Author: Teresa

The House of Asterion” written by Jorge Luis Borges and “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings”written by Gabriel Garcia Marques are very similar in Gothic Elements. In “The House of Asterion” and “A Very Old Man with Enormous wings” include characters that are both fear and ostracized by those in their community and society. Asterion (the main character) in “The House of Asterion” is described as half human half bull (Minotaur) however his story begins with the refuting his accusers – making him reveal his arrogance, ostracized, and his depression. “Every nine years nine men enter the house so that I may deliver them from evil. I hear their steps or their voices in the depths of the stone galleries and I run joyfully to find them. “ (Borges 2) The villagers in the community decided nine villagers with the community as a form of sacrifice to satisfy the wrath in Asterion in his labyrinth. A maze waiting for not only company but also his redemption. 

In the story “A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings” – like the title he happen to be an old man with wings, his appearance of a bald head, few teeth, and in a homeless like condition. As well, he doesn’t speak in a regular language – making it very difficult for his to be understood. Pelayo and his wife Elisenda have a sick child who they so desperately want him to be cured . At the beginning of the story, The old man with wings is at first believed to be an angel, making Christianity a big influence of this stories. Pelayo and his wife decide to imprison the Old Man with wings, to take advantage of the situation and make some money. Being locked in cage, creates an Gothic element of “infinite” doors – saying that there is always an escape the trouble is when. 

A Rose for Emily” written by William Faulkner  a story begins with Emily Grierson’s funeral. Which is attended by many of the people of the town who really know nothing about her, other than Emily’s family house is the last of a once, elegant, and upscale neighborhood. In present day, board members of the town tries to get Emily to pay the taxes (that her father had made agreement to the town)  that hasn’t been paid since the death of her father. It’s her emotion’s that has made her unable to communicate about the death of her father, still in shock and unable to give up her father’s body but also it has made the town ridicule her for being unmarried at the age thirty. Homer Barron enters the picture as a potentially romantic relationship for Emily – that the town begins to gossip about. Though the relationship grows – the town’s people begin to fear that she will try to kill herself after being seen to have bought arsenic. However, years have passed by and Emily grows old and Homer is not seen again; after unsealing an upstairs room many enter to see Homer Barron’s body completely decomposed and a long strand of Emily’s gray hair on the pillow.  A paradox defined as a seemingly absurd or self contradictory statement that when investigated or explained to prove to be well founded or true. The paradox is this story is when Emily buys poison; the town of Jefferson believed that she will use it to kill herself, “She will kill herself”; and we said it would be the best thing.” (Faulkner 5). Though the people of Jefferson believed she had died a long time ago, it was surprising to hear that had died of old age and sickness. Only to realize that she has died to her emotional instability. 

“A Good Fall” written by Ha Jin happens to be one of my favorite stories in the this global fiction unit, not because it is easy to understand this story; but its plot is in comparison to today’s society towards immigrants. The story details the life of a man Ganchin, a Chinese immigrant monk who works in the temple as a Kung Fu teacher. Master Zong, also a monk who defy’s the monks disciplinary code by having “a midnight blue BMW, goes home to Long Island, where he had recently bought a house in Syosset” and has a woman and a baby. Cindy, a flight attendant and a friend to Ganchin who tries to help him throughout the story by giving him advice and a place to stay after Master Zong fires Ganchin. 

            In this story, we have the first important scene placed at the beginning of the story. Master Zong firing Ganchin – in this scene Master Zong tells Ganchin that temple was unable to renew his visa. However, the author gives us a bit of background info that Ganchin has been sick for weeks and has been unable to teach his Kung fu classes making Ganchin. To Ganchin it has come to a surprise that Master Zong that not only he is terminating his employment before his contract expires; but also that Master Zong is denying his salary that is owed to him. The scene ends with Master Zong picking up Ganchin passport and threatening his with “I can’t let you have your papers if you stay on illegally. From now on you’re on your own, and you must move out tomorrow. I don’t care where you go. Your visa has expired and you’re already an illegal alien”. This set the tone of the story, this negative event in Ganchin’s life will be what controls him. He has no money; how will he get through life, he has no passport and no legal documentation; he will be deported and humiliated, all this will create stress to him and those around him. 

            The second scene of this story in when Ganchin tires commits suicide. As the story, goes into full detail going up to a high building to jump and kill himself. As he tries, he hurt himself in his left thigh and he mistakenly calls for help. However, it is his story of why he committed suicide that goes viral. His attempted suicide “had become new in Chinese communities across North America, reported by numerous newspapers; a charitable organization offered to pick up his medical bill; and even the owner of Teng’s Garden got famous for a week, having appeared twin on local tv” People or in this case American people see that an honest religious man who has never caused trouble with the law tries to find the American dream – is manipulated, threatened, unemployed; all they see is rage towards Master Zong or anyone who wrongs good hardworking immigrants there will be hell to pay. 

