- The ultimate irony of Maupassant's "The Jewelry" comes at the end of the story. Once the secret of Madame Lantin's jewelry is revealed, what details from earlier in the story take on a different significance?
- "The Cask of Amontillado" is a chilling story, but Poe uses humorous elements as Montresor recounts his experience with Fortunato. Discuss Poe's use of irony and black humor in the story.
- Write an essay that compares and contrasts the differences (e.g. personalities, lives, facial features, opinions about their daughters, etc.) of Alida Slade and Grace Ansley in Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever."
- Find the first indication in "Hills Like White Elephants" that the two main characters are not getting along. What is the first clue about the exact nature of their conflict? Why are they going to Madrid? Why do the characters refrain from speaking about it explicitly?
10/05/2015
Assignment #1: Maupassant, Poe, Wharton, and Hemingway (deadline: 10/16)
Write an essay (250-300 words) based on ONE of the following questions; cite relevant texts to prove your points:
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410302024 英美二 劉昀佳
I would like to answer the first question.
1.In the beginning of this story, the author described that after getting married, Mr. Lantin seemed to live in luxury. (p. 90, para.5, line2) According to paragraph four in this short story, we all know that Mr. Lantin is only a chief clerk in the office of the Minister of the Interior, with a salary of 3,500 francs a year. And Mr. Lantin and his wife used to live in luxury when Mrs. Lantin was alive. However, after Mrs. Lantin passed away, Mr. Lantin became poor. Since Mr. Lantin worked in the office of the Minister of the Interior, his salary might not change a lot in six years. For that reason, I think something different might happened when his wife was alive.
2.Mrs. Lantin said when her husband talked about her “false” jewelry: “….I’ve always loved jewelry so much!” (p.91, para.4, line.3) This paragraph revealed Mrs. Lantin’s ardently love to her collections.
3.Mrs. Lantin said when she examining her collections: “Now look at them- see how well the work is done. You would swear it was real jewelry.” (p.91, para.5, line.2)
4.“…..she would rise and fetch the morocco box in which she kept her “stock” (as Mr. Lantin called it) -- would put it on the tea table, and begin to examine the false jewelry with passionate delight, … ” In my opinion, usually people wouldn’t have that passion in false jewelry—unless it’s real.
5.“…she would roll the pearls of the necklaces between her fingers, and make the facets of the cut crystals flash in the light…” (p.91, para.5, line.1) The way the author described the jewelry makes me think Mrs. Lantin’s collections might be real.
Q4 410402021 曾雅勤
The dialogues (p.591 para.11&12) show evidences that the couple didn’t get along due to their difference in perspectives. And it also implies something more meaningful, making readers consider the deeply hidden meaning of white elephants. What’s more, it’s also obvious that the boy couldn’t step into the girl’s shoes.
Readers can get a glimpse into the exact nature of couple’s conflict by key words, simple operation (p.592 para.42). The guy even tried his best to make its procedure as simple as letting the air in. What surgery the girl was about to undergo? Undoubtedly, it was abortion. This potential father-to-be convinced his girlfriend to receive abortion so hard that he exposed his repulsive and irresponsible desire of getting rid of “ the trouble “ , even though he hypocritically repeated his words of “ affection “ toward her like a broken record.
All clues implicitly point out the reason why they went to Madrid. In Madrid, the poor girl was doomed to face a cruel nightmare, which would haunt her perpetually—ending her pregnancy. On the way to Madrid, she was still striving for reversing the tragic result. However, the devastated woman ended up giving up herself and her unborn baby.
Considering the story was written a while ago, I assume one of the reasons why they shy away from directly speaking word, abortion, was religion. Even nowadays, there’re still some areas don’t allow this surgery; what’s worse, some even view it as illegal or immoral. The guy used words, simple operation, instead of using word, abortion, so as to escape the horrible fact that he was eager to kill his own offspring—a burdensome eyesore to him. Besides, a sense of guilty or grieve may make them avoid from this taboo word.
410402005 李玄晴
I would like to answer Q3
Alida Slade and Grace Ansely were both well-cared-for middle age. But Grace Ansely looked smaller and paler, felt that she was weak.And Alida Slade was opposite. She was darker and higher in color with a small determined nose and vigorous black eyebrows. We can feel Alida Slade stronger than Grace Ansely.
From dialogue in the content until the last paragraph, Alida Slade always speak louder than Grance Ansely, and we can know Alida Slade was mightier than Grace Ansely. Grace Ansely obviously feel uncomfortable(p.120 para11), she looked like some secrets that she didn't want to be found by other people because she was always knitting. she is a weak role, but she will shock readers in the end.
Before Mrs.Slade lost her husband, she was proud of him. He was a famous corporation lawyer, and they were exceptional couple who were complimented by other people(p.121 para21).Now, she had only her daughter who had never been worried and make Mrs.Slade so bored. But Mrs.Ansely's husband wasn't as brilliant as Mr.Slade, he was a boring person, irreproachable and exemplary(p.121 para20 line10), she led to a mediocre life with her husband.sometimes, she would compare with Mrs.Slade.
Mrs.Slade's daughter, Jenny, she was extremely pretty than Barbara, safe and Mrs.Slade wished that Jenny would fall in love with wrong man, even. Barbara, Mrs.Ansely's daughter, was also different with their parents. She was a salient, energetic, and brilliant girl. Most importantly, she had social gift like someone---Mr. Slade because Barbara's real parent were Delphin Slade and Grace Ansely.
410402013 張瑋城 Q4
When the girl first mentioned the white elephants, the author was giving a question to the readers. Why elephants? And there’s the idiom that goes “An elephant in the room.”－something obvious but no one wants to talk about. The girl addressed the issue that the man didn’t want to face, which is the fetus－that will be clarified after a few paragraphs. The man was avoiding the issue from drinking beer and the girl popped out ” the white elephants”, which gave the first indication, the relationship between the man and the girl was quite intense with something wrong through the conversation.
And there it goes the first clue. When the man once implied the “operation”, we can infer to an abortion that what the man was saying. The girl Jig was not willing to do the abortion; instead she wanted a family that could restart her life. However, the man didn’t want the baby. Maybe by the trend of the times, the man just wanted to spend his youth freely and didn’t want to be restricted by the family things. The man kept telling the girl to do the abortion like salesmen selling their products. The man didn’t really care about the girl－who will perform this “simple” operation－and push her into the right direction, which he considered to be the happy future.
At the first beginning, the author gave Ebro a look where there is no shade and no trees. But then the author mentioned that: “The shadow of a cloud moved across the field of grain and she saw the river through the trees.”(Pg.593 Line72) We can consider “the shadow of a cloud” as a hope for the girl. She could stay there and restart her life with a more meaningful way rather than going everywhere, drinking all kinds of wine, accompanied with the man that didn’t really care about her. So, on the opposite, going to Madrid is the way going with the man to still living rootless and meaningless. It also presented to give an abortion or not to give. The country names actually didn’t present anything, but the decision what the girl made is the point really matters.
In my opinion, I think this is the author’s idea to keep “the word” from saying it. Heimingway’s unique writing style is being called the Iceberg Theory, which means the meaning underneath the words is usually powerful and huge. Heimingway put some hints within the dialogues. In order to know the real answer behind the puzzle, you might read the paragraph really carefully. When the time you are reading the lines precisely, you can also feel the emotion more between the speakers.
610302615 張珮郁
Q4
First indication in the “Hills Like White Elephants” that the American and the girl are not getting along can be found in the conversation from paragraph 10 to 12, the girl found the hills like white elephants, but the American said he hadn’t seen one. The girl said “you wouldn’t have”, shows that she was so annoyed by his lack of imagination. The man was also irritated by her response; therefore he said “I might have. Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.” This short conversation shows the two main characters are not getting along
The first clue about the exact nature of their conflict might be the term of “white elephant”. White elephant indicates something no one wants, and that is the girl’s unborn baby. Besides, there is another idiom “an elephant in the room” which is a euphemism for something painfully obvious that no one wants to discuss. They had conflict, which is the girl was pregnant, but the American did not want it. Instead of facing the problem, they chose to drink and avoid the arguments. That’s the exact nature of their conflict.
The reason they were heading to Madrid doesn’t clarify in the context. However it can be proved that they were wandering around for a while, which shows in the paragraph 99 “there were labels on them (their bags) from all the hotels where they spent nights”. They were rootless. Therefore Madrid might simply be the next stop in their nomadic life; or there might be another reason for their trip to Madrid: having the operation. Madrid is the capital of Spain, and if they really needed to have the operation, there were no doubt that they had to go to Madrid.
The background of this story is after WWI. At that time the whole society was still conservative. Meanwhile, Spain is a Catholic country in which abortion was illegal. That is why the characters refrain from speaking about it explicitly.
