Motif v. Meaning

Motif v. Meaning

             Don't have sex with your best friends boyfriend. The negative effects of banging your best friends boyfriend is a moral portrayed throughout the entirety of the show, Gossip Girl. The act of doing such a thing isn't the universal idea, it's not what helps the character develop, and it's not a way to detect change either. Therefore, banging your best friends boyfriend is not the theme of Gossip Girl, but the moral. Oftentimes a theme is overlooked as a moral or a complex life lesson, however a theme is simply an underlying meaning of a literary work. A moral is a overall lesson being taught by the author to the readers. Although not all stories have morals, when an author includes one to their writing, it is important to decipher the difference between the theme and the moral. Examples of this are “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe,"  What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie and “The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Overall, each of these short stories have prominent themes, however they lack a significant lesson. 

            “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe presents a strong theme which emerges throughout the story: hate can overpower love. Poe shares the story of a man whose animosity of one's certain feature changes his emotions toward the former friend. Although the narrator may love this man, the simple distaste for his eye drives him to a point of insanity. The narrator says, “I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult. For his gold I had no desire. I think it was his eye! Yes, it was this! One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture—a pale blue eye, with a film over it. Whenever it fell upon me, my blood ran cold; and so by degrees—very gradually—I made up my mind to take the life of the old man, and thus rid myself of the eye forever” (Poe 1).  The idea that love is less impactful than hate makes this story what it is. It would be a stretch to say that “Tell Tale Heart” contains any true morals. The entirety of this story failed to further its readers knowledge and understanding of an abstract aspect of life. 

            Sherman Alexie’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”  beholds many important themes that structure the development of the character. Growing up as a Native American, Jackson's life was never going to be easy. His pure intelligence gave him a chance at going to college, but the affects of alcoholism and homelessness prevented him from reaching his goals of becoming successful. “I grew up in Spokane, moved to Seattle twenty-three years ago for college, flunked out after two semesters, worked various blue- and blue-collar jobs, married two or three times, fathered two or three kids, and then went crazy” ( Alexie 1). The theme of this short story is homelessness permeates potential. Jackson may have potential to achieve great things, but such an obstacle gives him the disadvantage. His true goal of moving to Seattle was intended for school, however his main priorities went in the opposite direction fairly quickly. You could say the moral of this story is to not be homeless, or don't be an alcoholic, but in some cases those things are inevitable. Alexie is implementing more than just those statements. He is trying to explain to us that this character was held back because of the situation he had been put in. It wasn't his choice, if he could he would do good for this world. “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” held the universal idea that homelessness does indeed permeate true potential.

             “The Thing Around Your Neck” by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is a clear representation of a piece of writing, containing strong themes and unintended morals. Difficulty of facing new culture, could be looked at as one of the dominant themes in this story. The main character migrates from Africa to America with falsified opinions of the over glorified country. She has difficulty finding her way, soon left on her own to make it in the new country. “You thought everybody in America had a car and a gun; your uncles and aunts and cousins thought so, too. Right after you won the American visa lottery, they told you: In a month, you will have a big car. Soon, a big house. But don't buy a gun like those Americans” (Adichie 1). America is looked at to be a place where life is far easier, this may be the case in some aspects, but as the character experiences it's not exactly what it is made out to be. She uses “the thing around her neck” to describe her difficulties in this new world. The development of the character improves where later she describes the object on her neck to begin to let go. Difficulty of facing new culture is clearly what allows the main character to change and improve her life in the new world. There are again no morals that blatantly appear while reading this story. 

             Themes oftentimes are not plainly exemplified in a story, but they are always present. A theme is most accurately described as the subject or topic which structures the entirety of the work. Commonly, the theme of a story is confused with the moral of a story. A moral is a lesson being taught to readers through the writing of the author; essentially, it’s what the reader gets out of the story. The theme of a story is not presented to teach the reader, but rather provide a principle to shape a story around. 

Topics Are Discussed, Themes Are Explored

A theme is a central idea that an author wants readers to think about. A topic is a subject dealt with in a text. A theme is not a topic and a topic is not a theme. These literary terms are often confused and used incorrectly. The central idea an author wants a reader to consider is the theme of that literary work; the themes of  “The Story of an Hour,” “Hills Like White Elephants,” and “The Yellow Wallpaper,” similar to the themes of any literary work, aren't simply topics, but deeper ideas the authors want readers to explore.

In the short story “The Story of an Hour,” Kate Chopin uses a woman's reaction to her husband’s alleged death to discuss the topic of independence and explore the theme that relationships are inherently oppressive. When Mrs. Mallard was told her husband had died, she is initially overcome with grief, as any new widow is expected to be. Her reaction when the grief subsides is one that is not often thought of  when dealing with someone losing the person they love. As Mrs. Mallard reflects on her love for her husband she realizes that self assertion is much more important than love and whispers, “Free! Body and soul free!” (Chopin 14). Her excitement for her newfound freedom and independence is obvious. This independence is a topic that is brought up in this short story; it is directly represented by Mrs. Mallard’s words and actions. As Mrs. Mallard realized her independence, she reflected on her marriage and her intermittent love for her husband she decides,  “What could love, the unsolved mystery, count for in the face of this possession of self-assertion which she suddenly recognizes  as the strongest impulse of her being” (Chopin 14). Mrs. Mallard realizes that love is much less desirable than independence and self-assertion. For her, being a widow was better than being a wife because as a widow she could live her life the way she wanted to and as a married woman she had to live her life the way her husband wanted. The oppression of her marriage was that of her identity. Relationships, especially marriage, require sacrifices of personal time, ideas, and desires. These sacrifices are inherently oppressive, which is why the release of this oppression causes Mrs. Mallard to react the way she did. In losing her husband, she gains back herself and her significance as an individual. This theme of relationships being oppressive provides a deeper understanding of the topic of Mrs. Mallard’s response to her newfound independence.   

