Category Archives: Homework

Thomas Wolfe’s “Only The Dead Know Brooklyn”

“Only The Dead Know Brooklyn” is a short story by Thomas Wolfe written entirely in “Brooklynese” accent. At first, I had difficulty understanding what I was reading due to the fact that I was not quiet familiar of the dialect that was being used. But, as the story progresses, I’ve come to appreciate this because it shows more insight unto the characters backgrounds and environment — plus I thought it adds “realness” and “life” to it.

Including the narrator telling the story, we get to meet three other unnamed characters described as the “big guy”, “little guy” and “wise guy”.

“Big guy” was asking directions to “Bensonhoist” (Bensonhurst without the dialect), while the “little guy” didn’t know much about Brooklyn, the narrator helped out the “big guy” instead, but, then came in the “wise guy” that gave a different route that causes a little friction between him and the narrator. Before any trouble starts, the narrator and “big guy” gets into the train and discussed more about the city. The narrator learned that the reason why the “big guy” is looking for Bensonhurst is because he “just goin’ out to see duh place” and he “like duh sound of duh name – Bensonhoist”. The “big guy” proceeds to show the narrator a map that displays the places he visited so far or where he wants to go next; like Flatbush, Bay Ridge, and Red Hook. Although the narrator finds this odd, the two men continued talking till they got to the topic of swimming and drowning. Realizing the strange behavior of the “big guy” about drowning, concluding that he’s insane, the narrator then decided to get off the train before his stop.

Personally, I thought the story was quiet comical. When the narrator and “wise guy” gave out two different directions, it’s funny because this truly pictures the subway system of NYC, for those who are familiar, New York subway is laid out in superfluous manner that you can go to a certain place with more than one different route. So if you think about it, “Wise Guy” and narrator can both be right either way. Another thing, the characters have trouble communicating and making a connection because of their different perspectives — like the narrator & “wise guy” unto the Bensonhurst direction and “big guy” communicating in a metaphorical way while the narrator is more of a practical and literal guy. The “big guy” is all about discovering more through his explorations of the city, but the narrator dismisses this and keeps a narrow mind, instead, he thinks it’s dangerous, that “it’s a good place to stay away from”, even though he’s probably never been there. I also think the these two men reflects how there are two types on how people face life in general, one who is on pursuit of knowledge and curious as to what is out there, while the other one who is content at what is already right in front of him and in the comfort of knowing already instead of going further.

Only the dead know brooklyn by Thomas Wolfe

After reading “Only The Dead Know Brooklyn” I realized just how important and interesting language is. Actually I should say that context and how one pronounces words are very important.The reason why these things are so important is because the words used in this story are not proper English in any way shape or form.This is important because the story is still readable and makes sense and this is only true because i understand the context and the setting in which this story is based. I am not the only one who will understand the story in its entirety students,young people,teachers,professors in NYC and most people in the us will understand this story.However if this story was taken to Spain or France I firmly believe that since there would be no way for them to relate to the context the spelling would completely throw them off.This is significant because the words themselves  are not all that difficult they could be spoken aloud and that would provide clarity. The people who do have context would not think about it this way and the people without it would dismiss this story as rubbish.Just like how in the story the character thought that the individual talking about drowning was crazy because he did not know what the other guy meant by that.This to me shows just how important context is,this show just how powerful language is as well as how important it is.Finally this story was also interesting because it has me thinking about all my past everyday interactions with other individuals and as well as the writing i have done, was i really and truly understood? are any of us really and truly understood? are there words that we as humans use that could be added in or taken out of our everyday language that could promote complete understanding?

Utopia and Dystopia Group Discussion

In our group discussion, my group and I compared both stories, “The Yellow Wallpaper” and “The Cottagette”, and determined which is Utopia and Dystopia. Utopia refers to a world that is considered to be perfect, while Dystopia refers to a place where the conditions of life are unpleasant. After comparing the characters and plot in each story, we figured that “The Yellow Wallpaper”  is a dystopia and “The Cottagette”  is a utopia.

In the story, “The Yellow Wallpaper” the narrator is suffering from depression and tries to recover, but she feels that she is trapped in the mansion. Since her husband is a doctor, he prevents her from going outside and suggests her that she should stay in and rest. Our group discussed that the narrator felt content with the mansion in the beginning. However, as the story progresses, the narrator seems to feel uncomfortable in her room. She asks her husband to change the yellow wallpaper, but he refuses to do so. This is the point where this story shows dystopia. The narrator states, “I am getting angry enough to do something desperate. To jump out of the window would be admirable exercise, but the bars are too strong even to try.” The unpleasantness of the yellow wallpaper causes the narrator to feel trapped in the room and eventually causes the narrator to lose her mind.

