Month: September 2023

Introduction about Double Consciousness in Obama’s Autobiography

            In his autobiography, Obama established a connection between his life and story, showing double consciousness, saying “what I’ve … life” (Obama, xvii), adding “I can’t even … American experience” (xvi). The objective of what he thought to make his life meaningful led him to tackle the long-life problem African Americans faced and struggled like him before such as Fredrick Douglas, Booker T. Washington, and Du Bios. It was the problem of race which not only shaped the African-American struggle for equality but also shaped African American Literature. Though his story is not the most representative one, yet it is set in the historical experience of demonstrating “double consciousness” (Du Bios) in the midst of racial discrimination despite imposition of this through certain laws. Echoing Du Bios in his story, Obama states that the people try to discover his “mixed blood … two worlds” and it makes him as if he is hiding his identity (xv). However, unlike his predecessors, he does not reconcile to the idea of coming down at the ladder and tries to reduce this trap of “two worlds” (Du Bios). His story demonstrates past experience of his generations, his own encounter with racial differences and his objective to shed this double consciousness.

Slavery and Double Consciousness

Although these efforts were stated first by Fredrick Douglas when the time was ripe for slavery and it was considered legal, he worked tirelessly during half of the nineteenth century. He wanted the readers to look beyond historical, legal, and political issues of African American race going toward freedom in society and freedom from domination. His basic question was the freedom of the spirit. His struggle was to achieve freedom instead of being given, and he even became an abolitionist, going far as contacting abolitionist militants in this connection. However, the streak of slavery runs so much deeper in the psyche of African American population at that time that it was hard to make the vast strata of those people educate about the ideas he harbored. It was Booker T. Washington who came later to amalgamate two races or at least tried to amalgamate on utilitarian grounds mentioning his idea of “cast down the buckets” (Washington). His was the historical difference from the lines taken by Douglas.

Booker T. Washington and Slavery

However, Booker T. Washington’s approach was constructive finding a compromise between the two worlds. During his famous “Atlanta Compromise Speech”, he asked African Americans from the South to “cast down their buckets where [they were]” so that they could prosper. His approach was the accommodation of the white so that equality could be reached through humility but his community strongly rebuffed him. Although he won a name for his adjustment approach and politicians viewed him as a sane voice, his own people came against his submissive approach.

Double Consciousness

Du Bios strongly attacked his views in his phenomenal work, The Souls of the Black Folk.  His was the reason that only education and intellectual development could overcome this racial prejudice. He severely lashed out at Washington, lambasting his approach of submission. He opposed the integration of two communities that Washington tried to propagate. Rather, he put the whole African American experience in his books, stating that it is actually “double consciousness” which runs through the minds of the blacks and stops their progress. They both were put in opposing personalities where Washington was considered passive, making the black submissive, while Du Bios was termed as progressive in thinking.

Obama and Double Consciousness

Put into this perspective, Obama seems to have inherited the same legacy. He has put into words his own thoughts that turning a deaf ear to racial prejudice and discrimination could lead African Americans to achieve laurels in the fields they want to achieve. By this, he means that this concept of “double consciousness” is still very much relevant today in this post-racial society. There are several implicit issues of this racial bias which makes it difficult for African Americans to achieve their goals but still, they can go ahead with this “double consciousness” and achieve a good status in life.

Conclusion

Making the long argument short, the “double consciousness” propagated by Du Bios is part of African-Americans and also their literature and life. If this is realized earlier, an African American is able to encounter and resolve such prejudices as Obama did in the early stages of his career. Although propagated by different theorists in different ways; first as a pacifist philosophy, then a separate creed, and finally a progressive outlook, Obama has borrowed the same consciousness from his predecessors.

Works Cited

1. Bois, W. E. B. Du. The Souls of the Black Folk. New York: Oxford UP, 1996.
2. Douglas, Fredrick. Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass: An American Slave. Cornhill, 1845.
3. Obama, Barack. Dreams from My Father. Three Rivers Press: New York, 2004.
4. Washington, Booker T. “Atlanta Compromise Speech.” History Matters. 1895. Web. 04 Aug. 2019.

Relevant Questions about Double Consciousness in Obama’s Autobiography

1. How does Barack Obama’s autobiography delve into the concept of double consciousness, particularly in his experiences grappling with a biracial identity?
2. Within the pages of Obama’s autobiography, how does he confront and navigate the complexities of double consciousness, impacting both his personal journey and political career?
3. In Barack Obama’s autobiography, what valuable insights does he offer into the ways double consciousness influenced his perceptions of race, identity, and his place in American society?

Introduction

The modern wars have taken their toll on the common soldiers more than the elite class officers in the shape of making them victims of their own weak mental state of mind. Billy Pilgrim, the central character of Slaughterhouse-Five is an effort of Vonnegut to highlight the plight of such people. Thomas L. Wymer calls him “the major example of victim” of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and war related anxiety (428).

