Edith Wharton

Melanie Freeman

English 48B

February 19, 2009

Edith Wharton: The Other Two

Edith Wharton is best known for her two novels, The House of Mirth and The Age of Innocence.  The themes of these novels, as well as her other works deal with the elite class of society and the dilemmas they face despite the level of luxury they reside in.  Wharton herself was raised in a very privileged family and lived a lifestyle similar to many of her leading heroines.  Once she managed to end her unhappy marriage in 1913, she devoted the rest of her life to her writing and her involvement in relief organizations during World War 1.  

"People shook their heads over him, however, when one grudging friend, to whom he affirmed that he took the step with his eyes open, replied oracularly: "Yes- and with your ears shut" (831).  

Summary:

This quote appears early in the story, shortly after we are introduced to the newlywed Waythorns.  Mr. Waythorn is clearly a very successful man who offers his new bride a very luxurious lifestyle.  The couple has returned early from their honeymoon due to Lily, Alice's daughter's struggle with typhoid.  We also quickly learn that this is not Alice's first marriage, in fact it is her third.  This quotation explains the reactions Waythorn's friends had upon hearing he was planning to marry Alice and the social disgrace that is associated with divorce.  

Response:

The role of the public opinion just as influential in both Wharton's The Other Two as it is in James' Daisy Miller.  The very nature of the society these people lived in involved the constant criticism of whether something was proper or not.  The struggle each character faces in choosing whether or not to let the public opinion influence his or her actions is the very basis of the moral dilemma in each story.  The "correct" behavior of an affluent woman in society is tested by both Alice and Daisy in their own sense. 

At a time when divorce was a new and highly scrutinized practice, Alice Waythorn had already had two.  By moving from husband to husband Alice gained attention from the public and not in a positive light.  The "scandal" of her remarrying for a third time not only tarnishes her own public reputation but also the reputation of her soon to be husband.

The quote above address Mr. Waythorn specifically, and reveals just how disapproving society was of his choice to marry Alice.  By taking the step "with his eyes open...and ears shut" (831), Waythorn is making the conscious decision to ignore the gossip around him.  He has chosen a woman who has clearly acted without fear of public scrutiny and he decides to do the same.  His sincere belief that she only has feelings for him despite her past motivated Waythorn to shut out any doubt he may have heard from others. 

However, as the story progresses, Waythorne begins to doubt his original decision as he realizes that perhaps the public warning was correct.  To his disappointment, Alice truly is a manifestation of her complicated past and was not able to "shed her past like a man" (841), as Waythorn has sincerely hoped.  

Henry James

Melanie Freeman

English 48B

February 17, 2009

Henry James: Daisy Miller: A Study

The setting and way of life described in Henry James' fiction is much like the lifestyle he lead himself; privileged, wealthy, educated and of high society.  Born in New York City in 1843 with a wealthy business man as a father, Henry was able to experience the highest quality of life.  His ultimate goal was to be a "literary master" by European standards, however he did not reach the height of his popularity until after his death.  James spent the majority of his life in Europe, where he was also educated as a young man.  The time he spent in England gave him the opportunity to observe the behavior of Americans in Europe, recorded in one of his earliest works, Daisy Miller: A Study.  This work was highly scandalous for its time and was banned in American for many years for its shocking portrayal of the behavior exhibited by an American woman.  

"He said to himself that she was too light and childish, too uncultivated and unreasoning, too provincial, to have reflected upon her ostracism or even to have perceived it.  Then at the other moments he believed that she carried about in her elegant and irresponsible little organism a defiant, passionate, perfectly observant consciousness of the impression she produced" (424).

Summary:

At this point in the story, Winterbourne's infatuation with Miss Daisy has reached its height.  They have both been living in Rome for some time and Miss Daisy's relationship with Giovanelli appears to have become more serious.  The two spend every minute of the day together and Winterbourne feels he has become more distanced from the girl he admires more than ever.  Although James does not portray Winterbourne as a jealous man, one can determine he is becoming thoroughly frustrated by Daisy's actions.  He attempts to understand the motives of this woman but becomes increasingly perplexed as he attempts to analyze this "American girl".

Response:

As Winterbourne reflects over his impression of Miss Daisy in his head, it is clear that he has as much difficulty reading her as he did the moment he met her.  His contradicting descriptions illustrate the warping effect this women has had on his mind.  Although Winterbourne has a great deal of respect to the rules of society he has learned in Europe, I believe there is something in Daisy's carefree attitude that attracts him.   

