Dear Abby

Dear Abby,

I am tired of being a promiscuous woman. For some reason I just cannot seem to stick with one man. The minute I start to feel I love him, I begin to focus on his faults and inabilities. For instance, I am in love with one man but am avoiding him since he is impotent and cannot please me sexually. I know it’s horrible but I just can’t stop myself from being a whore. What do I do?

Dear Promiscuous Woman,

Promiscuity is most common in the bustling setting of the city. The next time you feel truly comfortable with a man a love him for who he truly is, go off somewhere with him where you cannot be tempted and can instead enjoy the pleasure, safety, and security of loving one man. You will begin to feel that for once, someone is possessive of you which men were probably unable to be due to your promiscuity. Therefore going off somewhere and enjoying life might be a good idea. Although it might be difficult at first, you’ll have to power through the early stages of a long-term relationship. You will begin to notice everything that he does wrong. And I believe that this is one of the reasons why you are afraid of committing yourself. But believe it or not, 10 to 15 years down the road, you will be insecure without a stable relationship and will regret certain decisions you made for temporary, sexual pleasure. Consider all of this wisely and choose the man to live with wisely. Although it may seem like I’m telling you to take any man into the woods and live there happily ever after, I am not. Make sure that you truly believe that a relationship is sustainable and can go past sex before choosing to move out of the city with this man. As I said, this will not be a cake walk with rose pedals along the path. You will have many obstacles to dodge and overcome, but believe me when I say that it will eventually be worth it.

Chapter 7 The Sun Also Rises Passage Selection and Analysis

Passage:

“‘Couldn’t we live together, Brett? Couldn’t we just live together?’

‘I don’t think so. I’d just tromper you with everybody. You couldn’t stand it.’

‘I stand it now.’

‘That would be different. It’s my fault, Jake. It’s the way I’m made.’

‘Couldn’t we go off in the country for a while?’

‘It wouldn’t be any good. I’ll go if you like. But I couldn’t live quietly in the country. Not with my own true.’

‘I know’

Isn’t it rotten?’ There isn’t any use my telling you I love you.’

‘You know I love you.’

‘Let’s not talk. Talking’s all bilge. I’m going away from you and then Michael’s coming back.’

‘Why are you going away?’

‘Better for you. Better for me.’

‘When are you going?’

‘Soon as I can.’

‘Where?’

‘San Sebastian.’

‘Can’t we go together?’

‘No. That would be a hell of an idea after we’d just talked it out.’

‘We never agreed.’

‘Oh, you know as well as I do. Don’t be obstinate, darling.’

‘Oh, sure,’ I said. ‘I know you’re right. I’m just low, and when I’m low I talk like a fool.’

I sat up, leaned over, found my shoes beside the  bed and put them on. I stood up.

‘Dont look like that darling?’

‘How do you want me to look?’

‘How do you want me to look?’

‘Oh, don’t be a fool. I’m going away to-morrow.’

‘To-morrow?’

‘Yes. Didn’t I say so? I am’

‘Let’s have a drink, then. The count will be back'” (63).

———————————————————————————————————————————–

Above is an excerpt from Chapter 7 of the Sun Also Rises where Brett and the Count show up at Jake’s doorstep. At the time, Jake is bathing and therefore makes sure the two are comfortable and goes back to his room to dress. While dressing, Brett walks in to give Jake a drink. When she walks in, Jake is lying down on his bad facing the opposite direction of Brett. This sets the tone of the scene as Jake is obviously finding difficulty in accepting the ways of Brett as she moves from man to man. Evidence of this is seen in the Jake’s reaction to what Brett says about Jake’s desire to live in country with her. “‘I don’t think so. I’d just tromper you with everybody. You couldn’t stand it.’ ‘I stand it now.'”

Jake wishes that he could have Brett to himself and therefore wishes to live in the country, secluded from the society he lives in. Yet Brett keeps providing counterarguments and reasons why such a situation would not be possible. This is the main tension of not only the passage but also the entire play. Jake sincerely desires for his love to be reciprocated by Brett however the number of men involved with Brett in the novel and her internal “faults” do not allow this to happen. Therefore I find this passage of importance in Chapter 7 because it defines the relationship between Jake and Brett. The sentence structures also define the relationship between the two. Generally, Jake’s sentences are shorter and represent Jake’s defeated state of mind in his relationship with Brett. On the other hand, Brett’s sentences are more the perky feminine nature with elongated responses trying to make Jake feel better although she knows that her “affairs” hurt him. Additionally, this is the only time in the chapter during which Brett and Jake have a moment to themselves.

