Choose one from the following questions to write an essay (200-250 words). Cite texts to support your argument.
1) In "Roman Fever," what are the hints of hidden conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley? What details in part 1 bring out the differences in their personalities and their lives?
2) In "The Cask of Amontillado," what can you infer about Montresor's social position and character from hints in the text? What evidence does the text provide that Montresor is an unreliable narrator?
3) The story "Araby" is about a boy's "epiphany." Describe it in relation to the story's setting and its atmosphere and its impact upon the boy.
4) Look closely at the setting of the story "The Birth-Mark," from the laboratory to the boudoir. Note teh similes, metaphors, and other figures of speech that help characterize these places. How do these different patterns of imagery contribute to the symbolism of teh story? to an allegorical reading of the story?
5)Some feminist critics argue that "A Rose for Emily" exposes the violence done to a woman by making her a lady? Do you agree or disagree? Explain.
43 comments:
Hi,professor! I'm Bruce.I choose the question 2 to answer.
Montresor's social position can be inferred from paragraph 24.First of all,he has many servants,and he has enough money to hold a party for them.Furthermore,his house is almost like an old castle. That proves his social position is not low. As to his character,he has a strong retaliatory temperament(from paragraph 1 and 47 to 49)
,maybe it's inherited from his family.He is not only a shrewd schemer but also a "excellent" actor.When he met Fortunato in the beginning,he said to Fortunato that he just bought a kind of wine(seize Fortunato's weak point ) and prodding Fortunato into action(mention Luchresi).Then,on the way to the place that put "the Amontillado",Montresor "advised" Fortunato go back for the sake of Fortunato's health and mentioned Luchresi again.(paragraph 35)He is as sly as a fox!He is also very cautious.(he only take action if his goal is without a trace ). About the question-what evidence does the text......narrator?It has many resons.One is that if Fortunato really did something hurt Montresor once,why they get along "peaceful" like they have no quarrels?The second reson is
the reality of Montresor's background.How many people live in the house that has own vaults and catacombs?It's too strange!If you know your friend's house is so terrible,will you go to your friend's home when you are drunk?The final reson,look the last sentence,it seems that a crazy man's imagination!Maybe Edgar Allan Poe just want to tell us the terroe of hatred and the dark of humanity.
Hi,professor! I'm Vera(49807003).I choose the question 1 to answer.
In part 1
Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley both of them went to a high-quality restaurant,that means they may live a wonderful life. Mrs. Slade’s personality was described as a noisy (she kept talking )and strong(with her vigorous black eyebrows ) woman, Mrs. Ansley was described as a quiet (she kept knitting without saying a word )and weak(she was thin and white ) woman.
It should be happy to see their daughters go out together,but Mrs. Slade’s daughter Jenny has worth-looking,so Mrs. Slade isn’t happy about that. Mrs. Slade’s husband was a lawyer,so she could travel around the world and saw many different kinds of view. But Mrs. Ansley’s husband were not actually mentioned a lot, all we knew his job was a banker, the couple might live a boring life. That showed the social class difference between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley.
By reading this article,we could see lots of hints of hidden conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley. Also we could see the differences in their personalities and their lives. That was very interesting !
Hi,professor!I'm beatrice.I choose the question 2 to answer.
Montresor's social position can be inferred from 3 parts of composition :
1.paragraph 23 & 24 : Montresor has more servant and a Palazzo.
2.paragraph 45 : Montresorha has the arms of the family.
3.Family memorial park. (I am not sure where can I mark.)
These three point can let us know Montresor is a rich nobles,because he has enough money to have servants and point 2 and 3 just can be for nobles.
And about Montresor's feature we can see few points:
1.paragraph 1:Montresor said Fortunato insult to him.
2.paragraph 5 to 70:Montresor care of Fortunato's health and try to advise Fortunato back home.
3.paragraph 45:Montresor's arms of family-revenge.
From these we can understand Montresor is crafty like a fox , sinister like a snake and not lenient enough.
Montresor uses his subjective experience of Fortunato's insult to judge Fortunato in this tale. This punishment without proof,so we don't know about Fortunato's crime. This makes him to be an unreliable narrator.
Hi professor! I'm Cherry. I choose the question 5 to answer.
I disagree with those feminists. However, in the beginning and end of the story we can see many gossip women supervised Emily’s action. For example, when Emily was dating with Homer Barron they said it’s improper for a lady to date with a worker or a guy from north. Even when Emily died they want to take a look for her house to fulfill their curiosity. Emily is living under the big pressure to be a lady.
Emily’s family had a high prestigious in the town and she had to keep it so she asked to be a lady. Emily’s father is a conventional person; he didn’t allow any one to pursue Emily. He wanted Emily to stay at home and be a lady. Emily didn’t have freedom and she was like a prisoner in the house. Emily lived under the authority from her father. Her father controlled her life even when Emily died she couldn’t escape from her father’s authority.
As a modern people, I think what Emily’s father and those gossip women did is not only to force Emily to become a lady but also treat her as a prisoner. I do believe that in this modern cultural some women have the same situation like Emily. But through this story we can see the miserable life of Emily and warn those people who want their daughters to become a lady. Therefore, I disagree that the story “A Rose for Emily” exposes the violence done to a women by making her a lady.
Hello, Professor Hsu, My name is Daphnie Lin 49801023. I choose number three to answer.