410402039 陳雋哲
Question 4
1、
" Hills Like White Elephants " is on this basis of a conflict . On the interception of a fragment of their lives , at the station conducted a dialogue. It is reasonable, and we can complete the presentation of its past , predict its future . In other words , their relationship is not only to produce a turning point in the conversation , in the previous has been a qualitative change , this is not some unresolved feelings, its future is not satisfactory to have been presented , we can conclude that even before this and after that, there have been many times and will soon have such similar conversation , until it was over , that they end this relationship , it is only a matter of time .
Cite:
”everything tastes of licorice.Especially all the things you’ve waited so long for,
like absinth.”
2、They are talking about abortion.
3、Entire dialogue process , both men and women are not absent-minded , all out , but the views and perspectives of a significant distance. First evaluation of moral disengagement , good and evil, and evade responsibility aspects of surgery in pregnancy and men and the relationship between this point , the girl is in a weak position, she had concessions in many ways, behind in the quarrel is the acceptance of the fact that almost despair . The man in novel is same as generalized men , whether innate gender differences , or product acquired patriarchal society, which can be understood as a male violence against women. Although not fists and weapons, but the relationship between passive stress women and men objective existence , this really unequal nature of it?
Cite:
“ They look like white elephants,” she said.
“ I’ve never seen one ,”the man drank his beer.
“ No,you wouldn’t have.”
“ I might have,”the man said. “ Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.”
410402023 林立 Q4
The first indication about the two main characters are not getting along is in the conversation about when the girl said “They look like white elephants.” And the men responded ‘I never seen one” Maybe the girl feels annoying about his answer. “you wouldn’t have”“I might have. Just because you said I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.” It can see that they both were impatient to each other.
The first clue about their conflict is when the girl said about white elephants. And the “white elephants” Imply their child in her belly. “they’re lovely hills” it means she didn’t want to give up her child. But the man didn’t know what exactly she was talking about, or maybe he just ignoring the fact about the girl didn’t want to do abortion. And keep saying “it is just a simple operation.” Only thinking about himself.
Why they are going to Madrid is not tell in the story, but the reader can speculate after reading is because of the girl get pregnant, and the man want that girl do abortion in Madrid.
They don’t speak explicitly because it is a skill that author always use when writing a story. “The Iceberg Theory”, instead of writing in explicit way, author prefers to hide the truth in the story and let readers to find out what stories really mean.
410402061 林玥颖
Q4：
1.First indication in the “Hills Like White Elephants” that the man and the girl are not getting along can be found in their conversation from paragraph 9 to 12(P.591), When the girl first mentioned the hills “they look like white elephant”, but the man answer”I’ve never seen one.”. Then the girl said “you wouldn’t have”, it seems that the girl was unhappy about the man’s insouciance attitude . Of course ,the word irritated the man and he said “I might have. Just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.” As the idiom goes “the elephant in the room”, it means something nobody wants to talk about, even they are already know how important and obvious it is. At those paragraph, the girl referred the thing they should face, but the man just pretend didn’t understand her words.
2.The first clue about the exact nature of their conflict is at the paragraph 33(P.592),the girl suggested to try a new drink, it means she wanted to lead a new life, next, the man finally mention a word “operation ” and he emphasized several times “It’s really a awfully simple operation ”, we can deduction the operation is “abortion”. Although the girl had said she was afraid to make a abortion and implied that she wanted to have a completely family with a kid, the man still said’ ” That’s the only thing that bother us. It’s the only thing that make us unhappy”. The man did not intend to change his lavish and aimless life. I think it broken the girl’s heart, she was pregnancy, but the man didn’t really care about her, he just would like to satisfied himself. So she said “Would you please please please please please please please stop talking?”(paragraph98, P.593)
3.Madrid is the captain of Spain,they planed to go there to make the abortion.
4. Reference to the background at that time, the society was still conservative and what’s more, Catholic was Spanish country faith, “abortion” was a illegal operation, so they instead that taboo word of “a simple operation”.
410401006 雷從漢
Q4:
1. The first indication of two characters’ departure can be found in the beginning of the whole story. Station(or the later that author used ”junction” which exact points out “departure”) is where people travel to somewhere else(which means start a new life) or to say good-bye(to the broken relationship) and that’s why author chose this kind of background setting,making the conflict happens between them.
2.The first clue of their conflict is at line 42(p.592) where is the man first time talks about the simple operation.Through the words ”White Elephant” in the title ,we can infer that the operation is abortion, because white elephant is like a paradox that be regarded as an sacred animals but useless which like the fetus.The man don’t want the baby or even a family. The meaning of “it” is totally transformed into fetus but not wine anymore.From this sudden change, I think it shows how eagerly the man want to persuade Jig to accept the operation, enjoying is youth free.On the other side,Jig seems to want to have a family and get rid of a rootless life,but when she drank the beer,I think there must be lots of conflicts in heart mind.(a pregnant woman should keep alcohol away.)
3.The reason why they have to go to Madrid is quite simple and explicit. Madrid is the capital of Spain where can be the best place(with the high prosperity)to make abortion.
4.In my opinions,there may have two reasons that characters refrain from speaking “abortion”directly.First,it may be author’s idea that keep”abortion” from saying.Owing to author’s famous writing style-Iceberg Theory,it’s reasonable that author try to veil the word.Second, considering the story was published in 1927(in the stories collection ‘Men Without Women“),so I think it was still a conservative society. Moreover, Spain is a Catholic country and abortion was regarded as an inappropriate and guilty behavior which kills an unborn fetus.These are the reasons that I think through whole story the two characters refrain from the abandon word - abortion.
410201050 陳姵汝
Question 3
Alida Slade and Grace Ansley were both good-looking and well-cared women. On the p119, paragraph 5 indicated that Alida was fuller and higher in color, with a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows. However, Grace was paler and smaller (Paragraph 3, line 2), She looked weaker and more fragile.
By the descriptions of their marriage in the novel, we can know Alida was so proud of her husband, Delphin, because of his high social position. Delphin was a successful and famous lawyer. (On the p121, paragraph 21). By contrast, Grace seemed to be mediocre due to there is nothing“so” distinguished on her husband and simple marriage. (P120, paragraph 19)
From paragraph 22, in Alida’s opinion, she thought her daughter, Jenny, was pretty but too boring. She wished that Jenny could be as ambitious as her. She even would like Jenny could fall in love with a wrong man, and then she could rescue her; but Barbara was opposite. She was a brilliant, charming girl who had high social skills that differed from her parents. And from Grace’s perspective, she knew her daughter Barbara was an angel who was more energetic than Jenny. Jenny must disappoint her mother, Alida, because of her silence and “safe”. (Paragraph 23)
From paragraph 45 to 118 was the most nervous plot. Alida started mentioning about their past and asked Grace intentionally if she came to the “meeting” that night. Furthermore, Alida read the letter which “Delphin” wrote to Grace. (In fact, Alida wrote the letter by herself.) Alida’s behavior made Grace uncomfortable; she was too shocked to knit, just like seeing a ghost. From these paragraphs, Alida showed her aggression upon Grace; yet poor Grace was fearful and weak.
Finally, Alida seemed to be the winner because she owned everything especially Deiphin. The story went to the end as Alida said “I had Barbara.” (Paragraph 115 and 118) Everything got clear in the end. So, I think Alida was REALLY beaten by Grace. And both of them displayed extremely jealous of each other.
410402011 JOSIE
Q1
Here are some details that gained significance once the irony at the end of “The Jewelry” revealed itself:
1. Mrs. Latin was first introduced by the author as the very ideal of a woman in every young man’s dream (pg. 90, P2) In the end, we discovered that Mrs. Latin could afford all those jewels was because she was having an affair. She was the kind of woman that men would flock to and since she was desirable, she took this to her advantage and found a rich man behind her husband’s back to get money for her jewels.
2. M. Latin’s salary was meager (pg. 90, P4). However, after he married Mrs. Latin, they “seemed to” live in luxury and this made me suspect that maybe something was going on behind the scenes that M. Latin wasn’t aware of.
3. Mrs. Latin’s love for theater also foreshadowed her being the perfect actress in her double life. She didn’t once make M. Latin suspicious of her having an affair. She probably met her lover in the theater since she went there often. It was a place where she could put on a mask and play a different role than that of “Mrs. Latin”.
4. Mrs. Latin’s refusal to change her love for jewelry “I know you are right; but one can’t make oneself over again…” (pg. 91, P10) told me that her love for her husband was very shallow and not deep. She would do anything to gain precious jewels and that involved cheating on her husband with a lover.
5. “Now look at them, see how well the work is done…” revealed that maybe these jewels were real and that she was so comfortable in her deceit that she even dared to taunt and drop hints.
6. Even though she said the jewels were fake, she still took the time and effort to examine these jewels with “passionate delight” (pg. 91, P13) meant that maybe they were of actual value. If they were really fake, she wouldn’t have taken all that time admiring them.
7. She even threw her beloved collection around her husband’s neck and told him “Oh! How funny you look!” (pg.91, P13) This too played a huge part in the irony at the end. She was so confident in her own lie that she had the guts to play such a cruel joke on M. Latin.
