Analysis Paper： 7: Outline

7: Outline

Topic: irony of human nature

Thesis: Negative human natures are demonstrated all over the story and main performed on attacking “mystery”.

Example 1: First expression of human evil is that human stubbornly believe his knowledge and refuse to envisage his ignorance.

Example 2: The different popularity degree between spider woman and the old angel shows the fickle, self-interested human nature

Example 3: The final evil expression of human nature in “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wing” is that human sometimes would become extremely cruel and indifferent when they treat alien elements, especially they become animals pursuing profit.

Conclusion: The author demonstrated the negativity of human nature and compared them with the only good man. By comparison, the story reveals the themes that satirizing the negative human nature and criticizing human beings in general will never seem to understand the greater significance of life.

Analysis Paper：4: Meeting with Dr. Marquardt and determine sources

4: Meeting with Dr. Marquardt

I got it!

4: determine sources

1.           Goodwin, John. "Marquez's a Very Old Man With Enormous Wings and Bambara's The Lesson". Explicator. Winter. 2006.

2.           Schenstead-Harris, Leif. "Four Stories: "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings" by Gabriel García Márquez". Weird Fiction Review. Luís Rodrigues. Retrieved 3 February 2015.

3.           Jewel, Bonita. “Literary Analysis: ‘A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings’” September 25, 2013.

4.           Anton. “Human Nature In A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings”, Essays24, December 19, 2010.

5.           SparkNotes Editors. “SparkNote on A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings.” SparkNotes.com. SparkNotes LLC. 2007. Web. 9 Jun. 2015.

Analysis Steps：3: determine element

3: determine element

The key element is to analyze the bad nature of human being expressed in the article, and to dissect the internal meaning of their behavior. Then, it proved people stupidly pay attention to small benefit instead of appreciating the “magic” which is actually important part of our lives.

Analysis Steps：2: literary review

2: literary review

The literatures working on A very old man with enormous wings provide variable understandings about text.

John Goodwin, in his work “Márquez's A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings and Bambara's The Lesson”, researched on the interaction between working environment and the article. He noted that “enormous” was “a commentary on the events of Colombia”.^[1] The Author reflects the real human performances responding to Colombia’s social tensions through religious symbols used in the article, as “Colombians” represents “the villagers” and “religion” is “the angel”.

And Leif Schenstead-Harris made a deeper interpretation based on Marquez’s original text and John’s understanding in “Four Stories: A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings by Gabriel García Márquez”. He suggested that the old man may be the symbol of political belief. Villagers mistake the simpleminded for silliness and hurt old man without mercy. It proved exactly political violence public did and their communal ethics when facing a mystery. ^[2]

Bonita thought “his story invites us, as readers, to look a little closer at the events in our lives and determine how we are responding to the mundane we face”. ^[3] Bonita analyzed the bad human performance in text and found the main idea of the article was that people regrettably fails to appreciate the “magic” that is part of our lives but pursuing of sordid material interests, which is a real irony.

Likewise, Anton’s “Human Nature In A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings” also researched on the detailed human nature presented in each character. Comparing the patient old man to spider lady and cruel villagers, he pointed this story is “using villagers’ negative nature which conflicts their inability to appreciate a miracle.” ^[4]

The literature reviewed seems to suggest that the performance of characters in “A very old man with enormous wings” reflect the realistic human nature, and to emphasis the miracle through comparison.

Analysis Steps：1: Determine text

1: Determine text

Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s “A very old man with enormous wings”.

Response of The Elephant Vanishes

This seems to be a suspense story at first: An old elephant was missing without leaving any clues. Narrator has been keeping a close eye on the elephant story for a period of time, and has collected a scrapbook of news items about it. Originally an attraction in a private zoo, the elephant became a problem of the town because its original owner was unable to find the animal a new home when the zoo closed. Then the mayor decided the town would pay the animal’s expenses. Everything seem to be ok, but one day the old elephant was missing. And the secret of the elephant disappearance is only known by the narrator, because he found an elephant seems to become smaller and the elephant keeper becomes larger, which is mysterious phenomenon.