The setting, North Richmond, was a conventionally catholic village. The whole story was full with the words that created a passive mood, for example, being blind, school set somebody like children free, imperturbable faces. Joyce even personized the building around as “the houses had grown somber” makes the whole village more odd. The most important one, a priest died. Death of a priest and the papers mean the lack of new things coming in the town. Joyce personified the house in paragraph one makes the image of the town much darker because you will think that even the buildings are watching you. For example, “The other houses of the street, conscious of decent lives within them, gazed at one another with brown imperturbable faces.” In this kind of dark, gloomy, negative atmosphere the boy had a crush on a lady who is his friend’s sister. A new relationship brings in a new element of mood which brightened the setting where the boy lived and lightened the style of words. In the dark surrounding, Mangan's bring in a light which made the boy felt different meanings appeared in life. James Joyce presented character's complicated inner mind by a sudden realization. Take the boy for example, when the moment he arrived Araby, where he firstly have to persuade adults, also represented the reality, to take him to a mysterious wonderland that is hard to get to, he found out that the splendid image, we could also referred it to the vision boy is thinking to love and romance, is actually not as sacred as he thought. They are just normal, ordinary even vulgar. It strike the boy just like the reality broke the mirror of fantasy. I think Joyce had revealed the nature of people. The conflicts between reality and fantasy are the immortal theme of literature. By the dark mood created by the words, which means the true color of reality, destroyed the brightening of the fairy tales, the boy had realized the situation of disillusion.
Hi,professor! I'm Tavia. My number is 49902065. I choose the question 1 to answer.
The hidden conflict is that at the first they had been lunching with each other so they look like as a good friend but when they talk about their daughter and we can find the conflict between them. Mrs Slade think that her daughter Jenny is an angel .She also think Jenny is more beautiful than Grace Ansley daughter Barbara. She don’t like her daughter and Barbara go together. They contrast their daughter show that they have conflict between them.
Grace Ansley is the smaller and paler one. Mrs Slade was fuller, and higher in color, with a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows. So Grace Ansley is stronger than Mrs Slade.
In paragraph 5 said that Mrs Slade drew from her handsomely mounted back hand-bag a twist of crimson silk run through by two fine knitting needles. So the two fine knitting is a kind of protection and the crimson silk show that Mrs Slade has a secret. Grace Ansley is the wife of the famous corporation showing that she is on the upper hand. So we also can find that Mrs Slade is compare to Grace Ansley.
Hi, professor Hsu! I’m Una(49902003). I choose the question number 2.
From the paragraph 23 to 24, we can found that there is a palazzo belonging to the Montresors and there are many servants here. Then in the paragraph 25, he had mentioned about the catacombs of the Montresors. A catacomb is an underground graveyard that was always belonging to prominent families. So, it is obvious that Montresor’s social position is very distinguished.
And talk about why Montresor is an unreliable narrator. In the beginning, he does not clearly tell us why he wanted to revenge and he gives no details of these injuries or insults by Fortunato. The motivation is quite not clear that let us readers wonder if he is imagining all of it. Through out the story, it is going to be told from a first person point of view that means he has a bias for how the story happened and played out.
Hi, this is Lily 49902009. I choose question 5 to answer.
First, I have to agree that "A Rose for Emily" indeed exposes the violence done to a woman by making her a lady. From the beginning, the story immediately reveals the concept of what a lady should be like at that time. Faulkner uses Miss Emily's house as a reveal of her life (in paragraph 2), which described as stubborn and coquettish decay. Second, Miss Emily’s father plays an important role on the story. He is the one who make Emily a tradition and duty (paragraph 3 and 28). And in paragraph 31, people’s murmur again emphasizes the old thinking of noblesse oblige, which is that women and men should be well matched. All these stubborn thinking tried to make Miss Emily a “perfect woman”, but as we can see, Emily broke all the rules. Including falling in love with a foreman; killing the one she loved; and even sleeping with the body! We then can be sure that the rules had made a huge effect on Miss Emily. And the most important thing is that she knew she was wrong, and that’s why her life was wrecked. Miss Emily is just another sacrifice beneath the concept of the time.
Hi, professor! I'm Patty(49902001). I choose the question 5 to answer.
I agree. In the story, at that time, it was patriarchy society in the southern America. In there, women were oppressed and ruled and discriminated by men. Especially noble women, like Emily, she was not allowed to live like citizens and not to fall in love with the common people in northern. The traditional conception in that century limited the women. It taught women what they had to do like a lady. Emily in the story is the symbol of tradition. She should be moral, be obedient, and be majestic that she was different from others. Just like the women in ancient China. They just obeyed what men said. But in their mind, they may want to change. They may want to express their emotions. For instance, if you are a modern woman, you may boldly show your love to the man who you like. You do not care how other people look at you. While, if you are Emily, you may maintain your dignity. You care how other people judge you. Not to show your true feelings. So, finally Emily killed her lover, Homer Barron, secretly. It implies that women obtain their status eventually. Therefore, I think that the different century will influence people how to think themselves.
Hi, Professor. I am Ashley(49902031). I choose the question 5 to answer. I agree with those feminists.
I have two reasons. One is because of Emily’s family. At the first, William Faulkner referred to Emily as a traditional and stubborn woman in the town. Emily was the symbol of age and era. In the paragraph 25, Faulkner referred to Emily’s father. In the story, Emily’s father was a symbol of authority, so no men could get close to Emily. Moreover, Emily was taught to be an elegant lady since she was a child because of the background of her family. Another reason is because of the residents of the town. The whole story continuously appeared the sentence “Poor Emily”. Everybody was curious about Emily and tried to observe her life and behavior. For example, when Homer Barron got close to Emily, the residents gossiped about them. They put their opinions into Emily. Emily was an acknowledged lady so that she needed to be a sample.
