaping the social and moral context of “The Minister’s Black Veil,” and how does it contribute to the central conflict of the narrative?