Ernest Hemingway explores a different topic but a similar theme in his short story, “Hills Like White Elephants.” Using an unsympathetic male character and a sympathetic female character, Hemingway brings the reader’s attention to the hidden manipulation present in relationships and its impact on personal decisions when one person in the relationship is dependent on the other. As the couple in the bar discusses what is thought to be an abortion, the girl asks, “And if I do it you’ll be happy and things will be like they were and you’ll love me?” ​(Hemingway 49). Her dependence on the man she is with is apparent. She relies on him to assure her that having the procedure is the right option and is basing her decision on making him happy instead of thinking about what the best option is for herself. This dependence is a topic discussed in the text. In the end, the man carries the bags to the other side of the train to be loaded. When he comes back he asks the girl if she feels better, “I feel fine,” she said. “There’s nothing wrong with me. I feel fine” (Hemingway 50). The man carries the bags without hesitation because he has no doubts about the procedure. The girl, previously indecisive, now has made up her mind. According to her, she’s fine. She’s completely fine with the man’s decision to move the bags and to have her have the procedure. It’s the man who decides for her to have the procedure, and it’s the girl who agrees with the man in order to stay with him. Her compliance with the man’s choice exposes how heavily dependent on this man’s love she is. Her dependence is so strong that it drives her to have this procedure solely for the man and not for herself. Her dependence is a topic, but the massive effect it has on her life is a theme.

Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s “The Yellow Wallpaper” also explores power structures within relationships, specifically romantic relationships between a physician and a patient, and how they can lead to a lack of acknowledgement and treatment that can be detrimental to an individual’s well-being. The narrator writes, as she is kept in a room with bolted furniture and a gated window, about her life under the care of her husband. As she describes her husband and how he and her own brother, both physicians, say that there is nothing wrong with her but a temporary nervous depression, she explains their idea of treatment saying, “So I take phosphates or phosphites--whichever it is, and tonics, and journeys, and air, and exercise, and am absolutely forbidden to "work" until I am well again” (Gilman 96). From the narrator’s perspective, her mental illness is neither acknowledged nor treated by her husband, who’s also her doctor. She’s told that nothing is really wrong with her and that tonics, air and exercise is all she needs to feel better. This lack of acknowledgement and treatment is a topic in “The Yellow Wallpaper.”

In the description of her husband she poses this question: “If a physician of high standing, and one's own husband, assures friends and relatives that there is really nothing the matter with one but temporary nervous depression--a slight hysterical tendency-- what is one to do?” (Gilman 96). Her doctor is her husband. This cause a largely uneven power structure, leaving the husband with all control and the wife with none. Her opinion holds no power when the opinion of a high standing position who also loves her is the opposite. This also causes confusion between the professional, doctor patient relationship and the romantic, marital relationship between her and her husband. This intertwined relationship causes one to pose the question of when is he acting as the doctor and when is he acting as her husband. His medical and marital decisions are easily mixed up and incorrectly used. These problems within the relationship are the cause of the lack of acknowledgement and treatment; the theme is the cause of the topic.
A theme is not a moral nor a topic, but morals can be found in themes and themes are expansions of topics. A moral is a lesson concerning what’s right. Chopin, Hemingway, and Gilman all explore themes concerning the negative effects of relationships, but the arguments are not whether being in a relationship is right or wrong. While the theme of “The Yellow Wallpaper” is the confusion of roles when a professional and romantic relationship and intertwined, a possible moral of the story is that mixing professional and romantic relationships is wrong. The moral can be found within the theme, but it’s not the theme in itself. Similarly, a topic of a short story is an idea stated or an action that occurs in the text, and the theme is the idea behind that topic that provides deeper meaning and explanation. The topic supports the theme but is not the theme itself. Themes, morals, and topics are intertwined but not equivalent. Literature is complex and in order to analyze it, one must first understand the differences between each aspect of  literary work, including but not limited to themes, morals, and topics.

The Core Connection

The Core Connection

“Two Kinds”:

http://s3.amazonaws.com/scschoolfiles/400/two_kinds_by_amy_tan.pdf

“When Success Leads to Failure”: http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/08/when-success-leads-to-failure/400925/

       There is nothing stronger than a bond between a mother and daughter. “Two Kinds,” a short story by Amy Tan, and the article “When Success Leads to Failure,” by Jessica Lahey on The Atlantic, both examine the roles in this mother-daughter relationship along with its impact on development. They both explore the importance of the relationship between a mother and daughter in the child’s development by discussing the effects of a mother who is undermining her child’s future success, a daughter who has no passion for what she does, and the reactions of the mother and child to success and failure.

        A mother has a strong impact on the life of her daughter, and Tan’s short story and Lahey’s article both explore the effects of a mother who is becoming an obstacle for the daughter’s development. Lahey’s article examines the importance of a mother’s encouragement in the development of learning in her child. Lahey writes:

We taught Marianna that her potential is tied to her intellect, and that her intellect is more important than her character. We taught her to come home proudly bearing As, championship trophies […] and we inadvertently taught her to protect her academic and extracurricular perfection at all costs.

It is necessary to encourage children to take risks rather than win awards to develop skills that will help them in the future. “Two Kinds” demonstrates another example of a mother who is undermining her daughter’s development by showing the misery of too much parental pressure. “And after seeing, once again, my mother’s disappointed face, something inside me began to die,” explains the daughter in Tan’s short story (Tan 212). The mother’s pressure will lead to her daughter’s obedience. However, it will cause sorrow for the daughter that makes the experience harmful in development. The mother lacks encouragement to teach her daughter the importance of developing skills. The influence a mother has through encouragement and demands for obedience can have a destructive effect on the development of her child, but a child’s development can also be damaged by other factors.