Soldiery of Billy Pilgrim

The story of his soldiery goes thus; the novel Slaughterhouse Five presents him as a common American soldier recruited to fight in Europe against Germany in the WWII where he surrendered with the author in the battle of Bulge. From there, he was taken to Dresden, a peaceful city in Germany devastated by the allied bombing. Thousands of buildings turned to rubble and people into dead bodies within a day. Billy Pilgrim with other American POWs was the survivor. The German soldiers tasked them to dispose of the bodies. He narrates this story through flashbacks, remembering the past, and present as well as predicting the future and weaving fantasies which show that Billy Pilgrim has gone through a hell to become this type of optometrist who sleeps in his own chair and wakes up after a while to attend to his patients and predict his own death at the hands of his former colleague in Dresden. The structure of the story may be the reflection of his state of mind. It is because the author leaves the story abruptly to start with the story of Billy Pilgrim whose catchphrase “So it goes” starts various frames of the story and ends each frame with something else (12). In fact, he suffers from all signs of depression, schizophrenia, intrusive memory and flashbacks which are hallmarks of post-traumatic stress disorder.

Depression of Billy Pilgrim

Whereas depression is concerned, Billy Pilgrim seems the worst victim. Although he does not clearly show the symptoms, some of his signs are clearly of the depression that he suffered during the Dresden bombing. He does not cry, or cry very little (Vonnegut 90). His dialogue with Rosewater at the asylum is perhaps pointing to the same thing that is a type of depression of the war and the anxiety that he inherits from Dresden. He says “Absolutely everybody gets a little something” and this little something is surely depression (52). Even Vonnegut himself is not articulate about the event if seen from the lens of his artistic creation of Billy Pilgrim. It seems that he has created Billy Pilgrim to show his own depression. Susanne Vees-Gulani has termed this type of depression as schizophrenic where a person is caught in the net of fantasy, coming and going back from reality and seeing hallucinations (176). In other words, Billy Pilgrim is suffering from an extreme type of depression which has transformed into schizophrenia as Susanne Vees-Gulani has concluded in her essay. It clearly means that this was a common depression but the gravity of the incident has transformed this simple depressive state of mind into schizophrenia that has taken its toll on Billy as well as his family.

Schizophrenia of Billy Pilgrim

Billy’s entire episodic thinking is an evidence of schizophrenia and hallucination. He starts his journey from the battle of Bulge with occasional trips to the far-off planet of Tralfamador, his visits to the hospital, his marriage, and even his concept of having sex with the top model at Tralfamadore are the possible symptoms of hallucinations. His description of Kilgore Trout with Rosewater at the hospital shows that he is suffering from schizophrenia. His capacity to “travel in time to the zoo on Tralfamadore” (53) and the details of the situation over Tralfamadore is a case in point where Billy Pilgrim shows himself at best in presenting the picture of his hallucinatory fantasy. This is the worst sort of schizophrenic state of mind that Billy Pilgrim is going through. He is also sometimes aware of it. He goes to sleep when he is to stay awakened. His honeymoon and sex with his wife and even his presence in the asylum are also indications of the worst sort of schizophrenia. The doctors, too, agree with him that he was touching lunacy (96) which means that he is definitely suffering from schizophrenia. In fact, this is a difference that Billy Pilgrims has forgotten to see between the real and the fantastic. It takes him to different locations and situations. The stories of flying saucers, his return to childhood, sexual encounters on Tralfamadore, and even his meeting with Kilgore Trout as discussed earlier are also signs of a schizoid mind.

Intrusive Memory of Billy Pilgrim

Another sign of PTSD is intrusive memory, forgetting everything and remembering things at the most unsuitable times. In fact, it is a sort of traumatic remembering of past events. It is called an abnormal confrontation with reality (Vees-Gulani 177). These signs of PTSD are abundant in Slaughterhouse-Five, specifically in Billy Pilgrims. In Billy Pilgrims, the most important sign comprises traumatic memories. They often come to him in the shape of going to the war, surrendering at the battle of Bulge, then going through a long train journey, his marriage and birth, loving memories of his father and mother, and of his son. This intrusive memory is also the sign of escape from the traumatic and terrible memory, which lies only in losing the sense of time and going to something that is beyond human reach such as Tralfamadore. It is a hallucination on the one side and an escape to forget the real Dresden devastation on the other side. In some sense, “So it goes” (12) is an attempt to make this escape easy as it points to something that remembering past events depends on a stable state of mind, or it could be that he has heard it from some other people. Therefore, this is also the worst sign of PTSD that Billy Pilgrim is the victim of. It is related to flashbacks, too.

Memory and Forgetting in Billy Pilgrim

Flashback means to remember something, and forget and remember another with a new flashback. A person suffering from PTSD often experiences flashbacks and remembers something that comes to his mind immediately and then jumps to another thing. This shift from one memory to another memory is the hallmark of the thinking of Billy Pilgrims that starts from the very first chapter when Billy Pilgrims appears in the novel. The novel shows clearly that it is not a linear narrative but a narrative in chunks due to flashbacks of Billy. He thinks about his childhood, reaches Tralfamadore, and immediately comes down on the train from the battle of Bulge to Germany (56). Here he is talking to Paul Lazarro and there he is appearing with Valencia, his wife. This back-and-forth movement in time not only makes times irrelevant but also makes space a fuzzy thing. This also is due to the flashbacks and working of memory in timeless space. This is the sign of PTSD of which Billy Pilgrims is a victim, but it is clear that this is not the reality that he is going through. It is due to the reality of Dresden that he could not face or describe.

