1984 Ending

The novel ended very differently than how I had expected. Winston's story ends leaving the reader with little hope for the future. It was disappointing that although Winston hates the party from the beginning, it finally defeats him because he loves Big Brother in the end. Throughout the novel, I was hoping for Winston to gain the courage to start a rebellion, but the party is watching him and anticipating his action the entire time. He seems to think carefully and secretly, but instead he falls directly into the party's trap. I was shocked to discover that O'Brien is a member of the Thought Police because I thought he would be an ally, like Julia. It is strange that Winston continues to revere O'Brien while he is torturing him. I like how Orwell ties in the one question Julia and Winston refuse to do, which is to separate and betray each other. Room 101 is where the worst thing in the world is located, which finally breaks people psychologically by defeating their last hope. Winston says he does not actually love Julia and he has already told the O'Brien everything about her. However, to finally accept the party, Winston has to want Julia to be punished in place of him. Now I understand why everyone follows the party, even though many people are discontent, after reading about Winston's experiences being tortured. I do not think that Big Brother or the Brotherhood exists, and they are both creations from the party to stay in control. When Winston asks about the existence of Big Brother, O'Brien avoids directly answering the question. He is a symbol used to unite people with common devotion to this figure. Also, the Brotherhood is a scheme invented by the party to enrage party supporters and find opposition. The party seems invincible and it has found a way to remain perpetually in power.

1984 The Book

After reading Chapter 3 about War is Peace of Goldstein's book, the party slogan makes more sense. At first it seems paradoxical that war could be equated with peace, but this refers to the peace within society, which is maintained by perpetual warfare. Since people are oppressed, they are dependent upon their government and do not think of rebelling. It is strange that the government wants to be fighting in permanent war and keep its citizens impoverished rather than trying to benefit the standard of living. They are destroying rather than improving society. It would seem more logical that they would want society to be content with their government because if they were dissatisfied, they would be more likely to protest. It is also difficult to understand that the the government considers a surplus of consumption goods to be negative. The party seems to be moving backwards because they are not inventing new technology. This system of oppression seems to work well for the party in controlling society because it gives the people a common purpose and uniting them against the enemy. It distracts them from their dismal living conditions and corrupt government. However, I do not agree with the party's methods of control because they are not truly at peace. The government is the main reason why society is not peaceful. The people are paranoid about being arrested by the Thought Police and constantly fear vaporization. Many have extremely violent thoughts because they cannot express their emotions, as shown by Winston, who wants smash Julia's head with a stone. Also, people seemingly loyal citizens despise the government, such as Winston and Julia, who are joining the Brotherhood in a secret rebellion. The party falsely believes that war creates a peaceful society, but submission to tyranny is not peace. I wonder if the other two superstates, Eurasia and Eastasia, have a government similar to Oceania, where their societies are experiencing the same problems, because they agree to follow the policy of continuous war.

"Lady Luncheon Club" Explication

Maya Angelou uses irony to criticize both the women who are self-absorbed and think about their own petty problems and men who stereotype women. The first line of the poem has a sarcastic tone because the ladies do not seem enthusiastic about the woman's counsel, which is merely accepted, or seem to listen to her advice frequently. The times are literally grave because the man speaks about murder and unemployment, but this could also mean the times are grave because the ladies are taking the woman's advice. They call their cash account petty and complain about the food, but their lives are significantly better than those in the man talk. Angelou uses irony of the situation because the women are paying the man to make them think during the lecture, but they are not paying attention to him. They would rather think about the dessert and when he will leave. The man himself is not interested in his own lecture. He must summon sincerity like calling a pet before he speaks, so he is acting rather than being truly passionate about the topic. It is ironic that the man says he understands females, which he likens to Eve who was tempted by the devil and Delilah who deceived Samson leading to his downfall. He believes in the stereotype that all women are dishonest and a bad influence on men. However, in this poem, the women at the luncheon are not very moral because while the man describes the horrible conditions and deaths, they are only concerned about themselves. They do not even react to hearing about the rape of a young girl. Since these women are having a luncheon, they are probably wealthy. They are selfish and only consider their own boredom, while there are people who are jobless and drunk in the streets. There is no relief for them in the mornings, unlike the women who are gathered together at the luncheon.