        If a child lacks passion for what they do, they will put in less effort, which is damaging to their development. Both Tan’s short story and Lahey’s article explore how the development of a disinterested child will be impacted. When being forced into playing piano, the daughter in Tan’s story complains, “When my mother told me this, I felt as though I had been sent to hell” (Tan 213). The hatred the daughter feels for learning the piano leads to her lack of correcting mistakes and ultimate failure in the concert. Lahey's article examines the effects of a lack of passion arguing, “Her child has sacrificed her natural curiosity and love of learning at the altar of achievement” (Lahey). A child performing a task that they are not passionate about will lead to less future success because of a lack of effort. If a child has an interest in achieving a goal, they will persevere and welcome failure as an opportunity to learn. But, if they are working without passion, they will not care about lessons learned and make improvements, which is ultimately detrimental to their development. The attitude of a child is an important part of a mother-child relationship when examining its effect on development and future results; additionally, the consequences of these results has a significant impact on a child’s development.

        The reactions of a mother and child after a success or failure has a tremendous effect on a child’s development. A mother must encourage her child not only after success, but also after failure. “And contrary to what she may believe, in these more difficult situations she is learning,” writes Lahey in her article (Lahey). Failure leads to learning, which helps a child develop by making improvements for future success. A child’s reaction will be shaped by the reaction of the mother; a mother must be encouraging and supportive to ensure her daughter will react positively. In “Two Kinds,” the daughter explains, “But my mother’s expression was what devastated me: a quiet, blank look that said she had lost everything” (Tan 217). A child must learn how to react to success and failure, and a dejected response from a mother leads to frustration and depression for the child. Children are impressionable; both Lahey’s article and Tan’s short story examine how detrimental a lack of encouragement is for the development of a child after a success or failure.

        A mother and her child form a fundamental bond. Maintaining a positive relationship between a mother and child is essential to the child’s development, which can be harmed if a mother puts too much pressure on her child or lacks encouragement, if a child has a lack of passion, and if a mother reacts negatively to successes and failures of her child. While Tan’s short story is a work of fiction, it relates closely to the article by Jessica Lahey in exploring the important aspects of this mother-daughter relationship. Both fiction and nonfiction works discuss the same features of the relationship with two different perspectives; while the article provides analysis, the fictional short story provides a potential situation that explores similar ideas. Both works unite in teaching how to construct the important elements of the strong mother-child relationship that is a foundation for the child throughout their development.

Pictures:

Failure quote: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/60/6f/5d/606f5d7e76ed9aceac2d4638af80021a.jpg

Mother-child relationship quote:

http://quotes.lifehack.org/media/quotes/quote-Erich-Fromm-the-mother-child-relationship-is-paradoxical-and-in-49147.png

I’m Proud of You picture:

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/37/f9/d0/37f9d06c087723386011966914276f77.jpg

Child development picture:

http://www.practicingparents.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/childdevelopementfront.jpg

Extreme Chaos

Chaos and confusion is an everyday issue for most people. Days filled with many things to do and people to see usually causes commotion. Whether it is a plethora of different events, a series of noises, or something that causes an equal amount of havoc, it has been an issue for everyone at some time. In Sherman Alexie’s “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” (http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2003/04/21/what-you-pawn-i-will-redeem), the main character, Jackson, lives with constant chaos. There is no structure to his life and he actually seems to like it that way, although it causes emotional and physical pandemonium . In Ravi Kiran’s “Chaos” (http://www.poetrysoup.com/poem/chaos_721346), he writes about how eerie noises and actions cause emotional chaos. Noises and actions that regularly occur throughout the day cause the poet to write about feelings overwhelm most people. “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie relates to “Chaos” by Ravi Kiran through the underlying theme of chaos.

Imagine living in a world where you had no path ahead of you. Imagine having no structure or control to your life. Jackson Jackson from “What Your Pawn I Will Redeem” lives this life. He does whatever he wants whenever he wants. Some may say that this is the ideal life, but living without organization leads to panic in Jackson’s life. The story starts with Jackson and his two friends, Rose of Sharon and Junior. They discover a family artifact of Jackson’s, a regalia or a form native american attire, and make it their goal to earn enough money to buy the regalia from a pawn shop. You would think that motivation would lead to Jackson and his friends having more structure and focus to their lives, but instead it caused Jackson to lose his friends. Rose of Sharon “hitchhiked back to Toppenish and was living with her sister on the reservation” (Alexie 32) and Junior “hitchhiked down to Portland, Oregon, and died of exposure in an alley behind the Hilton Hotel” (Alexie 37). Jackson’s friends did not even let him know that they were leaving which led to a series of chaotic events. To start, Jackson tried to raise the money for his family’s regalia by himself, but he would always make a bit of money then go spend it on alcohol. His alcoholism led him to pass out on the railroad tracks. This decision would have caused Jackson his life if a policeman hadn’t woken him up. Jackson then decided to pay for breakfast for himself and a few others with his money he had raised for the purchase of the regalia. Jackson made poor decisions that made him mentally and physically unstable. His life is the perfect example of a hectic and confusing one as he never really knew what the next day will hold. Chaos is just an everyday ordeal for Jackson Jackson.

Everyday people are stricken with busy schedules and lots of things to do. Most people have order and organization to their hectic lives, but sometimes even the smallest thing will cause a person to feel overwhelmed. From grade to grad school chalkboards are used by teachers. Students despise the sound that comes from the chalkboard when it is written on incorrectly. This sound is most commonly referred to as “nails on a chalkboard”. Even just hearing this dreadful sounds sends some people into total disarray. Untidy paperwork and clutter often leads to havoc for some people as well. “Chaos” by Ravi Kiran explores some actions that lead to chaos in people’s lives. Screeching, squealing, scratching, crumbling, disorganization, and teeth grinding are all causes of mayhem for people. These things can lead to “An emotional chaos... creating void in the chest/and the unrest mind disobeys to sleep” (Kiran). After getting being overwhelmed by constant chaos, some start to become different people. Although they may still look and seem the same on the outside, inside chaos starts to eat away at them. It would be much easier to live in a world where there is not much confusion and disorder.