I think if Emily were not lived in that era, she could do herself. Moreover, she might not be a tragic figure and she might not always live in one’s expectation. Therefore, I agree with those feminists because under that era Emily really lose her self-consciousness.
I am Jojo and I will answer the question 5. I agree with feminist critics. At that time, Negro women should appear on the streets with the apron, and I don’t think it is fair. They don’t have the liberty. Moreover, Miss Emily doesn’t have freedom, because Miss Emily’s father protected her too much, and Miss Emily was restricted. She couldn’t walk from another door to be free. Even though Miss Emily’s father died, she still couldn’t be happy because people in the town talk about Miss Emily. She doesn’t have opportunities to open her mind and live her life. So she becomes a mental woman. I think Miss Emily should be respected. She should be free and live herself, and shouldn’t be restrained.
Hello professor, I'm Ben, I'm here to answer question two.
(I have see that there're many of my classmates chose 2 as well, so please allow me to answer the question in a different way)
First~ the social position of Montresor, in the story we can know that he has a palazzo with a crypt in it, and inside the cyypt there's also graves and wine, I think he can't own these without some social status. Also we know there are servants to serve him even though they did't appear in the story.I don't think that a civilian has the ability to kept servants in house.
And the final hints of the text, he seems to buy wines very often and in great amount, that's just something that a nobility might do.
The family coat of arms also seems to be very pre-eminent.
And as for the second question, what evidence provide us to know that he's not a reliable narrator?
We can tell from the story that he had already plan to kill Fortunato
,so he tell his servant that not to leave the house to carnival because he's going out for few days, but he already know that they won't listen to him,he just want the house to be empty.It just sound like things that a man with scheming might do.
From this point we can know that he's not reliable,why?If you trust in someone, will you make use of them like this?
And the last, this story even might not be true that things all goes on his plan so smoothly that makes me doubt.
Hello professor, I'm ANDY, I'm here to answer question two story sets out from the standpoint of male leading role Montresor, the time in the beginning he tells the reader that he hated his friend Fortunato very much, because he repeatedly humiliated him, in a carnival, the male leading role launched his revenge action!! The male leading role guides Fortunato to step by step walk to his cellar, and still takes other wine for Fortunato to drink and infuses him to inebriate …finally walk to the cellar end, he the Fortunato chain is over there, then carve he by mortar, the mind of Montresor is narrow and the heart is cruel
Hi, professor, I’m Edson (49902043), I want to choose question No.5 to answer.
I agree those feminist’s argument. As we can see in the part III, when those gossip women told about Miss Emily’s lover, they mentioned that “Of course a Grierson would not think seriously of a Northerner, a day laborer.” They kept separating some whispers about who Miss Emily had to choose or not, and these whispers maybe become some kinds of pressure when it was heard by Miss Emily. She would consider that her own private life was actually exposed to everyone, and it would be criticized by every people. But why people did this? It was just caused by Miss Emily had once been a noble, which had to show a standard image that people thought. Though Miss Emily tried to ignore those gossiping, they had already internalized Miss Emily’s inner mind, they forced her to do this or not to do this.
Miss Emily was forced to follow these moralities for ladies. When public society gives some celebrities a high and inhumanity moral standard, those celebrities who didn’t want to be public (just like Miss Emily) would eventually be driven crazy. People violently made Miss Emily fit a misfit dress which named lady’s roles, so in summary, I agree the feminist says that "A Rose for Emily" exposes the violence done to a woman by making her a lady.
Hi professor! I'm Alice(49902053). I choose the question 2 to answer.
In the story " The Cask Of Amontillado ", we could find out that Montresor invited Fortunato to his palazzo to show Fortunato's connoisseurship in wine in paragraph 23. After that Montresor mention his servants in paragraph 24, It's the second clue of the story to reveal that Montresor is a rich guy. Then they also through the catacombs and deep crypts. How can a poor man possess servants, palazzo and a lot of wine as a noble ?
In terms of Montresor's character, he is not only easily to bear grudges but also cautious to murder his "best" friend. According to paragraph 1 and 89, we know that Montresor had remembered the hatred for fifty years, half of a century. In the cautious way, he tried to stir up Fortunato's pride to examine the truthfulness of the cask of amontillado time after time.
Also, Montresor is a unreliable narrator too. Based on two points. Firstly, Montresor didn't say the reason why he hated Fortunato clearly. Secondly, Montresor confesses this story fifty years after its occurrence; such a significant passage of time between the events and the narration of the events makes the narrative all the more unreliable. In this way, we have the right to suspect that Montresor is a unreliable narrator .
i an jamison (49902041) choose the question 5 to answer.
I agree with what feminist critics agrue, in the story, people always
tend to make their own concept to limit the behavior of others ,like emily's father.
People also have the view of racial inquality at that time.
Emily's personality made by environment, by her father.
In the eyes of resident, emily is the women in different world, Including his family.
She was setting as women whom father thought after she born .
so eveything she has done was under the control of her father,
when his father died , she could not even accept this fact.
When she was in love with Honer Barron , he did not get blessed by other people because
their identify in society , only teased about what emily done.
