Sister Carrie -Theodore Dreiser

I think the story that stood out the most to me was Sister Carrie by Theodore Dreiser. I have always been fascinated with city lights and I could almost feel Carrie’s excitement as she neared Chicago. I particularly liked the passage on 572 where Dreiser described the city, writing: “---that mystic period between the glare and the gloom of the world when life is changing from one sphere or condition to another. Ah, the promise of the night. What does it not hold for the weary? What old illusion of hope is not here forever repeated!”  I feel that this passage captures the excitement and adventure Carrie was feeling. As we talked about in class, the city really was presented as a “tempter” to Carrie.

Here was a girl on the brink of adulthood, yet completely unsure and self-conscious of herself. In contrast to this, however, she was also extremely ambitious. As we touched on in class today, Carrie seemed to be infatuated with the idea of how she wanted her life to be. In order to achieve this new lifestyle, she first had to put aside her fears.

 Something I noticed was that Carrie seemed to feel completely inadequate in every situation. Comparing her own plain, blue, dress, she became very conscious of the differences between herself and the man who charmed her on the bus and the fancy, materialistic, women on the Chicago sidewalks. Additionally, Carrie was very timid while job searching, fearing the humiliation she would experience if she were to be turned down. I felt sympathy for her as she was continuously told that experience was needed to be suitable for the job. I thought it was interesting that Carrie then found comfort in wandering with the city crowds. I think there is a safe appeal to being surrounded by people who know nothing about you, as it enables a person to stop fearing judgment and expectations.  Perhaps, this was what Carrie was feeling in that moment.

Carrie was definitely a victim of her environment, demonstrating the naturalist aspect of this novel. Growing up in the country, she was probably not very aware of the big world around her and was naïve because of it. She is also a victim of her new environment as she learns that people can be harsh. I almost wish I could finish this story to see how Carrie adjusts to Chicago.

 I wonder if she does ever find contentment and happiness. I feel like naturalism focuses on human distress and, considering this is a naturalistic novel, maybe I already know the answer to that.

On Washington and Du Bois

Wow. Both of these writings were very convincing. I found myself initially thinking Washington’s viewpoints sounded fairly logical. However, after reading Du Bois’s, I could definitely understand his criticism.

For starters, I like that the section before Washington’s address reminds the reader to consider the time and context in which it was presented. When one considers the fact that not long before this address African Americans were slaves, it enables the reader to better understand Washington’s suggestions and outlooks. Since African Americans were treated so severely in the past, I understand how this address would appeal to them.  Although African Americans would have to sacrifice full equality under Washington’s ideas, they would still begin to participate in society and in industrial education.  Washington would accept this because he was optimistic that African Americans would continue to rise from this small improvement by their individual effort.

 While this initially appealed to African Americans, I understand why many would disagree. Why should any human being have to submit to unjust treatment? …..Even if it was in the hope of future rights and in return for white man’s respect and apperception.  What do African Americans they owe them? Nothing. I can see how this would be infuriating. However, I also understand that you have to start from somewhere.

 

Du Bois effectively explained the flaws in Washington’s way of thinking. His writing was very captivating. I cannot even imagine how degrading and hopeless it would feel to be a “problem.” Du Bois addressed the fact that Washington was, essentially, suggesting that African Americans can only survive through submission. By doing so, they were giving up political power, civil rights, and higher education while they should be fighting for equal rights, instead. Du Bois’s last point was particularly poignant as he stated that it should not be African American’s burden to raise themselves in society. Not only should whites refrain from judging the African Americans in their efforts, as Washington stated, but they should also aid them. In Du Bois’s view, African Americans should not have to rise all by themselves. And why should they? It should be (have been) the white's reponsibility.

The last chapters

Ugh... Tom Sawyer. I can't decide if the fact that he knew Jim was free makes what he did worse or not. On one hand, Tom was the one enslaving Jim and putting him in danger through his extravagant, pointless, schemes. On the other hand, since Jim was already free all of this time, there wasn't really any hurry for them to escape, anyway. If Jim actually needed to escape for his freedom, then it would have meant Tom held his desire for imagination and adventure above Jim's well-being. I don’t know if I explained what I am thinking correctly. It's bad either way you look at it. Regardless, Tom should have never done what he did.