Blog Portfolio

Here are the posts of the First Quarter of IBHL English Year Two. These posts include my personal views on topics and subjects that we have covered in class, primarily relating to the two novels we have read so far (As You Like It by William Shakespeare and The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway). My intentions with these blogs is to organize my own thoughts on the topics discussed while allowing for my classmates and others to get involved, agree, or best of all challenge my opinions.

Coverage: Required Posts

Comedy– The class was assigned to find a humorous video and analyze the type of humor and its intentions

Character Analysis Chart– This assignment was to allow for us to explore the depths of each character in the play

Act One Reflection– Through this reflection, I was able to understand the importance of Shakespeare’s opening acts and understand the definitive nature of the opening scene.

Globe Theater Production– This post compares the Globe Theater production of As You Like It to reading the play.

Sarcasm-This post deeply investigates the intentions and purposes of using sarcasm and the various types of sarcasm.

Director’s Perspective– This post reflects on the perspective of the director of As You Like It and the various aspects of the play which he took into account

Jacques– This post explores the character of Jacques from As You Like It , who could be named as the most complicated character to understand in the play.

Comic Life– This project allowed for me to look at the play, As You Like It through another lens. This time it was the lens of a comic.

Softening the Hard-Boiled Egg– A post describing the motif of alcohol in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises

Jake and Cohn -This post compares two important characters from Ernest Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises

Allusions– This post looks at various allusions made by Hemingway in Chapters 11-12 of The Sun Also Rises

Route March – This is my devising process of writing a commentary on a WW1 poem

Depth:  These are the blogs that I felt I critically analyzed the topic and clearly provided a meaningful response and opinion to the given topic.

Sarcasm– In this post I showed clarity, brevity, and depth in thought while referencing an outside medical source. I then compared the literary element of sarcasm with scientific and medical data about sarcasm to explain Shakespeare’s use of irony in the play.

Interaction

Batman and Robin in Crime – I got an agreeing response from Alice in my argument which questioned Gautam’s views in the post. Alice’s response then started more deep conversation. I then showed interaction between two of my classmates as I linked Gautam’s view with Tim’s so that we could contrast which areas the two agreed and disagreed.

Discussion

Director’s Perspective– On this particular blog post, I received insight and questions from Ms. Morgan, Gautam, and Saumya and I was able to strengthen my argument and clarify my thoughts while answering their questions and responding. I believe that the post sparked a discussion because I chose to discuss the intentions of Shakespeare which are obviously not written in stone. Therefore some of my classmates felt that they should challenge and question my views on his intentions.

Xenoblogging

Comment Primo:

Batman and Robin in Crime

Jake vs. Cohn

Comment Grande: I believe I covered many aspects of the topic and truly delved into the depths of Shakespeare’s intentions and how that was depicted in the play. Note: the comment grande is the first reply to Ms. Morgan and Gautam

Director’s Perspective

Wild Card: This topic is what I am focusing on for my extended essay but I thought that by going back to the overlying themes of the topic and rewriting a summary type essay of on the relations between the three cousins would be insightful, relevant to the World War One poetry unit that we are entering, and generally interesting.

Family + Politics

Family + Politics= Destroyed Family

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, King George V of England, and Czar Nicholas II of Russia were three of many royal cousins who governed nations that played key and influential roles in the commencement and proceedings of World War One. However the relationship of the three cousins, which some consider to be a major cause for the complex alliances of Europe that caused a domino effect in World War One, displayed that the prosperity of their respective nations was valued over the preservation of their family ties.

