The Stranger...
My most favorite book ever! (if you can't see the sarcasm dripping from my lips, there is a puddle on the ground of gooey and thick sarcasm) Now. Mrs. Leclaire, i know you will read this, so The Stranger is not an awful book. It is a good comparision to Crime and Punishment. But for my big question blog, it makes me want to... yeah.
Mersault is a man with no emotion, belief or conviction. He kills an arab that no one cares about. He parades his atheism about and believes in truth. Until he is sentenced to death. Death is what causes Mersault to (for once) look at his past and wonder what happened or why maman died and how he treated that whole situation. Mersault get 35 points for being a hollow and senseless man which contributes to his early demise. Analyzation of The Stranger may be over analyzation... The class decided it may just have to be taken at face value. DEATH causes poor (pitiful) Mersault to reflect upon himself... so cliche.
Monday, February 7, 2011
The Troubled Mind of a Troubled Murderer
Rodion Romanovic Raskolnikov. Law Student. Lover. Murderer of 2. Rodya kills two lowly women in their apartment to better his society. And gets off scott free. Crime and Punishment was a fantastic read. i thoroughly enjoyed it. It was stylistically pleasing and the story was intriguing.
A reflection upon Raskolnikov would reveal that although it appears to everyone else that he is innocent, Raskolnikov believes everyone knows he is guilty. He wears away at his own conscience, and turns himself in. What causes Raskolnikov to examine his deeds? His deteriorating sanity must have triggered that mechanism. Raskolnikov was slowly losing his mind to paranoia, yet still stayed out of the major goings on of the investigation until giving himself up. It is difficult to say one thing in particular made Rodya constantly examine himself, but clearly the murder and his overwhemingly guilty conscience finished him off. One's own psyche can also be the determining factor in what causes man to look in the mirror and challenge himself to see what he has done.
A reflection upon Raskolnikov would reveal that although it appears to everyone else that he is innocent, Raskolnikov believes everyone knows he is guilty. He wears away at his own conscience, and turns himself in. What causes Raskolnikov to examine his deeds? His deteriorating sanity must have triggered that mechanism. Raskolnikov was slowly losing his mind to paranoia, yet still stayed out of the major goings on of the investigation until giving himself up. It is difficult to say one thing in particular made Rodya constantly examine himself, but clearly the murder and his overwhemingly guilty conscience finished him off. One's own psyche can also be the determining factor in what causes man to look in the mirror and challenge himself to see what he has done.
Sunday, February 6, 2011
Where For Art Thou Prince Hal?
King Henry IV. Play, written by William Shakespeare. The protagonist, Prince Henry (Hal) is the son of Henry Bolingbroke, current King of England, who needs a more dependable heir than his ruffian of a son, who hangs around in a pub with his gang of small timers and lazy ragamuffins. Hal thinks himself clever, waiting for his moment to save the day and earn his father's crown. Hal's nemesis, Hotspur, also seeks the crown with his band of Welshmen and disenfranchised Englishmen looking to reclaim the throne they gave to Bolingbroke.
Hal's journey is that of redemption and slowly climbing his way to his father's side. While he is attempting to redeem himself, he slowly changes who he is, turning his pub crowd slightly against him, with its leader, Sir john Falstaff being upset with Hal because he is changing who he is to become his father's successor.
So, did Hal ever look back at his actions to see how it was changing him? Some would argue to say so. I think that Hal's reflection of himself being like the sun hiding behind a cloud to be an agreement with Hal's conscious decision to change who he is in order to assume the throne. But is his self-diagnosis caused by loyalty to his father and a want to become closer to him? or is Hal just another greedy crown-seeker?
Regardless of his motivation for getting the crown, Hal's reflection is caused by his place in line for the throne, as his father's heir. Hal's reason for reflection is his advancement of his title and place in society. Advancement through the social structure is the reason man will reflect upon his life and travels when facing a trying situation.
Hal's journey is that of redemption and slowly climbing his way to his father's side. While he is attempting to redeem himself, he slowly changes who he is, turning his pub crowd slightly against him, with its leader, Sir john Falstaff being upset with Hal because he is changing who he is to become his father's successor.
So, did Hal ever look back at his actions to see how it was changing him? Some would argue to say so. I think that Hal's reflection of himself being like the sun hiding behind a cloud to be an agreement with Hal's conscious decision to change who he is in order to assume the throne. But is his self-diagnosis caused by loyalty to his father and a want to become closer to him? or is Hal just another greedy crown-seeker?
Regardless of his motivation for getting the crown, Hal's reflection is caused by his place in line for the throne, as his father's heir. Hal's reason for reflection is his advancement of his title and place in society. Advancement through the social structure is the reason man will reflect upon his life and travels when facing a trying situation.
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