410402019 王致雅
Q1
In the beginning of the story, the author modeled Mrs. Lantin like a wonderful wife, saying “The man who gets her will be lucky. No one could find a nicer girl than that." Also, he wrote two symbolic link sentences. ” The young girl seemed to be the very ideal of that pure good woman …” (para.2, line.4) and “ They seemed to live in luxury. ”(para. 5, line. 2 ).
But actually these were all false appearances. The two “seemed to be” made readers think of whether Mrs. Lantin and the Latin couple were really perfect as what people saw? Which, in fact they didn’t. Mrs. Lantin was a woman full of lies and affairs. Suddenly, image of Mrs. Lantin turned into femme fatale from angelic character.
Mr. Lantin sold the false jewelry after his wife passed away and astonished that those were all real jewelry. Then he found that he was cuckolded by his wife for a long time and that’s why they could have such a comfortable life while Mrs. Lantin managed their financial. Mr. Lantin started living in an extravagant life and behaved like what his wife used to do.
The irony was that the reason they could live a better quality than the salary he earned might due to some of his wife’s “sponsors” and he used the money from selling jewelry to do what he hated his wife to do when she was alive. Later, he met his second wife, but lived miserably.
In my opinion Mr. Lantin seemed to love the external his wife acted merely and didn’t really understood his wife. If he truly loved his wife why would he will to sell the jewelry which was Mrs. Latin’s favorite.
The story told us that life was full of ironies and disillusionment was the beginning of growth.
410201045 黃鈺婷
Q 2
In Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado," there are several examples of irony. So I am going to take some example briefly that included three types of irony.
Firstly, as the name of the main characters, Montresor and Fortunato are obvious implied the outcome of their life.
The name Montresor, which pronounced closely to the meaning of “my treasure”.
And the name “Fortunato” means “fortunate” in Italian, but Fortunato is actually very unfortunate in all actuality. It’s a situational ironic that Fortunato dies without ever knowing why.
Secondly, when Montresor leaded Fortunato to his vaults , he pretended that he cared about Montresor and didn’t want him to catch a cold. See! What hypocrite he was! Through the state that Montresor told to Fortunato, all we knew that he was attempt to murder him. So the narrator used a kinds of dramatic irony to encourage Fortunato to fall into his trap step by step.
Thirdly, when the story was approaching to the end, the fool drunkard seemd to perceive that something was wrong. When he hesitated and wanted to go back, the murder always reminded him that : “ Proceed,” I said; “ herein is the Amontillado. As for Luchesi—” we can see that the “real fool” replied that :“ He is an ignoramus,” interrupted my friend, as he stepped unsteadily forward…
At the end of the story, he still not recognized that he is the one that really ignoramus. The verbal irony that the writer used here is to show that maybe Fortunato is incautious to insult the narrator but the narrator couldn’t forget about it.
Besides, there were some black humor that used to create the weird atmosphere of the story that there was a scene that Montresor instructs Fortunato that he must notice it.
“Once more let me lmplore you to return. No? Then I must positively leave you. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my powers.” But actually, he didn’t want him back and he was going to chained him in the moist vault alone with the horrible pile of bones.
In the story, Poe successfully used these language arts such as black humor and irony to create the creepy atmosphere and let the reader felt intense through the story lines.
410402003 李糧羽
Q4
From paragraph 9-12 is the indication in “Hill Like White Elephants”, although simply is their conversation, but we can infer that both of them didn’t want to talk about it, and even avoid commenting it. Just like “An elephant in the room”, it means the thing is obvious but no one wants to talk about it. The second line ,”there was no shade and no trees,” means hopeless so we can know the two main characters are not getting along.
Paragraph 42 the man said a key word“ operation”, but he didn’t talk about it directly, we still can know that Jig was pregnant . The man didn’t want the baby so he persuaded Jig to perform the operation but Jig didn’t want to do it at all. We can infer that this is the nature of their conflict.
At the beginning, the author doesn’t narrate directly why they are going to Madrid. From their conversation on paragraph 42-44, we can speculate that they are going to perform a operation in Madrid. And this operation which is not simple and very well for Jig, but the man still persuaded Jig to do it. Actually this operation didn’t affect the man at all. It’s the girls’ business. It’s abortion.
The man and the girl didn’t talk about it explicitly because no one wanted to face the issue directly or they still love each other, they didn’t want to hurt each other. I also think they might taught about the issue and quarreled for it before, so they kept from talking about abortion.
The differences between Grace Ansley and Alida Slade:
1.APPEARENCES Mrs. Slade had a small determined nose and vigorous black eyebrows. She looked fuller and higher in color. And she was darker (p.119 para5). In contrast, the author didn't emphasize in Mrs. Ansley's facial feature. We just got messages that she was charming, distinguished and exquisite from Mrs. Slade. She was smaller and paler (p.119 para3). She's ill and weak. We knew Mrs. Slade was more powerful and stronger than Mrs. Ansley.
2.PERSONALITIES Grace Ansley was shy and sober. Rather than screamed, she always murmured. From Alida Slade's point of view, Mrs. Ansley was sweet, old-fashioned, such a exemplary character and such quiet ways (p.120 para19) . And Mrs. Slade had always regarded herself as her husband's, her husband was a famous corporation lawyer, equal in social gift (p.121 para21). As Grace Ansley saw it, Mrs. Slade-- in a tactful vocabulary-- was vividness. I thought Grace Ansley was as calm as lake water( we didn't know what she was really thinking), yet Alida Slade was as enthusiastic as fire.
3.OPINIOS ABOUT THEIR DAUGHTERS Mrs. Ansley didn't comment on the girls. All the comments was in Mrs. slade's opinion. Babs Ansley was an dynamic angel that got rainbow wings instead of Jenny's a little boring wings. " If Babs isn't out to catch that young aviator--the one who's a Marchese-- then I don't know anything." And Jenny had no chance beside her ( p.123 para34). Jenny was an extremely pretty girl who somehow made youth and prettiness seem as safe as absence (p.122 line1).
410402051 卓韋馨 Q4
"The American man and the girl with him sat at a table in the shade."(para.1,line.5) The author use "with" this word, I think that is the first indication that two main characters are not getting along. Because this word implies the girl,Jig,just like an adjunct. In the article, the girl always put the notion that"maybe we can have new things" Like,"Anis del Toro. It's a drink." "Could we try it?"(para.14 15) She really expects to live a new live, but American man just neglect her expectation, like "an elephant in the room." She said"Everything tastes of licorice. Especially all the things you've waited so long for, like absinthe."(para.27) A bitter drink implies she is been bitter.
And I think the exact nature of their conflict is the American man made his every effort to persuaded his girlfriend to have an abortion.(para.42) But the girl doesn't want to do that and she feels her boyfriend doesn't care about her at all.
The reason why they going to Madrid is that the man wants his girlfriend to have an abortion.It's apparent in the dialogue the man keeps trying to reassure her that it will be a very simple operation.(para.46) So,at this point there can be no doubt that the trip is for an abortion.
And I think that's because they both feel guilty and ashamed when they talk about the serious subject. So,they refrain form speaking about it explicitly. After all, that's their own baby.
410102073 英美四 游佳洵 (Q3)
In Roman Fever, the two main protagonists, Alida Slade and Grace Ansley, have many differences. Because of the huge differences, the story becomes more and more interesting from the beginning to the ending climax.
Grace Ansley, the smaller and paler one of the two main characters, keeps knitting the black hand-bag because she tries to hide something during the chit-chat with Alida Slade (Paragraph 6). At first, she just keeps doing the knitting work, but after a few sneering sentences from Alida, her face starts changing. Though she does not as bright and energetic as Alida, her daughter Barbara is pretty and charming, and Grace is proud of her daughter. The most important is, Barbara is the key of the whole story, and the exposing of her background is also the climax of the story.
Compare to Grace Ansley, Alida Slade is fuller, and higher in color. Also, she has a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows which means she has a aggressive personality (paragraph 5). Alida Slade looks down on Grace Ansley because she thinks she wins Delphin Slade from Grace. Although she seems to become the woman who has a better life and career than Grace, she still considers her daughter is not as good as Jenny. Moreover, her self-confidence makes her ignore that Grace has a big secret between them.
Alida and Grace’s background are alike, but the reader can observe their differences between their communications. Plus, the completely different personalities make the readers confused that the superior one is always Alida. However, as the story goes on, the position changes dramatically when Grace says the significant sentence in the end of the story, “I had Barbara.”(Paragraph 117).
莊筑鈞 410302041
Question 4.
1.In page 591 paragraph 9, the girl said that the hills look like white elephants. She describes them with living animals. It will make us think why they look like elephants but not another object. This is a foreshadow.
2.In the beginning of the story, the girl wants to use white elephants to imply the man about something. The man also seems to understand what she wants to say. In paragraph 42, he exactly talks about the operation. It might be the abortion. That’s their conflict.
