Sunday, April 26, 2009

House of the Seven Gables by Hawthorne

House of the Seven Gables that tells the story of the Pyncheon family. In order to explain some of the misfortunes the family undergoes as the present unfolds, the narrator takes us back to late 1600's, where a mysterious curse is conjured on the Pyncheons. The main reason for it was directly begotten by the building of the house of the seven gables, where generations of Pyncheons would perish. Matthew Maule, the original owner of the lot where the house was built, was stripped of his property by Colonel Pyncheon, a strict and greedy character, who was obsessed with building a house at the up-and-coming area. When Maule was hanged, he allegedly cursed the Pyncheons from the scaffold for having disgraced him and his family. At the house inauguration party, Colonel Pyncheon was found dead in his study, with his beard covered in blood. Although this was the first Pyncheon to die within the house of the seven gables, he would not be the last
Hepzibah is the surviving member of the Pyncheon family as the narrator closes in on the present. By this time, the Pyncheons are not the affluent household name they once were, in fact, Hepzibah is forced to open a store in the lowelevel of the house in order to keep from starvation. She is often visited by her young cousin, Phoebe, who eventually begins living at the house. Other Pyncheons begin to show up at the house as well, Clifford Pyncheon, Hepzibah's brother, who had been in prison, and Judge Pyncheon, who offers Hepzibah financial support. The funniest thing is that Holgrave, the house's only lodger, seems to know more about the Pyncheons than themselves. He tells Phoebe about how 100 years earlier, Alice Pyncheon was hypnotized by Matthew Maule, a carpenter and descendant of the original Matthew Maule, as part of a deal between her father and the carpenter. The purpose of this was to find Colonel's Pyncheon missing deed in exchange for the house and land. The awakened spirit of Maule prevent Colonel Pyncheon from revealing the secret, leaving Alice in a mortal trance.
The House of the Seven Gables not only gathers but keeps the Pyncheon family history alive. Through time, we see the family prosper and fall on its luck, but ultimately the house, as a symbol of unbreakable family ties, lives on.
Diana Sanchez

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Benito Cerano by Herman Melville

Melville's "Benito Cereno" is interesting in its depiction of slavery.  In the end, it is unclear whether Melville's intention is to promote the idea that slaves were in fact lesser beings with violent tendencies or, perhaps more controversially, he was examining the possibility that slaves were equal beings- capable of enslaving their white owners with intelligence and cunning.  In this last observation it is important to note that the slaves utilized not only brute strength but their intellectual abilities (specifically Babo's abilities) to enslave the white officers.

Babo is portrayed as a loyal slave with an odd relationship to his "master", Cerano.  He appears, to Delano, to be doting and caring with Cerano.  In fact, Delano says he would like to purchase Babo for himself.  That Babo can fool Delano and his men is testament to the fact that he is capable of complex thought and planning.  Delano is also incredibly slow in unfolding the truth of the situation on Cerano's ship.  I believe Melville purposely drags the narrative to reinforce Delano's inability to discover the slave rebellion until Cerano literally lays it at his feet.  Melville seems to juxtapose Babo's cleverness with Delano's limited imagination and lagged abilities of discernment.  The traditional roles of slave and owner are reversed here.  

It's true, in the end Babo is sentenced to death and seemingly sentenced to justice.  Perhaps to the casual reader, Babo's resulting death is yet another fitting end to the fairy tale where the villain is eventually discovered and punished.  However, the last lines of Delano's conversation with Cerano present another possibility.  Cerano does not seem able to recover from his ordeal and he dies shortly after Babo's sentence is carried out.  When Delano questions his mental state- why he cannot recover, "what has caused this shadow over you"- Cerano replies, "the negro."  Yes, Melville seems to be saying that Babo has cruelly left his mark on Cerano but Melville also has Cerano suffer a similar end.  Perhaps Cerano's end was deserved as he is a villain himself.  Cerano suffers a cruel demise for his role as slave trader (an inhuman occupation) as Babo suffers a violent end for his inhuman behavior towards the sailors.  Whether Cerano's occupation was justified by the commonality of it and Babo's actions justified by the obvious horrors he was subjected to as a slave, a simple truth remains: they were both (as equal members of the human race) capable of inhuman behavior.  In the same vein, they were also both capable of heroic behavior- Cerano in his attempt to save the lives of Delano and his men and Babo in his leadership and attempt to save his own people from enslavement.  
- Irma Suarez

Tuesday, April 14, 2009

HERMAN MELVILLE "DON BENITO"