Chaos is an aspect in everyone’s lives. Some deal with it mentally, and some deal with it physically. In “Chaos” and in “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”, chaos leads to emotional unrest. Jackson in “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” goes throughout his life with no composition, which leads to chaotic events occurring. These events such as his friends disappearing, getting drunk and ending up on railroad tracks, and sharing all his earning left Jackson in an emotionally unstable place. Without any sort of organization to his life, Jackson had to make his choices independently. Jackson “emerged from the blackness and discovered myself (himself) walking behind a big warehouse. I (he) didn’t know where I (he) was. My (his) face hurt. I (He) felt my (his) nose and decided that it might be broken” (Alexie 39). These actions contribute to the chaos in Jackson’s life as he relies on alcohol to help him make decisions. Drinking may be a way for him to relieve himself after a long and hectic day, but it greatly impairs his judgement and led him to feeling hurt and alone. Therefore, chaos in Jackson’s life makes him feel like there are a million thoughts racing through his head. Similarly, in “Chaos” the poet writes about how chaotic events lead to anxiety and unrest. It is portrayed that obsessive-compulsive disorder, or compulsions in everyday life, cause cause chaos in the narrator’s life that leads to him/her feeling overwhelmed. Rivan writes that “the disarrayed thoughts/ like untidy paperwork” lead to “An emotional chaos” (Rivan). Therefore, the narrator feels shaken and emotional by chaotic events. Jackson and the narrator both feel emotional unrest due to chaotic events in “Chaos” and “What You Pawn I Will Redeem”.

Chaos is an overwhelming concept. The idea of having a chaotic schedule scares most people, but what if you have a chaotic life? Many people feel as though their lives are constantly in disarray and it leads to them feeling emotionally overwhelmed. Jackson Jackson definitely feels this way because his life has no schedule. He goes through life with no agenda which leads to chaotic events and feelings. The narrator in “Chaos” also depicts chaotic feelings that occur due to overwhelming noises and events. “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie relates to “Chaos” by Ravi Kiran through the underlying theme of chaos.

Crazy.

Crazy.

“You’re Crazy.” No other phrase has attempted to put down so many genius ideas, so many solutions in the making. What is craziness? Is it simply differing from the normal in thought? What if one thinks too much, reviewing and reviewing their actions and their future, if we can hope to including everything into our considerations, then we will be crazy in any sense of the word.  Therefore it is important to not look too far ahead, for it can drive a man into madness. This common madness, existing in the stress of our streets and schools, was explored by many even before its sources came about. Edgar Allen Poe wrote “The Tell Tale Heart” in 1843, one of the many “gothic fictions” he is famous for. Even before him, Edward Young published “The Complaint: or Night Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality,” otherwise known as “Night Thoughts,” exploring very similar concepts. “The Tell Tale Heart” by Edgar Allen Poe and “The Complaint: or Night Thoughts on Life, Death, and Immortality” both showcase a madness caused by over contemplating to the point of overwhelming.
    In Edward Young’s poem, he himself is over contemplating, and therefore drives the poem into a madness of predictions. In “The Tell Tale Heart,” the narrator has very successfully committed a murder, however he gives himself away by being too careful when policemen arrive, too welcoming, and they suspect him of his crime. Rather than arrest him on the spot, they continue looking through the house, making small talk until he eventually realizes that they know, and falls into a fit of insanity. “In human hearts what bolder thought can rise, Than man's presumption on tomorrow's dawn?” (Young) is the principle that turns a murderer into a madman. If perhaps the narrator had acted with caution, not been as confident in his security, had not over compensated with his acting to the police, he would have gotten away scot free. Of course he is a madman nevertheless, killing somebody requires a pre existing unbalance in the mind, but it is he, not the policemen, that finally rats himself out. Overthinking kills him, as it becomes uncontrollable.
    Prevalent in both stories is an escalation, a common wonderance turned into a full out statement about the way we live our lives.
 “At thirty man suspects himself a fool;
Knows it at forty, and reforms his plan;
    At fifty chides his infamous delay,
   Pushes his prudent purpose to resolve;
In all the magnanimity of thought
    Resolves, and re-resolves:then dies the same.” (Young)
The killer in “The Tell Tale Heart” starts off just plotting, waiting for the perfect moment to kill, reforming his plan, delaying, resolving, and finally kills just as he would have had he not waited. He develops an obsession with his own brilliance, every detail is thought out to the extreme, although the climax is not in fact the actual murder, but rather at the end, when he finally bursts. “‘Villains!’ I shrieked, ‘dissemble no more! I admit the deed!-tear up the planks- here, here!- it is the beating of his hideous heart.’” (83). It is impossible that the old man's heart is still beating, he has been dead now for an hour, but the murderer has been reviewing the murder in his head, marvelling at it, and he imagines the heart.
        What is craziness? In order for there to be a different, or crazy, there must be a normal, a theoretical perfect individual who is 100% not special. In “The Tell Tale Heart,” Poe does not give any look into the thoughts of a normal individual, even the old man is abnormal, with his humongous eye, and the police are portrayed as mocking, enjoying themselves as someone is driven insane. Therefore, if there is no ‘normal’ to base actions off of, we can only assume that the speaker is ‘normal’ in the story. In Young’s poem, the speaker is trusted simply because there is no reason not too, classic English poets are rarely doubted. Had the same lines been spewed from a murderer, a psychopath, they would have no credibility. If the rambles in “The Tell Tale Heart” were given in another context, they would not be thrown away as crazy rambles. Two pieces convey similar themes, however they are interpreted differently.
        Almost everyone has thought something that they regret thinking, something that they know they should not speak, and yet we do not consider ourselves crazy. These two literary works examine the actions taken on these thoughts, does a reader then have the right to say that one is insane and the other is not? All that is lacking from “The Tell Tale Heart” is a sense of restraint, and yet that in itself does not imply craziness in everyday life. If it is as easy to become crazy as in the poem or story, shouldn't we all be crazy already? If so, then crazy is normal. Perhaps nobody said it better than the villain Syndrome, in The Incredibles, “...when everyone’s super, no one will be.”

    Check out the poem here: Click On Me!
    Check out another version of the story here: Click On Me!

