Literary Criticism Article on "The Pit and the Pendulum"

In the Article “Apocalyptic Imagery and the Fragmentation of the Psyche: ‘The Pit and the Pendulum,’” Jeanne M. Malloy brings up many arguments about Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Pit and the Pendulum.” Throughout her article, she supports her arguments with other critics points of views. With this, she was able to make a good citation of her sources when using their ideas. Even though Malloy was able to support her arguments, her flaw was in having too many arguments and not narrowing it down to just focusing on a few main points. This took away effect from the entire piece because with so many ideas being thrown out to the reader, he/she was not able to focus on main points and key arguments.

“Apocalyptic Imagery and the Fragmentation of the Psyche: ‘The Pit and the Pendulum,’” introduces many arguments to the reader. Throughout this piece, Malloy argued that in “The Pit and the Pendulum,” Edgar Allen Poe “uses apocalyptic imagery as part of the psychological reconception of the myth of the Fall” with the association of the divine with infancy, childhood, special states of consciousness. (pg 86, 88) Along with this she argues Poe‘s interest in psychology, especially the language of despair. (pg 84) Also she relates the story to the Book of Revelation which “sets forth the promise of salvation, the eternal life granted the faithful.” (pg 83) Last of all, she argues Poe’s insistence in the “boundary between reason and instinct.” (pg 92)

With so many arguments, Malloy made a good use of citation through her piece when using other critics of Poe’s similar ideas. When she made an argument, she would have enough supporting details to get her point accross and make the argument valid. Malloy was able to use not only her opinions, but those of others who shared the same ideas. She would state the arguments and add on to that claim with supporting details. In citing her sources, she used phrases like: “as David H. Hirsch has pointed out, in the ‘Drake-Halleck’ review of 1836, according to M.H. Abrams, as Bonaparte points out, as Blake’s ‘Songs of Innocence’ and Wordsworth’s ‘Intimations of Immortality from Recollections of Early Childhood’ show,” and many more. (pg 83, 84, 85, 87) As a result of these citations, the reader established a sense of credibility for Malloy.

Even though Malloy was able to introduce all these arguments and support them with countless of supporting details, her flaw was in having too many arguments. She was not able to focus on just the most important key points. As a result of this, the article was too broad, dealing with many ideas and opinions all at once. When the reader was faced with so many arguments, he/she lost focus on the main point of the entire piece. This caused the whole argument of the article to loose its emphasis. Therefore, Malloy’s article was not as effective as it could have been.

In order to improve her article, Malloy would have to narrow down the topic. She should just focus on a few key points and really emphasize those arguments through the article. Malloy should continue using the opinions and points of views of other critics of Poe’s to support her thoughts. Supporting details and counterarguments could only work in favor of her writing piece. Once Malloy looses the broadness of her piece, the article would be more effective.

Overall, in “Apocalyptic Imagery and the Fragmentation of the Psyche: ‘The Pit and the Pendulum,’” Jeanne M. Malloy made good use of citation and supporting details. She was able to use other critics of Poe’s views in her favor to backup her arguments. Malloy was able to establish a sense of credibility through her piece. She lost the articles focus by mentioning too many arguments in the article. Malloy should have emphasized just the most important key points of the main idea, and kept the argument more narrow. This would have made her article more effective to the reader.

Biography in Fiction

Biography in Fiction

Kate Chopin is the author of many great stories that are still being read of today. Chopin portrayed the inequality between men and women throughout these stories. Her writing was emphasize on women and their struggle to live in a society based on the supremacy of men. Most of these stories were influenced by past events in Chopin’s life. Her life during the Civil War, the death of her father and husband, growing up surrounded by women, and her life in the south, all inspired Chopin’s writing.

The Civil War played a vital role in Chopin‘s life and writing. Experiencing the struggles between whites and blacks, she lost her one and only close female friend, Kitty Garesche. The loss of this relationship can be viewed in a similar form in her story “Desiree’s Baby.” In the story, Desiree and her husband loose their relationship because of the questioning of why their baby was black. This one relationship that was once filled with love was lost forever over this issue. Chopin’s lost relationship with her friend, Kitty Garasche, relates to that depicted in “Desiree’s Baby” because of the issue of whites against blacks.