After Tom told Huck that Jim was already free, I thought it was interesting that Huck said, "I couldn't ever understand, before, until that minute and that talk, how he could help a body set a nigger free, with his bringing up" (p. 279.) This makes me feel that I may have been too hard on Tom; I forget that he is even younger than Huck. Yes, his actions were degrading towards Jim, but I can't really blame him if that's the only way of thinking he has ever known... what was instilled in his mind at a young age. But I wonder how different Huck's bringing up was than Huck’s. If Huck was able to value Jim, despite his upbringing, I wonder if Tom could change for the better, too.

I also noticed how unselfish Jim is. The fact he was so worried about Tom’s well-being and wanted him to see a doctor demonstrates he really cares about him. He was also putting his freedom at risk in the process.

I wasn’t surprised to learn that it was Pap’s body Jim and Huck came across in the beginning. It was nice of Jim to try to shield this from Huck but it seemed like Huck didn’t really care, anyway.

22-36

Finally what I had been waiting for happened in these chapters: Huck made the final choice to help Jim become free without second-guessing it any longer. He decided that he would no longer listen to his “conscious”, which is really not his conscious at all, but instead, the way he was brought up to think. It’s interesting because Huck thinks he is neglecting his conscious, while in actuality, he is listening to it by helping Jim. I actually pity Huck. He thinks that he is going to go to hell for what he is doing. His upbringing caused this backwards thinking which was beyond his control. The fact that Huck is willing to do this for Jim really shows how much he cares for him. I admire Huck for that and I’m glad that his friendship with Jim prevailed. Except, in chapter XXXll, it is suggested that Huck’s feelings towards Jim do not account for all slaves.  When Aunt Sally asksHuck if anyone was hurt when a cylinder head was blown out, Huck replies, “No’m. Killed a nigger.”

       When Tom Sawyer arrived in chapter XXXIII, I was initially pretty excited. How convenient that he happened to be the real nephew!  I was really happy for Huck and Tom that they could be reunited and then work together to free Jim. However, I soon became rather annoyed with Tom and his completely unrealistic plans based off of romantic literature. There was nothing wrong with Huck’s initial plan to free Jim! I didn’t like how he shrunk back and let Tom take the reins when all Tom wanted to do was play pretend. Imagination can be a good thing, but not when it is taken too far. Huck has proven in the past that his practical, “simple,” schemes can be successful and Jim would have been freed by now if they would have followed his original plan to steal the key. Huck can be a leader but he chose to be a follower, instead.

Huckleberry Finn: Ch. 18-22

In these chapters I was really struck by Huck's cleverness. He was able to identify the fact that the two men claiming to be the duke and the Dauphin of France were actually nothing other than frauds. This shows that he is not easily deceived. It's fortunate he realized this because he then knew he needed to protect Jim. To do so, he came up with a story that the two men easily believed. (This maybe suggests that Huck is even more clever than these two men.) This is not the first time Huck successfully whipped a story out of thin air, which I find rather impressive.

I also noticed how much Huck and Jim care for one another. Huck lied multiple times in order to protect Jim. He wouldn't do this if he didn't genuinely care about his well-being. Additionally, it is evident that Jim cares a great deal for Huck, as well. When Huck disappeared to the Gangerford household, Jim was incredibly worried about him and relieved when they reunited.

Since Huck and Jim are friends, it is frustrating that Huck still thinks of him as property. I am waiting for Huck to come to his senses.

I thought it was interesting how repulsed Huck eventually became of the Grangerford Shepherdson feud. Initially, he didn't give it much thought and wasn't concerned about it. However, after better understanding the feud and becoming more involved Huck's opinion on the feud changed. He became sickened by the brutality of the situation and couldn't stand to even think about it. This makes me think that Huck probably doesn't fully understand the concept of slavery if this doesn’t repulse him, as well. Perhaps, if he had a better understanding of how degrading and unjust it was, he would change his opinion on it. I feel like Huck really does care about people. (In these chapters, this was shown by the fact that Huck desired to help the two frauds and felt sympathy for them.) Since slavery is a concept that Huck was brought up with, he's accustomed to it; it's all he's ever known. This makes me wonder how society has influenced me, personally. I wonder how strongly my code of conduct and morals are affected by how people in the world act around me. Would my concept of right and wrong would differ if I grew up in a different time period? Also, would Huck's concept of right and wrong differ if he lived in this time period, a period where even the thought of slavery is absolutely unacceptable?