1984 2.1-3 First Impressions of Julia

Julia is clever and bold in defying the Party. She fears the Party much less than Winston, and uses a more direct approach to get what she wants. Rather than waiting for a revolt, she secretly breaks rules and does not use Newspeak, which are her own small acts of rebellion. She is well-organized and driven when she plans the meeting place for Winston. She has good self-control to hide her feelings of hatred because she convinces people that she is an extremely devoted and enthusiastic Party member. She demonstrates that the Party's system of control is flawed. Although she has little memory of life before the Revolution and grew up under the reign of Big Brother, being taught throughout her life to support the Party, she still rebels against them. Even though she is much younger than Winston, she seems to share his experiences. It is strange that she acts understanding and even amused when Winston reveals that he had wanted to violently rape and murder her before he met her. She shows the Party cannot control human instinct by completely extinguishing the sex drive. She has had love affairs many times before with any Party member who is against Big Brother. She automatically calls Winston dear and is willing to let him do anything with her. She does not form a truly loving emotional connection, partially because of the limited time and freedom of the situation, which is what Winston had desired in his relationship with Katherine. When she describes her first affair, she indifferently says it is good that the man committed suicide, so he would not have confessed her name. At first, Julia is the girl of Winston's dreams, who tears of her clothes in the Golden Country, freeing herself from the Party. Yet, she seems too good to be true. I think there will be some conflict between Julia and Winston because she lives with the hope of happiness, while he believes they are defeated.

1984 1.6-8 Predictions

I think Winston will continue to think about rebelling against the government, but he is still too afraid to take action. He will more frequently write journal about his growing rage. Also, he will visit the junk shop more often and add to his collection of trinkets. As he talks to Mr. Charrington about life before Big Brother, they will become closer friends because they share the same opinion about the government. Thus, Winston have someone who he can trust and to whom he can share his emotions. He will convince Mr. Charrington to join his side against the government. Then, as he watches the girl with the brown hair following him, he will realize that he is wrong about her intentions. She is not an agent of the Thought Police, but she is spying on him because she wants to help rebel against Big Brother. Also, O'Brien will join them and they all will form a small, secret group which is planning the rebellion. They meet in the junk shop because there are no telescreens, so they can speak freely to each other. The other members will give Winston the strength and reinforcement that he needs to finally act. He will the try to rally and incite the Proles in an uprising to overthrow Big Brother. However, his plan will probably fail because the young Proles are too mindless and easily distracted by their petty arguments, while the older Proles are also of little use. They remember the insignificant details of time before the Revolution, but they forget about the change in their quality of life. When Winston meets O'Brien "in the place where there is no darkness," either the entire group will be caught by the Thought Police or everyone except for Winston will be arrested. Thus, Winston will have to act alone to end the control of Big Brother.

Newspeak

kl old give power g r love c unlove. ed plan kill kg. ungood storm kl know g r doubleplusungood c plusgood. kg unsee know ed ungood eg good. kl g r c kg dead. king eg.

1984 1.1-2 Privacy

In the novel, no one in London has privacy. They are constantly watched and heard on the telescreens by the Thought Police. Everyone lives with the paranoia of being monitored and threatened all the time. The Thought Police have the authority to invade a person's privacy whenever they want to. There is no safe place to be alone because the telescreens are located positions in every room at work and home. They are positioned where they have a clear view of the entire room, so they can track every movement. The people do not even have privacy in their minds to think for themselves because Big Brother controls their thoughts, such as with the two minutes hate program. He forces everyone to think the same in support of him. Even though Winston tries to resist the common emotion, he joins in with the chanting after the program. The police impinge on the civil liberties because they will arrest citizens in the night, and without a trial, they vaporize people from records as if they never existed. The people have no privacy from Big Brother.