3.The man and the girl are traveling at first. Unfortunately, the girl is pregnant. Their next stop is Madrid, and the man can speak Spanish. So he wants to bring the girl to Madrid to do abortion.
4.The man doesn’t explicitly ask the girl to do abortion. He always emphasizes that the operation is very “simple.” He pretends caring about the girl, but actually wants her to take off the baby.
410201006 曾政源
Q4
1.The indication can be found in page 591 under 10 paragraph.The woman said:" No,you wouldn't have."The guy denyed her with short and simple sentence.He said:"I might have."This sentence applied the guy didn't identify the woman how to think about him.The short dialogue was hidden wire which explore.
2.The first clue is in page 592,42 paragraph.The man said:"It's really an awfully simple operation.",but the woman would like to a baby.It applied their opinion was opposite,and they also avoided tailing about topic from starting a lot of quarrel.
3.In my opinions, in story, the two minutes way to Madrid had abortion implied the abortion is not a difficult things, at least in the story. And why they would have abortion? The girl looking far from the mountains and metaphor of the elephant (that means their child) and the image from afar is to expect but out of reach in the real world. But his male partner replied “I’ve never seen on” even still drinking the beer on his hand. From the attitude of the way he spoke, it’s not important for him to the relationship with the girl.
4.Because their concept were conserve after WW1,they couldn't accept "abortiob",and just said "operation" instead.
中文二 俞亭安 410301022
I would like to answer question one.
In the story, Mr. Lantin married an ideal woman that he dreamed about. She's so beautiful and graceful, and he lived in a perfect life. But there are two things that Mr. Lantin does not like about his wife - she likes to go to opera and obsessed with fake jewelry. These may not seem as serious problems, but in my opinion these imply dark side of Mrs. Lantin.
First, the author describes the woman as a perfect one, but he uses "seemed to be" (paragraph2 line4~5) , I think the author is trying to tell the readers that Mrs. Lantin may not as perfect as she appears.
Second, after getting married with Mrs. Lantin, Mr. Lantin 's life become more luxurious than before! (paragraph 5 line1~2) When I read here, I think that either Mrs. Lantin is extremely perfect at managing money or she has a huge secret hide from Mr. Lantin.
More over, Mrs. Lantin is a woman from country side, so why does she love opera that belongs to high class people at that time so much? And if Mr. Lantin does not earn so much money, so where's the money come from? In paragraph 12, Mrs. Lantin has a comment when she is rolling the pearls of the necklaces between her finders, she said:" Now look at them - see how well the work is done. You would swear it was real jewelry." It seems like Mrs. Lantin was astonished about the so called "false jewelry", I think the reason she makes this comment is that she doesn't want Mr. Lantin suspect her. The jewelry look so real, so she keeps emphasizing that they are false.
Also, She begins "to examine the false jewelry with passionate delight" (paragraph 13 line3) implies that the jewelry might not be false, and Mrs. Lantin 's reaction is just like possessed by devil.
林旻萱 410402007
For Q1:
1. The most obvious significance that can show the ultimate irony is that Mr. Lantin is only a chief clerk in the office of the Minister of the Interior. Namely, in no case, he could afford such luxurious life. Which is something really suspicious. However he didn’t realize that until his wife died. He began to ask himself in astonishment how she had managed always to furnish him with excellent wines and with delicate eating which he couldn’t now afford at all with his scanty means.
2. Paragraph 13 describes how Ms. Lantin teased her husband with the “false jewelry”. She examined those jewels with passion delight, as if she experienced some secret and mysterious sensations of pleasure in their contemplation, and insisted on putting one of the necklaces around her husband’s neck, and laughed till she couldn’t laugh any more. It was not only merciless but also made the reader to doubt if the jewelry wasn’t really false since Ms. Lantin’s exceeding passion on a “false thing”.
3. Paragraph11:”And then she would roll the pearls of the necklaces between her fingers, and make the facets of the cut crystals flash in the light, repeating: “Now look at them—see how well the work is done. You would swear it was real jewelry.” The author gave a suspense (Is it really false?) in this paragraph.
410402055 李羅蓮（Q2)
"The Cask of Amontillado" by Edgar Allen Poe, is a short story of a vengeful murder between two men in the upper class. Poe uses the three types of irony; verbal, dramatic, and situational to say more than what is written.
A prominent use of verbal irony is through the naming of one of the main characters, Fortunato. The character’s name suggests someone who is fortunate, however it is Fortunato who is buried alive in the catacombs by Montresor. Other examples of verbal irony are when Montresor lures Fortunato away from the carnival through acting friendly with him and inviting him to validate a rare wine that he has. He continually calls Fortunato, “My friend” (pg.166, para.19) even though Montresor had borne “the thousand injuries of Fortunato”(pg.165, para.1) Furthermore, he repeatedly shows consideration toward Fortunato’s health, through saying “we will go back; your health is precious”(pg.167, para.35).
Using dramatic irony Poe creates interaction with the reader not just between the two characters; Fortunato and Montresor. Fortunato is essentially tempted to his death through his ego in respect to his knowledge of wines. Montresor brings up Luchresi as a back up plan to Fortunato several times, “…I am on my way to Luchresi…”(pg.166, para.13) and “Besides, there is Luchresi”. This pushes Fortunato to continue onward.
Lastly, through situational irony Poe makes coincidental events seem suitable for the situation. An example is when the two characters are walking, Montresor describes his family’s arms, “A huge human foot d’or in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are embedded in the heel”(pg.167, para.47) and he then states the family motto “Nemo me impune lacessit”(pg.167, para.49), which means no one provokes me with impunity. Both of these are symbols for vengeance.
All in all Poe’s use of irony adds a black humor aspect to an otherwise chilling story.
410302048 陳譽萱 Q1
1.Mrs.Latin who was from the middle-class, her family was poor. Before she and Mr.Latin got married, her mother visited several families in hoped of being able to get her daughter married. (p.90, para 2, line 2) Everybody praised her.
2.Mr. Lantin is only a chief clerk in the office of the Minister of the Interior, with a salary of 3500 francs a year.But they lived in a luxury live.(p. 90, para.4~para.5 ,line. 4)
3.Mr. Latin didn't like to go the theater, so Mrs. Latin went out without her husband's accompany.We can assume that she might had an affair with men at the time she went to the theater.
4.From paragraph 9 to paragraph 13, their had different opinion on the false jewelry. Mr.Latin would say;" [one has not the means to afford real jewelry, one should adorned with one's natural beauty." Mrs.Latin replied,"What does it matter? ...I've always loved jewelry so much ." And she would roll the pearls of the necklaces between her fingers..., said," You would swear it was real jewelry."
410402029 王鈺雅
Q3 Roman fever
I talk about Slade and Ansley facial features, Slade was fuller and higher in color, I think higher in color means confident. Just like her personality in the story. Ansley was paler and smaller that means Ansley was weaker and do not have power to face the affair initially. Slade was a confident and pride woman, I can found out in her way of speaking, just like everything was in her control. In other hand, Ansley more tender and no power.
The sentence “a full moon night, they would remember….”I think Moonlight was predict that something bad will happen. Especially the sentence “The sun's set. You are not afraid, my dear?”
Barbara was a naughty and attractive girl. I think she was reflect Ansley's inner heart and also means sex. Barbara personality imply she was Ansley and Delphin daughter.
“Of Roman fever or pneumonia?” I think Roman fever means the affair in the winter. The setting on Colosseum imply the affair very crazy and wild. Because of the event was too ashamed to say, and Ansley always pay an attention on knitting. When Slade looked at the outlying immensity of the Colosseum, the moonlight aroused the memory finally.
I think Delphin was play an important role in the story. Delphin means the desire, everyone want to pursue it like money or sex… what happen in the two women truly reflect the upper class. Everyone want to surpass others. Although the ending was shocked, I think it is truly reflect the reality.
410275040 陳湘妮
Q3
Alida Slade and Grace Ansley, two protagonists in Roman Fever, have something in common. However, they are also different from many aspects of personalities that make the whole story interesting and irony.
Compare the lives of Alida Slade and Grace Ansley. They are both upper middle class and well- cared women. Alida's husband is sociable and talented , so Alida lives a exciting and glamorous life. On the other hand, Grace Ansley's husband is irreproachable and exemplary, so she lives a regular and boring life. They gather together because they both lost their husband. Besides, they both have one daughter, namely Jenny Slade and Barbara Ansley. The story begins because of their daughter.
Alida thinks that her daughter, Jenny, is pretty but not vivid. And Grace's daughter, Barbara, is more attractive than Jenny. Therefore, Alida envy Grace. Even though Alida and Grace are old friend, they don't know much about each other. Alida doesn't know her jealous of Grace will expose the bygone secret.