Abolishing Genetic Stereotypes of Native American Alcoholism

      America’s perception of Native American alcoholism is highly speculated on, with regards to the extremely high percentile in comparison to the average American citizen. This concept of high Native American alcoholism rates is analyzed in the short story, ‘“What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie, a realistic-fiction text, in which the narrator, Jackson, goes on a mission to earn money and regain his grandmother’s prized regalia. In a different way, Maia Szalavitz explores Native American alcoholism in the article, “No, Native Americans Aren’t Genetically More Susceptible to Alcoholism,” where she looks at the alcohol rate in Native American households and connects it to different principles, as these large estimates are typically associated with genetics, a stereotype the author strives to abolish. In both of these texts, the role of Native American alcoholism is prevalent, as it is today in U.S. culture. Alcoholism has played a prominent role in Jackson’s life, brought up by his struggles with poverty, familial stress, and inability to educate, which are further explained in Maia Szalavitz’s article.
      An origin of Native American alcoholism that is discussed in both texts is poverty. Szalavitz connects the high alcohol percentage with poverty, as people with low economic standing tend to have a higher risk of alcohol and substance abuse. In “What You Pawn I Will Redeem,” Jackson seems to use alcohol as a source of comfort in his struggle to gather money to pay the pawn shop owner. After completing several small jobs, he uses his newly earned money to buy alcohol, going to a bar on one occasion and buying alcohol for his friends on another. Szalavitz further explores the relationship between poverty and alcoholism in her article, writing, “local poverty rates and levels of unemployment rose in tandem with drug problems” (Szalavitz). Szalavitz closely relates the levels of poverty and alcohol abuse, connecting the root of alcoholism to something other than biology, something with which it is typically associated. In both texts, the authors identify poverty as a main source of Native American alcoholism, and how their high ratings are something that can be modified to reduce the level of alcoholism, similar to familial stress.
 In addition to poverty, familial stress can also contribute to Native American alcoholism. For Jackson, his family history seemed to have a very prominent role in his life, as he recalls past moments in vivid detail. When Jackson is involved in a conversation with a police officer, he begins to recall the horrific time where his great-uncle killed his grandfather, saying, “And for some reason my great-uncle reached down, pulled my grandfather’s pistol out of the holster, and shot him in the head” (Alexie 41). This notion of tragedy is also explained in Szalavitz’s article, as she examines familial stress and its relation to alcohol abuse among Native Americans. In Jackson’s situation, he is heavily affected by the actions of other (elder) members of his family, as the actions of his great-uncle still haunt him. Szalavitz writes about this concept, stating, “stress doesn’t just affect one generation” (Szalavitz). Stress as a multi-generation ramification could be used to explain many of the events that have shaped Jackson’s life and well-being. Familial stress could also affect Jackson in other more basic ways, like pressure to get educated and involved in the work world.
       Improper education and unemployment have staggering statistics in the Native American world, once again contributing to the immense percentage of alcohol abusers. In “What You Pawn I Will Redeem,” Jackson is never properly educated and fails to hold a steady job throughout the course of the book, scavenging for money in “blue- and bluer- collar jobs” (Alexie 29). These actions seem to contribute to his alcoholism as he lacks some common sense and relies on alcohol to relieve him of his stress and hide from his problems. In “No, Native Americans Aren’t Genetically More Susceptible to Alcoholism,” Maia Szalavitz stresses the significance of unemployment and how it corresponds with alcoholism. Unemployment has deep ties with alcohol abuse, as it “is linked with a doubling of addiction risk” (Szalavitz). Jackson seems to be able to relate to this statement, as he struggles to hold a job and fights his alcohol addiction. The basis of the story centers around Jackson’s battle with alcoholism and how his misjudgement with money often leads him down the wrong path in life. With the help of “No, Native Americans Aren’t Genetically More Susceptible to Alcoholism,” some of the factors behind Jackson’s alcoholism are given and supported with valid reasoning.
       Throughout “What You Pawn I Will Redeem,” Jackson openly shares his encounters with alcoholism and how they have shaped his life. While the reader may initially attribute this battle to genetics, Maia Szalavitz explains the importance of other factors in “No, Native Americans Aren’t Genetically More Susceptible to Alcoholism.” Together, these texts are able to express how widely spread Native American alcoholism is, and the causes behind it. Among the causes of Native American alcoholism, poverty is one of the resonating factors. The underlying plot of Alexie’s story is Jackson searching high and low for money, but he seems to constantly be spending money frivolously and falling short of his goal. Maia Szalavitz addresses poverty at several different points in her article, and the statistics she shares show a mutual increase with low economic standing and alcoholism. Another point brought up my Szalavitz is familial stress, and how it affects more than one member/generation. For Jackson, memories of his childhood continue to haunt him, as they cloud his mind in his journey to redeem his grandmother’s regalia. As Jackson continues to earn money for the regalia, he tries to deepen the connection with his grandmother, even if she is not present. A final point brought up by Szalavitz is unemployment and minimal education’s role in Native American alcoholism. One of Szalavitz’s main intentions is to share the relation between unemployment and Native American Alcoholism, sharing that “people who are addicted are more likely to lose their jobs” (Szalavitz). In Alexie’s story, Jackson is constantly unemployed, picking up small jobs occasionally. Between the two texts, Szalavitz attempts to explain some of the factors that contribute to Jackson’s alcohol addiction. While these factors certainly help to explain Jackson’s struggles, they also share vital information about the Native American population. Through Szalavitz’s article, Native American citizens are given support and allow others to gain a more knowledgeable perspective on their struggles with alcoholism.

Theme: A Question of Morality

Jack Bergantino

5 November 2015

Theme: A Question of Morality

“The theme of a book is the message it sends to the reader. Basically, what life lesson did the book teach you?”, claims Empire.State.of.Mind. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Let me tell you why:

The theme must be understood as an idea, not a message (!), that the author of a story emphasizes, and it varies dramatically between different pieces. For instance, “Guests of the Nation” by Frank O’Connor, “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie, and “A&P” by John Updike have three separate concerns. The theme of a narrative is not a moral because themes can be in sync or against the types of accepted values that you were taught as a youngster.