In our society, the government also violates our civil liberties, especially after September 11, 2001. They created the Patriot Act, which made it easier to arrest people who they thought were suspicious of threatening national security. They added more surveillance cameras in public places to watch people, such as in airports and traffic lights. Security workers at the airports can see all of you belongings and throw out anything they consider to be a threat. Also, people have little privacy with social media sites like FaceBook, but this is partially due to our own fault. It is easy to find out all about another person's personal information on the internet. They know your address and age and can see pictures of you with a click of the mouse. FaceBook uses your information to connect you with people who you may know, such as family members or people who went to your high school. The internet is connected with cell phones, so it tracks your calls and searches online.

"The Writer" Explication

At first, Richard Wilbur uses the voyage of a ship to symbolize his daughter's upcoming life. She is growing up and becoming independent as she does her work alone. She is beginning to write her own story as she explores the world outside the comfort of her home and nurture of her parents. Her father remains outside of her bedroom because she must learn to solve her problems without him. The light breaks like waves and windows are tossed like a boat in the rough ocean. The sound of the typewriter keys is similar to a chain hauled over a gunwale, which is part of a vessel. She is still young, but she has already carried some heavy cargo or has experienced burdens in life. Her father hopes that she has a happy journey as she sails through life.

However, both Wilbur and his daughter reject this comparison to a ship and think that a trapped bird trying to escape is a more accurate symbol. A ship's voyage is too simple and easy to be a symbol of her life, which is more complicated than a smooth journey across the ocean. The family watches rather than helps the bird, which struggles to find its own way out of the room. The daughter will experience fear in unknown places. However, it shows that her family will always be there to help her during the most difficult times, even when she thinks she is alone. The bird seems helpless as it hits the floor and wall yet it is beautiful in its determination to free itself. Everyone shares in the happiness of the bloody and bumped bird when it finally flies into the world. Wilbur remembers that problems seem as important as life or death situations at her young age. Thus, he even more strongly wishes her fortune in life because she will encounter great difficulties like the bird and will hopefully be as successful in overcoming them.

"I taste a liquor never brewed" Explication

In this poem, Emily Dickinson is intoxicated with nature. The extended metaphor compares the feeling of drunkenness to being invigorated by the beauty of nature. She plays with both the positive and negative meanings of intoxication and ironically describes the similarities between contamination from alcohol and the fresh pure air. Although being drunk has a negative connotation, she uses the experience in a lighthearted way to describe the same feeling of pleasure when surrounded by nature. She uses the third form of metaphor, where she names the literal term "alcohol" and the implied figurative term is nature. She boldly exclaims that her liquor, which cannot be brewed by humans, is far superior to wine from the Rhine wineries, which is highly regarded for its fine alcohol. Dickinson uses metonymy when she is drunk on the air and dew, referring to nature in general. Also, she calls herself an "inebriate", who is a drunkard, and a "debauchee", who is a person addicted to excessive indulgence usually referring to alcohol. She creates a comical image of herself because she is intoxicated to the point that she begins to stagger. Her condition is similar to a drunk person who cannot walk straight or think clearly because she is so overjoyed with being close to nature. Yet, she continues to drink in the blue skies of summer like an alcoholic at an inn, where she has no self-control and cannot stop herself from drinking. She implies that nectar from flowers is nature's alcohol and the bees and butterflies are the people at the bar. Even when drunk people are kicked out of the bar and others have stopped drinking, she seems to drink endlessly as she becomes more drunk on nature. The Seraphs and Saints act similar to the people who run to see the amusing sight of a drunkard. She leans against the sun like a drunk person leaning against a wall for support.