Compare the personality of Alida Slade and Grace Ansley. Alida is fuller and higher in color. She has determined nose and vigorous black eyebrows, which indicates that she has strong personality. And Grace is smaller and paler. At the beginning of the story, Grace keeps knitting, which indicates that she tries to hide something. In contrast, another protagonist, Alida, highlights her individuality. Therefore, the readers would think that Alida is superior. What a irony is that at the end of story, Grace imply that her daughter's father is Mr. Slade. This big secret is such as a flame of passion which is hidden below the Grace Ansley's quite appearance.
41020A039 英美三 李季穎
I would like to answer Q3
Their facial features is poles apart. The author describes some clues. For examples , on the page 119 paragraph 5, [she was fuller, and high in color, with a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows.] It reveals she is an extremely dashing, eloquent and articulate woman. On the contrary, Mrs. Ansley is a smaller and paler woman. On the page 119, paragraph 3, [and smaller and paler one shook her head and colored slightly] Both of the two ladies give a different feeling of their facial features.
The personality of Alida Slade and Grace is poles apart. Alida Slade is an outspoken woman. She is brave and sturdy woman because when she face the miserable fact that her son is dead, she bravely mentioned it. To the contrast, Grace Ansley is prudent and cautious all the time. Alida is more dashing than her that we can find some clues in the story. For instance, when Alida let Ansley know the truth that the letter is not written by Delphin. The react of the two women are far apart. Alida is so flushed. She are not clam, but Ansley is so sturdy that replying to Alida the fact which she is sent back the letter to Daelphin. I really feel that because of their far apart personalities, the plot of the story in the end can be spectacular. To compare with Alida, Alida is more confident than Ansley. I think Alida is a careless and innocent woman because she don’t understand what Ansley’s implication. Comparing to Alida , Ansley is a sturdy woman.
410402001 張家慈 Q1
In the beginning of this story, the author described that this woman is poor but respectable, quiet and gentle. After getting married, Mr. Lamtin became a vain person, her love of the theater, and her passion for false jewelry. But one thing makes me confused that why she became a vain person suddenly, maybe she already has an extramarital affair at this moment.
It is very irony that Mr. Lamtin told to her husband: “Now look at them－see how well the work is done. You would swear it was real jewelry.”( on the page 91 paragrapg11 line 3) It’s seem to she show off the jewelry to her husband, and already told him that she has a new lover and the jewelry is really real.
And on the page 91 paragrapg13 line5, she putted the necklaces round her husband’s neck, and laugh: “Oh! How funny you look!”Then she would rush into his arms, and kiss him furiously. I think this part is the biggest irony in the story. Mr. Lamtin just hit her husband that a rich guy gave her the jewelry that you can’t afford it.
After Mr. Lamtin died, he live in poor, it illustrates that she used her lover’s money makes M. Lamtin and she live in comfortable.
Although the end of the story is a tragedy, I like this short story. The story very interesting and the end is unexpected, her husband became a vain person just like his wife. And there are a lot irony in the story that make us can reflect on about sense of morality of marriage and materialism.
410302063 英美二 許華
I would like to answer the fourth question.
The first clue about the exact nature of the two main characters is in the ninth paragraph of this text-
"They look like white elephants,"
"I've never seen one,"
"No, you wouldn't have"...
White elephants in this conversation means pregnant woman.I suggest their conflict here implies the later conflict about the girl's pregnancy.
They are going to Madrid to do abortion because it's legal to abort in Madrid.Additionally, the man makes an effort to persuade the girl to get rid of the baby.
The characters are hedonists, and the man is actually selfish. He tries his best to convince the girl to kill the baby,and sees abortion as simple as to let air in.Moreover, he keeps emphasizing "simple" though he says"I don't want you to do it if you don't want to"many times.In short, he's an extremely optimistic and selfish guy
On account of this reason, I considers the girl feels herself worthless, so she says she doesn't care about herself.Additionally, she can't put up with the man's optimism so that she requests to end the conversation instead of speaking about this thing explicitly anymore.
410308026 華文二 梁存中 Chris
Question 4-
Hemingway set a barren landscape as a metaphor of two main characters' bad relationship. As the title "Hills Like White Elephants", the hills just like two main characters; they are calm and peace, actually full of fury and nervousness in their minds. It is a hint of their bad relationship. I suggest the first indication of their bad indication is that the girl think the hills like white elephants, and the man seems careless about it.
The exact nature of their conflict is this couple have different perspectives on things. The man tried to persuade the girl to having an operation, and the girl being bitter on the man. Just like we read in the dialogue, they often fighting on ordinary topic and round in circle. Paragraph 25, 50 and 95 are the example of their fighting.
For an ordinary reader, the men and the girl were just quarrel over each other, and it's no big deal. But actually they will going to Madrid to have an abortion from literary perspective. Hemingway use tiny clue to inform reader the incident, the reader need to read the story carefully to find this important inciting incident.
In my opinion, there are two reason why the man and the girl didn't speaking about their problem explicitly. "The Lost Generation" is the main background of the story. As the two main characters, they bring their bags to everywhere and stayed in different cities to past the life. They just want having fun in every moment instead of trust the future. They can't go anywhere in that space and moment. I think this is the first reason why they have relationship problem. The second reason is that they both tried to protect their relationship. According to the dialogue, I consider they love each other so much that no one want to be a destroyer of this relationship. Although the man are irresponsible to the girl, he still comfort her uneasy mind by using gentle word. The girl also want their relationship back. The girl being bitter on the man, but actually she struggled about whether go to abortion or having a better life and relationship.
410001005 黃美嘉
Q1
After we know Madame Lantin’s jewelries are real, many words in the story own a different connotation. First, the word “seem”, we can realize it means the fact is not what we thought. As Maupassant wrote: “The young girl seemed to be the very ideal of that pure good woman to whom every young man dreams of entrusting his future” (Paragraph 2, line 4) and “She ruled his home with an economy so adroit that they seemed to live in luxury” (Paragraph 5, line 1). Actually, Madame Lantin has a love affair, and she does not a pure good woman. They live in luxury is not really because of M. Lantin’s salary. Second, we can see in paragraph 8, many sentences describe the jewelries are false. And the sentence in paragraph 11, “You would swear it was a real jewelry”, it sounds just like that was false one. But after we know those jewelries are real, the words become so ironic. Then, in paragraph 9, the words M. Lantin tells his wife show a different meaning after we know the truth. “One’s natural beauty and grace only－and these gifts are the rarest of jewels” M. Lantin said. The beauty truly is jewel; it helps Madame Lantin get the real jewels. Last, M. Lantin’s wife put the necklaces on him and said “Oh! how funny you look!” (Paragraph 13, line 7). The word “funny” here can be interpreted to make joke for he doesn’t know the love affair.
410402035 英美一 陳泰鈞
Q4,
1.I think the first indication is in paragraph 9 to 12, in the man and the girl’s conversation. The girl says “They look like white elephants” but the man says “I’ve never seen one.” Because of the man’s poor imagination, the girl says “No, you wouldn’t have.” Feeling irate, the man responds “I might have, just because you say I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything. According to the idiom”an elephant in the living room,” they are facing some problems but the man don’t want to talk about it.
2.The first clue about the exact nature of their conflict is in paragraph 41 to 50. The girl is pregnant and she wants to give it a birth, but the man wants the girl to have an abortion.
3.They are probably going there to let the girl have an abortion.
4.For one thing, the society in Spain is still conservative in that time and it is illegal to have an abortion in the catholic country. For another, the characters’ personalities are pursuing playing and new things. They seldom face a problem straightly.
410402027 胡心瀞
Q1
1.The first indication is that Mrs. Lantin was a girl from a countryside and was poor. (pg90, para2) When she came to the big city Paris, certainly, she would be attracted by many flourishing things and she would like to have a better life quality. In addition, she was the best girl that every men would like to marry. It’s easy for her to look for a rich man who was willing to be her lover and support her. Eventually, she actually couldn’t help but betray her husband.
2.The author described that Mrs. Lantin “seemed to be” the very ideal of that pure good girl. (pg90, para2) The author hinted us that she perhaps wasn’t like that kind of person that everyone thought of she was. In the end, we found out that she actually wasn’t a pure good girl.
3.M. Lantin is a person who only had a salary of 3,500 francs a year which was not enough to furnish them with expensive food. (pg92, para2) In addition, her wife ruled his home with an economy and they could “seemed to” live in luxury. (pg90, para4) From these details, I could notice that she must have some support, otherwise, she couldn’t serve her husband with so many expensive food.