Finally,the long time had been suppressed emotions lead she killed her lover.
that is why I agree the violence done to a woman by making her a lady.
3) The story "Araby" is about a boy's "epiphany." Describe it in relation to the story's setting and its atmosphere and its impact upon the boy.
When the little boy entered Araby market, it’s already ten minutes to ten. In this time, most of stands were almost closed. It means something, which a little boy’ first love, was about to be over. Besides, what the dialogue between a stall’s keeper and two young gentlemen was the start of disillusion to a boy. Their conversation is about”O, I never said such a thing……..” which indicated that they played and looked down on the place that a little boy once had regarded as a heaven of love. What a cruelty truth to such the first-boy. It should be serious, but it wasn’t.
During the conversation, the young lady, the keeper, noticed the boy looking at her, so she interrupt a moment to talk to the boy. But, the price there was too high for him, it implied that this place is not suitable for him and his love doomed to die.
Finally, he gazed up into the darkness he saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and his eyes burned with anguish and anger. The darkness showed that his first love is over.
Hi, professor! I am Jenny(49902047), and I choose the question 2 to answer.
I think that Montresor may be a noble, whose family had come down, because he had his own palazzo, vaults, arms and family graves. Montresor is a treacherous and cunning person, who is good at using Fortunato’s weakness, and he tempted and counseled Fortunato at the same time with a careful plan. The arms of Montresor, which is a human foot of gold, in the field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel, symbols his revenge.
In the beginning, Montresor only said that he had borne the thousand injuries of Fortunato, and when Fortunato ventured upon insult he vowed revenge. The motivation of Montresor is not clear. Although Montresor’s revenge lacks significant reason and it seems that Montresor is insane, the whole story, which was narrated by Montresor, has intricate details. Furthermore, Montrsor says that for the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them, but if this is a secret why he wants to tell other the story? We don’t know that whether the story is true or it just makes up by the narrator.
Good afternoon, professor Hsu. I’m Ethan (49902015). Hope it’s not too late to answer the question. I will choose question 2 to answer.
Montresor must has a pretty high social position. It’s pretty obvious I think. From the whole story, we can know that Montersor had already set a trap to kill Fortunato in his palazzo. The palazzo is the first evidence. I don’t think normal families will have a palazzo in their house. And we keep moving on the following story, Montresor cheated Fortunato with pretending having the full Amontillado. From the paragraph 6 we can take a guess that Amontillado maybe precious enough to interest Fortunato, if Montresor doesn’t has money and some kind of social position, maybe he couldn’t get it. This is evidence two. And at paragraph 24, it mentioned that Montresor’s servants had absconded out. He has more at least more than three servants at home, so his house must be big. This is evidence three. In paragraph 45 to 50, it said that Montresors are a great and numerous family It hints that they are a big family and also nobles. With the above evidences, we can infer that Montresor must has some social positions.
And as for question 2, just like the above evidences. Every evidence appears the intention of Montresor, let the sevants out of the house to avoid being witnessing. He prepares a trowel to wall up a wall to block the dead body to hide evidences.And he keeps saying that leaving is fine, he can find Luchresi instead. He knows that Fortunato will be upset and insisting not leaving. With all these evidences, we can see Montresor is absolutely an unreliable narrator.
Hello, professor! I’m James (49902039). I choose the question 2 to answer.
I think that Montresor is a member of the high social position because he has three servants in his house which is equipped with vaults. The construct must be very big and he must be very rich. He arranged a palazzo in the house to cover the murder. In other words, He has planned all things. Generally speaking, the normal person can’t do these.
In the cask of amontillado , the character of the narrator doesn’t be narrated in a straight line . However we can find some clues in texts. First, in the beginning of the story, the lead said that he hate his friend, Fortunato, because Fortunato shamed him many times. But the story hints that Fortunato is just a straightforward man. It indicates the narrow heart of Montresor. Second, when Fortunato and Montresor are in the vault, Montresor still says “We should be back for your sick.” He uses the weakness of Fortunato all. For the two reasons, we know that Montresor is a cunning person who has a narrow heart.
I Choose the question 2 to answer!
We can infer about Montresor’s social position from paragraph 3 “ I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.” Paragraph 7 Fortunato said “ To your vault?” Paragraph 11“ Their were no attendants at home ; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the time.” These sentences showed us that the financial circumstance of Montresor is not bad. First, he had vault and attendants. Second, he could buy large wine only he wanted.
And the author suggests Montresor’s character in the text. Paragraph 1 “At length I would; this was a point definitively settled-but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved precluded the idea of risk.”----He wants everything perfect. Paragraph 7 “As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchresi. If any one has a critical turn it is he. He will tell me-” ---because Fortunato was proud of his connoisseurship in wine, Montresor mentioned another guy purposely to instead of Fortunato.He was good at trapping. Paragraph 17 “A huge human foot d’or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel.”---He’s a person who must take revenge.
In the beginning, Montresor only said Fortunato ventured upon insult he vowed revenge. He didn’t say clearly what Fortunato had done to him. And Edgar ALLan Poe took first person point of view to tell what happened. Through these, we can know that Montresor is an unreliable narrator.
Hi, professor! I’m Fion ( 49902019 ). I choose the question 2 to answer.