King Lear Act 5 Final Lines

The closing lines from each character leave them with little hope in the unjust world. Goneril and Regan are jealous of and thus defeat each other because they both love Edmund. Their final lines again show that Goneril is the leader in scheming and takes action more than her sister. She poisons Regan, who complains about feeling sick. Similar to her first speech, Cordelia speaks the truth in her last words. She understands that she and Lear are not the only people with good intentions and morals who have suffered unjustly. She understands her father's pain and does not blame him for not seeing the truth in his daughters. She knows that she will die soon, but Lear comforts her because she should not give up hope yet. However, he only holds on to his sanity as long as she holds on to her life. After she is hanged, he forgets who Kent is and believes Cordelia is still alive. He laments the injustice of a world, where mere animals live while his precious daughter is dead. He exclaims that Cordelia is breathing before he dies.

Edgar delivers the last lines of the play King Lear. He says the oldest has suffered the most, which refers to Lear who suffers throughout the play because his daughters. In the beginning, he is deceived by flattery from his Goneril and Regan and believes that Cordelia who he has always favored does not love him. Then, in addition to realizing his two oldest daughters take advantage of him to gain his wealth, he is afraid of becoming old and powerless. He has nothing after losing his home, sanity, and someone to care for him. Edgar sympathizes with Lear because the young will never see so much suffering as Lear and they will not bear the burden for so long in their life. Although Lear continues to suffer, he is determined to endure in hopes that Cordelia will redeem the unjust and hostile world. After she dies, he quickly follows because there is nothing left for him to live for.

King Lear Act 3 Nature

The storm reflects Lear's rage at his eldest daughters and the beginning of his madness. There is nothing left in life for him and he wants the physical discomfort to drown out his emotional pain. He completely depends on his authority before he loses it to his daughters. During the storm, he realizes his insignificance compared to the uncontrollable power of nature. Also, he compares Goneril and Regan to wild animals, which follow natural laws instead of societal laws because they lack morals or compassion for their father. He calls them "pelican daughters" (III.iv.81) because pelicans were thought to have fed their young with their own blood. Once they get what they want from him by ungratefully taking his wealth, they leave him alone to take care of himself. Lear vents his frustration about his daughters and himself to the storm because he knows that every person, no matter their societal rank, is at the mercy of nature. He accepts nature's punishment and wants it to also release its wrath on Goneril and Regan.

I see weather as an expression of wonderment rather than anger. During the summer, one day I witnessed nature as it brew a storm. My sisters rushed home immediately, but I wanted to watch the storm approach. While I was sitting on the beach, dark clouds suddenly began rolling quickly across the sky. A distinct line formed between the clear blue sky on the left side and the impending grey clouds on the right. The vast clouds that extended their white tendrils high into the air sharply contrasted with the dark grey sky. When the darkness took over and a violent wind blasted sand into my legs, my mom and I hastily packed up our belongings. As we ran back to the beach house, it began to pour. The rain stopped soon after we got home, just as abruptly as it had started. I was amazed to experience the immense power of nature at work.

"Bereft" Explication

The title of the poem "Bereft" means deprived or lacking. Robert Frost describes a feeling of loneliness that comes with the realization of old age. The wind makes the same sound he has heard throughout his life, but now that he is alone, it roars and has become more ominous. He personifies the familiar wind, which observes him as he stands at home instead of going out, like he would have done if he were young again. The first five lines rhyme, and then he changes the rhyme scheme as he reluctantly realizes his old age, which affects his bleak view of the world. It is the end of both the summer and the day, which emphasizes that as he gets older, he loses his vitality. Autumn is approaching when everything in nature begins to die, while he nears death himself. The clouds are somber, the porch floor sags with years of use, and the leaves become like snakes, which coil and hiss at him. He discovers that the world seems sinister and intimidating because his secret is revealed that he cannot avoid old age or admit his loneliness. He feels completely alone in life except for God.

Similar to the speaker in the poem, King Lear acts somber because he has realized that he old and alone. Neither Goneril nor Regan will let him live with them and he disinherits his Cordelia who faithfully loves him. He is deprived of his authority and wealth, which he regrets giving to his two oldest daughters. He also lacks someone to love and care for him in his old age, and has no home. He questions his identity, but he afraid to admit to himself that his power and youth are gone. The weather is also used in the play to reflect his emotions because the storm shows rage towards his unthankful daughters and his desolation.

