Literature Analysis #2

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

1.      Wuthering Heights is a story set in the early 1800s about a girl's reminiscing on her childhood. Nelly was a young servant who worked for the Earnshaws in the manor and she recollects Mr. Earnshaw adopting a young boy by the name of Heathcliff. He joins Mr. Earnshaw's children, Catherine and Hindley, who are at first not very fond of their new "sibling". As time goes on, Catherine begins to love Heathcliff and when Mrs. Earnshaw passes away, Mr. Earnshaw treats Heathcliff like his own. Hindley, on the other hand, continues to detest Heathcliff and gets sent away due to his horrible cruelty towards him. Later, when Mr. Earnshaw dies, Hindley takes over the manor and takes revenge towards Heathcliff. In the meantime, Heathcliff and Catherine's relationship is like a roller coaster, reaching great highs and also becoming more complicated when she meets a new man, Edgar. Heathcliff hits rock bottom and runs away from the manor after being abused by alcoholic Hindley and heartbroken by Catherine (who becomes engaged and later married to Edgar).
     When Heathcliff returns to the manor, he takes it over as Hindley dies and marries Isabella. He finds out that Catherine has died after giving birth to her child and starts to be cruel towards Isabella, causing her to leave him and take their son with her. Thirteen years later, little Catherine is watched over by Nelly and meets Hareton; meanwhile, Isabella dies and leaves Linton, her son, with Heathcliff. A few years later, little Catherine meets Heathcliff and Linton. She and Linton begin a secret romance which lasts until they get married but ends when Linton suddenly dies. Heathcliff takes over little Catherine's place, Thrushcross Grange. Nelly ends the story with the continuation of what is happening presently: little Catherine dates Hareton and when Heathcliff dies, they inherit all he owned. They end up getting married and living in the Wuthering manor.

2. The main theme present in the novel is love and the effects it can have on a person's behavior and life. Heathcliff's passion for Catherine is everlasting, even when they have grown apart from one another. His depression grows deep when he realizes she has moved on to Edgar and he takes in out on his own wife, Isabella. He treats people he should love with such terrible cruelty and basically pushes them away because of it. His devotion to Catherine drive him almost mad in his actions but it also displays how strongly he felt towards her in the beginning and throughout his life.

3. The tone of the novel is different for the ongoing events that occur. At times, Bronte has a passionate voice when the characters describe their love towards each other. "I shall love mine yet; and take him with me: he's in my soul," claiming how she truly cares about her man. Bronte also has moments of an intense tone. Cries for help were said in such extreme words such as, "You have left me so long to struggle against death, alone, that I feel and see only death! I feel like death!" The majority of the novel also has a gloomy outlook on the tragedy that occurs over the years. "Terror made me cruel," and "Proud people breed sad sorrows for themselves," reveal the depressing emphasis the novel had about life.

4. Imagery
- "I pulled its wrist on to the broken pane, and rubbed it to and fro till the blood ran down and soaked the bedclothes..."
- "The contrast resembled what you see in exchanging a bleak, hilly, coal country for a beautiful fertile valley"
- "He wanted all to lie in an ecstasy of peace; I wanted all to sparkle and dance in a glorious jubilee."
Similes
- "Catherine's face was just like the landscape--shadows and sunshine flitting over it in rapid succession; but the shadows rested longer, and the sunshine was more transient..."
- "And his voice and greeting were as opposite as his aspect."
- "Linton's is as different as a moonbeam from lightning, or frost from fire."
Diction
- "If I imagined you really wished me to marry Isabel, I'd cut my throat!'
- "Kiss me again, but don't let me see your eyes! I forgive what you have done to me."
- "Be with me always--take any form--drive me mad! only DO not leave me in this abyss, where I cannot find you!"
Metaphors
- "It was not the thorn bending to the honeysuckles, but the honeysuckles embracing the thorn."
- "Don't get the expression of a vicious cur that appears to know the kicks it gets are its desert, and yet hates all the world, as well as the kicker, for what it suffers."- "One is gold put to the use of paving-stones, and the other is tin polished to ape a service of silver."
Paradox
- "She was never so happy as when we were all scolding her at once."
- "A melancholy sweeter than common joy."
- "You must e’en take it as a gift of God; though it’s as dark as if it came from the devil."

Tools That Change The Way We Think.