Conclusion

In concluding the argument, it could be stated that Billy Pilgrim is not living in reality, but in fantasy, because he is the victim of the worst form of PTSD, a modern psychological issue. He is facing chronic depression that takes its toll on his health. He is suffering from schizophrenia which has shaken his life and the life of those living around him. He visits the Tralfamadorians and moves back and forth in the world of his own imagination merely because he cannot cope with this sort of hallucination. He is also going through an intrusive sort of memory where it is difficult for Billy Pilgrims to concentrate on one thing at a time. Even he is a victim of flashback and memory attacks which makes him prone to think one thing and then jump to the other one and think about it. The entire novel shows his flashback thinking going on from here to there until it ends on the bird’s twitter of pee-tee-weet where it seems that his narrative has merged with the senseless narrative of the bird.

Works Cited

1. Vees-Gulani, Susanne. “Diagnosing Billy Pilgrim: A Psychiatric Approach to Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse-Five.” Critique. vol. no, 2(2003): pp.175-184.
2. Vonnegut, Kurt. Slaughterhouse-Five. St. Albans: Panther Books Ltd, 1975.
3. Wymer, Thomas L. “The Swiftian Satire of Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.” Contemporary Literary Criticism, edited by Roger Matuz and Cathy Falk, vol. 60, Gale, 1990. Contemporary Literary Criticism Online, go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=GLS&sw=w&u=txshracd2512&v=2.1&id=GALE%7CVGOHNC203384081&it=r. Accessed 27 Nov. 2017. Originally published in ., in Voices for the Future: Essays on Major Science Fiction Writers, edited by Thomas D. Clareson, Bowling Green University Popular Press, 1976, pp. 238-262.

Relevant Questions about Billy Pilgrim in Slaughterhouse-Five

1. How does Billy Pilgrim’s character in Slaughterhouse-Five exemplify the experiences and symptoms commonly associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)?
2. What specific events and traumas in Billy Pilgrim’s life contribute to the development and exacerbation of his post-traumatic stress disorder throughout the novel?
3. In Slaughterhouse-Five, how does Kurt Vonnegut use Billy Pilgrim’s struggle with PTSD to comment on the broader impact of war on individuals and society?

Introduction to Racial Feminism in Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker

Although both writers, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, happen to be in different circumstances and contrasting times, there is a natural connection and relation in their writing in that both are African American women living in the United States where racial discrimination was very high until the Civil Rights Movement. Therefore, it is natural that both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, should have written about the situation of women. As Zora Neal Hurston happens to have lived in earlier times than Alice Walker, the stream of the evolution of racial/African American feminism runs through both of them to get rid of the irresponsible African American men to total independence in Alice Walker.  In her phenomenal work, Leith Mullings states, “Both [Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker] within … African American women continue to be defined in ways that deny their humanity” (Mullings). This is clear in Zora Neal Hurston’s story “Sweat” where she has presented the character of Delia Jones that refers to this “beyond it” (Mullings) situation. It is because the person who tortures her is not a white man or someone from another race, but her very husband from her African-American community, Sykes. Referring to Alice Walker and Patricia Hill Collins, she is of the view that it not only pervades society but also domestic affairs — the reason that b–k feminism started making headway in national politics and literature (Mullings). From Zora’s Delia Jones to Alice Walker’s mom, b–k feminism leaped fast from a simple desire for independence from male domination of the same race to complete independence. Whereas Zora presents a feministic point of getting rid of a patriarchal society, Alice Walker presents complete independence to supporting siblings.

“Sweat” and Zohra Neal Hurston

Delia Jones is Hurston’s protagonist in her story “Sweat” where she is working as a washerwoman, washing clothes for white people and earning her livelihood, because her husband Sykes is irresponsible to the point of sitting idle at home and torturing her for doing the labor. She used to collect “the soiled clothes” and “returned the clean things” (Hurston 568) until she has enough to make both ends meet. However, her husband is there only to make fun of her fear of snakes and uses his whip to this end. When Sykes is ready to pick up a fight with her, she is calm and silent and is not ready to pick up a fight. It is because she knows she has still a lot to do. He not only wants her to leave this but also wants her to serve him as if he is her master. She shows her feminist nature telling him that he has gone too far, but he again rebuffs and insults her. However, she has become stubborn. She blurts out strongly, “Mah sweat is done paid for this house” (571). She faces brutal thrashing but ultimately she stands up against him and he stops. This is an expression of feminism that she is bringing toward independence. The limit of her patience is crossed when he brings home a rattlesnake ostensibly with the purpose to kill her. However, it bites him instead of her, while she stands and sees him dying. This is a symbol of her getting independence. Commenting on the story, Marion C. Burk says, “Hurston makes subtle arguments to forward the cause of feminism — [by showing her that] protagonist Delia is a strong, independent woman who finds herself at the receiving end of a patriarchal society that strongly privileges men and denigrates women” (Burke) where Sykes has every right to beat her. Burke says Hurston is promoting b—k feminism in “Sweat.” However, this independence and b—k feminism in Alice Walker has reached its peak that both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, seem projecting it.

