Gatsby Reflection Questions

1. I don't think Daisy chooses, I think that she just puts her head and the sand and tries to avoid any confrontation and conflict. She goes with what is safe, and Tom is safe. She lets other people make the choices for her.
2. While I find none of the characters admirable, they all have some commendable traits. Gatsby is persistent: he knows what he wants and stops and nothing to get it. He is also generous and welcoming, though we learn that these traits are a result of his desire to find Daisy. Nick is intelligent and a good friend. He is the only person that actually cares about Gatsby (besides his father), and he is there until the end. Daisy has good intentions, but they never come off well. Tom isn’t a great person, but he is consistent with who he is. 
3. None of the major characters are horrible people, but their bad traits outweigh their good ones. Gatsby is stuck in the past, he has trouble moving on a living his life for himself. While I don't think that this is necessarily the worst characteristic, he is not admirable as a result. Nick is confused. He doesn’t know what he wants, and as result he lives somewhat through other people’s life. Daisy hates confrontation and she cannot make decisions for herself. She is not an individual and the perfect wife for a patriarch. Tom is just a mean person, he is selfish and needs control. 
4. The protagonist is Gatsby, he never means any harm, even though his choices often cause problems. The antagonist is all the uncontrollable variables that get in his way: such as time. 
5. The definition of catharsis is emotional release. Gatsby is capable of eliciting such purgation in the reader, just not in the conventional way. The reader also has to be sympathetic to Gatsby, which rules out about half the population. However, because Gatsby’s death is a murder by a character blaming him for something he didn’t do, and therefor it is completely out of his control, some catharsis is involved in our pity for him. 
6. Thesis statement: Hope is capable of inspiring people and motivating them, but it has the ability to destroy someone. Gatsby’s hope crushes him hard; he is so stuck in the past that he is blind to danger ahead. The past is always best left in the past.
7. The Great Gatsby is a story of the destruction of hope. Hope is general defined as a good thing that strengthens people through tough times and motivates them to attain a goal. This novel contradicts everything I believe about hope, and it defines it as something that cause us to stay in the past and will eventually destroy us. 
8. I don't think that wealth is limited to money or tangible goods, so as a result neither is conspicuous consumption. People can be emotionally wealthy, and show off the wealth to others. In this sense, I agree with Veblin.
9. I agree to an extent with Plato’s statement. I agree that virtue is not a result of wealth or poverty, but I believe that one can be virtuous and either rich or poor. It is not your lifestyle that determines your morals, but your experiences. Whatever my wealth status is when I am older, I hope that I am virtuous. 

NCFOM Blog

• My parents used to force me to go to church every Sunday. They hoped that eventually I would "find God" and declare myself a Christian. However, that day never came. Church remained a chore for me: while I loved the songs and the overall life lessons, I could never connect with the messages about God or Jesus. I knew that I believed in a higher power, but my beliefs weren't in tune with those of my church. My parents saw this, and eventually gave up and allowed me to make my own religious decisions. I still believe that God (or any higher power) is protecting me, but being a member of  religion isn't for me, at least for now. 
While this isn't some "spiritual or moral reconciliation", it's as close as I come to relating to Bell's spirituality. When he is talking to Uncle Ellis, Bell reveals that he isn't sure if God is going to come into his life. Throughout the entire book we are led to believe that Bell is a very religious man who has been "saved" by God, but this isn't true. Bell is confused, his spirituality is unstable as a result of a difficult life. Like me, Bell has to figure out what he believes. Both Bell and I are on a religious journey: our experiences and values will determine the outcome. 
Spirituality is not black or white: you are not religious or an Atheist. It's a spectrum between the two. Our purpose is to define our believes and live by those, no matter what they might be. 