4.M. Lantin told her wife that one should appear adorned with one’s natural. “One can’t make oneself over again.” answered Mrs. Lantin. I thought the behind meaning was she would not stop dating with her lover. The reason perhaps was that she couldn’t give up her passion to the jewelry. (pg91, para3.4)
5.Mrs. Lantin examined the false jewelry with passionate delight. In my opinion, it is impossible that would someone see the false object so passionately. Furthermore, she told her husband that you will swear it was real jewelry. (pg91, para5) She couldn’t control her feeling of looking the jewelry so that she said those words. From these points, I can infer that the jewelry may be real. (pg91, para7)
410302043
Q3
In the setting, the meaning of the name, Alida, reveals nobility; in contrast, that of the name, Grace, means movement is elegant and controlled, and implies she ends up bring honor. The aspects of two ladies are different; Grace is "the smaller and paler"(paragraph 3 line 2), but Alida is "fuller, and higher in color, with a small determined nose supported by vigorous eyebrows"(paragraph 5 line 1, paragraph 8 line 2), which shows that Alida is more aggressive.
About their lives, Alida is in an opulent family, yet Grace is not, owing to the fact that Alida is fuller and higher in color but Grace is paler. Alida is a confident and "extremely dashing girl."(paragraph 23 line 5) Alida, "she wished that Jenny would fall in love--with the wrong man."(paragraph 22 line 12) However, there's no difference between Alida and Grace's wanting the victory of the fight that they want their daughter to get a good result of relationship. In the end,they both shows the evidence to prove who winner is.(paragraph 110,118) That's why they want to win, although the motivation is different. Grace desires respect, yet Alida is based on her arrogance.
410302060 英美二 陳采妮
1.
In the beginning, the author described Madame Lantin as a wonderful woman who was every young man’s dream and there was no one could be better than her. (The young girl seemed to be the very idea of that pure good woman to whom every young man dreams of entrusting his future. (para.2 line 5) and (The man who gets her will be lucky. No one could find a nicer girl than that.”) (para.3)But, as the secret of Madame Lantin’s jewelry revealed, we then realized that the woman was not as pure as we thought.
2.
In paragraph 4, line 3, it says “She ruled his home with an economy so adroit that they really seemed to live in luxury.” and paragraph 18, line 1, “His salary, which, in his wife’s hands, had amply sufficed for all household needs, … , which he could not now afford at all with his scanty means.” These paragraph make us thought that Mr. Lantin could live in such a good life was all because Mrs. Lantin was good at managing money, but the truth is that she had cheated on her husband for the money.
3.
“Sometimes, in the evening, when they were having a chat by the fire, … , and begin to examine the false jewelry with passionate delight. “ (para.13 line 1) When are reading to here, we might think that Mrs. Lantin’s love for jewelry was too indulged in the jewelry to see the false jewelry as a real one. But, afterwards, we are finding that we were the foolish one.
So many ironies in the story and I think what the author was trying to tell us is, although we knew the truth, we tend to ignore it when we are compensated by what we love.
410402049 英美一 蕭芊曼
I would like to answer the question 3.
There are many differences between Alida Slade and Grace Ansely. I take it in three parts:
1.Appearences :Alida Sleda is fuller and higher in color in those two women. She has a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows. (p.119 para5). And Grace Ansely is the smaller and paler one. She is exquisite and lovely. (p120 para19) It makes readers consider that Alida is tough and Grace is weak.
2.Personalities : Alida Sleda is more confident than Grace Ansely.(p.120 para11) She is also a brilliant , articulate and vividness person.(p.122 para 22 and para24) On the other hand, Grace Ansely is irreproachable , exemplary and prudent just like her husband.(p.121 para19 and p.125 para64) She is quiet and sweet and makes people feel that she is gentler and more harmless than Alida Sleda. We might image that in their relationship, Alida always like to control everything. And I think she is jealous, because of what she had said and done to Grace, for example, writing a fake latter and comparing between their daughters. I also consider that she just to suffer for her wisdom.
3.Opinions about their daughter: Alida Sleda thinks that her daughter, Jenny, is younger and prettier than Grace’s daughter, Barbara.(p.122 para22) But, she also thinks that Jenny is a foil when she was standing by Barbara.(p.123 para34) She envies Grace has such a capable daughter ,and wonder how two such exemplary people can have such a dynamic daughter. It seem like a clue that Barbara is daughter of Alida’s husband.(p.123 para36)However, Grace Ansely considers Alida overrate Barbara.(p.123 para37)And ,she thinks Alida was disappointed that Jenny is not like her mother. This part shows that in their endless comparison, they both think that Grace is the winner. Just like the last words Grace said, having Barbara is the biggest victory for her.
410402017 陳怡君
Q.4
1. We can find the first indication they aren't getting along from paragraph 9 to 12. The American denies her and keeps drinking his beer. It is obvious that he doesn't care about the discussion which they talk about. On the other hand, the girl intends to persist her opinion through "white elephant". In fact, "white elephant" stands for something no one wants except the girl. This simple argument contains a meaningful aspect. It appears that both of them have individual perspective to discuss their baby and possibility to have a risky operation.
2. There is a dash twist in the conversation that we can find the first clue about the exact nature of the conflict. The key word is "operation". The man puts emphasis on the operation is simple, which implies that he isn't concerned the life. Although he mentions that their relationship will not end, and they will continue their love. Actually, it apparently reveal the man just pretends his respect toward the girl on surface. All he wants to do is ask her to have a cruel "abortion".
3. It is indistinct for us to know why they are going to Madrid in the beginning. As a matter of fact, it is a horrified moment since it's a destination where the girl needs to encounter the abortion. Also, Madrid is the capital of Spain, and the girl has to rely on the man's language competence. Not only can't she express her viewpoint but also the hardship she has on most of fields.
4. It is a sensitive issue for them, perhaps due to race, religion, or social class. In addition, there is no doubt to make a connection that it is related to the author's writing style-the iceberg theory. Just like a visible top of the iceberg, hiding a tremendous mass of ice beneath the ocean, which can create some tension in the plot. Therefore, Hemingway takes advantage of this sort of writing skills then we don't understand the couple whether have an abortion or separate from each other.
410308009 白昕平
Q1
In the second paragraph, we can see that Mrs.Lantin wasn’t born in a wealthy family, but her good elegant made all the young man dreamed to married with her. M.Lantin was so a chief clerk in the office of the Minister of the Internet, it shows that he was just a middle class man. He felt so lucky to have this wife, but there were two points made he felt fault with her－her love of the theater, and her passion for false jewelry(paragraph 6).
In that era, theater was the place that can let people made friends with high-class people, to a country girl, all things that she saw was so new that she wants to try and takes a look, but her husband didn’t have this kind of habit. This is the reason why Mrs.Lantin have chance to knew “ some guy”, just like those man that mention in the beginning. And it was so satire that Mrs.Lantion decorates her husband by the jewelries, when he thought those were false. If someone has false jewelry, it was not so normal to put her jewelry in a box and collect all of them together, took it out and appreciation all the time, this kind of action usually happened on when those were real. Once Mrs.Lantin got a new jewelry and her husband didn’t mention anything, she might keep doing this kind of fairy. The weirdest thing was that M.Lantin didn’t know that his salary didn’t enough for two persons to live in good life.
410402009 劉仁宇
Q4
The first clue that makes me think the main characters are not getting along is in their first conversation.The girl asked "What should we drink?", but instead of answering her, the American said "It's pretty hot." then the girl goes on and decided to drink bear.
You can see that although they're having a conversation, they're not actually communicating. This state basically continued throughout the hole story, they are always throwing their own feelings and desires at each other without listening.
The exact nature of their conflict was first shown when the American said "It's really an awfully simple operation, Jig." The girl didn't answer. The man continues to persuade her, telling her that it's gonna be OK afterwards. From this conversation you can see that the girl don't want to do "the operation" while the man want her to.
They are going to Madrid(capital of Spain.) to have "the operation".
They try to evade speaking about it directly because both of them don't want to mess up their relationship. Also, this attitude is very common among "the lost generation" due to their problem is mostly based on social structure, they are used to think that "I won't make a different, why not just forget about it."
610302607 蕭峻閎
Q4: Find the first indication in "Hills Like White Elephants" that the two main characters are not getting along. What is the first clue about the exact nature of their conflict? Why are they going to Madrid? Why do the characters refrain from speaking about it explicitly?
The first indication in "Hills Like White Elephants" is in paragraph 9 to 12. Paragraph 9 mentions a girl imply white elephants. This means the girl wanted a man to recognize she was pregnant. However, the man answered I’ve never seen one. The man actually know about it, but he didn’t admit it. The girl was mad and said “No, you wouldn’t have”. Then, the man said “I might have”. I guess this sentence can prove my thinking. The man knew she was pregnant.
The first clue about the exact nature of their conflict is white elephants. In American saying, “An elephant in the room” means there is a big problem in front of us. We can’t ignore it. The author use elephants to reveal the girl with a baby. The second reason is this sentence appear early. When I read the story, this is their first quarrel.
They are going to Madrid, because the man convinced her to get an abortion. Finally, she prepare to do it. The evidence is in paragraph 94 to 97. “It’s is perfectly simple” means an operation is easy. Then, the man said “would you do something for me now”. The girl responded “I’d do anything for you”. She was persuaded by her lover.