King Lear Act 1 Daughters

When King Lear is dividing the kingdom among his three daughters, he demands that each of them profess her love for him. Both Goneril and Regan insincerely flatter him to gain his favor and receive the greatest share of his bounty. They repeatedly say that they love him more than anything else. Their heir lobbying lacks substance because they are incapable of describing their love in words or providing concrete examples of their affection. They are unsympathetic to their father, who they consider to be going senile. They are motivated by their greed and self-interest.

Goneril is the leader of the two older sisters. After she speaks to the king, Regan does not form her own ideas but instead agrees with her same speech, adding in the end that she deserves her father's love the most. Goneril first has the idea of taking advantage of his old age by scheming to take the remainder of his wealth and authority, while Reagan readily follows. Regan prefers to have more time to think before acting. However, Goneril is rash, like King Lear, and decides to immediately take action. When she becomes aggravated with her father, she sneakily provokes him by ordering the servants to behave rudely so he will leave, instead of openly confronting her father with her problems. She treats him harshly and is not concerned about his wellbeing. She seems to be in league with Regan, but she quickly sends him to Regan, so she will have to deal with him.

Cordelia is disgusted by her sisters' ridiculous and hollow efforts to convince her father of their love. She is too proud to reduce herself to their level of insincerity, even though it means she will be disowned. She is independent and not afraid to speak truthfully. She loves him more than her sisters, so she believes that her actions prove her devotion to him better then any words. King Lear feels most betrayed by her because he had been especially fond of her and expected her to take care of him, so she has always been faithful to her father. Cordelia values integrity over wealth.

"Those Winter Sundays" Explication

Robert Hayden's use of tactile imagery of the cold to express the relationship between a father and his son is central to the poem. In the first stanza, the cold shows that the father is hardworking and dedicated to supporting his family. He works even on Sundays in the winter which are typically days of rest after a busy week. He immediately gets up when he awakes to make a fire so early in the "blueblack cold" that it is still dark outside before sunrise. He bears the discomfort of the cold winter morning to bring warmth to his family. His hands are "cracked" and ache with old age and because of his frequent manual labor. However, his strength continues to blaze like the fire with its bright and intense heat. The fire also demonstrates his affection for his family, even though he does not explicitly tell them. No one thanks him because they do not fully appreciate his labor, which they take for granted.

The description of the cold is also used to reveal the son's ignorance to the convenience that his father's work brings to his life. In the second stanza, the son first wakes up to the "splintering, breaking" cold, so it is close to freezing outside but the rooms are comfortable and warm inside. Then, he leisurely gets up out of bed without realizing that the reason he has more time to rest is because of his father. He only thinks about the "chronic angers" in the family, so they are constantly arguing with each other. The warmth of the house also describes the heat of their anger, while their relationship is cold and not close. The son is older in the third stanza and may be a parent himself experiencing the same lack of appreciation as his own father. He feels guilty for his harsh treatment towards his father, such as "speaking indifferently" to him. He begins to consider his father as valiant for driving or forcing out the cold in the morning to protect his family from the icy winter weather. He reflects on the significance of the little tasks that his father did, like polishing his shoes. He understands that acts of love can be severe and lonley because they are not always acknowledged by others.

Hamlet Act 5 Ranking

One of the major themes explored throughout the play Hamlet is loyalty or lack of it. Ophelia's family is more loyal than that of Hamlet, but also within each family there are varying levels of faithfulness. The most loyal character is Laertes because he is quick to take action to avenge his family. When he hears that his father was murdered, he immediately returns to Denmark and rallies the commoners to attack Claudius. After he witnesses Ophelia's madness, which leads to her death, he pushes Claudius to move forward with his plans to kill Hamlet. He decisively wants justice for the deaths of his father and sister as well as to preserve the family name. Then, Ophelia and Polonius are the next most loyal. Ophelia values her family more than other personal relationships. When Polonius orders her to stop seeing Hamlet, she faithfully complies. However, she is dragged into the deceitfulness by her father, who includes her in his plan to listen to Hamlet. She breaks her loyalty to Hamlet during her conversation with him while pretending that her father and Claudius are not hiding. Polonius's nosiness causes his loyalty to waver, so cannot be trusted by his children. He lacks faith in his son because he secretly tells messengers to visit his school and listen to rumors from his friends rather than talking to Laertes himself. However, he is very loyal to Claudius by helping him find out why Hamlet is acting crazy.