Feminism in both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker

Mom in Alice Walker is clearly independent. She has made her best to educate her elder daughter Dee by sending her to a boarding school with the help of the local church. This “big boned woman with rough, man-working hands” (Walker 452) sharply contrasts with Delia Jones of Hurston who is weak to the point of only “humming a song in a mournful key” (Hurston 570). However, the mother of Maggie and Dee is strong as Sykes — the reason that she does not need a male figure like Sykes to torture here. She has responsibilities to fulfill and that she is fulfilling with great courage, stamina, and strength equal to men. According to Mullings, this is not the culture of resistance against male dominance, but the culture of identity where mom has made great efforts for her Dee to make a name so that she should have a clear identity (Mullings). Men are there in “Everyday Use” but their role is limited to only the past relics that they remember like Grandpa Jarrell and Grandpa Ezra and their shirts and uniforms (456). Her feminism does not allow her to truly exclude males from the female company. The males are very much there in the shape of Jimmy T and Assalamalakim but their role has been marginalized to the point of non-existence which started in Hurston in the shape of meekly seen the dying Sykes. The move that Hurston made through her character Delia Jones of getting rid of the patriarchal dominance completes in Alice Walker where male characters are left outside of the realm of the female struggle. Dee has full dominance over Hakim-e-Barbar, but at the same time, she has also changed because she knows that she would not find any other person better. The education brings awareness of the rights that the mother is confident to have given to Dee. Hence, she supports Maggie because she needs him, and not Dee who can take care of herself (459). She knows that she is independent and has to take care of her siblings. This show how both, Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker, project it in their respective stories.

Feminist Characters in Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker

However, here comes the disfigurement that Maggie has suffered from a fire that is a symbol of incidents. It could occur to women and how they can manage them. She knows that Maggie is totally dependent on her. However, she also knows that Dee has got Hakim-e-Barbar who can take care of not only herself but also her man. Therefore, she does not need any heritage that is after all the same — African-American though it comprises only quilts and pillows. The mother is aware that Maggie needs these things more than Dee. Therefore, she says at the end of the story that “I asked Maggie to bring me a dip of snuff” (491), and then she sits with her which is a collaboration. It is not only b—k feminism and women’s independence but it is also an indictment of the patriarchal society where men have no role while women have asserted themselves in every way in the household, taking care of the past as well as the future. In her essay, Marta Mazurek says “Walker turns to African American women’s everyday practices such as church singing, storytelling and taking care of gardens to trace expressions of their spirituality and art” which is clear from the role of the mother that she plays at home by doing everything (Mazurek).

Conclusion

Concluding the essay, it could be stated the evolution of African American feminism that started from Zora Neal Hurston in the shape of just avoiding male dominance to avoid torture reaches the point of total independence in the shape of the mother in Alice Walker. This then leads to the independence of the next generation like Dee, but at the same time, it has not ended as the mother has to take care of Maggie or those who cannot support themselves. This is the support of a woman for another woman with the intention that she should not face the same neglect with the race and cruelty outside of it. Therefore, this racial theme is very much clear and interrelated in both Zora Neal Hurston and Alice Walker.

Works Cited

1. Burke, Marion C. “Zora Neale Hurston’s Sweat and the B—k Female Voice: The Perspective of the African-American Woman.” Women Studies. 4(5). 2012. pp. 1-2.
2. Hurston, Zora Neal. “Sweat” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 570-579.
3. Mullings, Leith. “African American Women Making Themselves.” Columbia. Columbia. 2000. Web. 06 Aug. 2015.
4. Mazurek, Marta. “African American Women and Feminism: Alice Walker’s Womanism as a Proposition of a Dialogic Encounter.” Lingua Mundi. Lingua Mundi. n. d. Web. 06 Aug. 2015.
5. Walker, Alice. “Everday Use” Charters, Anne. The Story and Its Writer. New York: Bedford /St. Martins, 2014. 452-461

Relevant Questions about Zora Neale Hurston’s and Alice Walker’s Racial Feminism

1. How did Zora Neale Hurston’s and Alice Walker’s respective works contribute to the evolution of racial feminism in the 20th century?
2. In what ways did Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker address intersectionality within their writings, exploring both race and gender through their unique perspectives on racial feminism?
3. Could you elaborate on the key differences in the racial feminist ideologies advocated by Zora Neale Hurston and Alice Walker, shedding light on their distinct literary and philosophical contributions to the movement?

