Question #1 The Presence of the Past

In The Sound and the Fury, Faulkner uses the concept and understanding of time as a tool to mold the characters. Benjy is unable to grasp the concept of time due to his disability. The past is meshed in with the present to him due to his inability to distinguish between the two. His section was the most difficult to read because of the fact that he constantly referred to past memories in a way that made them seem as though they could be the present- because this is the way that he thinks. It is all the same to him. He goes back to the past frequently but really to him- it is the present. Quintin frequently goes back in time like Benjy, but is actually aware that his flashbacks are just memories. He is obsessed with time (shown by all of the clock refrences)- the past especially. He is driven to suicide essentially because of his obsession with Caddy's promiscuous conduct and distruction of the family. This obsession of past events takes over him. While Benjy flashes back to the past a lot making it confusing to the reader he is actually stuck in the present while Quintin is stuck in the past. Jason, on the other hand is totally stuck in the present. He does refer to the past some- like how Caddy got him his horrid job- but he mainly refers to the present and how he can get wealth for the future. He is extrordinarily selfish and caught up in his own personal gain- even if it is done by stealing from his own family. He is a miserable and greedy character and could probably benefit from spending some more time in the past rather than slefishly and miserably in the present and future. He is the total opposite from his brother Quintin who would GREATLY benefit if he could spend less time dwelling in the past and being a little more concerned about himself rather than constantly concerned about Caddy and the family. Without having the aspect of time in the novel, the reader would not be able to grasp the essence of these characters. While Quintin is stuck in the past, Jason is stuck in the present/future, and Benjy is stuck with having them meshed together- the relationship each of the characters has with the past helps to mold not only their character, but the entire novel.

The Sound and the FURY

The Sound and the Fury is unlike any book I have ever read before. The way it is written- without chronological order or significance to time- is somewhat infuritaing and frusterating especially in the first chapter. Since we were given an intoduction to the book in class along with the helpful website, I was able to prepare myself mentally before I began to read; however, everything that is normally easy to figure out in other novels I have read was not as easy in this book. For example, the time (what is happening/when?) was not as apparent as it often is in novels. I came to realize that this was Faulkner's way of showing the insignifcance of time- leaving it out so the reader will focus more on other deeper aspects of the novel that are too often overlooked. He wants the reader to look deeper into the characters and their emotions and relationships rather than to read in search of a plot or climax and having the characters on the side.

When Faulkner claimed that he "learned to read" while writing this book, I was simply perplexed by the statement. However, the more I read, I can begin to understand where he was coming from. He himself had to look beyond just a plot to write this book. He had to put thought into creating the family their dysfunctional relationships so that when it was read there would have to be thought put into it by the reader. He didn't want to write one of the other plot centered books that he and all readers have read plenty of. He wanted to write a book that would teach not only himself, but his readers, to read between the lines and focus on the substance of the book. After writing his book, Faulkner realized that the relationships and emotions of any novel are far more important than the order and plot. It took writing the novel for him to gain this appreciation.

Being frustrated and confused while reading has forced me to think about what it is I am reading. I am now thinking about the book in a different way and want to gain a greater understanding for the chatacters since I do not have plot distracting me. Faulkner's choice to use Benjy, a retarted person, for the first chapter was a brilliant choice. He gives the reader a subjective and raw point of view- allowing the reader to begin to pass judgement and make inquiry based on an unbiased voice. The fact that he's an "idiot" makes it just confusing enough to make one read deeper in search of a reason as to why the author made this choice. With the choice of making Benjy first, Faulkner gets the reader ready to read differently than ever before and ready to make their own reasonings rather than have the book give it all to you on a silver platter. Although this book is not the easiest book to read and I have to search for reasoning on my own more than ever, I think that it will help me "learn to read" as well.

blog #5 civil savagery

Heart of Darkness creates the idea of the savagery and "horror" of human nature and the inevitability of this savagery, even with the most "civilized" people. While the comparison is made between the people of the Congo river in Africa and the Thames in Europe in the novel and the Vietnamese and the American's during the Vietnam war, the ideas are almost the same. In the film, Americans are supposed to be the civilized ones while the Vietnamese are the savages, but by the end one can see the true savagery of the American soldiers. Heart of Darkness displays the darkness throughout the novel in both nations in order to show that even though one is thought to be bright and civilized compared to the other, they are both dark in their own ways. Constant dark and gloomy/disturbing images in Apocalypse Now give the same effect of the darkness that inevitably swallows humanity.

The darkness also represents the overall blindness humanity has to their inate savagery. The paradox of war displayed in the film is created with the idea that the Americans are supposed to be fighting for good and honor and to uphold the strong morals of America, but they're doing the opposite. The photographer and his staged pictures are used to show the pretty cover that civilized nations try to put over war to the people back home. The ignorance the Americans had back home of the gruesome and horrific war in Vietnam is similar to the European's ignorance to the craziness going on on the Congo. I was able to make the connection that all people have on the ignorance to the savage nature within all of us, and the attempts that are made to cover it up. Whether it be through imperialism or taking false pictures of something like war, the savagery is often attempted to be covered.

blog #4 - art creations

If these stories are "art," what makes them a creative activity both for the reader and the writer? Choose a story and discuss its creative aspects and what is available for interpretation.