The Kaiser, King and Czar were all descendents of the “Grandmamma of Europe” or Queen Victoria of England. In fact all three rulers were technically first cousins. “During World War One there were no less than seven of the old Queen’s direct descendants… on European thrones” (Aronson, Theo. “BBC – History – British History in Depth: Cousins at War.” BBC – Homepage.Web.07Feb.2011.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/cousins_at_war_01.shtml&gt;). Kaiser Wilhelm II and King George V were direct first cousins while Czar Nicholas II was a first cousin to the other two royalties through marriage.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, being the most popular among the three cousins, was the emperor Germany or Prussia. Born with a disability in his left arm as well as possible brain damage, the prince had to overcome many obstacles to achieve success.  Although raised in a liberal family, the prince was fascinated by any aspect of the military (especially helmets) and possibly developed some violent tendencies with this passion. His well-known thickskulled attitude was also displayed in his strained relationship with his grandfather, Wilhelm I. Wilhelm II took the throne soon after his father also passed away. Wilhelm, often blamed for starting World War One, governed the nation with great emphasis on military power and “aggressive foreign policies” which weaved the many alliances of Europe prior to the war. Wilhelm focused on keeping best relations with his cousin King George V of England releasing that he had in his clasp the most powerful navy the world had ever seen. However the King of England did not exactly reciprocate a (Tucker, Spencer, and Priscilla Mary. Roberts. “Volume 1.” World War I: Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print)

Czar Nicholas II of Russia was the grandson of the King of Denmark and the son of the Czar Alexander III. Still young when he inherited power, Nicholas was still wavering in his political strategies. Compared to his cousin in Berlin, Nicholas was not as confident and capable of success, therefore explaining why Nicholas II was the last Czar of Russia. (Tucker, Spencer, and Priscilla Mary. Roberts. “Volume 1.” World War I: Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print)

King George V, son of Edward VII, was the reformist of England’s monarchy and economy as a whole. When he arrived, the nation was in economic crisis which he attempted to recover however his involvement eventually became unavoidable. (“Britannia: Monarchs of Britain.” Britannia:BritishHistoryandTravel.Web.07Feb.2011.<http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon60.html&gt;.)

“George called him William or Willy, just as their grandmother Queen Victoria had. Tsar Nicholas II, the third royal cousin, known in the family as Nicky, would arrive from Russia the next day. Between them Georgie, Willy and Nicky ruled more than half the world. ‘May and I have accepted William’s kind invitation to be present at his daughter’s wedding next month,’ Georgie had telegraphed Nicky, his cousin on his mother’s side. ‘I also understand he has invited you and I trust that you may be able to come as it would give me the greatest pleasure to meet you there. I hope nothing will prevent this…It looked like just another family outing, one of a series of weddings, funerals and christenings which punctuated the royal calendar. But beneath the friendly exchange of invitations and telegrams, and almost obscured by the pomp and ceremony of a royal event, lay a long history of personal jealousies and rivalries. Years later George V recalled that he was rarely able to be alone in a room with the Tsar during that Berlin visit without the Kaiser hovering outside the door, spying on them. Though they did not know it, the Berlin wedding was to be the last occasion on which the three royal cousins were together before the First World War, the last time any of them would ever see each other” (Clay, Catrine. King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War. New York: Walker, 2008. Print.)

Through the quotation above, the relationship between the Kaiser, the King, and the Czar are apparent. It is clear that the Kaiser was very cautious in his encounters with his cousins and often did not want to be excluded from their closer netted relationship which could have possibly fueled jealousy. Hence a sense of jealousy is displayed from the Kaiser for beneficial foreign relations, land, economic power, and military power (which the Kaiser had). On the other hand, the King of England, “Georgie”, and the Czar of Russia “Nicky”, did not want to be the only ones to arrive at the wedding and preferred to have the third cousin with them. Through the telegrams mentioned above, it is clear that this is due to strained relationships with the Kaiser for both cousins which caused the Czar and King to think twice about going to the marriage.

As mentioned, the Kaiser was the more isolated of the cousins in international relations as well. In terms of foreign relations, King George V and Czar Nicholas II were not exactly allies either. However both England and Russia maintained relationships with many other European nations. The King and the Czar were bound together internationally by an alliance with France but did not have much of an international relation besides that. Therefore the three cousins did not act as blood relations or blood rivals, although there was some display of jealousy. Yet overall the leaders cared more for their own and their nation’s growth and success than in family distractions.