“Guests of the Nation” by O’Connor doesn’t have a moral lesson because it explores how duty comes before loyalty to friends. The main character of the story, Bonaparte, accepts his role in murdering two men, which over the course of the story, he has grown to like. “‘Isn’t it [the order to kill Hawkins] true, Bonaparte?’ ‘It is,’ I said, and Hawkins stopped. ‘Ah, for Christ’s sake, chum!’.‘I mean it, chum.’ I said” (O’Connor) Although reluctantly, Bonaparte participates in murdering his two companions. The overall message of “Guests of the Nation” is socially unacceptable. Murder is one of the no-nos that we learn from a young age and the example found in this story is not an exception. While obedience towards authority is expected of you,  following orders that are against what is widely-agreed as acceptable, is a sinful act. The prevailing idea of the short story remains that one’s loyalty to authority is more important than one’s loyalty to friends. The theme of “Guests of the Nation” is not a moral message because it is against common value.  

While a theme is not a lesson, it can be similar to accepted ideals in society, such as the theme of the short story, “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Alexie. The main character, Jackson, attempts to earn enough money to regain his grandmother’s regalia and ultimately fails. Yet, the pawnshop owner, who possesses the item, returns it to Jackson despite his inability to pay for it. “‘Take it,’ he [the pawnshop owner] said, and held it out to me. ‘I don’t have the money.’ ‘I don’t want your money’. But I wanted to win it.’ ‘You did win it’” (Alexie). Although Jackson wasn’t able purchase the regalia, the pawnshop owner rewarded him with it. So, the theme of the narrative is one’s own hard work will be repaid. Similarly, this is an accepted and commonly taught ideal: diligence will be rewarded. Although “theme” should never be replaced with “moral”, in “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” the underlying idea presented in the story is similar to culturally accepted values.

Though able to act as either ethical or unethical, the theme of a story is beyond the confines of morals, like in “A&P” by Updike. The main character, Sammy, watches an attractive girl shop at the store where he works and upon her exit, Sammy quickly quits his job and rushes outside to find that the girl has already left. “I could see Lengel [the manager] in my place in the slot, checking the sheep through. His face was dark gray and his back stiff” (Updike). The central theme of the story revolves around Sammy’s freedom from authority and newfound individuality. Sammy becomes his own, distinct character upon his exit. “I fold the apron ‘Sammy’ is stitched in red on the pocket, and put it on the counter, and drop the bow tie on top of it. The bow tie is theirs, if you’ve ever wondered” (Updike). Updike uses powerful symbolism to show the idea that Sammy is now his own individual, easily separated from the employees working in the store. This is not a lesson, however. “A&P” does not explicitly share the consequences of Sammy’s decision, only that he has quit his job. Themes should neither be described as moral messages nor unethical ideas as exemplified in  “A&P” by John Updike.

Theme is defined as a thought that is prevalent in a narrative. “Guests of the Nation” by Frank O’Connor, “What You Pawn I Will Redeem” by Sherman Alexie, and “A&P” by John Updike share how themes vary greatly between different pieces.  They can be underlying messages that are alike to the lessons that teachers share with their students or parents with their children. However, theme should not be measured in terms of ethics, yet, instead, by its importance to the story. But, you thought: “the theme of a book is the message it sends to the reader. Basically, what life lesson did the book teach you?” Do you still believe that? Yeah, that’s what I thought.

The Evocative Power of Literature and Poetry

The Evocative Power of Literature and Poetry

At museums, it is common to find people looking at a work of art and feeling something. This can be a fleeting feeling of pleasure, or an image of something familiar, provoked unconsciously by an aspect of the artwork. Pieces of writing can also be incredibly powerful, and make readers feel and imagine things intensely. These feelings can then be connected to similar feelings evoked by other works, such as pieces of literature, artworks, pieces of music, even current events articles. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s short story “The Thing Around Your Neck,” is a short story focusing on Akunna, a woman struggling with the reality of moving to America from Nigeria, and finding it to be different from how she imagined it. Akunna experiences the loneliness and isolation that accompanies moving to a strange new place, but also feels isolated by the unreasonable judgement made about her, based solely on her appearance. Adichie’s storytelling ability allows readers to sympathize with her character, and the vivid imagery used intensifies the loneliness and sadness felt. In her poem “Loneliness,” Katherine Mansfield paints vivid pictures of an ominous landscape and the melancholy embrace between two characters. The imagery and diction used in Katherine Mansfield’s poem “Loneliness” leaves one with a sense of unease and sadness similar to the sense one gets when reading “The Thing Around Your Neck.”

One similarity between “The Thing Around Your Neck” and “Loneliness” is the descriptive, eerie imagery. Akunna might feel lonely for a number of reasons. She is away from her family, isolated by the less-than-kind reactions of people around her, and in a relationship with someone who means well, but isn’t fully understanding. This suffocating loneliness is conveyed in one dark, powerful sentence: “At night, something would wrap itself around your neck, something that nearly choked you before you fell asleep” (Adichie 88). Adichie doesn’t further explain this ominous statement, leaving it up to interpretation, but it certainly provides a vivid image. In her poem, “Loneliness,” Mansfield personifies loneliness, creating a similar effect and leaving one feeling uneasy, almost sad. “Now it is Loneliness who comes at night / Instead of Sleep, to sit beside my bed” (Mansfield 1-2). The idea of loneliness as a woman, alighting on one’s bed, is just as lucid as the “noose” that chokes Akunna as she sleeps. It even introduces the idea that loneliness, in the form of a person, could be what is choking her. Both these images, though different in intention, evoke a comparable feeling of sadness and loneliness.