Although all the stories we read could be considered creative for both the reader and the writer, the most creative story to me was "Rape Fantacies". All of the different "fanticies" explained by the different women in the story were somewhat yet creative in their own way. The author could have had all of these fanticies herself which would make writing the story not much of a creative activity. My though is that, especially for a couple of the fanticies, the author had to get pretty imaginative. Even though it is normal for people to think these sorts of things, it was creative of the author to create a story in which part of the way to get the message across is to include the thoughts and fanticies that are often not discussed, much less published. The fact that the author was aware that her use of humor with an often uncomfortable topic made this story quite creative in how it was written and the ideas it discussed. Her intention was to spark question and discussion, not only about her story but about rape in general, and with her creativity she did so well. Much like how one will never know the true intentions of an artist for a work of art, with this story, the reader is much like the viewer of a piece of art and is left with many questions and possible interpretations. While the author or artist puts their creativity into their work, the reader or viewer must put in their creativity to make their interpretations.

blog post #3- iago's a pyro

"Iago, as Harold Goddard finely remarked, is always at war; he is a moral pyromaniac setting fire to all of reality.......In Iago, what was the religion of war, when he worshiped Othello as its god, has now become the game of war, to be played everywhere except upon the battlefield."

To have a war there must be something inside of every warrior that drives it. In Iago's case, his jealousy was his fuel that kept his war machines running as well as what kept his internal fire burning for his god, Othello. When christains worship God, one can think of this worship as a type of jealousy, for it is every christian's goal to be more like god, just as Iago longed to be more like Othello.

This desire to be like Othello changed from being a passive religious war within himself to an active game of war. Iago wanted to be Othello. He loved and wanted Desdemona, he was jealous of his warrior reputation and his goodness as a person, not to mention other jealousy he had with characters such as Cassio who took his job. So much jealousy is acquired, that he finally has more than enough fuel to start the war fire. With one fire comes another. He has the capability of dousing everyone with the fuel for the fire, and keeping the fire manipulated and controlled...and even going where he wants it.

Iago's war tactics are those of guerilla warfare, not played openly and fairly on the battlefield for all to see, but by ambushing his enemies from behind- making them unaware of what has hit them. He destroys and alters everyone in his environment, and being the villain he is, enjoys it. Being a moral pyromaniac, he can not resist every chance to start up a fire... every chance to keep his plan going... burning all his sense of morality with it.

blog post #1 lyrics from the cheesecake chick

I will not die an unlived life.
I will not live in fear
of falling or catching fire.
I choose to inhabit my days,
to allow my living to open me,
to make me less afraid,
more accessible,
to loosen my heart
until it becomes a wing,
a torch, a promise.
I choose to risk my significance;
to live so that which came to me as seed
goes to the next as blossom
and that which came to me as blossom,
goes on as fruit.

“I would rather be ashes than dust! I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze than it should be stifled by dry-rot. I would rather be a superb meteor, every atom of me in magnificent glow, than a sleepy and permanent planet. The function of man is to live, not to exist. I shall not waste my days trying to prolong them. I shall use my time.”

"When you were born, the world rejoiced while you cried. Live your life in such a way that, when you die, the world cries while you rejoice."

There'll be two dates on your tombstone,
And all your friends will read 'em,
But all that's gonna matter,
is that little dash between 'em.

One hundred percent of the shots you don't take don't go in.

Blog post #2- rex put me in check

After finishing Oedipus Rex, I have come to realize that there is more than one way to live and interpret life. Oedipus, who I did not care much for as a character throughout the play, ended up being somewhat of a hero in my eyes which I did not think would happen. When reading the play previously aware of the outcome, I did not think I would have the thoughts that I did afterwards. Though some people may see Oedipus as an evil man for killing his father and having children with his mother, he could not help it. Like everyone, he could not avoid his fate. Where he could have taken the easy way out like Iocaste and killed himself, he decided to blind himslef and live on with his fate. He had an eagerness to learn his fate and dealt with the consequences, even though the answers were not the ones that he preferred. In life, not everything turns out the way we want it. Whether or not our bad times are as severe as Oedipus's, we can choose to deal with what is put on our plate (or rather what we have put on our own plate) or we can take the easy way out and continually not take responsibility for our actions. I'm not saying that people should go to the extreme and gauge their eyes out, but I have come to walk away with the realization that in this world, one can eaither live as an Oedipus or an Iocaste. You can know your situation and try your best to take responsibility and move on when your life/fate isn't exactly how you wanted it, or you can choose to go through life avoiding the realities and always take the easy way out in tough situations.