Introduction to “Where are You Going…”

The short story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” by Joyce Carol Oates can be interpreted on several levels with characters having several historical and allegorical similarities. The story is about a 15-year old middle-class white girl thrown in the midst of the glamorous American culture dominated by music, automobiles, fast food, and evening outings. Like every other juvenile, Connie tries to break the social order in which parents have a dominant role in the safety and behavioral upbringing of a girl. She loves to be out in the open to enjoy life with other girls and boys of her age, but in-between these daydreams of enjoyments, this just 15-year old girl has the reality staring in her face in the shape of what her parents, society (the next-door neighbor) and other siblings would say in case they find out that she has crossed the social limits. On the other hand, the allurement of the modern culture, music, car riding, fast food, and the flattery exercised by a pretty young chap with threats to her dear ones have worked upon her mind to the point that she is ready to leave home with Arnold Friend in the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Modern Culture in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” and Connie

Although the point of whether it is a fantasy or a reality is debatable, the argument that Connie loves modern culture is a reality in “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. It is clear from the very start that she does not like her mother to praise June who has conformed to the traditional culture of a dominant parenting structure. She is fed up with hearing “June did this, June did that, she saved money” and all other such would-be-expected-of-her niceties (Oates 1). She loves going out with other girls and boys of her age, for June has had this freedom as “June went to places with girl friends of her,” while she is allowed only to go with the father of her girlfriends. She wants music and is obsessed with the idea of having music as “something to depend upon” (2).  Arnold Friend knows that this allurement of the modern culture has had effects on Connie. That is why he brings a radio with her that she “began to hear music” and by the end, it dawns upon her that even this music seems “so familiar to her was only half real” and not a complete reality (7). The other allurement that Arnold Friend uses very successfully to seduce Connie is the automobile and music with fast food. He comes in a good car with his friend Ellie carrying a radio and constantly playing music to trap her. He comes straight to the point when he talks to her in the beginning, “We come out here to take you for a ride” (4). When he does not see himself succeeding, he again throws the same bait before her of taking her to “have a nice ride” with them (6). However, it is another thing that despite both of these modern baits of seducing a girl at work, Connie feels something that is not right. She instantly comes to know that Arnold Friend is not a boy but an old predator of girls when she asks him his age and he cries out saying “That’s a crazy thing to ask. Can’tcha see I’m your own age?” which is not the fact (7) and she knows from the reality in the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”.

Allegorical Interpretations of “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”

Another trick used by Arnold Friend is the same used by the allegorical namesake Arch Fiend or Satan against Adam in Heaven if the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been” is interpreted on this level. It is flattery. He comes to use flattery until he achieves his end. He calls her pretty, honey, and everything that he can think to lure her into his trap. He even makes her believe, “I like the way you are, honey” to assure her that she is a pretty girl (7). She has already in mind that she is pretty. For a girl of 15 to be conscious that she is pretty, it is very difficult to resist an offer from a modern and stylish young man like Arnold Friend who not only owns modern gadgets but also uses an oily tongue. When she finds out his real intentions, she refuses, and true to his character, Arnold Friend comes down to threaten her. He knows that if flattery and baits fail, the threat of harm to near and dear ones works wonders. He clearly tells her to give her hand and that “nobody else gets hurt” or else it would be the other way round (7). This works and she comes with him in a trance-like state, but this state and the beginning of this fantasy both show that it is a daydream in which she has lost herself. It is the situation in which she finds herself when she is left by all other members of the family at home and she hears music after which she “seemed to rise mysteriously out of the music itself and lay languidly about the airless little room” (3). She then finds herself with Arnold Friend in a conversation to go out.

Conclusion

The debate about whether this is a daydreaming or a reality is beside the point, the argument that this daydreaming or fantasy has shown her a true reality carries weight by the end of the story “Where are You Going, Where Have You Been”. She is clearly seen on the side of her family, a loving nucleus from which she does not want to break away. She accepts Friend’s offer to come out only when he assures her that nobody else will get hurt and if she has not come out, it means her parents are in danger. The baits of modern luxuries and flattery fail where threats to loved ones work.  Therefore, it is fair to say that it is a dream through which she has learned the lesson of not crossing social limits set by parents for their kids. She comes to know that there are risks lurking behind every other glittering bait. This exposure to reality through daydreaming is set to make her aware of all the dangers around her.

Works Cited

Oates, Joyce Carol. “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been” NDSU. n. d. Web. 2 Dec. 2022.

Relevant Questions about “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”

1. How does Connie’s character evolve throughout the story “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been”? What internal and external factors contribute to these changes in her personality and actions?
2. What role does Connie’s obsession with her appearance and desire for independence play in shaping her character and ultimately leading to the climax of the story? How do these traits influence her decisions and interactions with others?
3. In “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been,” how does Connie’s character serve as a symbol of the vulnerability and naiveté often associated with adolescents? How does the author use Connie’s character to explore themes of innocence and danger in the story?

Introduction to “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

In story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine, characters feel themselves imperceptibly tied to each other through a common history, common taste, and universal family relations. These commonalities lead to sympathetic and loving relationships. These commonalities, though, are ignored when people live together, and become distinctive features of socially or religiously hostile families, when they find themselves living in foreign or alien lands. The story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” by an Indian-American author Jhumpa Lahiri presents the same predicament of a young girl who is born and raised in America. She could not understand commonalities during her childhood but later in life, she perfectly understands why her father used to find out Asian Indians in America to become their affectionate host. The story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine” shows not only the motif of common history but also of common food and the universal relation of a father and daughter to join the events.