Another connection between these two pieces is the comparison of the dark reality of Akunna’s situation to the image of waves crashing against a shadowy cliff at night in “Loneliness.” These two things, while completely different in nature, are both somber and ominous. As she arrives in America, Akunna realizes quickly that things are not exactly like how she imagined them. She goes to stay with her “uncle” who proceeds to abuse her. Forced to find another place to live, Akunna gets a job as a waitress in Connecticut. There, she has to endure unintentionally –and intentionally– offensive remarks made by customers. Akunna longs to be treated with understanding and without condescension. Reading about the hardships she faces and her resulting feelings, one cannot help but feel sullen, empathizing with Akunna, resentful of her misfortune and the ignorance of those around her. Though the exact feeling evoked is hard to describe, it can also be felt when reading “Loneliness.” The dark, sinister imagery and diction also elicit a lonely, restless feeling. “Through the sad dark the slowly ebbing tide / Breaks on a barren shore, unsatisfied. / A strange wind flows… then silence” (Mansfield 9-10). The diction is used well, as “breaks” is harsh and honest, and the words “slowly” and “flows” blend together to create a bleak, forlorn feeling. The image brought to mind by these words is also dark, in a more literal sense, with the night sky and empty shore easy to call to mind.

In both “Loneliness” and “The Thing Around Your Neck,” the main character seems to be longing to escape their current situation, or at least to find someone to help them through it. Akunna, missing her family, is reaching out for someone who will love her, while treating her like a person instead of some exotic animal. This proves difficult. After she is particularly displeased with her boyfriend’s lack of reaction to a waiter’s offensive comment, she realizes that she still hasn’t found what she really needs. “He asked what was wrong and you said nothing, although you thought a lot was wrong. Later, in the shower, you started to cry. You watched the water dilute your tears and you didn't know why you were crying” (Adichie 92). Until this release of emotion, Akunna has been containing her feelings of confusion and isolation. She left for America believing in a world of extravagance and big cars, of new opportunities and experiences. When she arrived there, her treatment did not match her expectations, and it was difficult to find people she could trust. In “Loneliness,” Mansfield’s main character opens up to and accepts the company of a weary old woman –loneliness– by grasping onto her hand. She doesn’t hesitate, as she longs for someone to hold, even if that someone is only loneliness personified. “To turn to Loneliness, to take her hand, / Cling to her, waiting, till the barren land / Fills with the dreadful monotone of rain” (Mansfield 12-14). Both characters long for something more, and for someone to understand and console them.

The diction and imagery used in these two works, “Loneliness” and “The Thing Around your Neck” create similar moods and evoke strong feelings in their readers. The use of creepy symbolism in Katherine Mansfield’s poem and the dark –but necessary– truth of Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s short story are, for different reasons, unsettling. A few vivid images stick with a person more than others, like the noose of overwhelming emotion Akunna is struggling against, or loneliness as an elderly woman, sitting quietly at the side of a bed. These images, and other aspects of the pieces add to their evocative power. Writing, just like art or music, leaves a greater impression if it makes one feel or think of something. Works that have an influence on people, even without them knowing it, are likely to be shared, while remaining important to the person. Literature and other art forms are incredibly valuable, and as long as they make people feel and remember things, they will continue to be shared and appreciated.

Themes: Complex Ideas, Powerful Impacts

          The power of literature comes from its ability to explore complex ideas that are integrated into stories. To integrate these complex ideas, writers craft novels and make use of characterization, tone and a plot arc. Plot events, characters, symbols and motifs, collectively known as the content of the piece, are then interpreted by readers. These aspects are incorporated deliberately to communicate a big idea, a theme. However, a theme isn't a simple one-word message or a moral. It's far more complex than that. Motives and actions of characters create complicated situations that often cannot be interpreted with black-and-white right and wrongs. So, the author’s purpose is not to teach a lesson. Instead, his or her motive is to present one story about a larger issue. A theme is a complex idea that is explored by the author throughout a piece of writing that challenges readers to think about a topic. The themes explored in three short stories--Frank O’Connor’s “The Guests of the Nation,” Ernest Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants,” and Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart”--are complicated and cause readers to think about complex ideas.

        In “The Guests of the Nation,” O’Connor examines multilayered themes that encourage readers to think about duty and loyalty. The piece portrays a narrator and his friend, both Irish Volunteers, who take two young Englishmen under their wings. However, they don’t realize that the Englishmen are hostages of the Volunteers. Before long, the four become close. When time comes for the Englishmen to be shot as reprisal, the narrator, Bonaparte, is in a difficult position. He narrates, “I had the Smith and Wesson in my pocket and I kept fingering it and wondering what I’d do if they put up a fight for it or ran, and wishing to God they’d do one or the other” (O’Connor 23). But eventually, “I knelt and fired. By this time I didn’t seem to know what I was doing” (O’Connor 25). O’Connor’s writing raises questions about loyalty, whether it’s loyalty to a country or a friend. Because of the guilt of shooting someone he genuinely cares about, Bonaparte “...never felt the same about [anything] again” (O’Connor 26). At the same time, he has an obligation to carry out his rightful duty to his country. Maybe this sacrifice is worth it to accomplish the larger goal of Irish independence. Or maybe Bonaparte is a coward for abandoning a friend in a time of need. O’Connor’s short story doesn’t explicitly tell readers whether Bonaparte makes the right decision or not. In other words, it doesn’t tell a moral about which loyalty should come first. On the contrary, it challenges readers to carefully consider Bonaparte’s situation and think about the complexity of what it means to do one’s rightful duty. The exploration of a complicated idea throughout a piece of writing is used by O’Connor and other writers alike.

Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” includes complex themes as well. A traveling couple stops and converses at a valley in Spain while waiting for the train to Madrid. It can be inferred that the female is pregnant, and the male coaxes her into getting an abortion. The dynamic between the two characters is tangled. Hemingway introduces them as “the American and the girl with him” (Hemingway 48), and throughout the piece, they are referred to as “the man” and “the girl,” possibly insinuating that the man has more power in the relationship. Furthermore, the man can be smooth--not overly pushy, but still insistent. Hemingway writes, “‘Well,’ the man said, ‘if you don’t want to you don’t have to. I wouldn’t have you do it if you didn’t want to. But I know it’s perfectly simple’” (Hemingway 49). At the same time, he isn’t mean. He could be genuinely looking out for her best interests, which is illustrated when he says, “I’ll go with you and I’ll stay with you all the time” (Hemingway 49). “Hills Like White Elephants” doesn’t make clear what exactly the power dynamic is. Instead, readers are challenged to think about each character’s intentions and decisions, which point towards the theme of the entangled nature of the relationship between the man and girl. “Hills Like White Elephants” is one of many stories that portrays a convoluted theme.