Benito Cereno and Amasa Delano are both captains of their own ships. Don Benito is a Spaniard and Captain Delano the American. Herman Melville gives us a Peter Pan story of two ships, Don Benito’s “San Dominick” and Captain Delano’s “Bachelor’s Delight”. Don Benito’s ship is described as a “negro ship” that looks deadly and full of sickness from its voyagers.
“Negro transportation- ship as the stranger in port was. But, in one language, and as with one voice, all poured out a common tale of suffering in which the negresses, of whom there were not a few, exceeded the others in their dolorous vehemence.” (2408).
The word “negresses” is used often by Melville. Africans are view as lower class and uncivilized throughout the passages. “All six, unlike the generality, had the raw aspect of unsophisticated Africans” (2409). Many prejudice remarks are made by Melville. Although Don Benito ship seems like hell for the Africans, Captain Delano didn’t approve of Babo. Babo becomes the third and African captain of the Dominick ship.
Don Benito is described as a Spaniard that has sudden mood changes, he is also described as selfish, rich and independent. The American, Captain Delano is “peter pan”. Delano is nice generous, friendly and he comes to the rescue of Don Benito in the end. Babo’s closeness to Don Benito,1. Because he is African, 2. Because he seems to influence Don Benito’s decisions, 3. He is the captain of the slaves, and 4. Because he is aware that many white men were lost when the ship got hit hard by the winds which cause fevers and deaths on board.
Don Benito’s character and ship are seen as irrational. The ship seems as a prison for the slaves. This made Delano think twice before helping Don Benito. In a certain part of the story, Captain Delano wanted Babo, he wanted to buy him from Don Benito and I was wondering if Captain Delano was willing to buy him just so he can kill him. Babo seems to be in charge of the ship more then Don Benito. Don Benito’s character also changes towards the end he becomes more talkative, he becomes more American I suppose.
Melville has one small description of the African women in “Benito Cerano”
“This incident prompted him to remark the other negresses more particularly than before. He was gratified with their manners: like most uncivilized women, they seemed at once tender of heart and tough of constitution: equally ready to die for their infants or fight for them. Unsophisticated as leopardesses: loving as doves”. (2427)
In the end both Don Benito and Captain Delano were not sure about each others intentions. Delano wonders and ask himself questions all over whether or not he should believe and help Don Benito. Don Benito becomes grateful and owes his life to Delano the American Captain and savior of not only Don Benito’s life but as well as his ship. A couple of witnesses tell the story of Babo’s plans and ideas of revolting. Babo and the other slaves saw an opportunity to be free and try to take advantage of it by revolting against Don Benito. This attempt failed and Babo was killed, his head was on a pole in a plaza. Babo becomes Captain of his own ship in the end; he also follows his master Don Benito to his journey to Peru.

----- TIMUR BRAVO

Sunday, April 5, 2009

John Augustus Stone: "Metamora"

John Augustus Stone chooses Metacomet as his inspiration to write a play about an "aboriginal" American hero. Metamora, chief of the Wampanoags, is a classic hero; he wants to protect his family and his people, and hopes for peace with a race who do not wish to have peace with him.
Metamora’s good character was especially evident to me when he said, “If my rarest enemy had crept unarmed into my wigwam and his heart was sore, I would not have driven him from my fire nor forbidden him to lie down upon my mat.” (p 21)

There is such a difference seen between the English and the Indians, even when they are helping each other; there is no impression of them ever living in peace together. He saves Oceana and is thanked for it, but he is still seen as a heathen in her eyes. I think the relationship between Metamora, Walt and Oceana in this play is done in a way to make each side seem capable of being kindhearted and sympathetic for one another. Often in stories, one side is the bad while the other is seen as the good.

I wonder how the people of this time (not including the Native Americans) felt about this play as they watched it. The English are portrayed in such an abominable light, while the Indians are sincere and peaceful.
Well, except for Annawandah, but anyway…
Metamora will do anything for the safety of his tribe, yet Mordaunt is prepared to hand his daughter over to marry a man she doesn’t wish to marry, to save his own life.
Other than Oceana and Walt, there is no benevolence seen among the English. We see the English pillage against the Indians as we have read previously, and see the many values of the Indians who were considered uncivilized. It's interesting to point out because the entire situation was and still is ironic!