Common History in  “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

Most often people are attached to each other through common history such as in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”. It is clear from the very first paragraph that the narrator has a common point when she tells more about Mr. Pirzada and the background of her parents after she discovers that they are all Indians. Her father is a bit pricked at her ignorance of Indian history and tells her that Mr. Pirzada is from Pakistan since “Our country was divided in 1947” (Lahiri). This new information makes the narrator take interest in the history of her parents and their new guest Mr. Pirzada, the reason that she “found a book titled Pakistan: A Land and its People” in the library when she is on an assignment (Lahiri). The description of the events in Dacca, the fall of Dacca, and the barbarism of the Pakistani army is a case in point of how she comes to know this common history which runs through the entire story and attaches her family to Mr. Pirzada. However, it does not seem a strong connection until some cultural affinity such as taste is not found common among the people.

Food in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

Food is another common point that binds people which is true about the story “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”. Mr. Pirzada does not come only for sharing his language and history. Rather he comes to share his culinary taste with the family of Lilia. He comes because he finds what he loves the most. She tells about her mother, “From the kitchen, my mother brought for the success of dishes, lentils with fried onions, green beans with coconut” and their favorite dish, the cooked rice (Lahiri). The Indian subcontinent produces the best rice in the world and Indians are fond of eating rice, specifically the people from Dacca and some other cities of Bangladesh. When Mr. Pirzada finds that he is invited heartily and welcomed warmly by Lilia’s father, he does not miss the opportunity to enjoy “Boiled eggs with rice for dinner” which creates another bond with Lilia, the universal bond of a father-daughter relationship.

Relationships in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

Not only is the father-daughter relationship universal, but also heart-touching suchas in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”. The narrator, Lilia, comes to know that Mr. Pirzada has seven daughters and all of them are living in Dacca. After some time, she comes to know that Dacca is under attack from the Pakistani military. Being a very young mind, she deduces that Mr. Pirzada’s daughters must be in danger and that Mr. Pirzada must be missing them. That is why she tells her friend Dora about Mr. Pirzada that “His daughters are missing” but later corrects her statement by saying that he is missing his daughters living far away and that “he has not seen them in a while (Lahiri). It dawns upon her by the end of the story why Mr. Pirzada used to bring chocolates and candies for her, for he used to love her as his own daughter when he misses them.

Conclusion

In short, there are several motifs in the story that run parallel to each other and make the story meaningful. All these motifs of common historical linkage, common food items, and the universal relationship of the father and daughter make families join together to pass their time. Mr. Pirzada is found by the father of Lilia due to having the commonality of region and history. But it is the food that brings Mr. Pirzada to their homes while her daughters create a space for Lilia in the heart of Mr. Pirzada, who showers his love on Lilia in return. Although she could not feel this love at first, she comes to know it when having a candy on Halloween day by the end of the story. The story starts with the history and ends on a father-daughter love strand.

Works Cited

Lahiri, Jhumpa. “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine.” UWM. n. d. Web. 14 Jul. 2017.

Relevant Questions about Themes in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine”

1. How does the theme of cultural identity and displacement play a significant role in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” and how do the characters grapple with their sense of belonging and identity in a foreign land?
2. In “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” how does the theme of the impact of political conflict on personal lives manifest in the lives of the characters, and what does the story reveal about the human experience in times of turmoil?
3. Can you explore the theme of innocence and childhood in “When Mr. Pirzada Came to Dine,” and how do Lilia’s experiences and observations reflect a loss of innocence as she becomes more aware of the world’s complexities?

1. How does “To Build a Fire” by Jack London deal with man’s struggle with nature?

The story “To Build a Fire” deals with man’s struggle with himself, with his willpower, and with nature. It is clear from the very outset that “He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significance” (London 120). It means that he knows that there is ice everywhere. He is also sensing that the temperature is going below 50 and even below 75, and even remember the old man’s advice about not going out in such a freezing cold. However, he could not understand the significance of this in his life. By the end, he comes to know his limits, and there the struggle starts from nature to himself when he thinks that his strength cannot take him running to the camp where he comes to know the reality that “His idea of it was that he had been making a fool of himself” (128). That means that he came to reality at last after fighting with himself that he should not die, but death is staring in his face.

2. Was hubris involved in “To Build a Fire” by Jack London?

Hubris which means taking excessive pride in one’s ability seems to be at work in the character of the man who starts his journey to the camp in the freezing cold of below 70 degrees. In fact, it is more than this because he does not care to pay heed to the advice of the old timer who tells him clearly that a man should not go out when the temperature is below zero. He remembers it when he is around halfway through trapped but still, he thinks of them as “womanish, some of them” (London 124). He thinks that “All a man had to do was to keep his head” (124) and by the end, he loses this. Hence, this is his hubris given in the outcome of this story.

 3. How is the setting of “To Build a Fire” by Jack London is minimal or rich?

The setting in the story “To Build a Fire” is minimal in that wherever the man looks, there is only ice, “North and south, as far as he eyes could see” (London 120) that is ice and snow. However, it is quite rich in the description as he not only thinks about the present, about himself, and about his future. The man thinks about the freezing temperature, its effects, and the things that he has worn to ward off the frost “mittens, ear-flaps, warm moccasins, and thick socks” (120). Then his acts of making a fire unsuccessfully and his final race toward the camp further enriches the setting.

