Short Stories [de Maupassant, Kafka, Lawrence, Joyce, Faulkner, Oates]
BLOG POST #2 [10 Points]Discuss how Mathilde Loisel's desire for more material wealth is at odds with the main character in "The Hunger Artist"? Are their fates similar or do they differ?
Describe how in "A Little Cloud" Little Chandler's longing for importance in life is mirrored by Paul's desire to please his mother in "A Rocking Horse Winner." Do their passions both result in calamity or is there anything redemptive about the endings of either story?
Discuss how Faulkner's and Oates's depiction of the aged's infirmity and insanity differ? or are they the same?
posted by Tim Kahl @ Thursday, August 24, 2006
5 Comments:
In the story “The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant and "A Hunger Artist" by Franz Kafka, the main characters in each story have two very different fates but, they both have a desire to be noticed by other people to prove their points. In the story “The Necklace" the main character Mathilde Loisel's comes from an impoverished background. The people amongst her who she very much envies are the people of upper class. Loisel feels as though she is missing out on the luxuries that upper class people in her town have such as large parlors with old silk, delicate furniture, supporting precious bric-a-brac, coquettish little rooms excreta. She wants the uppers class people to see her as rich and not poor. In the story “A Hunger Artist” the hunger artist wanted acknowledgment for fasting the way he did. The artist would fast for as many as forty days. The people of his town saw him as a joke for fasting the amount of time he did; in fact, some of the people would watch him day and night just to make sure he is fasting. No one was able to fast like the hunger artist was able to he knew it and that is why he did it.
In the short story “A Little Cloud,” the author James Joyce the main character Little Chandler wants to become famous on day in his life. Chandler is trying to find his significance in life like wise, in the short story “The Rocking-Horse Winner,” by D.H. Lewrence. The main character Paul wants to please his mother with money for the horse races he wins. His mother has put in his head that to be lucky you have to be wealthy. They both have the enthusiasm to accomplish their wishes but chandler does not try to reach for his goals for on day to become famous. Chandler is scared to set out for his goals, unlike Paul who actually goes far out of his way to please his mother who seems not to appreciate him and his hard work.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT(yum yum)
What do you think about radioactivemutant christian's observation:
Modern life completes its cycle; just as we were wheeled in to sterile daycares with constant supervision and arts and crafts as children, as “guests” at the retirement home, so do the old.
Is being wheeled into the assisted-living facility part of the cycle that has one returning to the way one was treated as a youth?
WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Radioactivemutantchristian seems to think that Norm in the Oates story really sees his high school teacher. Is there evidence that he really sees him or might he be hallucinating given the pressure of the situation which evokes his emotional outburst?
Does Norm show any other hints that he may be an "unreliable narrator"?
Mathilde Loisel,in "the Necklace" yearned for material things and to be accepted by a higher class. When she gets the oppurtunity from her husband to attend the palace of Ministry she is upset because she does not have a nice dress, nor any jewelry to wear. Her husband gives her money for a dress and she borrows a lovely diamond necklace from a friend. At event she feels beautiful and happy to be noticed. Her night is then ruined when she realizes she has lost the jewels. For the next ten years her husband and she worked the entire time to pay for a necklace to substitute the lost one,in the end to find out it was fake.
The Hunger Artist like Mathilde wanted to be regonized but not for his wealth or social status, but simply for what he was good at, not eating. He just wanted to be noticed so he continued. Most never took him seriously. They looked at is as almost a joke or for ammusement. That was all the hunger artist knew so he continued until he finally died.
Although there wants or desires in life were very different they both ended up unhappy in the end,he died and she wasted ten years of her life.
2. In "The Little Cloud" Chandler dreams of being a poet, and being famous for it. That is all he ever wanted and he never gets there and is saddened and bitter for it. When he cries it is for several reasons for not reaching his dreams and for not realizing what he did have wonderful in his life, his wife and kid.
In "The Rocking Horse Winner" all Paul wants is to please his mother who is obsessed with luck,which in her eyes means wealth. She tells Paul he is unlucky so he insist on proving her wrong by becoming a horse racer to win. Although he wins it is never enough to her, she wants more. In the most important race of the year he wins which kills him, but puts 80,000 dollars in his mothers hand. He is at peace and will no longer have to feel the preasure to please his mom again. Although Paul and Chandler were different they both yearned for something that could not be fulfilled.
3. Faulkner's depiction of aged insanity was differen't then that of Oat's. Although Emily was obviously insane the town still respected her, almost felt sorry for her but let her be. Oat's on the other hand,the old and insane were kept away at a home. When the boys visited there dad they were uncomfortable and scared. The older brother was totally freaked out. His brother tells him to do not make eye contact and to ignore them, which seems mean and insesitve. Although Emily is ignored also, it is differnt because she chooses to be. There dipictions of the elderly are therefore different.
Mathilde Loise's desire for material wealth, on the surface, appears to be at odds with the hunger artist's supposed opposition for material wealth, or more importantly, consumption. The hunger artist thrives off of the simplicity, or rather lack of consumption. However, this desire for "nothing" creates an adverse effect in the hunger artist by creating the desire for popularity: to become the most popular hunger artist on the market. Ultimately, their fates parallel one another as they both become overzealous and greedy for wealth and popularity.
Little Chandler in "A Little Cloud" feels invisible, seeks meaning in life, seeks significance of his own life and the desire to "be someone' in this world rather than an invisible nobody. Paul, in "A Rocking Horse winner" seeks the same: significance and importance in his mother's eyes. Both stories have a redemptive ending: for Chandler, his redemtion is achieved through his release of emotion mirrored by the babies screams. Chandler "becomes somebody" through connecting to his emotions and transgressing his stoic, numb, and "nobody" state. Paul finds his luck and importance through winning the bets on the horse racing, and becomes a "lucky" person, and thus a person of importance in the eyes of his mother.
Faulkner and Oate’s description of the aged’s infirmity and insanity are quite similar. In both stories, Ms. Emily and the three “voices” are all perceived with fear, detachment and curiosity. The town in Faulkner’s story views Emily as an ancient stranger, one who’s secrets and decrepit lifestyle fascinates the townspeople. As well as the brother’s opinion of the three elderly people, these people are described with fear” “The smell was acrid as goats,” “gnome individual with no sex” and electrified skull.”
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