            The story clearly shows deontology ethics; Ganchin is clear representation of a man who follows the rules as a guide of what he does in his life. Cindy a young woman who clearly is interested in him. He ignores this type of demonstration due to his inability of getting married because of his religious standing, though at the end of the story he decides to give this type of relationship a go. However, Master Zong clearly represents the ethics of utilitarianism (maximizing life goods for his own means) as he fires Ganchin because of his illness making Ganchin unavailable to make money for his temple. 

Teresa Lopez Ramos

Midterm Essay, English 2001 

Oct 20, 2020

Change v. Tradition 

            Emily Grierson is a mysterious character in William Faulkner’s “A Rose for Emily” The author tries to share the struggle of trying to maintain the idea of tradition when social and radical change occurs. Emily Grierson; herself lives as a representation of the tradition that many people of the village have a desire to respect, honor, and keep however she is cut off from the outsider world – a true outsider that many ridicule her for. This essay is framed by the teachings and the causes of how changes can be dangerous because it helps us understand how traditions can be dangerous as well. 

            “A Rose For Emily” by William Faulkner writes this story in five sections. The first section recalls the death of the main character of Emily Grierson and how the town attended her funeral in her home which is described that nobody had entered from more than a decade. In this section of the story it had recall that once elegant and wealthy neighborhood – the Grierson house is the last standing, wealthy family. Colonel Sartoris – a previous mayor had suspended the Grierson tax responsibility to this specific town after the death of her father and abandonment of the love of her life. Once a new mayor has taken the position, there are unsuccessful attempts to get Emily to resume those payments. In section II, the narrator describes a setting thirty years earlier, in which Emily is also deferring/resisting a request on behalf of the people of the town – when there is a powerful and disgusting smell that is coming from the elegant manor. Judge Stevens (the mayor at that time) declares that lime should be sprinkled to get rid o the odor during the evening. The father – Mr. Grierson is also an important part as he dies. In section III – the narrator describes that Emily has acquired an illness after the death of her father. Though a new and important character is introduced Homer Barron – a contract worker/boss to pave sidewalks and etc… As Homer becomes a popular figure in town and is seen with Emily on rides on Sunday afternoon, making the townies to gossip, patronize, and pity Emily forgetting  the first thoughts of her pride and question of being involved with a man who is beneath her. In section IV, the narrator describes the action and emotions of the townies when Emily is seen buying arsenic. As this happens, there are also actions of buying a silver toilet set monogrammed for Homer as a potential marriage is setting. We see a repetition of actions from the first section of the story; Emily distancing herself from the town people, her door remains closed to outsider despite the China painting lessons she gave on occasion. Only her servant is seen the only going in and out of that house, even Homer was never to be seen. In section V, the narrator what happened after Emily’s death. He also describes that a particular room was unsealed to the people in over forty years, that they find the monogrammed toilet seat and serval items for a weeding and Homer body and a long stand of Emily’s gray hair on the pillow.  The question is: Does death engage as an important factor of the theme of the dangers of Change vs. Tradition?  

            In the story “The Lottery” written by Shirley Jackson; small town villagers are gather in the square on June 27 or how it is described to be a beautiful day. Tessie Hutchinson an important character to the story is flustered due to her inability to remember an important day to the community. This day in which draws a name out of a black box to decided who to be stoned which Tessie repeats that “it is not fair”. In order to answer the question above: I will examine the scene in which the community is blindly teaching the children to continue the steps of the tradition of the lottery. Then I will also examine the character of Old Man Warner who is extremely faithful to the tradition of the lottery that many decided to blindly follow this tradition so that they fear to return to their “primitive ways”. 

            A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings; its main protagonist is centered around this mysterious man – who to many in the community is an angle who has come to take away Pelayo and Elisenda’s (villains) ONLY child. In The House of Asterion – also has a mysterious character who begins his POV by refuting his accusations made against him, also arrogant, misanthropic, and ostracized. The character is then revealed as a Minotaur (half man/half bull)  in a house with no doors and furniture.

            Both stories involve death and their narrators revolve around mysterious/mythical creatures. The House of Asterion – villagers in that community send nine villagers every nine years as sacrifices to satisfy Asterion to ease his wrath towards the people. In A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings – an old man with wings is found upon the beach on the verge of death, although a miraculous survival from soothing the baby. He is tormented and humiliated by Pelayo and Elisenda. The people of the community and from far away find him as entertainment and cures for their failing health. However, he is able to leave his tormented by regaining his strength.

            The setting are also an important part of these stories and the gothic element. The House of Asterion; the setting is now known as a labyrinth. A house with doors and furniture, forking basement hallways, grey stone galleries, and rooms that are alike and infinite. It sets the stage for how Asterion feels about himself and others due to being in complete solitude. A Very Old Man with Enormous Wings begins with a storm that had lasted 3 days – it shows that where the community comes from  not a lot of money. Throughout the stories a women shares her opinion to who he is and that a priest also entered the story – that religion has a part to who the character are.