 

Kaiser Wilhelm II of Germany, King George V of England, and Czar Nicholas II of Russia were three of many royal cousins who governed nations that played key and influential roles in the commencement and proceedings of World War One. However the relationship of the three cousins, which some consider to be a major cause for the complex alliances of Europe that caused a domino effect in World War One, displayed that the prosperity of their respective nations was valued over the preservation of their family ties.

The Kaiser, King and Czar were all descendents of the “Grandmamma of Europe” or Queen Victoria of England. In fact all three rulers were technically first cousins. “During World War One there were no less than seven of the old Queen’s direct descendants… on European thrones” (Aronson, Theo. “BBC – History – British History in Depth: Cousins at War.” BBC – Homepage.Web.07Feb.2011.<http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/britain_wwone/cousins_at_war_01.shtml&gt;). Kaiser Wilhelm II and King George V were direct first cousins while Czar Nicholas II was a first cousin to the other two royalties through marriage.

Kaiser Wilhelm II, being the most popular among the three cousins, was the emperor Germany or Prussia. Born with a disability in his left arm as well as possible brain damage, the prince had to overcome many obstacles to achieve success.  Although raised in a liberal family, the prince was fascinated by any aspect of the military (especially helmets) and possibly developed some violent tendencies with this passion. His well-known thickskulled attitude was also displayed in his strained relationship with his grandfather, Wilhelm I. Wilhelm II took the throne soon after his father also passed away. Wilhelm, often blamed for starting World War One, governed the nation with great emphasis on military power and “aggressive foreign policies” which weaved the many alliances of Europe prior to the war. Wilhelm focused on keeping best relations with his cousin King George V of England releasing that he had in his clasp the most powerful navy the world had ever seen. However the King of England did not exactly reciprocate a (Tucker, Spencer, and Priscilla Mary. Roberts. “Volume 1.” World War I: Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print)

Czar Nicholas II of Russia was the grandson of the King of Denmark and the son of the Czar Alexander III. Still young when he inherited power, Nicholas was still wavering in his political strategies. Compared to his cousin in Berlin, Nicholas was not as confident and capable of success, therefore explaining why Nicholas II was the last Czar of Russia. (Tucker, Spencer, and Priscilla Mary. Roberts. “Volume 1.” World War I: Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, CA: ABC-CLIO, 2005. Print)

King George V, son of Edward VII, was the reformist of England’s monarchy and economy as a whole. When he arrived, the nation was in economic crisis which he attempted to recover however his involvement eventually became unavoidable. (“Britannia: Monarchs of Britain.” Britannia:BritishHistoryandTravel.Web.07Feb.2011.<http://www.britannia.com/history/monarchs/mon60.html&gt;.)

“George called him William or Willy, just as their grandmother Queen Victoria had. Tsar Nicholas II, the third royal cousin, known in the family as Nicky, would arrive from Russia the next day. Between them Georgie, Willy and Nicky ruled more than half the world. ‘May and I have accepted William’s kind invitation to be present at his daughter’s wedding next month,’ Georgie had telegraphed Nicky, his cousin on his mother’s side. ‘I also understand he has invited you and I trust that you may be able to come as it would give me the greatest pleasure to meet you there. I hope nothing will prevent this…It looked like just another family outing, one of a series of weddings, funerals and christenings which punctuated the royal calendar. But beneath the friendly exchange of invitations and telegrams, and almost obscured by the pomp and ceremony of a royal event, lay a long history of personal jealousies and rivalries. Years later George V recalled that he was rarely able to be alone in a room with the Tsar during that Berlin visit without the Kaiser hovering outside the door, spying on them. Though they did not know it, the Berlin wedding was to be the last occasion on which the three royal cousins were together before the First World War, the last time any of them would ever see each other” (Clay, Catrine. King, Kaiser, Tsar: Three Royal Cousins Who Led the World to War. New York: Walker, 2008. Print.)