Montresor’s social position must be high. From paragraph 3 we can know that he has a lot of money to buy what he wants. And from paragraph 6, the Amontillado must be rare because it seems not easy to get, it must be expensive. In paragraph 24, he orders his servants to leave his house temporarily, so he must be rich. At paragraph 45 to 50, we can guess he is noble, because it says “Montresors were a great and numerous family” and he has family coat of arms. And the story takes place at his palazzo where has catacombs, the one who possesses that must has some right and status. We can infer Montresor is insidious. He shows kindness and makes Fortunato relax and let him fall into the trap. And he sents away his servants, so nobody will know what he had done. Above of all evidences can prove Montresor is craftiness.
In the beginning, Montresor only said he had got thousand injuries from Fortunato, so he vowed to revenge. But we can’t be sure that what Fortunato had done to him. So Montresor is a unreliable narrator.
I am Stanley, I want to ask question#3. The author uses the word ” muddy, dark dripping, cold ” to describe the setting in the Araby. It’s very hard to relate it to the boy’s spiritual and religion love. In my opinion, the boy’s crush with the girl is something represents not only the boy want to change into man but also the rejection of holy religion. But in that time, Christian religion has less power which encourage virtue of human, in the contrast, it becomes the oppression of human’s emotion. In first paragraph, ”The Christian brother’s school set the boy free” is the very good proof, we can know the Christian religion have big impact on the people in that time from this paragraph. When I read the story, I think the dirty setting compare with the spiritual love, making the epiphany stronger. Although the boy act like adult, and want to do many things to fulfill his expectation, including buy the ticket and persuade his uncle and aunt take him to the Araby bazaar. but in the end, all he done is useless. The thing finally he get is disillusion, so in the last paragraph ” Gazing up in to the darkness I saw myself as a creature driven and derided by vanity; and my eyes burned with anguish and anger. ” The setting and atmosphere make his epiphany is very strong.
Hello, professor! I'm Sammi Chen (49902013). I choose question No.1 to answer.
Published in 1936, Roman Fever was a story centering on the relationship of two women. After reading the story, we can see that “marriage” is the only career for women during that time and this might be the main cause of the conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley.
Alida Slade was described as a fuller, and higher woman. While, Grace Ansley was describe as a smaller and paler one, who kept sewing all the time, which showed us that she tried to avoid the eye contact with Mrs. Slade. I think the story is just like Gossip girl, but in different era. In the surface, they always pretended that they got along with each other very well and made us think that they are good friends. However, when they started to talk about their daughters, husbands and lives we can feel the intense passion in the forms of love, fear, revenge, and jealousy between Alida Slade and Grace Ansley.
When I read the story I felt pathetic for these two women and their daughter. The reason is that they never know that happiness should depend on themselves, not on what they so called marriage. The worst part is that this concept kept influencing their next generation.
Hello, professor, I’m Celia (49801032). I choose question 2 to answer.
We can see that Montresor was skilful on Italian vintages in paragraph 3. In that time, if you are not a wine-making teacher but skilful on vintages, that’s because you’re a reach guy. So you don’t work and have much money and time can research into that.
In paragraph 23 and 24, we know that Montresor has palazzo and attendants. It’s a clue that he is wealth. In some paragraphs, we can see some French or German sentences such as “Nemo me impune lacessit.” and “In pace requiescat.” Its means that Montresor was educated fully who can be educated in that time was aristocrats. There are the hints we can infer Montresor’s social position was high before.
The story has been conferred if it is truth. After reading the story, we infer some evidence that the story may be an unreliable narrator. In paragraph 1, there are no specific details of how Fortunato injured Montresor. If it is real, maybe Montresor can detail injury clearer. In paragraph 5, it’s so strange that why Fortunato is easy around Montreso. In Montresor’s vault, why Montresor chained Fortunato to the wall with no explanation? Something conferred that Motresor‘s plan went like clockwork. The most important, Montrestor told that it happened fifty years ago in the end. After all, I think that no one can believe a murder easily which was heard from an old man. These are evidence that we infer Montrestor is an unreliable narrator.
Hi, sir! I'm Sai(49702054) I choose the question 5 to answer.
First of all, we look on the story.
Miss Emily was a lady with the standard shape of the last eighteenth century.
As we could see on the part(1) paragraph (3). She totally obey her Kinsfolk rules.
But she fall in love with Homer Barron, who was from the north, did her suffer so much.
She got severals pressure from her surroundings as well as from her Kinsfolk.(in paragraph 5, part 3).
Being a lady, what did she do at that time?
The women of the whole town whispered and grin at Miss Emily. I must say she is a smart lady. She didn't want to become a scandal on her clan.
So she choose to seclude from the world!
At least she could escape from the malign and tell lies to her when she alive.
This is a sad story to me.
So i really support that the story exposes the violence done to a woman by making her a lady!
Hi,professor! I'm Jim.I choose the question 2 to answer.
In prograph 24 ,we can infer Montresor’s social position is hight because the story told us that Montresor have many attendants in prograph 24. Besides,I also can infer that Montresor’ social position is high from the story . I can know Montresor’home have vaults and arms in this story. I think these things symbol rich because ordinary people don’t have these things. And we can infer Montresor’s social position is high in prograph 4 . She joined carnival in this progaph. Therefore, I can infer Montresor’s social position is high .
About answer of next question, I think she is an unreliable narrator because she is cunning as serpent . She encouraged Fortunato into vault vo kill him . Besides, she stimulated Fortunato by Luchres. She also stimulated Fortunato by caring his body. Then she advised him go back many times so this thing made him want to go into vault and was killed. According these things ,I can know she is an unreliable narrator because she cheat Fortunato to kill him.