• While I have never killed anyone (please, attempt to hide your surprise), stolen 2.4 million dollars, or been a sheriff in Texas, I do share certain personality traits with Bell, Moss, and Chigurh.
Both Bell and I are spiritually confused, but both relentless in our attempts to right wrongs. While Bell's morals are often swayed, he is, as am I, motivated to do the right thing for myself and my community.  But one might say that both Bell and I take on too much than we can possibly handle. Between thefts and murders, Bell stays more than busy as the Sheriff. Between lacrosse, school, band, and robotics, I too can rarely find a moment to breathe. We both value family above all else. Bell is clearly loyal to his wife, she is a part of every major decision and is an important supporting character. My family is the most important part of my life, and while it may not always seem like it, every decision I make is impacted by them. 
If I were being completely honest with myself, if I found 2.4 million dollars I would take it, or at least some of it. I suppose that's where Moss and I find our common ground. Not with our spirituality or our beliefs, but with how we act in moral and dangerous situations. However, unlike Moss, I would get as far away from Texas as possible. So hopefully, while perhaps equally as dishonest as Moss, I'm a little smarter. 
However immoral you may think I am at this point in time, I would never kill anyone. At least I don't think I would. Wow, I'm really not helping my "I swear I'm a good person" campaign. Anyways... Chigurh is relentless. While I wouldn't go to such great lengths as to kill innocents to reach my goal, I am not a "giver-uper". When I make personal goals, I don't stop until I have succeeded. Chigurh also believes that our lives are controlled by fate. I too have similar beliefs, emphasis on the "similar". I think that our lives our mapped out for us, but there are many different maps and our decisions determine which one we take. 
No Country for Old Men surprised me. Usually for a book to really encompass and consume me, there needs to be a major character that I can relate to and see myself as. But I can't relate to Bell, Moss, or Chigurh, so I wonder how it was possible that I found this book so amazing? You go Cormac McCarthy (that was Mean Girls reference, just in case you live under a rock and didn't get it).

• Authenticity, in the existential view, is the extent to which one is true to their beliefs and personality under external pressures. As a child, I always thought that I would face some monster in my future that would cause me to abandon myself and attempt to take on a new personality. But this never happened. I’m sure that I encountered these “monsters” that threatened to steal my identity at some point, but I never wore a mask or pretended to be someone I wasn’t in order to be liked, or popular, or cool. I consider myself very authentic. Perhaps as I live and experience a little more this will change, but I know who I am, and I would never pretend to be someone else. My independence and originality is something I am very proud of. I have fought both internal and external battles in order to become who I am today and I’m not about to give it all up in order to make life easier or impress someone “important”. 
Bad faith, on the other hand, is used to describe the phenomenon (which is such a fun word) where one abandons their beliefs and sense of self in order to comply with external pressures. Perhaps the argument is that we all are a mix of bad faith and authenticity. So in that case, my bad faith roots in (at least right now) in my inability to decide what I want for my future because I care too much about the judgments of others. I struggle decided what college I want to go to because I want to go somewhere that I will be happy, but one part of me needs to go somewhere that other people approve of. I hate this part of me. It’s an internal battle that I am in the process of fighting, and especially difficult one too. 

• For what Park City lacks in diversity and culture, it makes up for in money. Or so outsiders think. We may not have the most vibrant or interesting culture, but our values and traditions go far beyond any amount of money. Family and education are the most important things, then comes religion (for some) and health. From having grown up in Park City, I may not be a cultured explorer but I am active, healthy, and educated. But at times I feel like I am living in a bubble. My parents value traveling, so I have been fortunate enough to see many different cultures and places. But it’s not fulfilling to spend my life in a small town with no diversity and a monotonous culture. I am a rebel in the sense that I want to break away from the patterns, from what feel comfortable. Wish me luck. 

• I haven’t ever been in a situation where so hopeless that the only reasonable solution is to abandon my spiritual beliefs, but I have felt a loss of hope in difficult situations. My lack of living and sheltered life don’t grant me memories and experiences, but I am protected from feelings of hopelessness. While this may work for now, I can’t be sheltered forever.

Rose: Powerful or Oppressed?

 Is Rose the most oppressed character in this story, or the most powerful?  (One way to decide your answer is to ask yourself if you admire her, or if you think she is a model for other women.)  Reflect on your answer.

At the beginning of the play, Rose is more oppressed. She is bound to Troy, and she is weakened by her trusting and very loving heart. However, her power grows throughout the play. Each time that Troy betrays her or their relationship, Rose’s strength becomes more clear. At the end of the play, she is the most powerful character: she is the one who tells Troy how it is going to work, he loses the control that she gains. 

I believe that Rose should be admired, but not a model for other woman. It is important to recognize her big heart, strength, and ability to distinguish between right and wrong, but no woman should ever subject herself to what Rose went through. No woman should ever feel powerless, and no man should ever think he can control her. The relationship between Rose and Troy is very clearly dysfunctional and destructive. We should admire Rose when she stands up for herself, but we should learn from her mistakes of giving up her power to a man. 