The elephant, in my opinion, is lonely; no one concern it. People’s political theater made it to survive, but when the elephant disappeared, people still pay attention to the government's dereliction of duty and even put it up to the height of the threat to the safety considerations. Thus, I think this society is ruthless and impersonal, no one care about elephant, especially because it is old and useless.

Perhaps it is miracle that elephant escaped, two lonely olds rely on each other； Maybe God gave them the power of balance to help them escape from society and live together.

Response to “I Bought a Little City”

This is short story is talking about the narrator who buy a little city wanted to be the god of but finally failed and realized the truth is he can never control other by his personal idea even he own the city.

In the story, he did three things to show his authority. The first thing is to find a satisfactory place for homeless people. At that time, he own the city for the first time; every thing looks pretty for him so the triumphant narrator ignored the difficulty of finding such place and got his first setback. It makes him feel disappointed but he didn’t give up show authority, which he thinks he is supposed to have but is not admitted by the folk. Therefore, the second thing which is shooting six thousand dogs without reason happened when he only can use animal as a warning to others. Then it also failed because the pet owners hate him kill their dog. Finally he fall in love with Sam’s wife but the truth is that it is impossible to force Sam’s wife love him. The three failures sober him up; he realized he is an average person which cannot be the smartest. His delusion will never come true.

Response to "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings."

  "A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings." Is talking a story that An old man with wings came into such small village，and his arrival take away kid’s illness. However, people do not realize it, they thought this living thing is an angel but it is a bad angel who is “the fugitive survivors of a celestial conspiracy”. Depend on the ugly appearance of old angel, people judge him bad and exhibit him to public as novel creature. They wilfully look at him, criticize him, and hurt him; the same thing also happened to other magic human, such as spider girl. As people lose the interest of him, he secretly recovers and flies away.

  Angel is just seemed to passer-by, his arrival stimulates people are cold and indifferent with others. They delight themselves from others’ pain and distress, and ignorantly judge others according to appearance: Those who are ugly and different from human appearance must be Heterogeneous, and heterogeneous were unconsciously divided into where kindness is miserly by people. But, actually, I am quite puzzled about this article because old man seems nothing happened to him, he is always quiet and leave soon after his recovery. Why does he have such small reaction to those harms? Does his flying has any meaning?

Response to the Middleman

"The Middleman" is told from the perspective of Alfie Judah, an Iraqi immigrant to the U.S. who is a "middleman" for illegal arms deals to rebel armies in an unnamed Latin American country. Alfie is staying at the home of Clovis Ransome, a trader in illegal goods. When Ransome leaves for the day, Alfie is asked to drive Ransome's wife, Maria, on an errand. He takes her to the nearby headquarters of a group of guerilla fighters where Maria meets up with her lover Andreas. Alfie eventually becomes a "middleman" in a conflict between Andreas and Ransome over Maria, during which Maria shoots Ransome but spares Alfie.

We can see Alfie is an immigrant with a tenuous U.S. citizenship who has become caught up in the shadier side of American imperialism and capitalist enterprise. His lust for Maria is in part an attraction to a fellow darkskinned person, although they are from two completely different cultures. Alfie is ultimately a character who survives in a multicultural setting in which he always finds himself as the "middleman" in business, political, and romantic conflicts.

Response to The Lament

The Lament was telling a small story about an old coachman whose son unfortunately died of illness this week. He was very sad about it and hoped to find someone to tell the story of the misfortune, but in the end no one was willing to pay attention to his word, he can only say the story to his horse lonely.

This seems to be not fantastic or attractive. But the author's description empathizes me. The old father who is too old to drive well worked in such a snowy day just in order to find a patient passenger who can listen the whole story; maybe he just wants a word of sympathy from listeners, which can give him some comfort and let him feel his son’s death is concerned by someone; It is enough for him. However, it's a pity that the smallest request cannot be satisfied. Who will care about a little guy dead?  The indifferent attitude foils more pitiful and sad of old father.

Our Utopia Society

Group members: Shen Yanwen(Wendy),Li Yanhao(Max),Yan Jiangyue(Sam),Hong Yuchao(Veblen),Zhang Xinhui(Ada)

Q1: Our society, named Chinamerica, is designed to solve people rights’ inequality. Our value is that everybody is equal in the political status in the society.