On one hand, Winterbourne represents the rest of the upper society who judges Daisy for her improper behavior.  Although he may like her, Winterbourne admits that she is "a young person of the reckless class".  Winterbourne often finds himself feeling protective of Daisy, wishing she would act more lady-like or at least become aware of the image she is projecting.  He is often criticized for being attracted to Daisy by his aunt and Mrs. Walker because of her behavior, and finds himself frustrated for being caught in this dilemma. 

Alternatively, Winterbourne also shows a form of respect for the level of self- confidence Miss Daisy has.  He often gets the impression that she is well aware of the image she portrays and simply doesn't care what others think of her.  By freeing herself from the confines of society's standards, Daisy is able to have the experiences she desires.  To Winterbourne, who has always obeyed society's rules, this idea is strange yet attractive.  He somewhat envies Daisy's state of mind and finds it makes her much more alluring.

Throughout the entire story Winterbourne changes his impression of Daisy repeatedly.  She is to him, an oxymoron or a very complex puzzle.  Her behavior is scandalous by the standards of the European elite, yet her charisma is undeniable.  Her ability to brush off the criticism or perhaps remain completely unaware of it is a quality he learns to admire the closer he becomes with Daisy.  

Stephen Crane

Melanie Freeman

English 48B

February 13, 2009

Stephen Crane: The Open Boat

On January 1, 1897, Stephen Crane sailed as a correspondent aboard the Commodore.  On its journey from Jacksonville, Florida to Cuba the steamboat sank and Crane along with the other three travelers escaped in a ten-foot row boat.  The Open Boat, published in June 1897 is a fictional account of this epic, near death experience.  Crane writes to describe the value of human existence, a lesson he learned when he thought he would surely drown.  

"But she was different, flatly indifferent.  It is, perhaps, plausible that a man in this situation, impressed with the unconcern of the universe, should see the innumerable flaws of this life and have them taste wickedly in his mind and wish for another chance.  A distinction between right and wrong seems absurdly clear to him, then, in this new ignorance of the grave-edge, and he understands that if he were given another opportunity he would mend his conduct and his words, and be better and brighter during an introduction or at a tea" (1013-1014).

Summary:

At this point in the account, the men had been on the row boat for quite some time.  They have been tempted with the hope of rescue and miserably denied it.  Their physical exhaustion has reached an extreme and the reality that they will drown is clearly setting in.  In moments they will jump from the boat and swim for shore and their fate lies in the hands of the ocean from this point on.  The value of existence becomes bitterly clear to Crane at this moment, as his sarcastic attitude describes the desire for a second chance.

Response:

In my eyes, Crane's nihilism, pessimism and sarcasm all clearly emerge in this passage.  He begins the passage by personifying nature as completely  indifferent and unconcerned with his existence.  Crane has expressed this idea before in his novel The Blue Hotel, stating that we are merely lice clinging "to a whirling, firesmote, ice-locked disease-stricken, space-lost bulb".  The image of humans as equivalent to lice, devalues them significantly and nihilistically portrays the meaning of life.  In these moments of near death, Crane decides that in the context of the universe, humans mean absolutely nothing and trivializes his thoughts of "a second chance" at a life that means nothing.  

 

As Crane goes on, he describes the reality one is able to perceive, only in the last moments of life.  Once death is near, one is able to understand their mistakes and see their life objectively for the first time.  The irony is, that of course there are no second chances at life and this last minute insight is merely a tease for the person who experiences it.  By writing that he would be "better and brighter during an introduction, or at a tea", Crane's sarcasm becomes very apparent.  His sudden desire to fix his behavior in the most meaningly tasks illustrates his bitter attitude towards life.  From this experience aboard the Commodore, Crane has gained the insight that only those who have brushed with death have.  Unfortunately, it appears that Crane's orginial pessimism has only been heightened and perhaps justified.  

Stephen Crane

Melanie Freeman
English 48B
February 10, 2009
Stephen Crane: Maggie: A Girl of the Streets

Stephen Crane is known as one of the main proponents for the idea of naturalistic writing. Although his personal life was far different than the lives of his characters, Crane was able to produce writing with very dark, literal interpretations of the "depths of society" (7). Unfortunately, Crane's literary career was cut extremely short with his death by tuberculosis at the age of twenty-eight. However, his works such as Maggie: A Girl of the Streets still remain as accurate representations of the poverty stricken environments many people endured in this country.