Lear Reflective

1. Which currently famous actors and actresses would you cast in the following roles, and why?

• Cordelia: Emma Watson, she is the epitome of innocence. Her previous roles have given her the reputation of a gentle, beautiful person that values honesty, much like Cordelia. 
• Regan: Scarlett Hannah Byrne, or better known as Draco's girlfriend Pansy Parkinson. She is the perfect mix of evil, down to her core.
• Edmund: Tom Felton, or Draco Malfoy, would be the perfect Edmund, all he needs is a new hair color. He is already incredible evil and manipulative, but he is also a genius. He knows how to work his enemy, and how to trick everyone. 
• Albany: Matthew Lewis (perhaps you know him as Neville Longbottom?) is the perfect Albany. They are both genially good people, but struggle standing up for what they know is right. However, they're strength grows throughout the play, and in the end they try their best to be the hero. 
• The Fool: Alam Rickman, or Severus Snape, is the perfect fool. He is rude and sharp, and he may seem like the villain, but in the end he is the wisest and best-friend. 

2. Which character (out of all of them) do you most admire and why? I admire Cordelia the most. She is a character that I aspire to be more like. When her father offers her a third of his kingdom, she would rather be honest and true to herself and true to her love for her father than lie like her sisters. She values integrity over tangible items. Its hard for most people to say that they would tell the truth in a situation like this, which is why I admire Cordelia's honor so much. 

3. Aristotle believes a proper tragedy will evoke a catharsis in its audience.  Which scene induces catharsis?  Can you explain why?  (It will help to review the long definition of catharsis.) Catharsis is defined as strong emotional release, which is most present when Lear strips down to nothing and runs wildly in the rain. His insanity is caused my a realization that he make a mistake by giving complete power to the two daughters that don't care about him, and by banishing the one daughter that truly loves him. When he takes off his clothing, it could represent the striping of his sanity. His little strip scene is the catharsis of the entire play. We see it building up, his growing madness is represented through the growing storm. There are many instances where foreshadowing hints at Lear's insane fate. In Act I, Scene 5, Lear says "O let me not be mad, not mad, sweet heaven!" (1.5.38). We see this buildup throughout the entire play, so it doest come as much of a surprise to the audience when this catharsis occurs. 

4. When Lear and the Fool are leaving Regan's and headed into the storm, Lear is concerned about going "mad" (crazy or senile).  The storm is a symbol of the brewing madness in Lear's mind.  What aspect of aging frightens you, and what could symbolize it? I am scared of going insane, of forgetting memories, and of being so confused and lost all of the time. I thing of aging somewhat like going back to being a kid. You don't have control of your surroundings anymore, your restricted by both your body's abilities and by the people surrounding you, and you lack some intelligence and common sense. While being a child and being old are very very different, and it is almost useless to compare the two, the only connection I can have with being old is being a kid. I never want to be surrounded by the same confusion that I had sometimes as a child, and I never want to forget my life. 

5. How does reflecting on King Lear (its story and/or particular characters) make you feel "uncomfortably at home"? Everyone has their home-life problems. We all have disagreements with family members and we all have done and said things to our family that we later regret. When Lear asks his daughters to put into words how much they love him, it shocks me because I have never been asked that by my parents, and as a child when I asked my parents that question, they would say something like "to the moon and back an infinity amount of times". I cannot relate to Lear's seriousness in this situation, asking someone to describe their love is like asking someone to not fall asleep while reading the phone book front to back. Sorry, that was a weird metaphor. Anyways, King Lear forces us to recognize and think about our own problems that we would rather keep in a little box tucked away. Therefor, we are uncomfortably at home because we can relate to the story, but we would rather not. 

Death of Salesman; How do you see yourself in a character?

I believe that I am similar to Biff Loman is several ways. Biff has always lived under extremely high expectations, his father seems him as this perfect machine for success. While my parents don’t expect impossible things from me, I expect extreme success from myself. My standards for myself reflect in everything I do, and I shape my life around these ideals. Both Biff and I are cognitively aware of our situations. Biff spends his entire life trying to escape these expectations from his father, and he eventually move to the west and works on a farm. As dramatic as this sounds, in a way I have been trying to escape myself. Not myself literally, but my standards. Part of me wants to become something important, like a doctor, and to spend my entire life learning and helping others. Another part of me just wants to move to Europe and spend my days WOOFing and playing music on the streets. I see a lot of myself in Biff. He is trapped in a world shaped by his father, and I admire his ability to follow his heart and escape the expectations. However, I don’t want my future to be either one of my extremes. Unlike Biff, I want to find the balance between the too. But the first step is to escape my expectations for myself. 

Timeless Truth

Ray Bradbury uses symbolism to highlight the importance of staying true to yourself and maintaining your identity. He shows the consequences of conformity, and uses imagery to express the difficulties that accompany individualism. Each of the characters in Fahrenheit 451 represent a different danger preventing Montag from being himself and from discovering his own identity. However, there are some people and things in the books and symbolize a positive result of individualism. Bradbury uses various devices to show the importance of being yourself, even when you’re drowning in a world of conformity.