Q2: Rules:

(1) Acceptable behaviors are to work as the one-day president in responsible / submit personal ideas that benefits the society to “Central Core Computer”.

(2) Unacceptable behaviors are trying to work as a president for more than one day in normal days (in urgent situation is not) / Work as an irresponsible president. / Submit bad ideas or programs that may destroy the “Central Core Computer”. Punishment is that people who works as a bad president can never join the society’s political activities again. And people who try to destroy the “Central Core” will never be allowed to surf online. Both the two kinds of people will be deprived of political rights.

Q3: Governance:

(1) “Central Core”, works as a charge programmed by 500, 000, 000 people of the country in the 23^rd Century when the technology is super-developed, charges the whole society.

(2) Every 2 years, it will generate 10,000 people to form the Congress randomly by getting people’s ID according the following rule to help it manage the country:

1)        The person’s high school politics subject gets more than B+, or in university get more than B.

2)        If does not meet requirement 1, the person should have working experience in managing a committee at least.

3)        The person should age from 18 to 80 (18 and 80 included)

4)        The person should have no criminal records showing his / her political rights are deprived.

(3) Every day, the Central Core generate a president of the country by randomly choosing 3 IDs represents 3 persons according to these rules:

1)        The person can be any age.

2)        The person should have no criminal records showing his / her political rights are deprived.

3)        One of the 3 is randomly chosen as the president of the country for that day, the other 2 work as vice presidents to help and protect the president.

(4) The congress can either agree and execute presidents’ ideas, or reject the presidents’ ideas. The rule of programming Central Core can be affected only when the president, 2 vice presidents, the whole Congress and 1/10 of people in the country agrees.

(5) So the people being affected are only criminals who are deprived of political rights sentenced by the branch of the congress in every city according to the law and recorded by the Central Core computer. 

Response to Mating

   Had Jane Austen been in the Peace Corps in Africa in the 1980s, Mating is the book she might have written. Norman Rush's novel is, essentially, a comedy of manners played out in Austen's approved milieu: a country village. Granted, the village in question, Tsau, is a utopian society created by the great American anthropologist Nelson Denoon, and run largely by and for disenfranchised and abused African women.
  I can find that Mating is a fiercely intelligent, hugely ambitious novel that takes on feminism, socialism, political corruption, foreign-sponsored rural development projects.And the idea of utopian societies are fun to imagine but will man ever fulfill this world and create a society without flaw. Even the utopian society which are not even real have flaws. The world of women though seemingly perfect has one flaw. It is too perfect. A world without struggle and differences only set up boredom and a lack of character. So Tsau must be unable to continue.

Response to The Handmaid’s Tale [5]

In the final Part of The Handmaid’s Tale, It’s lucky that I see Offred eventually escape from the Gilead. Of course, I know in text she didn’t narrate what happen after she escapes and whether her future was good or bad. I believe that it will be a good beginning for her to enjoy her future.

   To be honest, when I read Offred’s complex uncertain emotion, I was really angry and regretful because she seems to be assimilated by ridiculous environment. She is such a timid person that she is afraid of being found she has some resistant thought. However, she did not thoroughly give up freedom and thoughts, just pursuing fertility like Jenny. I used to believe she is a clever woman that all her disguise is for escaping Gilead one day. But she is not, all things are just my imagines that I believe she should be purposeful and brave. She started to rely on Nick and give up herself. Ofglenn came to persuad her and it is useless. Then when Ofglenn was found by eyes and suicide to keep secrets, I sighed she was a brave great woman. Compared to her, Offred is too flabby to change her misfortune by herself. Let us guess, If Nick was not undercover spy, what will the ending of novel become? Will Offred finally escape from Gilead, or stay in Gilead forever?

  Whatever, Offred is just a pitiful ordinary woman after all. She cannot be a hero like what I hope.