The themes explored in Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart” are also complicated. The narrator is a trusted servant who has a mental illness. One day, the idea of murdering his master occurs to him. This thought haunts him until one night, he acts on it. However, even though he’s a murderer, the servant is portrayed to be slightly sympathetic. The servant demonstrates that he has, or at least had, a kind heart, narrating, “I loved the old man. He had never wronged me. He had never given me insult” (Poe 79). Furthermore, he’s clearly ill, thinking, “True!--nervous--very, very dreadfully nervous I had been and am! But why will you say that I am mad? The disease had sharpened my senses--not destroyed--not dulled them” (Poe 79). This raises questions about whether or not he should be held accountable for his actions. Originally a faithful, appreciative servant, he is overcome by a mental illness that skews his thoughts and judgement. So, one the one hand, it isn’t his fault; his actions are merely a product of his disease. On the other hand, he murders innocent man, which is a severe crime. If he isn’t responsible, who is? Poe leaves it up to readers to consider the complexities of the theme of accountability among mentally ill people. There isn’t a black-and-white answer, and it wasn’t Poe’s purpose to provide one. Rather, this theme was introduced to ask readers to put themselves in the narrator’s shoes and consider both sides to the story, a powerful technique that is used by many writers.

Works of literature consist of various elements that are intentionally woven together to illustrate an intricate big idea, or a theme. These themes are not neat and tidy morals but instead are multilayered concepts, as exemplified by O’Connor’s “The Guests of the Nation,” Hemingway’s “Hills Like White Elephants” and Poe’s “The Tell Tale Heart.” The complexity of a theme incites thinking, starts conversations among readers, and leads to the exchanging of ideas. Thus, the theme is a powerful aspect of literature that has the ability to communicate ideas and broaden readers’ horizons of thinking.

Theme: It's a Complicated Idea

Tiffany Lin

Mr. Arcand

English 200 C Block

November 5, 2015

Theme: It's Your Own Interpretation

There is not a correct answer for what the theme of a story is; themes are interpreted differently by each reader. According to Webster's Dictionary, a theme is “the subject of a talk, a piece of writing, a person's thoughts, or an exhibition; a topic”. From the same source, a moral is “a lesson, especially one concerning what is right or prudent, that can be derived from a story, a piece of information, or an experience”. The three short stories: The Tell Tale Heart by Edgar Allan Poe, Hills like White Elephants by Ernest Hemingway, and The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin each have significant themes that the writer wants the readers to know about.  Most stories have themes, but not all have morals. We will not all have the same idea for what the theme of a story is.

In The Tell Tale Heart, by Edgar Allan Poe, the narrator kills an old man just because he didn’t like his blue eye. “One of his eyes resembled that of a vulture -- a pale blue eye, with a film over it” (Allan Poe 79). However, after murdering the old man, the narrator felt guilty. Hearing the heartbeat of the supposedly dead man made the narrator confess to the police. For many, dealing with the effects of guilt can do a lot to a person. The moral is to not do actions you will regret, such as murder, because guilt will always be there at the end. In some cases, such as this, the moral may be connected to the theme. Both the theme and the moral of the story could be related to guilt and its effects. Additionally, even though the narrator is a murderer, there are signs of sympathy shown. “I loved the old man” (Allan Poe 79). Since the narrator was suffering from an illness, he may not have been completely conscious of his actions. Some people might think that it isn’t completely his fault because he wasn’t in his right state of mind. However, others may think that there is no excuse for murder. Everyone have their own interpretation of the story.

In The Story of an Hour, by Kate Chopin, Chopin depicts a theme of the joy of being independent. When Louise hears of Brently’s death, she reacts with understandable grief. However, not too long after, she begins to realize she is an independent woman now. “When she abandoned herself a little whispered word escaped her slightly parted lips. She said it over and over under her breath: ‘free, free, free!’” (Chopin 14). Louise sees her life as being all hers, she even prays to have a long life to keep this awesome feeling. When Brently shows up, he takes away Louise’s independence and her joy of being free is gone; that’s what kills her. Louise surely loved and cared for her husband, but she felt a great sense of joy when she believes he’d passed away. Louise’s reaction to Brently’s death demonstrates the confinement that comes with marriage, which some may consider to be the moral of the story. Marriage may take away from your freedom. The Story of an Hour reveals a theme of the happiness of being independent.

In Hills Like White Elephants, by Ernest Hemingway, there is a theme of the importance of communication. The American man and his girlfriend hardly listen to each other making them frustrated at each other. The man will say almost anything to have the woman do the operation. “We’ll be fine afterward. Just like we were before… That’s the only that bothers us. It’s the only that that’s made us unhappy” (Hemingway 49). The man always pushes her to get the operation only if she wants to, but consistently mentions that it is a “simple… perfectly natural procedure”. On the other hand, the woman says she would do the operation simply to shut the man up. Both characters do not speak directly about the issue at hand. It is understood that the operation was an abortion, but they never use the word. They walk around the subject, but don’t talk about it with each other in a straightforward manner, as they should. The moral is slightly connected with the theme in that communicating, in particular listening to others, is a very vital aspect in having a healthy relationship.

The author of The Tell Tale Heart explains the effects of guilt on a person. The narrator of the story confesses to the police as soon as the sound of a heartbeat is heard. In The Story of an Hour, there is a theme of the joy of being free. As much as Louise loved and cared about her husband, she felt happy to be independent. Louise did not realize how much she was confined in her marriage until it was over. Hills like White Elephants conveys a theme of the importance of communication and listening. In any story or novel, people will have many different ideas on what the theme or moral is. The author might want to convey a specific message to the audience, but the readers are the main ones to decide what that message really means.