"Getting Out": Thoughts and Feelings

    In the terse poem, "Getting Out" by Cleopatra Mathis, the gradual separation among two lovers is revealed.  In my personal opinion, I think this piece of literature to be exceptionally gloomy, yet true to real life scenarios.  The movement of the work is broken down by stanzas.  In the first stanza, a restless and longing for separation is established.  The second stanza explains the attempts of a man to escape his unhealthy relationship.  Even with all the hate looming between the two, the man cannot seem to depart.  The last stanza reveals the ending of the relationship.  The lovers, "with arms stretched...let go" (Mathis).  The happenings of this poem match up with those, in reality, seeking to get out of a relationship.  Many people recognize their desire to break up with their partner.  Yet, all the happy and memorable moments stop these people from getting out immediately.  Then, after a lengthy amount of time, these people know what will truly make them happy, and leave that person, knowing it is the best possible choice.

"You're Ugly, Too": Alienation

    In "You're Ugly, Too" by Lorrie Moore, the life of a painfully sarcastic middle aged woman, Zoe Hendricks, is examined through the presentation of her relationships and lifestyle.  Flashbacks reveal Zoe's past relationships and explain her cynicism towards the people in her life.  Also, these flashbacks make Zoe a sympathetic character by revealing her unfortunate dealings with men.  These harsh occurrences have hardened Zoe's heart and made her unfeeling to those engaging in a joyous relationship.  For example, upon her of her sister's engagement, Zoe reacts by telling of a relationship where a man made his lover "go to all his summer softball games, made her cheer for him from the stands... until she later killed herself" (Moore).  Then, when Zoe meets the friendly and sociable Earl, she constantly makes snide remarks.  I am under the impression that Zoe, does not necessarily take great pity upon herself, but does recognize her extreme loneliness.  However, despite this alienation, Zoe clearly makes herself undesirable by being sardonic to every being she encounters.  This short story truly confused me as it seemed to be more character-driven than plot-driven.

"Popular Mechanic": Dramatic Irony

       Wait!  So, did the baby really just get torn in half by his parents?  In Popular Mechanics by Raymond Carver, a couple viciously argues as the man is leaving the woman.  On a side note, I predict the title, Popular Mechanics, is named so to display to common occurrence of separation among couples.  To start, the child seems to be the only real think linking this man and woman together.  However, the heat of the argument, the baby's actual being is forgotten as the two argue over the ownership of the child.  Assuming the couple has engaged in several hateful conflicts, gaining ownership over the child would bring a sense of victory to one of the opposing pair.  Blind to the fact that "the baby was red-faced and screaming", the couple continues to each pull on an arm of the child.  In the end, dramatic irony conquers all and determine who gets to claim possession of the baby.  No one.

"The Story of an Hour": Foreshadowing

Mrs. Mallard longs to be a "free bird".

        In the short work, The Story of an Hour by Kate Chopin, unexpected as well as ironic events occur to tell of a family's happenings in just one, short hour.  To begin, the author mentions Louise Mallard's newly found heart ailment, but then ceases to continue on the matter.  This provides the reader with foreshadowing to future events.  Next, upon hearing of her husband's untimely death, Mrs. Mallard weeps in her sister's arms then retreats into a room.  While in solitude, the word "free" keeps coming up in Louise's mind.  Ashamed at first, Mrs. Mallard then realizes, from now on, "she would live for herself...(with) no powerful will bending her" (Chopin).  These thoughts of freedom reveal that Mrs. Mallard, instead of finding sheer love and friendship in her spouse, looks at Mr. Mallard as weight keeping her from experiencing life.  I, personally, think this woman as heartless, considering she literally just learned of her husband's death less than an hour ago.  But, an ironic twist is presented when Brently Mallard walks through the door, and Louise drops dead. Now, BMllard is the free bird