Response to The Handmaid’s Tale -Part 4

In this chapter, the commander wife’s mentality makes me surprised. Wife may be women's highest class in Gillead and her action is also driven by the social thought no matter how high rank she is. So what she does is not like what a real wise woman would do. Under her elegant appearance is a morbid thirst for fertility to ensure her and her family’s status. Thus the wife can openly talk to Offred, and told her that she should be pregnant with Nick. Her heart was not condemned by moral feeling; it also shows that the necessary obligations of fertility must be above the morality and emotion. consequentialism guides wife's idea, in other words, as long as her family got the child, no matter what way, even if this way is a little against ethics, it is ok to do it.

Response to Part 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale

     In the part 3 of The Handmaid’s Tale, the narrator Offred described the process of Janine’s pregnancy and childbirth in detail. In this part, Offred began to have doubts about her status and start thinking. She recalls her memory of content that in school the Martha brainwashed to all women. When they saw some propaganda film, Offred are anxious and doubted, because she fears the way in video that woman was treated so cruelly, but other women believe that it is right and normal. I think at this point she gradually awake her mind. On the one hand it is the effect of traditional thought and the reality which people believe the importance of fertility; Thus, when she had just experienced Janine’s birth process, the real experience made her uneasy to her own thoughts which different from social main sense. On the other hand, her subconsciously refute some improper ideas so her thought contradicted traditional education. In the case of this contradiction, she deepens her observations and reflections of her life; it will be an important beginning of her self-awareness.

Response to The Handmaid's Tale Part 2

In the second part of the novel, I am particularly concerned about the descriptions of the process of commander has sex with Offred in the text. It seems extremely savage and boring. In general, the sex will bring people pleasure of the senses, even if there is no love in the emotional impulse, but the physical pleasure is existence. In the text, sex has been described as the mating process, there is no pleasant feeling during the sex , but both people have to regularly conduct in order to make Offred conceive as soon as possible. Whether the commander, who should control sexual intercourse and get pleasure, or Offred who dis like it, the sex task is apathetic to them. Thus, we can find, Offred is not the only people who dislike social rules. Commander who is the beneficiary of male chauvinism also disgusts life without love. In other words, he is also affected by the oppressive system of religion in another form. However, even if people have realized that it is not right system, but no one dares to change, people still wrap themselves as pious defenders of religious system in the public.

response to The Handmaid's Tale

I have read the part I of the novel, unfortunately I can't understand the detailed plot. But in the opening depiction, I noticed the author created an imaginary totalitarian society.

 This novel is set in the future of the United States. Religious forces victory in the struggle; the country was ruled by the Archbishop, they set all kinds of privileges in themselves. The most important thing is to enjoy many women, but he could not have any "romantic relationship" with these women, which is illegal; these women are only his birth tools. While more men had no chance to get the woman. In addition to the marital relationship, any relationship is illegal, which should be punished ...... there are people dying every day (to be hanged, hanging, exhibited); there are regular confession and people are denounced frequently...... there are the surveillance cameras and the "eyes" around every corner......

  How absurd things took place in Gillette Republic are! All follow the instructions of the Bible; women completely reduced men’s accessories, were driven out of all jobs and are not allowed to own property; legal status of women in accordance with the experience of marriage and fertility is divided into several levels. But in my mind, Gillette country's most frightening thing is not its rank and torture, but by depriving thought to control people: All words which the rulers do not like, do not meet the dogma are removed from everyday contexts. Example is that every woman think they should remember the biblical teachings and interpret the theme of "A woman’s meaning of life is to serve man, this is the mission God has given you" in everyday life.

Response to Boy Marries Hill

This is a very interesting drama with many mutations on plot. Sometimes I think it should be as I expected, but the plot surprisingly performed a big turning point.

Tapesh is the character who I’d like to review. In the early part of the story, I have always regarded Tapesh as a submissive, irresponsible, superstitious softhead. I think he was a rubber stamp because he only listen to your mother and couldn't make any decision by himself; Considering him superstitious because he even believe the nonsense which he must marry hill to remove the curse; And considering him irresponsible, of course, because he stubbornly break up with pregnant girlfriend. Compared to the immorality of abandoning pregnant girlfriend, his only advantages of filial piety isn't worth mentioning.