Although Hamlet ranks below Ophelia's family, he is the most loyal member of his own family. He tries to follow the ghost's commands to take revenge by killing Claudius, but his faithfulness loses credibility due to his hesitation. He is not completely loyal to his father because he continues to make excuses to prolong the murder of Claudius. Also, his wrath is directed towards his mother, who the ghost tells him to leave alone. He fails to be devoted to Ophelia by denying that he ever loved her. In the end, Hamlet proves his loyalty when he kills Claudius, even though it seems more for the sake of his mother, who dies after drinking from the poisoned cup. Queen Gertrude is disloyal to her husband because she broke her marriage oaths and commitment to him when she married his brother. Her loyalties are divided between Claudius, who she defends against Hamlet's accusations, and her son, for whom she cares and is concerned about his madness. Finally, King Claudius is the least loyal character. He is ultimately disloyal and deceitful not only to his family but also to the entire state. He lies about poisoning his own brother to get the crown and then marries Gertrude without her knowing, even though one makes an oath of honesty in marriage. He secretly plans to kill Hamlet, who knows the truth about his father's death, before he murders him.

"Desert Places" Explication

The title of the poem "Desert Places" has a double meaning that could refer to a physical location or a mental state of mind. A desert is lifeless and desolate because it lacks the necessary resources to sustains life. Also, the word places seems empty because it is not a specific setting and remains nameless and intangible. Frost's description of the land symbolizes his depression. The snow, which causes discomfort from the coldness, means that it is winter when everything dies. Also, the night is when people feel alone because they cannot see anything in the darkness. Both the snow and night are falling fast, which creates a sense of helplessness and lack of control. The snow makes everything the same by hiding individual identities. It almost covers the ground because Frost is still living, even though he is depressed. There are only weeds left, which are unwanted and kill other plants, and the stubble could be small plant growths but also a man's facial hair. When people are depressed, they no longer care about their appearance or take care of their health, so a man will grow stubble. The animals are smothered, which puts out life by suffocating them. They are lonely because they are hidden alone in their lairs, so no one will notice when they are gone. Similarly, Frost is consumed by loneliness, so he uses absent-spirited instead of absent-minded, which shows that he has no lively and joyful spirit left in him. The loneliness includes him because he is not the only person in the wold who feels depressed. In addition, Frost describes a blanker whiteness to emphasize the utter emptiness. Benighted makes the snow seem passive, so it cannot help being overtaken by darkness, like his mind. There no expression on his outside appearance, while he also has nothing to express from inside of him. He uses the word scare because it seems simple, which shows his lack of feeling due to his depression. It is already scary to think of the vast emptiness of outer space where humans do not exist, but it is even scarier to think that the loneliness has invaded his home, which should be a place of safety, warmth, and comfort.

Thinker vs. Doer

I inherently have more the personality of a thinker than a doer. I like having enough time to process my thoughts and weigh both the positive and negative consequences of a situation before I act. I have to plan first, so I feel prepared and can make the right decision. At times I would consider this quality a weakness, similar to Hamlet, especially since I tend to over think problems, which makes the situation more complicated than necessary and prevents me from taking action. I often take too long to make unimportant or everyday decisions, where the outcome has little effect. Even though I think before I speak, my thoughts usually sound better in my head than when they are said aloud. However, my doer side likes to be productive and not waste time. Also, in urgent situations, I would be able to react quickly. In contrast to Hamlet, I am a more consistent thinker. He hesitates to murder Claudius while he is praying, but then rashly stabs Polonius to death without considering that someone else may be hiding behind the curtain. Also, Hamlet has unusuallly dark thoughts because he worries that Claudius might not suffer in Hell rather than about the moral dilemma of killing a person.