 4. From what point of view is London’s story told?

The story “To Build a Fire” has been told in the third person point of view. The third person is always an omniscient narrator who stays above the characters and tells everything about them. He even enters the thoughts of his characters as does Faulkner who is a third-person narrator and analyzes the thoughts of the man. He shows the contrast through the thoughts of his character and the dog which is with him. The narrator has also passed judgment on the man saying that “He was quick and alert in the things of life, but only in the things, and not in the significance” (London 120). According to him, it was this significance of the advice of the old timer of the Sulphur Creek.

 5. What is the impact of the anonymity of the character in “To Build a Fire” by Jack London?

This technique used in “To Build a Fire” by Jack London shows that he is a naturalist who believes that survival is for the fittest and the dog is better equipped to cope with the freezing temperature than the man. The theme is universal that though man is a rational creature, sometimes even the man has a trouble that Jack London says “The Trouble with him was that he was without imagination” (London 120). He could not sense any sense in the advice of the old-timer “But the dog knew; all its ancestry knew, and it had inherited the knowledge” that the man could not” (122). Therefore, by making the man anonymous, Jack London has put the man against nature and side by side with the animals who are instinctively fit to survive in extreme weather.

Relevant Short Questions about “To Build a Fire” by Jack London

1. In “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, how does the harsh Yukon wilderness serve as a central antagonist in the narrative, posing significant challenges to the protagonist?
2. What role does the theme of human hubris play in “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, and how does it contribute to the protagonist’s predicament?
3. “To Build a Fire” by Jack London explores the theme of survival in extreme conditions. How does the protagonist’s experience in the story reflect the harsh realities of nature and the consequences of underestimating it?
4. Can you discuss the significance of the title, “To Build a Fire,” and how it encapsulates the story’s central struggle and theme?
5. In “To Build a Fire” by Jack London, how does the relationship between the protagonist and the dog symbolize the fundamental differences between instinct and intellect in the face of nature’s unforgiving forces?

Works Cited

London, Jack. “To Build a Fire.” American Literature, https://americanliterature.com/author/jack-london

Introduction to Mathilda in “The Necklace”

Regarding Mathilda in “The Necklace”, it is easy to pinpoint her as a narcissistic character. However, it is very difficult to pinpoint how narcissists react when they feel envious, or jealous of others. This perfectly describes the character traits that Mathilda in “ The Necklace” portrayed by Guy De Maupassant shows. She is not only suffering from her own lowly position as she was born into a low family, but she is also suffering from her marriage with the clerk of the education department. The very title of clerk gives her a shock as to her position in society. And this is what tortures her more that he husband was not from the upper class. Her low middle-class status tortures her so much so that Mathilda in “The Necklace” showed narcissism through her envious character traits as well as through her own competition with other women which ultimately led to her suffering.

Mathilda in “The Necklace” as Narcissistic Character

 Most narcissists think that they are very charming and attractive and that “they must be seen as perfect or superior. Mathilda in “The Necklace” is the same character that the very first line of the story shows that she was pretty and charming and thought that it was a blunder that she was born in such a low family (Maupassant) and artisans are often in the middle-class not elite or upper class. Therefore, what she thought of “getting known” (Maupassant) was quite out of question, and to add fuel to the fire, she married a lowly clerk. This became a reason for her suffering as “She suffered endlessly.” She wanted to be loved and “sought after” (Maupassant). Her mental torture started with her consciousness of being very attractive and this consciousness made a frail woman a very easy victim of narcissism. Such persons when they become a victim of this psychological disorder, “criticize, gripe, and complain” (Ashmun) and that is why she was doing it.

Mathilda in “The Necklace” Showing Envious Nature

First, Mathilda in “The Necklace” became envious whenever she met her friend Madam Forestier and whenever she met her, “She would weep” (Maupassant). Her mental agony further intensified whenever her husband used to bring her something or tried to gladden her. When he brought the invitation from the Minister of Education, her immediate response was what to do with it (Maupassant) because she thought that without an excellent dress, she would be looking from a low class and not so beautiful was not acceptable to her. Somehow, he managed to make up the sum for her expensive dress but when the question of wearing some jewelry to suit the occasion arose, again she made his life hell. Her response was she was looking miserable (Maupassant), and this made him think about it. When she put forward the suggestion of borrowing it from her rich friend, he had nothing to go against it and he readily accepted to pacify her mental agony. When she finally got it, “She danced madly” (Maupassant) as her envious nature was finally satisfied. However, this cost not only her but also her husband dearly.

Mathilda in “The Necklace” Showing Competitive Nature

 The second argument is about her competitive nature which made her a narcissist. Whatever she had she compared it with others to see whether it was all right. She had the quality of being “pretty” that distinguishes her, but she competitively wanted to be “getting known,” more than the other women of her ilk and that is what led to her downfall (Maupassant). Her competitive nature came to the fore when her husband gave her an invitation and instead of rejoicing and thinking about preparations, she started making a fuss (Maupassant). This clearly shows that she wanted to compete with other women and woo men which other women also long to come near them. Her consciousness of being pretty but from low family background made her know that she could not dream of having that due to her poverty and this consciousness of being a beauty but not a bedecked one, tormented her. At the party with the necklace that she borrowed from her rich friend, she found herself the cynosure of the party. This was what she wanted to have. It means all other women were neglected and she won. This was a fundamental weakness in her character that she wanted to compete with others in every matter but when she finally became aware that her necklace was lost, she had to undergo suffering for the next ten years. It is another thing that later she discovered that it turned out fake.