Nahmeokee strikes me as very soft spoken and her character is a significant part of this story, because without her, I don’t think Metamora could have the will power to be the hero that he is. She is very peaceful and brings a sort of calm to Metamora. Meta tells Nah that their son will not be the white man’s slave and she responds by saying, “Thy talk is strange, and fear creeps over me.” (p 18) She is so peaceful and sadly, her life is completely destroyed. She is imprisoned, and then tortured when she is free, because she is free amongst people who want to harm her. Her child dies and towards the end Metamora kills her as the “pale faces” are coming to attack them. I wasn't expecting that, at all. Meta explains his actions by saying, "She felt no white man's bondage." (p 39) Pretty powerful; He kills her instead of watching her become a white man's slave. I think it's weird that he stabs his wife, but at the same time, how could he watch her enter slavery, torture, or death by the hands of the English?

In Act III, a prevalent theme in Native American stories (in my opinion, anyway) is seen when Oceana says, “Fiends and murderers!” to which Metamora replies, “The white man has made us such. Prepare.” (p 28) I think no matter how many times a person can read something along those lines; the effect of it is always powerful.

Luigia Gregory

Pros and Cons of Emerson's "Self-Reliance"

Emerson’s “Self-Reliance" pretty much speaks for it self. It emphasizes people’s need to really rely on their selves, to not focus on being accepted by society, and to really focus on being an individual instead of having some kind of a desperate need of belonging to a community which I can say I do agree with, however, the idea of self-reliance here can be dangerous, can cause isolation, and it is a bit too idealistic. It is sound when Emerson brings up the issue of people who let go of their dreams or of their ideas just because they are afraid of how society perceives them. They easily let go of their dreams and allow other people who are not afraid of society’s opinion to steal their ideas, basically, it is better to follow your own thought, no matter how ridiculous it may seem or someone else will take that idea and run with it. Also, the idea of hard work and its consequences (good) are also emphasized in Emerson’s “Self-Reliance” which can be seen when he states, “A man is relieved and gay when he has put his heart in his work and done his best”. There is no other feeling than feeling proud when you have worked so hard for something and you gave your whole heart into it and it becomes successful. The accomplishment makes you feel confident that you can do anything.
Although, I do agree with most of Emerson’s rhetoric, there were some statements that can be dangerous if used for the wrong reasons. When someone starts throwing out phrases like “the only right is what is after my constitution, the only wrong what is against it or What I must do, is all that concerns me, not that people think”, it becomes dangerous especially when read by, shall we say, a very angry, messed up (mentally), and lonely individual who can take this phrase and cause havoc on other people. For instance, Emerson states “To believe your own thought, to believe that what is true for you in your private heart, is true for all men, -that is genius”. Hum, okay, are we forgetting about Hitler, Ida Amin, and other crazy rulers who believed in what ever the craziness they believed in and used that craziness that they called their beliefs to cause unbelievable brutality in the world. Should they be commended on following their own beliefs, on carrying out their beliefs, and causing havoc on their innocent victims? I am going to assume that Emerson is not advocating for people to be the next Hitlers or Ida Amins of the world. So, maybe, just maybe, Emerson is stating that the ability to have any belief, a belief that was not forced onto you, a belief that is yours and your alone, whether you want everyone to belief in it or not is not important, but the fact that it was your idea and your belief is what really matters; it is an authentic belief and idea.
It seems as if most of Emerson’s proverbs or advices have some sense of duality because they do seem as if they are good advice to live by, however, they can also seem arrogant and selfish. An instance is when Emerson states” Envy is ignorance” and “imitation is suicide”. Yes, being envious of someone can be ignorant, can cause jealousy , and hatred, however, why does envy have to be completely ignorance, why can’t it be a stepping stool for someone to better themselves. If I see someone who has something that I have been killing myself to get, why shouldn’t that motivate me to work harder to get whatever it is that I have been killing myself for. Also, why does imitation have to be suicide? Why can’t imitation be a sign of respect? Hell, I would love to have a life that resembles Oprah’s; I would also love to imitate the beliefs of Martin Luther King Jr., Pastor Festus Adeyeye, and Gandhi. Yes, maybe I am not following an original precept of living my life; maybe I am not coming up with my own rules of how I want to live, however, these individuals who have lived marvelous lives are my teachers in hopes of also having a life that resembles their own.
Yes, I do agree that people do not need to conform to societal pressure in order to fit in, people should believe in their ability to accomplish anything they put their minds to, people should believe that they are smart enough to come up with ideas that have never been though of before, however, there is a line between self reliance and selfishness. Why is it wrong to want to help the poor, why is it wrong to want to give to the poor? Yes, there are some institutions that use money that are suppose to be for the poor for their own benefits, which pisses me off, however, that does not mean that everyone is like that. Yes, have your beliefs, but don’t impose that belief onto others, have your own mind and do something wonderful with that belief, but don’t be selfish or completely secluded from the world just because you have your own beliefs. Again, Emerson makes some great points, however, caution is advised.