The most important symbol becomes apparent very quickly: books. Books represent individualism. Every fight occurs because of books, they are the center of the novel. At the beginning of the novel, Montag beliefs that books are terrible and must be burned; he is being controlled by conformity. However, after he experience the woman burning herself, and after he meets Clarisse, he changes his mind. The woman who killed herself for her books represents the fatal danger of choosing to be yourself: conformity will burn you and your identity. Clarisse, too, represent the death of individualism. Her death was a result of her being different. Before she died, she told Montag, “I’m afraid of children my own age. They kill each other” (Bradbury 27). This is similar to how teenagers “kill” each others individuality using conformity.

The looming threats of conformity are shown through the hound, the fire, and technology. The technology is the primary danger. It is made is mass, there is no differences between any of the TVs in almost all of the communities homes. Technology is the ultimate destruction of individualization. Next comes fire, which acts upon destroying the general differences. The fire destroyed books, in a sense destroying the books owner’s identity. However the fire doesn’t completely kill the person, it only kills a part of them. The hound is the ultimate danger; it is the one who kills the person. In Montag’s world, it literally kills people, but though symbolism, it only kills their spirit, their personal identity.

While these dangers are often victorious, there are always the occasions that someone survives them. This rare survivor inspires hope for everyone, as Montag says after he sees the woman burn herself, “There must be something in books, things we can imagine, to make a woman stay in a burning house, there must be something there, You don’t stay for nothing” (Bradbury 48). Once he sees the woman who defeated the conformity (yes, she died but she died as herself) he is inspired to fight for himself. Both the burning woman and Clarisse light the spark inside of Montag. Usually that is all we need, someone to inspire us. We all have the drive to be ourselves, but we need someone to light the passion within, we need a push.

The less obvious and important symbols are the ones that show us what happens when we give in to conformity. Montag’s wife, Mildred, is the epitome of the modern housewife. She doesn’t work but spends her days inside the parlor room, watching TV with her “family” (she calls the actors in the show her family). Occasionally she will have some friends over so they can all watch TV together. But they have mindless conversations, and they are completely unaware that anything is wrong, although they are all suicidal. She is the perfect citizen, according to the government. All of the firefighters at the station represent something similar to Mildred; they are perfect citizens. Ignorant and brain-washed into believing that books must be burned, they symbolize those that have given into conformity, and they are comforted by it. Montag recognizes the conformity first in the way all the fireman look, “Had he ever seen a fireman that didn’t have black hair, black brows, a fiery face, and a blue-steel shaved but unshaved look? These men were all mirror images of himself!” (Bradbury 30). In order to conquer conformity, one must first recognize that there is a problem.  

Part #5: Pages 130-158

summary:

The Captain hands Montag the fire hose and instructs him to burn his own house down. Montag does as he is told, and lights his house on fire, along with all of the books. The Captain then informs Montag that he is under arrest, and as he goes to restrain him, he find the small communication chip inside Montag’s ear. He tells Montag that they will find whoever is on the other end the the chip and burn his house down, then arrest him. Aware of the danger he has put Faber in, Montag acts rashly and turns the flame hose on the Captain, killing him. He kills the other firefighters there, and quickly burns the mechanical Hound, a violent killing machine. Montag runs away to Faber’s house. Together, they make a plan. They pack Montag clothes without his scent, and they destroy any marks that Montag made in Faber’s house. They turn on the news long enough to discover that Montag is wanted, and that they are sending a new hound on his trail. Montag quickly leave Faber’s house, and he runs away.

text-to-text connection:

Both Jonas and Montag enter the climax of their stories when they preform a dangerous act that defies the government. Jonas steals his foster-brother, Gabe, in order to protect him from death. Montag kills Captain Beatty, in order to protect his life and Faber’s life. After their act of defiance, both characters begin running. The difference between the two characters is their end goal. Montag wants to stop all the books from being burnt, he wants to save many more lives not just one. Jonas, on the other hand, just wants to save Gabe’s life, he doesn’t want to change the society in which he lives in.

text-to-reader connection:

The mechanical hound sent to find Montag represents the constant threat of conformity, which is always looming over High Schoolers. We are always battling our own mechanical hounds, for some its losing weight, or doing drugs in order to fit in. The burning of Montag’s house and the fight between him and the Captain represents something similar. It is the fight to keep your identity, or more so the success in keeping your identity. Montag chose his books and knowledge rather than the comfort of his home, his sacrifice shows that there is always an exchange. Being yourself means giving up popularity, or perhaps losing the people you thought were your friends. After burning the Captain, Montag justifies his actions (to an extent) by saying, “burn them, or they’ll burn you” (Bradbury 117).