Hello, professor Xu! I'm Daniel.（49802073） I choose the question 1 to answer.
According to this story, we can find there are several plots which are the hints of hidden conflict happen between the two women. Firstly, Mrs. Ansley tells Mrs. Slade they don’t know much more about each other ironically. Secondly Mrs. Slade wonders why Ansley likes two girls to go everywhere altogether? Because she thinks her daughter is like an angle which is so pure, but Ansley’s daughter is like evil which is so charming for men. Furthermore, Ansley’s husband is like museum specimens. Finally, Mrs. Slade hints angrily Ansley that she has known Ansley had extramarital relations with her husband.
Actually, we can know two women’s personalities and livers by this story. At the beginning of the story, the author describes they are well-cared-for, and we can find they don’t work for lives. Importantly, they can have tea time to talk about their memories leisurely. Besides, Mrs. Slade is a vigorous impulsive woman by the author’s depiction which is her appearance. However, Mrs. Ansley is so a shy and thoughtful woman; thus we can find they have huge different personalities in this story. Although they have different individualities, their identities can result the climax of the story and make audiences excited. Therefore, Roman Fever can make us feel curious to read.
H!pressor! I'm Sammy49902061.I choose the question 5 to answer.
In my opinion, I agreed with feminis critics. Emily Was born in a prestigious family and her father always controled her behavior. In Addition, there were also other people observed them, they would judged Stealthily. Because of the pressure, Emily had no choice but to be a lady. Hence, Emily also became so conservative.
When her father died ,she did not
want to bury him. Under the rules
of her father,she can not live
by herself.Afterwards, Emily met
a man who has lower status. People thought they did not fit to each
other. In the end ,the man was poisoned and Emily these feminis critics.
Hi,professor! I'm Katherine.I choose question 1 to answer.
These two ladies were friends, but they actually judged the other inwardly. For example, they should be glad that their daughters going out together, but Mrs.Slade wasn't happy because her daughter, Jenny, wasn’t that appealing than Mrs. Ansley's Barbara. And Mrs.Slade even described Mrs. Ansley as a nullity, museum specimen. Good-looking, irreproachable, exemplary which meant boring, just like an antique.
As to Mrs. Ansley, in the story we can’t really realize how she thought about Mrs.Slade. But one thing for sure is that Mrs. Ansley wasn’t that tender as Mrs.Slade thought. In fact, Mrs. Ansley had always been rather sorry for her! Their fight was not obvious, but intense.
We know that Mr. Slade was a famous lawyer, so his wife could have a lot of chances to go abroad, meeting something different. As to Mr. Ansley, he didn’t actually play an important role in the story. We just know that he worked as a banker which was a stable job, so his wife probably just stayed in their house, sitting there and knitting all day long. We can see their lives were somehow different.
Mrs.Slade was a person who was fuller, and higher in color, with a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows. She talked a lot, and that made her a little annoying. She was dominant, always wanting to start a new topic. Mr. Ansley, by contrary, was silence that made her unexpected.
Hi,professor!I'm Joanna.I choose the question 1 to answer.
In the fiction, Roman Fever, Edith Wharton uses four main hints to hint hidden conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley-crimson silk, a full moon, Mrs. Anshely’s embarrassment, Mrs. Ansley’s knitting.
First, crimson silk(in the paragraph 6), crimson is a deep red color that represents violence, love, sex, desire and bloody, etc. This color in here hints there will be a serious complex conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley. Second, a full moon that in the paragraph 12 (a full moon night, they would remember…) which means the night that Mrs. Anshley had a dating with Delphin Slade. A full moon represents the dating between them.Third, Mrs. Anshely’s embarrassment in the paragraph 25 ,Wharton describes that Mrs. Anshely felt guilty about Mrs. Slade even after so many years and she didn’t no how to deal with Mrs. Slade. “Mrs. Anshely’s embarrassment” gives readers some curious questions. For instance, why Mrs. Anshely felt embarrass about Mrs. Slsde? Did she done something wrong with Mrs. Slade? Fourth, Mrs. Ansley’s knitting (in the paragraph 28), she always doing her knitting when she stayed with Mrs. Slade because she wants to cover her guilty.
In the fiction part 1, Mrs. Slade is a determined, vigorous, dashing and articulate woman. She always thinks her marriage is more perfect than Mrs. Ansley and that means she is the winner of their contest. She prides of her marriage and thinks Mrs. Ansley has a boring marriage life. She has a colorful life. Different from Mrs. Slade, Mrs. Ansley is a quiet and thoughtful woman. Her marriage life looks really boring and still. Compare with their marriage on the surface, Mrs. Slade maybe a winner, however, in the end, the truth tells us that the winner is actually Mrs. Anshley.
Hi! professor! I'm Sammy 49902061.I choose the question 5 to answer.
(Sorry,I made some mistakes,so,I have to leave my comment again)
In my opinion, I agreed with feminis critics. Emily Was born in a prestigious family and her father always controled her behavior. In Addition, there were also other people observed them, they would judged Stealthily. Because of the pressure, Emily had no choice but to be a lady. Hence, Emily also became so conservative.
When her father died ,she did not want to bury him. Under the rules of her father,she can not live by herself.Afterwards, Emily met a man who has lower status. People thought they did not fit to each
other. In the end ,the man was poisoned by Emily.So I supported these feminis critics.