The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn: Chapters 6- 17

 An aspect that really stood out to me in chapters 6-17 is that fact that Huck  battles between what society wants him to believe and his own thoughts on what is right and just.  At times throughout the story, he appears to genuinely care about other people. For instance, he feels sympathy for the 3 thieves who become trapped on the vessel. In an attempt to save them, he tries to convince the captain on a ferry-boat to save them from their death. Also, despite the tricks Huck plays on Jim, he seems to really value Jim as a person. Instead of treating him as less of a human being, he accepts him and becomes essential to Jim’s opportunity for freedom.

                However, society’s negative affect on Huck becomes evident, especially in chapter 16.  Huck begins to feel guilty for keeping Jim a secret and attempting to aid him to freedom. He wonders whether he should have turned Jim in for escaping in the first place, questioning what Miss Watson ever did to him that he would keep this a secret. This causes Huck to feel incredibly miserable and confused regarding what he should do. Despite this confusion, Huck cannot bring himself to betray Jim to the men who are looking for the runaway slaves. At this point in the story, Huck’s loyalty to Jim outweighs the pressure he feels to obey society’s standards.

           For my LAR class, I read part of Frederick Douglass’s autobiography where he talks about his journey learning how to read and write. To describe his determination and excitement after learning the alphabet from his master’s wife, Douglass stated, “Mistress, in teaching me the alphabet, had given me the inch, and no precaution could prevent me form taking the ell. (This is similar to the saying “give a nigger an inch and he’ll take an ell” that Huck used to describe Jim’s excitement upon nearing Cairo.) Because of his strong desire to read and write, Douglass asked white boys his age to help him with this process. He also expressed his grief to these boys, stating, “You will be free as soon as you are twenty one, but I am a slave for life! Have not I as good a right to be free as you have?” Hearing these words, they became greatly troubled and expressed great sympathy and sadness for Douglass. Douglass then stated that he wished he could thank these boys for helping him achieve literacy. However, he didn’t want to embarrass them because it was an “offense” to teach slaves how to read. I found myself wondering what kind of men these boys became and if they still held onto the belief that Douglass deserved to be treated justly, despite the color of his skin, or if society pulled them into the lie that African- American’s were somehow less than human.  Reading this reminded me of Huck and how he faces the same struggle between society and what he knows is right.  His decision to help Jim achieve freedom is similar to the young boys’ decision to help Frederick Douglass read. In both instances, these young individuals are taking risks by acting in a way that was not socially acceptable and, perhaps, punishable.  However, because these individuals were not yet victims of society, they were able to see past insignificant differences of human beings, and thus, express human compassion.

Adventures of Huckleberry Finn

Unlike a lot of the other students in this class, this is my first time reading Adventures of Huckleberry Fin. I approached this novel with a bit of apprehension, as I had previously been informed it was a tedious read. Despite this, I have found that it is not difficult to follow and only takes a little bit of extra effort to understand the dialects of the characters. 

As we discussed in class, I quickly noticed the differences in personality between Tom and Huck. Tom is adventurous and imaginative, basing his thoughts and plans off of his readings. In contrast, Huck seems more practical and has less of an imagination. This is demonstrated by his disappointment upon arriving at the Sunday school picnic that was supposed to be the scene of the Spanish merchants and Arabs. In a sense, although he is practical, Huck also seems somewhat gullible to believe that Tom's imaginations would actually play out. 

          Despite this, Huck also seems intelligent in some ways. Initially, I didn't really understand why Huck stated that he did not want any of his money, and instead, wanted the judge to have it. However, it became evident that he only did so because he feared his father would return and try to take advantage of him. Huck figured that if he actually did not have money, his father would be more likely to leave him alone. This suggests, perhaps, that Huck does have the ability to think critically, which is in contrast with his father.

We also talked about the use of the word "nigger" in the novel. In the interim class I participated in, we discussed this issue relating to this novel, as well.  One of the major themes we discussed was the fact that people desire to read literature that reflects real life, which can sometimes be cruel and unkind. Even so, this story is authentic in how it demonstrates the terminology people used. While many people may have a hard time reading this novel because of this, removing them could take away from the meaning of the story. Since I have not yet read this whole story, I cannot yet say if I think the term " nigger" is essential to the story line or not. However, it's something to ponder.