Thinking and doing are not exactly opposed to each other, but one needs to find a balance between them, like all qualities. Thinkers need to put more of their thoughts into action by not over analyzing a situation, while doers should first think matters through to avoid making impulsive or careless decisions. It is important that people are thoughtful, but not to such an extent that they miss the chance to take an opportunity. Sometimes it is easier to just make a quick decision and act without worrying about it. One of my goals is to become more decisive and not spend as much time thinking.

"Ethics" Explication

 In "Ethics", Linda Pastan considers the moral dilemma of whether to save an inanimate but world-renowned painting or an unknown human life. At first, many readers would think that a life is obviously more important than a painting, but she makes them question their ethics by going through the thoughts of a girl maturing into an old woman. As a young child, she does not have an answer because she does not care much about either the painting or the woman. She does not understand their importance and devalues them by calling the painting a picture and saying the woman is close to death anyways. She has probably not even learned about Rembrandt yet. The children are "restless" and answer the teacher "half-heartedly" because they cannot imagine themselves in this situation. Sometimes the woman is her grandmother in the half-imagined museum, so she tries to put the problem into perspective, but she does not use her full effort. When Linda says they should let the woman decide for herself, she alludes to when she is an old woman, but she remains undecided about the question of ethics.

In the end, as an old woman, she still does not know whether she would save the painting or the life, but for different and more complex reasons. She has learned to care about both the artwork and life. She recognizes the value of the painting, which seems as alive and old as the woman. She describes the colors as darker than winter because it is associated with cold and death, unlike the spring. However, she says that earth's "radiant elements burn through the canvas", so despite its age, it continues to be warm and living. Since the painting is as alive as the earth, its importance seems equal to the life of the woman. Even after maturing, the question continues to be left unanswered, but she knows that it is definitely beyond the comprehension of a child.

To Worry or Not To Worry

To worry or not to worry - that is the question:
Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer
The anxiety of striving for perfection,
Or to ease the mind of our self-consciousness
And, by laughing at one's mistakes, embrace them. To relax-
We end the discomfort that consumes our lives
In the face of ambivalence. To relax-
Perchance to have fun and take risks
For in that relief of the mind what fun may come,
When we inhale and exhale,
We do not interfere with the course of destiny,
Taking time to enjoy life.
Why clutter our thoughts with the burden of anxiety?
Why waste precious thoughts on what may never happen?
But in the dread of failure, in comparison to others,
That we do not live up to our expectations,
We analyze every minute decision
Weighing the consequences of the past, present, and future
And we become prisoners of a list of "What if's?"
Thus uncertainty does make us cowards
And makes us bear tremendous stress.
Despite temporary relief from diversion,
We struggle with subconscious worries.

Hamlet 1.4-1.5 The Ghost

At the beginning of Act 1 Scene 4, Hamlet shows that he is very pensive when he considers King Claudius's custom of drinking. He seems like he would be a better king because he is more conscientious and disapproves of the carousing at night, which creates a bad reputation for the kingdom. Then, he continues to think more deeply about how people only remember the one defect in a man, despite his other virtues. Also, Claudius is not helping to improve the country's stability with it preparing for war and his drinking. Although Hamlet is usually passive, he takes direct action when he leaves to talk with the ghost. Horatio warns that he could be an evil spirit that drives Hamlet to madness, which I think foreshadows how it does make Hamlet crazy with the knowledge that his uncle might have killed his father. He has no fear of the ghost, unlike Horatio and Marcellus, who he threatens not to hold him back (I.iv.95).