   With all these new advances in media, the Internet, and technology, it can be a little overwhelming at times. But personally, I feel like these discoveries are dumbing me down. I only care about finding the right answer quickly---not the excitement or determination in searching for these results. When Google fills in my search bar with what I wanted to find, sure, it's more efficient and useful. But it also causes me not to care about what they may put in front of me. I don't take the time now to sift through various sites. I choose the first couple that are on the top of the list (which might not even be relevant to my question/search). Depending on technology has no depth to it; it gives you the information it thinks you would like to hear and nothing beyond that. Not only have filter bubbles made me lazier, but the option to have multiple Internet tabs up or have unlimited access to sites make me procrastinate. One click away from doing something important can lead me to a new site that takes me somewhere else and there goes an hour from my work. I can't concentrate on what needs to get done because I could go to a completely different link for something irrelevant.
   It's hard to imagine how people got along without Google or iPads. Of course, I know they used books and other news outlets for their resources but compared to now, they must have had some sort of driven attitude to get them where they needed to go. Researchers must have felt the need to hunt for the latest discovery where as now, kids can unconsciously look stuff up on their iPhone in about 30 seconds. Thinking about thinking was the norm because that was the way people learned anything they needed to. There had to be great effort to look up facts or know what was going on in the world.
   I wonder what it would be like if, right now, technology and media came to a halt. What would this new generation be like if we depended on print newspapers for the latest news in the world? Or if we didn't have all of the Internet's info in the palm of our hand? Maybe it would bring us back to a more intellectual and active time. After this article and watching the video, I want to go out and look beyond what is given in front of me. I want to balance what's important over irrelevant and find what actually matters that I can't see.

In Search Of...

     When I first watched the TED video, my immediate reaction was: the Internet is a creep. The search engine and its results all depend on what you like or where you've been; it knows things beyond what it needs to and uses it against you. Every time you search, it uses its stereotypical ways to give you some kind of biased results. Two different people can get two different products which shouldn't happen if you're looking for the same subject. Even though it may see more efficient, it also blocks people from what they need to read compared to what they want to see.
     With that, I tried different keywords in the Google search engine. I used phrases like: who was Shakespeare, William Shakespeare, life of William Shakespeare, and summary of Shakespeare's life. They all gave me different results from Wikipedia to PBS.com to william-shakespeare.com. Even though their information was generally similar, they still had specific points specified. I, then, went to Bing and used the same keywords as I did in Google. I got similar results within the websites and information, but for this search engine, I also received numerous image and news results as well. Lastly, I went to Ask.com with the same keywords as before. Like Bing, I got the same facts but more media advertisements and notifications. The searches may have all been relatively similar, but the final results show that personalization leaves a lot to be wondered.

Notes on Hamlet

     Let me start by saying: I knew absolutely nothing about the plot of Hamlet. Going into it, I wasn't exactly sure of how to see it. All I knew from the beginning scene is that Hamlet was a young man going through a tough time and expressing himself like any teenager does; he cared more about his emotional issues and angst than anything else on the planet. He was manically depressed over the loss of his royal father and recent marriage of his mother and uncle Claudius (who took over the throne from his late father). As the story progressed, he gained some backbone by owning up to the duty of revenge for his father. He was told by his dad's ghost that Claudius was the murderer and he needed to experience karma at its worst. Hamlet took this as a challenge that he needed to overcome for the sake of his family. With this new responsibility, he became more of a man and has grown (with emotions in full effect) into a human with dignity and integrity. Many of the supporting characters have shown some sort of betrayal or insignificance to Hamlet, causing for little surprise within their ways. If Hamlet stays on the path he is down, I believe he will complete his manhood by defeating the enemy and becoming more courageous throughout his journey.

Who Was Shakespeare?

     I go on to Google and type the words in: Shakespeare biography. After panning through the thousands of results given, I end up here: http://www.enotes.com/william-shakespeare/shakespeare-biography. The site starts off with the basics like the year he was born and the year he died (1564-1616). They talk about his personal life, discussing his schooling at Stratford, his wife (Anne Hathaway), and their three kids. They go on to talk about his 25 year devotion to being an actor and a playwright. He wrote his many famous sonnets throughout this time and while bearing the tragedy of his son's passing, became a partner in the Globe Theater. The later period in his life was when he relaxed and enjoy his wealth he had accumulated after the success of his works. Although the information from this site is all cut and dry, they claim that no fact is truly set in stone and that their data may be a little sketchy. This leaves me to wonder if they really know when all of his plays and sonnets were written or if they even have proof/substantial evidence of these works.
     From experience, the natural reaction to that of Shakespeare is: "Ugh," or "Ick." Although he is a literary genius, he is also hard to comprehend due to the old English iambic pentameter thing he's got going on. His stories are classic; titles such as Romeo and Juliet or Hamlet are household names. Even though he may have the fame, Shakespeare doesn't necessarily have the popularity of the new, modern crowd. They only see him as desperate, hopeless romantic or as a complete and utter fool. The first time I really experienced Shakespeare was freshman honors English with Romeo and Juliet. I was thrilled to read such a famous love story, but also a little intimidated on how hard it would be to fully understand what was truly going on. By the first scene, I was hooked; the rhythm of the lines was way easier to process and their elegant way of speaking wasn't too bad to read. I was enamored with this tale and still think Shakespeare is easier to tackle than some other random novel. Because it comes so natural to me, the only times I have questions are on the words that have become extinct in today's English. (Since when did bodkin mean dagger?) Shakespeare may be many students' worst nightmare, but to me, his work will always be second nature.