In the middle part of the drama, the pizza boy tell him that stayed beside mom is not happy, Tapesh is still hesitating. Ok, I can understand, after all, his mother is such a great mother who rescues the whole family. However, the main reason I belittle him is that subjectively, I hate those who cannot simply deal with emotional conflict, especially hesitating because of the ridiculous ideas which will destroys the normal life. As for his cursed mother, I think it is inclined to her fear and anxiety of killing her husband so that mother wants to her son came back, to guard and support the family. A real man should use other right ways to soothe my mother, ignoring the absurd decision to marry hill, and then responsibly marry Darshini.

What amazed me is during the final part of the plot, an abrupt change on plot appeared. He likes mountain in deed. Darshini’s cheat makes him understand his real love. Such plot change made me have nothing to say, it turns out to becomes an ending that Tapesh overcomes difficulties and finds true love at last. How strange the end is! I cannot understand it anymore!

Response of the Bible， Genesis

The Bible is the western classical religious book. I often heard that it can serve as childhood primers to learn. In fact, it is, because it is not difficult to understand; there are many god genesis events and the story of the human face in the narrative. I can't say what it contains enlightening truth, but as myths and legends, which shows the magical world, fascinating story.

About the story that the snake tempted Eve to eat the fruits of the tree of life, I really feel that God is a bit heartless. Humanity itself has nature of exploring the unknown. Although their act is not obeying the voice of god, I think at that time Adam and Eve are ignorant, they do not know which is right or wrong. The fruit of the tree of life not only bring them wisdom, but also brings a desire, which make them understand good and evil. Maybe God created the human without wisdom; in his view it is happy enough for human to carefreely live in the Garden of Eden, so God do not need to give human desire to annoy people. But it is because the human desires make humans’ progress. In other words, as described in the bible: the snake is a so evil creature that unexpectedly tempted Eve to eat the fruit, such a bad desire has certain reason in the religion itself: Religion pay attention to control desire.

And I felt god's ruthless side more performance on his punishment for people. In the article the Lord is like a perfectionist. He always give human a perfect living conditions, such as the Garden of Eden, firmly believe that the arrangement of it has made human satisfied. Then, no spiritual teachings to guide human mature. Therefore, when Eve to eat fruit on the sly, he gave humans harsh punishment, deprive the good life. Different treatments was too obvious, which makes me have to think that God always disregard for human mistakes and not to correct mistakes right away, but afterwards giving excessive punishment.

After all such things happened to the same time, which is the event of Noah's ark. “God saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” He should want to get rid of the entire poor creature. If it is a perfectionist who created the work, immediately destroyed because of not perfection, I can't blame him too much. Here is different, he created life who are able to think, he can't give up teaching human because of loathe. Flood is too ruthless punishment; I think it is irresponsible of god as creator.

Analysis Paper Schedule

Step	Deadline
1: Determine text	March  16
2: literary review	March  25
3: determine element	March  25
4: Meeting with Dr. Marquardt	April    9
4: determine sources	March  30
5: determine quotes from primary sources	March  30
6: determine quotes from secondary sources	March  30
7: Outline	April    4
8: Draft 1	April   13
9: Peer Review	April   20
10: Draft 2	April   26
11: Final Draft	June   5

Moments of light in the story

   “Light” appears for several times in the story. And in author’s view, “light” is a symbol of goodliness and peace salvation. Thus, its position often opposites of the war scene normally supposed to be.

    At the first time, there are two sentences using ‘light” to describe sombre environment, one is “Up in the canopy there were tiny white blossoms, but no sunlight at all” and the other is “quadruple canopy, no sunlight at all”. And such a gloomy environment is contrasted with teenager’s lively atmosphere. When “Lemon step from the shade into bright sunlight. His face was suddenly brown and shining”, here “light” appears again and sunlight shines Lemon extremely beautiful. Likewise, in the sentence “when he died it was almost beautiful, the way the sunlight came around him and lifted him up and sucked him high into a tree full of moss and vines and white blossoms”, set off by sunlight, death scene is very sacred, Lemon was shrouded by pure white light, quietly lying on the white flower, dying without pain. It is like going into the heaven. The good atmosphere serves as a foil to uncertain cruel war. In the end, the protagonist thought the light kill Lemon; the more beautiful death scene is, the more sad people feel.

