Swimming

Swimming in a pool is usually relaxing and an enjoyment, but it may also be a torture when there is no enough space in the pool and people around start kicking and punching each other accidentally. In order to go to the beach trips or do anything involving water, I had to experience this nightmare, the swimming test at summer school. After waiting in the huge line for a long time, it was finally my term. I thought the swimming test was a piece of cake as it was only one lap and swimming is the only sports I was good at. I was so confident about how fast and easily I was going to finish this one lap until I started swimming. Somebody kicked me at my head as I just swam for one step, but that was just the beginning.  Since nobody was wearing goggles, everyone kept swimming into others and punching at others’ face blindly and unintentionally. People around me kept running into and kicking me as I kept swallowing the chlorinated water. At the same time, I was kicking and running into others as well. It seemed more like a parking lot than a swimming pool, and there was traffic everywhere. Luckily I didn’t swallow all the water in the pool after the rough one lap. I dragged my tired body out of the chlorinated water and tapped the people who were still in line on their shoulders with a painful smile on my face.

A Clean, Well-lighted Place

In the end of the story, the young waiter is happy as he can go back to home by making the old man leave the cafe, however, the old man and the old waiter feel sad and disappointed to go back to home alone. Unlike the young waiter, the old man and the old waiter have no youth or people around them. "Nothing is with thee", the old waiter understands the how lonely it is inside of the old man as he feels the emptiness or "nada". Like the old man, the old waiter sees the clean,well-lighted cafe is a shelter for him, where he does not have to be alone. The young waiter will not understand the feelings of the old man and the old waiter as he is still young and is surrounded by his loved ones. 

Steller---Isolation

The topic of my Steller story is isolation, a common theme of "Paul's Case" by Willa Cather, “Chrysanthemums" by John Steinbeck and"Barn Burning" by William Faulkner. The main characters of  these three stories, Paul, Elise and Sartories are all isolating themselves from the people or the society around them. Paul, a lonely teenager, does not fit any where, not even his family. He lies and keeps his inner voice away from his appearance. No one really understands his inner world. Even his father would be ashamed of him. He is been isolated from his surrounding. Elisa, a "strong" and passionate woman, been cooped up in gardening and separated from the outside world. She believes that a woman is capable of doing what a man can do and she is eager to live a life as the tinker. Her talent is submerged in the patriarchal society, where the women and men do no have equal social rights. No one really appreciates her intelligence. This strong woman cries like an old woman as she can't change the reality that she is been isolated. Sartories struggles between morality and his family. He morally disagrees with what his father has done, but his heart tells him that he should protect his family,his father no matter happens. Like Paul and Elisa, no one understands Sartories neither. His moral justice isolated himself from others. The three characters are all experiencing isolation from the surrounding. 

My steller:

https://steller.co/stories/362745502636181058

Sources of pictures:

http://www.butyoudontlooksick.com/articles/guest-writers/tip-handling-isolation-that-comes-from-chronic-illness/

http://www.deathandtaxesmag.com/189328/extreme-isolation-overused-in-new-york-prisons/

http://pinkporchlife.com/health/beingisolated/

http://www.pinterest.com/

The Chrysanthemums

In The Chrysanthemums, Elisa Allen, wife of Henry, is a housewife and gardening is her main job of her daily life. "Her face was lean and strong"(352)"Her face was eager and mature and heasome;even her work with the scissors was over-eager, over-powerful"(352). According to Steinbeck's description of Elisa Allen, not like the stereotype of housewife, she seems as strong and powerful as a man, but still very obedient to her husband. Elisa Allen is a really passionate and strong woman, who wants to escape from the typical housewife's life of woman. She wishes she could live a life like the tinker. She is tired of her ordinary life of planting and she is eager to show to men that a woman is able to do what a man can do.

Oct 12 2014

Poor Paul

Nothing can please Paul except for money. Paul, a teenager from middle class family, believes that money can "save" his life. He does not fit in anywhere, not in school or even his own family. He is always lying and he never really shows his real feelings to others. He wants to escape from the society surrounding him. Paul is truly lonely inside as he even thinks that his father would be ashamed of him. After stealing a huge amount of money, he enjoys the luxurious life he always dreams about, however, the happiness that money gives to him seems ephemeral. He ends up committing suicide and escapes from the world he does not seem to fit in.