To Facebook or Not To Facebook?

     Facebook is just one of those things. You either love it or you hate it; there's no real in between. I got a Facebook a little less than a year ago and personally, it was for a good reason. I just went to a National Young Leaders Conference in Washington, D.C., and I decided I wanted to stay in touch with my new best friends. Once I signed up, I was able to keep in touch with people from here all the way to New Jersey, Virginia, Texas, and many more cool places. It was exciting to see what they were up to or chat with them about everything new going on in their lives. It was also another outlet to express my thoughts and share what I was doing with my friends.
     Of course, I knew the risks of losing my privacy online. I understood that if someone knew me, they could see my profile or the pictures I had recently downloaded. I got the point that it may be a little sketchy to have my name and other personal details on such a popular and public site. So I took the time to go through all of the security policies and read them for what they were. I checked the things I wanted somewhat safe and allowed the details of others to be seen. I still do double check the fact that technically, no one can view my age or any other random private facts about me. I'd be paranoid if I didn't have all of this kept away.
     After I read and analyzed the article about the privacy that Facebook offered, it basically validated most things I knew. I was surprised that a huge amount pre-teens sign up despite the fact that they really don't have legal permission. Because of this and Zuckerberg's fight against COPPA, it's easier to understand the business plans he has for his site and how he wants to pay for it. It's obvious that such social networking sites could be potential threats for young adults with bullying and other crimes, but protecting these kids shouldn't just be all on Facebook. It goes to show that they can do so much, but the site is also a business. If a parent is afraid for their child to be on there, enforce rules or punishments for such actions. There may be a temptation and Facebook tries its best to be a little more secure, but it is also just trying to make a profit off the advertisements that kids endorse with their sign ups. Facebook is a social media outlet that can be dangerous and risky, but in the end, it's a choice to make one and to use it wisely.

(Don't) Be Hamlet

     Suicide is not a topic on the average person's mind. It's definitely not a part of the norm and for most people, never really talked about. But Hamlet is not exactly the typical young adult. He sees that all of what once was stable is beginning to fall down. Everything is in shambles in his eyes and the consideration of taking his own life doesn't sound like a bad idea to him. Throughout giving thought over this sinful act, he contemplates the pros (no more dramatic events and ending heartache) and cons (shame toward his family and losing the love of Ophelia) in the situation. The setting and plot give reason for him to keep on living and being a man of such a young age, I believe he should stick it out for himself and his family's sake. Life always gets worse before it gets better; Hamlet should just face the music and not let the worst of things get the best of him.
     Hamlet is a man who is a little bit out of the box for his generation. He is beyond angsty, constantly depressed, and still grieving over his late father's tragic death. His emotions are deep to the core and go to dramatic lengths at some points. The end of his world is at his feet and his immediate thought is to end it all. His pondering about suicide leads him to debate both sides of the decision. One of the points he doesn't really touch on is the fact that in this time, suicide is very much frowned upon. It's a forbidden subject because it's the wrong solution to anything. The plot can also show a positive sign of living due to the fact that Hamlet should be focusing on the revenge against Claudius. He needs to put his energy towards his plan of attack instead of his plan of putting down his own life. He has much more to live for in his future and so much he has to fight for before he dies.
     When someone is truly suicidal or even thinking about the possibility of committing such an act, there isn't really a way to stop them. As Hamlet becomes more involved into the idea, his motives sound better and better to him; his inner demons are controlling his thoughts to the full extent. As the reader, I understand Hamlet's situation but can also put the other factors into consideration. Leaving behind what you once know isn't always ideal. Hamlet doesn't know what life after death is like; he may end up hating it more than living. He always doesn't really understand how much sorrow his mother would feel. She would be devastated because it's difficult to watch your child die before you do. He doesn't fully see the effects his one life-changing decision it would make. His selfish happiness in suicide could result in remorse for everyone else around him. He should find a light and keep his head up to get out of the rut he is stuck in.
     For most people, suicide is hard to wrap the mind around. The concept of self-destruction can tear apart everything a person may know. It can lead to burned bridges and remorse towards any part of life. Hamlet's new found discovery with suicide has him at a crossroads. "To be or not to be---that is the question," is his most important thought. Even though his world may be turned upside down, he should take into consideration what society was against in this time frame and what chance of revenge he will miss if he takes his own life. He also needs to see that his mother loves him (whether or not he knows it) and if he leaves her like that, her soul will be internally crushed. He shouldn't end his story yet; there are still so many pages left to discover in his life.