Just like the Civil War inspired Chopin’s writing, so did such tragic events like the deaths of her father and husband. In her biography, it was stated that Chopin’s father died in a train that crossed a bridge that collapsed. This event could be related to the story “The Story of An Hour.” In this story, Mrs. Mallard’s husband was said to be killed in a railroad disaster. Both these events are based on a tragic death dealing with railroad transport. Another death that inspired Chopin’s writing was the death of her husband. In a similar way it relates to “The Story of An Hour” because of the fact that Mrs. Mallard, like Chopin, also looses her husband.

Another major influence that shaped Chopin’s writing were the women that she grew up with. Her mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother were depicted through Chopin’s stories. In her stories, she illustrates these women that live under the rule of their husbands. Both her stories “Desiree’s Baby” and “The Story of An Hour” indicate that these women had to live under the rule of their husbands, for women did not have a voice in those times. Women could not speak back to their husbands, men had the final word, and women had to obey their husbands because they did not own themselves when they were married.

Most of all, life in the South for Chopin was viewed through her writing. In “Desiree’s Baby,” Chopin describes the slaves working on the plantations. “It was an October afternoon; the sun was just sinking. Out in the still fields the negroes were picking cotton.” This relates to the time after Chopin’s death, when she had to take over the plantation for a year. She probably narrates this from her own account and experiences on the plantation after her husbands absence.

Overall, past events in Chopin’s life influenced her as an author. Her stories were inspired by many of the things she dealt with through her life. Some things that inspired her writing were; her life during the Civil War, the death of her father and husband, growing up surrounded by women, and her life in the south. Chopin clearly illustrated the imbalance between women and mean through her writing. Also, she strongly emphasized her stories around the basis of a society ruled by men. As a writer, Chopin was able to connect her past events in her life, to those of the characters in her stories.

The Story of An Hour

Pick out atleast five phrases which you think are especially important to the story (what you might mak on a printed text.) Briefly describe why you chose each.

1. "Into this she sank, pressed down by a physical exhaustion that haunted her body and seemed to reach into her soul."

• I chose this quote because it shows how this grief was so powerful that it was wearing her down, not only physically but emotionally as well. Also, I liked the way that Chopin used personification, it adds imagery to the sentence.

2. "She sat with her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair, quite motionless, except when a sob came up into her throat and shook her, as a child who has cried itself to sleep continues to sob in its dreams."

• I chose this quote because of the way that the similie helps illustrate Mrs. Mallard as this hopeless character who has no other option but to cry. The description of "her head thrown back upon the cushion of the chair" gives this impression of despair and depression. Also, I thought that by this motion, it was a way of her finding comfort on the cushion of the chair, as if anything could possibly comfort her in a time like this.

3. "She was beginning to recognize this thing that was approaching to possess her, and she was striving to beat it back with her will--as powerless as her two white slender hands would have been."

• I chose this quote because of the way that Chopin describes Mrs. Mallard's heart trouble. She knows what is taking over her and yet she fights back. This gave me a notion that she is expecting her death but is not willing to give up just yet. It depicted Mallard fighting internally, within herself, to try to avoid this condition of hers from taking away her life. Eventhough, she knew it was inevitable. Overall, great diction. I like the way this foreshadows the upcoming events in the story.

4. "And yet she had loved him--sometimes."

• I chose this quote because of it being so typical to everyday women in our times. It merely shows how women preserve the love that they have for their men regardless of what ever wrongs they received from them. The word "sometimes" greatly emphasizes this concept.

5. "Free! Body and soul free!" she kept whispering.

• I chose this quote because it added a twist to the story because it sounds as though she were claiming her victory of finally being free. Almost as if she would have been longing for this to happen. She goes from crying and feeling hopeless, to this feeling of joy and accomplishment.