Consciousciosuness of Mathilda in “The Necklace”

The consciousness of being a beauty among the general lot and the desire to be differentiated from others due to her beauty and further elegance became the basis of her narcissism. It further fueled her desire to look charming with jewelry and fine clothes. The major desire behind it was to be counted among the elite class. Consciousness of Mathilda in “The Necklace”,is a sign ofnarcissism born out of her competitive nature, led her to do what they could not afford. They not only purchased an expensive dress but also borrowed a necklace whose loss proved costly that they had to undergo ten-year long suffering to repay it. Therefore, it was this personality disorder of Mathilda that cost her and her husband dearly that they had to waste their young years for it.

Works Cited

1. Ashmun, Joanna M. “Narcissist Personality Disorder.” Halcyon, 2008, http://www.halcyon.com/jmashmun/npd/traits.html. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.
2. De Maupassant, Guy. “The Necklace.” Exploros, n.d., http://exploros-shared-media.s3.amazonaws.com/OER/ELA/Grade+8/ELA8.2.02.passages.pdf. Accessed 13 Apr. 2023.

Relevant Questions about the Narcissism of Mathilda in “The Necklace”

1. How does Mathilda in “The Necklace” exhibit narcissistic traits through her relentless pursuit of social status and material possessions in the story?
2. In what instances can we observe Mathilda in “The Necklace” displaying self-absorption and a lack of empathy for others, characteristics often associated with narcissism?
3. How does Mathilda in “The Necklace” seek attention and admiration at the ball, and how does her pursuit of these desires shape the events of the story, reflecting her narcissistic tendencies?

Introduction to “Greasy Lake”

“Greasy Lake” by Boyle is a story about rebels in society specifically when teenagers find freedom and intend to exploit it, behaving naturally as stated “it was nature” in the story (Boyle 01). The time is not good as the narrator states in the opening of the story that there “was a time when courtesy” is not the style of speaking, and the narrator along with his similar friends Digby and Jeff try to become “dangerous characters” but it boomerangs and they get the taste of their being bad (02). This proves that others could be bad too at the same time. The story “Greasy Lake” sums up their actions of how they start committing mistakes of their bad behavior but are paid back in the same coin.

Bragging of the Narrator

The narrator of the story “Greasy Lake” first brags about their bad behavior saying “we wore torn-up leather” and leading a bohemian lifestyle, drinking and taking drugs (03). Similar to their clothing and behavior, some others are also looking for enjoyment in which they bang and find out something else. They are going to the lake, the Greasy Lake, which is a good hangout for characters like them. However, Boyle has described the lake exactly like these three characters who are out to show their bad behavior and the lake is bad too as it “was fetid and murky” (04). He uses military jargon such as “There was a single ravaged island” which shows how it has faced destruction from other characters like them (05).

Greasy Characters

In the story, “Greasy Lake” when they go there, they come across another car where according to the narrator a “greasy character” has been hanging out with his “fox” with whom they pick up a brawl (02). The narrator of “Greasy Lake”, during the scuffle, loses keys, and all three of them face severe thrashing though they succeed in overpowering the “greasy character” the fox also comes out screaming which terrifies them (04). The narrator is aware that they are committing mistakes. In fact, their intended target is not what they imagine. Hence, they have to pay back. The narrator has to use a “tire iron” to overpower the “greasy character.” Soon they all, in disheveled shape, took to their heels and he enters the lake where a dead boy blocks his way out. The people after them smash their car and throw trash in it and soon they also realize their bad behavior and leave. When they come back, they find the car drivable and try to leave but two girls spot them who offer them free sex, but they refuse. They have faced the consequences of their actions – a moment of epiphany that shows them that there could be others like them at the spot they are going and this exactly happens to them.

Setting and Order

The setting, chronological order in which the story, “Greasy Lake”, takes place, vocabulary, and brisk flow also match the situation and behavior of the character. Exactly like its setting and plotting, every sentence of “Greasy Lake” oozes dirtiness and badness.

Works Cited

Boyle, T. Coraghessan. Greasy Lake and Other Stories. Penguin, 1986.

Relevant Questions about “Greasy Lake” by T. C. Boyle

1. How does the physical filth and decay of Greasy Lake mirror the moral decay and recklessness of the story’s main characters? What are some specific examples that highlight this connection?
2. What role does the lake itself play in symbolizing the characters’ descent into filth and darkness? How does the lake transform from a seemingly appealing location to a symbol of their moral deterioration?
3. In “Greasy Lake,” the characters engage in destructive and immoral behavior, such as violence and drug use. How does the story depict the consequences of their actions, and what message does T. C. Boyle convey about the price of rebellion and hedonism?