"To him the police were always actuated by malignant impulses and the rest of the world was composed, for the most part, of despicable creatures who were all trying to take advantage of him and with whom, in defense, he was obliged to quarrel on all possible occasions" (965).

Summary:
At this moment in the novel, Jimmie has grown from an impressionable child into a hardened, "young man of leather"(964). He has been hired as a driver and finds himself continuing to get in fights with numerous people he interacts with. His short temper and inherent mistrust in all people justifies his numerous acts of physical violence. By this time Jimmie has lost his father and has been forced to become the head of the household. This added stress also fuels his sudden outbursts of extreme anger.

Response:
After reading this description of Jimmie's interpretation of the people he interacts with, I could easily draw similarities to the ideas of Thomas Hobbes on human nature and the ideas of Social Darwinism. Hobbes believed that "man is aggressive, competitive, ever-striving being, moved by the compulsion to fill his unlimited appetites" (Greenberg, 38). This idea that, for the most part, the average person is evil and reckless, clearly supports the idea of Social Darwinism that emerged from Crane's time period. Crane describes Jimmie as the epitome of Hobbes' fear of human nature. His natural violent ways support the idea that those who are naturally unfit for society are doomed for failure.
In response to his view on human nature, Hobbes believed that those who govern society are a select minority who are not plagued by these evils and they must be responsible for maintaining peace and order. In terms of Social Darwinism, this minority also exists but as an justification for economic inequalities. One can interpret Stephen Crane's "Maggie" in the same context.
Crane's angry, alcoholic pessimistic characters such as Jimmie and Mary are products of Social Darwinism. They follow their instinctively violent ways and have found themselves on the fringes of society in return. Maggie, the only character described to have potentially escaped this pattern of failure, also falls victim to a devastating fate. Her fantasies of social growth are ruined by her naieve trust in the people around her. Once again, this idea of the "survival of the fittest"' comes into play and justifies that tragic lifestyle these people faced.

Maria Amparo Ruiz de Burton

Melanie Freeman

English 48B

February 5th, 2009

Maria Amparo Ruiz de Burton: The Squatter and the Don

Maria Ruiz was the first Mexican American author to become published in English.  She was born in Baja California in 1832, the granddaughter of a wealthy, aristocratic Mexican commander, similar to Don Mariano in her novel, The Squatter and the Don.  Maria Ruiz was a well educated woman who witnessed the changes the state of California experienced in response to the western expansion after the Civil War.  Her writing focuses on not only social and political tensions between the Mexican Americans and the white settlers, but also on environmental issues as well.  The Squatter and the Don can be interpreted from many viewpoints, but as an environmental critic, is reveals the importance of living harmoniously with the land.  

"Don very properly says, this is a grazing county, no legislation can change it.  So it would be wiser to make laws to suit the county, and not expect the county will change its character to suit absurd laws..." (100)

Summary:

This comment closes the meeting between the Don and the white squatters described in the novel.  In this meeting, the Don as proposed a plan which will serve as a compromise between himself and the squatters.  In this plan he recommends that the farmers replace their wheat fields with cattle and orchards to utilize the land they are given.  The Don feels that with these crops, the natural resources they have with be fully utilized, waste will be minimized and profits will increase. 

Response:

From the viewpoint of an environmentalist, the Don's proposal is based upon most natural, environment friendly values we are taught today.  The idea behind environmentalism is so take advantage of the natural resources provided by the earth and to live ones life in harmony with nature.  The production of artificial products and the waste of natural ones damages the earth and limits the capacity of what is achievable.  By suggesting that San Diego county is "a grazing county" and insisting that raising cattle will be most profitable, the Don is unconsciously preserving the environment.  Whether or not environmental concern is a priority for the Don, his ideas about utilizing the resources rather than altering them is clearly indicative of a conservationist view.

Both Maria Ruiz and Sarah Orne Jewett focus on the preserving their home lands as they remember them.  Each writer incorporates the natural environment as an essential aspects of the way of life and in the success of each society.  When this natural equilibrium is altered by either killing natural species or growing crops that waste resources, the value of the land is depleted.  The act of living harmoniously with the land and resistance to industrial damages are clear themes in each of these writer's works.  