Even though the ghost would feel angry and betrayed by his brother, it seems like they did not even have a good relationship when he was living. He acts like he was condescending to Claudius when he says that his brother's natural gifts were always inferior to his own talents (I.v.58-59). He might be an evil spirit, who wants Hamlet to kill Claudius and ruin Denmark, because he shares many of the same ideas as Hamlet, which would convince him to believe the ghost. He also calls Claudius incestuous for marrying the queen and he also expected her to have more dignity (I.v.49). The ghost contradicts the rumor that a serpent stung the king, which killed him while he was sleeping in his garden. He reveals that the serpent was Claudius, who is similar to the devil in the Garden of Eden in the biblical story of original sin (I.v.46-47). Also, at first the ghost seems still loving to Gertrude, which matches Hamlet's earlier description of the king, because he does not want Hamlet to take revenge on her, but then he says that he wants her to suffer with guilt, which may be a worse punishment. When the ghost exits, Hamlet begins to act crazy because he does not trust his friends anymore and repeatedly tells them to swear to keep the secret when they have already sworn to him.

"Kitchenette Building" Explication

Gwendolyn Brooks lived in Chicago during World War II when an increasing number of African Americans moved to the city. She lived in a kitchenette, which was an apartment building that was divided into small rooms to fit more families, who had to share kitchens and bathrooms. In "Kitchenette Building," she speaks to impoverished families by using "we" to include everyone. They are reduced to "things" without individual dreams because of all their burdens. Her use of sensory imagery compares hopes to reality. Dreams are useless and make a giddy sound, while rent and family duties, which have a strong sound, are reality. She questions if they will rise above the smell of onions, fried potatoes or garbage, which are very pungent and unappealing, because she doubts their importance. The dreams have to fight to survive, like the poor themselves. They "flutter or sing", which are happy and light words, but unsubstantial. Many people are unwilling to believe in their dreams because they do not want to raise false hopes. Even if people began to dream, which is uncertain, they would quickly return to reality. "Number Five," one of the families with which she shares a home, refers to people as things again as a reminder of her difficult life. However, in the end, she reveals that she has not given up dreaming because people still find time to keep warm and clean, similar to their dreams. This contrasts with "dry hours" of their struggles in the beginning, so hope remains.

Even today, I think Brooks's message holds true for anyone. Many people have busy lives, so they forget to take time to dream or relax. Especially with new technology, they are always rushing or working, while dreaming is left behind. Also, I often associate dreaming with children, so she marks the change from childhood to adulthood when people gain responsibilities, such as paying bills or taking care of the family. Yet, she preserves hope to show that even adults continue to dream.

Hamlet 1.1-1.3 First Impressions

King Claudius gives little thought to the recent death of his brother because he glosses over the funeral with the merriment of his wedding, which is strange. He tries to reason with Hamlet with logic instead of emotion by explaining that it is natural for his father to die. He seems harsh and uncaring because he calls Hamlet unmanly for continuing to grieve. Yet, he acts like a loving father because he asks Hamlet to stay with them rather than return to school in Wittenberg. Then, after he leaves to plan a celebration for him, Hamlet reveals his disapproval. Claudius hastily marries Gertrude as if he had known beforehand that his brother was going to die.

Queen Gertrude is taking her husband's death too well. It is peculiar that she remarries within a month of his death to his brother. I would expect a wife to spend a longer period of time mourning her dead husband, especially since Hamlet says that he was so loving to her. She seems superficially cheery because she asks what is wrong with Hamlet when it is clear and understandable that he would be grieving for his father. She has quickly moved on with her life and wants Hamlet to do the same. Also, she seems like a caring mother because she does not want her son to leave for school, and he listens to her.

Prince Hamlet appropriately laments in black clothes with teary eyes for his dead father, unlike Claudius and Gertrude. He had a very close relationship with his father, who he praises as an excellent king. He describes him as a sun god compared to Claudius, a goatlike satyr, which shows their strained relationship. He rightfully criticizes his mother for getting married again so soon after the funeral. He seems thoughtful at first because of his long considerations about the death, marriage and his father's ghost. However, both Laertes and Polonius warn Ophelia about his impulsiveness because he is a young man. They do not believe that he truly loves Ophelia, but he must be charming for her to be in love with him.