Through the quotation above, the relationship between the Kaiser, the King, and the Czar are apparent. It is clear that the Kaiser was very cautious in his encounters with his cousins and often did not want to be excluded from their closer netted relationship which could have possibly fueled jealousy. Hence a sense of jealousy is displayed from the Kaiser for beneficial foreign relations, land, economic power, and military power (which the Kaiser had). On the other hand, the King of England, “Georgie”, and the Czar of Russia “Nicky”, did not want to be the only ones to arrive at the wedding and preferred to have the third cousin with them. Through the telegrams mentioned above, it is clear that this is due to strained relationships with the Kaiser for both cousins which caused the Czar and King to think twice about going to the marriage.

As mentioned, the Kaiser was the more isolated of the cousins in international relations as well. In terms of foreign relations, King George V and Czar Nicholas II were not exactly allies either. However both England and Russia maintained relationships with many other European nations. The King and the Czar were bound together internationally by an alliance with France but did not have much of an international relation besides that. Therefore the three cousins did not act as blood relations or blood rivals, although there was some display of jealousy. Yet overall the leaders cared more for their own and their nation’s growth and success than in family distractions.

Softening the Hard-Boiled Egg

In The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway, displays a clear theme of alcohol consumption and partying within his novel. Within Book One, the majority of the narrations by Jake are regarding his experiences in European night life with his friends. From the number of times alcohol is raised in the novel, it is clear that Hemingway wanted to portray a message to his readers. I believe that this message comes from Jake when speaking to Cohn. He tells Cohn that he can never run away from the difficulties he faces in life through vacations or trips. However I believe that this theory applies to the motif of alcohol in the novel as well. The characters in Hemingway’s The Sun Also Rises use alcohol as a guise to their inner emotions and a outlet from all the internal pain in their lives. This pain is originating from the affects of being part of the “lost generation”. The characters do not have goals or aims in there lives and therefore wander without purpose. Hence they are taken through life’s roller coaster without any resistance and deal with the difficulties it poses through the consumption of alcohol. Therefore Jake  is hypocritical in his statement to Cohn as he resorts to alcohol at times, although not as much as his friends, in order to escape from aspects of his life which cause him pain. He claims that in the day time, he is a hard-boiled egg, meaning that he will not crack by showing his emotions which is looked down upon in his society. However in the night time, Jake claims that it is impossible to keep the guise on. Therefore, the solution for Jake’s problems is to open while sober and face his problems head-on.

Route March- Charles Hamilton Sorley

Observations: 

– Couplet Rhyme Scheme

– Approximately 7-8 syllables per line

– Indents= an address to the men

– Jesus Christ and Barabbas = Biblical allusion

– “Earth that…” Repitition

– Last four lines begin with an “S”

– ” ‘Neath” instead of beneath

– “Hemlock for Socrates”- allusion

Nature of the Whole

– Joyful, brave, courageous preparation for and acceptance of death

Kind of Work

– Fictional but a work depicting the ways and lives of men in the WW1 time period.

Audience

– to soldiers

– to young men and their families in order to glorify war

Overall Purpose

– Prepare for death

– Make men commit to a purpose

– Glorify War

Situation

– Beautiful singing Earth (irony: war setting was not beautiful)

– War is taking place

– Young chaps are involved

– Prior to the story of the poem was a peaceful Earth and through the poem, men are told that the peaceful Earth is what they are protecting and fighting for.

-They are going to die

– Death is the ultimate moment of life and the preparation of it is of significance

Step 3: 

– A leader is speaking to his soldiers or marching men

They are supposed to fight till death for a greater cause

– War is therefore a battlefield

– Tone: glorifying death and war through motivational diction (indents,  narration/address)

– Conflict of accepting death and dying for a greater cause

So What?

By preparing men for the worst in a heroic manner, the men become sacrificial for the greater cause which diminishes individuality and creates a sense of unity.

Step 4: Themes

– Acceptence

– Glorification

– Death

– Greater cause (removal of the individual, creation of the whole)

Outlined Thesis:

Through the use of a glorifying tone, a motivational chant-like rhyme scheme, allusions to the past, and irony, the author promotes the acceptance of death and unity for a greater cause.

What Are You Talking About Hemingway?

The Sun Also Rises

Ch. 11-12 Allusions

Please research the following items, including MLA citations and discuss relevance and/or significance to the text.