Response to “How to Tell a True War Story”

         I have ever learned about war from a lot of stories, movies, novels, dramas. And people are willing to tell the war story by literature from both perspectives, cruel and evil, equally sacred and magnificent. War is so complex that the glory and evil of the human nature flash on the battlefield. As a spectator, I am unable to have in-depth impression but the author Tim O’Brien writes down "This is true." which has been emphasized for several times in text to describe a black humorous war story. And it gave me a different feeling.   
       The story is mainly about the death of Curt Lemon, a larky guy who didn't put the war seriously. He cheerfully played games all the way. This scene is so beautiful and sunshine that people are absorbed in the happy atmosphere of outing until Lemon accidentally stepped on a booby trap and dead in the blast. However, “when he died it was almost beautiful, the way the sunlight came around him and lifted him up and sucked him high into a tree full of moss and vines and white blossoms.” Such a dreamlike description and abrupt transition bring comrade more regret and sorrow. Thus when Rat slaughter baby buffalo without mercy, comrades can unhesitatingly criticize Rat merciless because he was giving vent to grief of comrades-in-arms’ gratuitous death. But “A true war story is never moral”; on other hands, he still committed evil. 
       Just like the story told by Mitchell Sanders, “For the common soldier, at least, war has the feel—the spiritual texture—of a great ghostly fog, thick and permanent. There is no clarity. Everything swirls. The old rules are no longer binding, the old truths no longer true. Right spills over into wrong. Order blends into chaos, love into hate, ugliness into beauty, law into anarchy, civility into savagery."  In war people lose their sense of the definite and the sense of truth itself, numbness is their normal status.  
        So this is true war story that people’s emotion is unnecessary at the result of war’s cruel nature.

Reading Response of "1001 Arabian Nights"

     In deed,I think i am very familiar with "1001 Arabian Nights", for it is my bedtime story at young age. Till the three sections of book i read today quite open my understanding of it, because there are still much details about story that i don't know. The three contain entirely the beginning of how 1001 story arose and the happy ending of King and his wife,and two small story in between which are narrated by Wazir to persuade his daughter not marry King.

    The first section "STORY OF KING SHAHRYAR AND HIS BROTHER" talked that King Shahryar missed his brother Shah Zaman and wanted to his brother to visit him. And at the day of departure Shah Zaman found  his wife's treason so that  he got excessive grief and weak. Thereupon when he rested at the palace he found King Shahryar was also cuckolded that recover him but frenzy the King.The despondent twain started to tramp and accidentally met Jinni Ifrit's imprisoned bride who threat them to stroke her.Finally the lady's exerperience inspire them that King Shahryar

"decided never to intermarry with womankind"    and

"He also sware himself by a binding oath that whatever wife he married he would abate her maidenhead at night and slay her next morning, to make sure of his honor."

      I used to believe King Shahryar is a brutal and tyrannical king  to slay women without a warrant.Now it is reasonable that he became brutal king because he had such a pitiful experience.However there are some logical problem that i cannot understand.

 So they fared forth saying either to other, "Allah! Allah!" and: "There be no Majesty and there be no Might save in Allah, the Glorious, the Great, and with Him we seek refuge from women's malice and sleight, for of a truth it hath no mate in might. Consider, O my brother, the ways of this marvelous lady with an Ifrit, who is so much more powerful than we are. Now since there hath happened to him a greater mishap than that which befell us and which should bear us abundant consolation, so return we to our countries and capitals, and let us decide never to intermarry with womankind, and presently we will show them what will be our action."

I found they were inspired by lady's experience,but they did the same odious deed to Ifrit's wife as what blackman did to Queen.Maybe they felt it was all the fault of Queen because she may threat to blackman;maybe they felt Ifrit is much more miserable than themself because even Ifrit has strong power, his wife still betray him;maybe they know "there never was nor is there one chaste woman upon the face of earth"; except they agree the lady's way.Because i think the lady is also disloyal.

    And there are the same logical problems about merchant and his wife's small story in "THE TALE OF THE BULL AND THE ASS" . Why wife will repent when merchant use mulberry twigs to hit his wife very hard until she beg for pardon? Can it easily make wife obedient?

    Thus I learned a lot but i still puzzled a lot.