I'm Maggie.Answer the question 2.
According to the paragraph 3, Montresor was skilful in the Italian vintage, and bought largely whenever he could tells that he is a rich man. And a person who has own vaults, servants and catacombs which belonged to a numerous family represents that the man is an aristocrat.
In the paragraph 1, Montersor said that “I must not only punish but punish with impunity” means that he is a very prudent and careful person. He had made a flawless plan. Paragraph 76, 77 and 86 shows that he is a mad, insane and creepy man. He said that when he heard the furious vibration of the chain which made by the Fortunato last for several minutes lets he feel more satisfaction. Used a rapier to thrust the man be chained in the recess. Cheated himself that he had done the dreadful and sick thing.
The narrator never told us what Fortunato had done to him. What injuries were? What insult is? He constantly persuades us to believe that his nature of soul is kind. Once more implore Fortunato to return just let himself to feel less guilty. He firmly sure that Fortunato won’t go back anyway. The last words “In pace requiescat” is so hypocritical. How could a man rest in peace with such cruel way. These all indicate that Montresor is an unreliable narrator.
Hi,professor.I'm Jeffery 49902057.I choose the question 1 to answer.
First,I want to compare about the two American widows,Alida Slade and Grace Ansley.Alida is described as a fuller and higher in color woman.And Grace is extremely different from Alida.Grace is smaller,paler woman,and the most important is that she is absorption in knitting(It means she is very calculating and calm for what Alida says)In the surface of their condition is Grace stronger than Alida,but their daughter is the key to make Alida change the lose situation.
Both of them have daughter who are Jenny and Barbara.Jenny is the daughter of Mrs.Slade,and Barbara is the daughter of Mrs.Ansley.In fact,Jenny and Barbara are sisters,but they never know the truth except Mrs.Ansley;because both of them have the same father who is Delphin Slade.Delphin Slade is the husband of Alida, and Barbara is the “production” of Delphin and Grace.So I think this is the key conflic between these two momen.
After I read this story I think about that women can hate each other and become enemis from good friends,all because of love.It's too amazing!Maybe the men who caused this war didn't know about this even didn't care.So I think women should not be silly to fight for men.Women must live for themselves!
Hi,professor! I'm Andrew(49902055).I choose the question 3 to answer.
Joyce described the setting of Araby as a villege without any energy.
For example,being blind,uninhabited house and waste room.And the background
had benn described in a Christian coumtry where is very conservative.The pass of the priest may symbol a justice faded away.Now is more conservative than before.(you can see in the rusty bicycle-pump meaning vigor of th past)
However,the leading character is still a boy who doesn’t experience any love or something.(He only goes school and do nothing weird )
He wants to get close to his love,fortunately he get a chance to do something for the most important girl.Thought he cherishes the precious chance,his uncle do not take it as a thing,burning his patient.Just like Joyce may endure the situation but he had been hurted like the boy.
The poem spoken by his uncle describes the mind of the boy.When the boy was arriving Araby the couple were talking that is not in the same way he faces the love.It insult his love and make him feel terrible.Finlly,he knows he can’t afford this gift and so is his love.The gift is so expensive and nobody agree or even notice what he respects.I think Joyce was wodering his generation and trying to criticize some people he didn’t agree with.
Hi, professor. I am Emma(49802072) and I choose the Q2 to answer.
Montresor’s social position can be revealed in paragraph 23 to 25. He has attendants in his own palazzo, and also has catacombs. So it proves that his social position is better than common people. About his character, we can know he’s a brutal, cold-blooded, cunning man. According the story, Montresor gradually seduce Fortunato to his trap by weak point of Fortunato. And finally he killed Fortunado brutally.
In the case of the evidence provide that Montresor is an unreliable narrator. First, Montresor didn’t indicate clearly how Fortunato insult him, maybe he’s not on purpose. We can see paragraph 55 to 60 to know Fortunato is an imprudent person. Second, on the way to the vault, Montresor pretends that he cares about Fortunato’s health. But it’s just hypocritical. Through the story, we can know Montresor is a unreliable narrator.
Hi, professor! I’m Winni ( 49902017 ). I choose the question 3 to answer.
Araby is a boy's "epiphany." In paragraph 1, the setting is in the past of Irish and the narrator describes how it somber and blind likes the boy’s first love. Then the light spots on the main character – the boy and his first love. His first love is full of imagination. The boy lives on his own world and thought his love is holy because of his faith in paragraph 5.
After the boy promises the girl that he would go to the bazaar, he can’t stand anymore that time is slow in paragraph 12. In paragraph 16, it shows that the boy can’t wait to go, but he must wait because his uncle gives him changes yet. In that time the boy thinks everything is not good, and even bad.
In the end of the story, the boy finally arrives to the bazaar. However, he’s late and the bazaar is almost closing. In paragraph 27, he sees two men flirt with a woman, and then his love, his image of first love has broke because he could not think that love in adult world is not pure. The bazaar’s closed such laughs at the boy and his first love in paragraph 36, 37. The disillusionment is an epiphany to the boy.
hi, teacher. I'm Taphy. My student ID is 49802071. I choose to answer Q2.
Montresor is able to hold a carnival at his house and from the text “I was skilful in the Italian vintage myself, and brought largely whenever I could”. Montresor’s crypt must big enough for him to “brought largely whenever I could.” Importantly, he has many servants. Hence, he is rich.