1. Basques– a member of a people inhabiting the Western Pyrenees on the Bay of Biscay
2. Ronceveaux– The battle in which Commander Roland was defeated and killed by the Basques at a the border between France and Spain (Pyrenees). Therefore there is the connection between the Basques and the Ronceveax.
3. 3.      Fratellinis– Three brothers who formed a clown trio which became famous during the World War One period. They were most popular in Paris. This reference is important because it alludes to World War One which is the time period which all of the lost generation can refer to.
4. 4.      Primo de Rivera– An allusion to a Spanish dictator who wanted modernization to help the poor yet the reform caused inflation thus hurting the poor instead. Hence he is alluded to as ironical in the context.
5. 5.      Dred Scott (case)– An African American slave sewed his owner for having him, his wife, and children as slaves in a state which, by law, did not allow slavery. The case went to Supreme Court however Dred Scott lost in Supreme Court with a 7 to 2 vote. In the novel, it is referenced in order to defend the statement that even racial issues were driven by sex.
6. Anti-Saloon league– An organization which promoted the Prohibition movement in the beginning of the 20^th century. Referred to once again to support the argument that sex can explain everything. The prohibition movement was promoted, for one, because sexual crimes were committed more frequently by men under the influence of alcohol.
7. 7.      AEW Mason– A novelist of the World War One era. The mentioning of the author provides insight into works of the time period as well as interest from Hemingway.
8. 8.      William Jennings Bryan– A prominent politician in the late 19^th and early 20^th century. He served as secretary of state for president Woodrow Wilson during the time of World War One. He played a crucial role in the US involvement in World War One.
9. 9.      Mencken– Both the reference to Bryan and Mencken are used to reference back to the characters’ American heritage and college days and the prominent figures they were “associated” with. Mencken was a critical journalist who wrote about the American way.
10. 10.  Holy Cross– Refers to a University
11. 11.  Frankie Fritsch (misspelled in text)– A renowned baseball player who played for Fordham University in the 20^th century.
12. 12.  Bishop Manning– The Bishop was a famous Episcopal bishop in New York, but originally from England.
13. 13.  Wayne B. Wheeler- A de facto leader of the Anti-Saloon movement (prohibition movement)

Numbers 8 through 13 were used jokingly by the characters in the novel as if they personally knew these figures but they were all in fact elite figures at the time. This could be used to once again show all the characters’ connection to the World War One time period and evidence of how they are the lost generation.

1. 14.  Pres. Calvin Coolidge– While discussing the key to success in business and the need for a vision, Coolidge is referred to due to his many businesses prior to becoming president and the economic reforms he made while in office which made America a more efficient and dominant economy. 

Works Cited

“Basque – Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary.” Dictionary and Thesaurus – Merriam-Webster Online. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/basque&gt;.

“Battle of Roncevaux Pass – Charlemagne at Roncevaux Pass.” Military History – Warfare through the Ages – Battles and Conflicts – Weapons of War – Military Leaders in History. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/battleswarsto1000/p/roncevaux.htm&gt;.

“Biography: Wayne Wheeler.” WWW2 Webserver. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www2.potsdam.edu/hansondj/Controversies/Biography-Wayne-Wheeler.html&gt;.

“Dred Scott.” PBS: Public Broadcasting Service. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aia/part4/4p2932.html&gt;.

“A. E. W. Mason Biography | BookRags.com.” BookRags.com | Study Guides, Lesson Plans, Book Summaries and More. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.bookrags.com/biography/a-e-w-mason-dlb/&gt;.

“Fratellini Family (French Circus Performers) — Britannica Online Encyclopedia.” Encyclopedia – Britannica Online Encyclopedia. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/217561/Fratellini-Family&gt;.

“Frisch, Frankie | Baseball Hall of Fame.” Baseball Hall of Fame |. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://baseballhall.org/hof/frisch-frankie&gt;.

“Herbert Hoover: Message to Bishop William T. Manning on His 65th Birthday.” The American Presidency Project. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=22658&gt;.

“H.L. Mencken.” American Writers. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.americanwriters.org/writers/mencken.asp&gt;.

“Primo De Rivera.” History Learning Site. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/primo_de_rivera.htm&gt;.