I think an abortion was a taboo topic in that generation. This topic still make conflicts in our generation. Hemingway discussed it explicitly, but he cared about the women right. he use this article to arouse people's attention.
610302607 蕭峻閎
Q4: Find the first indication in "Hills Like White Elephants" that the two main characters are not getting along. What is the first clue about the exact nature of their conflict? Why are they going to Madrid? Why do the characters refrain from speaking about it explicitly?
The first indication in "Hills Like White Elephants" is in paragraph 9 to 12. Paragraph 9 mentions a girl imply white elephants. This means the girl wanted a man to recognize she was pregnant. However, the man answered I’ve never seen one. The man actually know about it, but he didn’t admit it. The girl was mad and said “No, you wouldn’t have”. Then, the man said “I might have”. I guess this sentence can prove my thinking. The man knew she was pregnant.
The first clue about the exact nature of their conflict is white elephants. In American saying, “An elephant in the room” means there is a big problem in front of us. We can’t ignore it. The author use elephants to reveal the girl with a baby. The second reason is this sentence appear early. When I read the story, this is their first quarrel.
They are going to Madrid, because the man convinced her to get an abortion. Finally, she prepare to do it. The evidence is in paragraph 94 to 97. “It’s is perfectly simple” means an operation is easy. Then, the man said “would you do something for me now”. The girl responded “I’d do anything for you”. She was persuaded by her lover.
I think an abortion was a taboo topic in that generation. This topic still make conflicts in our generation. Hemingway discussed it explicitly,but he cared about the women right. He used this story to arouse people's attention.
410202079 黃柔羽
Q2
The following are Poe's use of irony and black humor in the story.
1.The name of main character-Fortunato.“Fortunato” means “fortunate” in Italian, but Fortunato is actually very unfortunate.(p165)
2.Montresor's first words to Fortunato are "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met." Fortunato thinks Montresor means he is happy to see him because of his expertise. What Montresor means is the meeting is lucky because the carnival presents an excellent time for murder.(P165)
3.Fortunato then tells Montresor not to worry about his health and that “the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill him. He will not die of a cough.” Montresor then replies, “True–true.” The reader at this point can almost see a devilish gleam in Montresor’s eyes, for he knows exactly how Fortunato will die.”(p166-167)
4."A human foot d'or, in a field of azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are embedded in the heel." When Fortunato asks for the motto, we can see the dramatic irony signals that Fortunato indeed didn’t realize his situation. Montresor's family motto is based on the concept of retribution, "No one provokes me with impunity"(p167)
5.When there is only one stone left to fit into the wall, and Fortunato says, “Let us be gone.” This is ironic because he’d have to be a complete fool to think Montresor is going to undo all those layers of bricks and let him out. He’s hoping against hope.(P169)
6.Montresor’s reply is even more ironic, “Yes, let us be gone.” In fact, he never thought to let him leave. I think he is torturing Fortunato with his irony.(P169)
英美一 蘇薇雅 410402025
Q 1The ultimate irony of Maupassant's "The Jewelry" comes at the end of the story. Once the secret of Madame Lantin's jewelry is revealed, what details from earlier in the story take on a different significance?
A
In the story,we can see the clues about the question.
Generlally speaking,M. Lantin,whose position was the chief clerk in the office of the Minister of the Intrrior,lived with a poor salarly of 3,500.But he leaded a live in luxury after he married her.What lit the curiousity of reader.And we got the answer when we read the paragraph 18.There said “But life hard for him,....”Then we realized the key to answer.
And I want to write down the detail below.
To begin with,in the paragraph 2,to describe the girl theauthor,Guy de Meupassant,used the word “seemed to be.”Which is a ingenious way.
Next,in the paragraph 7,we found that she was interestied in theather.To meet the standard-the toilette in goos taste,she need to have many dresses.Not to mention what the expense it was!What's more,the author said the girl is “respectable” in the paragraph 2.However it's not east to find the connect between going to theather and personality of respectable.
Last but not least,her the other love of “false”jewerly.She got into the habit of suspending in these asseoriries.With such low salary like M.Latin,I thought it being difficult to meet the expese of these collection.In my opinion,among the story,the paragraph 12 is the most unforgettable plot.Before we understood the answer,I had took this plot as the sweet part of their marriage live.However I couldn't think like that anymore.How ironic it is!Because the answer she , such a girl who is “the very ideal of that pure good woman”,cheated with a rich guy.
Eventually,M.Latin stared lead a life in luxury after finding the truth about her.Once he was the man who murmured in her life style.But he went to theater ,now.So ironic is the story!
410302053 英美二 宋韋翔
Q4
The dialogue between two characters is the first indication of this story. According to the paragraph 9 to 11, the woman said “They look like elephants.” the man answered “I’ve never seen one.” and the woman said again “No, you wouldn’t.” These sentences imply us that the man didn’t want to face the truth which was about that woman. Then, in the last sentence, we can see that the woman was angry. I think this is the reason why they are not getting along.
The first clue about the exact nature of their conflict is the operation. The man thought that having a baby would bother him and the woman who was called Jig by him. So the man tried to persuade Jig to go to Madrid to get an abortion. However, Jig didn’t want to do this operation. She wanted to keep this baby and led a wonderful life with the man. Therefore, we can see that the man was selfish and didn’t really care about Jig.
From the beginning to the end of the story, Hemingway and two characters kept abortion from saying. Even though Hemingway and the two characters didn’t use abortion this word, the story he wrote has enough clue to let readers get the information from the dialogue. For example,” white elephants”, “I’ll go with you and I’ll stay with you all the time” and “perfectly natural”. These sentences have different meanings behind them. I think this is the unique writing style of Hemingway. Therefore, we have to pay more attention when we read this story.
410402043 英美一 陳姿妤
I would like to answer Q3 "Roman Fever”
The story begins with two American ladies of ripe but well-cared-for middle age who move across the terrace of a Roman restaurant. According to the essay, there are many differences between Alida Slade and Grace Ansley. The most obvious aspect is about the appearance. Alida Slade looks fuller, dresses in higher color, and has a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows. On the other hand, Grace Ansley looks paler and dresses in slight color. Apparently, another variation is their personalities. You can feel Mrs.Slade is a woman with strong personality. It is very clear to see that she is more tough, confident, and brillant than Mrs.Ansley. Comparatively, Mrs.Ansley is tenderer, more delicate, irreproachable, and exemplary. However, Mrs.Slade envys Mrs.Ansley because the only thing the two ladies have in common is they fall in love with the same man. Why Alida Slade envys Grace Ansley is that the man to whom she was engaged has another woman in his mind. That is Grace Ansley.
410302013 eng2 kris
Q3
In the girlhood, Alida Slade and Grace Ansley were close. However, in the latter story, we found that they fell in love with the same guy, Delphin Slade. Alida, the brighter woman who had a pair of black eyebrows engaged to Delphin Slade, wrote Grace, who was paler and not as strong as Alida, a fake letter, which pretended being written by her fiancé, in order to make Grace wait for him in the chilly night at the Colosseum. From here, it’s obvious that Alida was more sophisticated and kind of tricky. Because of Alida’s fear and jealousy, the more naïve Grace, compared to her used-to-be-good friend, truly kept the appointment in the letter and after that, she got sever cold.
When Mrs. Ansley heard that it was Mrs. Slade who wrote the false letter, she was not able to accept it for a while, for she thought the letter was from her lover. Though Alida was smart enough (she thought herself) to write the letter, she was not astute enough to think of that Grace, such a prudent person who had burned the letter, would answer the letter back to Delphin. Then, the rage and the unbelievable expression came to Alida when she was told that her trick didn’t succeeded and Grace did meet Delphin there at that night.
In the conversation between these two widows, apparently Alida was the stronger and more confident one while, surely, Grace was on the opposite side, and more quiet, more rational. They both had a daughter named Jenny, belonged to Alida, and named Barbara, Grace’s one. However, their daughters’ personalities were different from their mothers’. Jenny wasn’t as strong or rebel as her mother; she was like a pretty angle. If it’s necessary to be picky on her, the obedience and plain may be the sin in her mother’s eye. Then, it’s Barbara, Grace’s angle. She was not that beautiful like Jenny or even her mother in the young age, but more charming and clever which Alida wished her girl was.
410402047 英美一 林汎諭
I would like to answer Q2
The Cask of Amontillado is an attractive story for me, especially those interesting ironies. The most unforgettable part is the one which explains the movement of Fortunado in the end, Fortunado was about to die , and it’s supposed to be a serious part. But Poe didn’t write this part in dark words, he used a lot of dialogue between Fortunado and Montresor, for instance, Montresor kept on repeating Fortunado’s words, such as: “Let us be gone!” and” For the love of God!”Those bright and happy sentences compare to a murder scene make this part even more chilling and creepy.