We can infer Montresor is a revengeful person from the very beginning of the text “the thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could, but when he ventured upon insult I vowed revenge.” And also a thoughtful person cause he plan to murder him step by step. Montresor steadily drunken Fortunato, which disabled Fortunato to make right decision.
Montresor make use of Fortunato’s weakness he think his skill of tasting wine is the best to control him. He humble to act like low state to please Fortunato.
Hi, professor!
I’m Peace(49902007),I’m here to answer question 1.
In part one, we can easily find out that Mrs. Slade has a very strong personality. She always gets the upper hand among all their dialogues, giving a big depression to Mrs. Ansley , and it seems like she enjoys it a lot. On the contrary, Mrs. Ansley is extremely quiet and easy to get colored(she is so shy)by what Mrs. Slade said. She just kept knitting.
We can also find out that both Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley are living a wealthy life, for they have a small reunion in a high-class restaurant. And both of them are widows.
And the hidden conflict I think in this story is that it’s very obvious that Mrs. Slade’s and Mrs. Ansley’s social lifestyle. The story shows that Mr. Slade is a successful lawyer, and he has to go abroad for work very often, so there is a lot of chances for Mrs. Slade to have a more sociable life. She wears good clothes, being the superstar among the celebrities. On the other hand, Mr. Ansley is just a normal banker. And as the author mentioned , he is the duplicate of his wife. So the lifestyle of Mrs. Ansley will become more boring then Mrs.Slade’s.
Hi,professor! I'm Linda(49902051).I choose the question 2 to answer.
From the paragraph 23 to 24, we know that Montresor possesses a palazzo and many servants. And in the paragraph 25, he mentions the furnishings of Montresor’s house, a long and winding staircase, the vaults, and the catacombs of the Montresors. The arms of the family also symbolizes high social position of the Montresors. And the whole story is surrounded with wine, how can the normal family buy such a great amount of wine? All of them obviously tell us how noble the Montresors it is.
And the evidence why Montresor isan unreliable narrator, I think the most important reason is that the story is told from a first person point. There isn’t any persuasiveness to convince me. What he says is because he wants to revenge to Fortunato. These only show how narrow he is.
Dear Professor Hsu. I’m Judy Cheng (49902027), and here my essay responds to question number one: In "Roman Fever," what are the hints of hidden conflict between Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Ansley? What details in part 1 bring out the differences in their personalities and their lives?
As we can see in the story, there are two ladies who were good friends from their childhood. One is Alida Slade, and the other is Grace Ansley. Basically, they get along well on the surface, while actually they compete with each other just like gladiators. And, there are some hints of hidden conflict such as the contrast between their daughters, Jenny and Barbara(like an epitome of their mothers’ youthhood); the letter which was used as a way of Alida’s plot toward Grace; and in the last paragraph there Grace said, ”I had Barbara.”
Edith Wharton also made the two characters quite different personalities and lives in the first part of the story. For instance, Mrs. Slade is the lady of the high color and energetic brows, which are symbolic of her strong and tough personality, and also the way she talks reveals that she got an overbearing attitude in her life; as Mrs. Ansley, she seems to be a weak lady always focuses on knitting to escape eye contact which represents her calm and clever personality. However, we could found a totally surprising and stunning result of the whole story at the end.
Bert
Q3
The boy’s epiphany came out in the end of the story by his dissolution with love and the Araby bazaar. From paragraph 1 to 3, we can know the milieu of the boy is dreary and dull (e.g. “the dead-end street was a quiet street except at the hour when the Christian Brothers’ School set the boys free” and “everyone who lives in the town gazed at one another with brown imperturbable faces.”) Same routine everyday until he fell in love with his friend’s sister. By the background of the boy (i.e. the education in Christian Brothers’ School), his expectation of love affair was so lofty and holy that he could not help but say prayers and praises for his lover. The fancy to the girl gave the hope of life to him. The girl talked to him eventually, and mentioned that she want to go to the Araby bazaar but she can’t. “If I go, I will bring you something” the boy said. Just like a knight in the middle age, he decided to do thing for his princess. With beautiful fantasy of the exotic bazaar, he could not concentrate his mind in study. However, when the day came, everything was out of his plan. His uncle came home late even forgot his promise to take him to the bazaar. When he arrived it, many stands were closed. Worst of all, he did not have enough money to buy a stuff. The gorgeous market in his imagination was dim with the laughing by a female staff and two boys. The scene was totally different from his expectation of love. In the long wrong, the epiphany came out of the boy’s mind. He was just like a dumb stand in there.
Hi,professor HSU ! I'm Yan. My number is 49644071. I choose the question 3 to answer.
The relation in the story setting seems very cloudy because the boy and the girl did not know themselves well. And almost all of the image was just thinking by the boy.
At first, the atmosphere seems very dark when we know that there is a house without living any people there. A priest had ever lived there remain a quantity of value things there, which maybe came from illegal way.
In this circumstance people will be more close mind.
So the boy look his neighbor a girl and always image a lot of beautiful things in his mind. So does the boy have interesting on love thing the first time.
With one chance he helped the girl to buy something and he thought a opportunity to win her mind.
On the market he fond two people’s act bother him.
He felt that love is not so wonderful as he thought, and his dream could not come true.
During this spot we know that the boy always impacted by other people. All image were happened in his mind but not happened in real life.
So finally he felt upset and angry about this world.
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