Temperance & Prohibition. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://prohibition.osu.edu/asl/&gt;.

“William Jennings Bryan.” United States American History. Web. 10 Oct. 2011. <http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h805.html&gt;.

Act One As You Like It

The aspect I love most about Act 1, is how definitive it is in setting the entire play. Shakespeare delves the audience into the plot from the get go by starting off the play with a dramatic conflict. The conflict includes Orlando expressing his distaste and hatred for his elder brother, Oliver, to his kind servant. Through just the very first scene, a key conflict is established and status of certain characters is displayed. Therefore Shakespeare clearly knew the importance of the definitive nature of the opening scene, or perhaps even the entire opening act. The contrast to Orlando’s opinions is also seen through the opening scene where Oliver enters the scene and is confronted by his younger brother, Orlando. Most importantly, the audience can see just through the short length of the first scene, who is the representation of good, in this case Orlando, and who is the representation of the evil obstacle, Oliver.

The definitive nature continues along into the second scene as well where Rosalind first expresses her internal conflict, the banishing of her father (the ex-duke), but is quickly comforted by the love of her cousin, Celia who then leads the conversation into a friendly and blanketed banter about love. Through this, the role of both Rosalind and Celia is immediately established and their relationship is also depicted.

Then the adaptable, comical, immediate, and witty nature of Touchstone are portrayed in his entrance into the banter as he immediately grasps onto the hidden meaning of the words Rosalind and Celia say and plays along.

Therefore, the first Act proves to be essential in the understanding of the play and this is what is intriguing about it. Within the first act, characters tend to be more exaggerated and display the most inner qualities which can then be supported throughout the play.

Jake and Cohn

Hemingway, the author of The Sun Also Rises commences his novel by describing Robert, although the protagonist and narrator of the novel is Jake. This indicates the importance of Robert’s character to Hemingway, to Jake, to the plot, and the story line. However the opening of the novel tells the audience about Robert yet both obviously and subtly displays Jake’s characteristics. This format is used throughout book one. Jake, as the journalist that he is and the narrator of the novel, almost reports the events that occur around him instead and includes aspects about himself which are hinted to the reader through his interactions with others.

The extent of subtlety that Jake uses can be seen on the first page of the novel when Jake describes Cohn’s boxing title. He informs the reader that Robert was the boxing champion at Princeton but then jabs at Cohn in a short sentence claiming he was not impressed by the accomplishment. The reasoning behind such statements from Jake can be seen through his impotency sexually (Jake lacks the manliest part of a man). This impotency therefore ignites insecurity within Jake. Therefore the jabbing statements towards Cohn can be described as primarily said out of jealousy for Robert’s manliness. In addition to insecurity and jealousy, Jake exemplifies wisdom, the ability to listen, and acceptance. Jake shows wisdom when trying to dissuade Cohn from his sudden plan to travel. Jake wisely tells Cohn that struggle cannot be escaped by running away externally, but must be handled within oneself. Jake says this out of experience therefore showing a wise side to him. He has the ability to listen when Frances rants on about her problems to Jake. He obviously has greater inner problems at the time but he still listens to Frances’ feelings. And lastly, Jake displays acceptance of his situation through his conversations with Brett. Although he loves her deeply, he tells her that their relationship would never work out. He is also aware that it would not work out because of his sexual impotency. Therefore his rejection of his own love displays his acceptance of the situation and his inability to receive equal love from the woman he loves.

Yet the two characters foil each other as Cohn has social impotency although he possesses manly characteristics. Therefore both characters internally crave for a trait of the other. The only difference is that Jake displays his desire in a blanketed fashion by covering up the desire with indifferent and slightly hurtful comments while Cohn displays his craving through reverence for Jake’s social traits. Therefore there is a common theme of dissatisfaction, not only among these two characters, but for almost all of the characters in the novel. The characters lack a goal in life and therefore drink to hide themselves from the truth of their aimless wandering. Hemingway indicates this through the quote by  Ecclesiastes who depicts the constant in a changeable world which Jake and his company live in. According to Stein, their generation experienced the brunt of aimlessness as part of their lives was taken up by the war and now that the war is over, they lack duty and have complete freedom to do as they wish.