What Questions about character or motivation of plot does this story leave in your mind?

1. Was Mrs. Millard happy that her husband had died?

2. Why does the story go from Mrs. Millard feeling depressed and emotionally overwhelmed with her husbands death, to feeling somewhat happy and victorious?

3. If Brently Mallard was not the one that died, then why was his name on the list of "killed"?

4. What were some things that made Mrs. Millard not love her husband at times?

5. Why does Mrs. Millard feel free?

Disturbia

Kele, the main character of the movie "Disturbia," is portrayed as a depressed teenage boy who does not care much for himself. This is all due to the tragic death of his father in a car accident. Kele comes out as this type of character because of the way that he dresses and acts. In one of the first scenes, when Kele is caught sleeping in the Spanish classroom, he is wearing a dark hoody and slouching in his seat. This body language demonstrated that he was not necessarily interested in the subject and really did not care. The dark hoodie portrays him as a gloomy person because dark colors are usually related to sadness and unhappiness. Therefore, producing this depressed character. Also, Kele's actions help convey this careless and depressed character. When his spanish teacher comments on his father, Kele responds by punching him. This is obvious that Kele is still hurt and is not completely through coping with his fathers loss. Kele comes off as careless when it comes to his room and physique. He clutters his room with garbage and dirty clothes. When his friend comes to visit him, he asks "Have you been showering?" This comment clearly shows that Kele has not been taking care of himself, either by not showering or just dressing down. Overall, Kele is portrayed as being depressed and careless. The visual and auditory details in the film help create this character.

Harriet Jacobs-If You couldnt read the Handout...Go Here

Hey my fellow classmates!!!

I know your eyes probably hurt from trying to read that blurry thing...so I found a link for all of you to check out...that way you wont need to stress your eyes trying to figure out what the writing says...so here it is...

http://xroads.virginia.edu/~HYPER/JACOBS/hj-site-index.htm

you will need to print out Chapter 1-Childhood...Chapter 7-The Lover...and that first paragraph of Ch 10-A Perilous Passage in the Slave Girl's Life....

Love you all...
xoxoxoxo

Amy Carrillo aka "Mexikkan Blond"

THE GETTYSBURG ADDRESS

1) Lincoln didnt mention who was fighting who. He shouldve been more specific and maybe mention some ways of how the people should honor those who faught for everybody's freedom. Lincoln also did not state where or when these people were fighting. What was their purpose for fighting?

2) Lincoln thinks that the citizens of the country, should give respect to those who lost their lives fighting for everybodys freedom, by continuing the fight for that same cause. Lincoln uses this last sentence as a way to reach the audience (pathos) to persuade the American society that the fight for freedom and equality is very important and significant, because the he does not want the life of those who fought in the war to be lost in vein. This sentence serves as a way for Lincol to reach his audience through the use of emotions. I think this sentence got the readers to see reality and respect the deceased. My sentence would go like this: Why make the lives of our fellow citizens, who have fought with heart and honor, to claim the freedom, that our forefathers have brought upon us, to be lost in vain?

3) Both the Declaration of Independence and the Gettysburg Address were documents written to unify the people to fight for their freedom. The Declaration of Independece is written to declare the colonists free from Britain and the Gettysburg Address to convince the people of the country to persist the fight for freedom and to give a cause to those who lost their lives in the war. The Declaration of Independence was a document written in a very demanding and harsh tone, in which the King of England was attacked for all his wrong doings to the colonies. The address had a more of a persuasive tone, reaching out to the fellow citizens to continue to fight for freedom.

4) Troughout my life, I have heard many persuasive speeches. They included supporting ideas, thoughts, and actions to take. In a way they compare to Lincoln's address, because they serve that same purpose as to why they want something to be done and how.

NOTES ON ROMANTICISM, REALISM, GOTHIC, AND LITS TRANSITION....

http://www.answers.com/topic/romanticism

http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/realism.htm

http://www.wsu.edu/~campbelld/amlit/novel.htm