"How I Met My Husband": Personal Opinion

      What an unexpected yet lovely twist to wrap up the short story, How I Met My Husband by Alice Munro.  To start, I actually thoroughly enjoyed this piece of literature.  Personally, I am often a sucker for love tales involving a beautiful youth falling for the new comer in town.  However, my admiration for this stranger, Chris, vanishes upon hearing of his engagement, to the obnoxious and quite unappealing Alice.  Moreover, Chris has one side where he is in a committed relationship, and another where he prey upon naive farmer girls with unrealized beauty.  I truly pity Edie for her unfortunate encounters with Chris.  First, Edie is drawn in to a man who find her "so nice and beautiful" (Munro).  Then, each day, Edie waits eagerly for a letter that will never arrive.  I find it so clever how the author works the mailman into Edie's life.  He is clearly the better choice for this heartbroken dame.  In greater depth, Edie feels no pressure when speaking with this mailman, receives compliments with the luxury of applying pounds of makeup first, and is asked out on a date with a true and honest gentleman.

"Delight in Disorder": Imagery

“Crippled things are always more beautiful. It's the flaw that brings out beauty.”
~Holly Black

    In the poem, Delight in Disorder by Robert Herrick, imagery is used to convey the strong feeling of the speaker.  Moreover, the speaker looks upon a woman who appears to be dressed disorderly.  This wanton woman has "an erring lace, here and there,... a careless shoe string,... (and) a cuff neglected" (Herrick).  Although this usage of imagery paints a picture of a woman who is an absolute mess, the author then describes the maiden to be "a wild civility" (Herrick).  So, the disheveled look actually adds to the woman's beauty.  The speaker describes the woman as a piece of art.  In greater depth, this lady's physical flaw makes her appealing.  In addition, the woman is better than the everyday proper lady because of her appearance.  I believe the overall meaning of the work is to show that the faults and flaws make an object stand out, making it unique, and therefore desirable.

"Eveline": Situational Irony

        In the rather sad, short story, Eveline by James Joyce, Evvy remembers her childhood and yearns to reclaim the sanguine state she once had.  The author uses situational irony to add a twist to the fate of Evvy.  To start, Eveline looks back at a happier time, then snap back to reality when realizing that "she and her brothers and sisters are all grown up; her mother dead" (Joyce).  This depressing realization urges the woman to reclaim happiness in her life.  Marrying Frank, a worldly and exotic man, is Evy's plan to bring back the joy that has been sucked from beneath her.  Still, some kind of guilt weighs upon Eveline in deciding whether or not she should run away to marry Frank.  I, personally, predicted that Eveline would, after years spent with a strict and angry father, have no trouble in leaving her family behind to create a new life of her own.  I was really taken by surprise when Evvy could not physically make herself climb aboard the boat with Frank.  Moreover, Evvy may appear to not want to leave her home, but earlier, she mentions that home is no longer the warm, comforting place she grew up in.  And this, in fact, in confusing.

"Lonely Hearts": Concrete Details

Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band~ 

       IN the poem, Lonely Hearts by Wendy Cope, each short paragraph contains a person seeking companionship to fulfill an emptiness looming in his or her life.  To start, the first character, apparently an avid biker, yearns to find an adventurous girl to accompany him on his travels.  Next, a gay vegetarian asks for someone who shares common interests with him.  I think the author brings attention to the fact that this man is both gay and a vegetarian to craft the notion that he is unique and looks for someone who can share in this uniqueness.  Then an executive longs for a woman to bring excitement into his life.  By using concrete details, such as, "bisexual woman, arty, young", the author creates the images of new, nontraditional concepts to play into what the executive is searching for (Cope).  Next, a lady longs for someone to fully accept her for everything that she is.  This lady mention she is all the wonderful things a man looks for; successful, straight, and solvent.  But, this woman wants a partner to take in her son, as well as be accepting of her Jewish religion.  The last person is more confusing.  He or she seems to be greatly troubled by his or her lack of worldly knowledge.  This man or woman seeks a simple and youthful companion much like himself.