Sarah Orne Jewett

Melanie Freeman

English 48B

February 3, 2009

Sarah Orne Jewett's A White Heron

Sarah One Jewett is often viewed as a regionalist writer who represented the culture of her hometown of South Berwick, Maine in her works.  Her writing celebrates the natural beauty of the environment around her, often describing the influences of the neighboring ocean.  Although Jewett's writing is multi dimensional, her clear references to the changing landscape of her hometown portray her ecological critique of the Industrial Revolution.  Jewett memorializes the distinct ways of life and physical environment before technology dominated the New England region to show how drastically the physical land and way of life has been altered.  

"Half a mile from home, at the farther edge of the woods, where the land was highest, a great pine tree stood, the last of its generation.  Whether it was left for a boundary mark, or for what reason, no one could say; the woodchoppers who had felled its mates were dead and gone long ago...." (526).  

Summary:

This description of the pine tree occurs after the young sportsman meets Sylvia and her grandmother and becomes a guest on their farm.  He tells them that he studies birds and would love nothing more than to find and shoot a white heron.  He offers Sylvia ten dollars if she will show him the bird and for the time being she considers it.  After spending the day hunting along side the sportsman, Sylvia pictures the image of this tree while lying awake in bed and realizes how significant her climbing of this tree is.  

Reflection:

Sylvia describes this old pine tree as though it is worthy of great respect.  This tree is representative of the land before the influence of technology and literally and figuratively stands about the entire forrest.  By climbing this tree, Sylvia feels that she will be able to see everything clearly, including the location of the white heron.  This tree will give Sylvia access to all of the secrets of the forrest, as long as she proves herself strong enough to climb to the top.  

I feel that this pine being "the last of its generation" is representative of Jewett's disapproval of the ecological damage created by the Industrial Revolution.  This tree becomes such an essential character in the story and is often personified to give nature significant value.  The idea that the white heron is found living in this tree and that there is only one heron left is also very evocative of Jewett's role as an environmental critique.  The "woodchoppers" have clearly damaged this bird's natural habitat so drastically that it is at the point of extinction from this area.  

The white heron, a symbol of virginity and purity, can also be read as a symbol of pure, natural land.  Once human influence has altered or damaged the environment, the purity of the land is also damaged.  When Sylvia decided the keep the location of the heron a secret, she is vowing to maintain the natural order of the land and do her best to keep it safe from the strong influence of the economic, male- driven society.    

Sui Sin Far (Edith Maud Eaton)

Melanie Freeman

English 48B

January 29, 2009

Sui Sin Far: In the Land of the Free

Although she was not a direct immigrant from Asia to the United States, Sui Sin Far's writing is seen as a portrayal of the harsh treatment Asian immigrants faced upon entering this country in the late 1800s.  Her experiences as a journalist for Fly Leaf while living on the west coast of the United States exposed her to the extreme injustice Asian Americans experience.  Far's use of irony throughout The Land of the Free reveals the truth about what immigrants found behind America's "golden door" (Lazarus).  

"The Little One protested lustily against the transfer; but his mother covered her face with her sleeve and his father silently lead her away.  Thus was the law of the land complied with" (881).

Summary:

This moment describes the heart wrenching scene of Hom Hing handing his newborn baby over to the immigration officers.  The unbelievable idea that a young baby would actually be separated from his parents shows the complete absence of compassion in the American government.  This moment is particularly significant in that it teaches the couple the reality of life in America.  The heart breaking feeling these parents share is far from the bliss they expected to find in America.  While there may have been economic opportunity in America, the racial oppression Asia immigrants faced made life phenomenally challenging.

Response:

The experience Hom Hing and Lae Choo have upon entering the America clearly effects the emotional side of the reader.  A forceful separation of a child from its parents is inhuman and cruel.  The reader immediately feels sympathetic towards the poor family and becomes infuriated with the actions of the government.  Sui Sin Far is able to portray the American government very harshly in this context because this story revolves around dehumanization.  The anti-immigration laws are so severe that families can be ripped apart if they do not comply.  

Although I do agree with Far that Asian immigrants were severely mistreated, I feel this story only represents a very extreme case.  What we must remember as readers is that the Asians immigrated to America for a reason.  Although they did not find the paradise they may have imagined, many did find economic improvements.  I do not doubt that some families suffered the same nightmare as Hom Hing and Lae Choo, but I can't help but think about the other side of the argument.  

Vast numbers of immigrants poured into the U.S. at this time for a reason; to escape the harsh conditions they had faced in their home countries.  If immigrant treatment in America was universally awful, why did so many make the journey?  I am in no way defending how the government treated immigrants in this country but could their lives here be much worse than at home?  Perhaps America wasn't "the land of the free" but can we really say the American Dream never existed for immigrants?