Another interesting irony in the essay is the scene that Montresor introduced his family’s arms to Fortunado. "A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."These words might seem normal on the surface, but it’s the most important irony in this essay. It perfectly explains why Montresor has this kind of personality and what he’s got to do to Fortunado in the end. Poor Fortunado didn’t know anything and ignored those hints that hid in Montresor’s words. This also reflects the ingenuity of Poe’s arrangement in the story.
Finally, I think that there is still a hidden irony in the whole story. Poe wrote The Cask of Amontillado in the first person, that was because this story was based on his own social affairs, on the other word, he wrote himself into the story. In addition, the irony of the name “Fortunado” shows how mad he was with that guy who had some conflicts with him. These interesting detail are all worthy exploring.
410302049 洪子宸
Question 2
"The Cask of Amontillado" has many irony techniques, and it has three kinds of irony, situational, dramatic, and verbal irony.
1.Situational irony
First, the title "cask" means wine barrel, but it also imply the word "casket",so even though Fortunato believe that he will reach the wine cellar,he ended meets his casket.Second, the name "Fortunato" means "Fortunate" in Italian, but as we know, this character is not that fortune at all; Third, although Fortunato wore as a joyous jester,his festive outfit contrasts the miserable fate that awaits him.
2.Dramatic irony
In page 167, Fortunato said "the cough is mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough." And Montresor said "True-true." Here we can see that Fortunato entirely have no idea what Montresor was planning. At this point, readers can feel a chill sprung from the spine.
3.Verbal irony
In page 165, when Montresor met Fortunato, he said "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met." But Montresor actually meant he is happy to see Fortunato for his own profit.
In page 167, when Montresor said "We will go back; your health is precious..." He didn't really want Fortunato to go back, but to lure him to go further instead.
In page 168, when Montresor said he's a mason, he actually means he will entombing Fortunato with stone and mortar.
410402015 英美一 巫芷玲
Q3
Their facial features also show their personalities. Ms. Slade was fuller, and higher in color, with a small determined nose supported by vigorous black eyebrows. That means that she has a stronger personality than Ms. Ansley. In contrast, Ms. Ansley was smaller and paler, and the description would make us associate that she was weak and quiet.
They both had a daughter. Ms. Slade had Jenny, and Ms. Ansley had Barbara. Jenny was pretty, clever and younger than Barbara, but not as vivid as her. Ms. Slade envied all the things of Ms. Ansley, including her daughter. She thought Jenny was a foil when their daughters were together.
As for their lives, Ms. Slade was in upper class and her husband was a famous corporation lawyer. On the other hand, Ms. Ansley was married with another man, leading a simpler life but with a big secret.
In my opinion, richness maybe bring better life conditions, but bring something superficial as well. When Ms. Slade talks about her husband, she always mentions fortune and reputation. Did she really love him? Or just love the money in his pocket? But to Ms. Ansley. At the end of the story, she kept silence when Ms. Slade insulted her. And she said desperately” It was the only letter I ever had from him.” Obviously, she really loved Delphin. Though she had his daughter, but only thing she could do is to face the cruel fact and raised the daughter alone, or even with another man maybe she didn’t love at all. Aren't these two women’s life tragedy?
410202072 吳婉君
Q2. Write an essay that compares and contrasts the differences (e.g. personalities, lives, facial features, opinions about their daughters, etc.) of Alida Slade and Grace Ansley in Edith Wharton's "Roman Fever."
My answer:
In the story, Ansley and Alida were two main characters with a lot of obvious different characteristics. The differences shows in their conversation, their different reactions toward the same thing, and their thoughts description.
As for the external differences, Grace Ansley was smaller and paler. And Ansley was weaker than Alida because Ansley had a “delicate throat” (paragraph 47) and was easy to get sick.
As for the internal differences, Ansley had a weaker characteristics yet Alida had more powerful characteristics and was more energetic. Ansley was easier to get exhausting, for example, in paragraph 5, she said, “…I get tired just looking—even at this…”. Besides, Ansley kept silent and knitting most of the time, yet Alida was easy to get bored, for example, in paragraph 19, Alida thought, “I’d rather live opposite a speak-easy for a change,…”.
Ansley was shy, less confident, and less articulate. In paragraph 11, “There’s that head-waiter wondering,” shows that she was anxious about if they disturbed the waiter to stay that place. Yet her friend Alida signed to the waiter to ask him directly. Besides, it was Alida who always started a new conversation. These details also showed that Alida had more skillful sociability.
As for their thoughts about their daughters, Alida thought Jenny was perfect but boring for her, and not charming as Barbara. So she envied Ansley for having such a charming Barbara, and disappointed in her daughter Jenny. And her envy turned into hatred toward Ansley.
What’s more, Ansley was more boring and less enjoyable toward life than Alida. For example, in paragraph 33, Alida thought, “She can knit—in the face of this! How like her…”.
Alida was suspicious. In paragraph 35, she thought, “…I wonder if that’s why Grace Ansley likes the two girls to go everywhere together? My poor Jenny as a foil—I…”. Yet Ansley was kinder and simpler. For example, about the letter, Ansley felt guilty to face Ansley, yet Alida was complacent to deceive Ansley. However, Ansley simply knitted instead of thinking too much about the past (paragraph 41). What’s more, Alida wanted to made Ansley sad and angry to relieve envy and displeasure of herself.
Last but not least, Ansley was calm yet Alida was temperamental. She got mad when talking about her hatred toward Ansley these years.
In conclusion, Alida and Ansley were two main characters quite different in personalities. One had stronger traits and another one weaker.
410302050 英美二 尤雅樹 Q3
I would like to answer the third question "Roman Fever"
The two main characters Alida Slade and Grace Ansley, have many differences. But have something in common. These elements make the story irony.
They are both upper-class and well-cared women. They married but both lost their husband. Alida have the better married life, it's much interesting and full than Grace, who has a boring married life. They both have one daughter, named Jenny Slade and Barbara Ansley.
Alida thinks her daughter, Jenny, is beautiful but lacks the charisma and charm of Grace's daughter, Barbara. Therefore, Alida envy Grace. Even though they know each other for many years, but they don't know much about each other. So this is the the trigger for the secret between these two ladies.
Alida and Grace’s background are alike, upper-class, widow, but we can still discover the differences in the interaction of the whole story. And also, the totally different personalities make us confused that Alida is always superior than Grace. With the story goes on,the position changes scenically when Grace says the sentence, “I had Barbara.”
410302005 英美二 彭嘉偉
Q1
Points
1. Although M. Latin is just a chief clerk in the office of the Minister of the Interior, with a salary of 3,500 francs a year, he seems to live in luxury with his life.
Text:
Now this passion for the theater at last evoked in her the desire of dress. ...... But she got into the habit of suspending in her pretty ears two big cut pebbles, fashioned in imitation of diamonds; and she wore necklaces of false pearls, bracelets of false gold, and haircombs studded with paste-imitation of precious stones. (P. 91/ para 1/ line 1, line 4~7)
... she had managed always to furnish him with excellent wines and with delicate eating...(92/1/3)
2. They seem to love each other very much,and Latin is sorrowful after his wife died from a bad cough.
Text:
It would be impossible to conceive of any attentions, tendernesses, playful caresses which she did not lavish upon her husband; and such was the charm of her person that, six years after he married her, he loved her even more than he did the first day. (90/5/2)
Latin was nearly following her into the tomb. His despair was so frightful that in one single month his hair turn white. He wept from morning till night, feeling his heart torn by inexpressible suffering -ever haunted by the memory of her, by the smile, by the voice, by all the charm of the dead woman.(91/15/all)
Time did not assuage his grief. Often during office hours his fellow-clerks went off a corner to chat about this or that topic of the day- his cheeks might have been seen to swell up all of a sudden, his nose wrinkle, his eyes fill with water-he would pull a frightful face, and begin to sob.(91/16/all)
410402031 楊子玉
Q4
1.The first clue about the exact nature of their conflict is the man’s and the girl’s reactions toward the hills like white elephants. In paragraph 9, while the girl says” They look like white elephants.” she is also trying to implying her pregnancy. However, the man answered “I’ve never seen one.” and then drinks his beer without paying much attention on the girl’s feeling as usual. Annoyed by the man’s imagination, the girl replied resentfully” No, you wouldn’t have.” The moment the man heard her reply, he argued stubbornly” I might have. Just because you said I wouldn’t have doesn’t prove anything.” This dialogue shows that the girl is romantic and imaginative, while the man is realistic and competitive. It also reflects the ineffective communication between them, which is going to bursting out with resentment.
2.They are going to take the next train to Madrid to have an simple “operation”(paragraph 42) for the girl, according to the man, and the “operation” is actually an abortion. It shows that the man is not only self-centered .
3.The reason why the man and the girl refrain from speaking about the girl’s pregnancy is because they have cared nothing but drinking and searching for fun ever since they met. They are called the ”Lost Generation” , used for the generation of young people who came of age during and shortly after World War I. They tend to have fun rather than taking problems seriously.
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