In the story, “The Cottagette” the author shows happiness throughout the story. We discussed that life is perfect for Malda. In the beginning, Malda expresses how elated she is with the cottage. Additionally, Malda’s husband treats her good and keeps her happy. Malda’s husband, Ford, states “Your work is quite too good to lose; it is a beautiful and distinctive art, and I don’t want you to let it go.” Here, we can see that he supports her and does not want her to quit. Furthermore, in the end, it is revealed that Ford is in love with Malda and wants to marry her regardless of her cooking. This shows that Malda’s life is perfect.

Non-romantic relationships (group discussion)

In my group discussion we talked about the non-romantic relationships in both stories. The yellow wallpaper really stood out for us  because there was a lot of connections in that story.  What really stood out to us is that the john’s wife  never was given a name. We had some disagreements about whether or not her name is Jane.  Some believe that her name is Jane, others believe that Jane is the name of the woman in the wall, some believe that it was a typo for John’s sisters name Jennifer, I believe that Charles made a great point about how when someone is unidentified they call them Jane Doe. We made many connections with John’s wife becoming one with the wallpaper and thats exactly how she is. A women trapped all day long, unable to express emotions and very tied down.  Due to the fact that she was unable to express her feelings  because then everybody think she’s crazy, she starts to connect and become one with this wallpaper.  She starts to rip the wallpaper off-the-wall and she bites into it because she feels like if that wallpaper stays up there that somehow she’s going to get trapped into it.  She does not care what’s going to happen if she does it she doesn’t care that her husband fainted, she’s just going to use him as a step stool to rip off more of the wallpaper. Unfortunately, the Yellow wallpaper was so interesting with all these meanings and connects that my group did not get to talking about the relationship in The Cottagette so my group members have a great comment opportunity to talk about the non romantic relationships in that story and also they can state who they believe is Jane in the Story the yellow wallpaper.

Genres in Gilman Stories

Group Members:

Christelle JeanBaptiste

Yarlin Zapata

Kevin Palomeque

 

In class, our group discussed the genres found in the two Charlotte Perkins Gilman stories, “The Cottagette” and “The Yellow Wallpaper”.

 

“The Cottagette” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman features the genre of “Idyllic”. The story features two women, named Malda, an artist and Lois, a pianist, who move to a peaceful, private, and picturesque cottagette in a rural area, with delicious meals just a few minutes away. The two friends also meet Ford Matthews, a writer full of ambition, who Malda ends up marrying.

The story paints an idyllic picture when Malda is describing her experience, cottagette and surrounding area:

“Never did I know the real joy and peace of living, before that blessed summer at “High Court”.”.

“…from the outside you wouldn’t have believed it, it looked so small; but small as it was it harbored harbored a miracle–a real bathroom with water piped from mountain springs.”.

“Our windows opened into the green shadiness, the soft brownness, the bird-inhabited quiet flower-starred woods.”.

Malda describes visiting the cottagette as one of her best experiences and describes the stunning view that her windows open up to.

Later in the story, Malda, is persuaded by her friend Lois to live more of a domestic life, in order to appeal to Matthews. Malda, who enjoys creating embroidery, has to give up her passion, due to a lack of time stemming from cooking and cleaning around the house.

One day, as the cottagette begins resembles less of a cozy home and more of a crowded apartment due to Lois’ mother moving in, Matthews offers to take Malda on a hike. They reach a spot where they sit down and eat. Malda describes the idyllic scene:

“We saw the round sun setting at one end of a world view, and the round moon rising at the other; calmly shining each on each.”.

It is at this point where Matthews proposes to Malda but only on one condition, that Malda leaves the domestic life to Matthews and she picks up embroidery again. She is hesitant at first but Matthews reveals that he has experience as a cook and would have no problem earning a living as a cook. The story ends with an idyllic compromise and now Malda gets to marry someone who she loves and loves her.

 

 

“The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman is of the gothic genre. The protagonist and her husband, John, stay in an old home, so that John can help his wife recover from her failing mental state.

Right from the beginning, the story makes its gothic tones clear:

“A colonial mansion, a hereditary estate, I would say a haunted house, and reach the height of romantic felicity – but that would be asking too much of fate! Still I will proudly declare that there is something queer about it. Else, why would should it be let so cheaply? And why have stood so long untenanted?”

As the story progresses, so does the wife’s mental illness. She begins to develop an unhealthy obsession with the yellow wallpaper that decorates the room she is confined to. She begins to imagine smells and see figures inside the wallpaper.

“But there is something else about that paper-the smell! I noticed it the moment we came into the room, but with so much air and sun it was not bad. Now we have had a week of fog and rain, and whether the windows are open or not, the smell is here.”.

“John was asleep and I hated to waken him, so I kept still and watched the moonlight on that undulating wall-paper till I felt creepy. The faint figure behind seemed to shake the pattern, just as if she wanted to get out.”.