Yellow Wallpaper

The narrator of The Yellow Wallpaper rebels by writing about her daily life. "I am absolutely forbidden to 'work' until I am well again"(187)"she says that in the beginning of the story. The narrator is suffering mental depression and her husband tells her to stop writing, but she believes working and writing can cure her illness. "I did write for a while in spite of them"(187) Instead of listening to what her husband tell her to do, she keeps writing everyday. She hides her writing from her husband or anyone else. She keeps her revolt only to herself.

Oct 2nd 2014

The Storm

"Calixta, at home, felt no uneasiness for their safety. She sat at a side window sewing furiously on a sewing machine. She was greatly occupied and did not notice the approaching storm. But she felt very warm and often stopped to mop her face on which the perspiration gathered in beads. She unfastened her white sacque at the throat. It began to grow dark, and suddenly realizing the situation she got up hurriedly and went about closing windows and doors. "

This paragraph portrays a typical wife or mother in the period of time when the story was written. She devotes herself to the family and housework. She puts all her attention into the housework and does not even realize the threatening storm. The description of Calixta in this paragraph makes readers feel like she is a qualified wife, which contrasts with she having an affair with Alcee in the following part of the story.

Are they "The Real Thing"?

Through the description of Monarchs' luxurious apparels, the narrator suggests that the Monarchs are affluent and are from upper class. The narrator is overjoyed when the Monarchs intend to be his models and he believes that they would be perfect models as they are "The Real Thing". However, "The Real Thing", who have an idea of who they are, turns out to be amateurs  and the narrator starts to question their superficially fancy ensemble. He expresses his will or firing the Monarchs, but to his surprise, the Monarchs begged him for offering them any kind of jobs. They clean the dishes, wish up the crockery and are willing to do anything for money. The Monarchs, who pretended to be wealthy, accept the fact that they are not longer upperclassmen. They embrace what they are facing at the end without their pretentiousness. The narrator is disappointed by the Monarchs, whom he considered as "The Real Thing", but he is also delighted to see the changes in Monarchs.

To Poe

Poe, I read your short story, The Black Cat, and I'm impressed by the consensus of our ideas toward human nature and also the discrepancy of our emphasizes. By describing a series of awful things the narrator has done to his cats, wife and his home in your story, you imply the evilness inside of human. There is immoral soul in human nature that lead to evil mind and behavior. Humans are not perfect. In The Birth-Mark, I illustrate the imperfection of human being through the characters in the story. However, not like you, I focus on the morals while you pay more attention on the human psyche, the inner voices of the characters. Those inner voices could indirectly tell the readers your understanding on human nature, but I think it would be better if you can clearly and directly show your moral views in the story.

Hawthorne

What does Franklin stand for?

Bejamin Franklin stands for his people, the American. He expresses his position through the letter to Lord Howe."Directing Pardons to be offered the Colonies, who are the very Parties injured, express indeed that Opinion of our ignorance,Baseness and Insensibility which your uninform'd and proud Nation has long been pleased to entertain of us; but it can have no other Effect than that of increasing our Resentment". The "us" in this quote represents americans. Bejamin Franklin implies his pursue of the respect from Britain to America in this quote. He promotes integrity and
stands for the weak and morals. He also indicates "all men are created equal" in his letter. Bejamin also advocates living a purposeful life and being optimistic.

What is American Literature?

In my opinion, American literature is the literature that reflects American history and American society during certain period of time. It is written by American or people who have lived under American culture. American Literature has been present since the colonial time of America, which is the starting point of American history. It embodies the history from the colonization of America to modern days America. The Crucible is a perfect example for American literature.

The Crucible is based on the Salem Witch Craft Trail in the 17^th century. People are forced to commit that they are witches or they will be killed. Not only does The Crucible mirror the Witch Craft Trail, it also implies the American society under McCarthyism. After the cold war, McCarthy, the senator, believed there were huge numbers of communists or spies for Soviet Union in United States. Innocent people were killed with the crime of being communists. The Crucible, a well-known American literature, illustrates the American history during 17^th century and 20^th century.

Narrative story like The Crucible is not the only form of American literature. It can also be poetry, drama and many more various forms. All of them suggest the American society in the past or modern time.