The ending of the story is not a happy one and leaves the reader with a sense of uncertainty for the wife and John. At this point of the story, the wife’s mental state has almost completely deteriorated and only a fragment of it remains. She is convinced that she is a figure that is confined to the wallpaper and to prevent herself from being sent back, she tears down the wallpaper. This causes John to come rushing to the door, trying frantically to open the locked door, only to be greeted by his wife who has lost her grip on reality.

“ “I’ve got out at last,” said I, “in spite of you and Jane. And I’ve pulled off most of the paper, so you can’t put me back!” Now why should that man have fainted? But he did, and right across my path by the wall, so that I had to creep over him every time!”. ”.

The story does not have a happy conclusion and leaves the reader with a sense of uncertainty regarding the fate of both the wife and John.

Power dynamics in The Cottagette & The Yellow Wallpaper

One thing that stands out in both The Cottagette & The Yellow Wallpaper is the types of relationships. In the story the Cottagette, Malda and Ford have an equal partnership.  “I was still too happy to think very clearly. I just sat and looked at
him. “But you want to marry me?” I said. “I want to marry you, Malda,–because I love you–because you are young and strong and beautiful–because you are wild and sweet and–fragrant, and–elusive, like the wild flowers you love. Because you are so truly
an artist in your special way, seeing beauty and giving it to others. I
love you because of all this, because you are rational and highminded
and capable of friendship,–and in spite of your cooking!””. Ford wanted to marry Malda because of who she was and what she loved to do. when he purposed he asked her not to cook because he realized it made her unhappy. She was shocked, Lois her friend told her if she wanted to keep a husband she needed to know how to keep a house which meant cooking and cleaning. Its wasn’t true in this chase.

In the story The Yellow Wall-Paper there is a controlling relationship. The husband, John is in control of his wife.  ““Better in body perhaps”—I began, and stopped short, for he sat up straight and looked at me with such a stern, reproachful look that I could not say another word.
“My darling,” said he, “I beg of you, for my sake and for our child’s sake, as well as for your own, that you will never for one instant let that idea enter your mind! There is nothing so dangerous, so fascinating, to a temperament like yours. It is a false and foolish fancy. Can you not trust me as a physician when I tell you so?”
So of course I said no more on that score, and we went to sleep before long. He thought I was asleep first, but I wasn’t,—I lay there for hours trying to decide whether that front pattern and the back pattern really did move together or separately. ” She can’t state what’s on her mind if her husband disagrees with what she’s saying. He tells her what to do and when to do it. she listens because she believes he’s this way because he loves her.

Utopia and Dystopia relating to The Yellow Wallpaper and The Cottagette.

The words Utopia and Dystopia are opposites of each other. Utopia relates to a world that is considered to be perfect or ideal while Dystopia refers to a place where the conditions of life are unpleasant. In Gilman short stories the yellow wallpaper and the cottagette we can see where each of these term applies to the protagonist in different ways. In the story yellow wallpaper the narrator introduces us to the mansion in which she is staying for the summer in hopes of recovering from her illness of depression. At first it seems she is perhaps content with the height of romantic felicity” she may experience while at the mansion, she even describes it as” the most beautiful place.” From this  we can relate the idea of utopia as the narrator (perhaps Jane ) expresses the physical appearance of the house and the room in which she stays to that of perfection but it is a facade because as we delve further into the story it is reveal that she is not happy  as she expresses that she would hate it if she had to live in the room long” Now comes the idea of dystopia where the unpleasantness of the room’s yellow wall paper drives her –to say the most– insane. The narrator’s illness deteriorated from a place of utopia to craziness–from the point of view of her husband and his sister’s and perhaps even to the narrator herself, it can be said that she fell into a state of dystopia.

In contrast, the cottagette starts off with description of the cottage, at first I thought it would more relate to the idea of dystopia but as I read on I realized it was more of a utopia for Malda as she expressed how delighted she is with the cottage. Furthermore not only is the appearance of the cottage utopic to Malda but also perhaps the happiness she succumb to in the end. As indicated in the stoty, Malda declares her love for Ford Matthews and is faced with the challenge of proving herself to be a good wife to win his love. She is advised by her friend Lois to make a home, in hearing this she installs a kitchen in hopes of impressing Ford Matthews with her cooking, though Malda is skeptical about this idea as she states “the very beauty of the place is that it never had any house-keeping about it.” Despite Maldas efforts to “make a home” it is revealed that Ford is in fact in love with Malda and all her trouble of impressing him was unnecessary because he in the end confesses his love and wants to marry her regardless of her cooking and domesticity. He loves her because she is young strong and beautiful he even compares her to being sweet and wild like the wild flowers she loves. This, to me is the true idea of utopia to be accepted for who you are and be loved for it without having to prove to be someone you are not. One may consider this a utopia of love for both Malda and Matthews.

 

 

“The Yellow Wallpaper” As A Horror Story?!

  • According to one examination of “The Yellow Wall-Paper” and its publication history, the story did remain in print in between its reprint in 1920 and its feminist re-discovery in the 1970s: in horror-story collections. In what ways do you see “The Yellow Wall-Paper” as a horror story? Include specific references to the text to support your claims.

“I really have discovered something at last. Through watching so much at night, when it changes so, I have finally found out. The front pattern DOES move–and no wonder! The woman behind shakes it! Sometimes I think there are a great many women, behind, and sometimes only one, and she crawls around fast, and her crawling shakes it all over” (Gilman, pg. 9-10).

Now, this quote, visually, is very creepy. Taking place the time in the story, night, and what is going on like seeing numerous women then only one behind a wallpaper that is moving is skin crawling. Speaking of crawling, the women behind the wallpaper crawls, she doesn’t walk. Thinking of this reminds me of the movie “The Ring”, for those who may not have a clue of what I am talking about here’s a visual.

Image result for the ring

“Then in the very bright spots she keeps still, and in the very shady spots she just takes hold of the bars and shakes them hard. And she is all the time trying to climb through. But nobody could climb through that pattern–it strangles so; I think that is why it has so many heads” (Gilman, pg. 10).

Image result for three headed woman

This also adds to the visually disturbing view because not only does the women trapped in the wallpaper crawl but also has many heads. Now, it is unclear if the narrator is referring to the amount of head as the numerous women behind the bars or how many heads that one women behind the bars has. But, this leaves the reader to be open to imagination and depending on where that imagination leads the reader can be classified as horrifying or normal. But when I try to see how this story is viewed as a horror story then a women with many heads crawling is what comes to mind. That’s the way I see this story as a horror story.

At first reading, I did not perceive this to be creepy at all, just very creative writing, somewhat like poetry. But, being that when this story was rediscovered, 1970’s, the first thought that came to my mind about why it would be classified as a horror story is that not only is this story creative in a way that isn’t regularly thought of but, it would probably be looked at as if the narrator has a mental problem that, at the time, could not be explained very well or medically treated properly and is taking the reader into the mind of someone who is ‘not normal’. So when people do not fully understand where something is coming from or just simply don’t understand they tend to label it and shy away from it. That’s the first thought that came to mind when I thought of why it can be seen as a horror story.

The Cottagette by Charloette Perkins Gilman

In “The Cottagette” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, I believe the story offers a truly happy ending. Malda had talent but she thought she needed to please the guy she loves. She was told from Lois, that men love to marry a homemaker. Lois got her happy ending. She was miserable in her marriage. She didn’t regret the pain and once she changed back to her maiden name she felt free and truly happy. Malda was going to give up her needlework to be a housewife. Her soon to be fiance has noticed that she has been cooking recently. When he asked Malda to marry her, she said yes and he told her that there’s one condition and it’s that she shouldn’t cook. He told her that he doesn’t want her to give up what she truly loves and has talent for instead of cooking for him.  When Ford says “Your work is quite too good to lose; it is a beautiful and distinctive art, and I don’t want you to let it go.” I believe it’s a happy ending for them because he truly loves her for who she is and he doesn’t want her to force herself to cook just because it’s a gender role. Being in love with someone means you support them and motivate them to follow their passion. He can cook and he is willing to cook for them so she can do what she loves and I believe that’s true love. You being able to support your partner in any way is true love. Ford is okay with him cooking for the both of them and making that sacrifice for the girl he loves and I believe that’s a true happy ending.

Blog Post for The Cottagette & The Yellow Wallpaper

Most stories that we have read have always made the best out of an unfortunate situation it is known that stories usually have a happy ending although some struggles. In the story “The Cottagette” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. I feel like there was a happy ending because Malda and Ford truly had feelings for it and at the end Ford really only wanted the best for Malda. He knew that she had a passion and he wanted her to pursue it. 

“But you haven’t done half as much of your lovely work since you started this kitchen business, and–you’ll forgive me, dear–it hasn’t been as good. Your work is quite too good to lose; it is a beautiful and distinctive art, and I don’t want you to let it go.” Ford saw Malda’s potential and wanted to her to keep growing even if that meant that he had to sacrifice being taken care of. “Could I? Could I? Was there ever a man like this?” This was the closing of the short story and it shows that Malda was in disbelief that there was actually a man like this would put her before himself. Also that she can have her love but also keep her passion which was the perfect ending for her character.  

Malda always thought that she had to cater to the man and everything she did had to be for him because that was the typical role for men and women in relationships back then.  She was shocked when Ford said that he would take over the cooking and actually payed attention to how her art suffered from her having to cook and clean. Although Malda was confused at first she realized that that was what she truly wanted. he didn’t have to  give anything up or choose between anything. I think this short story offers a truly happy ending.